On February 11, 2012, the Amon Carter Museum of American Art presents more than 100 of the finest and best-preserved watercolors by Charles M. Russell (1864–1926) in the special exhibition Romance Maker: The Watercolors of Charles M. Russell. Never before have so many of Russell’s singular depictions of the Old West been brought together. The exhibition is on view through May 13, 2012; admission is free.

            “Charles Russell is recognized today as a leading artist of the Old West,” says Dr. Rick Stewart, curator of the exhibition and former Amon Carter director and curator of western paintings and sculpture. “The body of work on view in this exhibition represents the most memorable watercolors he created during his lifetime, placing him in the upper tier of American watercolorists at the turn of the 20th century.”

Russell created approximately 3,000 works of art in his lifetime—paintings, watercolors, drawings and sculpture. He turned out roughly 1,100 watercolors; thus, fully one-third of Russell’s artistic output was in the watercolor medium. His watercolors, as well as his mastery of the medium, have never been examined in depth. In Romance Maker, his works are studied in the larger context of watercolor in America from the Civil War to the late 1920s.

“The American watercolor movement—both amateur and professional—came to full fruition during Russell’s formative years as an artist during the 1880s and 1890s,” Stewart says. “The rapid rise of watercolor painting actually made it possible for a young, untutored artist like Russell to find his own way, even within the context of an isolated frontier society.”

At age 16, Russell set out from his home in St. Louis for Montana Territory, where he initially gained valuable experience as an apprentice hunter and trapper. Within a few years, he began working as a cowboy on the great open ranges of the Judith Basin and Milk River country. Whether he was working the roundups, night-herding horses and cattle, or watching his fellow punchers breaking broncos, he never stopped sketching the scenes he encountered in the vast, wide-open spaces of Big Sky Country. He visited many Indian encampments as far north as the High River in Alberta, Canada, and learned to converse with American Indians in sign language to acquire knowledge and understanding of their culture. Before long he was famous throughout the territory as “The Cowboy Artist,” and among the Indians he was known as “The Picture Man.” In 1893, after 11 years on the range, Russell gave up cowpunching to devote the rest of his life to making art.

“Initially, Russell had a great concern for historic detail and collected artifacts to be used in his work,” Stewart says. “However, as he grew older and his fame increased, his work began to show more romantic overtones with a heightened sense of nostalgia for the frontier he had known as a young man. He had experienced the West as it had once been, and he lamented its passing. The wilderness was rapidly shrinking, and animals like the grizzly bear and mountain sheep were becoming endangered. He had witnessed the destruction of traditional American Indian life by the white man, and his own way of life as a cowboy on the open range had become a thing of the past. Vivid subjects culled from his own youthful experiences were fused with the power of his artistic imagination to create unforgettable images of the mythic American frontier.”

In addition to Russell’s watercolors, the exhibition will include a special section created by the Amon Carter’s paper conservator Jodie Utter devoted to the technical aspect of his work. Actual studio materials such as his paints, brushes and his last watercolor palette will be on display. A 140-page catalogue written by Stewart will be on sale in the Museum Store + Café. During the run of the Amon Carter’s exhibition, the Sid Richardson Museum in Fort Worth will also display a selection of Russell’s watercolors.

“We’re delighted to ‘get back to our roots’ with this spectacular Russell exhibition,” says Andrew Walker, director of the museum. “Many of the museum’s visitors are familiar with Russell’s oil paintings and sculpture; however, his work in watercolor isn’t as well-known. We look forward to educating our audiences about Russell’s remarkable talents in this notoriously difficult medium.”

Organized by the Amon Carter Museum of American Art, the exhibition and publication are generously supported by BNSF Railway, the Sid Richardson Foundation, Mr. and Mrs. Trevor Rees-Jones, the Erwin E. Smith Foundation, the Lakeside Foundation, and the Peters Family Art Foundation. Following its run in Fort Worth, Romance Maker: The Watercolors of Charles M. Russell will be on view at the C. M. Russell Museum in Great Falls, Mont., from June 15–September 15, 2012.

In conjunction with the exhibition, the Amon Carter offers these free public programs.

Thursday, February 23, 2012, 6–7 p.m.

Charlie Goes to Hollywood: Making Myth on the Celluloid Trail Lecture

Dr. Rick Stewart, Former Director and Curator of Western Paintings and Sculpture, Amon Carter Museum of American Art

Discover the romance and myth of Charles M. Russell’s art as echoed on the big screen and in popular culture during the early 1920s. After the lecture, Dr. Stewart will sign copies of his new book Romance Maker: The Watercolors of Charles M. Russell.

Because seating is limited, reservations are required. Call 817.989.5030 or email visitors@cartermuseum.org to register.

Saturday, March 24, 2012

10:30 a.m.–4:15 p.m.

Wild West Double Feature Film Screening

Film introductions by Dr. Kylo-Patrick Hart, Department Chair and Professor, Department of Film, Television, and Digital Media at Texas Christian University

Consider America’s cultural depiction of the West through visual art and cinema while watching the family friendly film Rango (PG; 2011), followed by the spaghetti western classic The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (NR; 1966). Come for one of the films or stay for both!

Double Feature schedule:
10:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Rango
12:30–1 p.m. Refreshments
1–4:15 p.m. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Because seating is limited, reservations are required. Call 817.989.5030 or email visitors@cartermuseum.org to register. This program is made possible in part by a grant from Humanities Texas, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Saturday, May 5, 2012

10:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

Lay It on Thick: Russell’s Watercolors  Adult Workshop

Jodie Lee Utter, Conservator of Works on Paper, Amon Carter Museum of American Art

Examine the traditional and unconventional watercolor techniques of Charles M. Russell, then try your hand at watercolor wash and brush techniques.

Because seating is limited, reservations are required. Call 817.989.5030 or email visitors@cartermuseum.org to register.