As a painter, my adventures with oil paint began as a kid in Wyoming where I grew up. I've been painting in oils for over 40 years. I recollect sitting in the sage brush on location in the Grand Tetons with a set of acrylics, probably at the age of 8 or 9. In the hot Wyoming sun they dried faster then I could mix them. I gave it up and turned to oil paint which I have used ever since. Eventually I found my way to northern New Mexico where I have painted in earnest since 2000 -- colorful southwest landscapes of Taos, Santa Fe, the West and beyond, in oils, of course. Before taking up painting full time I had other candles to burn, wanting to pursue my passion for music and to experience the big city. In 1980, after earning my Bachelor's in Music at the University of Wyoming, I went to New York City. I wanted to play Carnegie. In 1983, I received my Masters in clarinet. For my Master's recital I hung a painting I had done of Brooklyn College in the Rocky Mountains titled "West from Avenue H", my first utopic displacement landscape. The president of the college attended my recital, saw the painting and bought it for his office. It hangs there to this day. And I did play Carnegie, several times with various New York groups. But, my favorite New York venue was always Grand Central Station on a Saturday Night with the New York Clarinet Quartet, a group I co-founded in the late 80s; afterwards we went for oysters at the famous Oyster Bar. ...moved to Santa Fe where I opened up a studio and took on the name Arthur James West, "Art West" for short. I had coined myself as Art West & Beyond for many years. Why not become Art West? Some names are given and some earned. I earned it. No I don't paint horses and cowboys as a general rule. That's the old west. I paint the west of the new millenium with a distinct focus on the color and culture of New Mexico.... (http://www.theartistswindowonline.com/artwinweb/artwin.nsf/NM_Artist_2014/NM_Artist_2014_Biography?OpenDocument#More) undefined

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