A taste of the West

Much like country music, Western art can be unfairly lumped into one take-it-or-leave-it category. Which is a shame, because people who are turned off by the concept of Western art would miss out on innovative artists like Theodore Waddell. Yes, Waddell paints horses, landscapes and horizons — which are about as common in the genre as a country musician singing about pick up trucks and patriotism. But it’s the way that Waddell approaches and creates his art that sets him apart. “It’s not just about the cows and the landscape,” said Nikki Todd of Visions West Gallery. “I think this work is ultimately about paint and painting.” Waddell, a native Montanan cattle rancher, embraces a sophisticated modernist style with his art, according to the Visions West Gallery. In person, his paintings are notable for their often-vast scale and massive clumps of paint. In 1976, Waddell took a job as a manager for a large ranch. His experiences at the ranch proved an artistic inspiration. “The subject matter appeals to the whole Western art crowd,” said Todd. “But he has an entirely different take on his subject matter than what you usually see.”...read more