Prints by Jack Swanson
Prints Description.
Jack Swanson - Vaquero SportAt one time California's heavy bear population provided great entertainment for the vaqueros. This beautiful print by Jack Swanson depicts 3 Vaqueros on Carmel Beach engaged in the dangerous sport of bear roping.
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Jack Swanson - Vaqueros Moving CampThis print is from the famous Jack Swanson painting that was cherished by President Ronald Reagan and hung in the California State Capital and the White House! With gorgeous authenticity it features vaqueros easing the remuda through the trees, followed by the chuck wagon, headed for a new cow camp in the golden glow of the California foothills.
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Jack Swanson - MuriettaThe brooding, yet dashing imagery in the Jack Swanson painting "Murietta," is beautifully reproduced in this print illustrating the legendary bandito Joaquin Murietta, and compadres, driving stolen horses to their hideout near Paicines in San Benito County.
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Jack Swanson - Working the Herd, Cutting Out BullsThis stunning Jack Swanson print features two vaqueros cutting out a bull on the open range, while others hold the herd. According to Jack, this bull had already been sorted once, but had snuck back in. This time, with the pop of a romal, the bull is a little more eager to head for the "cut" and stay put.
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Jack Swanson - Something's Up There Bigger Than You and Me Pard
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Jack Swanson - Saddling in the Stone Barn
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Jack Swanson - Fall Gather
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Jack Swanson - When Reatas SmokeYou can almost hear the brush poppin', the cow bawling and the horse's feet clattering in the rocks! Jack Swanson beautifully captures the scene as this good vaquero gets the rawhide laced on the waspy ol cow and is letting his smokin' dallies slip around the horn, and the brush, as he waits for his partner to build to her and catch her hind legs. From his oil, When Reatas Smoke, the rich colors and accuracy of action in this print vividly illustrate the artist's deep connection and understanding of the environment and lifestyle of the California vaquero.
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Jack Swanson - Romance in Old CaliforniaA vaquero on horseback serenades the object of his affection in wonderful painting cast in evening blues and shadows. Artist Jack Swanson writes about this painting: “I enjoy painting the subtle colors and deep values of a moonlight. It is important to not get too meticulous with detail, as the subtlety is what makes the real quality of a moonlight scene.” “The deep rich blues tempered by raw umber and viridian, and the blending of edges make the scene a strong feeling of night, using a limited pallet. There are no sharp edges at nighttime. This Spanish Californian is dressed in the fad of that era in California history. The vaquero is constrained to his horse knowing the dueña is sitting in the shadows a formidable chaperone, to say the least, as a flower pot on his head would end all thoughts of this romance going any further.”
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Jack Swanson - Red Tail HawkA vaquero herding his cattle through the woods spots the fiery hue of a red tail hawk flying by in this gorgeous print. About the painting artist Jack Swanson writes: “In our Santa Lucia (Coast Range) mountains in Monterey County is a huge wilderness area stretching for many miles north and south, and from the Pacific Ocean to the Salinas River and south.” “Fred Nason, a friend and neighbor, a good vaquero, roper and horseman, ran cattle deep into this country every year and we had a great camaraderie, staying several days scattering salt and checking the country. The whole family went, little kids on the pack horses and plenty of food, although the streams were teaming with trout and crawdads for a salad made with Indian lettuce. The kids were horse back and began learning the first lessons of being in the right place at the right time to be handy help with the cattle.” “The red-tailed hawk floating off a limb is very prevalent in our country & plus the golden eagles.”
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Jack Swanson - When Dallies SlipArtist Jack Swanson describes this scene: “When a seven or eight hundred pound grizzly lunges against the reata and your horse is a little off balance, slipping the dallies might be a good idea - better than breaking your reata and releasing the bear. In this image, the ropers have cornered the bear in a small and dangerous area. The horse is reacting to real danger, as many a bear has gotten the edge and leaped on a horse's rear end, dragging him down. The best place to rope was in the open, but the old California vaqueros were reckless and headstrong. They welcomed danger, trusting their exceptional skill with the reata and their superbly trained horses.” Speaking of exceptional skill, all of that danger and excitement is portrayed in this exquisitely realistic and detailed image by Jack Swanson, now offered for the first time as a beautiful, high quality, fine art giclee print on canvas.
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Jack Swanson - Trailing Into OregonA gorgeous blue sky, overcast with fingers of light shining down on an earthy plain where a vaquero trails his herd, tell the story. About this amazing work, artist Jack Swanson writes, “Beautiful music, powerful orchestras, great voices open up my mind to seeing scenes of the forces of nature, trail herds, heat and dust and all that make up the beginning of a work of art.” He beautifully and dramatically captures this sentiment in this brand new giclee fine art print, on canvas, from the original oil titled TRAILING INTO OREGON.
