He's got this long history with Pueblo Pottery. His mother was esteemed pottery artist Seferina Ortiz so he was raised with it. But he pushed past those boundaries of just strictly traditional Pueblo pottery and now he's doing these amazing contemporary sculptures. You see, Virgil's got this entire component of his work that has to do with the Pueblo Revolt of 1680 and an alternate history he created in the 500 years that follow. 

When I was in Santa Fe during Indian Market and we recorded this podcast, he had a big exhibit at the Vladam Contemporary, another one at the Wheelwright Museum, As well as a third concurrent exhibition at the Autry, so he is a busy, busy man. 

He's also a renaissance man. From sculpture, to furniture, to clothing, to pottery, to just seeing the world a little differently. If you don't know who Virgil Ortiz is, which is hard to imagine, but if you don't - this is a great podcast to get to understand the genius of his work.

The first building is called the "pole barn" which has all this amazing storage of wood, which is really the reason that Mira continued her family legacy of woodworking because she really wanted to see the life of this wood through its journey, and she felt a great obligation to do that. We also look at the place where they take the wood after its "planed," where they really start putting the puzzle pieces in place and where it start to comes together as a piece of furniture. Then Mira takes us to the finishing shed were really as she describes it "the magic happens."

Then after Mira was called away to her board meeting, I was able to talk to her assistant and designer Zane Shalchi and he was very kind and said, sure, I'll do a quick interview. It gave me a different perspective of what it's like to be a part of the legacy of George and Mira Nakashima. 

Anyhow, I think this is a very important podcast historically. I love their work. I think this is one of those that will go down for me as one of my favorites. This is Mira Nakashima, part two on the Art Dealer Diaries Podcast.

She is the daughter of George Nakashima, and they both are incredibly important figures in the world of furniture making. Many would say that George Nakashima is the father of modern furniture making. I mean, he's the guy that started it all in the late 40s, and they've been going non-stop ever since.

Mira has been at it herself full time since 1970 and the campus in Pennsylvania is an amazing place to go. If you go, make an appointment way in advance because it's already so busy and they would get overwhelmed if it was open to the public.

It was so amazing to go see the facility and hear this complex history of her father and his craft. You see, they were put into an internment camp in 1942 because of World War II, George being a trained architect and Mira being a newborn at that time. Hearing that story and how George meeting a woodworker while imprisoned changed his trajectory completely from the architectural world. 

This episode is a more traditional podcast, in the sense that we both sit down together and have a really amazing conversation about her and her father's legacy in the arts. After our almost 2 hour conversation, Mira gives us a tour of the facility in Pennsylvania and that will be its own episode of the podcast.

In any case, this is definitely one of my favorite podcasts that i\I’ve ever done. It was well worth the trip to go out there, and I’d do it again in a heartbeat. This is Mira Nakashima on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 414.

I've always loved comics. As a kid, I collected a ton of them. I collected them to see the artwork mostly. I always loved the art component of comic books and still had a huge collection up until recently.

Well, Nogi just happens does some insanely beautiful comic covers for the two biggest comic companies in the world, Marvel and DC. Before that, she did artwork for video games such as Assassin's Creed, Cyberpunk 2077, and League of Legends, and was handpicked by Giorgio Armani himself to do artwork for their 2020 Tokyo Olympics collaboration.

But her art career didn't necessarily start that way. It started in a much more uncertain part of life where a career as an artist was maybe not the most secure route she could have taken. To get through that component, for most people, is really difficult. She knew in her heart that being a creative professional was the only thing she could do, because that's who she was on the inside.

So I really enjoyed this podcast and I think you will too. To see her get animated when she talks about her art and her life and the things that make her who she is was lovely. She will no doubt be one of the premier comic book artists of the day. This is Nogi San on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 412.

He's a true multimedia artist in that he's done fashion, he's done paintings, glasswork, and he's currently doing assemblage pieces that are made out of old hubcaps. 

What he's best known for though, is his beadwork, or photobeadilism as he calls it. In the 80s he was doing beaded designer jackets worn by the likes of Elton John, John Travolta, and Sylvester Stallone. 

To get to spend an hour with him and just kind of find out where all of the creativity comes from and how it bubbles up was really interesting. I think you'll find it interesting as well. He's just such a unique human. 

It's lovely when you get to spend time with an artist like Marcus. For me, it's a double treat because I get to show his work as well. This is the Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 411 with Marcus Amerman.

View available works by Marcus Amerman here

I think one of the greatest and sacred things that you can experience is the firing of Pueblo pottery and I was very fortunate to be able to witness a firing right before the 2026 Santa Fe Indian Market. It was a very famous family of pottery makers too. 

The family includes Christopher Youngblood, Joseph Youngblood, and Sergio Lugo (who ends up winning Best of Show just a few days after we filmed this firing) and they are all brothers. We also got to speak to the amazing Jennifer Tafoya, (who's married to Chris Youngblood) who won Best of Show three years ago. In fact, Chris's mother, Nancy Youngblood, also won Best of Show in the past (though we didn't get to see her this time around) which makes this one of, if not the most decorated family of potters in the history of Indian Market. It's very obviously a great line of pottery makers, and they all stand on their own. 

They're all terrific artisans with their own specialties and it's so interesting to watch what's really involved in doing a firing. First of all, it's a dangerous thing to do the way with the constant smoke and flames. It can take decades to really get to the point where you can be a master at firing. It's a truly sacred event. You'll see it. I mean, they literally make blessings to the pottery that they are firing. 

This is the kind of thing I love to do. It's important to me. It feels important as I'm asking them questions and documenting the process. So if you want to watch experts of their craft do what they do best, watch the Youngblood/Lugo/Tafoya family fire two very important vessels in this special presentation of a firing at their home.

The artists that win ribbons for being the best of their respective classification, are then juried to see who wins the best of show award. They pick the final person who they consider to be the very best of everything that year and in this case, it was Sergio Lugo for his magnificent floating pot.

I would encourage you, if you can, to watch this on youtube, because if you see it on YouTube you get to see the winning pieces and the reactions of the artists to winning. It's pretty impressive just to see the emotion that these individuals have and how important Santa Fe Indian market is to them and how grateful they feel for what SWAIA does.

I genuinely love watching his ceremony, because each individual talks about their tribe, family, and culture and how instrumental it all is in how they got there and how they made such amazing works of art. 

I never get tired of these ceremonies. In this case, it was for the 104th Santa Fe Indian Market.

