Soul Window

Soul Window

I am always amazed at the horses that working cowboys will ride.  Most big outfits average forty dollars a day on wages, so the working guys have to make the most of average horses.  This mare belongs to Tanner Bell, a Piute Buckaroo living near Battle Mountain, NV.  This mare is one of my favorite subjects.  Obviously a desert mustang, she is alert and built for endurance.  The horse crowd wouldn’t give you a plug nickel for her, but the working guys are masters at taking an average horse and doing remarkable things with them.  What she lacks in conformation and pedigree, she more than makes up for with heart and try and loyalty.  Look at her eye and tell me that isn’t a window to her soul.  She gives of herself and asks for nothing in return, but a good day’s work and a pat of acknowledgement and mutual respect.

Have a good weekend and I'll see you back here on Monday!

All content and images © Mark Kohler Studio.

Swayze's Favorite

     In keeping with our finished dog portrait, I thought I would end up the week with another painting of man's best friend.  This painting is included in my recent collaboration with Kathy McCraine, called Cow Country Cooking.  I hope you enjoy it!

Swayze's Favorite

     They say you can tell a lot about a man by the dog he chooses.  So, in my book, Swayze McCraine is one helluva man.  Loupy is a Border Collie-Catahoula mix that quietly gets his work done --- sometimes, a little too enthusiastically --- and asks very little in return.  Because he has the brains of the Collie and the grit and drive of the Catahoula, Loupy is where the action is at the right time.  These are two valuable traits that elude a lot of cowdogs. 

      I think highly of this dog, and as 33% owner of the 7-Up Ranch, he gets in his share of cow work.  He’s almost the perfect dog.  You know, they say you can tell a lot about a dog by his owner….              

     Well, we're already one week in to the New Year, so what do you say we embrace 2011 and blaze some new trails with our art?  Be bold and unafraid!  And if there's anything you want to discuss or any question you would like to see answered, bring it on.  Let's support and encourage each other!  So have a good weekend, and I'll be back here on Monday.

  

A Tribute To Patrick

  
     Although I primarily paint cowboys and life in the American West, the truth is, that I love painting people...people of all cultures and lifestyles.
     I did this painting for Sgt. Major Patrick Dougherty, USMC.  I met him a year ago, and while he was impressed with my paintings, I was impressed with his dedication to the military and to our country, and offered to paint him a portrait of Afghanistan, where he had been stationed.  It was the least I could do for what he and his family have given for our freedoms.
     He provided me with a photograph he had taken, and I was proud to do this painting for him.  And not to be outdone, he presented me with a gift:  I am now the proud owner of a pair of military issue combat boots.  I would say it was a deal well made!
     Thank you, Patrick, for your service.  Because of you and your fellow servicemen, I have the luxury to pursue the career I desire.

   Have a good weekend, and I'll see you back here on Monday!

   All content and images © Mark Kohler Studio.    

Heel Trap

     This weekend I am in Prescott, Arizona, showing my collection of paintings that are featured in my collaborative new book, Cow Country Cooking: Recipes and Tales from Northern Arizona's Historic Ranches.  My friend, Kathy McCraine, gathered the recipes, designed and produced the book which includes her beautiful photographs and stories from the cowboys themselves.
     We searched for a project we could collaborate on, and our mutual respect and love for the history of the West, naturally led us to this book.  My contribution was 21 original paintings of the iconic cowboys from Arizona's historic ranches: the O RO, Babbitts, and the Diamond A's.
     The cover painting, Heel Trap, illustrates my personal feelings about the lifestyle and the project:

Heel Trap

Branding is a good time for both the cowboy and the artist.

On no other occasion do the two professions come together so 

perfectly.  There seem to be paintings at every turn.  The light is

unusually harsh, as it was in this shot of Clay Rodgers dragging

calves at Babbitt Ranches' Redlands Tank, because the sun has 

started its slow, mid-morning climb.  Dust and acrid smoke fill the air.

Hot irons and bunched cattle combine to make interesting paintings.

The business of branding occurs at a breakneak pace, and the images

will be reflected in future works of art: headers, heelers, irons and

dehorners, whetstones and Moore Maker knives.  The action builds, the 

movements are fast, and in an instant the last heel trap is laid, the roar 

of the branding pot fades, ropes are coiled and stowed, cinches are 

slacked, and both the cowboy and the artist long for the next time. 

