Ken Steinnerd Fine Art

I took this photo as a cowboy finished working cattle. His saddle and rope has seen some work and can tell some stories as it does in this painting.”

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A lone rider is checking his stock just as moon rises on a winter night. Arriving at a lake the serenity of the scene in front of him causes him to pause and reflect on the wonders and beauty of nature and his life as a witness of God’s best work.

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I enjoyed the challenge of painting this “seasoned” cowboy who appears to be engaged in a reflective mood with thoughts that please him. Pleasure riding on horseback can easily put me in such a state of mind fondly remembering moments from the past. The often quoted “There is nothing so good for the inside of man than the outside of a horse” is especially applicable here.

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We visited San Lorenzo Canyon near Socorro, New Mexico on summer evening and took numerous photographs just as the sun was beginning to set. The vivid colors of the setting sun on the canyon flora and shadows on many interesting rock formations added to the beauty and wonder of this canyon.

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I can imagine this lone cowboy searching the San Mateo Mountain arroyos for stray cattle as the sun begins to set over the horizon. A reprieve from sitting in the saddle is welcome as he sits and takes in a New Mexico sunset.

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I painted “She is all In” a watercolor painting, because I wanted to do a painting showing the skill of this woman rider and the action and agility of the horse. I wanted the image to pop out against a minimum background so as to have little distraction from the action figure/ subject of the painting. With time I am planning on doing similar images capturing horse and rider at equestrian events here in beautiful New Mexico.

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I really enjoyed sketching and painting this watercolor painting, “Showdown” for a variety of reasons. Anytime I pass through the Abiquiu area in northern New Mexico the exotic terrain with colorful rock formations remind me of an old John Wayne western. Within my childhood memory I can see and experience the 19 century as it was portrayed in westerns of bygone days. When you move through these areas of beautiful New Mexico it is very easy for your to ponder life in these hard but colorful areas as remnants of old adobe homes and ranches can still be see and experienced. This is the subject matter I enjoy painting and presenting to you. Everything in this painting you can experience today in the southwest and here in New Mexico including the American Mustang. Come visit and see it for yourself and witness the dreams and struggles of pioneers in the southwest.

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The rider on this paint horse is for sure “Sittin Pritty” wearing a pair of turquoise colored leather boots and adorned with a pair of silver spurs. I have owned horses for over thirty years and have never been this sporty when riding but I am beginning to lean in that direction.

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The western cattle drive originated from market necessity to get cattle from ranches on the western plains to railroad centers for transportation to eastern markets. In 1866 cattleman Charles Goodnight took an Army surplus light wagon and added a pantry box with a hinged door that when folded down made work table for the cook. The “chuck wagon” accompanied cowboys on trail drives transporting the required food and bedding needed by the cowboys and served as the social center for the cattle drive. The word “chuck” is derived from 17th century England meat merchants who referred to their cheaper cuts of meat as “chuck."

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If one could ask a pony, draft, show or cow horse how they perceived themselves, I believe their possible perception would be “Spirit of the Horse.”

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I love horses, always have. This painting floods me with memories and all the emotions of watching my daughters raise a foal.

The American Mustang can still be seen in the West an experience that always uplifts many others and me. The presence of the Mustang on public lands is a controversial issue between those who love the horses and ranchers whom seen their way of life threatened by the horses. I hope all involved in this issue can frame both an open discussion and an acceptable plan that allows both cattle and horses on public lands. I would be disappointed to see the horses disappear.

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Ristras are strings of chile you see hanging along patios and portals throughout New Mexico. Originally, chile was found only in the Americas where it has been grown for over 7,000 years. When Columbus landed in the New World he found red chile being consumed and took it home to Europe.

Hanging ristras are often used for decoration and are said to bring good health and good fortune as well as a welcome invitation to friends. Although red chile ristras are beautiful to look they are best eaten. My favorite use of red chile is in steak fajitas.

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I had contemplated this painting “Isaiah’s Eagle” for a year but the underlying influences relating to the creation of his painting date back further to a time on the banks of the Chena River in Alaska when I had a life altering experience with a bald eagle. At that time and now, I believe the Creator used the eagle and the moment to teach me a “Spiritual Truth.” This profound moment and others have assisted me in living my life.

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I was moved to paint this image and when painting the eyes knew there was a lesson with this painting. There’s an important principle here, for in order for faith to rise in your life, you need to have the eyes of your heart enlightened to God’s calling for you. When you see things through the eyes of faith, God always is bigger than your problems. Fear, anxiety, and hopelessness melt away in the light of his love. The eyes of faith are moved only by God’s Spirit, His Word and Love and not by what we see through our human eyes.

When your spiritual eyes are opened, you will recognize that you’re not alone. God is with you, and He has a massive spiritual arsenal at your disposal. You are His child, and His Spirit is alive within you.

The subject of this painting does not know what lies ahead for him and his family but he sees life through his spiritual eyes and knows he moves forward with the strength and love of God and that there is no room in his heart for fear, anxiety nor hopelessness. No individual, army nor nation can defeat the path of a heart lighted and guided by God.

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Throughout the Civil War period, the US Army Escort Wagon underwent many modifications. At the end of the Civil War, nearly 6000 wagons were in storage at the Quartermaster depot in Washington, DC. Many of these were shipped to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas to forward for use at various military posts throughout the western frontier including Ft. Union, New Mexico. Service throughout the frontier was especially hard on these army wagons. Surplused wagons found their way into civilian uses on ranches and some were turned into chuckwagons and used on cattle drives.

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