Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2024/No. 208 i Western Art Collector

Happy Holidays and welcome to the December issue of Western Art Collector! Your emails and messages about events across the country tell the story behind the Western story. We know you love the art you collect and want more in this vast frontier of a market. We know because you tell us. Western art is more than just a painting hanging on a wall or a sculpture. It is an entire lifestyle born and bred on American soil. Your home can be Western, as can your furniture, jewelry, apparel, shoes and accessories. Even the type of car you drive can have a Western appeal. Why is all of this important? Because it is uniquely ours. Nowhere else in the world has this art, this culture and this lifestyle. These images…

Through January 27, 2025 Knowing the West: Visual Legacies of the American West CRYSTAL BRIDGES MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART Bentonville, AR – (479) 418-5700 www.crystalbridges.org Through January 31, 2025 Selling the Southwest MUSEUM OF NORTHERN ARIZONA Flagstaff, AZ – (928) 774-5213 musnaz.org Through February 28, 2025 Vecinos y Amigos: Bert Geer Phillips and His Neighbors COUSE-SHARP HISTORIC SITE Taos, NM – (575) 751-0369 www.couse-sharp.org Through May 30, 2025 Elements of the Earth: Contemporary Native Sculpture SANTA FE BOTANICAL GARDEN Santa Fe, NM – (505) 471-9103 www.santafebotanicalgarden.org Through June 8, 2025 The Horse in Art DESERT CABALLEROS WESTERN MUSEUM Wickenburg, AZ - (928) 684-2272 www.westernmuseum.org…

1 Starr Hardridge preps his Coors material for Denver in January Excitement is building for the Coors Western Exhibit & Sale in Denver on January 6 and 7. The symposium will take place at the CSU Spur’s Hydro Building in Denver, and will feature artist demonstrations by Raj Chaudhuri, Jennifer Johnson and Whitney Gardner, followed by a panel discussion with Brandon Bailey, Lisa Gordon, and others. One artist who will be presenting work at the 2025 show is Starr Hardridge, the Muscogee painter known for his explorations in pointillism. This work, Primary Concerns, will be available at the Coors show. Stay up to date on the show at coorswesternart.com. 2 Charcoal works by Emily Copeland now up at RJD Gallery Canadian charcoal artist Emily Copeland has rarely appeared in Western…

In our August 2009 edition of Western Art Collector, we profiled the artist Billy Schenck and his collection of paintings and prehistoric Native pottery. At that time he told me, “To collect successfully, you need contextual information, which means you need to be constantly reading, learning and looking, relentlessly asking questions and bothering everyone who might have relevant information.” The “reading, learning and looking” have resulted in his recently published book, Women Artists of the Ancient Southwest. At more than 400 pages, the book is full of images and in-depth analysis of pottery from 700 to 1700. Schenck laughs that he didn’t set out to create a brick, but the volume weighs in at 7.1 pounds. When we spoke back in 2009, he said, “A few of these potters were brilliant…

Jenna Von Benedikt’s paintings are an intriguing combination of realism and abstraction, the physical and the ethereal. Drawing on one of the meanings of her name, “little bird,” she often chooses the littlest birds as the subjects of her paintings. Delicately painted hummingbirds flutter above painterly abstract fields of dark and light. “I work flat, without an easel,” she explains. “I really enjoy putting down the colors and sometimes I see what I wasn’t expecting. There’s a lot of rhythmical movement when I paint the abstract areas—I’m physically moving. But I’m more deliberate and specific [when] painting the birds. “We experience both light and darkness in our lives, and I use that as a big theme in the backgrounds of the paintings. Sometimes we feel more dark than light. There…

Andrew Roda is a contemporary Western realist oil painter based in Los Angeles. Often known for bold colors and high-contrast settings for his classic Americana subject matter, Roda’s technique conveys an attention to detail and realism while still embracing a painterly effect to his work. Best described as a contemporary take on the classic trompe l’oeil still life, Roda’s use of light, shadow and contrast create an incredible depth of field in his work, vividly bringing his subjects to life off the canvas. Roda is represented by King Galleries, which will present a new show of his work. Titled Tales of the New West, the solo show will take place on January 23, with a reception from 7 to 9 p.m. This show will be in conjunction with an artist…

Painter Brad Overton has been busy in his studio preparing for the Coors Western Art Exhibit & Sale in January 2025. One of the works to emerge from his painting sessions is Mountain Music, a work that has taken a couple years to complete. “It’s a shrine to music and color and life,” the artist says. “My work has leaned heavily toward still life since I began making art as a kid. I was then making shrines also. Collections of rocks, seashells, figurines, juxtaposed with photographs or postcards in the background. I’d set these things up on bookshelves in my room to honor the spirit of the things I loved in life. I never stopped doing it. Now I do it every day and have for over 20 years as an…

