Legacy Gallery takes pride in presenting premier established artists and emerging artists who have staying power.
The dust has barely settled on Legacy Gallery’s blockbuster November 2020 John Coleman exhibition, and Brad Richardson’s already thinking about this spring’s Scottsdale Art Auction, which he puts on with a consortium of other art dealers, and his big show in November 2021 with Martin Grelle. The gallery, which Richardson owns and runs with wife Jinger, had a storefront in Jackson, Wyoming, for years, but the couple are now focused on just one location in Scottsdale, Arizona. They’ve been in business for 32 years, so it’s not like Richardson doesn’t know how to juggle a demanding schedule.
The wild card these days is their new Jack Russell terrier.
“We’ve always had Jack Russells, but we haven’t had a puppy for 20 years,” Richardson says. Even with the happy distraction of that rambunctious addition to the family, Richardson remains laser-focused on art. “Doing business for decades in the Western art world, we’ve seen things come and go,” he says. “There are fads that come along, but we can recognize things that will have lasting appeal. We apply the years of experience we have to help determine which artists have the best shot at standing the test of time.”
Legacy Gallery represents many established premier names in Western art at price points to match. They also take pride in presenting emerging artists they feel have staying power. We asked Richardson for some of his favorites among the newer names in Western art.
Glenn Dean

Painting solitary landscapes and quiet moments, Glenn Dean lives on the Central Coast of his native California. He also lived in New Mexico for nearly four years. His paintings share the beauty of those places and the larger West. He discovered art as a young teen and remains largely self-taught. Dean’s inclination toward art became more of a calling when, around the age of 20, he did his first outdoor painting, in Arizona. He’s been devoted to paint and brush ever since.
“Glenn is inspired by artists like N.C. Wyeth and Maynard Dixon,” Richardson says. “There’s a strong, bold graphic look to a lot of his work. Look at No Place He’d Rather Be — the clouds, the sage. There’s a great graphic design and look to his paintings. Interestingly enough, this look is not really contemporary. This kind of work goes back to the early illustrators. The style of illustration shifted over time and became more realistic, but Glenn’s not influenced by that later style. His work more resembles the earlier, more graphic approach.
“Glenn is a proven commodity who we’re thrilled to represent. He’s still at an affordable price point: starting at about $7,000 and going up to around $35,000 for his big pieces.”
Rick Terry

A one-time rodeo cowboy and former rancher, sculptor Rick Terry lives and makes bronzes in Montana. A highlight of his rodeo phase was a commission for a life-size monument in Prescott, Arizona, to commemorate 100 years of rodeo. He also collaborated with sculptor Blaine Gibson on the famous Partners statue of Walt Disney holding hands with Mickey Mouse for Disney Parks as well as one of Roy Disney sitting on a bench next to Minnie Mouse for Walt Disney World.
“Rick gravitated back to the Western art market and has been on my radar for five years or so. He brings a little bit of a stylized look to his work and has been very well-received by our clientele. Trail Break is a great illustration of his style and it’s a piece that has sold really well. Look at the tree — that’s the stylized approach he’s taken to everything. Look at the cowboy closely; he’s boiled the figure down to its important shapes only, leaving out a lot of the detail. It’s about imagery, about a silhouette. Another extremely successful piece is O.K. Corral, which portrays Doc Holliday and the Earp brothers at the historic shootout but seen in a new, stylized way. The artist obviously knows that men are not that thin.
“Terry’s work ranges from $2,000 to $10,000 for the most part. His work resonates and has a nice wide appeal. We’ve sent his pieces to China and all over and had a lot of success with his work.”
Don Oelze

Painter Don Oelze was born in 1965 to missionary parents serving in New Zealand, where he lived till he was 9. Growing up hearing his mom and dad’s stories about their childhoods in Arizona, he became interested in Western and Native lore. Now based in Montana, Oelze portrays the historic American West with an uncommon vividness.
“Look, for instance, at Reporting Unshod Pony Tracks, which shows his striking ability to work in a traditional style and take multiple figures and blend them into a painting. A lot of artists try but can’t pull it off,” Richardson says. “Over the last few years, Don has developed a lot of momentum. Last year he had a painting in an auction that people really got excited about and they wouldn’t fold during the bidding. It ended up going for $160,000-plus because no one wanted to give in.
“His price range is typically between $5,000 and $20,000. He has a broad appeal, and his work sells out as fast as he supplies the paintings.”
Legacy Gallery: 7178 Main St., Scottsdale, Arizona, 480.945.1113.
Photography: Images courtesy Legacy Gallery
From our January 2021 issue.