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Jack Swanson - Making of a Cow HorseA favorite of ours, this giclee print by Jack Swanson shows the Vaquero in action against a backdrop of a beautifully painted grasslands and cloudy sky. About this painting artist Jack Swanson writes: “Long ago, I looked at a painting by a prominent western artist and the horse was working the cow completely wrong. I remembered the strong sarcasm of the old vaquero & ‘do that again and pack up your bedroll.’ Also another time that I was told ‘I'll whip you with my romal.’ This kind of lesson tends to stay with you.” “So, western art students, learn to paint things right is a never ending process of learning, because your painting should not only be a framework of art, but also accurate for future generations to learn from and say, ‘That's the way they did it. That artist knew his rigging.’ Not just a pretty work of art.” “Sometimes you wish you never sold a painting, and this is one of them. Finances force you to do things to keep afloat. I've sold many a horse and lay there all night figuring how I could get him back & money wasn't that important. This elderly rider shows some lean Spanish blood & he's pulling the horse over to the cow with a direct rein, plus neck reining on the near rein. It will take a lot of luck to get this cow/calf back without help. This young hackamore horse shows a lot of ‘cow.’ However, a young horse should not be asked to do too much to frustrate him.”
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Jack Swanson - Vaqueros of the Pacific SlopeThis brand new limited edition print by Jack Swanson captures the vibrant colors and dazzling sunlight of the Pacific coast.
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Jack Swanson - Stewards of the RangeYou Can Help Protect The Range! All proceeds from the sale of this beautiful print, Stewards Of The Range, from the painting of the same title by J.N. Swanson, go to benefit the Range Conservation Foundation (RCF). The Mission of the RCF, a non-profit 501c3 organization, is to promote and encourage responsible stewardship of America's rangelands as a multiuse resource. RCF will accomplish this by collecting and disseminating information on strategies for successful range management, enhancement and conservation across the United States. They have funded dozens of reports by academics, scientists and scholars. RCF also helps underwrite the costs of investigative reporting about land use, water allocation and conservation issues. These reports are disseminated as magazine articles or as separate publications. How It All Started: The year was 1991 and Wayne Hage, a Nevada rancher, had been embattled with the federal government in a dispute over property rights. At issue: Hage's grazing permits and water rights that had been allotted to his family since the mid-1800's. They'd been running thousands of head of cattle on that land for 150 years and taxed heavily for it, but now environmentalists, led by the U.S. Forest Service, were trying to run him out of business. They claimed Hage had been overgrazing. But in the spring, when Hage sent them pictures of him standing in waist-high grass, they told him it was the wrong kind of grass. Later, armed federal agents confiscated 104 of his cattle, sold them at auction, kept the profits, and then sent Hage the bill for rounding up the cattle in the first place. Hage was beginning to realize this was a battle he couldn't win. Then, more than 10 years after the ordeal started, and with Hage on the brink of financial collapse, family friend and renowned western artist Jack Swanson, in a brainstorm with Wayne hage, came up with an idea. Jack went home to Whiffle Tree, his Carmel Valley, California, ranch, and started painting. The finished product was a brilliant tribute to ranchers who have spent their lives clearing brush, preventing massive forest fires, and preserving some of America's most beautiful land. It shows vaqueros carefully herding their cattle through rugged terrain, just making it to a clearing in the grove around rocks and downed trees. The symbolism in this painting is unmistakable. No one knows this land and what's good for it better than the ranchers. Jack titled it Stewards of the Range and raffled off the painting, earning $146,000. He then sold thousands of prints from this painting. All of the money went to fight the federal government, and finally, after 17 years in the judicial system, a U.S. Claims Court awarded the estate of Wayne Hage more than $4 million in compensation. It ruled that the government violated the 5th Amendment; a landmark ruling with major implications for all ranchers. Unfortunately, this ruling has since been overturned, so the fight goes on, not only with this case, but in other cases as well, where the government unreasonably interferes with the rights of private landowners and lessees. But the fight is not free, which is why Jack Swanson continues to offer the profit from these amazing prints for the benefit of the Range Conservation Foundation.
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Jack Swanson - Oso GrandeIn English “Oso Grande” means Big Bear, and this fella certainly lives up to his name. Caught red handed (or pawed) gorging on the carcass of the cow he had just killed, these skillful vaqueros exact revenge with their masterful use of the reata and their superbly trained horses. With a somewhat mystical, or blurred technique, the artist depicts the incredible action, danger and timing of this event with his usual stunning realism and unerring accuracy.
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