About Us

Renowned artist, sculptor and historian, Jerry Thomas’s stunning depictions of the wildlife, landscapes, history and personalities of the American West have garnered him wide acclaim. His attention and passion for accurately capturing, portraying and researching his subjects is a hallmark of his beautifully designed images.

Jerry’s artwork is collected and displayed worldwide and has been featured on many book and magazines covers and articles, television shows and documentaries. Through his artwork, Jerry has  helped to fund and promote the preservation of important wildlife habitat restoration projects in the U.S., Mexico and Canada and has been instrumental in the preservation of national landmarks and historic sites.

His Native American paintings have benefited his friends of the Northern Cheyenne and Crow Reservations. The Northern Cheyenne Nation honored Jerry, presenting him with the Cheyenne name, “Mo’ e’ haaso”, meaning “Little Magpie”. In Cheyenne culture the “Magpie” bird is considered a spiritual entity and “sacred messenger of the creator”. Jerry was given the name for his efforts and friendship in bringing attention to the sacred and national historic site known as Punished Woman’s Fork, where in 1878, the last battle between U.S. Military and Native Americans was fought in Kansas. The Northern Cheyenne were able to escape after the battle and returned to their homelands in Montana, and know Punished Woman’s Fork, as “the place where they got life again”.

Jerry was recently presented the 2019 Smoky Hill Trail Association’s “Donna Malsom Ambassador Award” for “his outstanding work in preserving the history of the Smoky Hill Trail and promoting the knowledge and understanding of the trail in his accurate, beautiful, and meticulously detailed artwork”. He has been honored by the State of Kansas, receiving the coveted “Kansas Finest Award” and is a proud inductee into the Southwestern College Fine Arts Hall of Fame. Jerry’s “Kiosk” architectural design along with his historic artwork, was recently selected to be built on all eleven of Kansas’s Byways. In 2016,  Governor Sam Brownback named Jerry as the director of the intiative to design and build a new museum at the El Quartelejo National Historic Site.

Jerry’s boyhood home, Scott City, Kansas and the State of Kansas honored him with the building of the Jerry Thomas Gallery and Collection in 2010. Beautifully created with Native American Southwest architecture, the “Gallery” not only displays his incredible original paintings and sculpture, but also Jerry’s amazing world class Western historical collection. The treasured collection showcases items from Lt. Col. George A. Custer’s Seventh U.S. Cavalry, Little Big Horn Battlefield, Punished Woman’s Fork Battlefield, Civil War (Gettysburg), Cowboy Trails artifacts and one of a kind amazing Plains Indian items, including Northern Cheyenne, Sioux, Kiowa and Comanche artifacts.

Hours: 1pm - 5pm, Tuesday - Saturday, 902 W. Highway 96, Scott City, Kansas 67871