The Wild West of Thom Ross
June 2-August 1
A major new body of work reimagines Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show through the bold, contemporary vision of one of the American West’s most distinctive painters, Thom Ross.
Debuting on the eve of the nation’s 250th anniversary, Thom Ross’ latest exhibition reexamines the legendary touring spectacle that helped define how America, and the world, imagined the frontier. Founded by William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody in 1883, Buffalo Bill’s Wild West became one of the earliest and most influential global exports of American culture, touring the United States and Europe for thirty years.
With his expressive brushwork and dynamic compositions, Ross captures the energy of the Wild West arena and the presence of its iconic figures, while also reflecting on the complex cultural narratives embedded within the spectacle itself. From scenes of high drama and action to quieter, more introspective moments, the exhibition reveals a nuanced perspective on a defining chapter of American history—one where performance and reality became inseparably intertwined.
For Ross, “the West we think we know has been staged, performed, and retold for over a hundred years. I’m interested in that space, where fact and fiction blur, where reality becomes myth, and how Cody seemed to move with ease between the two worlds.”
Born in San Francisco in 1952 and raised in Sausalito, Ross earned his fine arts degree from California State University, Chico in 1974 and has been creating art ever since. He describes himself as “a storyteller who paints” and is widely recognized for bringing contemporary energy to iconic frontier subjects.
“I’ve long admired Thom’s ability to bring historical material into the present with intensity, wit, and emotional charge,” says gallery owner, Edward Hemmings. “This new series feels especially timely. It connects American history, national mythology, and the image-making machinery of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West to a moment when the country is again thinking about how it tells its own story.”
The exhibition will be on view from June 23 through August 1 and includes an opening night reception with the artist on July 3 from 5:00-7:30pm.
Image captions
Shooting Glass Balls
by Thom Ross
Acrylic on canvas
48″ x 48″
Hemmings Gallery
340 Walnut Ave. | Ketchum
208.254.1097
hemmingsgallery.com
