Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2023/No. 187 i Western Art Collector

Welcome to the March issue! March is a glorious month for collectors and we are here to celebrate this both in the magazine and in person. One of the places we’ll be in March is Great Falls, Montana, home of Western Art Week, which is an amazing event timed with the birthday of Charles M. Russell. We highly recommend the experience of being in Great Falls in March and having access to 16 top Western art shows in six days. It is an approachable and fast way to get fully indoctrinated in the beauty, history and lore of the West. Executive editor Michael Clawson and publisher Wendie Martin will be in Montana, boots on the ground, to visit artists, meet subscribers and experience the week. Many of the Great Falls…

THROUGH APRIL 15 STEAMBOAT ART MUSEUM The New West: The Rise of Contemporary Indigenous and Western Art Steamboat Springs, CO – (907) 870-1755 www.steamboatartmuseum.org THROUGH APRIL 23 SID RICHARDSON MUSEUM Night & Day: Frederic Remington’s Final Decade Fort Worth, TX – (817) 332-6554 www.sidrichardsonmuseum.org THROUGH APRIL 23 BRINTON MUSEUM 18th Annual Illustrator Show Big Horn, WY – (307) 672-3173 www.thebrintonmuseum.org THROUGH APRIL 29 NATIONAL MUSEUM OF WILDLIFE ART  Wolves: Photography of Ronan Donovan Jackson, WY – (307) 733-5771 www.wildlifeart.org THROUGH APRIL 30 WESTERN SPIRIT: SCOTTSDALE’S MUSEUM OF THE WEST Light and Legacy: The Art and Techniques of Edward S. Curtis Scottsdale, AZ – (480) 686-9539 www.scottsdalemuseumwest.org THROUGH MAY 7 HARWOOD MUSEUM OF ART Outriders: Legacy of the Black Cowboy Taos, NM – (575) 758-9826 www.harwoodmuseum.org THROUGH MAY 14 THE JAMES MUSEUM…

Known for its eclectic roster of contemporary, Western and Native American artists who create work across a wide variety of mediums, Blue Rain Gallery has long had a strong footprint in Santa Fe, New Mexico. And now the gallery’s presence will grow with a new location in Durango, Colorado. The expansion to the north is also coming at a pivotal time as the gallery celebrates its 30th year in the art market. The opening of a Colorado gallery has its origins in the pandemic, when many galleries in Santa Fe were closed down entirely and tourist traffic fell to zero during Covid’s peak. “Durango has long been in the sights of gallery owner and entrepreneur, Leroy Garcia. Garcia recalls taking family trips as a child from Taos, New Mexico, to…

Settlers West Galleries presents six views of the West in an ambitious group show opening March 25. Tales of the West brings together painters Mark Boedges, Don Oelze, Kenneth Peloke, Albin Veselka and Dustin Van Wechel, along with charcoal artist Rachel Brownlee. “When I invited the people to the show, I didn’t want six people doing the same subject matter,” says Settlers West owner Stuart Johnson. “Although it’s all Western related, I didn’t want six people doing Native American paintings, for example, so I picked a category for each one.” From gestural mark making to hyperrealist detail, each artist brings their own interpretation of Western subject matter to the Tucson gallery. “I’ve seen so many paintings and so many works of art and artists that it takes something for them…

After three years of rising through the ranks of Western art, Sean Michael Chavez is reexamining what kind of work is important to him and the first thing he realized was it was his own history. The painter, who was raised in New Mexico, has Mexican heritage and he sees that as an opportunity to explore the West in unique ways. “My last couple shows have really informed me on what people respond to with my work, but I also want to work in tandem with what I respond to. Where those things align, that’s where I want to be as an artist,” Chavez says. “So I’ve been exploring a dialogue with my audience and myself. And the Hispanic side of my history is really interesting to me. My family…

Echo Ukrainetz has no memory of being without art in her life. It’s one of her great passions. “I have been interested in art for as long as I can remember,” she says. The Montana artist works in the medium of batik, a difficult method of making art that uses wax. She is entirely self-taught. “I learned through trial and error,” she says. “This has yielded many happy accidents as well as a few disasters. Over the years I have learned how to manipulate the wax and dye to create desired effects; however, it is very unpredictable. With each piece, I try to push the medium further to the point that the pieces take on a life of their own. After about four or five dye baths on the face,…

