Skip to main content
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 8

Lester Huges
"LOST AND FOUND" CATTLE STRAYS IN WEST TEXAS. WESTERN COWBOY COWS. FRAME 30 X 42

Circa 1970s

$3,500
£2,665.63
€3,072.53
CA$4,896.48
A$5,503.32
CHF 2,865.98
MX$66,933.93
NOK 36,673.75
SEK 34,777.52
DKK 22,931.32
Shipping
Retrieving quote...
The 1stDibs Promise:
Authenticity Guarantee,
Money-Back Guarantee,
24-Hour Cancellation

About the Item

Lester Hughes (1938-2021) El Paso Artist Image Size: 24 x 36 Frame Size: 30 x 42 Medium: Oil "Lost and Found" West Texas Cattle STRAYS Biography Lester Hughes (1938-2021) From El Paso, Texas, Lester Hughes is a self-taught artist who paints imaginative landscapes of the Southwest, often with horse-back riding cowboys intent on their duties. President Ronald Reagan purchased over a dozen paintings by Hughes, and some of them hung in the White House during Reagan's tenure. Back in 1969, when Lester Hughes quit his job as a business supply salesman to become a full-time artist, he never dreamed that one day his paintings would hang in the White House. Seven years later, however, this artists' dream came true, when one of his works was presented to President-elect, Ronald Reagan during a 1976 campaign stop in Hughes' hometown of El Paso, Texas. According to "Time" magazine that particular painting, a 24" x 36" oil featuring a Southwestern landscape with a dilapidated windmill and old shack, and several of Hughes' other works did hang in the presidential mansion during Reagan's tenure in office. Over the years, Reagan continued to be so enamored with Hughes' paintings that he purchased at least dozen more. Success did not change Hughes' personality. Looking at his simple lifestyle, it is difficult to imagine that he numbers a bevy of Congressmen and Senators, and numerous other celebrities such as actress, Betty White, golfer Lee Trevino, and ex-Presidents George Bush and Gerald Ford among the collectors of his work. In addition, for being known for his paintings, Hughes was known for his love of El Paso, Nell Williams, Hughes daughter said. Hughes was a self-taught artist. Reagan honored Hughes in Time Magazine in 1981, stating that his painting was among some of his favorite memorabilia, according to Williams. Prior to being an artist, he was a typewriter instructor. Lester was a self-taught artist who always would say it was a “God Given Talent” and gave all praise and honor to the lord. Most people didn't know that he was colored blind. Once he saw a picture in a gallery and went in to purchase it. He thought the sales price was $25 dollars but was told by the manager $250.00 was the correct price. After seeing the look on his face, the manager suggested he do his own painting. He then gave him a set of paints and brushes to get him started. Once Hughes discovered he had talent he quit his job and started painting full time. His studio was located in the house, in the utility room with the washer and dryer. In the walls of his studio hung a picture of Christ, with a handwritten message that read, “Whatever You Did For Christ Today Was Not Good Enough.” Ronald Reagan honored him in Time Magazine in 1981, stating that his painting was among some of his favorite memorabilia. His artwork was hung in the White House during Ronald Reagan and President George Bush’s Presidential term.
  • Creator:
    Lester Huges (1938 - 2021, American)
  • Creation Year:
    Circa 1970s
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 24 in (60.96 cm)Width: 36 in (91.44 cm)Depth: 3 in (7.62 cm)
  • More Editions & Sizes:
    Image Size: 24 x 36 Frame Size: 30 x 42Price: $3,500
  • Medium:
  • Movement & Style:
  • Period:
  • Framing:
    Frame Included
    Framing Options Available
  • Condition:
    Please check my 1stdibs storefront for additional vintage, midcentury and contemporary Texas & Western art.
  • Gallery Location:
    San Antonio, TX
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU769314124932

More From This Seller

View All
"RANCHERS REWARD" COWBOYS, HORSEBACK, FRAMED 41 X 59 G. HARVEY TEXAS ARTIST
By G. Harvey
Located in San Antonio, TX
G. Harvey (Gerald Harvey Jones) (1933-2017) San Antonio, Austin, and Fredericksburg Artist Image Size: 30 x 48 Frame Size: 41 x 59 Medium: Oil "Ranchers Reward" Dated 1975 Mr. Geral...
Category

1970s Impressionist Landscape Paintings

Materials

Oil

"Our Real Work Is In The Valley" West Texas Cowboy scene
By Randall Friemel
Located in San Antonio, TX
Randall Friemel (1970 - present) Texas Artist Image Size: 24 x 36 Frame Size: 32 x 44 Medium: Oil "Our Real Work Is In The Valley". Biography Randall Friemel (1970 - present) Randall is a Ecclesial / Liturgical artist by trade. He began drawing many years ago. After using colored pencils for several years, he began experimenting with oil and found painting would not be much different. He has painted "Stations Of The Cross" for many churches throughout Texas. Randall has studied under Jack...
Category

