Western Art Show & Sale Phippen Museum, Prescott, AZ
May 28-30
Bill Cramer, Once in a While, oil, 24 x 30.
Western art collectors, enthusiasts, and locals are set to flock to the Phippen Museum’s 48th annual Western Art Show & Sale, the wildly popular art event held Memorial Day weekend at the picturesque Yavapai County Courthouse Plaza in downtown Prescott, AZ. “It’s like old home week at the Phippen Museum, as we’re fairly informal compared to a lot of the other outdoor shows,” says Edd Kellerman, the museum’s executive director. “It’s a good-feeling show, with a really relaxed atmosphere and a lot of support for both well-established and emerging western artists.”
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- Charles Thomas, Gold Canyon Desert, oil, 24 x 30.
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- Randy Galloway, Many Moons Have Passed, oil, 48 x 36.
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- Russell Johnson, The Narrows of Hermit Creek, oil, 39 x 18.
The 90 or so artists travel from across the country to exhibit their original western works in oil, acrylic, watercolor, pastel, drawing media, mixed media, and sculpture. This year’s artists include past crowd favorites Bill Nebeker, Bill Cramer, Dale Martin, Julie Nighswonger, and Wei Tai, along with invited show newcomers Gary Ward, Lee Rue, and Michael Murphy, among others. Throughout the weekend, attendees can visit artists’ booths to chat and purchase works directly.
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- Dale Martin, Three’s a Herd, pastel, 14 x 18.
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- Rob Richards, Working the Pens, graphite, 12 x 16.
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- Bill Cramer, Closer to the Source, oil, 24 x 30.
Weekend highlights include the 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday Quick Draw events at the courthouse steps, with the participating artists’ works framed and auctioned straight off the easels. Saturday culminates with the meet-and-greet ticketed barbeque dinner complete with live entertainment. The scheduled festivities pick up again with the 11 a.m. Sunday announcement and live auction of the pieces that have won the Phippen Family Award, Best of Show, top category awards, and more; the event takes place on the north side of the courthouse.
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- Steve Atkinson, Land of the Free, oil, 32 x 48.
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- Carl Wolf, Pronghorn, bronze, 14 x 11 x 5.
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- Tamara Magdalina, Winter Glory, oil, 30 x 40.
In conjunction with the Western Art Show, the Phippen hosts two ancillary small-works exhibitions and sales at the museum. The 19th annual Miniature Masterpieces Show & Sale, a popular sale-by-draw event, opens on Sunday, May 1, and showcases small works by artists participating in this year’s Western Art Show. Absentee intent-to-purchase slips can be submitted directly to the museum in advance of the drawing at 11 a.m. on Monday, May 30. The sixth annual PAWs: Phippen Award Winners Small Works to Go, which opens on Saturday, May 7, features small works from artists who have won awards at the previous three Western Art Show events; they’re available on a first-come, first-served basis. The Phippen’s website features online viewing for both events, which run through Sunday, June 5. —Beth Williams
contact information
928.778.1385
www.phippenartmuseum.org
This story appeared in the April/May 2022 issue of Southwest Art magazine.