Born in Cody, Wyoming and eventually settling there, T.J. Feeley says the area has everything he needs for his painting: "cowboys, wide-open spaces, stunning mountains, and magnificent wildlife" (Art of the West 11/98). He finds inspiration in the Wyoming cowboys and also at the nearby Buffalo Bill Historical Center, which is full of paintings and sculptures of Remington and Russell.

Feeley also has winter studio in Palm Beach, Florida.

As an artist, he is self-taught. His father was a construction worker and his mother a nurse. A teacher, family, and friends noticed his childhood art talent, and he credits their encouragement with his eventual success.

For short times, he lived in Los Angeles and Las Vegas and attend...