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For more than 30 years, pencil artist Robert Shufelt has dedicated himself to creating a visual tribute to the vanishing lifestyle of the modern working cowboy, portraying his story not in the bold panorama of sprawling cattle drives or the frenzy of a rodeo ring, but rather by capturing small slices of daily ranch life. Whether these vignettes depict a cowhand chasing a rogue steer, mending his saddle, shoeing his horse or stopping to chat with a fellow buckaroo as he waters his horse in a slowly meandering creek, the artist's skilled interplay of light and dark, sunlight and shadow adds drama to even the most routine activities.
Although he is Midwestern by birth and education, Shufelt confides that his heart and mind always turned to the West. During his 15-year tenure with a high-end Chicago advertising agency, his days were spent illustrating ads for prestigious companies such as International Harvester, United Airlines and General Motors.
However, leisure moments were always devoted to drawing pictures of cowboys, horses and Indians. “No matter how technically accurate they were, these images always lacked heart and honesty because they were inspired by desire rather than knowledge,” he confesses. In 1976, after finally tiring of illuminating the thoughts of others, Shufelt decided to take a gamble on a career in fine art. He packed up his wife, Julie, and their entourage of kids, cats, dogs and horses and headed for Wickenburg, Arizona. Once there, he began doing day work on local ranches in order to gather material for his drawings, becoming proficient at roping, branding and other skills he needed to survive. In turn, his once static Western imagery became vibrant and believable as he began to live what he was drawing. To this day, Shufelt spends as much time as possible riding and working with crews on ranches in New Mexico and West Texas.
As a true disciple of the working ranch hand, Shufelt is quick to confirm that capturing the nuances of cowboy life that set his work apart from that of many other Western artists is literally impossible unless you have lived these experiences first hand. For that reason, he answered the call of the spring roundup once again last May, packing his “possibles” bag and heading down the trail, this time to the Brite Ranch near Valentine, Texas. In this setting, he sheds the identity of nationally acclaimed western artist, and simply blends in as “one of the hands,” earning his keep in the time honored tradition of the working cowboy. “At this point in my career, punching cattle doesn't always seem so romantic when I'm bone weary and freezing cold, or covered with sweat and dust,” says Shufelt. “In the long run, however, the feeling of accomplishment that comes from doing genuine work and gaining the respect of people I admire is its own reward.”
Shufelt displays this same independent spirit through his dedication to the medium of graphite pencil. In the colorful world of oil paintings, drawings are often thought of as the basic step in completing the final piece of artwork, but Shufelt's detailed black and white compositions are an end unto themselves. Explaining his love of the medium, Shufelt relates, “Drawing is not only the bare bones of the craft, but it also reveals an artist's insight and perception. By taking away color, the artist is forced to rely upon the elements of design, composition and lighting to tell the story.” Becoming the master of his element, Shufelt's dedication to his medium has been validated numerous times throughout his long career. In 2004, he was invited to show his work at the prestigious Prix de West Exhibition at the Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Ayear later, when his piece “A Crew of Six,” garnered him the Express Ranches Great American Cowboy Award, tears welled up in his eyes confirming the fact that even cowboys show emotion when an honor touches them to the core of their being.
Having attained this kind of respect from both his collectors and peers, Shufelt confides that he currently paints as much for himself as he does for his audience.
Describing the intricacies of a piece entitled, “A Gathering of Individuals,” he confides that he purposely included two brindle cows among the jumble of cattle which the cowboys are trying to count. “Brindles are a mixed breed of a lighter color with stripes and even some blue or red in their coats. ” He explains, “If I were using oils, I could pick up that color, but with a pencil it is a real challenge. Herefords are the other breed of cattle I love to paint because they are so colorful, and have such personality.” He jokingly notes, however, that he stays away from depicting Black Angus because they come out looking like a lump of coal.
Although Shufelt's work is collected internationally, those of us on the border still think of “Shoofly” as one of our own. His son, Peter, played football at the University of Texas El Paso in the early 1990s, and his image “Sidewalk Superintendent” became a popular fundraiser for the college athletic department. Shufelt and his wife, Julie, now make their home on a small ranch just south of Hillsboro, New Mexico. It is here that the two of them honor the simple values and reverence for life that embody the "shoofly" persona. And, thanks to Shufelt and his art, the "cowboy way" will live forever in the hearts and minds of all who treasure the free and honest lifestyle of the western range.
“This was a project that Chip (CJ) and I had always felt needed to be done to completely make this truly unique home realize its full potential,” Jo says. “After all, only one home in all of Texas can claim to be the highest and now it can also be one of the most beautiful.”
What CJ and Jo had before the remodel was wonderful. What came after was a work of art, and an incredible addition to the mile-high mountain.
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