Whether through large-scale mixed-media depictions of Clint Eastwood and Buffalo Bill or a vibrant painting of John Wayne atop comic book pages—or his occasional oil-on-canvas abstract wildlife paintings—Boise-based, mixed-media contemporary artist Byron Buchanan, known in the art world as Buck, explores the intersection of Western Americana lore and classic vintage pop imagery in each piece. Buck’s subjects are varied, but he continually finds the indomitable human spirit to be a source of endless inspiration.
Though he was born in Detroit, Buck spent most of his formative years in Texas. His childhood home didn’t have a television, so he spent his free time poring over books and comic books, connecting with characters and reading anything he could get his hands on. And when he did get to watch television, he says, he always opted for “The Lone Ranger.”
“I was heavily influenced by Western culture growing up in Texas,” he says. “Pretty much most of the exciting stories are about the Wild West. I also loved Tonto, the Lone Ranger’s horse, more than the Lone Ranger.”
Art was a big part of his childhood, but it wasn’t until adulthood and a bit of happenstance that he pursued his passion as a career. After high school, he moved to Los Angeles and got work painting houses, which led to doing architectural and interior design. Whatever he was doing, Buck always made room for his creativity. He painted a portrait for a friend and was met with encouragement from folks who saw it. That encouragement led him to pursue his passion more intently.
“End of a Long Trail,” mixed media on canvas with gloss resin, 48 in. x 48 in.
Buck, who now resides in Boise, works predominantly in airbrush, weaving acrylic paint with collage to create hyper-realistic images. He lets his inspiration drive the ship, oftentimes working on 10 pieces at a time, all of which are large-scale. He combs through books, comic books, vintage posters, advertisements, and gathers found objects, utilizing things that relate to the subject and are then layered onto the canvas.
“I am all about telling stories,” Buck says, whether about underdogs, people who overcame obstacles, or individuals who found a way to overcome. “I am fascinated by our Native American history and the bravery and warrior spirit, and the way they survived and overcame. That is a main theme throughout a lot of my work.”
Other times, he says, he leans on the classic good versus bad. “I am really drawn to people who have had some kind of obstacles and hard times, or at least did their best to overcome their odds. I find it inspiring.”
The use of collage allows him to tell a deeper story behind the subject. Then, the image comes to life with the star of the piece, typically done using an intricate airbrushed style and finished with high-gloss resin.
“Airbrush is very versatile,” he says. “You can spray a big wide line or a line as thin as a human hair and get these soft blends; it really lends itself to hyper photo-realism.”
He’s been likened to other pop artists such as Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat, and his work hangs in galleries and private collections across the country, including those of Vin Diesel, Dr. Dre, and Saint Laurent in Paris. He’s also showcased his work alongside Mr. Brainwash, Andy Warhol, and others.
“Clint Eastwood as the Outlaw Josey Wales,” airbrushed acrylic and collage on canvas, 60 in. x 48 in.
For Buck, the broad appeal of his style goes back to the joy he puts into it.
“If I could boil it down to the most simplistic terms: it’s about having fun,” he says. “I have a lot of fun when I make art, and I like to put a smile on people’s faces.
“On the serious side, I want to get people thinking about the human spirit. This person toughed it out; they overcame, and you can, too. Hopefully, they can get a tiny bit of inspiration to believe they also can make something of their lives and overcome their circumstances ….”
Byron Buchanan, however, cannot be put into a singular box. Buchanan works in two personal genres: his mixed-media contemporary, known as Buck, and a more contemporary oil on canvas under his given name.
“I always had this dream of being an oil painter,” he says. “It just so happened that I started airbrushing, and I was having fun doing it. I always liked hyperrealism and photorealism but deep down, I also wanted to oil paint.”
His oil work is an opportunity for him to explore wildlife, landscapes, and the like.
“The art world always tries to put artists in a very specific category,” he says. “I have never let anyone control my passion for art. I just figure I will do what I love, and the money will come, and if it doesn’t, it remains my passion. I don’t paint for the market; I paint for what I like.”