b. 1948
Contemporary, Western Impressionist
Howard Post is known for his unique aerial perspectives and sun-drenched hued depictions of ranch life, cattle, cowboys, and rodeo arenas. He portrays the contemporary West with a modern, impressionistic viewpoint. He was born and raised on a ranch near Tucson and gravitated early towards the cowboy life. He began to enter rodeo competitions as a youth and in time became an Arizona High School All-Around Rodeo Champion, a member of the University of Arizona rodeo team and eventually a Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association competitor. He also earned both Bachelor’s and Masters degrees in Fine Arts at the university and taught there for two years.
After working as a commercial artist for a period, in 1980, Post decided to paint the lifestyle he knew best – the Arizona ranch traditions and the Arizona landscape. A distant ranch house, cowboys sitting on fence rails, or cattle clustered in a corral are all subjects brought to life by Post’s keen imagination. His use of high perspectives renders people and animals in his works with exceptionally strong shapes and patterns. Post’s collection of several thousand slides serve as subjects that he interprets on canvas without sketches. He may use up to six colors, painted over a dark background. Strong, orderly shadow patterns cast by the figures of cattle, cowboys, trees, or fences define his work.
Howard Post’s oils and pastels are included in many exhibitions throughout the U.S. and his paintings are represented in corporate, public, and private collections.
Selected Exhibitions
Booth Western Art Museum, “21st Century Regionalists: Art of the New West”, Atlanta, GA (2007-08)
Coors Western Art Exhibit, Denver, CO (2007)
The Eiteljorg Museum, Indianaplois (1990)
Kimball Art Center, Park City, Utah (1984)
Nabisco Invitational, East Hanover, NJ (1984)
Partial List of Collections:
AT&T World Headquarters, Morristown, N.J.
The Smithsonian Institute
United Airlines, Denver, Colorado
Standard Oil of Ohio, Houston Texas
Midland Museum, Midland, Texas
National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, Oklahoma City, OK
Museum of History and Art, Salt Lake City
Tampa Museum of Art
Mesa Southwest Museum
The Whitney Buffalo Bill Museum of Western Art, Cody, WY
The Forbes Foundation, NY
Tucson Museum of Art
Denver Art Museum