If you go back a handful of years in Western Art Collector, you might find one of our old mottos: “Buy Art Early. Often.” We don’t use this much these days, but it still applies to everything we publish in these pages. If you like something, you have to buy it, or someone else will. The art market does not favor the slow, the wishy-washy or the fence sitters. It favors those who act quickly and decisively. Our old motto is especially meaningful when it comes to new, emerging and up-and-coming artists. These are the artists we like to find and help break into the art world. These are the artists who you get a lot of bang for your buck in the art market because their works are usually…

Joslyn Art Museum Omaha, NE, (402) 342-3300, www.joslyn.org WAC What event (gallery show, museum exhibit, etc.) in the next few months are you looking forward to, and why? TBR I am planning the Omaha presentation of an exhibition that we have co-organized with two other institutions: All Aboard: The Railroad in American Art, 1840-1955. The show is travelling to the Shelburne Museum in Vermont and the Dixon Gallery in Tennessee before coming to us in February. Omaha has such a fruitful history with railroads, and I am excited that we can share a number of rail-themed works by significant American artists with the community. WAC Can you tell us about any recent acquisitions at the museum? TBR The Joslyn was closed for expansion and renovation between May 2022 and September…

Joshua LaRock is a figurative artist trained in the tradition and techniques of the French and European academies of the 19th century. He applies these skills to create paintings inspired by Western landscapes that often incorporate the figure—much like some of the Taos Society Artists. “This style of painting centers around the careful observation of light, strong drawing and modeling form,” LaRock explains. “I strive to inhabit the imagined space I am creating behind the canvas to create a tangible quality to the people, land and atmosphere within them. I tend to paint in layers, which allows me to creep up to the effects I am after while juggling all the complex elements and pursuing wonderful details, but not at the expense of the composition as a whole.” For LaRock’s…

Miles Glynn’s work is driven by a desire to present classic Western iconography in unique and fresh ways, dusting off the nostalgic imagery of the past by placing it in a visually contemporary context that makes people stop and reconsider it anew. “‘Western’ as a genre has been done and presented in a million different ways around the world,” says Glynn. “For something that’s been done so many times throughout our short history, I feel challenged to try to ring out more from it. It’s challenging, but it’s a challenge I welcome and enjoy.” Most of his large-scale pieces begin as a combination of paint and silkscreen, a medium that lends itself well to the repeated pop culture imagery. Think Andy Warhol but, in Glynn’s case, rather than Campbell’s Soup…

As part of long holiday traditions, gallery’s often offer small-scale artworks that serve as unique and affordable gifts. At Manitou Galleries in Santa Fe, New Mexico, collectors will have the opportunity to shop these delightful, small masterpieces in the Annual Small Works Show. Opening December 6, the show boasts around 150 pieces, with no restrictions on materials or subject matter. “The Small Works Show is a celebration of artistic diversity and innovation, featuring new work by our beloved gallery favorites,” says gallery manager, Cyndi Hall. “At Manitou Galleries, we firmly believe that small works hold immense value and significance. They possess an inherent charm and intimacy that captivates viewers, inviting them to engage with the artwork on a more personal level. These small-scale masterpieces often carry the same level of…

Many similarities exist between artists Harry Jackson (1924-2011) and Allan Houser (1914-1994). Both were painters first before becoming successful sculptors. Both were involved in World War II, with Houser working in the wartime shipyards of Los Angeles, and Jackson serving in the Marines (as soldier and sketch artist) before being injured twice in the Pacific Theater. Both men bucked the art worlds where they originated, and went on to strike their own paths. Today, both artists are collected at high levels by major collectors and institutions. But it is the differences that make their stories so uniquely compelling. Mainly, their paths through their respective careers were inversely charted: Houser began painting in a very traditional manner before becoming more and more modern, while Jackson started his career amid the abstract…

Western Art Trail Calendar OUR GUIDE TO SPECIAL EVENTS, SALES & AUCTIONS FROM COAST TO COAST December 2024 Dec. 14, 2024-May 4, 2025 Parallel Paths: The Art of Allan Houser & Harry Jackson BOOTH WESTERN ART MUSEUM November November 15 Illustration Art Signature HERITAGE AUCTIONS Dallas, TX – (214)528-3500 www.ha.com November 24 Contemporary Western Art Show and Sale MOUNTAIN OYSTER CLUB/POND MANSION Tucson, AZ – (520) 623-3417 www.mountainoysterclub.com Through November 30 64th Annual Art and the Animal Exhibition SIOUX CITY PUBLIC MUSEUM Sioux City, IA – (712) 279-6174 www.siouxcitymuseum.org December Ongoing Crossing the Divide: American Art from the Permanent Collection BYU MUSEUM OF ART Provo, UT – (801) 422-8287 moa.byu.edu Dec. 2, 2024-Jan. 1, 2025 Mini Masterpieces GALLERY WILD Santa Fe, NM – (505) 467-8297 www.gallerywild.com Opens December 14 Joshua LaRock: Passage…