Eric is widely celebrated today for his intricate, cinematic paintings that effortlessly blur the lines between reality and surrealism. In our conversation, Eric takes me back to his early days as an artist. He sheds light on his formative experiences, the pivotal moments in his schooling at Rhode Island School of Design, and his early years as a professional illustrator.

We dive deep into his artistic journey, discussing how his unique visual vocabulary developed over the years, the inspirations that shaped his signature style, and what it was like finding his footing in the competitive art world. Whether you're an avid collector, a fellow creator, or simply fascinated by the origins of great art, this podcast offers an intimate glimpse into an exceptionally creative mind.

This is Eric White part 1 on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 407.

You see, I had done a show featuring Ed's works alongside the work of Maynard Dixon in the late 90s, but that project was much, much different and more based on the visual aspect of their respective art. It wasn't the same as thinking about them historically and how their paths were paralleled in many ways. After Ed passed away, I looked at the comparison of the two artists a little differently. This time I looked at it not just as a comparison between Maynard Dixon and Ed Mell, my friend, but rather Ed Mell, the historical figure and important artist.

The best way to to view this podcast is on YouTube because you can see the slides of my presentation and the images that I talk about. That being said, you can just listen to me talk about these two icons and it will be just as informative and entertaining.

Anyhow, I hope you enjoy this lecture I did this past March on Ed Mell and Maynard Dixon at Scottsdale Art Week and I'm glad to be able to publish it as an episode of the Art Dealer Diaries Podcast.

It's in the heart of the city and you're near Bowery St. and it's crazy. You know, frantic activity, a lot of murals, there's just so much energy. We start outside then we go into this building and downstairs into a place of artistry. We show all of this in the YouTube version, we show the entire studio and all of the items he surrounds himself with for inspiration, which are so important for an artist to have. It's an absolutely sacred place. You can see some of the things that he shares with us that I'm sure may have never shared before.

Brad is just an incredibly important artist. So this was one of those very unique, fun opportunities to visit an artist in their place of creation. This is a tour of Brad Kahlhamer's studio on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 405.

Danny Akaka ,Jr. is just one of the most interesting people I've met, quite frankly. He's the cultural ambassador at the Mauna Lani Auberge Resort, and he gives talks, and he allowed me to to record this talk and put it up as an episode of the podcast. 

He spoke at length on King Kamehameha the Great, the leader who unified the Hawaiian islands. We learned about Kamehameha's origin and the circumstances behind his birth and how a prophecy and Halley's Comet led to his concealment as a child. 

Danny also touched on his personal history as well. His uncle Abraham Akaka was a reverend, and the individual who first called Hawaii "The Aloha State." His father Daniel Akaka, Sr. was the first Native Hawaiian United States senator. He was a senator for 36 years. 

They call him Uncle Danny for a good reason. It's because he's a person that just clicks with everyone. I'm grateful he has allowed us to share this presentation and I can't wait to speak with him again.

One thing I did while I was in Manaus that was very special, was I got to see a ceremony performed by the Tuyuka Tribe. The tribe is known as the "children of the stone snake" and they did some beautiful dances wearing traditional handmade garments. I was privileged enough to meet and interact with these amazing people and further my understanding of the indigenous people of the region. If you have the opportunity to arrange something like this this, I highly recommend it doing it because it was a truly enlightening experience.

The last thing I got to do in this video was see the meeting of the waters where the Rio Negro and the Rio Solimoes come together to actually form the Amazon River. It's one of the most unique places in the world. In fact, the two rivers don't combine for over 30 miles because of their difference in temperature and sedimentary makeup. Visually, it's an insane looking conglomeration of water. The only way to really understand what I'm talking about is to see it for yourself, which you can do through the video component on my YouTube channel.

Hopefully just watching the videos and hearing me, you might get a sense of what this region is like. So if you want to know what the Amazon feels like and Brazil feels like, you might want to watch / listen to this podcast.

It's still there, and we were given access to the property and to get to see and view how they lived in their house from 1904 until Emory dies in 1976. Inside is the photography room, the areas where they would have parties, and some of the most amazing views you've ever seen of the Grand Canyon. 

Part of the house is open as a museum, but part of it isn't. And we're going to show you the part that isn't. That's what's special about this and why I wanted to make it into a podcast. This is one of those that I highly recommend watching on YouTube.

It's a pretty compelling story, and I think it's one of those places that you may never get to visit in person. Hopefully this tour via my podcast/video will give you a sense of what it's like and what it would have been like at the turn of the century in Arizona.

Artist studios are sacred places. Shonto's studio is no different and in some ways even more sacred than usual. He shared a couple of extremely personal pieces that are in his studio. Paintings that not only show how he sees the world, but how he views the healing process. 

So it's a great video to watch. I know it's a podcast, but if you have the chance, watch it on YouTube. Not only is it a treat to be teleported inside an important artist's studio, but it's so real and in the moment.

At one point he even goes, "oh no, I gotta go put some money in the meter!" We just run down to the street to put money in the parking meter while we were filming because that's what he has to do every day where his studio is. He had been at the studio all day getting his paintings ready for me. I felt so bad I was even prepared to pay his parking ticket. 

So this is a very interesting and beautiful podcast with Shonto Begay.

He's has a very unique position with an immense amount of responsibility. He had a somewhat unexpected journey to get to be Superintendent because his training was as a lawyer. He worked for the Department of Interior for 23 years before becoming the Superintendent.

He took the job at the beginning of Covid, so he was dealing with big problems from the very beginning. We talk about that, as well as other issues he faced such as the recent Dragon Bravo fire that swept across the North Rim and the ecological trouble facing the Colorado River. In fact, Ed is responsible for 277 miles of the river that passes through the Grand Canyon. He's on three different committees related to the Colorado River. Yet with all of these troubles he's facing, he clearly loves his job, and is clearly very good at it. It is the kind of profession that requires you to do a lot.

I was enthralled for an hour listening to Superintendent Keeble, who is a very sharp, interesting human. I must say, I feel very lucky that we have someone of this quality in charge of such an important place, the Grand Canyon.

We talked about her magazines, sure, but we mostly spoke about the process of how she got where is she is today. When i do these podcasts I want to know how people became what they became and their journey. Wendie's journey is a very interesting one.

Her father was a car racer and somebody who was a specialist in fixing and rebuilding motors and we learn about how that affected her trajectory. She's still involved the automotive world and at one point became an auctioneer that specialized in auctioning classic cars. 

