Autumnal Selections | 2023

ARTFUL AUTUMN

Golden aspen trees, Oktoberfest lagers, chilly nights, and bright sunny days are just a few of the things we love about the Vail Valley in Fall.

Acting as a constant inspiration to the artists we are proud to represent, the area provides beautiful surroundings that lead to truly wonderful art.

Be sure to stop into the gallery, enjoy this catalogue, or peruse our website for the myriad of ways the autumnal times energize us all!

CYRUS AFSARY

Cyrus Afsary studied art under the strict discipline of the Russian Realists style of painting, graduating with two degrees. He has won numerous awards, including Best of Show at the CM Russell Auction of Original Western Art and the Exceptional Merit Award from the National Arts Club at the 1986 Pastel Society of America Show. He has also received gold and silver medals from the National Academy of Western Art and was the first recipient of the coveted Lougheed Memorial Award.

Cyrus Afsary is and artists/member of the Cowboy Hall of Fame. He participates annualy in the Prix de West Invitational, [NAWA] and the Masters of the American West Exhibition; the Eiteljorg Museum in Indianapolis, IN and also the Buffalo Bill Art Show in Cody Wyoming. He was featured in the 2002 Gilcrease Museum Rendezvous Show in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Cyrus is a member of the Northwest Rendezvous Group.

“Maroon Bells”

Cyrus Afsary 12"×16" | Oil | $8,500

ROY ANDERSEN

1930–2019

It has been said that Roy Andersen works with deliberation and supreme confidence. With family roots in Denmark and a life long interest in American Indian art, Andersen brings to his audience an unusual international perspective on nature that reflects both his affinity for animals and his belief in artistic authenticity.

Critic Bill Dickerson says that Andersen’s years of commercial illustration have sharpened his ability to envision a painting; he knows exactly what he intends to accomplish before he picks up his brush. There are no “happy accidents” in an Andersen painting. He has a knowledge of his subjects that is attained only through extensive research. According to Dickerson, “You will not find an Apache medicine bag around a Sioux warrior’s neck nor a Cheyenne carrying a rifle that is a bit too modern. What you will see is accuracy, an almost uncanny sense of composition and color harmony and a strength of drawing that is remarkable.”

Roy Andersen was admitted to the Cowboy Artists of America in 1989. In 1990, at the 25th Annual CAA Exhibition, Andersen’s We Hunt Them won the coveted Gold Medal for Oil award. In 1991, he received the Silver Medal for Oil for his piece The Silent Blanket. In terms of subject matter, Andersen primarily focuses on Crow, Cheyenne, and Apache Indians. Roy’s tendency to place figures toward the front of the picture plane within a vibrantly colored composition emphasizes the strength of the Indian spirit. In recent years he and his wife Lui resided on a horse ranch in Cave Creek, Arizona, where they raised registered Paint horses that often appear in his paintings.

“The

Old Ones”

Claggett⁄Rey Gallery

Roy Andersen 12"×9" | Oil | $5,500

JOSH ELLIOTT

Josh Elliott was born in Great Falls, MT in 1973. He was raised to appreciate art and is a third generation artist. His grandfather studied with Grant Wood and dabbled in all sorts of artistic pursuits. His father, wildlife artist Steve Elliott, gave up a successful career as an ER doctor to become a full-time artist. Josh’s father taught and encouraged him. Josh learned the importance of painting from life and discovered his passion for painting outdoors. He sees his outdoor paintings as a reaction to what is in front of him, and feels they act as exercise to sharpen his skills. He considers his studio paintings to be a culmination of everything he has learned from painting out, combined with his own artistic interpretation.

Born in Montana, Josh lived out of state for some time but always felt a deep connection with Montana’s landscape and people. Josh now lives with his wife and two daughters in Helena, Montana.

He participates in many shows including: American Masters at Salmagundi Club in New York City, Maynard Dixon Country, Quest for the West at the Eiteljorg Museum, and Western Rendezvous of Art. Josh won the “Palette Award” at the 2008 Quest for the West show. He was awarded the “Edith Hamlin Award” at Maynard Dixon Country in 2007. Josh had a feature article in Southwest Art’s February 2009 issue and was one of the artists in the magazine’s “20 Success Stories” article, he was also featured in Art of the West’s spotlight on rising stars in the November/ December 2009 issue.