Award-winning artist Shirley Quaid was born and raised in Oklahoma and still resides in a rural area in the south-central part of the state where she works in her “dream studio” nearly every day. Having started painting 22 years ago, Quaid first explored watercolor and acrylic paints before settling on oils as her preferred medium. “I love the way oil paint feels,” she says. “The flow of the paint is much smoother and allows me to be more expressive.” Quaid has created a variety of works that depict scenes from the Old West. “I’m not a portrait painter, but I like to paint people,” she says. “I feel most people from the Old West were survivors. I like to paint the expressions and emotions of those people. I work with…

Western Art Collector magazine has changed the way artists, galleries and collectors connect. It has closed the gap that previously existed in the Western art market. Spectacular and instant SOLD! stories keep rolling in. On this page you can read just some of the feedback pouring into our office from coast to coast on sales and connections achieved. And now that the Virtual Version of the magazine launches up to 10 days before the printed edition arrives, collectors can find new art even faster. 1. Frederic Remington bronzes soars at Christie’s In a sale that realized more than $6.5 million, Christie’s 19th Century American Art sale saw not one, but two, major Frederic Remington bronzes blast through their auction estimates on January 19 in New York City. A cast of Broncho…

In this month’s issue we have major coverage on the Briscoe Western Art Museum’s Night of Artists show in San Antonio, Texas. For the second year in a row, the organizers at the Briscoe have asked me to moderate their Collectors Summit, which consists of two lively panels of experts talking about art, the market and ways collectors can participate in this exciting world we all love. The panelists—auction specialists, gallery owners, collectors and artists—have always been fascinating individuals within the realm of Western art, and this year is no exception. The two panels are themed in a very unique way. The first is called “Headin’ In,” and it tackles what long-time collectors should do as their collecting journey comes to an end. This theme can bring up difficult questions…

APRIL 14-15, 2023 Scottsdale Art Auction Scottsdale, AZ – (480) 945-0225 MAY 2023 (DATES TBA) Christie’s American Art Sale New York, NY – (212) 636-2000 MAY 2023 (DATES TBA) Sotheby’s American Art Sale New York, NY – (212) 606-7000  MAY 2023 (DATES TBA) Bonham’s American Art Sale New York, NY – (212) 644-9001 MAY 2022 (DATES TBA) Heritage American Art Sale Dallas, TX – (214) 528-3500 UNE 2-AUGUST 6, 2023 Prix de West Oklahoma City, OK – (405) 478-2250 JULY 15, 2023 Coeur d’Alene Art Auction Reno, NV – (208) 772-9009 JULY 21-30, 2023 Cheyenne Frontier Days Western Art Show & Sale Cheyenne, WY – (307) 778-7290 AUGUST 18-20, 2023 The Russell Great Falls, MT – (406) 727-1939  AUGUST 19-20, 2023 Santa Fe Indian Market Santa Fe, NM – (505) 983-5220…

1 SHANNON LEIGH BRINGS STRONG SHOW TO SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA When the Celebration of Fine Art opened in Scottsdale, Arizona, one of the standout presentations was from Shannon Leigh, whose colorful Western scenes were impressing visitors to the three-month-long art show. Her work—contemporary in design and retro in subject matter—calls out to Western fashion, design, architecture and even automobiles. “I consider myself a hybrid painter. My work reflects the multifaceted Americana landscape through the intersection of culture and history,” she says. “I stylistically paint in smooth, even textures, taking a linear and figurative approach to perspective. Inspired by the beauty and symbolic thread of connection within the shards of classical stained-glass renderings, I mend stories at the seams in bold lines that unite fragments of an imaginary narrative. Often, I choose to…

John and Terri Kelly Moyers need no introduction. But here’s one anyway. They’re a husband-wife duo with roots in New Mexico and Alberta, Canada, respectively. They’ve been painting since the 1970s, and by the looks of things, they have it pretty much figured out. Other artists throw around adjectives like “award-winning,” but the Moyers family mantle would make Meryl Streep blush. Terri Kelly Moyers took home prizes from the Prix de West in 1996, 2011 and 2018. In 2012, she became one of the first women to win the Prix de West Museum Purchase Award. Those accolades should go nicely with the 25 or so her husband has from the Prix de West, Masters of the American West and awards from when he was a member of the Cowboy Artists of…

