Featured Artist - Wayne Baize

Art has held a strong attraction for Wayne Baize since early childhood, and having grown up in a rural environment, it was a natural that horses became one of his most frequent artistic subjects. In fact, as a young man, Baize earned money by painting commissioned portraits of local ranchers, often featuring them astride their favorite horse, working the cattle.

In many ways, Baize's paintings mirror his own lifestyle and personality, for not only does he paint, but he also operates a 1300 acre Hereford ranch in the Big Bend area of Texas. The climate here is sometimes harsh and unreliable, and success often depends upon persistence. This trait, and his innate love for the cowboy way of life, were the qualities that eventually won him membership in the prestigious Cowboy Artists of America.

In addition to images which capture the life of the contemporary, working cowboy, Baize is also known for his captivating portraits of Hereford calves. "Their red coats bring interesting colors to a painting", he explains, "and their large eyes and white faces are surprisingly expressive". Many of Baize's images are also about relationships, such as those between a cowboy and his horse, a mare and foal, or a cow and her calf. As the father of four, Baize is especially close to his family and often uses his children as subjects in his art as well.