John DeMott Works

In his search to conjure up on canvas the American West during the 1850’s to the turn of the century, John DeMott does more than work from models. He stands in the path of stampeding buffalo, participates in 1880-style shoot-outs and spends time on Civil War battlefields. His style, which he calls, “historical realism,” combines Impressionism and realism, and includes wildlife, northern plains figures and other various frontier characters.

DeMott was raised on a thoroughbred racehorse ranch in Southern California and loved hanging out with cowboys. He had no formal art education and simply began painting at age ten from an art kit his family gave him. Some of his earliest marketed works were metal creations sold through Bullock’s Department Store. By 1977, however, DeMott decided to sell the metal business to his brother and devote himself to painting full-time. Early on in his new career, his favorite subject and medium was wildlife in gouache but, he quickly expanded his repertoire to include the historical American West. By the time he was 24, he had gallery representation.

In the early 1990’s, he moved to Loveland, Colorado, where he has been able to associate with many plein-air landscape artists including, Clyde Aspevig and Richard Schmid. From his studio, DeMott paints depictions of wildlife, Indians, and frontier figures in landscapes, usually working on several paintings at once, moving from one canvas to the next.

John’s work is recognized as one of the top American western painters of our time. His work can be found in private and corporate collections throughout the United States and Europe.