Ernie Marsh has been a Bit & Spur maker and silversmith for the last 26 years. Born in 1962 in Mt. View California, his interest in horses, the American west and the cowboy lifestyle goes back to his early childhood. He pursued every opportunity to be able to ride and work with horses doing all forms of jobs to earn that experience. His other interests included art, pencil drawing and wood sculpture. It was taking a job as a working ranch cowboy that sparked his interest in the fancy tools of the cowboy trade, the silver bits and spurs. His hardworking background includes ranching, rodeo competition, and timber falling. He has pursued his artwork since 1990 with the same required intensity and desire to learn, master skills and improve his pieces. In 1998 he had the honor of being selected as a founding member of The Traditional Cowboy Arts Association. Since then he has exhibited his work annually at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, Ok., this has lead to opportunities to teach others through seminars and classes as well as one on one mentorships at his own shop in Wyoming.


Portrait photo courtesy the artist.