The Real Hardships of Realist painter Rory Wagner

The Crow, 38 X 54, Acrylic on Canvas

The Real Hardships

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of Realist Painter Rory Wagner

uch has been written about the realist painter who was born in St. Petersburg, Florida in 1950. At the age of 30, American painter Rory Wagner adopted Taos, New Mexico as his home and began his art career in earnest. His father, a highly decorated career military man, believed Wagner should become a world-class athlete. Wagner, however, had a different plan.

Returning to college after his stint in Europe and military tour, Wagner majored in English Literature. One day, a friend offered him 50 dollars for a charcoal drawing. Drawing with charcoal was a favorite pastime.

Astounded, he took the money and never again returned to college.

He moved to Baltimore and began his career as an artist, becoming involved with a stable woman who supported him completely while he painted for the next four years. Eventually their relationship faltered and he moved into his own apartment and continued trying to become an artist. Unfortunately, the only interest in his work came from two slick art dealers. Broke and desperate, Wagner was introduced to hard drugs and excessive liquor.

After another year in Baltimore, Wagner was basically an art slave for these two dealers. Between heroin binges and liquor, Wagner found A Sad Passing, 64 X 54, Acrylic on Canvas

Woman of Grace and Dignity, 60 X 54, Acrylic on Canvas

Messiah, 72 X 62, Acrylic on Canvas

himself painting fraudulent Vermeer paintings for food and drugs.

While he only completed three finished works, they were done with great attention to historic detail, period materials, hand ground oil pigments and hours cooking in his oven. After the completion of the third fraudulent Vermeer, Wagner’s art dealer “friends” left for Europe, never to be heard from again. Wagner found himself a drug and alcohol dependent victim, broke and coming down from a year’s high.

Wagner left Baltimore in an old car with 300 dollars. He had planned on going to Scottsdale, Arizona to meet Erskine Caldwell, a best selling author and friend of his mother. He made it as far as Santa Fe, but could not afford the rent, so he ventured to Taos where he found a cheap apartment. When he was down to his last 50 dollars, luck was on his side when he met Native American artist R. C. Gorman at his Navajo Gallery. He showed Gorman two paintings he had strapped to the top of his car. Gorman’s gallery sold one within hours. The next day he sold the other. This exchange would prove serendipitous to Wagner’s livelihood.

Gorman called Michael Wigley in Oklahoma City the following week and urged the art dealer to come see Wagner’s work in Taos.

Within the coming month, Wigley became the primary dealer for Wagner and handled his art exclusively for the next 12 years.

In March of 1982, Wagner had a major exhibition of his work in Oklahoma City, along with the release of the new book Rory Wagner from Northland Press, written by Wigley. The exhibition sold 12 major paintings in minutes. The New York Times called him “America’s finest young realist.”

In 2010, Wagner found himself frustrated with illnesses that created constant pain, as well as mental anxiety which affected his everyday life. Searching for relief from the illness and pain, Wagner took his own life at the age of 60. He left behind a body of

Tukan Haton, 68 X 60, Acrylic on Canvas

inspired work which continues to be enjoyed by many. Michael Wigley Galleries, Ltd. recently acquired one of the finest collections of paintings by Wagner. Painted in 1992 and 1993, they represent his most acclaimed Native American art, one of which, Messiah, he considered to be his best painting ever completed.

Michael Wigley Galleries, Ltd. 1101 Paseo de Peralta 505.984.8986 RoryWagner.com