City Slicker asks the poets to “tell us how this time of year on the ranch reflects in your poetry? or in your favorite poems?” Read on as they explain why fall is all the rage with the ranch literati.
Farewell to Gary Crowe
Ask a Cowboy Poet: “What constitutes a "cowboy" poem?"
Volunteering with Robin
Robin Wignall, a Western Folklife Center super-volunteer since 2012, writes about some of her many volunteer exploits and the impact of volunteering. Join Robin as a volunteer at the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering in 2023 (or anytime year-round!).
Ask a Cowboy Poet: “Tell us about your first time at the Gathering?"
The poets are taking us on a trip down memory lane. As they relive their first experiences at the Cowboy Poetry Gathering (now the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering), they also reflect on what the Gathering means to them and to cowboy poetry…and, of course, invoke characters and friends wrapped up in Gatherings past.
Ask a Cowboy Poet: “What writing tools do you use at home? out on the range?"
Ask a Cowboy Poet: “What three poems do you think should be considered new classics?"
Last month, the poets faced a tough ask about the classics. This month, they grapple with the follow-up question, “What three poems do you think should be considered “new classics” that every cowboy poet (or cowboy poetry lover) should know? What’s the difference to you between classics and new classics?”
Ask a Cowboy Poet: “What three classic poems do you think every cowboy poet should know?"
If you’re a cowboy poet looking to learn your classics, where might you start? Who better to know a thing or two about all this than the Ask a Cowboy Poet panel? So, we posed them this month’s question from Seeking Out Standards: “What three classic poems do you think every cowboy poet should know, and why?”
Ask a Cowboy Poet: "One tip for a new cowboy poet?"
This month, Annie asks “What is the one tip you would give to someone just starting to write cowboy poetry?” The pros burst with generous tips for aspiring writers on the cowboy part of the poetry spectrum. And, their advice holds up even if you’re a bit less cowboy. If you’re poised for poetry, read on for tips on tapping into that “something else” that animates words (and life).
Meet the Makers, Round Three
In anticipation of the upcoming Big Skies, New Visions event, the featured gearmakers would like to make your acquaintance. Read on for introductions to Carson Jorgensen (bits & spurs), Clair Kehrberg (leatherworker), and Justine Nelson-Graham (rawhide braider, leatherworker, saddlemaker).
Gearmaker Week starts today! Follow #wfcgearmakerweek on Instagram.
Meet the Makers, Round Two
In anticipation of the upcoming Big Skies, New Visions event, the featured gearmakers would like to make your acquaintance. Read on for introductions to James Gullion (bits & spurs), Eric Hannig (leatherworker), and Natalie Teichert (bootmaker).
Ask a Cowboy Poet: Which poet did you most admire and why?
This month’s musing comes from Jonathan, who asks the poets about the poets they admire. What a great question. Wise knows wise. If someone inspired this crew, that’s someone to consider. (For our part, if we were asked which poet we most admired, it’d be a real laundry list situation. There’s no shortage of muses around here!)
Meet the Makers, Round One
In anticipation of the upcoming Big Skies, New Visions event, the featured gearmakers would like to make your acquaintance. Read on for introductions to Morgan Buckert (bootmaker), Tony Pedrini (leatherworker), and Bryce Williams (saddlemaker). We’ll introduce to you to more of the makers next week!
From the Archives: What's in an Archive?
“We oftentimes miss just who is part of the Archives: it is friends, family members, folks that you’ve seen on stage and in the grocery store aisle or at the other end of the bar. It equally represents some of the greatest artistic expressions in the West and beyond–all tell a story that contributes to this experience.” Read more from, and join in the conversation with, Programs Manager Ian Hallagan in this first of a new series of posts From the Archives.
Ask a Cowboy Poet: What is the favorite animal you ever came across?
For this month of Valentine’s, the cowboy poets were asked to reminisce on a special love–the bond between cowboy and critter–by reflecting on their favorite animal. Their bunch of beloveds, not surprisingly, includes staunch cowboy companions and even an unexpected, endearing house pet.
Send in your own questions for the cowboy poets via Facebook, Instagram, or email to media@westernfolklife.org.
What’s Next for the Wild Ride?
Collaboration from Cottonwood Ranch
Learning to Think Outside the Loop with Walter Piehl
This month, we welcomed a new addition to the Wiegand Gallery—Walter Piehl, Jr.’s original painting of Betsy and Blue Buttes: Cowgirl Suite (2021). The piece, emblematic of Walter’s style, bursts with color and movement… and it’s even more striking on canvas. It's no secret that Walter’s Betsy and Blue Buttes artwork inspires us. Read more about the man behind the muse–renowned, genre-busting western artist Walter Piehl.
In Remembrance of Jim Griffith
On Dec. 18, 2021, we lost a dear friend and esteemed colleague, Jim Griffith. His contributions to the work of the Western Folklife Center, to the field and practice of folklore, and to the understanding of the traditional cultures of southern Arizona and northern Mexico are vast. Read Meg Glaser's remembrance and listen to Jim’s keynote address from the first Cowboy Poetry Gathering.
