Frank McCarthy says of his work, "What I am trying to do is set
a story in motion; what happens after that is up to the viewer." Indeed,
coming upon a McCarthy painting is like walking in on an Indian raid
or chasing bandits or riding with the calvary in a column of two's. There's
action, "plenty of it". Frank's lifelong love affair with the
West started with reading Will James' novel "Smokey" when he
was a boy. Now, each painting is fresh evidence that the thrill lives
on in Frank McCarthy.
McCarthy was born in New York City, and spent his boyhood in neighboring
Westchester County "I've been drawing since grammar school",
he says, "but the idea of making a livelihood and profession out
of it probably was helped by seeing and reading Scribner classics - 'Robin
Hood' and 'Treasure Island' and the like - most of which were illustrated
by N.C. Wyeth." His formal art education came from the Art Students'
League in New York City, where he studied under George Bridgman, the
renowned anatomy teacher, and Reginald Marsh, a well-known Depression
Era painter; and three years at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn. His first
professional jobs were in commercial art and illustration.
The west held a strong attraction for Frank McCarthy and in 1974, after
many successful y ears in commercial illustration, he moved to Sedona,
Arizona with his wife Mary.
Frank's interests lie in western history from 1830s to about 1900.
He prefers to portray history in a general sense, rather than to illustrate
specific events. His portraits of the American west reflect the true
spirit of a growing nation. From cowboy's on a cattle drive. To the Native
American hunter and the early trappers.
Print Shown: The Way of the Ancient Migration
Secondary Piece
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