Determined. Dynamic. Distinguished. David Yarrow.

In a testament to his determined pursuit of photographic excellence, David Yarrow has been named among Artsy's Top Ten Most Inquired About Artists of 2024. This dynamic photographer now stands alongside art world icons including Andy Warhol, Banksy, Damien Hirst, and Pablo Picasso – a distinguished recognition that we at Sorrel Sky Gallery celebrate ... although we're not surprised!

With characteristic determination, David Yarrow maintains an unrelenting creative pace. Fresh from successful showings at Art Miami and a prestigious one-man exhibition at Sorrel Sky New York, he continues to push boundaries and seek new horizons. His dynamic approach recently took him back to the snow-covered landscapes of Telluride, Colorado, where he photographed "Yellowstone" actress Kelsey Asbille and model Josie Canseco. The shoot exemplifies Yarrow's quest for perfection, combining celebrity portraiture with his distinguished artistic story-telling vision. While in Colorado, he also revisited Durango, home to Sorrel Sky's first location. Demonstrating his methodical approach to creative planning, he laid the groundwork for additional images in his series featuring the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. 

Yarrow's approach to image-making sets him apart in the contemporary art world. Whether capturing wildlife in their natural habitats or orchestrating complex scenes with models and actors, he holds himself and his team to meticulous planning and precise execution. His work with celebrated figures such as Brooks Nader, Alessandra Ambrosio, and Cara Delevingne showcases his ability to create singular narratives that go beyond traditional photography.

Drawing inspiration from filmmakers, iconic moments, and historical events, David Yarrow's drive to achieve excellence continues to evolve. His inclusion on Artsy's prestigious list validates what we at Sorrel Sky have long recognized: David Yarrow's artistic voice and technical mastery make him one of the most important photographers in today's art world.

The partnership between David Yarrow and Sorrel Sky Gallery exemplifies what happens when determined artistic vision meets dynamic representation. The gallery's commitment to nurturing meaningful connections between artists and collectors aligns with Yarrow's approach – an authenticity perhaps best captured by Cindy Crawford's observation that Yarrow "had her at hello."

As David Yarrow's international reputation grows, Sorrel Sky's unparalleled client services continue to bring his distinguished work to an ever-expanding audience of collectors and enthusiasts. This partnership, built on shared values of excellence and authenticity, marks an exciting chapter in both the artist's career and the gallery's history – a testament to the power of determined vision, dynamic execution, and distinguished achievement.

"Established in 1885, the saloon at the New Sheridan in Telluride, Colorado plays to the lore of the loosely governed Wild West. A great deal has gone on in this building over the last 140 years and I sense that not much of it would have earned the participants an easy stairway to heaven. The irony is, that given the bar sits at an altitude of 9200 feet, the alleged climb would be considerably shorter than most. The saloon has the whiff of vice and is probably all the better for it. It was a place where only four generations ago, saloon girls and grizzly gold prospectors bettered each other’s lives night after night.

In 1889, just one building down from the New Sheridan saloon, Butch Cassidy staged his first bank robbery. He and three mates ran off with $31,000 from the San Miguel Valley Bank - a load of cash in those days. There were no lawmen in sight, it was very much The Wild West.

In my giddy Western revisionism, I always demand strong faces and this tableau is a narrow smorgasbord of Western archetypes. The calculus involved in the casting and then the composition of that cast in a single vignette is vital if we are to pay effective homage to famous saloons such as the New Sheridan. It is a good canvas on which to tell stories.

Attention to detail in placing cast members is the epicentre of what we do and I think we have learnt from our many mistakes over the years. Everyone in this photograph has earned their place at the table and what a good dinner table that would be. There would be little in the way of moral compass, but there would be a dogged determination and a pursuit of the American dream. There is much to applaud in those attributes.

This was my first time working with Kelsey Asbille - a key cast member in the iconic Yellowstone series and a delightful and down-to-earth actress. She brought great energy to the set as well as her South Carolina charm and many stories of the excellence of Taylor Sheridan’s direction. I was keen not to be seen as a regression and that was a tough order. Kelsey knows the camera well and the camera loves her. Her eyes were my single point of focus and I asked her to look untamed. She delivered that look for sure as, indeed, did everyone else.

I want to thank Ray Farnsworth - the proud owner of the New Sheridan Hotel and its famous saloon - for hosting our crew and looking after us all so well.

Do stay there: the staff are delightful; the food is excellent and it is no longer untamed." — David Yarrow

"The main street in Telluride looking west towards the colossal mountain that will bully it forever, is one of America’s great visual overloads. That is why every year hundreds of thousands of tourists stand where I knelt to take a picture. Like the Grand Canyon and Monument Valley, it is a ground zero for selfies and maybe the location deserves a little better. It should elicit not just our phone’s attention, but a deep respect for Americana and the Final Frontier. The fact that 150 years ago a village was built up here at 9,000 feet in Box Canyon is a telling insight into the determination of the first settlers.

I have filmed on Main Street a few times, but never with a car and I sensed that there could be potential to tell a period story. In my creative processing, I built in a few key components: a classic car; an empty and snow-caked street with no signs of modernity, and a model whose styling played to the era of the car. If that was not greedy enough, I needed my wolf - Klondike. I wanted parody as well as glamour.

Closing down that street is not easy and I am hugely appreciative of the Mayor of Telluride - Teddy Errico - and his staff for their support on 14th December 2024. Without the film permit, the road closure, and the parking restrictions, there was no picture.

But the best photographs always come down to the last 1% and on this occasion, the key 1% was just luck. The early morning temperature, on that one morning when we were permitted to close the street and bring in my cast, led by the beautiful Josie Canseco, turned out to be the coldest of the winter so far and that changed every visual dynamic. At dawn, it was only about 10 °F and the extreme cold amplified the heavy exhaust fumes from the 1955 Austin Healey. This offered an opportunity to isolate the model from the backdrop and elevate the photograph. It was not something that I had considered in my planning, but I will most certainly take it." — David Yarrow