Cowboys of the Americas—15 artists

Paintings, photographs, sculptures, mixed media
by Mabel Astarloa Haley, Sidonie Caron, Tim Combs, Joan Darling, Shyama Helin,
Allison McClay, Nance Paternoster, Mark Reber, Lisa Sayles, Paul Slick, Sara Swink,
Gary Terry, Greg Thilmont, Celia Wagner, Madison Weiss


Whether they herd cattle on the Argentinean pampas or compete in the Pendleton Roundup, cowboys are iconic figures in art and literature throughout the Americas. The September presentation at Onda is "Cowboys of the Americas" with 15 local, regional and international artists showing paintings, drawings, sculptures, mixed media pieces and photographs about cowboys/cowgirls/gauchos/vaqueros. Themes of action, work, isolation, community and fun, danger and violence are expressed in the thirty-two pieces exhibited.

Each of the artists finds his or her own connection to the cowboy legend and reality, and each works within a distinctive style. The examples here are illustrated with images by the artists.

• Mabel Astarloa Haley's large paintings of cowboys in Eastern Oregon, which have been included in a statewide exhibit called "Art About Agriculture", were the inspiration for the show, but she has also painted new scenes of gauchos from her native Argentina.



• Sidonie Caron's entry in "Art About Agriculture" is entitled "Cowboy Horsepower". She participated in "The American West, Cowboys, Indians & the Big Picture" (2002) at the McMullen Museum of Art, Boston College, Boston MA and "Sustaining Change on the American Farm", Maryhill Museum of Art, Goldendale, WA (2006).

• Sara Swink established the Clay Circle Studio in West Linn in 2006 and has shown her whimsical ceramic sculptures at galleries in the Portland area and at Portland Open Studios.

• Eldon P. Slick is a nationally exhibited and published painter, sculptor and illustrator from Tucson.

• Growing up in Klamath Falls, Gary Terry gained an intimate appreciation of the elements of ranch life and the natural world which he has translated into award-winning paintings and illustrations.

August 27-September 22, 2009
Opening and Artists' Reception: August 27, 6-9 PM