from the artist studio
an 18-foot-tall piece by James Earle Fraser, and then I saw a drawing by Edward Borein and I thought, ‘What if I could try that?’.” Though the idea of using sculpture to preserve these stories kept tugging at him, it wasn’t until four years later that he decided to take a chance on the art business. That decision kickstarted a pursuit to achieve mastery in the art world and he hasn’t stopped. “I realized, through art, I could tell the stories of the West in so many different ways and it was really appealing,” Curt said. “I felt like the Lord just opened doors for me to be able to do that––to learn from really great artists. That's what happened with me–– one door after another.”
“When I walk up to my modeling stand, I can look out onto the desert and that’s one of the things that’s so great about this location,” Curt said. “We’re surrounded by so much open country. We can horseback every- where. So you’re always reminded about your subject.”
the sculpture currently getting his attention. It’s situated near a window that looks out onto the pristine desert and is equipped with lighting and a mirror that allows him to “read” and study the piece from different angles and perspectives. The area also houses reference ma-
A conversation Curt mattson wi t h
A dream decades in the making One very special door that opened for Curt was the door to his studio in Cave Creek. “When I was working ranches, I was building saddles on the side, and I’d have these little
Curt visits with one of his horses just outside of his studio.
But beyond the location, Curt also sees his studio as a relationship builder and he loves to invite others to experience this world. In fact, he set it up to provide a gallery-like experience with sculptures on pedestals and turn- tables, paintings and dry points hung on the wall, and appropriate lighting to boot. Opposite the gallery, however, is where the creative magic happens. Speckled with nearly half a dozen pedestals and paintings in progress, Curt likes to have several pieces going at any given time. But it’s easy to spot
terial from books to a horse skull and a figure model. It’s also where Curt rolls out his drypoint press to create his unique prints, which as it turns out, he’s one of just a handful of artists continuing to create this form of art. Most important, however, is the feel of the space. And for Curt, that’s essential to his work. “This is a place where I can come to just focus on what I’m doing and really enjoy it,” he said. “If you have great joy in what you’re doing, it reflects in what you create. This is a great space for that.”
places where I’d build them,” he said. “When I got into art, it was the same thing. I was literally in the corner of a bedroom or whatever I could use to work. But as you progress, you think, ‘My ideal would be X, Y, Z.’ But where we are now is greater than anything I ever dreamed about, and it’s such a blessing.” The studio’s location immerses him in his subject matter. He’s a short walk from the stables that house his and his wife’s horses and is surrounded by the desert of Cave Creek, which has its own unique cowboy history.
Curt Mattson works on one of his unique dry points.
A bout 30 miles north of downtown Phoenix, away from the hustle and bustle of traffic, city lights and high rises sits the charming town of Cave Creek. This is a town that’s steeped in Western culture and has a storied cowboy heritage. And within this town, on Cloud Road, sits the appro- priately located studio of long-time artist Curt Mattson. Curt has come to be known for his detailed and highly accurate depic- tions of the American West. But while his calling card may read artist, he’s equal parts storyteller and historian of North American cowboy culture. He’s passionate about preserving and sharing the rich stories of the buckaroo, and he uses sculpture, oil, watercolor and drypoint as his vehicles to bring others into the world of the horsemen and horse- women of the West. Preserving a culture through art “It's about the stories,” Curt said. “Not everybody has had the opportunity to live this life––and I have. It's my whole life. People love the West, but they haven’t
had the opportunity to be horseback. They don't know what it's like to be out in the middle of nowhere pushing a bunch of cows or to be on an old Bronte colt. You can take people into that world and my goal is to show them the real thing. It excites me to no end to tell those stories and they don't get told a lot.” Each medium affords Curt a dif- ferent way of communicating––the tangible form of sculpture engages multiple senses while the color and luminosity of watercolor and oil can draw the eye to specific details. But no matter the medium, whether on paper, canvas or bronze, the golden
threads throughout each of Curt’s pieces are attention to detail and accuracy. Because he’s aiming to leave a record of the buckaroo, Curt sees it as his responsibility to ensure each piece is accurate––from the bits on the hors- es to the hat on the cowboy or cowgirl depicted. Some of this deep knowl- edge he’s gained through ongoing extensive research, but he also grew up immersed in the world. From rancher to sculptor Until he discovered cowboy art, Curt was a rancher in Northern California and hadn’t entertained another pos-
Watch Curt's interview here.
"Blow Back", dry point, by Curt Mattson
"All American", oil, 24" x 36" by Curt Mattson
sible career path until one fateful visit to the Cowboy Hall of Fame. “It was 1979, and we were showing horses at the World Championships in Oklahoma City. I walked into the Cowboy Hall of Fame and I saw ‘End of the Trail’,
“I realized, through art, I could tell the stories of the west in so many different ways and it was really appealing."
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Issue 4 | Summer/Fall 2024
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Issue 4 | Summer/Fall 2024
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