THE GATHER – A Portrait of the American West – Scott T. Baxter includes the best of several of Baxter’s fine art photography projects over the past 22 years. The exhibition is just in time for the 10th anniversary of the Arizona state centennial – at which time Baxter was recognized as an Arizona Culturekeeper for his efforts to photographically preserve Arizona’s heritage.
Featuring 160 photographs and ephemera from three major projects, 100 Years 100 Ranchers, Top Hand, and Gathering the Remnants, along with some new work, this exhibition takes viewers across the American West on an epic photographic journey.
The exhibit can be viewed at Western Spirit Scottsdale’s Museum of the West through August, 2023.
The Gather, a Rancher’s View
“As a ranch woman, this phrase conjures up images of roundup season, sitting on top of my horse and moving our cattle together from all corners of our pastures. It’s the throaty hum of the animals’ voices as they call to their calves or to one another or out into the world, seemingly saying, ‘I’m here, I’m coming. All right already.’ It’s the creak of the old cows’ bones as we let them slowly navigate themselves toward a well-worn path they know toward home. And it’s the ‘heya’ and the ‘c’mon’ we let out of our lungs as we follow the small sea of black backs, the quiet counting and calculations in our heads, our warm breath cooling down in the autumn air. It’s the swing of our leg off the saddle and the swing of the gate when they’re all in and accounted for so we can take a deep breath, put our hands on our hips and say, ‘Well, all right then…’ and move on to the sorting.” – Jessie Veeder, North Dakota Rancher