The cowboy spirit
Brandon Bailey, Bellin’ and Ballin’, oil, 24 x 44.
“It’s a surreal experience that hasn’t really hit home yet.” So says Brandon Bailey about his November induction into the esteemed Cowboy Artists of America organization. “I’ve been blessed to make a living as a professional artist for 12 years, but getting into the CA feels like overnight success,” he says humbly. “I can’t imagine doing anything in my career that’s bigger or more prestigious.”
This success story is firmly rooted in Bailey’s love of the West and his desire to express it. Growing up in Cheyenne, WY, he was drawn to the wildlife, mutable weather on the range, and working cowboy life, “but I probably wouldn’t have gotten into western art if it wasn’t for my experience with bull riding and horses,” he says. “The senses and experiences subconsciously worked their way into me, and I think passion comes through when you revere a subject. I enjoy telling a story through painting.” Fairly new to Bailey’s oeuvre is Native American art. “I’m half Ottawa Chippewa, so it was something, culturally, that I’ve wanted to do, but not without giving it the historical accuracy, respect, and time it needed,” he notes. “I’ve been able to do more of that, slowly but surely.”
- Brandon Bailey, The Healer, oil, 24 x 30.
- Brandon Bailey, Spring Thunder, oil, 12 x 24.
- Brandon Bailey, 10 Below, oil, 20 x 24.
- Brandon Bailey, Brokering a Trade, oil, 24 x 48.
- Brandon Bailey, Mother’s Love, oil, 28 x 22.
- Brandon Bailey, Old School, oil, 12 x 20.
Bailey’s mentorship with the CA, as well as a recent one-on-one internship with 2020-21 CA president Grant Redden, have greatly influenced his style. “It was my first big education into painting,” Bailey says, “and I’ve come to adopt Grant’s philosophy, which just makes so much sense. He taught me that a painting should have a strong composition to grab viewers at 30 feet; compelling drawing and brushwork to bring them in to 3 feet; and edges to pull them in to 3 inches. I’m trying to depict subjects in a realistic manner, but still keep brushwork and edges, cognizant that they’re as important to a painting as the subject itself.”
Even after mastering his approach—and reaching a high-water mark in his career—Bailey isn’t resting on his laurels. At the recent CA exhibition, as attendees drifted into the luncheon after viewing the juried works, Bailey pulled Redden aside and asked: “Would you critique my paintings?” —Beth Williams
representation
Deselms Fine Art, Cheyenne, WY; Dick Idol Signature Gallery, Whitefish, MT; Rogoway Turquoise Tortoise Gallery, Tubac, AZ; Mountain Trails Fine Art, Santa Fe, NM; West Lives On Gallery, Jackson, WY; Broadmoor Galleries, Colorado Springs, CO; www.bbaileyart.com.
This story appeared in the February/March 2022 issue of Southwest Art magazine.