Contemporary Art with a Cowboy Flare: Casper artist blends unique bold style with timeless Western tradition
For Casper native and renowned Western Artist Anna Lynne Hansen, art has been deeply engraved into who she is for as long as she can remember.
In fact, one of her earliest memories of drawing dates back to when she was just three years old – long before she ever picked up a paintbrush with serious intention.
“My dad found his first Bible – the one he had when I was little – and he showed me a drawing I did in it when I was three. I instantly remembered drawing Jesus for him,” she shares.
Today, Anna is known for her striking, signature style – a unique blend of modern pop art with a timeless Western influence.
Scratching the art itch
While growing up, art remained a central part of Anna’s life. She fondly recalls art being her favorite class throughout elementary school and an elective she pursued in high school whenever she had the chance.
As a young artist, Anna showed early promise, obtaining several scholarships to credited art institutions upon graduating from high school. However, like many creatives, she was strongly urged to pursue a more “practical” path.
“I bit the big lie by counselors that art was just a hobby I could do alongside a ‘real career,’ so I started college down a road without art in it,” Anna admits. “Two years later, while I was in college, I met my husband and jumped on the wagon of quitting a degree that didn’t fulfill me.”
Instead, Anna got married and started her family – a move she found deeply fulfilling – and while her children remained her top priority, she found herself picking up graphite, charcoal or pen and ink whenever the opportunity arose.
When her youngest child left for school, Anna found she had more time to focus on her art more intentionally.
“I found that art ‘itch’ that needed scratched and I decided to paint,” she says.
Defining her unique style
In returning to her craft, Anna experimented with a wide variety of mediums and techniques in search of what felt most natural. She eventually found her stride with acrylics, although she still likes to work with charcoal, graphite and pen and ink every once in a while.
“I found acrylics work best with who I am,” she shares. “I like the creative freedom to continue as long as I feel inspired without having to wait for layers of paint to dry.”
Today, Anna’s work stands out for its bold, distinctive style, which she describes as a form of pop art with Western flare.
Her use of bold shapes, strong contrast and intentional simplicity allow viewers to engage with each of her pieces in a more personal way.
“The contemporary bold shapes and images allow the mind to tap into the imagination to fill in the gaps of detail,” she states. “A lot of my paintings are in black and white, because I feel black and white is timeless, just like the Western way of life. It tells a story.”
When she does incorporate color, it’s with purpose – often vivid and expressive to add another layer of emotion to the piece.
Making a statement, capturing emotion
Whether bold and monochromatic or colorful and vibrant, Anna’s work leans more toward what she calls “collective art” than purely decorative pieces.
“It evokes emotion, and it makes a statement,” she says, noting her strongest inspiration is and always has been human subjects – especially those with ties to the culture of the American West.
“The Western culture is timeless and one that is part of our heritage here in Wyoming,” she adds. “The cowboys from hundreds of years ago look like the ones today – a rugged way of life that carries a certain charm.”
Horses and livestock also play a central role in her compositions, although they are often depicted as partners in a shared way of life, rather than simply just animals.
“Part of the adventurous spirit we carry here in the West are the horses and animals that come with this way of life,” Anna states. “There is a pairing and partnership accompanying cowboys and cowgirls with their horse. It’s a magical scene even Hollywood tries to capture.”
In addition, Anna also draws inspiration from the wide-open landscapes and natural beauty of the state she calls home, of which she speaks with humble gratitude for.
“I’m in love with our beautiful state of Wyoming and so thankful it is my home,” she says. “There are familiar scenes that become a core memory and a way that makes us who we are. There’s a sense of pride being a part of this, and it’s an honor to capture it.”
Anna also notes she likes the freedom of painting on big canvases.
“I feel claustrophobic on a small area,” she says. “I love the freedom to paint big.”
Moving forward with enthusiasm
When it comes to the obstacles she has had to overcome to get to where she is today, Anna admits her greatest challenges have been inward.
“The feeling and thoughts of not measuring up and comparing myself to other artists have been my greatest challenges,” she says. “The challenge I believe we all have is to find out what our talent is and run with it. There are endless techniques and styles in art and to find the one that flows out of and reflects us can be a struggle, but when you find it, it’s easy to love what you do.”
Despite these bumps in the road, Anna has had a highly successful career. Among her many accolades, however, she is quick to point to her family as her greatest accomplishment.
“My kids are my life, and I’m so proud to be their mom,” she says. “The four of them and my husband are my biggest cheerleaders.”
With their steady support and her own can-do attitude, Anna’s creative drive shows no signs of slowing down. She paints every day to scratch the “itch” and to create the scenes she has floating around in her head, moving from one idea to the next with unwavering enthusiasm.
For more information on Anna Lynne Art, visit annalynneart.com/.
Hannah Bugas is the managing editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.
