Ross Santee

Ross Santee, artist and writer, has contributed much to the pages of Arizona Highways. His drawings and stories are a part of the great West-the vibrant, authentic West. He has contributed these writings and drawings because he is also a part of the West. He loves Arizona-her vast ranges, fertile valleys, purple mountains and alluring desert. Her vast mesaland and multi-colored canyons. Her Indian county, cowboys and common-folk. And Arizona is the richer for Santee's contributions the nation is richer for them.

His prize short short story Water reprinted in this issue speaks for itself. Rather than attempt an evaluation of some of Santee's works, it might be better to present the views in part of quotations from Book Review Digest, an authoritative publication in that field.

Of Men and Horses, a volume of twenty authentic stories of the west, Book Review Digest says: "Mr. Santee's stories of cowpunchers are good, but his pictures of man and beast are better. His eye for character in a horse is keen and sure. Whether his horses are bucking across a whole page or standing forlorn, as if forgotten, in a tailpiece, they are rendered with a realism as rare as it is affectionate."

"His drawings, which so splendidly illustrate the books are as true as the stories a few vital essentials, and the rest just indicated."

The volume, Cowboy ranks high. Of it Book Review Digest says, "Santee's style is as refreshing as the wind across the plains, his simple drawling manner carries the reader along the bottoms, gulches, and rivers of the cow country. It fills the room with the acid smell of the branding iron, and narrates a little known chapter of western life."

"Here is Wild West narrative that is literature and it closely verges upon being 'Treasure Island' literature. Here the boy is, 'all boots an' spurs,' with dreams in his head and with the will to make them materialize."

In Spike the story of a wire-haired fox terrier, "Mr. Santee's book is highly entertaining for two reasons: it is a vivid and authentic portrayal of the cowpuncher's Arizona, and it characterizes with sympathy and understanding an individual dog. Spike is a realistically conceived doggy dog who likes to gnaw smelly bones and kill skunks."

"Spike spent his puppyhood in the city where one exercises on a leash and chewing shoes is a crime. Later he was transferred to a dude ranch and began working for Big Boy punching cattle, and that he knew was the real life even though he did miss the cats a bit."

Sleepy Black is the story of a cow horse. The story of his life on the open range, his capture and training, his experiences as the property of different cowboys, is told. It is "An appealing story the author's pen and ink drawings show sympathy and imagination as well as knowledge of the West of which he writes."

Santee's stories and drawings have also appeared in several national publication-Collier's, Life, Cartoons, Century, Boy's Life, Leslie's, and many others. Another of his interesting contributions is the humorous volume The Bar X Golf Course.

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