The Payne Legacy
The love of the Old West runs deep in the Payne family. Living on ranches, reading Will James and Zane Grey books, visiting musuems around the country while studing Charlie Russell and Frederic Remington's work and getting the chance to visit with John Clymer and Bill Moyer was a way of life for Ken and his son, Vic. The desire to preserve the West was first captured in bronze by Ken Payne who instilled in Vic a love of sculpting that Vic passed on to his son Dustin. The three generations also share a love of flying. In fact, Ken, who grew up on ranches in New Mexico, Texas and Colorado earned his living for a time as a crop duster, smoke jumper, charter and commercial pilot before he began his career as an artist. It wasn't long after Ken began sculpting western figures that Vic decided he'd have a go at it. He was 19 and driving a cement truck in southeastern New Mexico when he sold his first bronze to his boss. Dustin, ever by his dad's side, learned to sculpt at the tender age of 8. His grandfather and dad offer critique to his work along the way, taking care to be neither too hard nor too gentle. Whether the Payne's are sculpting a Western, Native American or Wildlife bronze sculpture, their mission is to lead the viewer through an emotional journey telling a story through their art with hopes of capturing the spirit of the West. |
Ken Payne
Ken Payne (1938-2012), born to the ranching heritage of the Southwest, brings the exciting memories of the Old West to life in his historic bronze sculpture depicting the action, the danger, even the humor of many a frontier situation.
Ken Payne's bronzes have been collected both nationally and internationally. He has been in the forefront of the bronze movement in modern times by pioneering the idea of sculpting in public and by being nationally televised in the "Sculpting with Ken Payne" PBS program.
Vic Payne
Noted western sculptor and artist, Vic Payne has been sculpting for over 30 years, his work can be found in private, corporate, municpal and museum collections in the United States and abroad. Whether he is creating Wildlife, Native American or Western sculpture his passion is to portray the spirit of the West and evoke the pioneering, independent, mystical spirit of the land and its people.
Dustin Payne
Dustin Payne represents the third genteration of professional western sculptors in his family, so it comes as no surprise that the trade was a natural path for him. As a child, Dustin enjoyed the drawings adn books of Will James and was heavily influenced by the historical nature of his father and grandfathers work. He enjoys researching the history of the subjects he creates and is greatly inspired by his family's western roots. When not sculpting, Dustin enjoys Team Roping with his dad and spending time on the family ranch.
