Paul Calle's Life of Exploration: From the Mountains to the Moon

PAUL CALLE’S LIFE OF EXPLORATION: From the Mountains To the Moon On Exhibit: February through October 20, 2019

“I have always likened the image of mountain man John Colter, his moccasin-clad foot first stepping on the newly fallen snow of the Yellowstone valley, to the moon boot of Neil Armstrong, stepping in the dust of the moon’s surface at the Sea of Tranquility...two worlds apart, yet each at the edge of a new frontier...” ~ Paul Calle

Paul Calle (1928-2010), The Great Moment, c. 1969, oil on masonite, Collection of the Orlando Museum of Art, Gift of Dr. and Mrs. John J. McMullen. Copyright The Paul Calle Estate.

As the official artist of NASA, Paul Calle was present during the preparation of the Apollo 11 mission to the moon. His sketches of pre-launch activites and his iconic 1969 First Man on the Moon artwork and stamp are among the pieces on exhibit at Scottsdale’s Museum of the West (SMoW). Calle’s vivid depictions of mankind amidst a frontier landscape create a fascinating dichotomy in his body of work between the two expanses he often examined: space and Western frontiers.

In honor of the 50th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission, Paul Calle’s son, artist Chris Calle, renowned art collector Tim Peterson, have collaborated with SMoW to bring this retrospective exhibition exclusively to the museum. Paul Calle’s work includes paintings, illlustrations, graphic designs, as well as portraits of many famous people including President John F. Kennedy, Robert Frost and Helen Keller / Anne Sullivan, among others. AZ

Paul Calle (1928-2010), Something for the Pot II, oil on canvas, Courtesy The Peterson Family Collection.

WESTERN SPIRIT: SCOTTSDALE’S MUSEUM OF THE WEST 3830 N. Marshall Way, Scottsdale, AZ 85251 scottsdalemuseumwest.org

ArizonaKEY.com