C.M. Russell Museum, Great Falls, MT
August 18-21
Charles M. Russell, High, Wide, and Handsome, watercolor/gouache/pencil, 16 x 13.
There’s an air of heightened excitement at the C.M. Russell Museum in Great Falls, MT, over this year’s edition of its top fundraising event, which has been energetically reimagined as “The Russell Reignited.” Collectors and art lovers get their first chance to experience it at the Art Preview Party, held at the museum on the evening of Thursday, August 18. More than 200 works by top western artists of the present and past—all set to be auctioned during the weekend—are on display. There are myriad exciting options to admire, from Nancy Dunlop Cawdrey’s dye-on-silk scenes to Charles Fritz’s bold depiction of a brave on horseback in RED TRIM, and from Chris Owen’s flowing horse and cowboy portraits to Randy Van Beek’s sweeping western landscapes.
Guests won’t want to miss an impressive new feature of the event: The Suites at The Russell, in nearby Montana Expo Park, which is open free to the public throughout the weekend. Here, over 100 gallery-style booths allow artists participating in the main auctions to show and sell more of their works. “We didn’t want to present everything as an exclusive,” explains Duane Braaten, the museum’s director of art and philanthropy. “Everybody should be able to take part in this fun-filled weekend.”
- Nancy Dunlop Cawdrey, Winter Journey, dye on silk, 30 x 40.
- Charles Fritz, Red Trim, oil, 36 x 38.
- Randy Van Beek, Montana Gold, oil, 36 x 36.
Ticketed features continue on Friday, August 19, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with what Braaten considers one of the “fan favorites”: Art in Action, a variation on the traditional Quick Draw, held at Meadow Lark Country Club. Some two dozen artists bring works in various stages of completion to finish over the course of three hours while chatting with guests, accompanied by live music and refreshments. The pieces are then auctioned during the event’s final hour, with all proceeds going to the museum.
- John R. Phelps, Situational Awareness, oil, 16 x 20.
- Carol Hagan, Medicine Bear, oil, 44 x 37.
- Jennifer Johnson, American Spirit, oil, 36 x 36.
Friday evening sees the first of two showcase auctions, held in the exhibition hall at Expo Park. Called First Strike, this sale focuses on works by contemporary artists. While an auctioneer oversees the bidding, each piece is paraded along a catwalk by trained art handlers, “adding to the drama of the evening,” Braaten enthuses.
- Troy Collins, The Wonder of it All, oil, 36 x 60.
- Joe Kronenberg, Arikara Scout, oil, 48 x 32.
- Charles Fritz, Where the Mammoths of Yellowstone Reside, oil, 23 x 54.
On Saturday morning, in another free event in Expo Park, The Russell Educational Symposium features Dr. Mark Sublette of Medicine Man Gallery in Tucson, AZ. His presentation on the life and work of artist Maynard Dixon is sure to provide engaging, expert insights for anyone interested in western art.
- Nancy Dunlop Cawdrey, Night of the Wolf, dye on silk, 20 x 20.
- W. Steve Seltzer, Winter Solitude, oil, 30 x 40.
- Chris Owen, In the Shade, gouache, 18 x 9.
At 4 p.m. comes the weekend’s “crowning event,” the second live auction, which features larger works and historic pieces. Chief among these is HIGH, WIDE, AND HANDSOME, a watercolor of a cowboy on a bucking bronc painted by Charlie Russell especially for the 1919 Calgary Stampede rodeo, which celebrated the end of World War I. Described by Braaten as “a rare, important, fantastic-looking piece with a wonderful story,” it has an estimated price of $400,000 to $500,000—but, he adds, “I wouldn’t be surprised if it exceeds that range.” If it does, consider it yet one more sign of how very reignited The Russell truly is. —Norman Kolpas
contact information
406.727.8787
www.cmrussell.org
This story appeared in the August/September 2022 issue of Southwest Art magazine.