2010s Impressionist Landscape Paintings

Materials

Oil

"CATTLE LANDSCAPE" TEXAS HILLCOUNTRY, FRAMED 28.5 X 34.5
By Rolla Taylor
Located in San Antonio, TX
Rolla Taylor (1872-1970) San Antonio Artist Image Size: 24 x 30 Frame Size: 28.5 x 34.5 Medium: Oil "Cattle Landscape" Biography Rolla Taylor (1872-1970) Taylor, originally from Galv...
Category

20th Century Impressionist Landscape Paintings

Materials

Oil

"PRAIRIE HOME" WESTERN HOMESTEAD El Paso Artist
By Lester Hughes
Located in San Antonio, TX
Lester Hughes (1938-2021) El Paso Artist Image Size: 24 x 36 Frame Size: 21 x 43 Medium: Oil on Canvas "Prairie Home" Biography Lester Hughes (1938-2021) From El Paso, Texas, Lester ...
Category

20th Century Impressionist Landscape Paintings

Materials

Oil

"HEAVY GRAZER" CATTLE TEXAS HILL COUNTRY
Located in San Antonio, TX
Chuck Mauldin Born 1949 Fredericksburg Artist Size: 24 x 36 Frame: 32 x 44 Medium: Oil "Heavy Grazer" Cattle, Texas Hill Country A native of Texas, Chuck Mauldin has been painting in oil since the age of twelve. His interest in watercolor and pencil drawing grew during his years spent in Louisiana. With his move back to Texas, he has renewed his focus on oil painting, using this medium in a realistic yet painterly style. Striving to quickly capture color and mood with a direct "alla prima" technique is one of his main objectives in painting outdoors on-location. Cows, cowboys and Native Americans often enrich the landscape in his studio work, while anything can inspire his plein air paintings. Workshops with Charles Sovek...
Category

20th Century American Impressionist Landscape Paintings

Materials

Oil

"Down By The Rio Grande" Texas Cowboy Western Dallas Artist Fred Darge 1900-1978
Located in San Antonio, TX
Fred Darge (1900-1978) Dallas Image Size: 24 x 30 Frame Size: 32 x 38 Medium: Oil, "Down By The Rio Grande" Biography Fred Darge (1900-1978) Friedrich Ernst Darge Born: March 1 1900 Rendsburg, Germany Died: April 10 1978 Dallas, Texas Entered the U.S. ; Jan. 14 1923 at Port Arthur, Texas. By 1924 he was in Chicago painting under the W.P.A. Artists policy and attending the Art Institute of Chicago from where he graduated. While in Chicago he painted and made model sail boats...
Category

1940s Impressionist Landscape Paintings

Materials

Oil

You May Also Like

Cowboy Painting by Robert L. Foster
By Frederic Remington
Located in Fulton, CA
Original painting by California Artist Robert L. Foster. Painted on reverse Masonite with original vintage frame. Depicting a cattle drive with a cowboy on horse with lasso. Robert L. Foster: Welcome to Robert Foster...
Category

20th Century American Country Paintings

Materials

Wood, Paint

J Fredericks - Signed & Framed Mid 20th Century Oil, Cattle by the Water
Located in Corsham, GB
Earthy, autumnal tones are skillfully layered by Frederiks to provide an honest depiction of cattle by a slow stream. The painting holds a tremendous amount of depth, allowing for a ...
Category

20th Century Landscape Paintings

Materials

Oil

"Turning them North" Large Western Painting Cowboys Longhorn Cattle Landscape
By Gary Lynn Roberts
Located in Austin, TX
Oil on Canvas Canvas size: 24 x 36 in. Frame Size: 33 x 39 in. "Turning them North" is an exhilarating scene of the American Old West by Gary Lynn Roberts (b. 1953, American) execut...
Category

1940s American Realist Landscape Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Last of the Strays, American Western Art Lithograph by Noel Daggett
By Noel Daggett
Located in Long Island City, NY
Noel Daggett, American (1925 - 2005) - Last of the Strays, Year: 1980, Medium: Lithograph, signed and numbered in pencil, Edition: AP 40, Image Size: 20 x 26 inches, Size: 22.5 ...
Category

1980s American Realist Animal Prints

Materials

Lithograph

Horseman and cattle
Located in San Francisco, CA
This artwork "Horseman with Cattle" c.1990 is an oil painting on canvas by noted American artist John Stanford. It is signed at the lower right corner by...
Category

Late 20th Century American Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil

Bull and Cow American Landscape, Tonalism, Cattle painting, Utah, Idaho
By Marty Ricks
Located in Houston, TX
Bull and Cow was done on one of Marty Rick's trips to Idaho and Montana. It is oil on canvas and is 16 x 20. Marty Ricks is known for his Tonalism paintings that have been done in th...
Category

2010s American Impressionist Landscape Paintings

Materials

Oil