Claggett⁄Rey Gallery

“Autumn Rest”

Josh Elliott 30"×36" | Oil | $17,000

Claggett⁄Rey Gallery

“Blackfoot Autumn”

Josh Elliott 6"×8" | Oil | $1,400

“Gilded Grove”

Josh Elliott

96"×60" | Oil | Price upon request

Claggett⁄Rey Gallery

ROD GOEBEL

Rod Goebel was a post-impressionist/impressionist painter of landscape, still life and figure who made his mark in Taos, New Mexico. After receiving his degree from the University of New Mexico, Goebel studied at the Colorado Institute of Art in 1968 1969, graduating in Advertising Design. He later studied at the Ramon Froman School of Art.

Goebel was a charter member of the Taos Six Society of Artists with Ron Barsano, Robert Daughters, Walt Gonske, Julian Robles and Ray Vinella.

In 1979, Goebel was elected to the National Academy of Western Art. His work has been shown at The Museum of the Southwest, Midland, Texas; Museum of Fine Arts, New Mexico; The National Cowboy Hall of Fame and the Western Heritage Center, Oklahoma; the Museum of New Mexico, Albuquerque; Philbrook Museum, Tulsa, Oklahoma; the Museum of Northern Arizona, Flagstaff, and in corporate and private collections throughout the country including Wells Fargo Bank, New York and The Southland Corporation, Dallas.

He once said, “I have since childhood felt a longing for the ocean and shore which is positively mystical. Since the mid-70’s, I made many trips yearly to paint the California coastline or particularly the area around the Monterey peninsula, where ‘Carmel Coast’ was painted one misty, mysterious day in November. Every painting I do of the sea is different because the moods of the sea and sky are never the same.”

“Questa Autumn”

Rod Goebel

20"×24" | Oil | $5,200

Claggett⁄Rey Gallery

WALT GONSKE

Walt Gonske has been described as a landscape artist whose paintings, “delight our eyes, ignite our memories and inspire fresh visions.” It is an accolade that compliments Gonske’s goal to “make a visual record of this beautiful country before it’s gone.” Brushstrokes of rich color applied loosely to the canvas in beautiful, nearly abstract compositions make up Gonske’s signature style. His images, always completed in just one sitting, are immediately captivating, drawing the viewer in for a closer look.

Gonske studied at the Frank Reilly School of Art in New York City. The late Reilly gave him solid training in illustration. After a number of years as a successful illustrator in New York, he moved to Taos in 1972, where he began to work almost exclusively on location. Frustrated by the limitations inclement weather imposed on his painting in plein-air, he set about customizing a Ford pickup into a “paintmobile,” or rather, a studio on wheels. This mobile studio is stocked with canvases of various sizes and textures, and allows him to go on painting trips throughout California, Colorado, or wherever the road may lead.

Walt Gonske 22"×30" | Oil | $12,500

Claggett⁄Rey Gallery

“Embudo Cottonwood”

LANNY GRANT

Native Colorado artist Lanny Grant developed an early love and respect for the mountains surrounding his fathers ranch near the small Western Slope town of Silt. Lanny spent his early life exploring the wonders of the high country; fishing trips that became sketching trips are fond memories of early artistic efforts. With little formal art training, Lanny has developed as a fine artist through dedicated practice and work. Studying art history, painting, design, life drawing and sculpture at Adams State College in 1971-1972 helped give a solid foundation on which to build and made him eager to learn more. While studying at Adams State, Lanny made weekend sketching trips to New Mexico, gaining an appreciation for the early master artists of the Taos area.

Always applying the fundamental principles, Grant has evolved his own techniques of translating impressions gathered from Nature. A compelling love for the changing moods of the mountains has drawn him into the high country of Colorado, Wyoming, Montana and Canada to paint. Often working in remote areas, Lanny makes numerous sketches and oil color studies for use as reference in doing larger studio paintings. Lanny feels that the spontaneity of composition and accuracy of color that results from painting on location is invaluable.

The result of this dedicated work has been a fresh and accurate portrayal of the many moods of the changing seasons in the Rockies. The quality of light in the alpine country and clarity of color come through in Grants paintings, drawing the viewer into them to perhaps re-kindle a personal memory of the mountains.

