KC Willis
Artist’s Statement:
In a way KC’s life has always been about Cowgirls. As a child growing up in a small midwest town in the 60’s, she was surrounded by her father’s love of the old west. They listened to Sons of the Pioneers and watched Roy Rogers, John Wayne and every western that made its way across the screen of their little black and white t.v. While other little girls played with Ken and Barbie, KC and her sister played with Jane and Johnny West dolls and the sheets from our beds were used as covered wagon tops more than once. Her idea of the perfect life was to be the only daughter of Ben Cartwright (imagine being Hoss and Little Joe’s kid sister!) and spend her days riding around the Ponderosa. As she grew older, KC immersed herself in the stories of western life and fell in love with Annie Oakley, Calamity Jane, and the idea of heading west.
When KC did head west at the age of 25, it was to Los Angeles and her covered wagon was a U-Haul-not exactly what she had in mind. She set about making her place in the world. At first glance, it seemed the grown-up version of KC had stuffed the spirit of the cowgirl in a box and packed her away-her life seemed so far removed from those long-ago attachments. But when she began to do fiber art, it was the Cowgirl who came riding into the forefront of her imagination. It was then that she realized she had never really left her behind. In her 20’s KC was a professional singer and sang country music. In her 30’s she wrote a novel (it was published by HarperCollins) about a sharp-shooting cowgirl leading the way.
In her 40’s KC finally moved to the southwest and is surrounded in her studio by the faces of Annie Oakley, Sadie Austin and Pearl Heart. In KC’s art the bond now grows stronger than ever. They were tough, strong, beautiful and brave. They were the Women of the West. They are her heroes.