George Ostrom, soldier and artist

“An Artist Goes to War: WWI through the Eyes of George Ostrom” opened on Aug. 2, at the Museum at the Bighorns. 

Sheridan artist George Ostrom joined the Wyoming National Guard and served on the US – Mexico border to prevent further incursions by Poncho Villa and other Mexican revolutionaries.

According to Wyominghistory.org, like other National Guard troops deployed to the border, the Wyoming soldiers eventually would spend many months in training camps but see no action. Still, many of these same men would find the military experience useful the following year, when the U.S. joined the Allies in the war against Germany and Austria, and Wyoming soldiers found themselves in combat in France.

Museum at the Bighorns Collections Manager Jessica Salzman told listeners of Sheridan Media’s Public Pulse program that Ostrom was one of these soldiers. 

According to Salzman, these unique pieces of veteran art give insight into what Wyoming soldiers experienced during The Great War. 

Visitors to the exhibit will learn about Ostrom’s time in the army and his contribution to the bucking horse emblem, Steamboat, used as a symbol of the Cowboy State.

The museum is thrilled to have this chance to exhibit how Ostrom, and by extension Sheridan, participated in World War I, Salzman said. These pieces were created by a man who actually saw the battles, the level of detail is truly impressive, she said.

The artwork and objects are on loan from the Wyoming Veterans Memorial Museum in Casper, Wyoming. The exhibit will run through Dec. 17, 2022.

For more information contact the museum at 307-675-1150 or click here.