Hi Louisa,

Thank you for contacting Mearto with your appraisal inquiry.

According to the subscription-only but well-respected industry website AskArt (www.askart.com), Austin Barton (1927-2017) was raised in Joseph, Oregon and the Wallowa Valley of Eastern Oregon. Austin loved many aspects of the western way of life and was influenced by Cowboys, Native Americans and their many stories. Breaking horses, working on farms and ranches, logging, and construction is how he earned a living before entering the Navy in 1944, where he was sent to Japan.

Barton left the Navy in 1946 after the war was over; He then worked in construction on dams on the Snake River in Oregon. After being the father of five children and having a back accident, he decided go to art school and become a fashion and merchandise illustrator. He spent 20 years as the head of the art department and worked for many large department stores.

In 1984, Barton began painting and sculpting. He left illustrating “cold turkey,” and the love of sculpting took over. A self-taught sculptor, he enjoyed working with his hands and cast his first piece in 1985. Barton did his first figurative sculpture, titled "Solitude," which sold out within a year. His first major gallery was The Legacy Gallery with locations in Scottsdale and Jackson, WY. Legacy Gallery felt his figurative work was so accurate because of the 20 years of drawing people for the advertising industry.

Once Barton decided on a subject, he sketched it, reworking the drawing until it suited him. “Sometimes it goes together fast, sometimes it doesn’t,” he says. Barton didn't work from photographs or models, preferring not to be influenced by anything but his own mind. “I work to establish my composition and my piece using my own head. Then I refer to pictures for the finishing details.”

The last 20 years of his life was challenging because he created monumental-sized sculptures as well as smaller ones. His most well-known piece is titled "Attitude Adjustment," and was completed in three sizes. The monumental sized one is on display in five public areas: Joseph, Oregon; Carson City, Nevada in the city center; Booth Museum in Cartersville, Georgia in the entry of the museum; and Boobejaanland in Antwerp, Belgium where "Attitude Adjustment" is a major draw for attendees. Another monument created by Barton’s is five life size horses located at the town entrance of the community of Maricopa, Arizona.

Austin Barton spent the last years of his life between Battle Ground, Washington and Joseph, Oregon, and did what he loved most , which was sculpting and spending time with his wife Shirley and family. He past away in 2017 in Washington.

He cast 150 editions of "Attitude Adjustment" in this size in 1995 and five other versions from this casting have been sold at auction in the past 20 years. Most recently, prices have brought between $2,500 and $4,500 at auction.

Based on the photos and information provided, and subject to examination, this is:

Austin Barton (American, 1927-2017)
"Attitude Adjustment"
edition #41/150
patinated bronze
20 by 14 by 10 inches
CONDITION: this appears to be in good condition
PROVENANCE: inherited
$2,500-4,500*
*represents a fair-market value for auction purposes; retail or asking price may vary.

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~ Delia