Dustin Payne has been inducted into the prestigious

Cowboy Artists of America organization at their show at the

National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City

 

 

Dustin Payne represents the third generation of professional western sculptors in his family, so it comes as no surprise that the trade was a natural path for him. On his mother’s side he is a descendant of Hiram Daugherty and Mary Jane Goodnight, the sister of Texas Cattle King, Charlie Goodnight. Goodnight and Oliver Loving brought the first longhorns across country from Texas, inaugurating the cattle drive era.

 

As a child, Dustin enjoyed the drawings and books of Will James and was heavily influenced by the historical nature of his father and grandfather’s work.  Dustin began sculpting at age 8 as collectors began to notice, and he sold his first sculpture at the age of 10.   He feels fortunate that he has always been surrounded by such great artists and mentors, but more-so by being brought up around horses and ranching. His passion for the Western lifestyle and Western American history fuels his imagination to preserve the past in the art that he creates.

 

You can find his life-size monument honoring the history of the Texas Rangers, “The Legend, The Lore, The Law”, in Fredericksburg, Texas, and is busy this year, working on life-size monuments of Charles Goodnight and Oliver Loving for Pueblo, Colorado. Dustin’s art is in fine art galleries across the country.

 

Resides: Cody, Wyoming USA

Artistic Specialization:

Western sculpture in bronze/Monumental commission sculpture in bronze

Artist Statement

 

“The History of the American West has always been fascinating to me. From the early settlers who shaped the West, to the Native American Culture that spanned across the country; the historical journals, stories, photographs, and events, are what inspire me to sculpt. To start with a simple block of clay and finish with a sculpture in bronze, depicting a historical scene, frozen in time, is the basis for my approach. The real inspiration comes into play when creating the features in the art that evoke a feeling of wonder and curiosity. Each piece should capture the emotion and meaning that the viewer can relate to through their own stories of the past or a love of American History that they share with the artist.”

 

“I believe this exciting and beautiful era should be preserved for future generations and I am honored to capture it in bronze sculpture. I hope that my admiration of fine art and historical culture comes out in every piece that I create.”  -Dustin Payne