Wendie is just this very interesting person who's quite important in the world of Western & Native arts because of her magazines and their influence. She gets it. She loves collectors, she loves what she does, and this passion comes across in this podcast. 

That's why I do these things. To try and learn and to understand somebody like Wendie Martin. Someone who is really interested in, not only artists, not only collectors, but the entire business of art. That's a big component of what this podcast is all about. 

So enjoyed it a lot. This is Wendie Martin on episode 395 of the Art Dealer Diaries Podcast.

Skip and Ed were friends in high school and ended up working together in New York City in the late 60's and early 70's. They started a company together called Sagebrush Studios and did some really great work together. I got to hear stories about Ed and Skip and their antics and see artwork that I would have never guessed was done by Ed Mell.

We see plenty of work by Skip as well who is a highly regarded illustrator, designer and airbrush artist. He did magazine covers for National Lampoon and Arizona Highways, worked on ad campaigns for Coca-Cola and Dickies, and showed us many other incredible works of commercial art.

So this is probably the kind of video that is best taken in through YouTube, because you can see the images that we're talking about, and there's just something about seeing Skip's face as we discuss one of his closest and dearest friends. 

I found to be very interesting. I learned a lot. I had a great time. We filmed this in Ed's studio, which was a just a treat to be able to to do that, feel the energy of Ed and all the great paintings he had done alongside one of his best friends. 

This is Skip Andrews on episode 394 of the Art Dealer Diaries Podcast.

We had a booth there and I gave a lecture on Maynard Dixon and Ed Mell, but there were some other lovely panels/lectures that we recorded, and one of them included Diné weavers, Naiomi and Tyler Glasses. I've been fortunate to get to know them and I'm just so impressed with their creativity. 

They talked about their upbringing and the influence their grandmother had on their path towards becoming weavers. They speak on the connection between traditional Navajo weaving and contemporary fashion, and how blending utility and beauty is nothing new for the Diné. 

During the panel we hear about the origin of Naiomi’s collaboration with Polo Ralph Lauren and how she was able to bring her brother on to help with a subsequent venture with Ralph Lauren Home. It's really interesting to get their take on how they've grown as a brother and sister team looking at fashion through the eyes of their own culture. 

So, I felt it was a really insightful discussion and something that you would have missed were you not in Scottsdale during the show, but luckily we are able to bring it to you today. This is Naiomi Glasses and her brother Tyler Glasses on the Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 393.

It was an interesting  experience for me for two reasons. One, I knew Ed very well as a friend. Two, I represented him for almost 30 years. So with this lecture, I got to think and speak about him how an art historian would. The friendship element was part of the lecture, no doubt, but the talk is filled with the other more analytical art world components as well. 

For example, I talk about the difference between a 1980 Ed Mell and a 1981 Ed Mell. I analyze the kind of subject matter that he did and when he did it and why he did it. If you love Ed Mell you will probably find this talk that I did to be very interesting and maybe even compelling. I thought it was a really enjoyable  from the speaking perspective. 

The Phoenix Art Museum just has such a beautiful collection and they have an exhibit called "Ed Mell: In the Studio" in their all new James K. Ballinger Wing. The wing is going to be closed for a renovation from now until mid September 2026, but it'll be open again after Labor Day. Once it opens back up, the Ed Mell exhibition will be up through April 2027. Most of the work in the exhibit came right out of his studio, including some very early pastels and small oil studies. It's a very cool setup and it was curated by Chief Curator Olga Viso, who I interview at the end of the podcast about the show.

So if you love Ed Mell, you might want to watch this one. Keep in mind the YouTube version will have all of the images I discuss, as well as the bonus interview at the end that shows parts of "Ed Mell: In the Studio."

You see, he's able to make that world different in his own mind through the catharsis of painting. In this painting I'm referring to, he explores that and lets the viewer see it how they want to see it, but the story of the painting is there for everyone. If you go to the YouTube version of the podcast you'll be able to actually see the painting we're talking about.

So we talk about the four paintings he brings in for about half of the podcast, and then we move over to the Maynard Dixon and Native American Art Museum where we talk about a couple of his other paintings that are a part of the exhibition "Native Voices: 75 Years of Creativity."

One is called "Helpless," which is a monumentally important painting and a marker for Shonto's art career. It was done in 1996, and I've owned it for at least 15 years. It happens to be a very important painting in my life as well.

Shonto is somebody that I respect and appreciate very much. You can hear the passion, the wisdom, and the energy that he breathes into the world as he speaks. He's just a remarkable individual, not only as a painter, but as just a human being. I'm grateful that I get to show his work and to call him my friend.

This is Shonto Begay on episode 391 of the Art Dealer Diaries Podcast.

With the artists on the panel, we had two different but equally qualified individuals. There was Martin Grelle being on the traditional side and Kim Wiggins who is more of a modernist. They talk about how they see things in their world, from their perspectives as creatives.

Then on the other end of the spectrum you have myself and my son, Charles. I was invited to the panel because of my 35 years of experience as an art dealer specializing in Western art, having worked with museums like the Briscoe on many occasions. Charles on the other hand, sees things in a different light because he's much younger and in tune with a completely different audience. 

So it's a good mix of how we see the world of Western art and where it's heading. It was fun to do and it lasted about an hour. We had some good Q&A afterwards. You can watch us on YouTube if you want to see how we just kind of talk and interact, which I think is always interesting.

I'm typically surprised when I go and do one of these things, because you just don't know what's going to come up, or how others see what you see differently. That being said, Tim Newton did a lovely job of moderating all the different aspects and voices and it was a great time.

So hope you enjoy this panel at the Briscoe Western Art Museum on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 390.

The Phoenix Art Museum has a big show of her work on display through June 2026 called "Cara Romero: Panûpünüwügai (Living Light)." It's a terrific show and I have been up there twice since it opened. It's very well curated and it's an immersive experience.

In this lecture, Emilia Mickevicius, the Norton Family Assistant Curator of Photography at Phx Art, speaks with Cara about the exhibit and about the works in the First American Girl series, Indigenous Futurism series, and her most recent photographic works. They discuss the themes of survivance, activism and ecology, and how Cara weaves these into each and every photograph she takes.

Cara has her own gallery in Santa Fe and I highly recommend you go see that as well.  It was a wonderful lecture. I really enjoyed it and I'm glad I get to upload this talk. This is photographer Cara Romero and curator Emilia Mickevicius on the Art Dealer Diaries Podcast.

