Welcome to the Leanin’ Tree Museum of Western Art. The museum exhibits over 300 original paintings and bronze sculptures from the private collection of Edward P. Trumble, chairman and founder of Leanin’ Tree Inc.

      Trumble founded Leanin’ Tree Inc in 1949 as a small company printing Christmas cards with a Western theme, the only company to do so at that time. Through the years, Trumble traveled widely, meeting artists painting the great beauty and history of the American West, and published their works on everyday cards as well as Christmas greeting cards. In 1974, Leanin’ Tree moved into new corporate headquarters and the Leanin’ Tree Museum was established. It exhibits the works that Trumble has collected from these artist friends over the years.

     We invite you to come and view this magnificent private collection, unique in that it is the only major collection of privately held works of American Western art that is free and open to the public for viewing.

The Leanin’ Tree Museum of Western Art — Artists in the News

     The Leanin’ Tree Museum of Western Art announces the acquisition of a new bronze sculpture by Gerald Balciar, of Colorado.

     Titled “Staking Claim", the bronze is of a cougar scratching the tree stump to mark his territory and spread his scent. The bronze measures 28 inches in height and is mounted on white Italian marble and a dark walnut base. The color of the patina, or finish, of the bronze metal is achieved by using seven different chemicals to give the appearance and color of the cougar’s fur.

     The cougar is the most widespread of the big cats in North America and can be found in an amazing variety of habitats. They are powerful, shorthaired cats with a small head who lead solitary lives. They hunt primarily deer and other small mammals and range as much as fifty miles in their hunting territory. Their strong, sinuous form enables them to leap as far as 20 feet in a single bound.

     Gerald Balciar grew up in the dairy farms and northwoods of rural Wisconsin. Art and animals played an important part in his life from very early days. Balciar likes to portray the gentle side of nature in his lyrical, impressionistic sculpture. One of his big cats, a 15 foot cougar carved from a single piece of marble, titled Canyon Princess, is installed at the National Cowboy Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City.