Show Preview | Calgary Stampede: Western Art Show

Julie Chapman, Blondes Have More Fun, oil, 14 x 18.

July 4-14, 2013
BMO Centre, Calgary, Canada

This story was featured in the July 2013 issue of Southwest Art magazine. Order the Southwest Art July 2013 print issue, or get the Southwest Art July 2013 digital download now…Or better yet, just subscribe to Southwest Art and never miss a story!

Western art has been a component of the famous Calgary Stampede rodeo since 1912, when Charles M. Russell exhibited his work at the inaugural event. More than 100 years later, the Stampede’s Western Art Show is the largest of its kind in western Canada. The 32nd annual show opens with a “sneak peek” at 5 p.m. on Thursday, July 4, and runs through Sunday, July 14. This year’s show features more than 2,200 works by nearly 200 artists working in a wide variety of media, including oil, watercolor, acrylic, pencil, charcoal, encaustic, photography, bronze, metal, and wood. Subject matter ranges from ranch scenes, rodeos, and Indians to landscapes, wildlife, and more.

Mark Farand, Keeping Watch, oil, 36 x 24.

Works are displayed and sold in five different settings, including the Artist Ranch Project, which gave five artists the opportunity to participate in a short residency program on a historic ranch last fall. “The artists then created works based on their experience, and these pieces are for sale at the Stampede,” explains the show’s Susan Tomilson.

Works featured in the other four sections have gone through rigorous jurying processes. The Western Art Gallery received 500 entries this year, which were juried down to 156 pieces by 39 new and emerging artists. The Western Photo Gallery received over 400 entries, from which 78 pieces by 40 photographers were selected.

The Western Art Auction is one of the most important events of the show, and it’s highly competitive—this year’s auction features 93 works juried from 350 entries. The auction begins at 4:45 p.m. on Thursday, July 11. The evening’s festivities include a buffet, awards ceremony, and Quick Draw event.

Finally, the Artists’ Studios section features 59 juried artists who sell their work on site. This year’s artists include Duke Beardsley and Nancy Dunlop Cawdrey, who are also participating in special “artist booths” from July 11 to 14. “We’re excited to present these two notable western American artists this year,” Tomilson says, adding that what she looks forward to every year is the “opportunity to share our love of art with Stampede visitors while providing unique venues for them to purchase original western art.” —Lindsay Mitchell

contact information
www.westernshowcase.com

Featured in the July 2013 issue of Southwest Art magazine–click below to purchase:
Southwest Art July 2013 digital download
Southwest Art July 2013 print issue
Or subscribe to Southwest Art and never miss a story!