BACK FORTY

LEFT: McKenna Prather acrylic paint on hand-made canvas. RIGHT: Tim Hiller welded rose.

The problem is one of technology advancement cut with a general decline of interest in the cowboy arts. Production pieces have simply become better and cleaner, and that leaves the true artisans, between the proverbial hammer and anvil: cheap, but affordable production work and a softening cowboy arts market.

“If we don’t create a market out there with collectibles, where a young maker can come in and get knowledge and see a place to end up, like the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma [home of the annual TCAA Exhibition and Sale], where the work is recognized not only as functional working cowboy gear, but also art. When it’s taken to that level, it’s easier for a young artist to see a viable future in it.”

To learn more about Scott Hardy and his work, visit his website at: www. scotthardy.com

MCKENNA PRATHER

In 2018, McKenna Prather of Calgary, AB, graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Alberta University of the Arts, and began freelancing full-time in 2019. That following summer, she became the Homes by Avi 2019 Stampede Rotary Dream Home Artist.

“My work is inspired by Canadian wildlife, farm animals, flora and fauna, fancy cakes and cozy objects,” she says.

Using acrylic paint on hand-made stretched canvas, Prather builds up layers of paint in a collaged fashion, painting some elements realistically, flat or patterned. Each painting is then embellished with embroidery, where she lays the canvas down and stitches into the painting to add final texture.

“My painting style is influenced by folk art and hand-made crafts like quilting and needle-point. I look up to artists like Mary Pratt and Maude Lewis, aiming to capture Mary’s sense of light and colour, and Maude’s whimsicality and story-telling ability.”

Prather says she is most inspired by her family of artisans and makers as they are her biggest supporters and the reason she became an artist.

“My family in Newfoundland and Alberta is comprised of painters, knitters, cooks and craftsmen. Everything that they make is with the intent of creating a cozy, happy home,” she explains.

Cozy and happy is how she wants each of her paintings to feel – sparking joy when a client sees it in their home.

For more information about her work, check out: www.mckennaprather.com

TIM HILLER

With generations of gritty welding talent behind him, Tim Hiller has taken the art of blacksmithing to a new frontier. At his hand, horseshoes and metal artifacts seamlessly transform into life-like, works of art. Each creation has a story to tell and Hiller, a cowboy craftsman with vision, has the gift of bringing his captivating creations to life.

Based out of Hay Lakes, AB, Hiller has been a welder for most of his life. When oil field fabrication faded, the spotlight fell on Hiller’s skill for sculptures. He recreated an income with encouragement from family and friends and his passion for blacksmithing took flight. Hiller’s attention to detail is second to none and his creativity is endless. He stands strong in his statement, “We can create anything YOU can imagine and then some.” From rotating saddle stands to intricate, equine representations, Hiller finds joy in projects of all forms and functions. While his work varies in size and stature, Hiller’s projects remain unique in comparison and incredibly rich in detail and design.

Available for commissions, Hiller welcomes clients who contact him with their own ideas or visions for his metal work. Much of his work are custom-made pieces, designed for specific places like the space above a client’s bar, or on a mantle. He has also created many one-of-a-kind driveway ornaments – the kind of piece that makes a brilliant first impression for a property.

Hiller’s favourite consignment piece to date, was crafted for a neighbouring farmer. Looking for a birthday gift for his wife, Hiller’s friend gave him free rein on a project that would become a horse running through their garden wall. The birthday surprise was incredibly well received, and the owner called the piece, “Aodhan,” which is Gaelic for “Little Fire.” Hiller attests that the name is fitting for the energy that exudes from the piece and clearly the art of blacksmithing itself. As in each of Hiller’s pieces, the attention to detail, the movement and the energy in this sculpture are surreal. Even in the dark, splashed with illumination, “Aodhan,” is captivating and beautiful.

For more information about Hilller’s artwork visit his website, www.ironarts.ca. WHR