To celebrate the current, and if we do say so, exquisite, exhibit, The Western Sights of Jo Mora, we did everything up Mora-style the first weekend in October.
Between gallery tours led by Mora experts, a live acoustic show by musician (and Mora fan) Mike Beck, book signings by Mora scholar Peter Hiller, and swigs from Mora-adorned limited run beer bottles, there was an homage to Mora everywhere we turned.
Artist Joseph Jacinto ‘Jo’ Mora (b. 1876) worked in a variety of media and created an extensive body of work that runs the gamut from sculptures to cartes (illustrated maps) to storybook illustrations, beloved by both children and adults, like those in Budgee Budgee Cottontail. His artwork is so pervasive that it has become a recognized (if not always identifiable) part of the visual language of the American West. Jo Mora came to the United States from Uruguay, becoming enamored with the culture and stories of the American West at an early age. The prolific artist documented the West’s changing landscape in various media. His signature was cartes and illustrations. But, he also did watercolors, bronze sculptures, etchings, and even stories.
But, don’t worry, there’s still plenty of Mora to imbibe! The exhibit, which has been a huge fan favorite, is on view at the Western Folklife Center’s Wiegand Gallery. And, its dates have been extended through May 14, 2022.
And, if you missed Mike Beck’s show, do yourself a favor and watch the livestream. Cue up the video and transport yourself into the G Three Bar Theater for an hour of Beck’s brand of Western Americana songwriting. Ramblin’ Jack Elliott said “Mike Beck plays the guitar like a Byrd. His strings do things that mine could never do. They obey the slightest finger-touch commands like a fine Reining Horse.” (The cover for The Byrds’ 1968 album, featured the iconic “Sweetheart of the Rodeo” image by none other than… guess who?… artist Jo Mora. See, it all comes back around.)
Mike Beck’s 2010 album, Feel, features a Mora illustration on the cover. His 2016 album, Alta California, also features Mora artwork.
Curator of the Jo Mora trust, Peter Hiller, led the gallery tours alongside collector Joss Grandeau and historian Griff Durham. While Hiller’s book signings are over, you can still purchase a copy of his book, The Life and Times of Jo Mora: Iconic Artist of the American West, in the Gift Shop.
Jo Mora’s work is inspired and inspiring. There’s a wealth of information, history, and design to glean from studying the pieces in the exhibit. And, there’s a wealth of ways that Mora images circulate beyond the gallery, finding their way into so many corners of the American West… including right here in the Rubies.
A tap handle in the Pioneer Saloon for Ruby Mountain Brewery’s Buckaroo Brew pale ale. The label (and handle) artwork uses an illustration by Jo Mora of a cowboy dressed for winter riding an Appaloosa horse against a backdrop of snow-capped mountains.
