Marian Cobbett Untitled Pastel Drawing of Buffalo Dancer [SOLD]

This untitled drawing was created by New Mexico artist Marian Cobbett.  It was completed in oil pastel on paper, and it features a Pueblo Buffalo Dancer.  Cobbett’s dancer faces just past the viewer’s right, carrying a bow and rattle as he performs his dance.  He is rich in texture and detail, and his movements feel realistic.  The artist’s respect for her subject is evident in this strong, sensitive depiction.

Cobbett’s palette of autumnal orange, brown, and yellow tones is immensely appealing, particularly in the areas in which the colors are blended. When combined, they form a rich, unique red with compelling depth and a constantly shifting texture.  Elsewhere, touches of purple and white appear, balancing out the image’s darker colors and adding energy to the scene.  There is no landscape or environment included here, just a wispy black shadow being cast onto otherwise invisible earth.  This decision was a wise one, as it encourages the viewer to focus attention on this excellent Buffalo Dancer’s performance.

The drawing is signed M. Cobbett in lower right.  It is framed beautifully, under multiple layers of colored matting in a textured wood frame.

Marian Cobbett (1929-1996) spent most of her adult life in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and received a degree from the University of New Mexico in 1951.  She became a full-time painter in 1968 and taught art classes at the Albuquerque Institute of Art in 1975.  She specialized in painting Indian dancers and dances.  She said that "The color and pageantry of the dances at the Rio Grande Pueblos fascinate and delight me.  I have studied them for years.  I try to share the beauty and excitement with those who view my work."

Condition: very good condition

Provenance: this Marian Cobbett Untitled Pastel Drawing of Buffalo Dancer is from the collection of a gentleman from Santa Fe

Recommended Reading: Dunbier, Lonnie Pierson (Editor) “The Artists Bluebook 34,000 North American Artists to March 2005”

Relative Links: Albuquerque, New Mexico, Western Art, Marian Cobbett