B
orn 66 years ago, Lyndon Gaither
began life a flatlander, a child of the
Texas Panhandle, a place of long views
and deep tradition. Growing up rural in
Plainview steeped him in the cowboy
notion and western sensibilities. When
it came time for his art there was little
doubt the subject matter would be western.
“Growing up in the fifties and early
sixties, living in West Texas, I grew up
with Roy Rogers and Bonanza,” Gaither
said in an easy drawl, considering the
weight of such words sufficient explanation. “I rode the stick horses.” Summers
spent with cousins on a New Mexican
ranch sealed the deal. He never outgrew
his fascination with the West … always
wanted to be a cowboy.
His painting is patently western in
theme — there are buckaroos and guitars, horses, longhorns and bison, boots
and spurs — but his big and bold use of
color is reminiscent of Peter Max, the
iconic counterculture artist of the 1960s
and ’70s. Bright colors often spike the
work with an excitement that asks the
viewer to bend in for a little closer look
at variations on familiar themes.
Gaither chose the contemporary route
“because there are [already] so many
good traditional western artists out there.
Little Feather Equestrian Center
• Hunter/Jumper
• Boarding
November
• Training
Special
• Lessons
Five 30 min. private
lessons for $140
• Sales
PA R K E R C O U N T Y T O D AY
432-853-1008 | 871 Pamela Kay Lane | Weatherford, TX | www.littlefeather.org
NOVEMBER 2016
Owner/trainer Rebecca Innerarity
has more than two decades of
experience riding and competing and
is certified by the American Riding
Instructors Assoc. She lives on-site
and oversees all lessons, horses here
for training or board and the 50 acres
of farm land that clients may enjoy
(including creek, natural jumps, round
pen, arena and spacious paddocks with
both natural and man-made shelter).
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