AARRTTISISTT FFOOCUCUSS
Sheila
Cottrell
Twilight Travel, oil, 18 x 24"Foggy Morning
Crossing, oil,
20 x 30"Working the
Wells Ranch,
oil, 20 x 24"Want to See More?
http://www.sheilacottrell.com
Represented by Settlers West Galleries
6420 N. Campbell Avenue
Tucson, AZ 85718
(520) 299-2607 | http://www.settlerswest.com
@sheila.cottrell
/fi neartbysheila
F
amily heritage and history infuse the
paintings of Sheila Cottrell whose
pioneer family arrived in Arizona
by covered wagons in 1900. “I’ve lived
all my life in Arizona and studied art at
the University of Arizona,” Cottrell says.
“However, my real art education came from
studying for 28 years under and with the
Western painter James Reynolds. I enjoy
painting anything to do with the West, past
and present, but especially love illustrating
the tales of pioneering adventures my family
experienced.”
The tales are related in the Wells family
book, The Cochise County Bunch. It is still
a tightknit family, primarily because of their
Wells Pioneer Family Cemetery. After 104
years Arizona finally granted them ownership
of their cemetery in 2010. After going to
the media with TV videos and magazine
articles, the State told Cottrell they would
work something out if “I stopped going to the
media,” she says.
“I fulfilled a wish of my father’s to get
ownership and now I want to fulfill a promise
to my mom. She asked me to ‘please beautify
it.’ We need shade trees for services but first
we need water,” Cottrell explains. “I’m using
my paintings in a fundraising for improving the
cemetery. We’ve now raised over $7,000 so the
well starts construction by April this year. Some
paintings tied to my family history, shown here,
are exhibited at Settlers West Galleries. And
since this is a nonprofit charity, portions of the
purchase price are tax deductible.”