Wild West Weekly, pulp cover, December 14 1935 1935

This cover for Wild West Weekly, from December 1935, was painted by Robert G. Harris. You can see how Harris uses oil paint with a light touch and thin layers to bring to life the drama of the Wild West. Look at the cowboy in mid-action, frozen for our benefit. I wonder what Harris was thinking when he chose this specific pose. He must have wanted to capture a sense of urgency and danger, the cowboy caught in a moment where every muscle is taut, face grim. I can see Harris's brushstrokes. They give form to the cowboy's tense posture, his forward momentum. And that scarf! How it whips around his neck tells us everything. As painters we look at paintings by other painters to find inspiration, to push our own work further. Harris's action-packed cover reminds me that art, like life, is full of energy, movement, and endless possibilities for adventure.