I'm a painter, in part because I grew up surrounded by paintings. This one, "Desert Symphony" by Bill Bender, was painted the year I was born. It hung above the fireplace at my grandparents' house, and is now owned by my parents. Eventually it will probably be mine. I love it.
It shows the view of the mountains south of La Quinta, where my grandparents had their desert house. My grandfather collected the work of the Cowboy Artists of America, and Bender was a cowboy and stuntman. I don't think he ever had much success as an artist, but few do. The point is to live a full life, right? Enjoy.
3 Comments
Laird Ehlert
8/25/2018 10:36:45 pm
I love the painting! How could Bender not be successful?
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Anna
8/30/2018 01:01:12 pm
Hi Laird, Well, looking at his sales on Artsy, the prices are still low, although in the desert there seems to be a nostalgia building for the old cowboy art among the younger crowd. Western art really took a hit in the last 20 years, from what I hear from friends who do shows in AZ and NM. It's cyclical. Some of Bender's paintings are super beautiful in that romantic softness of oil on panel. Anyway, I don't plan to sell mine. Anna
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AuthorsAnna does most of the writing. Ted does most of the photos. But sometimes we switch. We are repairing a distressed property in 29 Palms, California, and eventually hope to run an artist residency there. |