Lanny is a signature member of Rocky Mountain Plein Air Painters and has participated in the group shows and events since 2002. Paintings by Lanny Grant are included in numerous private and corporate collections. In 2002 Grant was commissioned to create a painting of Mount of the Holy Cross to commemorate the 1993 visit to Colorado by Pope John Paul II. The painting is now part of the permanent art collection at the Vatican in Rome. In 2004 the State of Colorado acquired a Grant original oil of Vail Valley which now hangs in the Governors reception area at the Sate Capitol in Denver. Paintings by Lanny Grant have been featured for many years as popular greeting cards by the Leanin’ Tree Publishing Company in Boulder, Colorado. Lanny has had paintings included in the ‘Top 100’ finalists in the annual Arts for the Parks competition in 1995 and 2002 in Jackson, Wyoming.

Lanny Grant 11"×12¾" | Oil | $2,600

Claggett⁄Rey Gallery

“Golden Aspen”

Lanny Grant 10"×12" | Oil | $1,600

“Raggeds Wilderness”

Lanny Grant 16"×20" | Oil | $4,200

HANNAH HARPER

Hannah Harper grew up in the Southern Oklahoma countryside. She was encouraged to pursue creativity at a young age and collected art education from various sources as a child. At 17, she took a workshop with artists John and Terri Moyers at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City who soon after took her under their wing and has mentored her ever since. They encouraged her to take workshops with charcoal master Ned Jacob in both Scottsdale, Arizona and Jackson Hole, Wyoming and a semester at the Ryder Studio in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She graduated from the University of New Mexico in 2019 with a BFA in studio art and is a current MFA candidate for painting at the University of Oklahoma. Norman, Oklahoma is where she calls home.

Claggett⁄Rey Gallery

Hannah Harper

12"×9" | Acrylic | $975

Hannah Harper

12"×36" | Acrylic | $4,320

Messengers”

Hannah Harper 12"×12" | Acrylic | $1,440

Claggett⁄Rey Gallery

“Morning Commute”

Hannah Harper

14"×18" | Acrylic | $2,520

JOYCE LEE

1950–2011

In Joyce’s words: “I can remember riding on horseback as a small child and marveling at the green of the spring grass and the smell of wet sage as my horse trotted along, making me think this must be as close to heaven as a person would want to get. A very memorable summer for me was when I worked with my Dad on a ranch that was breeding 1400 head of cows. We were required to be riding by daylight, gathering and sorting cattle. We had a small break in the middle of the day followed by more gathering and sorting until dark. It was a pretty saturating experience, both in terms of being on the land and being surrounded with horses, cows and cowhands. I feel very fortunate that I’m a western artist who has done more than just visit a ranch to take some photos of cowboys.”

Showing an early interest in drawing and painting, Joyce spent many of her younger years dabbling in the arts. She was influenced by Orren Mixer and CW Anderson, who wrote and illustrated the “Billy and Blaze” series. With encouragement and support from her family, she continued to develop her talent by attending workshops with well-known painters Matt Smith and Ned Jacob. In 1981, she attended Eastern Montana College and studied under Ben Steele, which served to further polish her talents and launch her career in the arts. Joyce’s work has been featured in several solo shows in prestigious western art galleries and has exhibited in the CM Russell Auction in Great Falls, MT, the Buffalo Bill Art Show and Sale in Cody, Wy, the Cowgirl Up Annual Show and Sale in Wickenburg, AZ, and the Coors National Western Show in Denver, Co. Joyce’s paintings of ranch scenes, horses, and landscapes can be found in art collections across the United States.

The shining spirit of our friend and fellow artist, Joyce Lee, departed from this world on March 25, 2011, but memories of her will live forever in our hearts and in the legacy of her paintings.

KENT LEMON

Kent is a native of Colorado where he grew up in a home filled with paintings and a family immersed in the arts. He was educated at Colorado University, Boulder, and Parsons School of Design, New York. After studying in New York he returned to Colorado and apprenticed with Denver artists Mark Daily and Ned Jacob. With numerous trips around the country and abroad as a plein-air painter, he has gained wide acclaim for his use of color. Lemon is well versed in the art history of the turn of the century, and is particularly impressed with the work of Joaquin Sorolla, and the early work of John Singer Sargent. Lemon is represented in the collections of General Motors, Atlantic Richfield, Colorado National Bank, Haskens & Sells, The Woman’s Bank, Mr. and Mrs. Richard Mellon Scaife, and Mr. & Mrs. Alvin Cohen, among others.

