Wayne Cooper, artist extraordinaire, had moved back from the East Coast to his family home outside of Depew, Oklahoma, when he was contracted and commissioned by Joe Carter, the now retired Director of the Will Rogers Memorial and Museum; for a painting of Will Rogers and the Will Rogers birth place. It was to be painted with oil, on a 5' x 7' canvas, and would be displayed inside the saddle room as the first full-sized artwork to be seen by guests of the museum. The painting itself is set in the 1890's when Will was still at the ranch of his father Clem, just a few miles out of Oologah, Oklahoma. It came to its second life in the 1980's, fifty years post Will's death.
The painting is large. It is rich with the historic birthplace of Will Rogers, the scrambled parade of horses all rushing by the front porch of the house. Over Will's right shoulder is Dan Walker, the man who taught Will to rope, to twist the braided lines in the plethora of shapes and wheels and manners unknown to the very gentleman he would walk by on a daily basis. Over his left shoulder is a man wearing glasses who seems to be peering inside Will's soul, watching him riding his pony, branded with the Dog Iron brand, the circle on the top, the two and irons running down.
Just a few days before the painting was delivered, the second man's face was painted on, and on its arrival at the museum, each person looked at it as it was hung. They stared in awe at the dust of the home place, the essence of Will Rogers and Dan Walker, but one person looked at it with utter shock and joy in his heart, as Joe Carter looked and saw Joe Carters face staring back at him, the quiet second rider on Wills left side, he felt his presence with Will.
Joe Carter is great at 91 in Oklahoma City. Wayne Cooper is 81 living in Depew, Oklahoma.
Ralph Peck
Will Rogers Memorial and Museum
Claremore, Oklahoma
Wayne Cooper painting 'Dog Iron Ranch' in the Will Rogers Memorial and Museum, Claremore, Oklahoma.
One of three characters in the painting 'Dog Iron Ranch' this one appeared a couple of days before the painting was delivered. Joe Carter, former museum director was made one of the horseman oustside of Will Rogers house at Oologah Oklahoma.
Comments