'in the Company of Cowgirls'
Invitational Western Art Show

'in the Company of Cowgirls'

Cowgirls come in all kinds. Most fit your typical picture of a cowgirl with a big western hat, vest, wild rag, boots, jeans and spurs.....some true cowgirls don't look that way at all, focused more on practical gear that fits the muddy, freezing weather that is part of ranch life for a good part of the year. But all cowgirls have at their core an interest in horses and handling the cattle that they raise for a livelihood. "In The Company of Cowgirls" celebrates these women and the unique skills all cowgirls are expected to have.

Cowgirls need to understand cows. It's that simple. How, with a subtle system of pressure and release, and the ability to read the body language of cattle, either a herd can be moved or an individual animal can be separated out of the herd. When mother cows and their babies are gathered into a bunch, cowgirls need to know how to mother them up so that the babies are not abandoned or separated from their moms if the herd is split. Cowgirls need to know how to turn a run-a-way herd while keeping their place in the gather. A good cowgirl knows that not all cows are alike, that there are cows who have special personalities: some snuffy ones who will run you up over a fence every chance they get, and some who want to eat out of your hand; some who will run at the site of a horseback rider, and some who know to quietly lead the herd home. All cowgirls know the relationship between the daily care of cattle and the end result of how much they weigh on shipping day when the cattle producer is paid for the gain.

Cowgirls also need to know how to work as a team with their horses to get ranch work done. They generally begin early to build this relationship, by starting their own colts. They work hard to teach their horses a fast ground-eating walk or an easy long trot when miles have to be covered. They want their horse to be able to go through bogs without falling apart, up and down hills without refusing, to cross creeks and rivers without hesitation, to be able to turn quickly if charged by a mad cow, and to run fast to turn back a runaway herd. Whether it be deep forest, steep hills, sagebrush-covered desert, swampy or dusty, the cowgirl and her horse must be together on moving through the obstacles they face in the different environments. Cowgirls want their horses to step over big logs, not jump them; to weave through timber and rotted logs and not be upset with a branch hitting their face; to move through big sagebrush or manzanita bushes fearlessly and boldly; to watch for badger holes, wire and other dangers; to not lose complete control when stung by bees; and to sidle right up to gates that can be opened ahorseback. Cowgirls who rope need their horse to be steady under pressure and to pull with all their heart. And many a cowgirl wants, on her rare days off, to be able to take that same horse to "town" for a rodeo, roping or barrel race and have the horse handle that pressure, too.

Then there are the practical matters of modern ranching: running the equipment for feeding and haying, changing irrigation pipes, and knowing how to hookup to the gooseneck stock trailer and haul a load of cattle or horses across miles of rough, inhospitable country. Women on ranches most generally are responsible for feeding the crew too.

Our artists are picking moments in the lives of these strong and self-reliant women to honor them and give them the recognition they often don't receive in ranch family units where everyone typically works as hard as the next person, man or woman. All these things that make a "cowgirl" are what we are celebrating with our show, "In The Company of Cowgirls."

For more thoughts on "cowgirls" and cowgirls and their bonds with horses, see our Cowgirls page with written tidbits from our women friends and artists.

'in the Company of Cowgirls'

Dates for 2010:  May 6-9 - four days and expanded artist base.

'In the Company of Cowgirls,' May 7-9,2009, was an invitational Oregon Women Western Artists' Showing of work that celebrated Oregon's 150th Birthday and honored women's place in our agricultural, ranch, and rodeo heritage; a unique view of our west thru their eyes. 

Some of Oregon's best Women Western Artists submitted work for a juried and judged special showing of Art. The Western Art will have awards for Best of Show, Cattleman's Choice, a Hard Twist Award, (Artists will judge this) and People's Choice.  Original works in Oil, Acrylic, Watercolor, Graphite, Mixed Media, Sculpture, and Photography will all be for sale. The work of the invited Artists showed the variety of viewpoints there are for interpreting women's involvement in the agricultural/ranch/rodeo heritage of Oregon.

The show was held in Hamley's Cattle Barons Ballroom.

For 2010, "In the Company of Cowgirls" organizer, Denise Smith, herself a working cowgirl and artist, enlisted an outstanding juror for the show, Michael Booth. Mr. Booth is the head of the Art Department at the College as well as an accomplished sculptor and painter, from Pendleton, Oregon. The best of submissions will be chosen from the invited artists from around the country. What sets this show apart is the authentic nature of the viewing experience. Paintings, sculpture, photographs and other media were carefully chosen to capture the heart of the cowgirl experience. In many cases, the artists themselves, have been or are cowgirls too.

An artist's reception will be held at Pendleton's renowned Hamley's Steakhouse in the Cattle Barons Ballroom. It will kick off Cattle Baron's Weekend, an event featuring a Western Classics Gelding Sale and preview, ranch bronc riding, and, for the first time, team-branding.  Also included in the events are mutton bustin', championship Dutch-oven cook off, saloon crawl, & Calcutta. The Cattle Barons Weekend, now in its third year, is on its way to becoming a well-established event. Crowds from all over the Pacific Northwest are expected to come. 

This will be an exceptional show, certainly worth traveling long distances to see and a great opportunity for you collectors to acquire authentic collectible western art in several media.

2009 Award Winners

See Artists

 
Hamley & Co's Cattle Barons' Ballroom.

We particularly wish to thank our art show sponsors for 2010 who include:

Hamley & Co., Pendleton, Oregon,  "The Holy Grail for Cowboys"

Pendleton Cattle Baron's Weekend Web site

Lee Raine www.cowboyshowcase.com
Home of the Western Spirit

Denise Smith www.denisesmithsranchstudio.com authentic ranch, cowboy, and buckaroo life in western fine art photographs and prints.

For sponsorship information please contact Denise Smith:
rafterlazyh2@yahoo.com