This story is from Texas Monthly’s archives. We have left the text as it was originally published to maintain a clear historical record. Read more here about our archive digitization project.

From 1983 to 1986, Texas Monthly’s regular feature, “Western Art,” highlighted artists’ takes on the classic genre. View all installments in the series below.

From the November 1983 issue. Rawhide.
José Cruz
From the December 1983 issue. Cactus Jack.
Tom Curry
From the January 1984 issue. Urbanization.
Scott Reynolds
From the February 1984 issue. Service Road.
Thomas Woodruff
From the March 1984 issue. End of the Trail.
Alan E. Cober
From the April 1984 issue. The Great World-Rim Being.
Anita Kunz
From the May 1984 issue. A Horse of a Different Color.
Jeff Smith
From the June 1984 issue. Buffalo Gal.
Dave Calver
From the August 1984 issue. Kow Boi Hadz!
Elwood H. Smith
From the September 1984 issue. Pierre Was New in Town and Had Never Really Caught Anything Before.
Alexa Grace
From the October 1984 issue. Riding the Range.
Geof Kern
From the November 1984 issue. Bluebonnet Picture.
Melissa Grimes
From the December 1984 issue. Buckaroo.
Andrzej Dudzinski
From the January 1985 issue. Drugstore Cowboy.
Gary Kelley
From the February 1985 issue. The New Colossus.
Jack Unruh
From the March 1985 issue. The Grafter.
Alex Murawski
From the April 1985 issue. Registered Herefords on the LBJ Ranch.
Sean Earley
From the May 1985 issue. Tall in the Saddle.
C.F. Payne
From the June 1985 issue. Armchair Cowboy.
George Kocar
From the July 1985 issue. Barbed Rose.
Ellen Schuster
From the August 1985 issue. Ghost Rider.
Ray-Mel Cornelius
From the October 1985 issue. Indian Summer.
Etienne Delessert
From the November 1985 issue. Sad Ballad of a Mad Filly in Love with Bad Billy.
Lou Beach
From the December 1985 issue. Caballito.
Paola Piglia
From the February 1986 issue. Future Farmer.
Regan Dunnick
From the March 1986 issue. In Defense of Da Dogie.
Lane Smith
From the April 1986 issue. Rodeo Madness.
Karen Barbour
From the May 1986 issue. Bluebonnet Belle.
Margaret Kasahara Cheatham
From the July 1986 issue. Boy Rogers.
Gary Mele
From the August 1986 issue. The Yellow Rose of Texas.
Dugald Stermer
From the September 1986 issue. Zephyr, Texas.
Judy Pederson
From the October 1986 issue. Yodelady, Yodelady… Hoo.
Sandra Hendler