Innholdsfortegnelse for August 2024/No. 204 i Western Art Collector

Welcome to the August issue of Western Art Collector! August is a busy time for both Western Art Collector and our sister title, Native American Art, the official magazine of SWAIA’s Santa Fe Indian Market. This is our seventh year in Santa Fe and we will be on the ground in full force. Adolfo Castillo, Robin Castillo, Mike Bright, Michael Clawson and myself will be there early to go to the art openings, events and to greet visitors at our booth in the center of the Santa Fe Plaza. If you are in Santa Fe, please stop by and show us your new purchases, renew your subscription and meet the team at Western Art Collector. Speaking of stories, we have a few for you in the form of gallery previews.…

Through September 1 Cowgirl Up! Art from the Other Half of the West DESERT CABALLEROS WESTERN MUSEUM Wickenburg, AZ – (928) 684-2272 www.westernmuseum.org Through September 2 Out West: Gay and Lesbian Artists in the Southwest 1900-1969 NEW MEXICO MUSEUM OF ART Santa Fe, NM – (505) 476-5063 www.nmartmuseum.org Through September 20 Art in the West VIRTUAL/HIGH DESERT MUSEUM Bend, OR – (541) 382-4754 www.highdesertmuseum.org/aiw/ Through September 21 Scott Christensen and Quang Ho: Two Perspectives MUSEUM OF WESTERN ART Kerrville, TX – (830) 896-2553 www.museumofwesternart.com Through September 29 Hold Your Horses! Show & Sale PHIPPEN MUSEUM Prescott, AZ – (928) 778-1385 www.phippenartmuseum.org Through October 31 One with the Land: The Mountain Man’s Journey into the Unknown MUSEUM OF THE MOUNTAIN MAN Pinedale, WY – (307) 367-4101 www.museumofthemountainman.com…

C.M. Russell Museum Great Falls, MT, (406) 604-4741, www.cmrussell.org What event (gallery show, museum exhibit, etc.) in the next few months are you looking forward to, and why? Our newest exhibition, Is This a Real Russell?, will be installed by the end of June. This exhibition explains the why and the complexities of authenticating historical Western paintings and bronzes. We use Russell reproductions and prints from our collection and compare them to real Russell works so visitors can see side-by-side comparisons. This educational exhibit will provide visitors with a look behind the scenes to better understand how the different processes work, like underdrawings and [infrared] scanning, and how to start seeing the differences between reproductions and real works of art. Can you tell us about any recent acquisitions at the…

Some of the earliest artworks ever created—cave paintings, Native American pictographs and sculptural figurative objects—are often rough shapes, simple silhouettes and rudimentary forms that show only arms, legs and torsos. With the exception of the occasional mouth or set of eyes, faces were largely not rendered at all. Many modern-day artists might have the answer as to why: “Faces are difficult.” As evidence to their difficulty, consider our present-day understanding of how our eyes and brains work. For instance, faces are often hard to duplicate convincingly because our brains are so good at spotting errors or inconsistencies. Robot engineers, animators and CGI artists have a name for this: “uncanny valley,” which is the gulf that separates basic representations from more realistic depictions of the human form. Essentially, the more realistic…

In preparation for her solo show at Montana Trails Gallery, painter Jennifer Johnson traveled with her family to Montana from their home in Colorado—finding inspiration in the vintage log cabin they stayed in along the Bitterroot River. While there, Johnson created several pieces for the show, remaining steadfast in her passion for blending poster-like scenes with wildlife from national parks. For the show titled Timeless Icons, Johnson focuses on the “charm of Yellowstone National Park” in around 12 fresh pieces. Building on her success from previous works inspired by the 1930s era and the artist’s handpainted typography, Johnsons adds, “I’m captivated by the look and feel of traveling through the national parks in classic cars, which were like rolling works of art themselves. Stories from family and friends about their…

