Ernest Chiriaka (1913-2010) was trained as a editorial illustrator painting movie and theater posters before finding a niche in illustrating Western pulp magazines. He later went on to create front-cover Western subjects for the paperback book market, working mostly with Pocket Books and Cardinal Editions.When his career in commercial illustration ended, Chiriaka brought his love of the Old West to the field of fine art. His distinctive style, influenced by Impressionism, established him as one of the greats in the field of contemporary Western painting.