James Elwood Reynolds (American, b. 1926) The Fun's Over

Description:

James Elwood Reynolds (American, b. 1926)

The Fun's Over
Signed "James Reynolds" l.r., label from O'Brien's Art Emporium, Arizona, on the
reverse.
Oil on board, 24 x 30 in. (60.9 x 76.2 cm),framed.
Condition: Good.

N.B. Jim Reynolds was captivated by the cowboy culture which surrounded his youth in the Sierra Nevadas. His art places the cowboy in a visual panorama of natural western landscape which is as authentic as it is sentimental. His body of work gives a passionate order, both visually and symbolically, to a wild uncivilized landscape. As a distinguished member of the Cowboy Artists of America organization he has received numerous awards for his efforts. This painting depicts ranchers returning from the fun of a round-up against an expanse of mountains and plains. It displays his unique ability to capture the intensity of the cowboys in action against the primal calm of the landscape that surrounds them. Reynolds draws a parallel between his own and the cowboy's art: it is through skillful manipulation and purposeful angling that both artist and cowboy are able to harness the wild. The atmospheric purple blues of this painting embody the coolness of the cowboys and create a work that leans toward impressionism yet completely and masterfully incorporates tiny details. With unusual sensitivity he creates a metaphysical balance of unspoiled wildness in the horses and riders, showing that both were blissfully lost in the freewheeling sensuality of the round-up. Reynolds places both horse and rider at a singular yet simultaneous realization: 'the fun's over'.
Estimate $8,000-12,000

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