Photo exhibit brings cowgirls to modern times for rodeo

   by Mary Barrera, editor-in-chief

    Larger-than-life cowgirl photoworks by native Texas artist Bob "Daddy O" Wade are now on exhibit in the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame.

   "This is our first Stock Show time exhibit," Jennifer Nielsen, curator, said.

   Wade has been celebrating the cowgirl spirit long before portraying the cowgirl essence in all her glory, she said.

   Twenty-five vibrantly colored pieces, spanning 25 years, were loaned from 20 museums and private collectors to comprise the exhibit. The sizes of contemporary art range from the smaller 16 inches by 24 inches Mable to the wall sized Cowgirls, which measures 47 inches by 126 inches.

   "By making them large, one can see the wonderful features of these wonderful ladies," Wade said.

   WadeÕs photoworks have evolved through the years.

   "I collect old black and white photos. I would blow up the image on linen, stretch it and apply thin coats of oil paint on the canvas," he said. "Now they are digitally printed, and I airbrush them."

   The enormous 1990 piece, Cowgirls and Harleys, was originally photographed in 1936 to promote the Texas Centennial. Cowgirls seated atop Dallas Police motorcycles posed in front of a Harley Davidson dealership.

   "The old photo comes to life. That alone is quite a thrill," he said.

   Wade, who now lives in Santa Fe, formed an interest in western lore as a child when his famous second cousin, cowboy actor Roy Rogers, would visit.

   "I was one of those people who could always draw and paint, and it has really served me well," he said.

   A former art instructor in Dallas, Waco and Denton, Wade received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Texas at Austin and a Master of Art from the University of California Berkeley.

   A photowork of RogersÕ wife, Dale Evans, and one of Gail Davis, who played televisionÕs Annie Oakley, adorn the walls of the exhibit hall. Real-life cowgirls like Ruth Roach and Fern Sawyer, as well as drugstore cowgirls posing in front of a saloon prop, also share the space.

   Collections of WadeÕs art are owned by Chase Manhattan Bank, AT&T, the Houston Museum of Art and the Austin Museum of Art. He has also done monstrous sculptures such as a 40-foot pair of cowboy boots and a 63-foot saxophone, both located in San Antonio.

   My Heroes Have Always Been Cowgirls: 25 Years of Cowgirl Photoworks by Bob Wade runs through April 13. Museum hours are Tuesday 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday noon-5 p.m.

   Admission is $6 for adults, $5 for senior citizens and $4 for students ages 6-18. Wednesdays are half-price admission.

   For more information, contact the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame at 817-336-4475.