b.1930 - 2011
Western sculptor Grant Speed was born in 1930 in San Angelo, Texas. As a youth there was little evidence to indicate Grant would become an artist, instead he was fascinated with learning to ride and to rope. Throughout high-school Grant spent his summers and post-high school years working as a cowboy on his uncle’s ranch. Soon, he was working on neighboring ranches and became an accomplished horse breaker. When he grew older, he put his cowboying talents to work as a rodeo rider.
At the age of 18, he joined the U.S. Air Force for two years. During the next seven years he worked as a cowhand and rodeo rider, completed a three-year mission for his church, and attended college. In 1958 he married Sue Collins and they have three children. Speed received his Bachelor of Science degree in “Animal Science” from Brigham Young University in 1959 and supported his family as an elementary school teacher-living in Provo and working in Salt Lake City.
While working he always had his mind on art, Speed says, “Having come from conservative West Texas, I really wanted to be the world’s best cowboy. Yet every time I got a chance to be around any kind of western art, I couldn’t stop reading about it, looking at it and studying it.”
When he started working at sculpture, he first did a model with some of his daughter’s school clay-red and gray and green all mixed together. “Would you believe that when I seriously started working on my art, no one knew about it except my wife? Every time someone came to the door, I would grab my stuff and hide it.”
The first serious sculpture Speed did was in an art class at BYU. He had it cast and gave the first of the ten casts to his wife. The other nine sold immediately. This success was a serious incentive for the would-be sculptor. He recalls, “for about eight years I didn’t hardly get any sleep because I taught school all day and worked on art all night . . . I’m not talking about till just 12 o’clock, I’m talking about until two or three in the morning. And then I got up at 6:30 and went to teach school. I probably did twelve to fifteen years of work in the first eight. It took dedication and intensity in knowing that, boy, you’ve made up your mind to do it now.”
After eight years Speed quit his teaching job to devote his life full time to art. Grant Speed’s work and career have grown steadily since those days in the 1960s. In 1965 he joined a group of western artists, “The Cowboy Artists of America “(CAA). He has served several times as president of this group and has won many awards for his work.
His more well-known commissions include a monumental sculpture of Charles Goodnight for the Pan Handle Plains Museum of Canyon, Texas, and one of rock and roll pioneer Buddy Holly for Lubbock, Texas. An edition of Speed’s Keepin’ an Eye on the Riders was chosen by BYU as a gift to actor Jimmy Stewart, when he was honored by the University in 1985. Speed created a life-size horse and rider monument depicting Texas Tech University’s Mascot, The Red Raider, in 1990. He was also commissioned to do a sculpture of actor John Wayne.
In addition to completing commissions, Grant Speed continues to exhibit extensively throughout the West. Speed characterizes his work as “Loose Realism.” His work is full of passion and enthusiasm for the subject matter, born out of his own experience. His sculpture also speaks of a love for the medium and the process, with an aggressive use of texture and delightful exploration of the possibilities of clay and bronze. Dr. Vern Swanson, Director of the Springville Museum of Art, terms Speed a Cowboy Western Impressionist and says Ropin’ Out the Best Ones is a “pure action piece in technique and subject.”
Carefully researched before they are modeled and cast in bronze, Speed has said about his sculpture, “I’m interested in capturing the heart, soul and essence of my subjects as they are caught up in the basic themes of existence, man against nature, man against horse.” Most of his sculptures are highly detailed, relatively small and generally full of movement and energy, as in Recoverin’ the Stolen Horses.
Speed enjoys the results of the sculpture process, saying “It’s my feeling that each bronze is an original, because in any edition none of the sculptures are exactly the same.” His fellow artists recognize Speed not only as an artist but also as a man of deep character and quiet faith. Today, Grant Speed and his family live in Lindon, Utah. He comments that it’s a good life, though he admits “sometimes I’d really rather be “cowboyin.”
Speed has exhibited at the Phoenix Art Museum and the Whitney Gallery of Western Art, Cody, Wyoming. Among his awards is the Gold Medal for Sculpture, Cowboy Artists of America Annual, and the Purchase Award, Men’s Art Council, Phoenix Art Museum. Grant Speed’s work is in the collections of the Whitney Gallery of Western Art and the Diamond M. Museum.