JOHN TAFT

Originally from western New York, John studied design and art at Rochester Institute of Technology, and then at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California. His work took him from Los Angeles to Minneapolis and then to New York City where he worked as a Designer and Art Director for a number of design groups and television networks.

Whenever he and his wife would leave “the city” for a weekend, the landscape would have a strong impact on him, reminding him of his upbringing, when, if not playing baseball, he would spend many a summer day working the fields for his father on the family tree nursery, working in “wind and rain and weather”. Living in New York City provided opportunities for a different kind of culture, that of great art in museums and galleries. The Metropolitan Museum of Art became a favorite, as did the Frick Museum and MoMa. Retrospectives on Corot, Monet, Lucian Freud, and exhibits featuring the Hudson River School Painters, Van Gogh, Odd Nerdrum, and George Inness caused John to grow in his appreciation of great art. When he became a “hands off” Design Director in 2001, he decided to get “hands on” and began painting when he could find time between work and a growing family.

9/11 happened, and soon John was meeting weekly just blocks from ground zero, with former National Council of the Arts member, Mako Fujimura, who gathered artists of various disciplines together for coffee and bagels, to engage in discussions of art, faith and purpose. Englishman, Nigel Goodwin, was a guest at the group and became a catalyst for John to pursue this call in the arts, moving his family to Colorado to begin painting in earnest in 2004.

His work has since received a number of awards and honors, including having his piece, “Thunder Run” added in 2022 to the permanent collection of the Museum of Western Art in Kerrville, TX. Additionally, “Worthy Ascent” was awarded the Gold award at the 2021 Oil Painters of America Western Regional Exhibit. In 2018 at the OPA’s National show, he piece received the “Best Signature Award of Excellence”. Other awards and honors include the Fine Art Connoisseur’s Award of Excellence at the National Western Club Show in Denver, two additional “Top Landscape Awards of Excellence” from the Oil Painters of America National Exhibit, plus exhibiting at the Coors Western Art show and the American Masters at the Salmagundi Club in New York City. John is a signature member of the Oil Painters of American and also a signature member of the Plein Air Painters of America (PAPA).

John Taft 32"×38" | Oil | $9,200

John Taft 48"×40" | Oil | $11,800

WAYNE WOLFE

Wayne Wolfe was introduced to the world of art by his father, Byron Wolfe, who worked initially as a commercial artist and then later for himself as a fine arts painter of western history. His father was an early member of the Cowboy Artists of America.

Six months after his father’s death in 1973, Wolfe began painting part time, while still working as an advertising account executive and copywriter. On April 1, 1975, he left the business world, fulfilling a need for independence and his desire to pursue painting for himself.

Wolfe is a graduate of the University of Kansas, but as a self-taught artist, he recognized his own limitations and the need for study. He corresponded for two years with the late Robert Lougheed, who encouraged Wolfe to move to Santa Fe. In 1976, Wolfe rented the Lougheed guest house for three years, studying and painting with him virtually every week during that time; then for another three years after Wolfe built his own home and studio. While in Santa Fe, Wolfe also studied with two -time Prix de West winner, Tom Lovell. He credits Lovell with helping him in the study of the head and figure, learning about line, mass, and anatomy in a new and refined way.

It was Lougheed who insisted Wolfe paint from life in order to see the truth in nature and learn her vocabulary. Wolfe speaks of that time affectionately. “Bob believed when you worked from life, you always had the best information right in front of you, and that your brain and eye had the best opportunity to work efficiently.” Wolfe’s oil painting, Antlers in the Aspen, based on an outdoor oil study, won the Prix de West Award in 1982, and he credits Lougheed’s criticism as vital to its success.

In a profile in American Artist, Wolfe said, “When you’re on the spot, you’re seeing the best values, the cleanest color, and real edges. You’re also seeing objects in a wonderful light, and you’re much more apt to paint a clean, unmuddied picture.”

Wolfe continues to travel and paint the Rocky Mountain West, as well as Canada, New England, Europe, and the British Isles. He has exhibited widely, including the National Museum of Wildlife Art, the Museum of New Mexico, Cincinnati Museum Center, Rockwell Museum, and Gilcrease Museum, which honored him with a retrospective exhibition.

Claggett⁄Rey Gallery

“Aspen Interior”

Wayne Wolfe

30"×30" | Oil | $25,000

“Clouds & Peaks”

Wayne Wolfe 10"×15" | Oil | $3,300

Claggett⁄Rey Gallery