National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, Oklahoma City, OK
June 7-August 8
Bill Anton, Separation Anxiety, oil, 30 x 36.
Last year’s 48th annual Prix de West Invitational Art Exhibition & Sale saw dramatic, yet surprisingly heartening, changes in response to the pandemic. Delayed until August, the show was nonetheless installed as always in the galleries of the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum and available for socially distanced live viewing, while all the artworks could also be enjoyed online. The sale weekend, which traditionally comes at the start of the event, was delayed until the end and the sale itself, along with the awards ceremony, were strictly virtual. The scheduled seminars from art experts and artists were canceled for the sake of safety.
This year’s 49th annual show, by happy contrast, returns to many norms while also adding some positive changes. “Many things that we learned last year and found advantageous, we’re continuing to do this year,” notes Susan Patterson, the museum’s curator of special exhibits. Most significantly, that means the art is available for viewing—both in person and online—starting on June 7, three weeks before the sale takes place, thanks to “the positive feedback we received from buyers who got to look at the show multiple times before making decisions to buy,” Patterson says.
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- Bonnie Marris, A Cold Reception, oil, 40 x 30.
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- Blair Buswell, Sentinel Bust, bronze, 26 x 14 x 12.
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- Teresa Elliott, Calf Time, oil, 24 x 20.
Last year’s planned seminars take place at long last, beginning on Friday, June 25. Well-known artist Quang Ho speaks about his creative journey; Tim Newton, former chairman and CEO of the Salmagundi Club in New York, talks about that institution’s influence on the artists and art of the American West; and Paul Moore, the 2019 Prix de West Purchase Award Winner, speaks about his sculpture. A preview and cocktail reception concludes the day at 6 pm.
Saturday begins with a talk featuring 2020 Purchase Award Winner Bill Anton in conversation with artist Randal M. Dutra. Following a luncheon and book signing, the presentation of this year’s awards takes place at noon. Cocktails and the fixed-price drawing for art take place from 5:30 to 6:30 pm, and the closing celebration and dinner begin at 7:30 pm.
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- Brent Cotton, Winter Magic, oil, 32 x 40.
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- George Carlson, Song of the Open Road, oil, 27 x 53.
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- Walt Gonske, Lilac Spring, oil, 23 x 25.
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- William Acheff, Balancing Beliefs, oil, 24 x 36.
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- Quang Ho, Curious Crowd, oil, 20 x 45.
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- Ed Mell, Heavy Rain, oil, 30 x 30.
Among the approximately 270 highly anticipated artworks up for sale is CURIOUS CROWD, in which Ho “captures the inquisitiveness of a delightful herd of cows in his loose, painterly style,” Patterson notes. Bill Anton’s SEPARATION ANXIETY “portrays the essence of contemporary ranch life in a dramatic scene,” she adds; SENTINEL BUST, a bronze by Blair Buswell, employs “exquisite draftsmanship and detail to convey the determination of an Indian standing watch.” Newly invited to join the Prix de West family this year, Ed Mell shows HEAVY RAIN, featuring his signature use of geometric shapes to distill the essence of the Southwest’s dramatic landscape and weather. Three guest artists—Thomas Blackshear II, Roseta Santiago, and Huihan Liu—further add to the wealth of high-quality offerings. It figures to be a lively sale full of fun and relief. “It’s been two years since we’ve all been together, collectors, artists, and friends,” says Patterson. “It’s like a family reunion.”—Norman Kolpas
contact information
405.478.2250
www.nationalcowboymuseum.org
This story appeared in the June/July 2021 issue of Southwest Art magazine.