Doug Monson - Western Charcoal Artist

A Charcoal Artist in Wyoming Preserving the Spirit of the American West

Western Art That Comes From Experience, Not Interpretation

There’s a noticeable difference between Western art made from observation and Western art made from experience. The best work doesn’t try to explain the West. It comes from living in it.

Doug Monson’s charcoal drawings aren’t romanticized versions of cowboy life. They carry the weight of real work—long days, unpredictable conditions, and a deep familiarity with cattle, horses, and the land itself.

That’s something I’ve seen again and again while photographing ranches across the West. The people who live this life don’t exaggerate it. And the artists closest to it don’t either.

A Chance Encounter With a Western Charcoal Atist

It’s always amazing how the universe brings people together. During a trip to Jackson Hole I was on a big gallery kick and spent quite some time taking in the top tier art that Jackson’s galleries have to offer. After the trip was over I began the drive back home. At the time I was living in San Diego and decided on a route that happened to go through Afton, WY - home of the Western Skies Fine Art - a gallery I had no knowledge of. Still having a thirst for art though, I popped in and was greeted by the owner Doug Monson He showed me around the gallery and his breathtaking studio upstairs. Next thing you know, I pulled the camera gear out of the track and was photographing Doug at work. Prior to that day I never even knew who Monson was. It was a pleasure spending time with him though. He’s a talented artist and a hell of a nice guy.

Why Wyoming Still Matters for Western Artists

Wyoming holds onto something a lot of places have already let go. There’s still space. Still working ranches. Still a culture that hasn’t been completely reshaped for an audience.

For artists—whether working in charcoal, photography, or anything else—that matters.

It means the subject isn’t manufactured. You’re not documenting a version of the West built for tourists. You’re seeing something that still functions the way it always has.

That’s why so much of my own work continues to bring me back to places like this.

Documenting the Same World Through Photography

While Monson works in charcoal, the intent overlaps closely with what I’ve been building through photography. For the past several years, I’ve been documenting working cowboys across the American West—on ranches where traditions like branding, roping, and horsemanship are still part of daily life. It’s not staged. It’s not styled. It’s not built for content. It’s just the work, as it happens. That same honesty is what makes both forms of work resonate. Whether it’s a drawing or a photograph, the goal is the same: create something that holds up over time because it’s rooted in reality.

The Importance of Western Crafts and Artists

There’s a broader ecosystem around cowboy culture that often gets overlooked — Saddle makers. Rawhide braiders. Bootmakers. And artists like this one working in charcoal.

These aren’t separate from Wester culture—they’re part of it. And as fewer people continue these traditions, documenting them becomes more important. Not in a nostalgic way. In a factual one. Because once these skills disappear, they don’t come back.

Collecting Authentic Western Art and Photography

For collectors, there’s a difference between work that references the West and work that comes directly out of it.

That difference shows up over time.

It’s in the details. The restraint. The lack of exaggeration.

Whether it’s a charcoal drawing or a photograph, the strongest pieces tend to be the ones that don’t try too hard. They just reflect what’s there.

If you’re interested in collecting work like this, it’s worth paying attention to where it comes from—and who made it.

A Larger Project Documenting the American West

This visit is part of a much larger body of work focused on documenting the people, places, and traditions that still define the American West.

It’s taken me across ranches in multiple states, often working in remote environments where this way of life still operates largely unchanged.

If you’re interested in seeing more:

Charcoal artist Doug Monson at work in his studio at the Western Skies Gallery in Afton, Wyoming

Charcoal artist Doug Monson at work in his daylight studio

A western charcoal artist drawing a cowboy

Monson drawing a cowboy with charcoal on paper

Portrait of a Western charcoal artist

Portrait of artist Doug Monson

Western charcoal artist Doug Monson working on a drawing at the Western Skies Gallery

Doug Monson at work on a drawing in the Western Skies Gallery

Black and white photograph of a Western artist in his studio surrounded by drawings and art supplies

Doug Monson surrounded by art in his studio


American Road Trip

Road Trip Photography - America - Open Road

Winter is such a special time in the West. Especially if you’re lucky enough to be in it when a massive snowstorm hits. Such was the case this past week in Wyoming where the snow never seemed to stop. I drove up there to do some shooting and for a backcountry snowboarding hut trip in the Tetons. Jackson Hole and the surrounding area never disappoint in the snow category. Snowboarding is my “selfish time”, meaning I generally put the camera away and just ride, so there are no images of powder to share. However, the image below made in Afton, Wyoming is a great example of the odd things you see while on the road that are only made possible by the hand of mother nature.

Winter in Afton, Wyoming