NARRATIVE: The word "roundup" brings to mind so many images from personal experience. Getting up at 4:00 am, hot breakfast that stays with you all day, not much talk in the morning. Saddling horses, knowing my trick right knee is going to hurt about the third hour in the saddle, riding where I never thought a horse could go. Chasing fast steers through pine trees, the lazy talk of a rider beside me, hollering at the cattle, and so many 'close calls!’ Chutes, branding, spraying for ticks and using wire loops to dig them out, doctoring wounds, castrating, dehorning. Pulling a wet saddle blanket off a tired horse, always taking care of the animals first, horse hair on everything I've worn that day. Feeling a unique historical connection to the men, women and children who took part, then sleeping like the dead and not regretting a second of it.

I don't claim to be a cowboy, however, I've been blessed to come from a ranching heritage and have dear friends who ran cattle, invited me into their lives, and graciously shared their knowledge so that this dang fool of an artist could "get it right" to be authentic in my work.

This is a brand new piece created specifically to debut at this show.