Where the West was Won

When you pass through the glass doors of L Bar Western Art Gallery, it's like stepping back in time. Paintings cover the walls; sculptures decorate the ledges. They all tell the same story -- the story of a time when the West was still wild. For Bill Lowrance, owner of the Stephenville, Texas gallery, art capturing the Western lifestyle is second to none. Lowrance keeps the West alive by displaying and selling its history in his gallery.

Lowrance got his start in the Western industry at a young age. Growing up, he showed horses in a variety of disciplines -- from halter and pleasure to cutting. Though he himself was never an artist, the genre of Western art drew him in.

"It's Americana," Lowrance explains, "They can't buy it, sell it, steal it, or give it away. It's ours. And it's just awesome."

Another draw is the raw authentic nature that Western art captures. Western art is not just scenery. It loads the canvas or sculpture with the passion and heritage of the life.

"Basically, it is art history," Lowrance says, "A lot of artists that I have, like Russell and Remington, they focused on their era. It has saved a point in time of the Western lifestyle in places like Montana and the Northwest."

Western art has offered not only a look into the past but a glance into the future as well.

"There are quite a few ranches that are (still) doing it old style," Lowrance says, "They are still using chuck wagons. They still use fires to heat the irons. Some use pots (cooking over an open fire). There are still some pretty good-sized ranches."

While those embracing Western art may be seen as the typical clientele, people from all walks of life are drawn to this genre.

"You just meet some really nice people," Lowrance explains, "Some are ranchers. Some are oil and gas people. Some are small business owners. Some are corporation CEOs. It's a varied selection of people that enjoy Western art."

Lowrance estimates that 70 percent of his art purchases come from customers who just walk into the gallery. His clients come to him from all over the world. It's not myster what draws such a variety of people to the old West.

"When times get tough, a lot of people want to slow things down," Lowrance responds, "Go back to an era where it was a lot more peaceful, more tranquil, and it wasn't so hectic. Not like it is today."

Built from the ground up, 24 years ago, the gallery began in Kerrville, Texas, home of the Cowboy Arts Museum.

Originally, Lowrance worked at his father's exterior painting business. Done for the winter, Lowrance was contacted by friends in search of the art that he would later be selling.

"I had some friends of mine and they said, 'We'd like to buy some Western art. Why don’t you get some from (the cowboy artists) and we'll buy it from you,'" Lowrance recalls, "That is basically how it all started."

From there, Cowboy artists like Tom Ryan sent Lowrance pieces and he found them permanent homes. Soon, Bill and his wife, Linda, took the gallery on the road.

"We did a lot of equine trade shows," Lowrance says, "We did Quarter Horse Congress, The AQHA World Show, Paint Horse World Show. We did all of the cuttings in Fort Worth for about 15 (years or so). We did a lot of big shows."

Five years ago, Lowrance moved the gallery to Stephenville. Currently, his gallery sits in the heart of the town square across from the historic Erath County Courthouse.

"I like Stephenville, Texas, because it is the Cowboy Capital of the World -- the best of the best are here," Lowrance explains. "I've had the gallery up here about five years now and it's been just awesome. The people you meet here are just incredible."

A fitting location for quality Western art.

Western art covers a wide variety of subjects and is seen in every style and medium. Artists such as G. Harvey fell in love with oils and capturing booming towns like Denver. Mehl Lawson, a decorated sculptor, that blends his love of the Western lifestyle with his talent for fine art by creating sculptures of the cowboying life.

Lowrance's eyes sparkle when he talks about the history of the artists and their work. He points to a small sculpture, titled "Sixes Sunrise" by Lawson.

"He's considered on of the best contemporary Western sculptors in the world -- his work, the detail, is out of this world," Lowrance says.

 "I've had him (featured in the gallery) for 20 years now," Lowrance adds. "He approached me about handling his work, which I was blown away, because I hadn't been in business that long. To have somebody of that caliber was just unbelievable."

"Sixes Sunrise" was inspired by an annual ride that the Cowboy Artists of America take every year. On that particular trip, the group was at the legendary Four Sixes ranch. The sculpture features a ranch horse that is hobbled while the crew enjoys their coffee, breakfast, and the sunrise.

After the sunrise, the crew bridled their horses and went off to gather cattle, just as it has been done on the Four Sixes ranch throughout its 147-year history.

"It was a time in history that was all Americana," Lowrance says of Western art in general.

In addition to Lawson, the gallery features over 47 artists that create in sculpture, oils, watercolors and pencils. It is important for Lowrance to have pieces that will fit the bill for his clients in terms of quality and price.

"I strive to have pieces that are high quality, award winners, when somebody has something, they can be extremely proud of it," Lowrence proclaims, "It makes it an heirloom. I want affordability, but I want high quality as well."

He fills the need, sometimes searching outside the gallery for the sought after piece or artists. The process is the same, whether it's an avid collector or somebody new to the Western art scene.

"I get a lot of people in here that don't have any Western art. They'll come in and find a piece that they really like and wonder why; I don't buy this(art) I buy this other stuff." Lowrance adds with a chuckle, "But they really like it and they come back. It's kind of like a potato chip; once you have one you come back to get another one."

Western life is not dying but lives in the rural corners of our country, in the homes of art collectors, and in the heart of small towns like Stephenville. It lives on, too, in what Lowrance hopes will be his greatest achievement and ultimate legacy -- passing on the Western heritage through his gallery.

