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PRESS RELEASE
February 22, 2006

RE:  Artist Chuck Caplinger at Norco’s 10th annual “Art of the American West”

Twentynine Palms artist Chuck Caplinger has been accepted in the Premier Division of the City of Norco’s 10th annual Art of the American West Show and Sale, March 3, 4, and 5, 2006. This is Caplinger’s third participation in the juried exhibition.  In 2004 he was awarded first place in the Premier Division for his oil painting “Drygulched.” Also in 2004 he created the city’s first mural, “A Celebration of Riding,” for the City of Norco Beautification Committee.
     Caplinger has painted a western action series specifically for this year’s Norco show.  Western characters in the oil paintings include a saloon girl, a gambler, a country doctor, an old codger, two gunfighters, a drifter, and a school marm.  Brad von Beltz, an actor and stunt man who played in several John Wayne westerns, was used as the model for the drifter in the series.
     The Art of the American West show is sponsored by the City of Norco Parks, Recreation and Community Services and will be held at Nellie Weaver Hall in Ingalls Park in Norco. Public viewing opens at 4 p.m. Friday, March 3, and an artists’ reception will be held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Friday.  The show continues Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Additional information:

Three of the paintings exhibited by Chuck Caplinger at the Art of the American West show and sale were 25 years in the making.  Created from photos taken more than two decades ago at Tropico Gold Mine near Mojave, CA, the series captures the true spirit of the old west.
     Caplinger recruited show business friends for the photo shoot to act out improvised scenes in the once functioning gold mine setting. Costumes were provided by Western Costumes of Hollywood. In addition to von Beltz, Caplinger hired actor-stuntman Brad McAllen to recreate a gunfight.  This collaboration led to the creation of the painitng “Caught in the Open,” which will be part of Caplinger’s exhibit at the Norco show.
     In recalling the photo shoot, Caplinger says, “It was exciting and memorable back then, but recreating it now on canvas is even better.”

Paintings inspired by Caplinger’s Tropico photo shoot are:
“Caught in the Open” – 24” x 24” oil, featuring von Beltz’s drifter character.
“Backtrail Surprise” – 20” x 20” oil, the Drifter getting the drop on another hombre
“The School Marm” – 18” x 24” oil, school marm walking in the desert after a rainstorm.

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For additional information regarding artist Chuck Caplinger, contact:
Chuck Caplinger
Desert Art Studio, P.O. Box 1678, Twentynine Palms, CA 92277
(760)361-2305
www.desertartstudio.com

For additional information regarding the Norco “Art of the American West” show:
City of Norco, Dept. of Parks, Recreation and Community Services
2870 Clark Avenue, Norco, CA 92860
(951)270-5632.

Contents Copyright 2000-2006 by Chuck Caplinger, 29 Palms, CA USA
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