Arizona sculptor Al Glann unveiled a new piece of art in a public ceremony on September 26 in Tucson, Arizona. The work, Wild Spirit, was acquired by Sculpture Tucson, the arts organization that hosts the annual Sculpture Tucson Festival Show & Sale. The work, done in Glann’s minimalist and iconic style, stands more than 9 feet tall. It sits on top of a 4-foot base on the southeast corner of Swan Road and the Rillito River on the Chuck Huckelberry Loop in Tucson. The artist calls the work “an expression of the spirit of nature and horses in action…I love to create a three-dimensional gestural drawing using steel and bronze, exaggerating form to convey movement and emotion,” says Glann, who adds that the piece showcases his ability in balancing form,…

The 25th annual Holiday Small Works and Miniatures Show at Legacy Gallery will feature tiny treasures by more than 80 artists working in Western subjects. And while the small, typically or less, the show the biggest names in the and wildlife artwork is measuring 16 inches highlights some of Western art world today, including Jeremy Winborg, Morgan Weistling, Jerry Jordan, G. Russell Case, Bill Anton, Z.S. Liang, Josh Elliott, Don Oelze, Glenn Dean and more. In Winborg’s oil Bullseye, a Native American archer draws his bow while on horseback. “This oil painting portrays a Native American warrior… in a moment of focus and unity with his horse,” says Winborg. “The contrast between the vivid blue sky and the warm tones of the warrior and horse creates a striking contrast, evoking…

Michael Blessing is often asked whether he uses special paints to achieve the neon glow in his artwork. (He doesn’t.) Evocative of the brightly lit roadside signs of old, Blessing’s paintings, often featuring Western pop culture icons, are instantly recognizable. “I create the illusion of a luminous, round tube by carefully curating the color and value relationships in the painting, then using graduations of the paint color on each tube to trick the eye,” says the artist. “I sometimes paint five to six different layers of color on a given neon tube, working not only on a value scale, dark to light, but also a chroma scale, grayed to pure pigment, creating a gradient. The human eye sees the gradient, and the brain interprets it as a round object.” That…

Hailing from Boone, North Carolina, Richard Foley’s journey as an artist has been a lifelong exploration of form, material and meaning. “My artistic roots began in high school with pen and ink drawings, but it was the discovery of sculpture that truly ignited my passion. As a primarily self-taught sculptor, I draw inspiration from the works of masters like Constantin Brâncuși, H.R. Giger and Henry Moore, who have shaped my understanding of balance and form in three dimensions,” Foley says. “In my work, I seek to illuminate the ‘unused’ aspects of our world, whether they be discarded objects, overlooked ideas or marginalized individuals. Through the transformation of recycled and found materials such as typewriter parts, discarded wood and rusty horseshoes, I create sculptures that challenge conventional perceptions of waste.” Foley…

By the time the auctioneer’s hammer dropped for the last time during the 43 rd annual Buffalo Bill Art Show & Sale, the event had already surpassed a milestone hours earlier. The event, held at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West in Cody, Wyoming, sold more than $1.45 million in art, a show record. It was the first time in its long history that sales had bested $1 million. Held in a large tent near the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, the Buffalo Bill Art Show & Sale featured a trio of events that helped it rack up its huge total: a live auction, a popular quickdraw event featuring 29 artists and a silent auction. The live auction saw especially strong sales, with 98 of 104 works selling,…

Only for $55 12 issues! ★ Previews of all the biggest events, shows and sales. ★ Destination guides from the hottest art markets. ★ Special genre sections to expand your collecting power. ★ 12 issues a year, each one presenting work from the top artists and the rising newcomers…and everyone in between! Hitch your wagon to the go-to source trusted by artists, gallery owners, museum curators, auction specialists and collectors. Saddle up with Western Art Collector. SUBSCRIBE TODAY! www.WesternArtCollector.com/subscribe Don’t Miss Our Other Titles. International Artist Publishing also offers these great titles. American Art Collector www.AmericanArtCollector.com American Fine Art Magazine www.AmericanFineArtMagazine.com Native American Art www.NativeAmericanArtMagazine.com International Artist www.InternationalArtist.com www.WesternArtCollector.com SUBSCRIBE TODAY to get the best Western art magazine in the country, and the only monthly magazine that highlights the top artists, galleries,…

1 ANSEL ADAMS PHOTO SELLS FOR $720,000 IN NYC Iconic American photographer Ansel Adams is having quite a moment at auctions this fall. After Jackson Hole Art Auction sold a Wyoming image once owned by Elton John for $312,000 in September, Sotheby’s presented an entire sale dedicated to the photographer in New York City in October. The top lot was Aspens, Northern New Mexico (Vertical), a dramatic and moody shot showing a cluster of aspens. With a high estimate of $250,000, the image, likely printed in the 1970s, sold for $720,000. Another image, Moon and Half Dome, Yosemite National Park, California, sold for $384,000, well over the $200,000 high estimate. Adams has performed well at auctions in the past, but a handful of sales of this magnitude within several weeks…