Jim Rey & Star Liana York
Timeless West
One of the most recognized aspects of Western art is that in both historic and contemporary imagery there is a sense of tradition. From the horses making their way across the lands to the cowboy way of life, these scenes ring true in the years gone by as well as in rodeos and on ranches today. Beginning September 6, Sorrel Sky Gallery in Durango, Colorado, will honor these moments with the show Timeless West featuring the paintings of Jim Rey and bronze sculptures of Star Liana York.
“I’ve been captivated by the artistry of Jim and Star for decades,” says Sorrel Sky Gallery owner Shanan Campbell. “Their individual abilities to interpret and represent the historic and natural elements of the West clearly reflect an enduring love of a culture and way of life that they have personally experienced. At the same time, their work is very current, capturing the timeless spirit of the West.”
According to York, the word “timeless” is befitting of the American West. “The iconic imagery, stories and values that came from the imagination inspired by that period in American history largely shaped our culture and identity,” she says. “Through film and other art forms it has been firmly seated in the American psyche,
and crosses all boundaries of time.”
In her bronze Home at Last, she captures the exhilaration a cowboy has upon returning home from a long trek. In her work, the cowboy wields his hat into the air with vigor and excitement. She adds, “Here, the cowboy has been hunting and fixing fences over a vast ranch and is heading home. Cold and weary from many days in the saddle, both horse and rider are anxious for the comfort of stall and hearth. He catches sight of his cabin as they crest the ridge that leads down into his valley, and his heart fills to bursting. It is a good life.”
For Rey, the “common denominator” in the art of the West is the horse. “I’ve had horses all my life and I’ve just always empathized with horses,” he says. “I see them as strong, honest individuals, and that also pretty much personifies the characters of the West. They’re strongminded and honest people. The horses are a common denominator.” Two Professionals combines the horse and rider in a bucking, rodeo scene. “The horse is as much as a professional as the rider is a professional in the rodeo,” Rey explains, noting that the horses have a job when they’re raised as bucking horses. “If they can buck well through their heritage, they have a job, just as any professional would have. The horse and rider are both working. The horse is working as hard as he can to buck, and the cowboy is working as hard as he can to stay with it. It’s two pros going at it.”
An opening reception for the artists will take place September 20 from 5 to 7 p.m. during the Durango Fall Gallery Walk. There will be an additional reception for Timeless West on October 4 from 5 to 7 p.m. as part of the Durango Cowboy Poetry Gathering.