History Gets a Plot Twist - Thom Ross

What if everything you thought you knew about the American West was just the opening chapter of a much more complex story?

Picture this: You're standing in front of what looks like a traditional Western painting, but something feels different. The heroes aren't quite so heroic. The villains aren't clearly defined. The story you've been told your whole life suddenly has layers you never noticed before. Welcome to the world of Thom Ross—the artist who's been quietly revolutionizing how we see American history, one brushstroke at a time.

This October, we're beyond excited to present "Reimagining the West: The Historical Visions of Thom Ross"—a solo exhibition that will challenge everything you think you know about folk heroes, legendary battles, and the myths that built America.

Born in San Francisco in 1952, Thom Ross didn't set out to become history's most intriguing critic. But sometimes the best revelations happen when you're not looking for them. In 1976, while attending the centennial commemoration of the Battle of Little Bighorn, something clicked for Ross. He realized that the stories we tell about our past aren't just entertainment—they're the foundation of who we think we are as a nation.

"My love of history, my enjoyment in story-telling, and my passion for painting supplies as much in artistic enjoyment as it does in the contemplation of history and the people and events which shaped it," Ross explains. But here's the thing that makes him special: he's not content to just retell the same old stories. He's digging deeper, asking harder questions, and painting the answers with stunning complexity.

Ross isn't your typical Western artist painting romantic sunsets and noble cowboys. This is an artist who created a life-sized installation at the actual Little Bighorn battlefield site, complete with warriors and horses positioned exactly where the real battle unfolded. His "Custer's Last Stand" (2005) doesn't just depict history—it resurrects it, forcing viewers to confront the reality of what happened there.

And that's just the beginning. Ross created "The Catch"—a celebrated diorama for the Baseball Hall of Fame that captures one of the sport's most legendary moments. But whether he's working on baseball history or frontier battles, Ross brings the same unflinching eye for complexity and nuance.

"Reimagining the West" presents Ross's newest works, and trust us when we say they're going to spark some conversations. These aren't paintings that let you admire and move on. They're visual interrogations that ask: What if the folk heroes had flaws? What if the villains had reasons? What if the real story is messier, more human, and infinitely more interesting than the myths we've inherited?

Each piece in the exhibition demonstrates Ross's remarkable ability to bridge past and present, creating art that feels both historically grounded and urgently contemporary. In an era when we're re-examining many of our national narratives, Ross's work provides a masterclass in how to look at history with both respect and critical thinking.

Here's your chance to meet the man behind these thought-provoking works. Join us for the opening reception on Friday, November 7th, from 5-7 p.m., where you'll have the opportunity to chat with Ross about his creative process, his historical perspectives, and what it's like to be an artist who makes people rethink everything they thought they knew.

The exhibition runs through November 30th, giving you plenty of time to revisit these works and discover new details with each viewing. (And trust us, you'll want to come back—Ross's paintings reveal new layers every time you look at them.)

In a world where historical narratives are being questioned and re-examined everywhere from classrooms to museums, Thom Ross's work feels especially relevant. He's not trying to tear down history—he's trying to understand it more completely. His paintings don't offer easy answers; they offer better questions.

This is art that respects the complexity of human experience while refusing to accept oversimplified versions of our past. It's visual storytelling that acknowledges that real people lived these moments—with all their contradictions, motivations, and humanity intact.

Ready to have your historical assumptions challenged in the most beautiful way possible?

Mark your calendars for November 7th and prepare to see the American West through completely fresh eyes. Ross's vision will leave you looking at those familiar stories with a new understanding—and isn't that exactly what great art should do?

Visit us at Sorrel Sky Gallery, 125 W. Palace Ave, Santa Fe, from November 1-30 to experience "Reimagining the West" for yourself. Private viewings available by appointment—because sometimes the best conversations about history happen one-on-one.