Western Art : Andrew Dagosta, Western Artist, Water Color Painting, " Country Store", Ca 1984, #712 Donated to the NRA Foundation

Western Art

712. Description: Water Color by Andrew Dagosta, "Country Store" 1984.

Dimensions: 22.5 x 29.25.

Condition: Excellent condition. The piece has been reframed and re-matted for maximum effect.

Provenance: From an estate in Florida. The piece was purchased in Death Valley in 1984.

This biography from the Archives of AskART: Andrew Dagosta was born in Omaha, Nebraska. As a young child, he was a movie fan with cowboy movies his favorites. Cowboy heroes and the Wild West captured his imagination. He spent Saturday afternoon watching movies of Gene Autry, Hoot Gibson, Buck Jones, Randolph Scott and Bob Steel. He studied illustration and received his formal art training during four years at Omaha Tech in Omaha, Nebraska.

When World War II raged, he served in Italy with the 12th Air Force. The end of the war the Dagosta moved to Glendale, California in 1946 to follow his passion to be an artist. There he enrolled at the Hollywood Art Center, completing a two-year program, and then opened a commercial advertising art studio in Pasadena, California.

Dagosta‰۪s love for the Old West gravitated him to other western artists. He collaborated with Lloyd Mitchell on projects, and he continued his art studies with Reynolds Brown. He co-founded The American Indian and Cowboy Artists and is a lifetime member. In 1968 he joined Los Angeles Corral of Westerners.

During this same time he started oil painting for pleasure and did pictures that reflected his Western research, which included cattle brands, clothing, guns, saddles, stirrups, cookware, architecture and buildings. The artist studied details, so that his art reflected not only the time and place, but also the function in Old West reality. He also documented the Old West and desert through photography.

The artist won first place, two times in the Death Valley 49er Encampment Show. In 1975 he was acknowledged in an article published in the Desert and is listed in Contemporary Western Artists, by Peggy and Harold Samuels.

Dagosta illustrated the Water Trails West, published by Double Day for the Western Writers of America. Los Angeles Corral of Westerners, who publishes Brand Books, used his work as their featured artist for three books. In 2000, Dagosta was working on 16 line drawings of California ranchers for Brand Book No. 20. The University of Nebraska Press, Bison Books used two of his paintings as book covers for I Fought With Geronimo and The Apache Indian.

In 2000 his watercolor, Omaha's Famous Old Town Market, was donated to the Omaha Public Schools. This painting depicts the street and stairway that lead to the market stall of the Dagosta's uncle, John Destefino, who was called John the Celery Man because of his quality produce.

Dagosta's works are held internationally in England, France, Japan, Lichtenstein, Majorca, and the United States.

References:
Peggy and Harold Samuels, Contemporary Western Artists, 1982, Washington DC, Judd's Inc.
Undated and titled article published on reverse of watercolor

Copyright January 2007 Janet G. Smith. Submitted by Janet G. Smith, art consultant, art historian, art authenticator and independent curator, www.jgsart.com.

Added note: Andy Dagosta passed away on May 28, 2009 in Glendale, California.

Source: Beth Bisping
-----------
View the other items in my shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/CulturalPatina?ref=shopsection_shophome_leftnav