A Kiss From A Cowboy

A Kiss from a Cowboy

Some moments stay with you forever. They’re not planned or staged, and they don’t need to be explained — you feel them before you even understand why.

Back in May, I spent a day on a working ranch in Arizona. The branding was about to begin. Ropes coiled, boots in the dirt, dust still hanging low in the cool morning air. Among all that movement, one cowboy caught my attention. His name was Cody. He wasn’t rushing. He checked every strap, adjusted the saddle until it sat just right, made sure his horse was as comfortable as possible before the work ahead. And then he stopped. He wrapped his arms around that horse, kissed him, and gave him a firm pat. No words. No show. Just a quiet promise before they stepped into the day together.

As the hours went on, the heat settled in. Dust rose in lazy swirls under the midday sun. But even in the thick of it, Cody never forgot his partner. Between rides, he’d unbuckle the saddle and lift it to let air flow across the horse’s back. Just a few seconds of care — quick, quiet — but it spoke louder than anything else I saw that day.

When the work was done, I asked Cody if he’d pose for a few shots with his horse. He smiled and shook his head. “He’s worked hard enough today. He needs to rest.” We didn’t stage anything. Instead, I photographed them just as they were — walking toward the horizon. No words. No show. Just quiet respect.

This painting, A Kiss from a Cowboy, isn’t just about one cowboy on one ranch in Arizona. It’s about all the small, steady acts of care that build trust over time — the kind of trust you don’t have to speak about. From the first pencil line to the final detail, I wanted to honor that moment and the bond behind it. The original is now available, ready to find its home. Maybe it will be with someone who’s felt that same connection — to a horse, a person, a place — and knows exactly what it means to begin with trust.