A Bygone Era is a painting of the early wooden derrick wildcatting days, ranging from the 1880’s up to 1954. It was a time where oilfield derricks were made of wood and the process of drilling for oil was hit or miss! This painting harkens back to America’s industrial days when cowboys worked in the oilfields to supplement their farm and ranch incomes.

The picturesque fall day in the badlands with a working ranch hand cowboy and horse tell a story of that Bygone Era; an era of rugged individuals that worked with their hands to bring America’s oil to a burgeoning market that was growing day by day. The painting depicts a time when life was simpler and its pace slower.

Many hours of photographic reaseach went in to each element in A Bygone Era. The decision making and the physical process of executing the painting all combined took Miles a period of three years to complete. It was the most challenging work he has completed to date.