Additional Information
Provenance:
Private collection, Arizona
Laying a Heel Trap was created in 1973, the year Bill Owen was voted into the Cowboy Artists of America, a group he would serve in and lead for four decades. The Arizona-based artist was celebrated not only for his paintings but also his sculpture work—founders Joe Beeler, George Phippen and Johnny Hampton were also artists who worked in paint and clay. Owen’s sculpture career would end in 1989 after a rodeo accident made him blind in one eye. Donning an eyepatch after his accident, Owen didn’t miss a beat and continued painting to great acclaim. The title of the painting refers to a type of throw used in roping cattle—many riders use a heel trap, or a sweeping scoop maneuver to rope the rear legs of a cow.