George Phippen Studio Replica & Gallery

Naming the museum after George Phippen was a natural choice due to his inspirational character, artistic talent and influence on art of the West. His recognition as a co-founder and first president of the Cowboy Artists of America were also contributing factors. But the fact is, George was a born Western artist.

From the earliest age, he could be found creating scenes of cattle drives on the chalkboard of his one-room schoolhouse, or molding livestock from the clay he scrounged from the banks of a nearby creek. Later, after serving in the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression, George was inducted into the Army as a photographer and cartographer for Coast Artillery. But his passion for art was unwavering and, although he was unsuccessful, he sought to become a combat artist, submitting his illustrations to the Army’s Yank Magazine.

By the time World War II ended, George had married Louise Goble and was raising young sons. The fledging family bounced around the southwest for a time but soon found Prescott, Arizona to be the best fit. Louise made a deal with George that as long as they could keep a one-month supply of food in the cupboard, he could pursue art as a full-time career.

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That was all he needed to hear.  George soon secured a contract with a gallery in Houston for his oil paintings, but continued to supplement his small income by illustrating cards, stationery, calendars and articles for wildlife and horse magazines. Depicting real life situations required him to research the facts and pay extremely close attention to detail. This was incredibly important to George who once noted that the compliments he appreciated the most throughout his career came from those who knew the details and said he got it right. In addition to his unwavering commitment to accuracy, he also developed the ability to capture just the right moment in a story with crisp action and a perspective that would bring a smile to the observer.

Ultimately, it was George’s keen sense of humor and lighthearted nature that endeared him to others. He brought that aspect of his personality to his artwork which transcended the Western art genre and illustrated a basic commonality among men. He provides an everyman perspective that lets viewers share the humor in an otherwise bad situation and see a side of the American West that is both accurate and relatable.

Despite the title, Cowboy in a Storm isn’t about weather, it’s about the unpredictable situations a working cowboy can suddenly find himself in. For George Phippen, a “storm” could just as easily be a moment of chaos: a dog darting after a cat, a spooked horse, or a calf getting underfoot.

Phippen explored these kinds of moments through his sketches, using graphite and charcoal to play with movement, timing, and just how much action to include. Some drawings push the humor of the situation, while others lean into its tension, as he worked toward the right balance.

Watercolor studies allowed him to further shape the scene, refining how the figures relate to one another. In the final sculpture, that moment comes into focus—a rider working to manage his horse while a calf tangles at its feet. This is also an example of how long an idea can take to work through. One of the sketches was created in 1946, however the sculpture was created on the 1960s. What began as a loose idea becomes a carefully composed snapshot of both the challenge and character of cowboy life.
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In 2018, this composition took on an even larger presence when a monumental version was unveiled at the Phippen Trail and Highway 89 roundabout, honoring the artist’s legacy. The original work was enlarged by Debbie Gessner and cast by Bronzesmith Foundry. The casting was done in 65 separate pieces which were later welded together. There was a special up-close unveiling on March 26th at the Prescott Courthouse Plaza during the Phippen Museum’s 44th annual Western Art Show & Sale. The project was made possible through the support of many in the local art community, including the Prescott Area Art Trust, Ed and Kathy Reilly of Bronzesmith Fine Art Foundry, sculptor Debbie Gesser and donations from the Harold James Family Trust, Jim Chamberlain of Sun State Builders, and the City of Prescott.