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."