Howard Post has long been recognized for his unique interpretation of the American Southwest. His work is distinguished by a close personal involvement with his subject.

A third generation Arizonan, Post grew up on a ranch near Tucson amidst the sights and excitement of cowboys, cattle and the rodeo. At 14, he began competing and eventually became the high school All-Around Rodeo Champion. In time, he became a member of the University of Arizona rodeo team, and eventually, a competitor with the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. The rodeo continues to provide inspiration to Post who thinks of himself, "not as a cowboy who paints, but an artist who happens to have been a cowboy.”

He attended the University of Arizona where he completed his BFA and MFA. He then taught at both the University of Arizona and Arizona State University. Eventually, he fulfilled his dream to become a painter and found acclaim with the union of his skill as an artist and his passion for American ranching tradition

Viewers of Post’s works respond to a bird’s-eye view of pastoral life. This higher perspective endows people and animals in the painting with stronger shapes and patterns. Post draws from his imagination and from his collection of thousands of slides. He then approaches the canvas without preliminary sketches, only a keen mental image. Known for his paintings of cattle, cowboys, rodeo arenas, and ranch life, Post portrays the contemporary West in a modern fashion.

His work quickly achieved critical acclaim and has become a part of important collections including the Smithsonian Institute, the Whitney Museum, the AT&T Corporation, the United Airlines Corporation, the U.S. Postal Service in Washington D.C. , the Bank of Texas , and the Standard Oil Corporation. In addition, he has illustrated children’s books including, The Magic Boots and Under the Moon and Stars.