By Billie J Olson
In the dust of the 1993 Calgary Stampede, a museum director named Lynn walked into a booth to inspect the Calgary Stampede Trophy. There stood Jay Contway, a man whose hands breathed life into bronze. Their union in 1996 became a 23-year partnership fueled by a mutual hunger for learning.
Jay was a master of the “invisible detail.” A lifelong cowboy and artist, his intimacy with the West was tactile. He famously sculpted horses with shoes on the bottom of their hooves, details no one would see without flipping the heavy bronze. Operating by instinct, he never used a tape measure. He could sculpt four individual horses for a chuckwagon team separately, and they would fit together perfectly at the foundry. “I have a God-given talent,” he’d say simply.
While Jay’s work, totaling over 6,500 castings, found homes in the C.M. Russell Museum and private collections worldwide, his heart remained at the ranch. Lynn turned their home into a sanctuary of hospitality. When local families visited, Lynn served the children hot chocolate from a formal silver tea service. Years later, after Jay passed, a teenage boy returned, asking, “Do you think she’ll still use the silver teapot?” For Lynn, it wasn’t just a dish; it was a gesture of profound respect.
Today, Lynn continues to preserve the “Proof,” the stories and records that verify Jay’s outrageous cowboy tales. Though the fires of industry and the complexities of modern borders have brought the casting era to a close, the legacy remains. It is a story of a “white woman” and her cowboy, built on cloth napkins, quiet bookstore dates, and the enduring weight of bronze.
In an era of digital noise, the Contway booth remains a sanctuary of quiet discipline and authentic Western soul. Whether you are a lifelong collector or a newcomer to the “Beginning of the Bronze Age,” Lynn welcomes you to step into the booth, look at the art, and stay for a story. It is exactly how Jay would have wanted it. See Jay’s work at The Great Western Show at Montana ExpoPark, booth #303. This is a rare opportunity to handle the original, signed sculptures, view his intimate sketches, and hear the “Proof” behind the legend directly from his bride.
Contact Lynn at jaycontway.com or call her at USA 406-868-8684 or Canada 403-994-1950.