Cowboy, rancher and artist Len Monical is displaying his unique artwork of cowboy art in 100 Mile House for the rest of the month.
His art pieces can be viewed at the Showcase Gallery in the South Cariboo Business Centre at 475 Birch Ave.
Monical began sketching in elementary school and continued to do so thanks to the encouragement of his teacher who recognized his talent.
The 108 Mile Ranch resident came to the Cariboo in 1962, following his family when they traded their southern holdings for the 30,000 acre (12,140 hectare) 105 Mile Ranch. Ranching continued to play a huge role in his life, but he also became successful as a cutting horse competitor, a cow dog trainer, trial competitor and a horse trainer.
Incorporating sketches to tell the story of the cowboy way of life and including some of the tack that is used in ranching is a new addition to his many works of art.
One of these pieces features a line sketch of a cowboy on horseback. The sketch depicts both the horse and rider showing the way the old-timers made a really good bridled horse, he says.
Monical’s art piece has the spade-bit and traditional hackamore along with McCardy reins, which are made from rope that has been braided with horse hair.
These are used when breaking horses with the technique depicted in the sketch that accompanies the items.
He notes the hackamore in combination with a heavy spade bit is an old system that was used to bridle a good, “finished” reining horse.
“You train them soft and easy at first, with a traditional hackamore and the horse carries the bit for a few months or up to a year. Then you use all four reins, both the hackamore and the spade bit.
“When the horse is finished broke, you only use the bit. On a horse trained this way, you hardly have to touch the bit and they spin on a dime.”
One of his pieces in the display features antique Spanish spurs he has collected over the years, and another is a rolled up lariat surrounding a sketch of a calf roper in action. There is one that shows the different snaffle bits used on race and cutting horses.
Monical also displays several of his bronze works in the showcase. The bronze works depict his trademark style of action involving horses, cowboys, ranch and rodeo life, as well as wildlife.
The pieces are done in great detail thanks to the knowledge he has gained from being around horses all his life.
“Twin Spirits,” a very large and heavy bronze sculpture, is one of his unique and favourite pieces. “It is more art than sculpture.”
Monical says he has always admired the native spirit and the eagle because “they just go together.”