     Here is one of the many accolades the book is receiving:  "With Cow Country Cooking, Kathy McCraine continues her fine chronicle of the American West, particularly northern Arizona's historic ranches, where meals include a pleasing variety of ethnic fare and tasty standards.  McCraine writes of ranch traditions and culinary characters, and her superb photographs capture the essence of the lifestyle.  A bonus:  Mark Kohler's wonderful Western art and his discerning take on his subjects.  Cow Country Cooking delivers it all --- mouthwatering recipes, eye candy, historic details and an entertaining perspective on ranch life." --- Fran Smith, Books Publishing Director, Western Horseman. 

     It has been my honor to be involved with this project and book, and it is 192 pages of inspiration, history, and food to make your mouth water.  I invite you to partake.

Hammer Fist

     This Saturday, I want to introduce you to my friend, Kacy Wachob.  I first met him in Arizona, when he was passing through on his way to Buckaroo country.  This painting, Hammer Fist, was painted soon after I met him, and the story indicates his history at that point.   He now lives in the Sand Hills of Nebraska with his wife Lisa, ranching 55,000 acres with his parents.
     He's one of the best bronc riders and colt starters I've ever seen.  I visited him and his brother BJ several years ago, and the tales they told of the Nebraska winters made this Texas boy cringe.  One of the downsides of constantly working to make a living as an artist, is that I don't often get to see these guys who have made such an impact on my career.
     BJ moved to Elko, Nevada and I had the opportunity to see him this last trip.  It had been over 5 years.  So maybe God will smile on me and make a trip to the Sand Hills become a possibility.  Kacy is one of my favorite subjects to paint, and it's been too long.

Hammer Fist

The wandering half of the brothers Wachob, Kacy doesn't stay long anywhere.  My image of him is pure buckaroo.  He'll take horses over cattle any day ... he's a top hand.  With time spent on the Spanish Ranch, YP and IL, he's earned himself a good reputation.  I heard a lot of stories about his hellraising and bloody knuckles, but all I saw was even-keeled and polite.  

All content and image © Mark Kohler Studio.

Have a good weekend and I'll see you on Monday!

We Get Along

     This weekend's post features one of the images from a new book that I have published with Kathy McCraine, called Cow Country Cooking:  Recipes and Tales from Historic Ranches of Northern Arizona.
Not only does the cookbook give you delicious recipes, but you get wonderful insight into the iconic lifestlye of the cowboy.   You'll see why their passion fits so nicely with mine.
     I hope you enjoy the post, have a good weekend, and I'll see you back here on Monday.

We Get Along

I constantly find myself trying to reconcile the cowboy lifestyle in my own head.  It’s sometimes difficult to weigh the upside of freedom to the downside of bad weather, strong-willed horses, hard country and the whims of cattle---not to mention the short pay.  But free men are generally contented men, and cowboys seem to find satisfaction in the mundane little victories of life.  These include good horses, quality gear and country that’s pleasing to the eye.  When you break it all down, the freedom to pursue our passion is all we really need.  The only difference between most of us and the cowboy, is that he has found his.

I Can Change My Own Damn Tire!

     Hopefully, you have all had the opportunity to view my latest YouTube video of my trip to Nevada.  In the video there is a captivating sequence where two cowgirls are fighting a rowdy calf, which just about gets the best of them.  I decided to do a painting of one of these cowgirls and tell you a bit of her story.  I hope you enjoy it!

I Can Change My Own Damn Tire!

     Georgia Black and her husband, Jay, ranch near Battle Mountain, Nevada.  For the smaller outfits, branding and gathering without the help of dayworkers requires the help of neighboring ranches.  This friendly reciprocity keeps the smaller outfits efficient and able to make ends meet.

     If you saw my video, you will recognize Georgia as a darn handy neighbor.  She very quietly went about the work of the day, pulling more than her share of the weight.

     I coaxed her from behind her sunglasses and captured many good shots of her working before the irons were pulled to cool, and the cattle were pushed out into the desert.

