Artist's rodeo roots enhance his work

Dyrk Godby has led a most remarkable life in his beloved West. From saddle bronc and bull riding, to amateur boxing, oil painting, songwriting and custom leatherwork, Godby has done it, seen it, or sang it, following his dreams to etch out a rich life. 

"I grew up in southern Idaho on a horse ranch where we raised and showed quarter horses and paints," he said. "I used to rodeo ever since I was six, all through high school, college, and the pro circuit at Cheyenne, Salinas and Pendleton. I had a band back then and was doing some singing and rodeoing. Horses were always a part of my life, and I was lucky enough to be near some legendary horse trainers like Ray Hunt and Tom Dorrance, who revolutionized natural horsemanship."

In 1981, Godby's world changed forever when he drew a wild horse named Jack The Knife in a saddle bronc class at an event in Albuquerque.

"He broke my leg real bad. He was out of South Dakota and wasn't even a famous horse or anything," he recalled. "But it was a career-ending injury, and I had to lay around for two years, and so I started doing some painting. After that I went and took art classes in college and went to some art shows to develop myself. I still had horses off and on at the time but mostly focused on my painting these past 20 years." 

Godby's paintings depict the rugged individualism of the modern cowboy and his equine partner, instilled with an expert eye for detail and vibrancy of color that seems illuminated from within each canvas.

"I first did pencil drawings, and then got into oil paintings," Godby said. "I do three or four paintings a year and enjoy doing the extreme details. I always loved to see every little vein and muscle in the horse and the look in their eye. I could never do the loose, Impressionistic style. I spent some time with a few famous Western artists in Texas and Nevada and California and that guided me toward my own style. I just do it from my heart; I don't know any other way to do it." 

But it was his obsession for boxing that led him to his other great passion, his wife, Kanoe, whom he's known most of his life.

"I was trying to make the 1976 Olympic team and moved to Portland where there was a great boxing coach, Ed Milberger. I had 104 amateur fights in the middleweight class and even went to the Pan American Game trials in 1979 but didn't make the team. Then I tried again for the 1980 Olympics but the United States didn't go and boycotted those games. So I was out at Richard Schrake's barn when I met Kanoe. Schrake was one of the leading horse trainers at the time, and I was working for him and boxing every night. She was there showing quarter horses in reining and Western pleasure classes at the time."

The pair eventually married.

Horses are still involved in his life, and many of his landscapes and portrait ideas come from frequent trips he takes to friends' ranches. Godby came to live in Sisters seven years ago and had spent time here in the '70s when he was younger.

"The world champion bull rider lived out in Redmond at the time, John Quintana, and I stayed with him for a while to learn about bulls," said Godby. "Quintana was the last cowboy to ever ride the mighty Tornado before he was retired. I've always loved the Sisters area, it's a wonderful place for art and music, and seeing that gorgeous view every morning when I get up, there's nothing like it."

Godby still dabbles in music a bit, and you might catch him up at Aspen Lakes on summer evenings or around town doing a private gig.

"I got three songs in an independent movie coming out called Soda Springs, with Jay Pickett and Tom Skerritt, that was filmed in Idaho, where I grew up. A friend of mine in Hollywood wrote a script and got it made. Music has taken me to some mighty fine places. I got to tour with Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings a bit before they passed. I never had a real job, and I'm still playing around with music and

painting."

Godby's artwork hangs at the prestigious John Ford Clymer Museum in Ellensburg, Washington, right now and many of his signature cowboys and ranchers riding the range can be seen in downtown Sisters at Sisters Coffee Company, Los Agaves Mexican Grill and Three Ponies Saddle Shop.

He credits the extraordinary tides of his life to his strong religious faith and following its many gifts.

"The most important thing in my life is God and how he's been with me every step of the way," he said. "I just try to paint what He created, which is hard to do because he's really good at it. In my life I've always tried to learn and was very fortunate to surround myself with some really good people. My deep love of horses took me to it all. I just have the best life in the world."

For more information visit http://www.dyrkgodby.com.