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Laziness does not exist. At least, that’s the title of a bestselling psychology book that argues it’s time to retire the “laziness lie.” Behavior that might look on the surface like sloth, proponents of this increasingly popular philosophy argue, is always explained by at least one unseen barrier. When someone completes tasks more slowly than expected, maybe the real reason is ADHD or another form of neurodivergence. The problem could also be a lack of support, as in the case of a first-generation college kid failing classes while juggling multiple jobs to support their family, or a worker facing unreasonable expectations and mixed messages from the bosses.
Or maybe it’s not always that deep. Maybe laziness is simply about living the life you want to live. That’s what Denver artist Ariana Barnstable, 32, believes. She’s the creator of the Lazy Cowgirl, a whimsical, joyful, recurring character that has resonated with followers on social media and in galleries and shows across Colorado. Barnstable’s concept of “lazy” is less about being unproductive and more about doing your own thing, societal expectations be damned. “The Lazy Cowgirl has nowhere to be,” Barnstable says. “She’s doing everything in her own timing, embracing self care and nurturing herself through nature.”
Barnstable, who grew up in Asheville, North Carolina, and now lives in RiNo, fell hard for Colorado while working at a summer arts camp in Steamboat Springs and painting in her free time. On Instagram, she started sharing her art—mostly watercolors and pen-and-ink drawings, but she also dabbles in oils, acrylics, and textiles—under the handle Fikka Chica, a nod to her Scandinavian heritage. Fika, in Swedish, is a traditional midday coffee break and pause with friends or colleagues. Chatting over coffee might look like laziness, but it’s really about filling one’s proverbial cup, the better to create more later. “My art is about not rushing things,” Barnstable says. “It’s about living an intentional life.”
A minimalist line drawing, the Cowgirl often shows up as just a pair of boots, a hat, and a red-lipsticked mouth. Sometimes she’s sipping wine, skiing, or elegantly holding a cigarette with the Rockies behind her. She may be accompanied by inspiring quotes like “Chasing a sense of freedom no money can buy” or “Tender hearted with a wild spirit.” Always, she is having adventures, pursuing her own truth, and blocking out the haters.
The persona resonates with Barnstable’s 7,200 Instagram followers and the clients that hire her to beautify their spaces (a few recent collaborators: Aspen’s MOLLIE Hotel, the RiNo Art District, and Denver’s Ramble Hotel, where she and sculptor Lauren Young teamed up to build a saloon filled with art). Barnstable recently spoke with 5280 about her approach and where she’s headed next.
Editor’s note: The following conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
5280: How did the Lazy Cowgirl come to be?
Ariana Barnstable: I got a gig in Steamboat Springs for the summer, and that was my intro to Colorado. While I was working with a costume designer at a performing arts camp, we had access to this 100-year-old costume shop. There was a whole room full of cowgirl boots, and I started painting them. Painting the boots turned into painting a leg, and then the leg turned into a whole cowgirl.
The Lazy Cowgirl kind of embodies the spirit of the West: being drawn to nature and living her best life. By “lazy,” I mean she’s doing everything in her own time, embracing self care, not rushing. … It’s about my own efforts to get my core ideologies really secured—focusing on what matters most to me instead of materialistic things or comparing myself to others.
You do a lot of watercolors. What other media do you create?
I’m planning some larger works on canvas and linen. I used to do more landscapes and abstract pieces, so that’s something I’m comfortable with. I’ve also worked with digital media artists, where we’ve printed the watercolors on crushed velvet fabrics and other textiles.
I love collaboration, and I’ve done some immersive things. For RiNo Art District, Lauren Young and I did “The Lazy Cowgirl Saloon”—an interactive experience where you can enter into a physical structure and see art inside. It’s next going to be at the Aurora Highlands’ Market in the Park on June 13.
You learn so much every time you put yourself out there [as an artist], and then you’re ready for the next thing, instead of waiting to do one project a year and trying to make it perfect.
For an upcoming 5280 feature, I interviewed rural, working cowboys and cowgirls about the cowboy culture trend in Denver. They’ll occasionally roll their eyes at urbanites performing this trend. What are your thoughts on that?
Any time there is a bigger cultural phenomenon, people are going to cosplay a little bit. Hopefully, this trend will go back into supporting rural culture. People want to stay at ranches with their families, people want to get involved with the rodeo scene. I think it’s cool that cowgirls in Silver Lake [a trendy Los Angeles neighborhood] are wearing cowgirl boots and Western dresses. There is space for everyone to interpret the culture in their own way.
@lazy.cowgirl Lazy Cowgirl delivery !! #denvercolorado #deneverart #cowgirlartist
Do you ever get tired of focusing on a single theme in your art? How do you balance creating work that sells with following your passions?
For me, it’s really one and the same. And the more I niche down into something, the more I can expand. This series has helped me travel to beautiful places like Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and Aspen and get to be hosted by amazing hotels that want to showcase my work. I recently got back from a two-week trip to Japan, where I got to see cowgirls drinking matcha and eating sushi. I created a series from our time spent in Tokyo and Kyoto that I will be releasing online soon. It’s a series inspired by my travels and created with watercolors and oil pastels that I bought at a local art store in Tokyo. Art has to feel authentic. If you really love what you’re doing, people are going to be attracted to that.