Curt was born in 1950 and he lived in Farmington, NM and this is where his artistic journey really begins. It was so interesting to do this walk-and-talk with Curt through the museum. To be able to see and speak with him and understand what he's done in life in front of some of his most monumental works of art.

I hope people come to see the show Western Spirit and I also hope you watch this on YouTube so you can really get the sense of what we were talking about. It's great as an audio-only experience, but there's something about actually seeing the paintings when he's describing them that is just wonderful.

Anyhow, I'm glad to have had the chance to record this and I hope you enjoy. This is master Grand Canyon painter Curt Walters on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 388.

See the show online:
https://www.medicinemangallery.com/collections/march-6-2026

It might be a genetic thing. His father, Larry C. Winborga, is a well-known illustrator and fine artists and his daughter Swede Winborg is an up-and-comer on the Western Art scene. 

We had this discussion about how all of that  affected his journey and how hard he still has to work on this journey. I mean, he really didn't hit his stride until he's in his late 30s and he's 46 now. So it's not one of these things where you you feel like, oh, he's just an overnight success. But was he actually? The answer is no. 

Being an artist is a very difficult journey. Jeremy typifies that journey and we talk about that. So he's just a lovely guy. Jeremy Winborg on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 385.

The lecture serves as the end point in a trilogy of podcasts filmed over the last 3 years. These three episodes of the podcast revolved his hugely successful 55-Year Retrospective exhibit and sale that opened at Medicine Man Gallery in Tucson, AZ on February 6th, 2026.

Billy Schenck is a pioneer in the pop-western art movement and we are extremely grateful to have hosted such an important show. His work is on display in dozens of museums across the country, and will someday be housed in his own museum near Santa Fe, New Mexico. 

This lecture was not only educational, but very entertaining and I'm glad we were able to record it. This is Billy Schenck on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 384.

It's a wonderful gallery. There are many different components to Oppenheimer Gallery. One of them is art conservation, which is how I've gotten to know Joel over the years. Hands down the best paper conservator I've ever had the pleasure of working with. 

They also have a renowned art printing component. They make and sell prints of the works of ornithological artist J.J. Audubon. In fact, much like how I am known for my expertise on the artist Maynard Dixon, Joel is most likely the world's leading expert on Audubon and his prints. He's done a couple of different books on Audubon that showcase his knowledge as well as his commitment to achieving the highest quality reproductions possible.

Anyhow, it was a long podcast, we talked for almost two hours, but it was very, very interesting. His life is definitely unique and he's a very wise individual.

He's also an artist. Joel basically started as fine artist and navigated through the art world from expertise to expertise, and now with retirement, he's going back to his original love, painting and pastels. 

So this was very unique story of a very successful art dealer and I had a great time. This is Joel Oppenheimer part two.

It's a wonderful gallery. There are many different components to Oppenheimer Gallery. One of them is art conservation, which is how I've gotten to know Joel over the years. Hands down the best paper conservator I've ever had the pleasure of working with. 

They also have a renowned art printing component. They make and sell prints of the works of ornithological artist J.J. Audubon. In fact, much like how I am known for my expertise on the artist Maynard Dixon, Joel is most likely the world's leading expert on Audubon and his prints. He's done a couple of different books on Audubon that showcase his knowledge as well as his commitment to achieving the highest quality reproductions possible.

Anyhow, it was a long podcast, we talked for almost two hours, but it was very, very interesting. His life is definitely unique and he's a very wise individual.

He's also an artist. Joel basically started as fine artist and navigated through the art world from expertise to expertise, and now with retirement, he's going back to his original love, painting and pastels. 

So this was very unique story of a very successful art dealer and I had a great time. This is Joel Oppenheimer part one.

Now, you get to actually see what we've been working on. To put all this effort in and to get to see them all together is exceptionally gratifying. I'm sure it's gratifying for Bill because this is a big deal, but it's a big deal for me too. 

On top of all of his important works that make up the museum show, Billy has has been putting away new works for two years for this show.  Large format photographic prints that have never been shown before, as well as some of his caption pieces and a beautiful group of his landscapes.

It was quite interesting to try to set this up because we're looking at his life's work (his serigraphs and foundational paintings) in combination with the result of a life of working on art (his newest body of work). The museum show has a good portion of his serigraphs paired with his early paintings. Trying to figure out that balance from a curatorial standpoint was an interesting experience.

If you're listening to the podcast, go to YouTube, go check out the show, not only the gallery show, but the museum show. We have included a preview of the show in this version of episode 377 of the Art Dealer Diaries Podcast. 

So this podcast that you're listening to is the culmination of all the work that we did over the last two years to get to this point. It was an exercise in storytelling, telling the Billy Schenck story, and I think we've done a beautiful job of it. 

Erika came by my gallery in Tucson to record this episode and I had no idea that by the end of the podcast I'd be showing her work. I truly didn't expect to have that happen. After seeing her work in person, getting to speak to her for an extended period of time, all of that really solidified my idea that this is a person that has what it takes to succeed as an artist and is committed to her craft. 

She's from Kansas, and she got her degree in photography, but nowadays she teaches art in Zuni, New Mexico. Not everybody can make the transition to a place like Zuni. It's beautiful, I love the place and the people, but it's very isolated. Erika moved there for her job, but picked Zuni specifically over a handful of other options because of the landscape (something she absolutely loves to paint). She loves painting people too and her paintings of Native American people exhibit a contemporary approach to a classic western art theme.

Anyhow, I enjoyed this podcast a great deal and I hope you like this podcast as much as I did. This is our newest represented artist as of January 2026, Erika Victor.

View available works by Erika Victor here: https://www.medicinemangallery.com/collections/victor-erika

Chavez  really exploded onto the scene over the last eight years, but like everything good in this world, it took a long time to get there. It definitely didn't happen overnight, though sometimes it might seem that way. Sean will be the first to tell you that he's a 30 year overnight success. 

We talk about his journey of growing up in New Mexico and how he found his path in the arts through graphic design, evolving into a traditional artist after many lived experiences. To him, it was clear he was an artist from the get-go.

Teasing out these little moments and stories from his life that show how he got to where he is today was a great experience for me. It's a real joy for me to listen to somebody and to be able to follow that journey in real time.  

