George Phippen (Iowa / Arizona, 1915-1966), chuck wagon scene with cowboys making camp, watercolor on paper, signed and dated lower left (1949)

sight: 20 x 30 in., frame: 28 x 37.5 in.

Provenance: Property from the estate of a prominent San Antonio, Texas businessman

The first president of the Cowboy Artists of America, George Phippen is known as a traditional Western painter and sculptor. He was born on a farm in Iowa and was raised there and in Kansas. He taught himself to paint while in service during World War II. After finishing his stint in the military, Phippen moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico, where he studied with Henry Balink. Successful as a commercial artist and illustrator, he began oil painting in 1948 while selling works for Christmas cards and calendars. Phippen was called "the cowboy's artist," because his "cowboys look like men we have all known. They aren't handsome, but they sure did know cow." In 1958, Phippen was commissioned to sculpt the famous quarter horse Wimpy. He continued to sculpt, specializing in the modeling of cowboy scenes. When he died of cancer, his Skull Valley, Arizona, studio was made into a public gallery.