Penelope Gottlieb dives deep into her research on invasive plants and endangered species. Her discoveries enrich her paintings on digital appropriations of John James Audubon’s iconic prints of birds. She says, “By problematizing the renowned ornithologist’s idyllic representations of natural history, I present a revisionist vision of nature in its current state of compromise and literal bondage…I see it as a duet—a conversation with another artist.” The Bradford pear (Pyrus calleryana), native to China and Vietnam, was introduced into the United States in 1918 as a possible solution to a disease that was devasting American pear crops. Botanists developed cultivars that grew into uniform shapes, had abundant spring blossoms and were sterile and non-invasive. They became the ornamental tree of choice in American suburbs. The trees had a mind of…

In 2001, Raymond Gibby created his first bronze, an 18-inch howling wolf bust with a wolf pack vignette surrounding the base. With the funds from his first sale, he sculpted a grizzly bear bust, also with narrative elements at the base, followed by an eagle landing over another scene. “I remember when I sold my first bronze, I was only making $8 an hour working at my full-time job and hadn’t ever brought in that much money all at once in my entire life,” recalls Gibby. “Back then I had nothing to lose because I basically had nothing in my bank account. So I just went for it on each piece and hoped for the best. I sort of cringe at my first works now, but back then, each piece…

1 JOHN CLYMER DOUBLES ESTIMATE IN DALLAS Proving yet again that John Clymer’s market is healthy and strong, Heritage Auction sold a major piece from the artist’s illustration career for double the high estimate. Rustic Daydreams (Abandoned Equipment), South of Jackson, Wyoming, originated as a Saturday Evening Post cover from May 23, 1959. The work was sold at Heritage’s Dallas showroom on May 15 during an American art sale. Estimated at $70,000 to $100,000, the piece sold for $200,0000. It was the fourth-best lot in the sale, behind works by Agnes Pelton, Rembrandt Peale and J.C. Leyendecker. 2 MARJORIE REED PERFORMS WELL AT JOHN MORAN AUCTION Eight Marjorie Reed paintings were available to bidders during John Moran Auctioneer’s June 4 Art of the American West sale in Monrovia, California. All of the…

I’ve been looking at a lot of art from around the world lately. It started with Caspar David Friedrich, the early 19th-century German painter who is the subject of a major new exhibition that will be opening at the Met in New York City next year. Friedrich was known for his allegorical landscapes of wilderness, ruins and desolation. His paintings can be beautiful and uplifting—Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog is a favorite for many—and yet they could also fill viewers with dread, sorrow and loneliness. The more I read about Friedrich, the more I came to appreciate his work as heartfelt expressions of the beauty of nature and the inevitability of sadness and death. They were also expressions of love for his country, as evident by his use of…

September 6-7, 2024 Quest for the West Indianapolis, IN – (317) 636-9378 September 7-29, 2024 Western Visions Show + Sale Jackson, WY – (307) 733-5771 September 14-15, 2024 Jackson Hole Fall Arts Festival Jackson Hole, WY – (307) 733-3316 September 16-21, 2024 Buffalo Bill Art Show & Sale Cody, WY – (307) 587-5002 October 11-12, 2024 Lone Star Art Auction Dallas, TX – (469) 608-7600 October 12-13, 2024 Cherokee Art Market Tulsa, OK – (918) 384-6714 November 1-2, 2024 Cowboy Artists of America Show & Sale Fort Worth, TX – (817) 247-1200 November 2024 (Dates TBA) Santa Fe Art Auction’s Annual Signature Live Auction Santa Fe, NM – (505) 954-5858 November 2024 (Dates TBA) SWAIA Winter Indian Market Santa Fe, NM – (505) 983-5220 January 11-26, 2025 Coors Western Art…

1 Charcoal aplenty with Rachel Brownlee Artist Rachel Brownlee recently completed a large charcoal work, Path to Plenty. The artist elaborates: “The piece features my husband’s grandfather’s saddle. He purchased it used in 1929 as part of preparation for starting his own ranch… It is just a symbol, but a strong one, of someone facing a nearly impossible challenge and setting out for it, one step, one mile at a time. He rode this saddle his entire life and when he died he owned several ranches, including the family ranch that he had dreamed of owning from when he was 5 years old. I live on one of those ranches now. The image features my chinks and my boots.” For more information, visit www.rachelbrownlee.com. 2 Modern design with classic subjects Manitou Galleries…

