Two Southern Alberta artists — photographer Kim Taylor and western poet Doris Daley — are featured in the 2013 iconic Western Horseman cowboy calendar. And it turned out to be a surprise that the two friends, who are practically neighbours in the southern Alberta foothills, were working with each other on the project and didn’t even know it. Kim lives just outside of Bragg Creek and Doris resides in Turner Valley.
Taylor, recognized for photographic art that captures the life of a rancher and the work of the cowboy, is well known for her annual Western Planner and Calendar.
Daley is well known in western circles for her award-winning cowboy poetry.
“Six months ago I was commissioned by Western Horseman to write a piece for next year’s calendar. They sent me a photo and asked me to write whatever came to mind. Of course they told me the photographer’s name… but I didn’t recognize it,” explains Daley. Erroneously, in the exchange of emails, it turned out to be the name of the calendar’s illustrator.
“Imagine my surprise when I saw the finished calendar and realized I had actually been writing to one of Kim’s photos!” said Daley.
“And imagine my surprise,” adds Taylor, “when Doris emailed to say congratulations — your photos are on the front and the inside cover of the calendar!”
Until then, Taylor hadn’t yet heard from Western Horseman headquarters that her photo submissions had been chosen for the project.
Taylor’s photo of Tom Bews leading yearlings across the Highwood River near Longview is the calendar front cover. Daley’s poem, Unhobbled, matches Taylor’s inside cover photo of a slicker-clad cowboy and his horse on the rainy Saskatchewan prairie. Started in 1936 and now based out of Texas, Western Horseman is one of the oldest and most respected magazines in the West. With subscriptions and shelf sales reaching almost 200,000 per issue, it is also one of the largest. Both Kim and Doris have calendars for sale (www.kimtaylor.com and www.dorisdaley.com). It is also available at www.westernhorseman.com.