2013 Jackson Hole Fall Arts Festival Featured Artist: Jason Rich

The Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce is proud to present Jason Rich as the 2013 featured artist. The festival will be held Thursday, September 5 through Sunday, September 15, 2013. View a complete schedule on the Chamber's website.

About Jason:

"Every painting starts with the horse for me – the way the light catches its gesture and movement." It's no wonder, since Jason Rich grew up riding, training and drawing horses on a small farm in southern Idaho. He spent many childhood summers on cattle drives with his uncle and couldn't imagine a better place to be than on the back of a horse.

His interest in art was fostered at a young age as well. His mother says, "He's been drawing horses since he could pick up a pencil.” He studied art at Utah State University under Glen Edwards, a talented artist and instructor who encouraged traditional and representation art in a department that mostly emphasized contemporary and abstract applications. Upon completing his education, Jason dedicated himself to pursuing art full time. "My wife and I lived in a basement. Our first baby slept in a closet. But we knew art was what we wanted to do."

Jason quickly established himself in the art market receiving much recognition for his art including the Arts for the Parks competition Grand Prize in 1997 and the Founders Favorite Award in 1999; Best new Auction Artist Award at the C.M. Russell Auction in 1998, and was the 2002 National Cattleman's Beef Association poster artist. In 2007 he was chosen as the featured cowboy artist at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum for their National Day of the American Cowboy event celebrating the 100th birthday of John Wayne where Jason gave demonstrations, interviews and workshops. Jason has been invited to participate in the Prix de West Invitational Art Exhibition the past nine years.  At the Autry National Center's 2008 Masters of the American West Fine Art Exhibition and Sale, he was the recipient of the first annual Spirit of the West Award.  Jason was invited in 2011 to be a member of the prestigious Cowboy Artists of America.

Jason currently lives in northern Utah with his wife, Kari, three children and three horses. "I live in the foothills now. I love that I can hop on my horse and be in the mountains in a matter of minutes."  The Legacy Gallery in Jackson, WY and Scottsdale, AZ represents Jason’s artwork.