In his hillside studio overlooking the Grapevine Wash, Dick Mueller sees an abundance of wildlife. While viewing wildlife is fairly common in a town like Cave Creek, it is Mueller’s ability to transpose what he sees into such detail with a pencil that is so amazing or, as the artist himself puts it, “Art with details that are only possible with a pencil – details that create work that looks photographic. These details help me create textures that I can feel and they help me capture the feelings and emotions of the subjects, whether the subject is human or animal.”
Although art has always been his passion, Mueller has been able to devote himself to it full-time since retiring from a previous career and moving to Cave Creek in 1999. He typically does 8-15 new drawings each year and they may take anywhere from 8 days to 8 weeks to finish which has allowed him to do well over 200 drawings during the past 19 years. His favorite subject is almost anything western including animals, people, buildings, and trains. Mueller really stands out with his ability to draw so many different kinds of subjects. In fact, since 2005, Dick has received 5
awards (first through third place) in the drawing category at the Phippen
Western Art Show in Prescott, Arizona.
Mueller is very active with the local Sonoran Arts League and is one of only 6 artists who have participated in the Hidden in the Hills Studio Tour every year since 1999. Dick’s Coyote Crossing Studio is a popular stop on the tour. In fact, he is happy to show his work almost anytime by appointment throughout the year. His work can also be seen annually at Arizona’s Fine Art Expo in nearby Scottsdale or at www.coyotecrossingstudio.com