     As we loaded horses to call it a day, Georgia noticed a tire on her trailer was flat.  After a short call to her husband, Georgia set her jaw, and with a few curt words, she proceeded to locate the block lift and a star iron and go to the task at hand.

  Ranch women are a different breed, and in today's world, it sure is nice to see a woman get the job done.  I hope you find Georgia a breath of fresh air.

Have a good weekend and I'll see you back here on Monday!

Image and content © Mark Kohler Studio.

My Travels Out West: Battle Mountain, Nevada

Over the past week or so, I've shared posts about my recent trip to Nevada. Now I'd like to share a video that Pam shot. This is just a glimpse of the amazing people who live this lifestyle, and I think you'll see why I'm passionate about them. Enjoy!

The Coyote Dun

     If any of you are familiar with my collection of work, then you know that I am partial to portraits of horses.  They each have their own personality and their own story.  The following is one of my favorites, and as it turns out, a favorite of everyone.
     The Coyote Dun is my most popular-selling print to western art enthusiasts; far out-selling the others.  And to the cowboy crowd, it is so popular that it appears on the outside of my good friend Chris's horse trailer, and on the back of a cowgirl as a full-blown tattoo!  I can't say that I ever imagined that application when I decided to tell the Coyote's story.  But there is something about his pose and bearing that captures the hearts of all who see him.  I hope he speaks to you.

The Coyote Dun

I took this shot of one of Shawn's favorite saddle horses.  He's a big old dun horse with a real blue, dark mane, black socks and a little coyote in him.  Shawn had just finished working on him and gone to the branding pen to start up the burners for the branding irons.  I snapped three or four shots with the horse's back bowed because he was about half asleep on his feet from working.  Shawn pushes him pretty hard, I guess, for a ranch horse. 

    
I visited Shawn just a couple of weeks ago and we reminisced about the Coyote Dun.  It's been over 12 years since I captured his iconic image, and both mine and Shawn's paths have taken many turns.  But the memories of the Coyote Dun are still as strong as the day I laid paint to paper.   May he live forever!

Here's wishing you a great weekend and I'll see you back here on Monday!

All content and image © Mark Kohler


      

Dally and Riata

     You may know that Pam and I just completed a cowboy jog out West and that one of my stops was Battle Mountain, Nevada.  I’ve been friends with the Goemmer family for many years.   Since the beginning of my art career, they have played a huge role in whatever success I have accomplished.  We’ve been friends long enough to see their girls grow up and to see them progress from “ranch kids” to “handy kids” in a very short time.

(L to R) Mindy, Riata, Dally and Shawn Goemmer 

      Shawn said he basically runs 400,000 acres with his wife, Mindy, and two young daughters.  At first, this might sound outlandish and unbelievable, but to see these two young girls go about the business of handling their own mounts and working cows is to clarify any misgivings you may have had.

     Ranch life is all they’ve ever known, and for generations, the Goemmer family has been steeped in the traditions of raising cattle.  One of the reasons I was so drawn to Shawn and Mindy was their adherence to the customs and rituals of the Old West.  You won’t find helicopters, four-wheelers or squeeze chutes on any of Shawn’s operations.  Everything is accomplished on horseback, and brandings consist of time-honored methods of roping and dragging to the fire.  The Cowboy Code is alive and well if you’re associated with Shawn.

     And you’re never too young to start learning.  Dally and Riata are not only home-schooled in the customary subjects that our society requires, but they are receiving an education that no city kid would ever dream of.  They were horseback before they could walk, and they’ve learned to count on their wits and common sense to get ahead.
     Pam and I watched them take off alone, over sage-brushed terrain, in search of cattle spread over countless acres; gathering and driving them to the branding pens, nearly 4 miles away.  Their parents each went in an opposite direction, and they would all meet up, pushing cattle to the pens, in a little over an hour. Shawn’s only word of caution was to make sure they had their cell phone and their pocketknives.  In my eyes, they lead an extraordinary life.  To them, it’s just how they live.

Riata

    Dally and Riata are very different in personality, yet very much the same in attitude.  We hadn’t seen them in probably 4 or 5 years, so they were naturally cautious, as ranch kids will be.  But once we earned their trust, they were warm and friendly, and ready to tell us about their rodeo winnings from the year.

