Hard Twist: Western Ranch Women

June 13 - August 8, 2004
Photography Gallery - Draper Museum of Natural History

"I can't think that anyone, however far from this milieu, would be unmoved by the intimacy and perception of Barbara Van Cleve's West."
- Thomas McGuane, McLeod, Montana

The western expression "Hard Twist" refers to the old time Manila-hemp, tightly twisted lariat rope - hard twisted. The term also refers to a small, compact, physically strong person with resilience, rather like rawhide, which expands and stretches when wet or shrinks and tightens up when dry but almost never breaks.

According to photographer Barbara Van Cleve, Wyoming rancher Melody Harding is the definition of a "Hard Twist" - a "five foot four inch mass of muscle and sinew, like rawhide that is dried or cured. Gentle with all animals and feminine in the best sense of the word."

Harding shrugs "so you age a little faster [working on a ranch] than you would normally - that's the least you can pay for a good life. At least you're in a wholesome atmosphere and you're doing something worthwhile."

Hard Twist: Western Ranch Women, an exhibition of black-and-white prints by New Mexico/Montana photographer Barbara Van Cleve, examines an aspect of traditional Western life in a sequence of 80 images. The exhibition is on view in the Photography Gallery in the Draper Museum of Natural History and runs through August 8, 2004.

The companion book features essays by her father, Spike Van Cleve; Thomas McGuane, Michael Duty, exhibition curator, and Barbara's personal reflections on each of her subjects - ranching women of the American West.

Van Cleve states, "The notion that the West was settled by men and has persevered in the idea that ranching and cowboying are the exclusive domain of men. The same pioneer spirit and gustiness that compelled those early women migrants to follow their husbands and eventually settle the West is embodied in today's women ranchers."

"Born and raised on a historic Montana ranch in an old ranching community, I became aware early in my life of who does double duty on a typical family ranch: the women - mother, wife, widow, daughter, sister, or aunt. So many of the ranch women whom I knew growing up worked outside."

Many of Van Cleve's subjects were fearful of being misrepresented in the project, but due to the fact that so many ranchers had read her father's books - Forty Years' Gatherin's and Day Late & a Dollar Short - or knew his name, provided them with the assurance that she would not betray or misrepresent their position. "I felt honored to be trusted so completely," said Van Cleve.

Van Cleve's Montana is a lifetime of knowing the hard work of ranching beneath the spectacular slopes of the Crazy Mountains. Although she photographs landscapes, portraits, and documentary subjects, it is her photography of the ranching West that has earned her a national reputation. She is collected internationally as well. Van Cleve was inducted into the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame in 1995.

A life of ranching and a superb technical command of photography account for the power and beauty of Van Cleve's photographs which range from crisp documents of ranch life, to stimulating images of movement, myth and imagination.

Hard Twist: Western Ranch Women ran through August 8, 2004 in the BBHC's Photography Gallery.

IMAGES

1. Melody Harding haying the old way. Bar Cross Ranch, Big Piney, WY. 1986. Barbara Van Cleve Photo.
2. Ann Holland Daugherty, Cage Holland Ranch, Texas, 1988. Barbara Van Cleve Photo.
3. "Tootie" Mitchell Hansen fenicng, Stake Ranch, Elko, Nevada, 1986. Barbara Van Cleve Photo.
4. A Pretty Loop. Barbara Van Cleve Photo.
5. Jan Youren, World Champion Bareback Bronc Rider, Billings Rodeo, Billings, MT. 1986. Barbara Van Cleve Photo.

All quoted text is from the exhibition companion book:
Hard Twist: Western Ranch Women by Barbara Van Cleve. Museum of New Mexico Press, Santa Fe. 1995.