Event Report | Cowboy Artists of America & More

Welcome! This month we’re introducing a new series of blogs where you can read all about what happened at recent events in the western art world. We’ll report on the latest shows, auctions, fairs, festivals, and more, focusing on the most important events featuring top-notch artists. We know you can’t always travel to every show, so we’ll bring you reports on who won awards, whose work sold out, and much more.

Cowboy Artists of America

Midnight Arbuckle by R.S. Riddick

Midnight Arbuckle by R.S. Riddick

First up is the Cowboy Artists of America’s 49th annual sale and exhibition, which took place last month at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. It featured works in a variety of categories by 24 active and emeritus members of the CAA, and total sales for the show tallied up to more than $1 million. As always, a number of awards were announced during the opening weekend, and painter R.S. Riddick was by far the most lauded artist of the bunch. He won the Anne Marion Best of Show and the Gold Medal in water solubles for his gouache painting MIDNIGHT ARBUCKLE; his piece FIRST SPRING, LAST SUMMER won the Silver Medal in oils and the Ray Swanson Memorial Award for the work that best tells a story; his NAVAJO FAMILY WAY received the Silver Medal in drawing; and all six pieces he brought to the show won the Stetson CAA Award from his fellow members for the best overall exhibition.

First Spring, Last Summer by R.S. Riddick

First Spring, Last Summer by R.S. Riddick

Meanwhile, Martin Grelle won the Buyers’ Choice Award for OFFERING TO THE SPIRIT IN THE FALLS and the Silver Medal in water solubles for IN TWO WORLDS. John Coleman won the Gold Medal in sculpture for TWO RAVENS and the Gold Medal in drawing for FIRST CHIEF. Grant Redden won the Gold Medal in oils for HOT AND THIRSTY, and Paul Moore won the Silver Medal in sculpture for RAY OF MEMORIES.

The Cowboy Artists of America exhibition was held in conjunction with the Traditional Cowboy Arts Association show, which features saddles, bits, spurs, and other cowboy paraphernalia. Both exhibitions are on view through January 4, and some works are still available for purchase.

 

American Women Artists

Nancy Boren with ALOFT IN THE WESTERN SKY

Nancy Boren with ALOFT IN THE WESTERN SKY

Another important show took place recently at the Booth Western Art Museum in Cartersville, GA, near Atlanta. The American Women Artists presented Prevailing Winds, an exhibition and sale featuring 70 artworks from 50 AWA Master Signature and Signature members. The show was held in conjunction with the museum’s 12th annual Southeastern Cowboy Festival & Symposium. Krystii Melaine was the featured artist; an oil by Nancy Boren, ALOFT IN THE WESTERN SKY, was purchased by the museum for its permanent collection. Other participating artists include Paula Holtzclaw, Donna Howell-Sickles, Denise LaRue Mahlke, Elizabeth Robbins, Rosetta, Liz Wolf, . This show, too, is on view—and works are for sale—through January 4.