Artist Vern Erickson grew up idolizing Old West artists C. M. Russell, Frederick Remington, and others. Mostly self-taught, he learned to emulate by literally studying each brush stroke on the original paintings. His love of all things western began early, growing up in Esmond, ND, which had resident artists and one neighbor in particular who fascinated his youthful mind. “He was an old cowboy, taught up in Elbow Woods and he trained horses, plus was an artist. But the one true mentor I had was a World War I veteran with his own studio downtown, who was a genuine cowboy to boot. He had spent time in Great Falls, so he had all of these Russell prints in his studio, and I spent hours studying them.” “I went to Western art shows anywhere I could, including the new Cowboy Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City at the time, and many trips to the C.M. Russell Museum in Great Falls. Eventually, my art was accepted into their annual art show, which was quite an honor for me.” As a combination historian/artist, Vern immersed himself in learning all that he could of the days of the West, especially the American Indian culture of the Northern Plains. “I learned from my mentors to carry a sketch book with me all of the time. If I saw something, I drew it. I’ve sketched thousands of images, on everything from those sketch books to napkins!” “People tell me they like my paintings, but they aren’t sure why. Well, it’s because I think about every brush stroke, every color, every use of light, coming from the right direction.” Most importantly, it comes from a lifetime of devotion to the sense of place and way of life he loves.