Customer Reviews

Cowgirl Rising: The Art of Donna Howell-Sickles

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Cowgirl Rising is almost the right name for the coffee table/art book featuring the art work of Donna Howell-Sickles with text by Peg Streep.

Done in bold primary colors of red, blue and white, Howell-Sickles cowgirls jump off the page. These graphic style cowgirls stand out against the uncomplicated backgrounds of natural browns and grays. The oil and charcoal works will appeal to even the most casual of glancers and keep them turning the pages to see more.

The original inspiration of turn of century postcard is easily seen in Postcard Cowgirl VII where a smiling cowgirl with her horses sits astride a fence and waves to the viewer. A Family Tradition shows us three cowgirls, daughter, mother, grandmother, the traditional three phases of life.

While Donna Howell-Sickle uses the icons and images of the American West and the cowgirl, to call this western art seems almost to confining. Even the causal observer, seeing the steer-riding cowgirl who holds the horns of a rather gentle looking bull, will see the Greek myth of Zeus and Europa (and in case you missed the message, the work is entitled Zeus and Europa). In Totem II a benign bear stands behind the cowgirl, who, along with ravens and dogs form a totem pole-like portrait.

This a stand out book has just the right mix of art and text. Peg Streep commentary at the beginning of each chapter provides information on Howell-Sickles and on the art itself. Text also accompanies each picture directing attention to the symbols and details that gives the viewer a deeper understanding of the work.

As the book progresses, the always smiling, vibrant, confident cowgirl becomes the more than a free spirited, unconfined westerner. She is Woman, pure and simple. The images of the smiling, confident and happy cowgirls will stay with you a long time.

The cowgirls of Cowgirl Rising are not just rising, they have arisen.

I was very pleased with the book of Donna Howell-Sickles art. We had recently purchased a piece of her work and wanted to know more about the artist.

Intriguing - for the modern day cowgirl. Donna Howell-Sickles has captured the cowgirl in her work -- FASCINATING!