Show Preview | Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum: Western Spirit Art Show

Cheyenne, WY
March 1-April 13

Rene Hart, Silver Falls, oil, 24 x 18.

This story was featured in the March 2014 issue of Southwest Art magazine. Get the Southwest Art March 2014 print issue or digital download now–then subscribe to Southwest Art and never miss another story!

The Western Spirit Art Show and Sale truly embodies the spirit of the West. Held at the historic Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum, the show has exemplified the life, emotion, and essence of western art for 33 years. This year 100 artists from all over the nation exhibit their work and bring the western spirit to life.

Beginning March 1 and continuing until April 13, the show features 300 pieces of art in nearly all genres, giving viewers a comprehensive look at the West. “The show started back in the early ’80s to showcase emerging western artists and has grown over the years into a stepping-stone for some of the larger, more competitive shows,” explains Kristin Custis, marketing manager for the show. “We have artists who are brand new and very young, but we also have artists who display their work every year. You get a mixture of all kinds of different art and artists who participate.”

Coral DeWilliam Studer, Spirit, photograph printed on metal, 19 x 42.

The show’s opening night is filled with exciting events for art patrons. Over 500 people are expected on an opening night that includes live entertainment, a Quick Draw featuring six artists with a live auction of the works they create immediately afterward, as well as a special feature of 100 miniatures in the Vandewark Miniature Art exhibit, sponsored by the Wyoming Tribune Eagle.

As the show continues to represent the western spirit three decades after its inception, organizers also understand that adapting to changes in the art world is a necessity. By including two new genres this year—photography and printmaking—the show maintains its legacy while steadily moving forward. “The show grows more dynamic and diverse every year in terms of artistic styles and media,” Custis says. “We cover so much and we’re really excited to add photography and printmaking this year. It’s kind of the ‘West’s best-kept secret’ because we have so many different genres and up-and-coming artists that come in for this show.”
—Joe Kovack