Dick Mueller, Pencil Artist

Dick Mueller is a pencil artist (graphite and colored pencil) with countless awards to his name who has been drawing as long as he can remember. He was recognized as early as first grade with his excellent renditions of fire trucks and barns. Growing up Iowa during the age of great radio programs, Mueller was captivated by the old western programs like Gunsmoke, Hopalong Cassidy, Roy Rogers and Death Valley Days. His love of the Old West came early and has stayed with him throughout his entire life.

While continually working to expand his skills and natural talent through his school years, Mueller also attended the Minneapolis College of Art & Design (formerly the Minneapolis School of Art) as an industrial design major. From there he was hired as a technical illustrator for the space program at McDonnell Douglas in St. Louis. While working as a commercial illustrator, Mueller also painted in his spare time, easily selling his work outside his “regular job.”

It was a client, more than 20 years ago, that suggested he try colored pencil to get the details he so carefully crafted into his paintings. He laughs at the uninformed who think pencil work is not in the same league with painting. Not only does colored pencil give him the ability to create near photographic representations in his work, he says; “Brushes dry out, but pencils don’t! There is much less mess and it’s so much easier to get the fine details I’m after.” These details help Mueller capture the feelings and emotions of his subjects, whether human or animal.

FIND MY WORK

The Finer Arts Gallery
6137 E Cave Creek Road
Cave Creek, AZ 85331

Hidden in the Hills Studio Tour 2024

November 22, 23, 24 AND
November 29, 30 & December, 1, 2024
10am-5pm

Studio #2 on the map
38611 N. Grapevine Road
Cave Creek, AZ 85331

VIEW WEBSITE

Current Exhibits and Shows

Current Exhibit
Desert Foothills Library
See “On Alert”

February 27, 2025
Phoenix Zoo
See “Waiting For Mom”and “I’m Hungry”

Coyote Crossing Studio

38611 N. Grapevine Road
Cave Creek, Arizona, 85331

Work Samples

Western Life

Growing up Iowa during the age of great radio programs, Mueller was captivated by the old western programs like Gunsmoke, Hopalong Cassidy, Roy Rogers and Death Valley Days. His love of the Old West came early and has stayed with him throughout his entire life.

Title: “One More To Go”
Medium: Colored Pencil
Dimensions: 29″W x 23″H
Price: $1600

Title: “On Alert” (on exhibit at the Desert Foothills Library)

Medium: Colored Pencil
Dimensions: 35″W x28″H
Price: $3100

Title: “They Can Run, But They Can’t Hide”
Medium: Colored Pencil
Dimensions: 32″W x 25″H
Price: $2700

Title: “The Boss Looks Cold”
Medium: Colored Pencil
Dimensions: 26″H x 22″H
Price: $1550

Title: “Squeeze Play”
Medium: Pencil
Dimensions: 30″W x 25″H
Price: $2400

Title: “Welcoming Committee”
Medium: Pencil
Dimensions: 24″W x 18″H
Price: $2000

Title: “Quit Yer Bitchen!”
Medium: Colored Pencil
Dimensions: 27″W x 23″H
Price: $1875

Title: “Footloose Life”
Medium: Colored Pencil
Dimensions: 23″W x 20″H
Price: $1150

Hooves

“What do these animals have in common? – they all have hooves.“

Title: “After The Mud Bath”
Medium: Colored Pencil
Dimensions: 26″W x 22″H
Price: $2375

Title: Grass & Water, What else Do I Need?
Medium: Colored Pencil
Dimensions: 22″W x 18’H
Price: $1075

Title: “Salt River Beauty On The Rocks”
Medium: Colored Pencil
Dimensions: 32″W x 25″H
Price: $2900

Title: “Easy Rider’
Medium: Colored Pencil
Dimensions: 27″W x 24″H
Price: $2100

Title: “A Pair of Beauties”
Medium: Pencil
Dimensions: 28″H x23″ W
Price: $1850

Title: “Rugs on the Hoof”
Medium: Colored Pencil
Dimensions: 30″W x 25″H
Price:$1850

Title: “Shoofly’s Horse”
Medium: Colored Pencil
Dimensions: 27″W x 24″H
Price: $1950

Title :”Rides Like A Cadillac”
Medium: Colored Pencil
Dimensions: 23″W x 28″H
Price: $2100

Wildlife

“My studio is located on a hillside overlooking Grapevine Wash in quaint Cave Creek, Arizona. We are visited by abundant wild life: mule deer, the namesake coyotes, javelina, quail, bobcats, jack rabbits and numerous birds, rodents and reptiles.”

Title: ‘I’m Not Scared Mom”
Medium: Colored Pencil
Dimensions: 25″W x 16″H
Price: $1150

Title: “Resting In The Shade
Medium: Colored Pencil
Dimensions: 25″W x 16″H
Price: $1100

Title: “Fourever Ravens”
Medium: Colored Pencil
Dimensions: 22″W x 19″H
Price: ?1250

Title: “Waiting For Mom” (In Phoenix Zoo Show 2/27/2025)
Medium: Colored Pencil
Dimensions: 23″W x21″H
Price: $1750

Title: “Visiting Ancestors”
Medium: Colored Pencil
Dimensions: 30″W x22″H
Price: $1800

Title: “Lookin’ For A Lizard”
Medium: Colored Pencil
Dimensions: 25″W x 18″H
Price: $1750

Title: “Lookin’ For Some Action”
Medium: Colored Pencil
Dimensions: 25″W x 20″H
Price: $1800

Title: “I’m Hungry” (In Phoenix Zoo Show 2/27/2025))
Medium: Colored Pencil
Dimensions: 29″W x 23″H
Price: $1500

Title: “What’s That I See?”
Medium: Colored Pencil
Dimensions: 15″W x 22″H
Price: $1450

Landscapes

“In Arizona I never run out of things to draw – archaeological sites, National Monuments, rustic ranches, mountains, etc.”

Title: “Canyon Sentinel
Medium: Colored Pencil
Dimensions: 28″W x25″H
Price: $2000

Title: “Wooden Cadillac”
Medium: Pencil
Dimensions: 30’W x23″ H
Price: $800

Title: “Tonto National Monument”
Medium: Colored Pencil
Dimensions: 35″W x29″H
Price: $3250

Title: “Welcome To My World”
Medium: Colored Pencil
Dimensions: 26″ W x 22″H
Price: $1900

Title: “Jewel Of The Creek Circa 1998”
Medium: Colored Pencil
Dimensions: 30″H x 24″W
Price: $1200

Portraits From the Past

Find old family photos in Grandma’s attic?

Want to bring your ancestors to life?

Title: Cowboy Jack

Title: Etta and Bill

Title: The Cattleman

Title: Seebodes Saloon

Title: Al and Bill Feeding Doggie

Title: Al and Lawrence at the Rivers Saloon

Commissions

“I welcome commissions and have done them as large as 8’ x 4’ and as small as 6” x 4”. I also have a specialty called Portraits From The Past bringing old family portraits to life.”