Steve Devenyns (Wyoming / Colorado, b. 1953), "Changing Pastures", oil on canvas, signed and dated lower left, 2003

sight: 12 x 16 in., frame: 20 x 24 in.

Provenance: Property from a collector in Claude, Texas

Steve Devenyns turned to painting after a 1974 automobile accident and nine-month recuperation, setting aside his pre-veterinary studies at Colorado State University and his careers in rodeo and horseback riding to pursue art full time. Throughout his career, he received encouragement and guidance from noted Western and wildlife artists Ray Swanson, Robert Tommey, Jim Wilcox, Tucker Smith, and John Kittelson. A lifelong horseman, outdoorsman, and rancher’s companion, Devenyns draws extensively from firsthand experience, creating understated, authentic paintings of contemporary cowboys, ranch life, wildlife, and the open West. His paintings have appeared in major exhibitions including the Eiteljorg Museum Show, Buffalo Bill Art Show, Cheyenne Frontier Days Governor’s Show, Bradford Brinton Museum Show, and National Museum of Wildlife Art, and have been featured in publications including Art of the West, Southwest Art, and Western Horseman. His numerous honors include Artist of the Year from the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (1997) and the Foundation for North American Sheep (2002), three Gold Medals at the George Phippen Memorial Art Show, selection as featured painter at the Bradford Brinton Museum in 2005, and the People’s Choice Award at the 2006 Buffalo Bill Art Show; his work is also represented in the Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum, and his painting Fringe Benefits was selected as the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation anniversary print and stamp.