7/5/2010 - Ken Riley Visits the Vail Valley
VAIL, Colorado — Sure, he's 91 years old, but that doesn't seem to have
slowed Ken Riley down much. Riley, a renowned western artist, and a
handful of other artists represented by Claggett/Rey Gallery, are in
town this weekend to help the gallery celebrate its 21st anniversary.
“He's
the youngest 91-year-old you've ever seen,” said Bill Rey, gallery
owner. “And he isn't slowing down. He's painting more than ever.”
The
gallery will be exhibiting six paintings by Riley this weekend and
hosting an artist reception with Riley and several other gallery
artists from 5 to 8 p.m. today.
A realist oil painter of the
historical West, Riley was born in Waverly, Missouri in 1919 and
enrolled in the Kansas City Art Institute when he was 19 years old. In
1941, he moved on to the Art Students League and Frank Vincent DuMond
in New York City, with evening classes at the Grand Central School of
Art and Harvey Dunn. Soon Riley was selling illustrations, working for
National Geographic, the Saturday Evening Post, and other national
publications. One painting was even accepted by President Kennedy for
the White House collection.
“He was a big New York illustrator. He's really known as a great designer and colorist in the world of western art,” Rey said.
Riley's
current focus is the life, culture and philosophies of native peoples,
particularly the Apache, Mandan and Plains tribes. A dedicated
researcher, Riley draws upon factual resources that include journals
and diaries, as well as the visual records left by explorer artists
such as George Catlin. Riley's art is both a literal story of a
landscape and its inhabitants, paired with a romantic commentary about
the families, tribes, clans and nations.
“He's honored his
subjects in everything he does,” Rey said. “He's a rare breed, and to
still be creating enthusiastically at 91 is great.”
Claggett/Rey Gallery is located at 100 E. Meadow Drive in Vail. Call 970-476-9350 or visit www.claggettrey.com to learn more.
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