I think this was a beautiful interview. I enjoyed it and I think you will enjoy it as well. This is Sean Michael Chavez on episode 380 of the Art Dealer Diaries Podcast.

Len is just such a creative individual. There's people that you meet in this world who think very deeply about their craft. From the smallest details of lighting to the canvas and how he finds the inspiration. 

We talk about inspiration, the things that make you want to make a painting in the first place. Len and I agree, you can't wait for inspiration. You have to go after it every day as a true artist, which he does.

After the interview was over he said, "oh yeah, I lived in this place in Redondo for two years. I just kind of boarded up the windows and lived on a couch and did my artwork. That's just how I had to do it and just live there." He as barely making a living but for him it was just part of the road he was on. It was part of his journey. 

You know, the journey of an artist is one that is filled with struggle. That being said, there are great rewards if you can do it. Len has and I highly encourage you to go follow him on Facebook and see what he's done.

If you're at any of the shows that he exhibits at, make sure you go and see his work. He's terrifically important and this was very fun and enlightening to speak with him. This is Len Chmiel on the Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 379.

She has been teaching her entire life and is justs now going into weaving full-time. There's good reason for that too. You see, Marilou's weavings are very in demand. She has a waitlist that includes the Basel and MoMA collections. 

What she has done is interpreted various computer chips through the lens of a traditional Diné weaver. It's just an amazing story. She got a commissioned by Intel to do a rendition of the Pentium chip in 1994. She's a fourth generation Navajo Weaver and she uses her background in mathematics to create these incredible textiles. 

I was fortunate enough to get one of these ordered a year ago, and she brought it to me today. I got to see it for the first time during this podcast and you can see my eyes light up as she unravels this masterpiece.

I highly recommend that you watch this on YouTube because you will be able to see her interact with the textile, as well see her tell her story, which is quite remarkable. 

This is one of my favorite podcasts that I've done. I hope you enjoy it. This is master Diné weaver, Marilou Schultz on the Art Dealer Diaries Podcast.

How he went from economics, to commercial development, to then retiring and devoting his life to art. First Western art, Russells, Remingtons, etc., followed by an epiphany when he was at the Heard Museum, seeing images of the Native American boarding schools. I remember that exhibit very well. I have one of these images in my own collection hanging in my own office. I look at it all the time just to help keep me grounded. Well, that image really set him off on a new odyssey to understand Native art and  history in a different way. He then sold off the majority of this Western material, and focused on collecting Indigenous American art. 

Bill has built this huge collection, part of which he donated to the Saint Louis Art Museum. They did a beautiful book on the collection and he's going to continue to give away pieces that he's collected to museum institutions to help tell the story of indigenous artists ranging from 1920 to today. 

It's a fun ride of through his life and over 60 years of collecting. I think it's a real gift that Bill shared it with us.

You see, Raj has been drawing since he was a little boy. He'd even won contests in school and at his university when he wasn't even an art major. He grew up in, India, and we get to talk about that whole component of his life. Eventually he moves to the United States from India and goes to Ole Miss to become an economist of all things. He was actually working on a PhD when he finally said "I've got to do what I love." Thankfully he did because he's an excellent artist. 

We met in Denver during for an event put on by the Coors Western Art Show, a special kind of summer preview with lectures, all getting ready for their January exhibition. They have some lovely art, and it's really just a fun time. One of the highlights for me was speaking with Raj. One thing led to another and next thing you know Raj was on a flight to Tucson to see my gallery and record this podcast.

What makes an excellent podcast to me is when I come away learning things and getting a new sense of what it means to be an artist. This was very easy in talking to someone like Raj. It was very insightful and fun. So I hope you enjoy this podcast as much as I did.

What happens in these areas of creation, and how somebody like Ezra spent the time, the thought, the energy, and the money to make it a place that really works for him. 

I think a great takeaway from any artist that's listening to this is that your space is important. Don't underestimate the importance of having a place that you can create and feel comfortable doing so. For Ezra, this truly is a space that he's developed, much like a piece of art.

It's a real gift to me to be able to go in and for him to share something like this, because it is such an intimate thing. So I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. This is Ezra Tucker's studio on the Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 373.

You see, Steve is the third generation owner of this company. That's a really, really rare thing these days. His brand has been a staple in the realm of Western fashion for 80 years. His grandfather started it 1946 and he was the first guy to do a "snap" western shirt. Not to mention that everyone has worn this brand. Elvis, Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Robert Plant, and more. 

I found it all absolutely fascinating. I knew the store was there, and I had been in it before, but to actually get to hear the man himself speak about how it all came to be was awesome. We get a behind the scene tour of the building, the museum area showing the history of these shirts and his family, and even a look at the garage where he keeps his vintage automobile collection.

It a very interesting podcast and I hope you can take the time to watch it. If you find yourself in Denver do yourself a favor and visit Steve's store. I think you'll find it just as cool as I did.

He has a great story. He moves from the reservation to Winslow, AZ and gets into  hip hop culture and graffiti at a very young age. He runs with this, and it becomes the story of his life. Randy lays it all out in our conversation.

This is one of those that you should watch on YouTube. Granted, this is an ART podcast, so they're all better with added visuals, but also because he's just such an animated individual. It's fun to be in his presence. He has a magnetism that you just can't put into words, but you know it when you feel it.

I got to watch Randy do a live painting this summer and it was amazing to see. He's just so multi-dimensional in his creativity, from traditional art, to graphic design, to fashion, to dance, to music, to filmmaking. 

It was a really fun, interesting, and overall dynamic podcast that just happened out of thin air. After speaking with him for an hour or so, I like to think that's how Randy's life is. Things are naturally spontaneous for him and he's the type of person that - when he feels something, he just does it. 

So anyway, I had a great time, and I think you will too. This is Randy Barton on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 370.

Knox has really found his niche. We're talking about major endeavors. It's like doing directing a movie. I mean, he can spend up to $70,000 on a single shot. He has a  clear vision, especially for as young as he is. 

It's really interesting to see how utterly and completely focused a guy like Knox can be. He sees who he is and what he wants to forge his legacy. I think when you're that driven at that age you're going to be successful.

Looking at some of the shots that he shared with me, it's just beautiful, amazing work. He's a classic artist in that he lives to create. He is a storyteller who also happens to be a fine artist with a camera. 

So yeah, I like Knox. He's a very nice, animated, gifted individual. I genuinely think he's one of those that you'll look back at this podcast and go, oh, yeah, that was an important guy and he was young when he did that. That's how it felt for me at least and I'm glad I get to be a part of that history.

