Shown here in the beginning stages of the composition for the smaller study-size

The Cowboys of the OK Corral

Work-in-Progress for 2024

Dustin’s newest work-in-progress is a historical depiction of the OK Corral Cowboys/Clanton Gang. This collaboration piece will be available in two sizes; the masterwork & study. The companion piece to this work will be completed by Dustin’s father, Vic Payne, with “The Walk to Tombstone”, also available in two sizes. We are taking pre-orders on this historical story and collaboration with father-and-son sculptors, and expect the finished works to be cast in bronze in 2024.

Contact for Ordering Information

Masterwork
Approx. Dims: 26”H x 36W x 13”D | Limited Edition of 25

Study
Approx. Dims: 13”H x 26”W x 8”D | Limited Edition of 35

In the heart of Tombstone, Arizona, the sun hung low in the desert sky, casting long shadows across the narrow, dusty streets. A sense of tension filled the air, as if the entire town held its breath, waiting for a storm to break loose. At the center of this turmoil stood the O.K. Corral, where four lawmen and a few reckless cowboys would etch their names into history.

As an artist deeply fascinated by the Old West, I’m embarking on a journey to recreate the pivotal moment of the O.K. Corral shootout. My goal is to capture the raw emotion, the charged atmosphere, and the personalities that clashed on that fateful day.

Ike and Billy Clanton, sons of a notorious cattle rustler, paced nervously near the corner of Fremont and Third Streets. Ike's anger was palpable, his eyes ablaze with defiance as he spat curses at the lawmen. Billy, younger and impressionable, clutched his revolver with trembling hands, torn between bravado and fear. The McLaury brothers, Tom and Frank, loomed beside them, sharing the tension that gripped them all.

In the distance, the Earp brothers—Wyatt, Morgan, and Virgil—alongside their close friend Doc Holliday, advanced cautiously. Their faces were etched with determination, reflecting years of experience in law enforcement and survival in the wild territories. Wyatt, the charismatic leader with a steely gaze, knew that this moment could define their legacy.

 The tension in the scene was heightened by the presence of Billy Claiborne, a young and reckless cowboy caught between loyalty and self-preservation. He faced off against Wyatt Earp, his knuckles white around his gun. The sweat on his brow reflected the struggle within him, torn between the thrill of outlaw life and the dread of facing the lawmen's judgment.

 The O.K. Corral shootout remains a vivid chapter in American history, a moment when lawmen and outlaws clashed in a whirlwind of bullets and blood. Through my sculpture, I hope to honor the truth of that day—a clash of personalities and principles that reverberated through time, forever etching their stories into the fabric of the Old West.

 --Dustin Payne