Born in Arizona and raised in Duncan, a small farming and ranching community on the New Mexico border, Cox vowed at the age of five he "was gonna be a cowboy artist" when he grew up, a goal pursued with unwavering determination and a penchant for absolute accuracy. "If I don't know my subject, I don't paint it...I just cannot do impressionistic paintings, although I've been told by some successful artists to do so: 'Loosen up. Forget the details of ropes and spurs; use more splash-dash, make bold strokes!' Thank you, no."

Although his evident skill was recognized early on and he was encouraged in his painting, Cox suspected that most art schools and colleges... [View Full Biography]