Anyhow, this is storyteller Knox Kronenberg on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 369. I hope you enjoy.

This particular event was a panel that was part of the programming for this preview event. The panel featured Kevin Doyle, the Director of the Jackson Hole Art Auction, Josh Warren, who's the Associate Publisher of Western Art & Architecture Magazine and myself. Joshua Rose was the moderator and asked us questions about Western Art and what to expect in the future of the genre. 

I think it's a fun and interesting discussion and there were some things that came out and you go "yeah, I agree with that," and other stuff where you're saying "maybe I don't agree with that."  Regardless, it was a fun and unique conversation and I thought you might enjoy it as an episode of the podcast.

Like all these podcasts, I came away with something unique. In this case, it was the essence of who this individual is and his humbleness, quite frankly. I found out something unique that I had never even considered. 

You see, Jeremy is a quarter Native American, and it's not something that he's really spent time talking about or exploring so much. So for me, that was quite interesting, to say the least, to hear about that component of his life. That's the thing. You have to take your time when interviewing people so you can hear their story in full. Jeremy was very generous and let everybody get to hear about his world. 

So I had a great time with this really important artist. He's got a retrospective that's going to come up in April 2026 at the Booth Museum that you don't want to miss. This is Jeremy Lipking on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 365.

It's a very unique style and takes an insane amount of time to do it. We even talk about how he does it, which usually I get more into the story of the person rather than the process. His style is just so unique and it's worth listening or watching this deep dive into it to find out how he does it.

He has this incredible journey like so many artists that I've interviewed. It is not an easy path to get to the promised land, and I do believe Starr is at that point. In fact, I ended up winning a draw to buy a piece of his art from the Eiteljorg because I really wanted one for my collection. 

I had a great time talking to Starr. We did this at the Eiteljorg Museum and we got a room setup and just podcasted. I learned a lot about him and that's the great thing about this podcast, and not just for me, but other people that get to hear this, you get to get this inside view of the individual.

So this is Starr Hardridge on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 364.

He seemed like a really creative and genuine person on his Instagram account so we reached out to him in Australia to do the podcast. He lives over by in Perth (Or at least not too far from Perth) and he said, sure, I'll do a podcast with you.

You can feel the joy in this man's work. I recommend  watching it on YouTube, just because you can see the smiles and the wonderment of how he became the artist that he is today.

He was a kid that drew and played with Legos, but he went to university for psychology and that's where he thought he was going end up. You see, he's a fourth generation farmer, in Australia. Then one day he art world  finally opened up to him when he visited a sculpture exhibit on a beach in Australia.

He was able to show his work through Instagram, and his account blew up to over a million followers. So and we talk about that, what is that like to have so many followers and how he deals with all of the attention. 

Jordan even had one video that had over 50 million views. So I had to ask him what's it like to go viral, you know? You might be  surprised about his thoughts on something like that. I know I was.

That's what this whole podcast is about. Identifying those unique voices in the world. In this case, it's an artist who creates because he must create. So I hope you enjoy. This is Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 363 featuring Jordan Sprigg.

He says in his lectures, he's not a expert. That 'an expert' could only be one of the Hopi carvers. That being said, Walsh has interviewed countless Hopi kachina artists and scribed numerous books on the topic.

This is a good podcast to watch on YouTube because we use all his slides from his presentation. If you ever wanted to really get a good sense about kachinas, the different types, and where it all began, this is a very good lecture. 

Medicine Man Gallery and the Sublette Family Foundation for the Arts provide the funds for the Best of Show award, so we get to attend this exclusive event. I wanted you to be able to experience the event and if you watch it on YouTube, you can actually see the artist win and the pieces that won them the awards. 

For these artists, winning can be such a life changing event. The winners have their name called up as the best of their respective classification, whether it's pottery, jewelry, weaving etc. then they allow the judges to decide who is the best of all. Santa Fe Indian Market Best of Show is an extremely rare accolade to have as an artist. This year is no different than any other. 

I am soooo happy I was not a judge. It would have been very difficult to determine who was the best of the best. I was a surprised when they announced the winner and was somebody who was participating in Santa Fe Indian Market for the very first time. To be honest, it was a remarkable piece that won and there's no question it was among some of the toughest competition in years.

It's so much fun to hear and to see the artists and their families and how they react to winning. The joy you can see on their faces is second to none and well deserved. So I hope you enjoy this podcast. This is the Best of Show award ceremony for the 2025 SWAIA Santa Fe Indian Market.

So I hope that you enjoy the podcast, but I also hope that you put into your databases the February 6th, 2026 date for this show. It's going to be important and it's going to be a party. There's going to be a lot of work there spanning the entire career of the legend, Billy Schenck.

I interviewed five different individuals for the podcast while I was there. They were all very gracious to give me their time to talk about their paintings and what they're currently doing. So it's a little less in-depth on the journey, but much more heavy on the process, which I like. It's interesting for me because that's usually not my thing as much as trying to figure out why individuals create art the way they do.

So there's, a group of these podcasts and I'm going to have them come out once a week. This episode features Montana-based landscape painter, Josh Elliott.

I interviewed five different individuals for the podcast while I was there. They were all very gracious to give me their time to talk about their paintings and what they're currently doing. So it's a little less in-depth on the journey, but much more heavy on the process, which I like. It's interesting for me because that's usually not my thing as much as trying to figure out why individuals create art the way they do.

So there's, a group of these podcasts and I'm going to have them come out once a week. This episode features legendary cowboy artist, Howard Post. 

I interviewed five different individuals for the podcast while I was there. They were all very gracious to give me their time to talk about their paintings and what they're currently doing. So it's a little less in-depth on the journey, but much more heavy on the process, which I like. It's interesting for me because that's usually not my thing as much as trying to figure out why individuals create art the way they do.

So there's, a group of these podcasts and I'm going to have them come out once a week. The first episode in the series features Eric Bowman and Brett Allen Johnson. I hope you enjoy.

I love the fact that at every point really, he points out that it is an effort by not just himself. In fact, he emphasizes that the staff really makes things happen. I think that's always a sign of a great leader.

Jack also has a very interesting background. He has an incredible resumé of working with so many incredible institutions but he also goes to Alaska and works in a fish processing facility for a year. 

