Briscoe Western Art Museum, San Antonio, TX
March 27-May 9
Don Oelze, Standing His Ground, oil, 30 x 48.
Museum directors, art dealers, and event organizers have had to adapt quickly over the past year as pandemic restrictions forced them to get creative in how they sell art. Many of them—including Michael Duchemin, president and CEO of the Briscoe Western Art Museum in San Antonio—think that some of the positive changes that resulted are here to stay. In that spirit, Duchemin and his team shifted their planning for this year’s Night of Artists event to a hybrid model of private and public in-person and virtual events, designed both to cater to local art-lovers and to reach additional western art aficionados around the country and the world. “Coming off the 2020 event and Covid closures, we’ve committed ourselves to embracing the digital platforms available to us and seeing it as an opportunity to bring the beauty and rich stories of western art to an even larger audience,” Duchemin says.
Another cause for celebration is that 2021 marks the 20th anniversary of Night of Artists, a fundraiser that launched the founding of the museum in 2001. The 300-plus works for sale in this year’s commemorative event come from more than 75 top contemporary western artists, including Teresa Elliott, Martin Grelle, George Hallmark, Mary Ross Buchholz, Billy Schenck, and Kim Wiggins. Notable artists rejoining the roster include C. Michael Dudash, Tom Browning, Logan Maxwell Hagege, and Howard Post.
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- Z.S. Liang, Entering Hostile Country, oil, 42 x 30.
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- William Carrington, In the Sights, bronze, 22 x 11.
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- Jeremy Winborg, Sunlight Respite, oil, 40 x 30.
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- Ezra Tucker, The Mail Must Get Through, acrylic, 30 x 20.
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- Caroline Korbell Carrington, Presidio del Norte, oil, 30 x 22.
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- Stefan Savides, Farm Boys, bronze, 39 x 35 x 21.
Collectors have a range of subject matter to choose from—from western landscapes to Native American and cowboy scenes to wildlife—and there are multiple ways to purchase artwork and join in the festivities. An online auction featuring 270 works opens to ticket-holders on March 13 and closes on March 27. The Grand Live Auction takes place on March 27, when 30 works from 30 artists are presented for bidding—in person, by absentee ballot, or online—by auctioneer Troy Black inside the museum’s Jack Guenther Pavilion, with additional seating outdoors in the McNutt Sculpture Garden. Tickets to the in-person event, with attendance limited to ensure social distancing, include cocktails and a seated dinner.
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- Mark Maggiori, Riders of the Golden Sky, oil, 32 x 32.
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- Billy Schenck, Dusk at Chinle, oil, 40 x 50.
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- Jan Maples, Easily Spotted, oil, 18 x 24.
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- Curt Mattson, Trackin’ Trouble, bronze, 11 x 12 x 5.
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- Cliff Cavin, Blues in South Texas, oil, 30 x 48.
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- Michael Ome Untiedt, Study of Nelson Story, oil, 12 x 16.
For those interested in participating remotely, the Home on the Range option offers an evening for two that includes a virtual tour of the galleries and a livestream of the auction, along with a charcuterie board delivered to your home to enjoy while perusing the art. Another online offering this year is the fourth annual Briscoe Bison Society Collectors Summit on March 16, 18, and 23, a virtual dialogue where everyone from novices to seasoned collectors can learn more about western art connoisseurship and market trends. Tickets for all events are available on the museum’s website.
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- Teresa Elliott, Own Sweet Time, oil, 40 x 30.
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- Kim Wiggins, Along the Chisholm Trail, oil, 30 x 40.
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- Michael Ome Untiedt, Lone Star and the Sweet Promenade, oil, 40 x 40.
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- Paul Rhymer, War Eagle, bronze.
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- Gladys Roldán-de-Moras, Memories From My Home, oil, 16 x 20.
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- Tom Browning, Texas Drive, oil, 16 x 34.
The final way to purchase is at the public exhibition and sale, which opens on March 28 and includes remaining works not sold through the auctions. Collectors can visit either the museum or the website to view and purchase work. Any way you choose to participate, this year’s Night of Artists offers exciting options for acquiring quality western artwork and having a memorable experience in the process. –Allison Malafronte
contact information
210.299.4499
www.briscoemuseum.org
This story appeared in the March/April 2021 issue of Southwest Art magazine.