Russ Vickers (1923 – 1997)


Russ Vickers Museum Collections

 

Russ Vickers, Just to Make Matters Worse, Oil on Canvas Board, 1978, 4.5" x 6.5"

Russ Vickers, Just to Make Matters Worse, Oil on Canvas Board, 1978, 4.5″ x 6.5″

Russ Vickers is known for his traditional, realistic paintings of Old West scenes.

Russ Vickers, Rattler, Oil on Canvas Board, 1978, 4.5" x 6.5"

Russ Vickers, Rattler, Oil on Canvas Board, 1978, 4.5″ x 6.5″

Vickers was born in Paris, Texas, the son of a horse trader. He served in the Marines during World War II and worked as a combat artist during the Korean War. After his military service, Vickers worked as a technical illustrator for the aerospace industry in Los Angeles for twenty years.

Russ Vickers, The Stage From Wickenburg, Oil on Canvas Board, 1978, 4.5" x 12.5"

Russ Vickers, The Stage From Wickenburg, Oil on Canvas Board, 1978, 4.5″ x 12.5″

Vickers was mostly self-taught but did take the Famous Artists School correspondence course in 1970. After that time he began showing his paintings in Sedona, Arizona, and devoted himself to easel painting after moving to Tempe, Arizona in 1973. Several of his paintings were used in the opening and closing credits of the 1970 John Wayne movie, Chisum.

Russ Vickers, The Wild One, Oil on Canvas Board, 1978, 4.5" x 12.5"

Russ Vickers, The Wild One, Oil on Canvas Board, 1978, 4.5″ x 12.5″

Russ Vickers, Don't Leave Them Horses Too Close, Oil on Canvas Board, 1978, 4.5" x 12.5"

Russ Vickers, Don’t Leave Them Horses Too Close, Oil on Canvas Board, 1978, 4.5″ x 12.5″

Russ Vickers, Let's Go Home Baldy, Oil on Canvas Board, 1978, 4.5" x 6.5"

Russ Vickers, Let’s Go Home Baldy, Oil on Canvas Board, 1978, 4.5″ x 6.5″

Russ Vickers, The Wagon Yard, Oil on Canvas Board, 1978, 4.5" x 6.5"

Russ Vickers, The Wagon Yard, Oil on Canvas Board, 1978, 4.5″ x 6.5″