Grant Speed Sculpture, Bronze 12.5 X 9.25 X 9 (Interest categories: Bronze, Western, Native American, Sculpture, Sculptures and Accent Pieces, Fine Art, Art Gallery, Grant Speed Artist)
Colorado Springs, CO – Broadmoor Galleries is excited to announce ” Moore Art: A Family Affair,” a special exhibition featuring the works of American impressionist painter Robert Moore and his two children, Anna, and Robbie Moore. The exhibition will open on May, 18, 2023, and run through June 8th, 2023, at Broadmoor Galleries located at The Broadmoor, 1 Lake Avenue, Colorado Springs, CO 80906.
WHAT: Moore Art: A Family Affair
WHO: Featuring:
Robert Moore, Anna Moore, and Robbie Moore
WHEN: Thursday, May 18th, from 4-8PM
WHERE: Broadmoor Galleries at the Broadmoor Hotel
1 Lake Circle
Colorado Springs CO 80906
(719)577-5744
https://broadmoorgalleries.com/events/
Broadmoor Galleries in Colorado Springs is proud to present “Moore Art: A Family Affair,” an exhibition that showcases the unique artistic styles of American impressionist artist Robert Moore, and his two children, Anna, and Robbie Moore. Robert, who is colorblind and paints with both hands simultaneously, has established himself as a prominent figure in the art world, and his children have followed in his footsteps.
Robert Moore, a celebrated American painter who is colorblind and paints with both hands simultaneously, is known for his signature landscapes, cityscapes, and portraits. The exhibition will showcase a range of Moore’s works alongside those of his talented children.
“Moore Art: A Family Affair” is a unique opportunity to experience the work of three incredibly talented artists from the same family,” said Broadmoor Galleries director, Jamie Oberloh. “Robert Moore’s impressionistic style is a true representation of the beauty and diversity of America, and his children Anna and Robbie are following in his footsteps with their own unique styles and techniques.”
Robert Moore’s artistic achievements are all the more remarkable given that he is colorblind. Despite this, he has become known for his ability to create vivid and striking color palettes in his paintings. He has also developed a unique technique of painting with both hands simultaneously, which allows him to create intricate details and textures in his works.
Moore’s use of both hands to paint has been compared to the way a pianist uses both hands to play a complex piece of music. This technique requires a great deal of focus and coordination, and it has become one of Moore’s signature methods.
Moore’s colorblindness has also influenced his work in other ways. He has said that he is drawn to painting landscapes because he is able to see the world in shades of green, which he can differentiate more easily than other colors. This has led him to develop a deep appreciation for the beauty of nature and the environment.
Despite his colorblindness and unique painting technique, Robert Moore has become one of America’s most beloved impressionist painters. His works continue to inspire and captivate viewers, and his contributions to American art are truly remarkable.
Anna Moore, a professional artist in her own right, draws inspiration from her father’s work and her surroundings, using her skillful brushstrokes to capture the essence of nature in her landscapes. She works in a variety of media, including oil painting, watercolor, and printmaking. Her work is inspired by the natural beauty of the American West and the people and places that inhabit it.
Robbie Moore, who recently graduated with a Finance degree from the University of Arkansas, has always had a passion for art and the natural world. He has developed his skills in drawing, gouache, watercolor, and oil painting, and his work has been featured in a company calendar commissioned by his employer. With his father’s legacy of developing artists and a lineage of artists in his family, Robbie’s future aspiration is to make the most out of his upbringing and create a name for himself in the art world.
“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to showcase the work of three incredibly talented artists,” said Broadmoor Galleries’ director, Jamie Oberloh. “The combination of Robert’s impressionistic paintings with Anna and Robbie’s unique styles and mediums creates a truly exceptional exhibition that will delight and inspire our visitors. Their paintings are a true representation of the beauty and diversity of America, and we are honored to share the work with our community.”
The exhibition will be open to the public from May 18th, 2023, through June 8th, 2023, and will feature a special reception on May 18th, 2023, from 4-8 pm, where visitors can meet the artists and enjoy light refreshments. All works in the exhibition will be available for sale.
Optional Supplies
1 Lake Circle Colorado Springs, Colorado 80906
broadmoorgalleries.com
