riders in the storm

Six cowboys thunder across the open plain in Mark Maggiori's "Riders in the Storm," their horses stretched into a full gallop as if the weather itself were chasing them. Above, enormous storm clouds tower and swell, a wall of gray and white that dwarfs the tiny figures below. Warm light spills across the green grass and catches on the riders' hats and jackets, a last bright moment before the sky opens up. The contrast between that glowing foreground and the brooding heavens gives the whole scene a sense of hurry and drama.

Born in France, Maggiori found his calling in the landscapes and legends of the American West and has spent his career painting them. His path was an unusual one, since he played in a rock band before picking up serious painting, and he builds many of his works from photographs of real cowboys and real skies. The influence of classic Western artists like Frederic Remington and Charles Russell runs through his work, though his crisp detail and love of dramatic weather feel very much his own. Big, moody skies have become his trademark, and this 2010 painting shows exactly why they turn simple ranch scenes into something that feels larger than life.