Douglas Denniston

Horse and Boy, Modernist Abstracted Figural Watercolor in Pink, Blue, and Yellow

1945

This vintage original modernist watercolor painting by Alfred Wands (1904-1998) depicts a captivating scene of horses attached to a carriage with buildings in the background. The com...

'Ethel, The Blue Spotted Cow' is an oil on board vibrant folk art painting by Marin Saldana with colorful cattle, birds, and cowboys with a blue sky with clouds and airplanes. Presented in a custom frame with all archival materials, outer dimensions measure 40 ¼ x 50 ¼ inches. Image measures 29 x 39 inches. About the Artist: Born on December 11, 1874, at Rancho Nuevo, 40 miles north of San Luis Potosí, Mexico, Martin Saldaña’s life began humbly on a family ranch established by his grandfather. His father, a cattle dealer, raised nine children, and though Martin was the smallest in the family, he overcame the odds to live a remarkable life. From a young age, he worked on the ranch, caring for pigs at age 8 and joining his brothers on horseback at age 10 to help herd cattle. He had a fondness for gardening, managing a large flower garden on the ranch by the time he was 15. Resourceful and driven, Martin sold wood to fund his trip to San Antonio, where he found better-paying work picking cotton. After saving $350, Saldaña traveled to Tampico, Mexico, where he worked as a stoker on a ship, enduring the physically grueling job of shoveling coal while standing in water all day. Using his earnings, he and a few companions pooled their money to purchase mules, enabling them to peddle dishes to women in the mountainous regions near the mining town of Pacuoco. His time there was marked by danger, as mountain lions roamed the area—he recalled seeing the bodies of four men who had fallen victim to the wild cats. To avoid a similar fate, Martin and his companions built large fires at night for protection. Saldaña's adventurous spirit led him to work as a cook on a fishing boat, where he narrowly escaped drowning after falling between the boat and the pier. His cooking career took him across the United States, from Alabama to Kentucky and Tennessee, where he worked in various restaurants, including Italian and Greek establishments. In Tennessee, he was captivated by the sight of waitresses in white silk dresses—a memory that would later influence his art. In 1912, Saldaña arrived in Denver, Colorado, where he found work as a cook at the Sisters of Mercy Hospital. In 1915, he began a long career as a cook at the Brown Palace Hotel, a Denver landmark, where he worked for decades. By 1950, at the age of 76, Saldaña had saved enough to afford his own room nearby. It was then, in an unexpected twist, that he was invited to join a children's watercolor class at the Denver Art Museum. Embraced by both the children and their teacher, Saldaña discovered a passion for painting. Encouraged by this new creative outlet, he enrolled in art classes at the Emily Griffith School of Opportunity, where he studied under Lester Bridaham. Bridaham became Saldaña’s mentor, patron, and biggest advocate, buying every painting the artist created. He helped promote Saldaña's work in galleries and museums around the world. In 1953, Life magazine published an article titled “An Old Cook’s New Art,” celebrating Saldaña’s unexpected artistic journey. Saldaña only painted for the last 15 years of his life, working primarily from memory and imagination. His paintings, often depicting scenes from his childhood in San Luis Potosí, showcased ranch life, vibrant landscapes, animals, and his beloved flower garden. His bold use of color and geometric forms echoed the tapestry traditions of his Mexican heritage. Despite a relatively brief painting career, Saldaña completed a new work every three days and left behind a significant body of work. Saldaña passed away on September 5, 1965, at the age of 91. His legacy endures through his distinctive and heartfelt paintings, which are held in major collections including the Denver Art Museum, the University of Wyoming Art Museum, the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, the International Folk Art Museum, Neuss in Aberthaw Museum (London), and the Stedelijk Museum (Amsterdam). ©David Cook Galleries...

A vintage, dramatic scene of the rigorous sport of steeplechasing by artist Benton Henderson Clark (American, 1895-1964). Signed and dated lower right "Benton Clark 1945." Presented ...

A fine impressionist watercolor painting of a horse and rider by American artist Paul Sample (1896-1974). Sample was born in Louisville, Kentucky and went to school at Dartmouth Coll...