     Riata is 10 years old and bleeds all things cowboy.  Shawn said the colder, wetter, dustier, and harder the cow work, the more she revels in it.  She goes about her work in a very quiet and intense way.

     Dally is 12 and seems to be a bit more jovial with the task.  She is a jokester and doesn’t mind giving her ol’ dad a hard time whenever she can.  She handles the work in a light-hearted manner, but don’t think for one minute that she’s less capable. 

Jette Black (L) and Dally

     I also watched both Dally and Riata go out of their way to help the younger neighbor children who were learning the intricacies of the branding pen.  They each showed amazing patience and grace for ones so young themselves, and gave constant support to the novices.  I watched them nurture and encourage a young 8 year-old cowgirl named Jette Black, whose confidence grew under their tutelage.

     I took some great working photos of the two sisters, but the picture I was most excited about was an interior shot of the girls.  (It reminded me of something Gordon Snidow might paint).  The dark shadows of the interior and the serious nature of the pose were fantastic.  I’m still not sure how to strategically attack this painting, but I am looking forward to it.

Riata (L) and Dally Goemmer

    I suppose the long road to Nevada will keep us at bay for a few more years, but I am most excited about our next visit.  Dally and Riata will be around 16 and 14, and will be seriously handy ranch kids at that age.  Their skills under Shawn and Mindy are compounding rapidly and I look forward to the gift of being able to document and paint their progress.  Once again, “Thanks” seems too trivial a word for what the Goemmers have given us.  I’m indebted to you, Dal and Ri.

All content and images © Mark Kohler Studio.

Fall of Warm Light

     If any of you have been following me on Facebook, then you know that it is hunting season in South Texas.  And this time of year combines two of my passions.  Being a hunter, I've always justified the Sporting Life, because I only kill what I eat.  But the line becomes a bit fuzzy on the subject of painting.
 

"Pheasant with Hunting Bag" by Chardin

  
      Chardin, Weenix, Van Aelst, or Oudry never broached the subject beyond technique.  These artists obviously conveyed an intimacy with their subject, and that is what I feel, as well.  The truth is, I have to paint what I know, and what ignites the passion.  I have tried to describe my deep feelings about the subject in the description below the painting.  
 

"The Fall of Warm Light"

This still life was born of the mesquite thorn’s branch.  Unlike, Pam, I find the South Texas brush exhilarating and romantic.  From my childhood, it was a special event to hunt south of San Antonio.  For a wide-eyed Central Texas boy, the brush country meant huge deer, large coveys, and javelinas.  For me, the romance of South Texas was linked to the disregard in which it is held.  The thorny brush takes care of itself and its inhabitants rather effectively.  Ironically, its upside is all it’s downside.  "The Fall of Warm Light" illustrates the natural symbiosis that exists between the land and the animals it cradles. 

Have a good weekend and I'll see you Monday!

All content © Mark Kohler.  "Pheasant and Hunting Bag" painted by Chardin. 

      

Reload At Battle Mountain

     Since I am currently on the road home from Battle Mountain, Nevada, I thought I would share a painting from this region of our great American West.  This will give you some sense of why it's worth it to me to travel so far.  I am always presented with great subjects and stories.  Hope you enjoy this one!

Chris had a tough upbringing.  A gypsy childhood and a tragic accident that claimed his father put their mark on him.  Cowboying is a strange thing …. when you’re around it, you see how it affects a man.  Passions of the heart are a strong common thread --- the thread that runs through every aspect of ranch life.  The monetary awards are sketchy at best, but the rewards of the heart are magnificently satisfying.  Chris lives his life on these incentives:  good family, good horses, a hard day’s work behind a sixty foot rope, and the occasional bronc ride.  The artist’s life parallels the cowboy’s in so many ways.  Maybe that’s why I can relate to their passions and to their love of the simpler aspects of life.  I guess we’re all chasing our star.

 All content and images © Mark Kohler Studio.

