STAYING ON POINT: Artist’s reception for Iola native Friday at Bowlus

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November 16, 2017 - 12:00 AM

Rick Barkdoll has a confession.
For the more than 40 years that his drawings have drawn acclaim for their western motif, he’s a stranger to the lifestyle.
“I don’t really know a thing about horses,” Barkdoll confessed this week. “I’ve never really been much of a cowboy.”
The Iola native’s works have become so renowned that Barkdoll has been commissioned to do a number of western-themed pieces, including one of the iconic John Wayne.
Barkdoll’s eye for detail has provided him a living throughout much of his adult life, to the point he still is contacted regularly about creating pencil drawings for his clients.
Since mid-October, Barkdoll has been the featured artist in the Mary L. Martin Art Gallery in the Bowlus Fine Arts Center.
His exhibit, which ends this week, will be capped with an artist’s reception at 6 p.m. Friday at the Bowlus, prior to the Sonic Escape concert at 7 o’clock.
Barkdoll, 63, will discuss his work, greet guests and be available to answer questions.

BARKDOLL learned at an early age that he had an eye for detail.
He was in first grade when his teacher pulled him out of class.
“I thought I was in trouble,” he recalled. “I was scared to death. It wasn’t until my brother told me that I’d done something good,” that he could relax.
Indeed, Barkdoll was asked to show his drawings to other classes.
His artistic talent continued to develop through his years at Iola High School and eventually led to his career.
Even so, sales have not always been enough to provide a steady stream of income.
“It’s always been a struggle to sell the pieces, so I have had to get a second job” off and on, he said.
But through it all, his works have consistently been popular, including fans of the western genre.

HE RELIES almost exclusively on pencil drawings for two reasons.
“No. 1, I was never very good at color,” he admitted. “And no. 2, have you seen how expensive paint can be? Drawing with a pencil is a lot less expensive.”
He’s dabbled some in ink. And while those pieces have been well received, the process is considerably more difficult. “You can’t erase ink,” he chuckled.
Barkdoll remains as eager today to get behind an easel as when he was a youth.
“Every day I learn something new,” he said. “I’m not a very good teacher, but all I can say is, get out there and practice.”
Now living in Chanute, Barkdoll routinely works on multiple drawings each day.
“I used to do one at a time, but now I’ll have three or four going,” he said. “I’ll work on one until I get bored with it, and then move on to the next one.”
Does he have a favorite?
“It may be the cowboy drawing I entered at the Dodge City Western Art Show one year,” he recalled. “The other artists were real cowboys, and they picked mine as best of show. I got lucky. I felt like I had to get out of town after I’d won.”

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