James E. Reynolds

Reynolds, James E.
born November 9, 1926, passed away peacefully at his home in Scottsdale on February 8, 2010. He is survived by three sons: James Reynolds, 32; Chris Reynolds, 30; John Reynolds, 27 and long time companion Sheila Cottrell. A prominent Western painter for the last forty years, Jim Reynolds was known for his impressionistic paintings of the life of Old West and contemporary cowboys. His works are in museums and private collections throughout the United States. Two books showcase his work: Traildust: Cowboys, Cattle and Country: The Art of James Reynolds and the recently released The Landscapes of James Reynolds. Born in Taft, California, his early childhood led him to a love and respect of the cowboy. He spent summers at his grandmother's hotel in the old mining town of Washington, where he heard stories of the Old West and fell in love with the art of Frank Tenney Johnson. After serving in the Navy in World War II, Jim attended the Kahn Institute of Art and the School of Allied Arts in Los Angeles. He went on to work as a commercial illustrator, first in the aircraft industry and then in the movie industry. From 1954 to 1967 Jim worked on 150 films, many of them Westerns. By 1967, Jim was meeting with enough success in his painting that he left the movie industry and moved to Sedona, AZ. Joe Beeler and Charlie Dye, founding members of the Cowboy Artists of America, invited him to join their group and throughout the years exhibiting with them, he won numerous awards for his art. He was also a proud member of the National Academy of Western Artists. In 1992 at an exhibit at the (then) Cowboy Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City, OK, he became the only artist to ever sweep the awards, winning the prestigious Prix de West purchase award, the Nona Jean Hulsey Buyer's award and the Gold Medal for Best Painting. Known as an artist's artist, Jim was instrumental in helping establish the Scottsdale Artists' School, which is recognized as one of the countries foremost art schools. Claggett-Rey Gallery in Vail, Colorado represents Mr. Reynolds work. A memorial service will be held March 6, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. at the Zelma Basha Salmeri Gallery of Western American and Native American Art located at 22402 S. Basha Road, Chandler Arizona 85248. He asked that any donations be made to the National Military Family Association.