The Fortress

     This weekend, while we're taking a break from our portrait of Trina, I wanted to introduce you to another cowgirl in my repertoire.  Her name is Heather Coombs, and she lives and works on the Smith Creek Ranch in Nevada.  Here is her story:

     Painting Heather is easy... titling the painting always leaves me at a loss.  I feel compelled to illustrate her in a fair light.  Words and descriptions come fast.  Heather is the glue that keeps all around her together.  She is virtuous; she can be a rounder... while at the same time, fiercely God-fearing.  She takes care of dogs and horses with the caring instincts that only a woman possesses.  Yet she can bury her emotions and make the hard decisions when necessary.  Typical of working ranch women, she asks for nothing.  She just presses on, for the demands of work never wait. 

All content and images © Mark Kohler Studio.

What Reads Like History....Is History!

Ken Haskins

    

 In northern Arizona, a man named Haskins is probably wrangling horses as I pen this.  His full name is Ken Haskins and he’s about 76 years old.  No one knows for sure.  He was born in Montana to Hugh Haskins, which is where my cowboy chronicle will begin.

     Hugh Haskins worked at a time when cowboys were king.  Hugh personally knew Charlie Russell and Will James, two rather significant legends to build your cowboy resume upon, or in my case, a cowboy epic.

     Ken’s father was a gifted bronc ride, cowboy, wrangler and noted wood carver.  He once carved a cow camp scene, reported by some to be from 8 to 10 feet long.  It had cowboys, corrals, cowboy tipis, a camp wagon and a remuda complete with 120 horses.  During the Depression, Eleanor Roosevelt offered Hugh the kingly sum of one thousand dollars for the carving.  But Hugh turned her down.  Instead, I think he gave it to his friend, who at the time was Governor of Montana.  It is rumored to have been lost in a fire years later.  Gleaning what I can from my cowboy friends, Hugh Haskins was a top hand cowboy in every regard.

     Ken was born somewhere around 1934 in Montana.  He can’t say for sure.  I’m working on gaining information about his early years, so be patient and stay tuned for further tales of Ken’s saga.  I consider this first post an introduction, and more will follow, I promise.

     What I do know is this:  Ken has amassed a cowboy resume that few can match.  He’s cowboyed and worked all over Montana, Wyoming, Nevada, both Dakotas and most of northern Arizona.  My first-hand knowledge of just the Arizona ranches Ken has marked time on include the O ROs, the Diamond As, Cross U, LOs and Babbits.  He was a camp man at both the ROs and Babbits, which is a lonely, hard existence and the reality of ranch life.

Ben Kimball

     He wrangled horses for the Diamond As in his later years and continues to wrangle for the C.F.  My friend, Ben Kimble, says “Ken Haskins is the best horse wrangle I’ve ever seen, and probably one of the best in the state of Arizona.  He’s also the best brush hand I’ve ever worked with.”

     I met Ken, myself, about 5 years ago on a branding at the C.F. for Goemmers.  This was the last time Ken would be horseback.  Bad bronc wrecks had taken both shoulders and his knees were starting to give him trouble.  Ken is known for his colorful enhancement of the language, and a disdain for some of the buckaroo types.  He still wears his pants tucked in to his Paul Bonds and a little bowler type hat.  His orange beater Ford truck is a permanent fixture around Paulden and Prescott.

Haskins

     Ken has had a hard life doing just what he wanted to do:  punch cows, wrangle horses, ride broncs and sit with his kind; the kind, like Ken who will quietly slip away into the cracks of history with real stories and tales only they will know.

     I consider it an honor to meet, know and paint these cowboy legends that the world passes by.  Now you know a little more about one of the best of them.   

All content and images © Mark Kohler Studio.        

Too Young To Be Pensive

Too Young To Be Pensive

I first met Chance during a trip to the Goemmer's Triangle K Ranch, outside Willard, New Mexico.  He was a young kid that came from a ranching family in Oklahoma, and yearned to be in the middle of everything. 

  This particular summer, I was at the C.V. Ranch near Paulden, Arizona and Chance showed up to once again work for the  Goemmer's.  This time for Lowell's son, Shawn.  Chance had the opportunity of a lifetime: to learn from some of the best cowboys I've ever seen; men who live by the code of the West; men that a young kid in search of  his destiny could emulate.  And learn he did!  A summer spent with the likes of Shawn Goemmer, Ben Kimble and Shane Thompson kicked him a long way down the cowboy road.