"Down the line," he professes, "I hope that 200 years from now that there is some art that (people have) bought through me that is hanging on the wall somewhere."

 

 

Taking the Reins

Those who never grow out of playing in the sandbox grow up to be horsemen. This reigns true for National Reined Cow Horse Association’s (NRCHA) Communications Manager Stephanie Duquette. Duquette merged her lifelong passion for horses with her talents in media when she assumed the Communications Manager position in 2012. Her involvement in the equine industry, however, began long before that.

Growing up, Duquette was “the crop out horse lover” in her family. First interested in Arabian reining horses, her parents saw the importance horses play into setting goals and teaching core values and encouraged her to pursue her passion.

“(My father) instilled the notion into me,” Duquette remembers, “that whatever you do, be really good at it and you will be successful.”

Despite her passion for Western performance horses, Duquette did not plan for her career to be in the equine industry. She attended Willamette University, a small liberal arts college in Oregon’s capital city Salem. While she was in school, she received an internship to cover Oregon state politics and focused her goals toward a career in broadcast journalism. Straight out of college, Duquette received a job in radio news and started to climb the corporate ladder, but she felt like there was something missing.

“I discovered to be successful and actually make a living wage, you have to live in a major urban area with a huge market and that just wasn’t my style,” Duquette explains. “I didn’t want to live in a giant apartment, go to work in a high rise, and see streets and no horses.”

Duquette adjusted her sails and shifted her focus back to her first passion-- horses.

Prior to the NRCHA, Duquette says, “I was a freelance writer for the horse industry. I wrote for several publications including The Quarter Horse News. I freelanced quite heavily for them and was the Reined Cow Horse section editor.”

Duquette began to get involved with the NRCHA by working at the major shows for Pro Management, the contracted management company that oversaw the NRCHA administration prior to 2012.

Duquette explains that, “2012, the time that I came on board, was when the association moved away from contracting that management company to an in house staff that reported to the board. (…) I was known in the industry as someone who had those skills. It all just kind of meshed.”

As Communications Manager, Duquette is responsible for video production and promotional elements of the association as well as print media. NRCHA’s magazine, Reined Cow Horse News, is edited and published by Cowboy Publishing Group and is a reflection of Duquette’s dedication.

“I am a major contributor and liaison for the association in making sure the content is staying on message and true to our mission, values, and branding.”

Maintaining press relations with the industry’s media, opening communications with the membership, and creating avenues to invite new audiences are just a few more hats this cowgirl wears.

“To me, it is all of the things that I find fun, the things that come easily and something to be involved in. I couldn’t really have written a scenario better for me,” Duquette explains joyously.

Growing the association and inviting new participation while maintaining the vaquero-rich tradition is a major priority for both the association and Duquette.

Part of this initiative is inviting National High School Rodeo contestants to get a taste of the sport during their regular rodeo season. The goal- to introduce the next generation of athletes to the sport where “tradition is not forgotten.”

Duquette is taking the reins, along with the rest of the NRCHA team, and steering the association toward a bigger and brighter future.

“There is a lot of competition out there for those recreational rider’s dollars. We want to establish ourselves as the most fun place to spend those dollars and a place where people want to spend that time,” Duquette explains.

Along with bringing new riders into the sport through high school rodeo, Duquette is focused on connecting to members in other Western performance disciplines to expand the reined cow horse audience.

Alvin Fultz, the owner of cutting horse stallion sensation Metallic Cat, was introduced to the reined cow horse sport at the 2015 Snaffle Bit Futurity, the Super Bowl of reined cow horse events. His stallion’s offspring were top sellers in the two year old sale and multiple offspring made the futurity finals.

Duquette recalls, “(Fultz) was looking at that sport and going wow, this is really unbelievable. So he made an incentive donation, an extra $10,000 to the highest scoring Metallic Cat offspring in the finals at the Stallion Stakes in March.”

Bridging gaps and strengthening ties between the cow horse industry and similar performance horse industries is just the first step for the ambitious professional. Keeping the organization at an elite level is a goal she strives for daily. Customer service in number one and a quality presentation is not optional.

“(We want to make sure) we are doing a good job servicing those people-- making sure our website is functional and easy to navigate, making sure our webcast is up and running and user friendly, and making sure that once we invite that contact, we are making it a good one.”

The reined cow horse sport is the best kept secret in the equine industry. Three uniquely challenging events make for the grittiest competitors on dirt. With talent and fierce competition also comes a down-to-Earth family of riders.

“When you put that single cow in the pen and go down the fence, it can humble the two million dollar riders just as easily as it can humble the person just starting to do it,” Duquette says.

In an eye opening, adrenaline rushing format, the reined cow horse sport also teaches important values to its contestants from the youth divisions to the open, professional riders.

“You don’t advance in this world by stepping on your peers. You advance by lifting up the people around you. It’s just such an important core value and it’s played out here, day after day,” Duquette says admiringly. “I mean, this is a point of pride to be associated with.”

This is a sport for all kinds, from the experienced rider whose career is training horses to the youth riders starting out in 4-H. This sport is a passion for weekend riders who want to escape their 9-to-5 world to folks who grew up in the city but always had horses in their blood.

“I am invested in this association for several reasons,” says Duquette. “It’s the type of riding that I am passionate about. I have gotten to know these people and I consider them friends, people I admire and respect. (…) This group of people are so amazing. I couldn’t possible work with a better group of people.”