“Because our gender was not welcomed or allowed into the ‘Cowboy Artists of America,’ for a number of years, Women Artists of the American West (WAOAW) was founded in 1971,” says the organization’s president, Burneta Venosdel. “They had a desire to network and compete as professional artists.” In 1988, the name was shortened to Women Artists of the West to reflect a membership that broadened to include women artists creating outside the genre of Western art. Today WAOW has a membership of 300 artists across the U.S., Canada and Australia, three of whom we showcase below.
Pokey Park, Sentinel Sam, bronze 19 x 11 x 12”
For Mary Russell Harjo, painting is her way of connecting to the world. “When an artwork draws me in, I feel physically and emotionally close to the artist,” she says. “There is an intimate communication that takes place and it transcends the boundaries of language and culture. I hope that viewers will have a similar experience when they see my work.”
Mary Russell Harjo, A Boy and his Dog, oil on canvas panel, 12 x 16”
Pokey Park’s piece is one of 36 animal habitat sculptures she designed for a children’s hospital commission in California. “I love the challenge of depicting the correct anatomical details of these endangered animals in my unique style by giving them human characteristics that bring them to life in an engaging, playful manner,” she says. “I create with the hope that my work will bring a smile to the viewer—happiness is a very strong positive force. I believe that sculpture in general reaches out to people on an emotional level. It addresses two of our senses without even trying—sight and touch.”
Betty Jean Billups, Afternoon Gathering, oil, 36 x 48”
“Oftentimes the everyday elements of life have tremendous beauty which, when captured through the brush of an artist, open a door of understanding,” says artist Betty Billups whose painting depicts a timeless scene of women amid a bevy of swans. “[I see art as] a gift to people almost blinded by their daily mundane experiences.” —
Women Artists of the West
Information: (520) 579-5584, www.waow.org
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