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So you want to be a cowboy/
Well you know it’s more that just a ride/
Guess you got to know the real thing/ *

And the real thing could be the belt buckle by many artists on BUCKLE Exhibition: THE ART AND CRAFT OF THE WESTERN BELT BUCKLE, on February 13th – March 15, 2009 at LYON WIER ORTT GALLERY, New York.

Gallery director and curator Michael Lyons Wier combines the bold, iconoclastic vision of New York painter Matt Straub who takes on the American West with the visceral art-to-wear of ten of the nation’s finest Western belt buckle makers.

”The art of the buckle is one of the few bridges between the world of the cowboy, the art of the graphic designer, and the heritage of the European tradition of engraving, mastered by a select few silversmiths who are making award-winning, museum quality pieces.”

The exhibition features Master Buckle makers include:

The Bohlin Company (Texas)
Clint Mortenson (New Mexico)
Clint Orms (Texas)
Comstock Heritage (Nevada)
Doug Magnus (New Mexico)
Gist Silversmiths (California)
Jeff Deegan (Rhode Island)
Justin Walker (Texas)
Lee Downey (New Mexico/Bali)
Montana Silversmiths (Montana)
Scott Hardy (Canada)
Silver King (California)
Tom Paul Schneider (Arizona)
Vogt Silversmiths (California)

The Artists have made the exceptional buckle for many bigwigs: from Hollywood celebrities to rodeo queens, from rockers to country music kings. The clients include: Texas Rangers, Professional Bull Riders, Pro Rodeo Cowboys Assoc., Ann Richards, Garth Brooks, the Working Ranch Cowboy Association, Brooks and Dunn, Dwight Yoakum, Andrew Agassi, Britney Spears, Brooke Shields, Donald Judd, and other judicious collectors.

Some previews from the Exhibition:

Indian Chief Concho Belt Buckle by The Bohlin Company (Texas). Made of Sterling Silver with 14k green gold, 14k yellow gold and 14k rose gold.

Rodeo De Santa Fe buckle by Clint Mortenson (New Mexico), Made of Sterling Silver.

DELTA 1800 by Clint Orms (Texas)

Rodeo or Die Buckle by Doug Magnus (New Mexico); Sterling Silver, Turquoise

”RODEO BUCKLE” Silver & gold electroplated w/ semi-precious stones by Gist Silversmiths (California). Antique wash.

Indian Buckle by Jeff Deegan (Rhode Island)

“The Six Shooter” by Justin Walker (Texas), Solid sterling buckle set & conchos on a black hand tooled leather belt

“Owl” Buckle by Lee Downey (Bali)

Miss Rodeo 2008 buckle by Montana Silversmiths (Montana), Sterling Silver

“West” Buckle by Scott Hardy (Canada)

Longhorn Buckle by Silver King Silversmiths (California), Sterling Silver

“California Cowboy Gathering” Buckle by Tom Paul Schneider (Arizona)

Filigree Range by Vogt Silversmiths (California)

• Song “Stick to Your Gun” (Jon Bon Jovi/Knight/Sambora) - 4:45 – Artist: Bon Jovi – Album: New Jersey, 1988.

Video of “Stick to Your Guns” - Bon Jovi

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