Fine Art Depicts the Working Life in the American West

Bright Afternoon. | Photo: Hunter D’Antuono

Artist Bill Yankee has worked as a professional cowboy in three states in the American West and has discovered inspiration in the beauty of its seasons, landscapes and animals. After many years of living, ranching, and teaching art in Wyoming, Yankee now lives and works in the mountains of northwest Montana with a view of Flathead Lake.

With a Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Wyoming, Yankee studied drawing at the Art Students League of New York. Working with a variety of mediums, he specializes in oil painting and pastels. He also crafts furniture and accessories in wood and glass.

Aspen Bookends. | Photo: Hunter D’Antuono

“Color, space and light are the characteristics that attract and create the essence of a landscape in open ranch country,” Yankee emphasizes. He views his art as part of an effort to illustrate life on a working ranch by detailing what a rancher or cowboy sees in his day-to-day life. His paintings seek to educate viewers about the outdoor spaces that ranching nurtures and preserves.

“Scenes of nature’s beauty require light, shadow, and reflected color to enhance composition and establish a firm sense of time and place,” says Yankee. “My work represents the pristine western landscapes and images of contemporary ranch and cowboy life.”

First Hint of Spring. | Photo: Hunter D’Antuono

Yankee’s furniture and accessories incorporate painted glass into the wooden frame, resulting in one-of-a-kind items perfect for a home or office. “Commissioned work for both private homes and commercial spaces is also available,” he notes.

Favoring museum exhibits, Yankee’s work has been displayed in the Allied Artists of America Exhibition in New York; the National Pastel Painting Exhibition in Albuquerque, New Mexico; the Governor’s Capitol Art Exhibition in Cheyenne, Wyoming; the Panhandle-Plains Western Art Show and Sale in Canyon, Texas; the Brinton Museum in Big Horn, Wyoming; and the Masters in Miniature Exhibition at the C.M. Russell Museum in Great Falls, Montana. “Museum exhibitions reflect the important, educational component of telling the story of the American West,” says Yankee.

Bison Sofa Table. | Photo: Hunter D’Antuono

Yankee’s work can be viewed on his website. Arrangements for commissioned work can be initiated by contacting him through his site or via email at byfinearts@wyoming.com. In addition to his dedication to creating fine art, Yankee volunteers with horses to offer equine therapy to those in need. “The beauty of nature is reassuring in so many ways,” he says.

ARTWORK – Bill Yankee Fine Arts

Western Ruins. | Photo: Hunter D’Antuono