About
Jolee French is a professional western artist located in Waco, Texas. French uses oil and watercolor to create paintings of wildlife, the outdoors, and the western way of life. She fell in love with riding from the seat of her great-uncle’s saddle and spent many summers during her college years guiding trail rides in the Smokey Mountains. Now an adult with her own farm, French owns two horses and three donkeys who are frequently the subjects of her works. Her main desire as an artist is to share the western world with others who, like her, weren’t born into it.
Jolee French’s artwork is the medium she uses to share her passion for the outdoors and animals with others. When she creates a piece, she wants it to be something that the experienced ranch hand and city-slicker alike can enjoy. Additionally, as a female artist, French wants her career to show other women that they can achieve great things. This is why she enjoys painting cowgirls in particular, portraying them in their strength, capability, and knowledge.
French started selling art as a teenager creating custom painted shoes. As a college student, she began offering watercolor pet portraits, tattoo designs, stickers and prints of original pieces. After graduating college with a business degree, she worked an office job for a few months. It didn’t take long for her to realize a cubicle was not going to work for her. With encouragement from her husband, French decided to go full-time as an artist. She has had success in showing, competing, and selling. But the most rewarding part of the journey so far for French has been community she’s found with other female western artists.
Featured Shows & Awards
Cowgirl Artist of America - Pro Membership
Interview with On the Road with Kelli and Bob, 2024
Artist to Watch - Cowgirl Artists of America, 2023
Spring at the Silos, Magnolia Market 2023
Best in Show - The Cowgirl Gathering, American Paint Horse Association, 2022
Solo Show, Cultivate 7Twelve, Waco, TX (September 2022 – October 2022)