"1915 Las Vegas Cowboy Reunion" Elaine Querry

"1915 Las Vegas Cowboy Reunion" Elaine Querry. Archival fine art print.  11" x 37.5" framed size.  UV glass spacers in black wood frame.

This panorama represents a gathering in 1915 when some ranchers, stockmen and cowboys got together and decided to put on a reunion for cowboys to celebrate their way of life. This was a huge event & lasted from 1915-1931 & off and on from 1939 until 1967. The year 2015 marked the centennial of the Las Vegas, NM Cowboys’ Reunion.  

This image is a part of that rich history. This Panorama and others gathered, scanned and restored for the centennial were the record of the day & the photographers captured the feel & excitement of the event. Getting a line up must have been a challenge but as you can see it did work & it looks like they had a grand time.

Fine-art photographer Elaine Querry located originals housed in private collections, scanned them, restored the files and printed the panoramas. And these restored images are for sale.  

Pictured in this very first Las Vegas Cowboy Reunion Panorama are, from left the first cowgirl is “Prairie Rose” Henderson, the third cowgirl is “Montana Bell,” the long-haired showman in center is “Idaho Bill” Pearson (stock contractor for the rodeo), third to the right of Pearson is Walt Naylor (big light-colored hat), next is “Tex” Austin (big black hat), then Jim Whitmore. Fifth cowboy from the right side in black hat is G.M. “Butch” Jones.  Seated in front with megaphone is announcer “Foghorn” Clancy.  Jones, Naylor, Whitmore & Austin were four of the original founders of the Cowboys’ Reunions.

Original photograph credited to Rex Morrison of Rex Studio, Las Vegas, NM.

I am a fourth generation New Mexican. I was encouraged from an early age to look closely at my surroundings. My grandparents operated a cattle ranch outside of Santa Rosa, New Mexico, where daily life involved a balance of good times, hardships, happiness, and hard work. It was my grandfather who made me see things in a different way. He would look around the land, at the animals, or the skies, spot something to show me, and say, “Isn’t that a picture!”

I’ve been a working photographer most of my life. First as a newspaper photographer/photojournalist and then as a fine art/freelance photographer, photo restorer, and frame shop specialist.

As an artist, I am an observer—detail, composition and shadow make up the foundation of my work. And my work is to make photographs . . . to convey images and, ultimately, to fix shadows. And to restore historic images to be viewed, appreciated, and re-discovered.

I work in a variety of photographic processes—digital, traditional black and white, cyanotypes, van dykes, lumens, and transfers.  I also paint some of my black and white images, and manipulate some of my digital images. I like to be challenged in my work and in doing my art—I never know what might happen.

Along with my husband, Ron—an internationally-published novelist— I am privileged to live in a 125-year-old Victorian house in Las Vegas, New Mexico.

Currently, I am creating several murals of historic images for the Plaza Hotel Bar in Las Vegas, NM. It involves finding, gaining permissions, scanning and restoring the files of the many images. The murals will be 47” high and cover two 17’ walls and one 31’ wall with 5 vents.

From 2012-2015 I worked on locating, scanning and restoring scanned files of historic cowboy panoramas relating to Las Vegas, NM, and cowboys from Las Vegas, NM. The dates of these images ranged from 1915-1940’s. I digitally restored and printed 12 panoramas from Las Vegas and about 6 from other early rodeos. I also restored other historic images from this era. These were exhibited (along with other memorabilia I located) at Highlands University’s Ray Drew Gallery for the Las Vegas NM Cowboys Reunion Centennial in 2015. 

Examples of my work—may be seen by appointment at my Las Vegas studio, 505-366-1961, or at www.elainequerry.com

All rights belonging to the holder of the copyright, including the reproduction rights, shall remain with the Artist.

In the event transportation of a purchased item is required, arrangements and direct billing will be handled outside the auction venue.