A powerhouse lineup of Texan artists make up InSight Gallery’s annual Texas Masters show, featuring nearly 50 new paintings and sculptures. The gallery is in its 14th year exhibiting the unique and diverse voices of these Texas-based artists, including Phil Bob Borman, Mary Ross Buchholz, Nancy Bush, Cheri Christensen, Douglas Clark, Mick Doellinger, Jim Eppler, Bruce Greene, David Griffin, Brian Grimm, Francois Koch, Mark Haworth, Qiang Huang, Kyle Ma, Kay Northup, Tony Pro, Robert Pummill, Aleksander Titovets, Lyuba Titovets and Ann Kraft Walker. Christensen and Buchholz both capture many of the livestock and other animals that are iconic of Western life. Currently, Christensen has two paintings completed for the Texas Masters show, with a third larger painting in the works. Fredericksburg Afternoon depicts a youthful cow looking directly at the viewer.…

For Lisa Gordon’s one-woman show at Sorrel Sky Gallery in Santa Fe, New Mexico, it’s all about the artist’s process or rather, progress. The show, opening in early March, will feature a mix of Gordon’s bronze works ranging from brand new work to much older pieces that have been “revised” or “remodeled” to illustrate her evolving style and skill over time. Aptly titled Wild Things, the show of around 130 pieces, including a vast collection of miniatures, will showcase Gordon’s passion for all animals, but especially horses. “[Gordon’s] sculptures have a definite element of whimsy,” remarks Shanan Campbell, owner of Sorrel Sky Gallery. “But they’re so much more. When we take a moment and really look, we see ourselves. We see the strength and commitment needed to stay connected and…

Morgane Antoine’s work is a perpetual quest to capture the fleeting moment of truth and awe that can be felt when encountering a wild animal. “I immerse the viewer in a world of lifelike details and hype-realistic textures. I want them to feel the touch of nature in every tiny brushstroke, to lose themselves in the depth of myriad layers and to be on the lookout for creatures escaping from the canvas,” she says. Her approach is both technical and naturalist with an intensive work of observation, research and reference gathering. It gives her the intimate knowledge necessary to faithfully portray her subjects in their environment. “Some paintings take up to several months to complete. Wildlife art is all about passion but also patience, a stark contrast to our society’s…

Charles M. Russell died nearly a century ago, but his influence on the West is so profound that his March 19 birthday is practically a holiday in his hometown of Great Falls, Montana. The week-long celebration is called Western Art Week, though many people refer to it simply as Russell Week. This year’s celebration will include a number of events hosted by the art destination that bears his name, the C.M. Russell Museum. Charlie’s March Roundup will kick off March 17 with the Art in Action quickdraw event at the Meadowlark Country Club. Artists will create a new work in front of a live audience during the timed event. After the painting and sculpting period is over, the finished works will be sold at a live auction. Also on March…

Beginning March 16, March in Montana is returning to Great Falls, Montana, and the sale and show will offer a huge variety of material, all of it related to the West in some way. “We’re always very proud that March in Montana has something for everyone, and that is true once again this year as we bring more than 750 lots of historic and contemporary material to the auction,” says Ron Nicklas, the auction’s managing partner. “The sales are always fun and energetic, and this year will be no exception.” March in Montana was one of the first shows affected by the pandemic in 2020, when the show had to switch to an online-only format since visitors could not be in the room where the auction was being held. Since…

John Fawcett Board Member & Chairman of Exhibitions and Acquisitions Committees Steamboat Art Museum Steamboat Springs, CO (970) 870-1755 www.steamboatartmuseum.org What event (gallery show, museum exhibit, etc.) in the next few months are you looking forward to, and why? Andrew Wyeth: Home Places which opens at the Brandywine Museum of Art in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, on February 4, 2023. I have been a member of the museum committee at the Brandywine for many years and always look forward to new exhibits featuring any members of the Wyeth family. Our committee helps curate new shows, considers gifts to the collection and votes on deaccessioning pieces if we feel they do not fit with our mission statement. This upcoming exhibit is a presentation of nearly 50 works of local buildings that Andrew…

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When visiting Colorado, you simply cannot ignore the monumental and awe-inspiring presence of the many peaks and natural wonders of the Rocky Mountain range or the “Southern Rocky Mountains.” Colorado is home to the highest of the peaks in the entire range that spans around 3,000 miles between Canada and New Mexico. Many creatives, for many years and across generations, have been hypnotized by its allure—compelling them to try their very best to not only capture the indescribable beauty of the Rockies, but a taste of Colorado itself. Renowned artists like Albert Bierstadt (1830-1902), known for his large landscape paintings of the American West inspired by trips of the Westward Expansion, depicted the Rockies in several significant paintings, and captured the Colorado Rockies in Estes Park, Longs Peak, 1877—depicting a…

