September 08, 2025

This Week in the West: The Origin of the Traditional Cowboy Arts Association

6 minutes

🤠This Week in the West

🎙️ Episode 45: This Week in the West: The Origin of the Traditional Cowboy Arts Association

📢 Episode Summary:

The Traditional Cowboy Arts Association (TCAA) was born out of a simple conversation in Elko, Nevada, in 1998, when craftsmen like Mike Beaver and Cary Schwarz dreamed of elevating cowboy gear—saddles, spurs, rawhide, and silverwork—from utility to recognized fine art. Inspired by the success of the Cowboy Artists of America, they envisioned a similar group for traditional artisans and gained momentum through meetings with fellow masters and the support of banker Don Bellamy.

The idea found its home in Oklahoma City, when the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum agreed to host the first exhibition. By coin toss, the new organization was named the Traditional Cowboy Arts Association, and on September 11, 1999, its debut exhibition transformed saddles and spurs into gallery-worthy works of art. The show’s success cemented the TCAA’s role as a bridge between craftsmanship and fine art.

Over the years, the TCAA has grown beyond exhibitions to become a hub for mentorship, education, and preserving traditions for future generations. Now celebrating more than 25 years, the TCAA continues to showcase the artistry of the West while ensuring its heritage is carried forward through skill, creativity, and community.

🔍 What You’ll Learn:

How the Traditional Cowboy Arts Association began with a coin toss, handshake deals, and a dream to elevate cowboy craftsmanship into fine art.

Why the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum became the home for the TCAA’s first exhibition in 1999.

How the TCAA expanded from showcasing artistry to mentoring, teaching, and preserving cowboy traditions for future generations.

👥 Behind the Scenes

Host: Seth Spillman

Producer: Chase Spivey

Writer: Mike Koehler

🔗 Further research:

The TCAA Art Exhibition & Sale Website: https://tcaa.nationalcowboymuseum.org/

TCAA Official Site: https://tcowboyarts.org/

Cowboy Renaissance, a book about the history of the TCAA: https://persimmonhillstore.com/products/cowboy-renaissance-the-traditional-cowboy-arts-association

📬 Connect With Us:

🌐 Website: www.nationalcowboymuseum.org

📖 Read Our Blog: https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/blog/

📩 Email: [email protected]

📲Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/ncwhm/

📷Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationalcowboymuseum

❎X/Twitter: https://x.com/ncwhm

💼LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-cowboy-&-western-heritage-museum

🗺️ Visit Us: The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd Street, Oklahoma City, OK, 73111. See us on the map

💡 Support Us:🏅Become A Member of the Museum: https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/support/memberships/

🛒Shop at Persimmon Hill, our Museum store: https://persimmonhillstore.com/

🎧 Listen & Subscribe:

🔹 Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-week-in-the-west/id1776228708

🔹 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2KYmd2BumVtQVH1ez1Cr2U

🔹YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFoE2kU21JpX9T6W9NonXuD9UapS1TsmN

🔹Podbean: https://thisweekinthewest.podbean.com/

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By The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum

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