Paintings of the West

 Shawn paints western events and scenery she has personally known.  Both of her parents are products of Arizona pioneer ranching families whose legacy in the state spans over 130 years. It has been reported by the Arizona State Brand Department that a family brand, the Hatchet, is believed to be the oldest on file.  The brand certificate's first registration is dated 1885.  That heritage is continuing today into the sixth generation through Dean and Shawn's children.

She gives credit to the Lord, her personal experiences and her family’s heritage for her unique perspective. Possessing a deep appreciation and respect for the true cowboy,  the elements of his world become an inspiration for her art. There is a nobility about him. As Poet Utah Phillips wrote about the cowboy, “If dirt were a kingdom, then he would be king.”  

Her subjects are the real thing.  Her paintings often include her husband, son, other family members and those  that work their cattle with them.

She began to draw and paint as a child and has continued to study and grow.  There have been a number of mentors but special credit is given to Arizona cowboy artists Bill Owen and Joe Beeler as major influences in her career.   “As a young artist, wife, and mother on an isolated Arizona ranch, their encouragement meant more than they could realize. Their continued interest caused me to see myself as a serious artist,” she said. “I will always be thankful.”  Bob “Shoofly” Shufelt also served as a strong catalyst as she began her career.   

Her primary medium is oil but she has also worked in pencil, pastel, watercolor and clay. Shawn has participated in C.M. Russell Auction in Great Falls, Montana (where she was co-featured artist); Prix de West at the Western Heritage Center and Cowboy Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City, OK;  Cowgirl Up! at the Desert Caballeros Museum in Wickenburg, AZ (where she received the Artist's Choice Award in 2007);  Heart of the West, at the Cowgirl Hall of Fame, in Fort Worth TX; Settler's West Miniature Showwork  in Tucson, AZ;  The Mountain Oyster Club Show in Tucson, AZ; and the Phippen Museum Miniature Masterpiece Show in Prescott, AZ.   

  She hopes others will gain an insight into a world removed from life’s mainstream as she share's her passion on canvas.