Coming to Mark Sublette Medicine Man Gallery is the anticipated Forests and Beyond—a show of around 20 new paintings by Francis Livingston. His work has evolved to include different styles and subject matter, ranging from impressionist scenes of California to colorful abstractions and cityscapes. In more recent years, inspired by his home in Sun Valley, Idaho, Livingston has also focused on Western depictions. In this new series of work, we see yet another shift in his style, while continuing to focus on imagery of the West including landscapes, Native American figures and pueblo architecture. “In the past two years, I’ve been pushing the modernist approach to some of the work,” Livingston explains. “I’ve always had an affinity for abstract and impressionism, and even expressionism. All this stuff is mixed in…

Animated and convivial with the probing mind of a philosopher, Duke Beardsley is passionate about life in general—and art in particular. His art, a contemporary take on traditional Western subject matter, reconciles his “dual/duel” exposure to ranching culture and the urban world. Therein, as the double entendre suggests, lies both harmony and tension. Beardsley brings both to the canvas. Loosely defined but unmistakable horses and riders move toward the viewer but rather than emerging from a cloud of kicked-up dirt and dust, it could be a pattern of more horses and riders, akin to wallpaper or, as in some of his newer pieces, purely abstract. His use of repetition, in backgrounds and foregrounds—and its allusion to print-making—indicate the influences of abstract expressionism and pop art on his work. Though ranching…

Born and raised on a historic family ranch in Nebraska, Rachel Brownlee’s work reflects a lifetime of experience and love for the lifestyle she portrays. She grew up loving to ride and draw pictures of horses, never imagining that artwork would one day become a career of its own. Brownlee was entirely self-taught from a young age and began to work in fine art full time in 2021. Having developed her skills in an artwork vacuum, she works in an uncommon style. Her work is exacting and time consuming, revealing tiny details in textures that work up to build photorealistic charcoal drawings. Brownlee’s large, detailed charcoal drawings could best be described as paintings due to their size and skilled execution. She draws the people and animals in her neighborhood trying…

For passionate Western art fans, the Out West Art Show & Sale is one of highlights of Western Art Week in Great Falls, Montana. The annual show, hosted at the Heritage Inn, features more than 70 of the top artists working in the genre today—all presented in an intimate format, with artists at their booths ready to discuss their original works of art. “As someone who grew up in Russell Country, I find inspiration in wild places and wild faces. I love painting wildlife, landscapes and the long-dead heroes of the West,” says participating artist Sarah Boston, who works in pastel, oil, graphite and colored pencil. “My favorite challenge is to bring early photographs back to life with color and detail, which often starts with days of research to be…

March in Great Falls, Montana, has a huge variety of Western shows available to collectors. They are taking place all around town and feature a variety of artwork, not to mention hundreds of artists and dealers. Here is a roundup of Great Falls events. Enjoy! 1 Arvon Art Show & Sale March 15-19 Historic Hotel Arvon, 118 First Avenue S., Great Falls, MT 59401, (406) 952-1101, www.hotelarvon.com/western-art-week Taking place in the 33-room Historic Hotel Arvon, the Arvon Art Show & Sale will feature works from more than 20 artists, both historic and contemporary. Artists with work in the show include Gary Byrd, Mimi Grant, Joe Netherwood, Echo Ukrainetz, Ron Ukrainetz, Brenda Wolf and many others. The hotel is connected to the Celtic Cowboy Irish Pub, which will create a festive atmosphere…

The upcoming Works on Paper, Prints + Multiples sale at Santa Fe Art Auction includes a diverse grouping of works, including original drawings by Charles Loloma from his personal collection, as well as a phenomenal collection of woodblock prints by Santa Fe printmaker and WPA artist Dorothy Newkirk Stewart. The sale will also feature some of the top names in Western and Native American art, like Fritz Scholder, Dan Namingha, Paul Pletka, Tony Abeyta, Frank Howell, Luis Jimenez, Helen Hardin, Ed Mell, Roy DeForest, Dick Mason and Tom Palmore. “We have an excellent and wide-reaching selection of American prints this year, including stunning selections from the long-time private collections of two different master printers, meaning printer’s proofs and Bon à Tirer editions, many from Tamarind, in pristine condition…and works…