Born and raised in Billings, Montana, Chris spent a lot of time during summers visiting with his grandparents in central Montana’s Judith Basin in the heart of Charlie Russell country. Montana’s vast, wide-open spaces are home to many cattle ranches, which are large contributors to today’s major beef and cattle industry, and The Cowboy is an integral part of that industry.

His paintings are a contemporary portrayal of the spirit and essence of the cowboy and the American West. After majoring in art at Montana State University-Billings, he later attended Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles.

“He uses a technique in his oil paintings to bring together light and dark tones to give prominence to form and luminosity, as well as for the embodiment of an uncontrived and natural perception of his subject.”

Awards & Honors

• Founding Member of Russell Skull Society of Artists
• In the permanent collection of the Pearce Western Art Collection, Corsicana, TX
• Coors Western Art Show, featured artist 2003, the painting was selected for the permanent collection.
• Cheyenne Old West Museum Purchase Award in the permanent collection
• In 2006, Litho-Krome Company of Columbus, GA, won the Benjamin Franklin Award, “THE BENNY”, which is the highly coveted and most prestigious international printing award for the giclee printing of “A Cowboy’s Morning” by Chris Owen. In the world of print, this award, coincidentally a small statuette of Benjamin Franklin and is regarded as the equivalent of the Academy Awards Oscar. The competition was held in Chicago, IL.

Western Art Shows

• C.M. Russell Art Auction in Great Falls, MT
• Coors Western Art Show in Denver, CO
• Cheyenne Frontier Days Governor’s Invitational Western Art Show in Cheyenne, WY
• Western Visions at The National Wildlife Museum in Jackson, WY
• Mountain Oyster in Tucson, AZ