With many years as California natives, Larry and his wife Jackie, (who is instrumental to his success) moved to Diamond Valley, Utah, just north of St. George in 2006. The beautiful landscapes of Utah, along with its dramatic history and proud people added much to Larry’s already successful art career. With God’s help, Utah was the source of some of Larry’s best and creative work.
While in California, Jackie and Larry founded the highly successful and nationally recognized Cattlemen’s Western Art Show, which is held each April in Paso Robles, California at the Mid- State Fairgrounds. With many successful years to its credit, the show continues to draw some of the most talented western artists available. Each show has also given opportunity to one artist who has the talent, but has not had the chance to display that talent to a large audience. Jackie and Larry are grateful to be able to “pay it forward” in this small way.
After four years in the U.S. Navy, Larry studied at the Art Center College of Design. Following a career as a successful aerospace and free-lance graphic designer\illustrator, he turned his talents to his main interest, Western Fine Art. Working in pencil on Mylar, he brings a depth and reality to the subjects he portrays. Whether a Mountain Man, Native American, Cowboy, Pioneer, Child or Animal, their eyes will tell their story as Larry’s pencil brings out all the pride, dedication, courage and honor of these remarkable individuals. While pencil is his main medium, Larry’s oil paintings and color pencil drawings have been receiving outstanding acceptance among his buyers.
Larry was selected by Michael Wayne, his lifelong best friend, to design the Souvenir book for the motion picture “The Alamo”, and the titles for the Motion Picture “Chisum”. For “Chisum” Larry utilized the paintings of his good friend and outstanding western artist, Russ Vickers, and with Larry’s partner, Art Shinbo, produced the creative titles that received overwhelming acclaim. In 1980, Michael Wayne commissioned Larry to design and produce the world famous logo for Wayne Enterprises which Michael decided to also use for The John Wayne Cancer Institute and The John Wayne Foundation. This logo is one of his proudest accomplishments as it is a constant reminder of Michael’s father, John Wayne, and the continued fight against cancer (to see more of Larry’s Logo Designs go to the Logo section on the “Home” page). Larry was also commissioned by Michael Wayne to do several portraits of his father. One from the motion picture “Stagecoach”, which was sent out by Mutual of Omaha to promote their John Wayne Cancer Insurance and another portrait from “Rio Bravo” which was sent out to raise donations for The John Wayne Cancer Institute. Larry did other portraits for Michael to be used on a VHS boxed set, “On Location With John Wayne “. One video cover was “Hondo” with Larry’s portrait of John Wayne as “Hondo” and the other cover for “McLintock” had Larry’s portrait of John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara. This limited edition boxed set comes in a slipcover, with another of Larry’s John Wayne commissioned portraits on it.
Larry was very honored when Michael Wayne asked him to take his personal thoughts an design the grave marker for John Wayne’s grave site. Larry’s design was then created in bronze by Glendora, California sculptor, Richard Myer.
A sampling of Larry’s Graphic Design clients include; Ambassador Hotel, Waste King Thermador, Batjac Productions, Inc., Nissan Minature Bearings, Carnation Corporation, Markel Hair Salon, Sewer Rod Equipment Company, Bank Of A. Levy, First Travel Corporation, Atomics International, Bunker-Ramo Corporation, Rocketdyne, Lockheed Corporation and Hollywood Film Company.
Along with producing Fine Art for commissions and the various art shows and galleries he participated in, other successful projects this Utah artist was commissioned to do were three commemorative collector’s envelopes and limited edition prints for the post office depicting “Buffalo Soldiers”, “Legends of the West” and “James Dean”.
The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Department commissioned Larry to do a commemorative drawing of two sheriffs (early and modern day) with their new sheriff badge featured. This drawing went into print to raise money for the Sheriff’s Department.