     In this painting, Chance is 16 years old, but his skills are as polished as any veteran cowhand.  I love this shot of him holding herd and waiting for his opportunity to rope and drag.  I especially like his reflective mood and I was thinking about what a melancholy moment this was.  Chance was, in all probability, contemplating his turn to pull his rope down and go to work.  I guess I was in awe that this kid could be so serious about his responsibilities.  Let’s face it, how many pensive 16-year-olds do you know?

All images and content © Mark Kohler Studio.

Moving Among Cowboys

     I’ve learned a lot about cowboys in all these years of painting.  Photographing cow work is easy.  Networking into the cowboy lifestyle takes a bit more finesse.  Cowboys are gracious people, but they won’t come find you to take their picture.  (The ones that do aren’t worth painting.) By their very nature, cowboys are at the end of dirt roads, and for good reasons.  Respect that and you’ll do fine.  I’ve been blessed to find fine people that support my efforts.

     Etiquette in the branding pen can differ from ranch to ranch.  Here are a few good rules to follow:  Find a shady corner and disappear.  Don’t stand in gates.  Don’t get caught between the branding pot and workers.  (Dragging a calf around an artist in the way breaks the flow of things.)  The cowboss will dictate etiquette----follow it! 

     All in all, use your common sense and show some respect.  Have back up cameras and good camp gear.  Don’t act like you know it all…. Compared to these guys, you know nothing.  If art happens to come up as a topic, then go for it.  But don’t get caught flatfooted.  I haven’t met a cowboy yet who didn’t have a favorite.  They know their Shooflys, Antons and Owens better than you, so tread lightly.

     Learn to be last at the cook wagon.  The workers have earned their early place in line and the cowboss will let you know who goes and when.  It can be a little awkward, but wait your turn and then wait some more.

     The tough nuts to crack are the ones I’m drawn to.  I can think of a few through the years that kept to themselves, but had a good story to tell, and I was fortunate enough to capture it in paint:  Jake Gould, Ben Kimble, Dave Nelson and the rock that is Cisco Scott.

     I’ll close today with some thoughts on Cisco.  Cisco Scott has been the toughest --- not with malicious intentions or a premeditated agenda --- to win over for this artist.  He fits the definition of “aloof”.  He’s like a cow dog that doesn’t belong to you, and no amount of coaxing or small talk will draw him in.

     Cisco doesn’t care what you think.  He already knows more about life, ranch work, horses, cattle, and pretty much anything else I can think of.

     He doesn’t mind if I photograph, but I instinctively know I better keep my distance.  Before I ever met Cisco, I knew he was going to be a tough one.  My good friend Shawn Goemmer gave me a subtle warning:  “Don’t go jamming a camera in his face.”  That Shawn feels compelled to give this advice says how much respect Cisco commands.  Respect he has earned.

Cisco

     You can see Cisco is a good man by the pride he takes in gear and code.  His reputation towers among those who have come to work with him.  Cisco allows few to befriend him.  He doesn’t need people or nonsense.  Life’s road is dear to Cisco and an artist is just more white noise.

     For me, it is a great honor to paint him.  He’s been on the O RO Ranch 29+ years* and been cowboss for at least 10.  Sometimes he’ll hand off the position to a new hand, who is less deserving, relieving himself of the burden and pressures.  He doesn’t take orders, not because of ego or pecking order, but because he’s five moves ahead of everybody else.  He knows the ranch, he knows the livestock, and he knows management.  He’s seen all the drama that comes with life on the wagon.  He’s crossed paths with big cats and coyotes and can read weather and trails.  And an artist is still just white noise.

*Cisco retired this year from the cowboy life and over 29 years on the O RO.  His friend Spider summed it up best:  “It really is the end of an era.”

All content and images © Mark Kohler Studio

Among The Workers

This weekend I thought I would share one of the paintings that will be appearing in the Cowboy cookbook I am publishing with my friend Kathy McCraine.  Kathy wrote the cookbook, gathering all the recipes, the photographs of famous Arizona ranches, and the personal stories of the iconic cowboys that make this lifestyle their own.  Kathy and her husband, Swayze, have been a part of Arizona's ranching traditions for over 25 years, and I was thrilled when they asked me to be a part of this project.  Above all, I am proud to call them friends.

