Meet The Artist

Since childhood, Texas artist Randy Baker has drawn and painted images of the American West. Western landscapes, wildlife and historic themes have always captured his attention and imagination. "Looking at my early artwork, its easy to see I have not strayed far from my boyhood fascination with the West". Today, it is the created masterpieces seen in the natural world--its mountains, canyons, prairies and rivers that continue to inspire his creative passion.

An avid sportsman, the self-taught painter is often drawn to explore wild, less- traveled corners of the western landscape in search of trout, upland game and other wildlife. It is from these close encounters of the natural kind that he is inspired to record those images in his artwork.

Baker is captivated by the texture and color-tones of his western subject matter. He sees and creates in great detail. "It's a blessing and a curse", Baker admits. "I love the subtleties I see in nature. Even the smallest details tell a story—the scarred trunk of an aspen, tracks in new-fallen snow, a broken antler tine. That is how I see it, and that is how I paint". It is a labor of love, each piece taking longer than most artists' work. But the reward is in the result and the way his style impacts the viewer.

As early as eight years of age, oils became his medium of choice, and he painted prolifically throughout his childhood. As a high school student, Baker sold almost every painting he produced. He was the youngest member admitted into the Houston Civic Art Association, where he displayed and sold his work in area exhibitions. His first gallery exposure was during high school with the Sportsman’s Gallery in Houston where he had his first gallery sale.

Baker attended Abilene Christian University as a track and field athlete, and upon graduation pursued a career in retail real estate consulting. But frequent trips throughout the American West have continued to inspire his creativity.

. Baker has been a cover artist in Gray's Sporting Journal and was the featured artist in an exhibition entitled, "Wild Reaches--A Western and Wildlife Art Perspective” at Texas' ArtCentre of Plano. He is currently represented by Wind River Gallery in Aspen, Colorado and Southwest Gallery in Dallas, Texas. Randy Baker Artist