"Gonna Be A Steer" is a painting that captures one of the common annual moments in a rancher's life, taking the young male calves and castrating them to be raised as beef. I must admit I feel a little sorry for all those young boys until I sink my teeth into a good juicy steak, at that moment I am grateful! The management of a herd takes quite a bit of skill for a cowboy or ranch hand. Making sure that you pick the right bloodline for a good breeding bull and taking the time and effort to raise the steers for beef. Having been raised on my grandparent's farm in Ohio, I appreciate the energy and care that goes into raising livestock. The long days in the saddle for the cowboys must have been grueling, still, I would have loved to have seen the long cattle drives of the steer from the ranch to the stockyards and train depots in the old west. While the movies capture it on film, there is nothing like the real experience of being around livestock and those who manage them. I promise you my job as an artist, painting moments like this one, is much easier in the comfort of my studio than those who are mounted up doing the daily grind of cowboying!