Artist

Woodley Oren Truitt III (AKA The Cowboy) has a nearly endless amount of eclectic information in his head including a frightening amount of trivia and minutiae. He was once banned from playing TRIVIAL PURSUIT. In his 68 years he has packed in several careers and adventures.  Oren holds a BS in biology & chemistry and a MA in History with a Certificate of Archival Administration. He hopes someday to go back for his doctorate in history.   History is his PASSION. 

In 2020 Oren met the great love of his life, Cynthia Lee Barker (AKA Ydnic).  After being granted permission to court Ms. Barker he began a campaign to win her heart.  It was through her efforts that Oren became a devoted fan of LibertyCon.  Born and raised in Alexandria, VA Cindy grew up spending a lot of time in the D.C. area. Her mother and stepfather both worked for the CIA. Her parents are interred at Arlington National Cemetery.  In late 2001 Oren kidnapped Cindy, rescuing her from the rural hamlet of Atlanta, GA and whisking her to the bustling metropolis of Shawnee, Oklahoma. They will celebrate their 4th wedding anniversary on October 29th, 2026. 

Growing up in the military culture, Oren had extensive military style training from his scoutmasters all of whom were US Army NCOs or officers.  How many 13 year olds can successfully complete a US Army desert and mountain survival exercise?  Have had basic SERE training? By age 15 Oren was an Eagle Scout (eventually earning 6 palms and over 50 merit badges), elected to the Order of the Arrow and earning the God and Country medal as well as other achievement awards. His father, a U.S. Army expert in ground surveillance radar systems, used Oren to test radar teaching materials, by 15 Oren could to operate two different ground surveillance radar systems.  His dad also gave Oren his first instruction in using and repairing firearms.  At age 15, he won TOP SHOT at Boy Scout camp, setting a record score.  He continued competing sporadically in shooting events, winning a number of awards.  Always anxious to learn new things through reading books and practice Oren taught himself bladesmithing (making a number of knives and swords), fletching and leatherwork.  Later Oren performed a 5 year apprenticeship under a Master gunsmith, achieving Journeyman level. 

He also trained as a Handgun Instructor and Range Safety Officer earning NRA certifications. 

Growing up watching Errol Flynn movies, Oren learned to use a bow and a sword at an early age.  In his teens Oren became a student in various martial arts, earning a blue belt in Aikido and becoming a competitive fencer for 18 years (later a teacher). As a member of the SCA he fought with heavy and light weapons, becoming a student of European styles of sword fighting and later of Iaido. Along the way he studied stage fighting eventually becoming a Stage Combat Choreographer. Oren worked as an extra,  action extra and stunt gaffer on episodes of several TV series and movies. 

Utilizing his education in chemistry he trained in pyrotechnics, loading blanks, squibs, smoke pots, flash-bangs, artillery simulators and fireballs.  

A voracious reader and Biblioholic (term he coined), Oren has been a fan of history, science fiction & fantasy and detective literature as far back as he can remember.  Ever the romantic among his favorites are: THE PRISONER OF ZENDA, adventures of Sherlock Holmes, Horatio Hornblower, The Scarlet Pimpernel, Richard Sharp, the Barsoom series, Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser, Thieves World, Shogun and the works of Katherine Kurtz. For the past couple of decades, Oren has enjoyed the works of Larry Correia, Jim Butcher, John Ringo, Shane Gries, Kacey Ezell,  David Brena Bock, Jason Cordova, Charles E Gannon, Stephanie Osborn, Mark Wandrey Author, Richard F. Weyand, John Holmes, Chris Kennedy, Michael Z Williamson, Dan Kemp, Michael Wandrey, Stephanie Osborn, Tom Kratman, Brad Torgerson and Michael Anderle. 

A Freemason for over 30 years, Oren holds 32nd Degree in Scottish Rite, Knight Templar in York Rite, is a Past Master of Amity Lodge No 473 under the Grand Lodge of Oklahoma and a member of India Shrine Temple.  

Oren began the lapidary arts of cutting and polishing stone when he was 13, and silversmithing by 15, while in graduate school Oren worked as a custom jeweler and sculptor winning awards for his artistry.  He has won awards for his jewelry at Soonercon, OkCon, Aggiecon, TrekFest, Ambercon, The Gathering (Highlander) and DragonCon. His favorite styles of jewelry are Celtic and Norse.  

Oren has retired from teaching after 25 years in the classroom.  His classroom was filled with armor, maps, flags, coins and artifacts up to 4000 years old.  

Cindy and Oren have a collection of 3000+ books covering a broad range of fiction and non-fiction.  Much of it is history or firearms related. The majority of the rest is Science Fiction, fantasy, historical fiction or mystery. Cindy is a published author of several stories and a time travel novel, Oren aspires to add successful author to his list of careers. 

Cindy & Oren have been busy the past 4 years remodeling & redecorating their home, making over rooms in different themes. Their next big project is creating a huge library for their books and antiques. They are members of the Guthrie Gunfighters, an Old West gunfight performance group.  Oren has extensive collections of original and reproduction 19th Century firearms and of western movie & TV related autographs and signed photos.  Their home is decorated with signed western art prints and original works, cinema related art and antiques.  

Both Oren & Cindy are aficionados of classic cinema and TV.  They often spend time curled up together watching something in Glorious Black & White.  They share their home with two cats, Kit and Miss Kitty or, do the cats share their home with the humans? Cindy and Oren have plans to travel the country and world after Cindy retires.