For the past 3 years, I have been working with 2 local artists, Marilyn Kroeker from Raven House Gallery and Steve Williams from the Cowboy Forge, to create a sculpture to hold cattle brands from the Mancos Valley. Art unites history, culture, and heritage. This unique sculpture that our 2 artists have designed will showcase 2 distinct western art forms: the cattle brand and metal forging. The ar
tistry in these art forms deserves our recognition and commitment to their preservation. Western art can on occasion be dismissed because of its utilitarian appearance. But that is what is so stunningly beautiful and distinct about western art. Cowboys and the men and women of the western frontier had jobs to do as they settled and developed their western way of life. But, they weren’t immune to the need for artistry and beauty in their lives. Many of us are familiar with cowboy music and indeed, cowboy poetry that portrays some of the harsh realities of life with sensitivity and sometimes humor. But, also think of the pride of ownership you have for a beautiful old rifle, an antique knife hilt and blade, the hand-tooled leather saddle, your grandfather's woodworking tools, or that old piece of farm equipment you use as yard art. We all remark on the artistry in their creation and bemoan how that seems to get lost in moving toward modernity. Western art unites all of us under the banner of “Mancos Where the West Still Lives.” Whether you live in the town or in the country, whether you raise cattle or provide computer tech support, everyone appreciates the roots that established Mancos as a thriving ranching community. I have discovered that there is a broader interest in the brand project than just the folks of the Mancos Valley. I have had people from other communities in Montezuma County and people from Dolores County seek me out because they would like to participate,
--Marianne Griffin
