Meet Kim Trickey | Western Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kim Trickey and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kim, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I wanted a business that I could do from home because I had 4 small children to raise and we lived 30 miles from the nearest small town on a large cattle ranch. I had a degree in Art and loved painting and drawing, so I knew I could do it from home and travel to art shows when I needed to.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Trying to have any career with a husband and children is never easy. I did not want someone else to raise my kids and yet I needed to do art! I worked hard to blend the two without taking away from either . It was quite a balancing act sometimes, but with the support of my husband I was able to pursue my artistic ambitions and enjoy my family and ranch work as well. When I began doing western art it was realitively new to the art world. My college teachers were not fans of western art. The Cowboy Artists of America had just started gaining a following and selling western art at high prices. Traveling to Art Shows and competitions was pretty hard from our isolated part of the county. Often I’d take the youngest with me and my husband would keep the other three. That meant they went to work with Dad all day or he had to drive them 30 miles into school and pick them up from ball practice or whatever they had going on at the time. It took a lot of sacrifice for both to us.
We’ve spent a lifetime working together horseback and carrying kids along whatever we were doing. It wasn’t easy but it was a great way to raise a family and I always had endless material to work from.

to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
We live in a beautiful little mountain community called Nutrioso now. A very small town in the White Mountains of Arizona. I would take my friend on a beautiful, scenic horseback ride on the mountain somewhere and show them Elk and Deer and the largest Ponderosa Pine forest in the United States. We would probably go eat a Molly Butlers in Greer, Arizona for dinner one evening. Even though it would be a drive of about 30 miles, it would be worth it for the rustic charm and world class food served there! Their prime rib and Mud pie are legendary! At some point I’d want to show them the Casa Malapai Indian ruins and the dinosaur exhibit in town. Lunch at the Trail Riders restaurant would be a must to give them a sample of real Mexican food! We would probably take a day to fish in one of the many great fishing spots on our mountain, and maybe a hike up the Mount Baldy Trail or up Escudilla Mountain. Depending on the time of year we could watch a local roping or rodeo. Maybe a ball game or a parade.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Most of my best advice and help came from other artists that I met along the way at Art Shows and Exhibitions. I took classes at the Scottsdale Artists School from Robert Shufelt (Shoofly). His art was a great inspiration to me. There were many others that gave me tips and advice as well. Russell Houston was a fellow artist and an inspiration. We traveled to several shows together and also attended a Cowboy Artists of America workshop in West Yellowstone, Montana along with his wonderful wife Kristi. My best and most loyal supporter has always been my husband, Macky. He always encouraged me. He made sure I could finish college after we were married with a baby and has always had my back. He put up with me always carrying a baby and a camera while we were working cattle and riding on the ranch. Most of my favorite pictures are from my own life experiences on that ranch and the friends and neighbors we worked alongside.

Website: www.kimtrickey.com

Instagram: @kimtrickeyart or Trickeyranch

Facebook: Kim Trickey