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Wilson W. Capron

@wilsoncapron

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Bit & Spur Maker
Precision in Steel, Silver & Gold
Handcrafted in Texas – Worn Worldwide Crafting the Art of the West, One Piece at a Time

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This is headed to its permanent home. Projects like this challenge me in important ways, and I am most grateful for the opportunities.

In other news, I've always got a saddle going and a lot of patient customers!

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On September 26–27, the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum hosted the 27th Annual Traditional Cowboy Arts Association (TCAA) Exhibition & Sale, celebrating the extraordinary craftsmanship and enduring traditions of the American West.
Preview night welcomed approximately 150 guests, who gathered to meet the artists and admire 68 exceptional works
Saturday morning, the Museum hosted a seminar featuring a panel moderated by Jared Swanson, owner and publisher of Western Art & Architecture magazine. TCAA artists, interior designers, and collectors explored how these remarkable works tell a unique story of the West and how they can be incorporated into both homes and offices. This was followed by a screening of California Rose, a documentary chronicling the creation of the TCAA’s 25th-anniversary saddle. Made collectively by every member of the Association, the film follows the saddle’s journey from its original design and creation through its purpose and sale. Documentarian Craig Rullman was on hand.
Then came opening night—68% sell-through rate. Among the extraordinary works finding new homes were John Willemsma’s saddle, celebrating his 50 years as a saddle maker, and Scott Hardy’s Cowboy Scepter, purchased by the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum for its permanent collection.
Beau Compton passed the reins of the presidency to Nate Wald, while Amy Erickson (bit and spur making) and Marco Breitenbach (saddle making) celebrated the completion of their fellowship.
Documentarian and Western storyteller Craig Rullman delivered an inspiring keynote address reflecting on the making of California Rose, the richness of cowboy culture, and the mission of the Traditional Cowboy Arts Association.
The evening concluded with an exciting announcement from Museum board member Mike Nicola: a permanent exhibition dedicated to the Traditional Cowboy Arts Association will open at the Museum in spring 2027!
Please join us the last weekend of September 2027 as we continue to celebrate the remarkable artists and traditions that keep the spirit of the American West alive!
#exhibition #sale #tcaa2026 #artists #craftsmanship

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EVERY LINE HAS A PURPOSE

With each carefully placed shade line, a flat piece of scrollwork begins to take on depth, dimension, and life.

It’s a process that demands patience, a steady hand, and an understanding of how light and shadow work together.

Too little, and the design lacks depth. Too much, and the beauty of the scrollwork can disappear.

It’s knowing exactly where to place the next line — and just as importantly, where not to.

That’s the art of hand engraving.

#WilsonCapron #HandEngraving #WesternCraftsmanship #WesternArt #Engraving

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Did you know one of the most renowned silversmiths in the world lives just an hour south of Calgary?

This week, the Calgary Stampede Artists Studios Committee and I had the pleasure of touring Scott Hardy’s atelier, and quite simply, we were blown away. As he led us through the intensely detailed process of making artisan silver and gold work, we were treated to an intimate look at a highly specialized art form. We learned about the profound nuances that separate production-made silversmithing from the stunning pieces Scott creates.

As one of the founders of the very exclusive Traditional Cowboy Arts Association (TCAA), Scott doesn’t apologize for the elitist label occasionally thrown at the group. He knows firsthand that in its 27 years, the TCAA has nurtured its core group of artists to thrive within their disciplines. It is no understatement to say the TCAA has single-handedly preserved the cowboy arts of silversmithing, bit and spur making, rawhide braiding, and saddle making. It has done so through a circle of supporting patrons, an annual exclusive sale featuring its member artists’ work, and a program of mentorship and fellowship that encourages artisans to strive to meet the bar set for inclusion in the group.

The latest accolade (of many over his career) is the National Cowboy Museum in Oklahoma City purchasing one of his works, Cowboy Scepter, for its permanent collection. The piece, a collaboration with fellow TCAA artists Nate Wald, Cary Schwarz, and Wilson Capron, was Scott’s ode to all the great westerners he has come to know over the years.

Scott is a true and rare champion of cowboy culture, a historian and thoughtful philosopher of the West. He has put real thought into how his work will be remembered, and he knows he is building the artifacts that tomorrow’s historians will study. When I look at his pieces, I know that these accoutrements of the West will tell the story of a people who valued authenticity, wild beauty, integrity, and stewardship, and I absolutely love that thought.

#tcaa #westernart #scotthardy #calgarystampedeartshow

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It has been 20 years since I met Wilson Capron. He is a dear friend and one of the most talented bit and spur maker there is.
I have always dreamed of having something built by Wilson.
Yesterday I finally got my Wilson Capron Spurs and they are Amazing.
Thanks Wilson for your friendship and my Awesome spurs.
Go check Wilson Instagram page for the 3 part video telling our story and how I got the spurs.

