**The Russell is now taking place online, with phone and absentee bidding options available. Please visit the event website for more details and additional updates.
Great Falls, MT
Various locations, September 10-12
Todd Connor, Moving Through Beaver Country, oil, 30 x 40. Estimate: $13,500-$15,500.
This story was featured in the September 2020 issue of Southwest Art magazine. Get the Southwest Art September 2020 print issue or digital download now–then subscribe to Southwest Art and never miss another story.
THE BEST THINGS in life are worth waiting for, as the old adage goes, and for western art lovers, The Russell Exhibition and Sale is no exception. Postponed earlier this year amid growing public health concerns, this major annual fundraiser for the C.M. Russell Museum traditionally happens every March during Western Art Week in Great Falls, MT. Now set to take place Thursday, September 10, through Saturday, September 12 (with contingency plans in place), the highly anticipated event features more than 200 paintings and sculptures by today’s leading western artists and historic masters—a standout collection that has remained on display in the museum since mid-February. “The exhibition is a big part of the sale each year,” says Duane Braaten, the museum’s director of art and philanthropy. “Now that the galleries have reopened to the public, not only have they been able to see these historic pieces, but also the best of the best in contemporary western art.”
-
- Luke Frazier, Moment of Truth, oil, 36 x 48. Estimate: $30,000-$40,000.
-
- Nancy Dunlop Cawdrey, Bathing Buddies, dye/silk, 28 x 33. Estimate: $8,500-$10,000.
-
- Charles M. Russell, Following the Buffalo Run, oil, 23 x 35. Estimate: $1,500,000-$2,000,000.
On Thursday evening, September 10, the museum hosts a ticketed Art Preview Party, allowing guests one final opportunity to view all the works before they go up for bid. Meanwhile, starting on Thursday morning, artists Todd Connor, C. Michael Dudash, Luke Frazier, Carol Hagan, Joe Kronenberg, Don Oelze, Andy Thomas, and 16 other members of the museum’s distinguished Russell Skull Society set up individual suites at the Four Seasons Arena in the Montana ExpoPark, where they showcase brand-new works for three full days.
Friday brings more fun for art lovers. During Art in Action, a variation on a Quick Draw competition, several artists complete an artwork in just a handful of hours; those pieces are then auctioned off, with 100 percent of the proceeds donated to the museum. Yet another lively sale gets underway Friday evening at the Four Seasons Arena, where the casual First Strike Auction offers art collectors of all experience levels the chance to compete for original works by sought-after contemporary artists like Lee Alban, Michael Blessing, Colt Idol, Caleb Meyer, Michele Usibelli, and Jeremy Winborg.
-
- Don Oelze, Songs of Honor and Bravery, oil, 38 x 48. Estimate: $13,000-$17,000.
-
- Joseph H. Sharp, Call of the War Chief, oil, 30 x 36. Estimate: $750,000-$950,000.
-
- Charles M. Russell, Indian on Horseback, oil, 14 x 11. Estimate: $450,000-$550,000.
On Saturday, a panel of Montana poets shares works from their collections and discusses poems by Charles M. Russell in a free educational symposium held at the Four Seasons Arena. Last but certainly not least, the ticketed Russell Live Auction kicks off on Saturday evening with cocktails and a gourmet dinner. Billed as a must-attend event for experienced western art collectors, the sale boasts around 135 consigned lots, including an impressive collection of oils, watercolors, bronze sculptures, and pen-and-ink drawings by Russell. Among this mix is FOLLOWING THE BUFFALO RUN, a striking 1894 oil painting that’s expected to garner up to $2 million. Other major highlights in the historic category include CALL OF THE WAR CHIEF ($750,000-$950,000), a rare and “major work by [Joseph H.] Sharp that has come to market,” says Braaten. The painting, which graces the auction catalog’s cover, was likely inspired by a scene the artist observed while living on the Crow reservation during the late 19th century. Paintings and sculpture by top contemporary artists also pepper the sale, including showstopping pieces by Russell Skull Society members that would have made Russell himself proud. “Once again, they are stepping up with their very best offerings,” says Braaten. “The quality of work they bring to the live auction raises the bar for all involved.” —Kim Agricola
contact information
406.727.1939
www.cmrussell.org
-
- Joseph H. Sharp, The Bonnet Maker, oil, 15 x 18. Estimate: $70,000-$120,000.
-
- Brett James Smith, A Slim Chance, oil, 30 x 36. Estimate: $12,000-$15,000.
-
- Andy Thomas, A Flash of Defiance, oil, 32 x 40. Estimate: $40,000-$60,000.
This story was featured in the September 2020 issue of Southwest Art magazine. Get the Southwest Art September 2020 print issue or digital download now–then subscribe to Southwest Art and never miss another story.
MORE RESOURCES FOR ART COLLECTORS & ENTHUSIASTS
• Subscribe to Southwest Art magazine
• Learn how to paint & how to draw with downloads, videos & more
• Sign up for your Southwest Art email newsletter & download a FREE ebook