A gaucho rides horseback along a sunlit dirt road lined with tall golden poplars, accompanied by two dogs in the warm autumn light.

A poised gray horse stands in raking light against a warm umber ground, its sculpted form accented by copper notes and soft, grounded shadow.

A tender portrait of a woman and her palomino standing close together, with warm golds and cool blue-greens emphasizing their quiet connection.

A lone cowboy on horseback navigates a narrow mountain cliff trail, illuminated by dramatic light against a vast, rugged landscape.

Three riders and a dog press on through an endless, snowbound plain under a heavy, overcast sky. In pastel on linen, Wheeler captures the bitter cold and quiet defiance of gaucho life in Patagonia, with Lucas—ever the John Wayne figure—leading the way.

We left early from estancia Tres Rios with to ride for the day up the Collon Cura River. Stephan, the fellow in the red shirt is a professional polo player and he rides a horse like a dream.

The poplars in Patagonia have incredible colors for a month in the fall. This is part of a group out for a ride. The colors were irresistible. I painted this in pastel on linen to try and capture the spirit of the day.