Among The Workers

     My favorite activities on big outfits center around branding and roping horses.  Images for paintings seem to materialize from thin air.  They come fast and furious and in the blink of an eye, they are gone.  I find myself scurrying from one position to another trying to find the best light and the perfect shot.  It doesn’t take a good cow boss or jigger boss long to throw 10 Hoolihans and secure the day’s working horses, so an artist must work fast.  This shot is of a young ROs cowhand roping midday horses at the West Split camp.  I still find it exhilarating to know I’ve gotten a great image for a painting.  Sometimes all the planning, driving, and bribing pay off.  I hope you enjoy knowing the workers.

Have a good weekend, and I'll see you on Monday!

All content and images © Mark Kohler Studio.

Everything's Poco-settie!

    

      My cowboy buddy Don Hambrick was born March 23, 1940 in Seminole, Texas, and now makes his home in Golden Valley, Arizona.  When he was 14 he ran away from home to become a cowboy, and he has cowboyed from West Texas to New Mexico, California, Nevada, Oregon, Idaho and Montana.  He’s worked for the O RO, Double O, K4 and Arizona Colorado Cattle Company.  Don Hambrick is the real deal.

     You might think of my friend, Don, as a modern day Will James.  Don has punched cows all over the west and at 70 years old, shows no real signs of slowing down.  I met Don at a New Mexico branding about 10 years ago, and we’ve been friends ever since.

     Don perfectly fits the Will James, Charlie Russell category of “Cowboy who is an artist.”  Should you doubt Don’s cowboy credentials, I can prove it to you.  The 2010 Cowpuncher's Reunion dedicated their rodeo to him.  This is no easy feat. This rodeo, held in Williams, Arizona, draws the best cowboys with the best reputations. This alone should tell you what a good man and good hand Don is.

     Don has had real horse wrecks, worked rangey wild cattle and been and done what most of us (myself included) can only dream about.  The line that separates real working cowboys from Dudes is easy for those who know what to look for.  I’ve seen all kinds in 15 years, but I’ll tell you one thing….Don Hambrick doesn’t need a sell job.

Hambrick and Haskins

     Shake his hand and you’ll know.  My favorite time spent with Don was at the CV Ranch’s big branding in Paulden, Arizona.  Another old Arizona fixture, named Ken Haskins was day working, and Don and Ken told great stories of days gone by in northern Arizona.  This is the time when artists shut their mouth and try and disappear into a quiet corner.

     Haskins is as colorful on the story-telling as he is on the English language.  (Some have said his father knew Will James, but I could never hang the truth on this statement).  He and Hambrick knew all the same people and had covered each other’s tracks at one ranch or another.

     Don also paints and draws what he knows, and like Will James, tells the truth with his art.  For those that have been there and done it, a certain honesty and clarity comes through.  Cowboys gravitate to the truth; that’s why they hold Will James, C.M. Russell and Don Hambrick in such high regard.

     Don published his own little cowboy book about places he’s been, horses he’s ridden, and people he has known.  The book is titled “Everything’s Poco-Settie”, a cowboy’s attempt to pronounce “copasetic”, meaning everything’s alright.

     The book is a collection of poems and stories by Don and his sons Sam and Burley.  Together with his precious wife Allene (truly, one of the sweetest women I’ve ever met), this family has carved out a legacy in the West.  Don’s book will be a much sought after relic someday.  His drawings and prose will take you back to a time when our world was simple, honest and real.  I will close with a poem written by Don’s son Sam, from Poco-settie:

MY DAD – By Sam Hambrick

This is a story about my old Dad, I would like to tell to you

And everyone that knows him, knows he’s cowboy through and through.

I imagine he’ll be breakin’ horses right up ‘til the day he dies

You know the world is runnin’ out of this old kinda guy.

He’ll still shoe his own horses, and he’s over 67 years old

You can pay a man to do it for  you, but I guess he ain’t been told.

Yeah, he’s set in his ways and stubborn … He’s stubborn as a mule!

But I’ll guarantee he could teach you things that you never learn in school.

He ain’t just some old cowboy, there’s a lot more to him than that.

