The second pick today in our all-book-day of The 2026 PopCult Gift Guide is a third collection of the art of Ron Lesser, this time focusing on his Western art. it’s a fantastic gift for fans of Westerns, fine art, commercial art and spectacular illustration.
The Art of Ron Lesser Volume 3: Wild, Wild Westerns
by Robert Deis (Author), Bill Cunningham (Editor), Tim Hewitt (Editor)
Ron Lesser (Illustrator)
introduction by James Reasoner
Subtropic Productions
ISBN-13 : 979-8199028783
$45.00 (discounted at Amazon)
This third volume of The Art of Ron Lesser departs from the femme fatales of the first two books in the series (Deadly Dames and Sexy Sirens and Dangerous Dames and Cover Dolls) and dives into the wealth of material Lesser produced for Western-themed paperback novels, movies, television and fine art.
The temptation is there to call Lesser’s art “eye candy,” but to be honest, it seems way more savory than that. This is meaty, action-filled exciting adventure art. The art alone is enough to merit long study and stir the imagination. On top of that, the stories behind the art, dealing with the demands of producing commercial art and seeing it re-used for different purposes…that stuff is really fascinating.
The level of craft on display is astounding. At a time when the world of “fine art” frowned on realism, commerical artists of the time kept alive the grand traditions of classic representative art, and they did it on a deadline and had to be proflic to earn a living. It’s great to see these artists finally getting their due.
Let’s go to the publisher’s blurb…
THE WEST WAS WILD!
And no one could visualize its raw, untamed fury and pioneer spirit like artist RON LESSER. From 1959 to today, Ron has painted hundreds of book covers, movie posters, advertisements and gallery artwork depicting the drama, the people, and the colorful vistas of the Old West.In this 3rd volume of our The Art of Ron Lesser series we examine his portfolio of work in the Western genre illustrating some of the classics from writers like Luke Short, Louis L’Amour, John Benteen, J.T. Edson, and many more. This volume is a unique look into the life and work of an artist who had a powerful impact on our pulp culture, and framed how we look at that period of American history.
The Art of Ron Lesser Vol. 3: Wild, Wild, Westerns is a companion to Vol 1: Deadly Dames and Sexy Sirens and Vol. 2: Dangerous Dames and Cover Dolls. All three showcase and provide insight into the 65+ year career of the artist and his groundbreaking work within the art, publishing, advertising, and entertainment industries.
This 3rd volume feature 150 pages of full color artwork and commentary by one of the masters of the western genre. It is a unique art book of a unique artist.
I can’t really say it any better than that. This book belongs in the collection of any lover of realistic art, and any fan of the Western genre. Order The Art of Ron Lesser Volume 3: Wild, Wild Westerns directly from the publisher or any bookseller by using the ISBN Code, or find it, discounted, at Amazon.
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Many thanks, Rudy— from me, my editors, and Ron. Cheers!