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@scotthardysilversmith
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TCAA 2026 Cowboy Scepter
Last weekend was the Art opening for the 27th annual Traditional Cowboy Arts Association @tcaa_cowboy_arts Exhibition and Sale at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum @nationalcowboymuseum in Oklahoma City OK. What an incredible Celebration of Art, Craftsmanship and Cowboy Culture.

I had nine(9) pieces in the exhibition and eight(8) of which sold opening night. Each was created with passion and purpose but one was close to my heart, “The Cowboy Scepter” which was my ode to all the Great Westerners I have known through the Years.

I can’t express how Humbled and Honoured I was when the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum purchased it for their Permanent Collection!

Thank You to Nate Wald @waldranch Cary Schwarz @cary.schwarz and Wilson Capron @wilsoncapron for having the faith in me to collaborate on this Piece bringing my Vision to Fruition. And a Special Thank You to “The Cowboy”(NC&WHM) and Orrin Gabsch for enabling me to share this piece of “Cowboy Culture” with the World.
#art #cowboy #west #handmade #newhome

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TCAA 2026 Cowboy Scepter
Last weekend was the Art opening for the 27th annual Traditional Cowboy Arts Association @tcaa_cowboy_arts Exhibition and Sale at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum @nationalcowboymuseum in Oklahoma City OK. What an incredible Celebration of Art, Craftsmanship and Cowboy Culture.

I had nine(9) pieces in the exhibition and eight(8) of which sold opening night. Each was created with passion and purpose but one was close to my heart, “The Cowboy Scepter” which was my ode to all the Great Westerners I have known through the Years.

I can’t express how Humbled and Honoured I was when the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum purchased it for their Permanent Collection!

Thank You to Nate Wald @waldranch Cary Schwarz @cary.schwarz and Wilson Capron @wilsoncapron for having the faith in me to collaborate on this Piece bringing my Vision to Fruition. And a Special Thank You to “The Cowboy”(NC&WHM) and Orrin Gabsch for enabling me to share this piece of “Cowboy Culture” with the World.
#art #cowboy #west #handmade #newhome

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It has been 20 years since I met Wilson Capron. He is a dear friend and one of the most talented bit and spur maker there is.
I have always dreamed of having something built by Wilson.
Yesterday I finally got my Wilson Capron Spurs and they are Amazing.
Thanks Wilson for your friendship and my Awesome spurs.
Go check Wilson Instagram page for the 3 part video telling our story and how I got the spurs.

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Another weekend of horseback on the Ranch ….. in the show arena!

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@nationalcowboymuseum
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Don’t miss two informative panels on Saturday, as part of the Traditional Cowboy Arts Association Art Sale Weekend.

The first panel, starting at 10:15 a.m., is “The Art of Living: Where Collecting, Craftsmanship & Design Come Together,” and will discuss how exceptional craftsmanship, fine art collecting and inspired design bring the functional art of the working West into today’s most extraordinary interiors.

At 11 a.m., we will be screening “The California Rose,” a short film about the creation of a one-of-a-kind saddle for the TCAA’s 25th Anniversary. The saddle is pictured above.

Panels are free to attend with museum admission. Both will be streamed live on The Cowboy’s Facebook page.

The 2026 TCAA Exhibition & Sale is presented by Nadine and Alan Levin.

More info in our bio!

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Wilson Capron @wilsoncapron
Thank You

From everyone here at the Wilson Capron team, we want to sincerely say thank you.

Your support, comments, shares and likes are truly what has guided the 2026 TCAA mission.

If you’re attending the show, Wilson would truly love to speak with you. And if you decide to go home with one of this years pieces, please know you have not only gained a new piece to your collection-
But you have gained a friend and supporter that will outlast the piece itself.

That is the true value that Wilson receives from his work.

#wilsoncapron #tcaa

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Another exciting podcast with Cary and Willie talking to TCAA Saddlemaker Troy West @troywestsaddles
Please give it a listen
https://open.spotify.com/episode/4qx8igkRm440tVQHVuhWMr?si=70ad3b7a4dfc4c3f
Podcast
Wilson Capron, a bit and spurmaker from Texas, along with Cary Schwarz, a saddlemaker from Idaho engage in a wide range of topics related to the cowboy trades including artistry, craftsmanship, business, and life. They are members of the Traditional Cowboy Arts Association (est 1998). Wilson and Cary have over 70 combined years experience in craftsmanship, artistry, and entrepreneurism.
#podcast #listen #talk

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