The great state of Montana has inspired artists for centuries. Of course, one can’t think of the wild and mountainous lands of Montana through an art lens without bringing Charlie Russell to mind. Living in the Treasure State for nearly five decades, Russell captured its myriad natural wonders through more than 4,000 recorded works of oil paintings, watercolors, sculpture and writing. Located close to the center of Montana on the northern Great Plains is the city of Great Falls, situated against several waterfalls along the Missouri River. It’s a gorgeous city (and the third most populous in the entire state). It’s also home to the C.M. Russell Museum, a celebration of the artistic legacy of Russell, as well as his contemporaries. The museum encompasses more than 3,000 pieces of Western…

Beginning August 2, new works by wildlife artist Rebecca Haines will be available at the charming adobe-style gallery Giacobbe-Fritz Fine Art in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The show, Elementals, features around 15 paintings that highlight Haines’ “emotive paintings of abstracted animals, with subject matter including coyotes, ravens, deer and other wild, wonderful creatures,” says gallery owner Deborah Fritz. She continues, “Each painting in this captivating new collection serves as a portal to an elemental world, where fire, water, earth and air are not merely substances but living, breathing entities that embody emotions, spirit and the untamed wild.” Haines shares that the title for the show, has helped shape and focus the direction of her current body of work. “While I’ve been experimenting with wild animal imagery for over a decade…

Western Art Trail Calendar OUR GUIDE TO SPECIAL EVENTS, SALES & AUCTIONS FROM COAST TO COAST August 2024 August 1-31 Cowboys North and South July 14-September 28 Penelope Gottlieb: A Delicate Balance GERALD PETERS GALLERY Santa Fe, NM – (505) 954-5700 www.gpgallery.com July 30-August 13 Brad Overton: Collected Works, New Paintings, Ruminations on Twenty Years of Art ALTAMIRA FINE ART Jackson, WY – (307) 739-4700 www.altamiraart.com August 1-31 Cowboys North and South CLAGGETT/REY GALLERY Edwards, CO – (970) 476-9350 www.claggettrey.com August 1-10 Silas Thompson GALLERY WILD Jackson, WY – (307) 203-2322 www.gallerywild.com August 2-3 Lusher Auctions DRURY HOTEL Santa Fe, NM www.western-treasures.com August 2-25 Rebecca Haines: Elementals GIACOBBE-FRITZ FINE ART Santa Fe, NM – (505) 986-1156 www.giacobbefritz.com August 3-31 Big Summer Show August 2-September 28 Cowgirl Artists of America: Women’s…

Muscogee Creek painter Starr Hardridge recently had a painting acquired by the Philbrook Museum of Art in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The acrylic painting, titled Three Sisters, was painted for the 2024 Mvskoke Art Market in Tulsa, where it won first place in the painting division. A curator from the Philbrook was at the show and nominated the work for acquisition for the museum. Three Sisters entered the distinguished collection soon after. “The Three Sisters painting explores concepts of the divine feminine, Indigenous food sovereignty and the collective power of Native community. The Three Sisters method of planting combines the elements of squash, beans and corn. Each element supports the other. Beans naturally absorb nitrogen in the air and convert the nitrates to fertilizer in the soil for the squash and beans.…

Silas Thompson’s life and art have always been shaped by the contours of the Snake River, which arcs across the whole of southern Idaho. It’s where he was born and raised, where he started a family of his own, and where he established himself as an artist. He married young, balancing his growing family with a warehouse job and art classes at community college. “I realized it was going to take me six years to get a two-year art degree, so I started doing commissions for co-workers,” he says. “Portraits of grandparents, really whatever I could pick up.” But everything changed when he was offered a paid apprenticeship with an established artist. He packed up the family and moved an hour down the Snake River to start learning his trade.…