You people that know him, know there’s things going on underneath that cowboy hat.

He knows about the cattle market, ‘cuz he loves the cattle biz.

As far as my old man’s concerned, cowboyin’ is all there is.

My dad would buy a shoppin’ cart if he thought he could make a buck or two

And won’t hardly change expression, whenever the deal goes through.

I’m proud of the man my father is, he’s quite a man indeed.

He’s pushed through life and done just fine, livin’ by his own creed.

Me … I try to be a good cowboy and make him proud of me.

Just like my old daddy, there’s nothin’ I’d rather be.

He told me one day, just how he felt;  What did he say? Well …. This is it.

He said, as far as he was concerned if you ain’t a cowboy,

Then partner, you may as well roll ‘er up an’ quit!  

You can order a signed copy of Don's book, "Poco-settie" for $20.00.  Send him a note at:  Don Hambrick, 3685 Verde Rd., Golden Valley, AZ 86413.

All content and images © Mark Kohler Studio      

     

Hardscrabble: An Introduction

Hardscrabble:  1a:  being or relating to a place of barren or barely arable soil.

2a:  great effort made in the face of difficulties.

3a:  a barren place of difficult subsistence. 

     I looked up the first three definitions for the word “hardscrabble” and they perfectly describe my friend Shawn Goemmer 

     I haven’t figured out if he throws errant darts at a map, chooses the roughest country he can find because of a “Say I won’t” attitude, or if he just wants to show the rest of the world what can be done with little or nothing in the ranch resource department.  Whichever it is, don’t bet against him.  It took seven years of drought to move him off center in Arizona.

     Where did he go next?  Battle Mountain, Nevada.  Go figure.

     The truth is that Shawn needs lots of country to live life on his terms.  Ten thousand acres crowd his senses, so he’s always more apt to go for 50,000 or 100,000.  Trust me --- he needs the space --- You don’t want to fence his kind in.

     We met back around the winter of ’98 in Las Vegas.  Shawn’s wife Mindy wandered into my art booth at the National Finals Rodeo.  She was patiently killing time while Shawn jawed with cowboy folk about his most recent horse wreck.  A honeymoon trip back to La Veta, Colorado, that included a last minute bronc ride entry, proved an exciting beginning for Mindy and her new marriage. 

     The bronc stepped on Shawn’s chest, cutting his pancreas in half and moving some other major parts around.  The long and short go something like this:  21 days in ICU (I know they finally kicked him out for being a pain in the ass); several weeks on crutches; several weeks with a cane, then  “When Can I Ride?”  “WHEN CAN I RIDE?”  Hell, I wasn’t even there and I know he was a pain in the ass!

     Shawn finally made it to my booth (he’s well known among the working cowboy crowd and they all want to talk to him) and a real friendship ensued.

     It’s a small list of people you know that will come through for you; people who will watch your back and make things happen when you can’t.  Shawn does that for me, and with very little asked in return.  I have little to offer beyond a painting and telling the world what a good man Shawn is.

     One of my intentions for this blog is to introduce you to these special people that I am blessed to know and to give you insights into their unique lifestyle; to tell their stories and how we all connect.

     I won’t tell all the stories I have about Shawn, because quite frankly I don’t want to use up all my blog ammo.  I want to spread it out for you; small, interesting little doses so you’ll come back for more.  And with Shawn, there will be more …. Much more.

All content and images © Mark Kohler Studio. 

          

Whipped 7 Ways From Sunday

Now that we've wrapped up the demo painting of Walt, I thought you'd like a little insight to the personal side of my friend.  Hope you enjoy! 

Walter Weir constantly throws good paintings my way.  Walter is nothing but genuine and doesn’t put on any airs, which comes through in the painting.  After a 300 calf morning, rope-burned hands and an empty stomach, Walter stopped for some much needed downtime before the next group of calves was started. This is where life on the wagon starts to crack lesser hands.  The repetition of work, missing family, wanting a real shower, tough horses, tougher cowbosses, and the elements all start to make thoughts of a town job a real possibility.  But Walter lets all that ride … takes another chew …. And chalks it up to just being whipped seven ways from Sunday.

All content and images © Mark Kohler Studio.