Buck Taylor

If you are of age, you probably remember Buck from the TV series Gunsmoke. He was Matt Dillon’s deputy, Newly O’Brien. The only reason I bring this up is that through local resident Judd Redfield, I learned that Buck is quite an accomplished watercolor artist. How Judd knows Buck is fodder for another story and a very interesting one but I’ll leave that for another time.

I looked Buck up on the source of all knowledge (the internet) and found his website. I have to admit that he is pretty good. He’s been at it awhile too establishing himself quite nicely in the Western Art circles doing all of the big name western event shows, selling his prints and posters. Whether he’s actually in the booth doing the legwork or not I don’t know but he’s got a presence. You can check him out at www.bucktaylor.com

There are a number of celebrity types that have had their hand in making art, taking a stab at painting as an alternate career or just a past-time. Most of them rely on their celebrity status for any success they can claim in their attempts at the visual arts. For many, the fact that they are a good actor or performer doesn’t necessarily qualify them as a good painter but then that leads us into the age old discussion of what qualifies as good art and as you well know…I’m not going there. Just because a celebrity smears a little paint on a canvas however, doesn’t make it good art anymore than my serenades in the shower don’t qualify as good singing. Yes I know that isn’t a pretty picture but I had to make a point. Sorry.

Tony Bennett, Jane Seymour, Tony Curtis. John, Ringo and Paul have had their hand in it. Even Grace Slick, Jerry Garcia and Jimi Hendrix. The list is long. Apparently for some, if you excel in one arena, it seems natural to think you will be good in others too. Don’t get me wrong. Some of these celebrities are pretty good at making a painting. Really. Go to www.poplifeart.com. You can see for yourself. All I ask is that while you are there admiring the good art these folks are producing, at least admit that some of them would be better off keeping to what they are better known for.

OK. I can see that this is going to get me into trouble if I keep it up so I think I’ll just move on. To each his own I suppose. So how about those Broncos, eh? No…that’s probably not a good topic either. Well, thanks for stopping by. See you next time.

This is a column I write that originally appeared in the Montrose Daily press on Friday, December 10, 2010