I had a great time talking with Jack, but I also to had the opportunity to look around and see the collection of the Joslyn Art Museum. It's such a beautiful museum. They recently opened a  42,000 square foot expansion in 2024 and it has put this museum on top of many lists as one of the top museums in America. 

Personally? I couldn't agree more. You should go see this museum if you have a chance. It might seem like it's a little bit off the beaten path, but I fell in love with Omaha, and I fell in love with the Joslyn Art Museum, and I think you will too.

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I'm going to be doing some podcasts on the road and I thought that for the next couple of weeks I’d republish parts of some of the favorite podcasts that I've done over the last eight years.

With 351 podcasts so far, I have plenty of individuals to choose from. These people that have come into my life that I find interesting, those that are really important to what I do, and to how I see the world. 

So I hope you enjoy these next few highlight episodes of the Art Dealer Diaries Podcast.

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I'm going to be doing some podcasts on the road and I thought that for the next couple of weeks I’d republish parts of some of the favorite podcasts that I've done over the last eight years.

With 350 podcasts so far, I have plenty of individuals to choose from. These people that have come into my life that I find interesting, those that are really important to what I do, and to how I see the world. 

So I hope you enjoy these next few highlight episodes of the Art Dealer Diaries Podcast.

So I hope you enjoy. This is the Godfather of Sound, Abe Jacob, on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 350.

This guy is just so unique. I had such a fun time with this podcast because it was one of those where it's a full conversation, not just an artist's biography. It made me think about where we're going and about things that I may never have even thought about in regard to art and when that happens I find it extremely enjoyable.

It just scratches that itch, you know? The itch that I get when trying to understand someone as complex as Breeze. From being a graffiti artist and what that entails and where that world catapulted him, to doing murals for big cities and big museums. He did one for Western Spirit: Scottsdale's Museum of the West that is tremendous. I recommend people go and visit this mural as its an ode to his people (O'odham) but also a tribute to Ed Mell, who he respected and was mentored by. 

This podcast that might change the way you look at graffiti art and murals and even Native art as a whole. Breeze is a very unique person, an important artist, and you'll be hearing a lot more about his work in the future.

A big thank you to Cara Romero and to our host, Senior Curator of TMA, Christine Brindza for letting us record and publish this talk for our listeners (and viewers). If you are interested in learning more about Christine, be sure to listen to Art Dealer Diaries Podcast #81.

I hope you enjoy. I'm a collector and a big fan of Cara's photography. If you are unfamiliar with her work, you can find it on her website: cararomero.com

Well, he happened to be in Tucson today so I asked him if he'd do another podcast and he obliged. Ray loves Maynard Dixon just like I do so we always have plenty to talk about. In fact, he had a Maynard Dixon and Ed Mell show in 1985. Really the first Dixon/Mell show that was ever done like that. He was a great friend of Ed's and had represented Ed for years. 

So in this podcast we talked about the people that have come in and out of Ray's life. There's a variety of interesting people and artists from R.C. Gorman to Allan Houser to Louise Nevelson to Charles Loloma.  We also spoke about his relationship with Nat Owings, who was one of these great art dealers of Santa Fe and someone that we hope to have on the podcast sometime soon.

I can't not mention Ray's wife, Judy, who worked in the gallery for 20+ years running the backend of the business (just like my lovely wife Kathleen does for Medicine Man Gallery) which is so immensely important. We don't succeed without the Judys and Kathleens in our lives. 

So, you know, if you really want to know the backstory of the Santa Fe art scene and the players that made it happen, then you have to listen to Ray Dewey on episode 343 of the Art Dealer Diaries Podcast.

I had recorded a podcast with him seven years or so ago, but we'd always talked about doing another one, and this one was a completely different podcast than our first one. Robert's background is covered in that one, and sure we touch on his origin story a little in this one too, but I just kind of wanted to find out the path that he's been on since the first podcast  and how he's seeing and interpreting the art world in 2025. 

He's been doing this for 50 years so it was a good conversation - definitely less of an interview when compared to a typical episode of the podcast. We talked like two old friends do, rehashing our lives, what we've done professionally and how we've intersected through the years. 

Robert is just such a unique, brilliant individual. He's a very talented writer, an awesome photographer, and a storied art dealer. He's just one of those people that you want to talk to and spend time with. I don't even know how long we talked, I just had an enjoyable conversation with somebody who's knowledgeable, loves what he does, and hopefully you'll enjoy this conversation as much as I did.

I'm happy to say the museum has continued Harrison's mission. It's a large museum  on seven acres in Indianapolis, and they have an incredible Indian market every year in June. They also have an event called Quest for the West, which is a Western fine art show that takes place in September of every year. I've gone to those events and they're terrific.

And Katie's story, of course, is fascinating. She's a creative and intellectual person who grew up in Cincinnati, and was propelled into the museum world at an early age. She worked her way up the ranks at the Cincinnati Art Museum, followed by the Fine Arts Museum in Indianapolis, and now she runs the Eiteljorg. So she's quite experienced to say the least.

Needless to say, the Eiteljorg is definitely a bucket list museum. To get to speak with the person in charge of such an institution and to really understand how their operation works, and what they're trying to accomplish... It was excellent. There's just some really amazing things in the works over there.

So I found it fascinating. Just understanding the path of a museum director and what one does with that level of responsibility. I've spoken to many people in positions of leadership in the museum word but this interview was very unique. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. This is Kathryn Haigh on episode 341 of the Art Dealer Diaries Podcast.

Clothing isn't the only space where Bob's professional interests lie. He also works in theater, traditional art, antiques, you name it. If you're a creative person, you could probably benefit from Bob's wonderful eye. It's one of the best you'll ever see. He absolutely knows how to assemble an aesthetic and what it looks like when things make sense together.

In fact, I told Bob "you know, you're a dealer, but you're really not. You're a creative person whose creation has to do with how you see the world and letting people into your vision." 

So he is just a truly interesting individual. I enjoyed this podcast immensely, and I think you will too. This is Bob Melet on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 340.

I had Duane Braaten on today and he's a very interesting guy. It just goes to show that when you grow up in an art community like Great Falls, MT  it can affect you and it certainly affected Duane. I think in a way it may have affected him more than he even realizes.

You see, Duane goes to pharmacy school, but he discovers his love for the creative world, art, and art museums. What happens is he works as a security guard at the school art gallery. This alters his trajectory a great deal, and he winds up at the Charlie Russell Museum as a preparator, eventually becoming the  Director of Art and Philanthropy and he's been there since 1996.