The Cowgirl Artists of America (CGA) is an organization dedicated to celebrating and promoting women artists and makers working in Western subject matter through various exhibitions, educational programs and partnerships. The CGA aims to cultivate a supportive community that encourages and elevates cowgirl artists and Indigenous artists across the country. And this year is a big year for the CGA. The landmark exhibition, Cowgirl Artists of America: Women’s Work, is being held at the A.R. Mitchell Museum of Western Art in Trinidad, Colorado, beginning August 2. A brand new show, the exhibition shines a spotlight on the diverse and influential roles played by women in the world of Western art. Among the artists whose work will be featured in the show are Kari McCluey, Morgan Buckert, Chessney Sevier, Renee Gould,…

About her exhibition of new work at Blue Rain Gallery in Santa Fe, Roseta Santiago says, “I want to show you new thoughts about the West, its people, its beauty and uniqueness.” The exhibition, Ty, opens August 30 and runs through September 13. The title honors her longtime Diné friend and model Ty Harris, and features paintings of Ty “as well as other interesting characters of Santa Fe.” Santiago can often be seen at Randy Rodriguez’s Rio Bravo Trading Company in Santa Fe, where she photographs her models with hats, blankets and jewelry from Rio Bravo’s vast selection. On one occasion in the perfect afternoon light, she photographed Harris among the ubiquitous hollyhocks growing out of cracks in the sidewalk, wearing a dress embroidered with traditional symbols including rain clouds…

For his solo show at Altamira Fine Art, Collected Works, New Paintings, Ruminations on Twenty Years of Art, Bradford Overton “shows off” his many artistic talents learned throughout his career and his collection of toys that serve as his main subjects. “People ask me how long it takes to do a painting, but I never tell them. Every single one took 20 years,” he says of his prolific art career. Overton adds that while he’s expanding on past themes and subjects—including minimalist and Indian blanket backgrounds, as well as his paper sky series—there are a couple of surprises for the new show. Collector’s will find three mini cowgirl portraits reminiscent of the artist’s pinup series, and water scenes—both new subjects to the artists oeuvre. “I’m revisiting some themes in a…

Sixth-generation Coloradan, Duke Beardsley has been drawing and painting the American West for as long as he can remember. Raised both in Denver, and on a 1,000-acre cattle ranch in eastern Colorado, Beardsley’s “duel/dual” upbringing is the foundation for his unique blend of traditional Western iconography and contemporary art sensibilities. An unapologetic fan of “all things cowboy,” Beardsley spends a lot of time on horseback, joining his many friends and family on some of the greatest ranches of the West. He rides with crews to participate, observe and document today’s working cowboys and cowgirls in their element. Formally trained at the ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, California, Beardsley now lives and works with his wife and two daughters in Denver. “My style varies. Probably more than some. But it’s…

Art collector and dealer Chris Lusher has always enjoyed the festive atmosphere during the summer in Santa Fe, New Mexico. But some-thing he always felt was missing was a large auction in the month of August, when thousands of visitors flood into Santa Fe for markets, gallery openings and art fairs. So he set out to change that with his own sale on August 3 not far from the Santa Fe Plaza. “We are very pleased to offer Old West and histori-cal Western material, Native American material that is historic in nature, as well as Spanish Colonial and Mexican art. We’re aiming for around 340 lots, so we’ll have a nice collection of materials,” the Santa Fe-based Lusher says. “Everything from really great Western material to antique fireams, to Navajo…

On August 9, Whitehawk Antique Indian & Ethnographic Art Show wil return to Santa Fe, New Mexico, with two special exhibitions, a four-day art fair and more than 130 exhibitors. It will be Whitehawk’s biggest show in a decade. “We’re coming back with lots of changes this year. The big change is that there is no Objects of Art Santa Fe. I hope to bring it back soon, but we did have 25 exhibitors from that show who want to move over to Whitehawk, which will mean we’re having a larger and even more impressive show this year,” show owner Kim Martindale says. “We will be at the Santa Fe Community Convention Center, and we plan to use as much space as we can, with exhibitors in the foyer, in…