(1949 - ) Donna Howell-Sickles was born in in Gainesville, Texas, and raised on a 900-acre farm. In 1972, while earning her BFA at Texas Tech in Lubbock, she acquired an old postcard c. 1935 depicting a cowgirl seated on a horse. The postcard read, “Greetings from a Real Cowgirl from the Ole Southwest.” Attracted by the charm and confidence of the woman in the image, Howell-Sickles began incorporating the cowgirl figure into her work, as well as collecting and researching these old-time cowgirl images. Before long, this female icon was the central theme in the contemporary settings of Donna’s pieces. Donna Howell-Sickles' works are largely mixed-media. She works on paper and canvas in a mix of charcoal, pastel and acrylic, typically leaving her under-drawing visible. In Donna’s pieces, the cowgirl achieves the status of a heroine. Her images have brought her national attention and success. Donna Howell-Sickles' paintings can be found in museum collections throughout the west, including the Booth Western Art Museum in Cartersville, Texas; The National Cowgirl Hall of Fame in Fort Worth, Texas; The Buffalo Bill Historical Center, Cody Wyoming and several others. Her work has been featured in numerous publications, including a book, Cowgirl Rising.