The big event we talk about in this podcast is the auction that the C.M. Russell Museum puts on annually called "The Russell." It's the main fundraiser for the C.M. Russell Museum, which is typically the third week in March.

If you haven't gone to that event, believe me when I say that it's a fantastic experience. It's really worth doing. You have all of this interesting art that you can purchase and see, both contemporary and historic. I think 25 Charles Russell works will be for sale, that again, all help the museum, which is an important institution.

So very interesting to talk to Duane about his life, about his career at the C.M. Russell Museum, and the annual auction that is happening March 20, 21, and 22 happening in Great Falls, Montana and online at the link below:

https://www.liveauctioneers.com/auctioneer/1115/the-russell-a-western-art-experience/

You see, Mathieu has this unique story of being a comic book artist going into fine art, traveling and studying all over the world. From Romania to Belgium, India, China, Russia, all these different places, searching for knowledge to become a better artist and then finding Western art and going, "oh... that's it. Here's my lane. I love art history. I love the West. This is where I'm supposed to be."

So it's a fun ride. Just hearing where he's mentally at this point in his career is a treat. We'll look back someday, you know, 20, 30 years from now and you'll go, oh yeah, that was the first time he stepped on the scene. That was who Mathieu Nozieres was when he started his legendary Western art career. 

So yeah, I enjoyed this podcast a great deal and I hope you do as well.

It's such an important part of being an artist because when you are just a little kid, you pick up those crayons, you pick up the pencils, you start drawing and  - the people that get excited and somehow get turned onto that? Well, those are our artists. 

I wanted to do this major show with all these artists and I've got 47 in this show called Masters of Drawing, where they get to show that expertise that they've had ever since they were little kids. I wanted to interview different artists and see what they had to say about the process.

So it's really a focus on drawing and about the show. The individuals in this episode include Josh Gibson, Kathryn Stedham, William Haskell, Whitney Gardner, Howard Post and Jim Woodside. They all have the same thing in common. They are Masters of drawing.

 I think you'll find this fascinating. I know I did.

Today we focused in on this process of 3D printing that she does with her paintings. She’s really one of the only people that’s doing such a thing. Understandably it’s expensive, costing upwards of half a million dollars just to get the machines, not to mention the specialized highly skilled individuals required to do this process.

Erin has also amassed a huge social media presence and she's done it organically, which is not an easy task. I think her Instagram is at 300k followers at the time of posting. 

So I hope you enjoy this. I think it's a very good, podcast for artists to learn and to see something new and interesting that really only Erin Hanson is doing.

•••

Use code "MedicineMan" on www.erinhanson.com for 20% off Erin Hanson 3D textured replicas.

It was lovely  to get to talk to her about art, but also to get to know her as a person. She speaks on her background, her artistic process, what motivates her, and how she got to where she is today. 

So, again I really enjoyed this interview and it was very interesting to learn about Amery. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. She's a lovely person, and an incredible painter. This is Amery Bohling on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 312.

So it was interesting to hear his stories and about the things that he's done and how he sees his role in the arts. I had a great time. This is Michael Higgins on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 307.

He's the most talented person in the world when it comes to doing these Etch-a-Sketch drawings. They're amazing. We recorded it during the podcast because it was so compelling. When you hit the few areas of dead sound there, it's just because, quite frankly, I'm enthralled by what he's doing.

I'm very thrilled that I get the opportunity to deal with artists and learn about the many different forms of the creative process. Shonto Begay is one of these individuals who adds to the dialog in a different form and fashion than almost anybody can.

So I hope you enjoy this podcast as much as I did, and I did. Trust me.

Opening with the artist is Friday, December 29 from 12 - 2 PM at Mark Sublette Medicine Man Gallery in Tucson, Arizona.

View the Show Online:
https://www.medicinemangallery.com/collections/december-20-2024

I remember him when he was in his early twenties. You could see there was a mountain of talent there, but he was struggling to find his voice at that particular point in time. Flash forward to now and he's one of the top artists in America.

His work is very recognizable and when you listen to him speak on his journey, he makes it evident that people don’t/can’t become great artists overnight. It takes struggle and it takes evolution to get to that next level. Logan’s drive and desire to bring a unique voice to the art world helped him overcome the adversity that every artist faces. He's a perfectionist when it comes to his work. He only wants the best stuff out there. 

It was a really fun podcast and I think you'll really enjoy it. Logan Maxwell Hagege on the 200th episode of Art Dealer Diaries Podcast.

Logan Maxwell Hagege - Close to Home (Serigraph)
https://www.medicinemangallery.com/catalog/product/view/id/68866

The beauty of what I do for a living is that I get to meet people like Jay Dusard. You see, I've been doing these podcasts for eight years, and part of the reason I do them is that I want to capture these important voices in the arts. Unfortunately, when you do this as long as I have, you have individuals that pass and Dusard, who was 88, recently passed. 

Jay was a wonderful, interesting individual. He was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1981 and did a book called The North American Cowboy: A Portrait  that came out in 1983. 

He saw the West through unfiltered eyes and I remember meeting him for the first time, and I took a picture of his hands. They were just these rough hands. You could tell he had lived a life, you know, before he was even a photographer. 

In November of 2021 we recorded this podcast with him. Now, 4 years later, the legendary cowboy photographer is gone, but his legacy remains. I'm airing this podcast again because I want people go and experience the story behind such an interesting, important artist. 

*****

Today's guest on the podcast was Jay Dusard. He's one of the best known Western photographers of the 20th century (not to mention a Guggenheim scholar winner) who I've known for  quite a long time. I've had the pleasure of seeing his work in numerous museum shows spanning several decades and I was really thrilled that he took the time and effort to come down and join us for an episode of Art Dealer Diaries.

Jay's book "The North American Cowboy: A Portrait," released in 1983, showed the life of the cowboy and cowgirl that was not only artistic, but earnest as well. A level of representation achieved by someone that was a real life cowboy for many, many years. 

That's one of the ways that Jay was able to capture the images he's known for. When you look at the individuals in his photographs, the unfiltered cowboy lifestyle pours through the lens of someone that was able to not only relate, but more importantly translate that very sensibility into black and white photographs.

We discuss Jay's career as well as his early life as a prospective architect. The discussion also covers where the art of photography is headed now that everyone carries a capable imaging device in the form of a cell phone.

So please enjoy. Jay Dusard on Art Dealer Diaries #176.