Rocky Mountain Cowboy 2014

This is Mark Maggiori's "Rocky Mountain Cowboy" and you can see how he's built up the image using thin layers of paint. I imagine him beginning with a broad concept, then allowing the details to emerge organically, like the contours of a mountain range forming over time. There is a strong feeling of sunlight on skin, and an overwhelming sense of calm. Look closely, and you'll see the surface isn't uniform. The horse almost glows, because the brushwork is varied and energized, giving a sense of the animal’s presence. The cowboy sits high in the saddle. The rocky ground under the horse seems to blend the practice of plein air landscape painting with the tradition of history painting. It puts me in mind of Remington’s cowboys, but with a contemporary sensibility. Artists are always in conversation, building on the past, and creating something new. The painting feels both fresh and familiar.