Dustin Payne is known for his western portrayal of history in bronze sculpture.  With his traditional style, he encapsulates the feeling and detail of the western way of life.

Dustin was born into a rodeo and ranching family in southern New Mexico in 1981.  Growing up as a third-generation sculptor in his family, he began learning the trade at an early age. Endless inspiration came out of studying the great works of Remington and Russell, and he was influenced by the books and drawings of Will James.

Being close to his family’s ranch, as a young man he experienced first-hand the traditions of the Western way of life.  Here Dustin came to know the skills of roping, riding, and working with cattle.  The strength and character of the old cowboys and ranchers created inspiration for him to carry on the spirit, respect, and tradition of their way of life. Dustin began expressing his deep love for the history and culture of the American West through his own artwork.  He later headed north and settled in Wyoming, enjoying the open vastness of the Northern mountains, visiting the nearby Buffalo Bill Center of the West for inspiration, and fulfilling his ambition with memorable stories of the western characters in his sculptures. You can find Dustin’s life-size monument honoring the history of the Texas Rangers, “The Legend, The Lore, The Law” at the Texas Rangers Heritage Center in Fredericksburg, Texas.

In 2017, he earned an invitation to be inducted into the renowned Cowboy Artists of America and is planning to pay tribute to the time-honored organization’s values, moving forward in his career as one of their newest members.

At the 2021 Cowboy Artists of America show, he won the Gold Medal for Sculpture for “Charles Autobees”, as well as the Ray Swanson Memorial Award for “Tales of the Trail”. In 2022, Dustin’s work was shown at The Sons of Charlie Russell Exhibition at the Briscoe Western Art Museum in San Antonio.

b. 1981

Resides: Cody, Wyoming USA

Artistic Specialization: Western sculpture in bronze/Monumental commission sculpture in bronze