Friday, November 20, 2015

Reflecting on “Reflections.”


range magazine and the Range Conservation Foundation just released a new book titled Reflections of the West: Cowboy painters and poets. (Ain’t that a fine title?)
It’s 160 big, colorful pages of pure delight.
Poetry by some of the finest versifiers, living and dead, to ever practice the art (and me, as the exception that proves the rule) accompany paintings by a variety of accomplished artists who illuminate cowboy life. (That's a Don Weller painting on the cover.) Together, the words and pictures offer heartfelt reflections of ranching and riding, horses and cattle, sheep and shenanigans, landscapes and wildlife.
This book’s predecessor, Brushstrokes and Balladeers: Painters and poets of the American West, (another fine title) won a slew of honors, including the Western Heritage “Wrangler” Award from the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum. This book may well outdo it.
Two of my poems are featured: “A Bolt of Broomtails” and “Morning Glory.” The poems accompany beautiful art, the first a painting by the late, great Utah artist Maynard Dixon; the second by contemporary artist Cheri Christensen.
Perfect for Christmas and other gift-giving occasions, the book is available from the publisher online at www.rangemagazine.com and by phone at 1-800-RANGE-4-U.


3 comments:

  1. Great review Rod! As much as people loved Brushstrokes, they're saying this one might be better. Loved "A Bolt of Broomtails", and what better painting to pair it with than Maynard Dixon? It's great that you are in such fine company. You certainly belong there. Kudos! Carolyn

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    1. Thanks, Carolyn. Maynard Dixon's painting and "Bolt of Broomtails" do seem made for each other. I guess the same mental snapshot spawned them both.

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    2. Thanks, Carolyn. Maynard Dixon's painting and "Bolt of Broomtails" do seem made for each other. I guess the same mental snapshot spawned them both.

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