Show Preview | Weekend in the West - Southwest Art Magazine

Evergreen, CO
Lucky Penny Ranch, June 7-8

Jimmy Devine, Anonymous, pencil, 10 x 11.

This story was featured in the June 2019 issue of Southwest Art magazine. Get the Southwest Art June 2019 print issue or digital download now–then subscribe to Southwest Art and never miss another story.

THIS MONTH some of the best painters and sculptors in today’s western art scene converge in the Colorado Rockies for Weekend in the West, a two-day celebration of western art. The event brings artists, collectors, and art enthusiasts from across the country to the picturesque Lucky Penny Ranch in Evergreen, CO, a beautiful mountain town just 30 miles west of Denver.

This is the second year the ranch has hosted the event. The show got its start in 2010, when it was organized and hosted by Evergreen Fine Art owners Phil Shanley and Barb Hadley. After a one-year break in 2017, longtime western art fan Andrew McWilliams took the reins—along with the help of his wife, Heather, the blessing and support of Shanley and Hadley, and the hard work of several dedicated volunteers—to continue the show at its new venue last year. “We wanted to see if we could take what Phil and Barb started and keep it going,” McWilliams says. “Our vision was to continue the tradition of the show as a means of supporting the exceptional artists creating works in and of the West today, and to bring artists and art fans together for a unique experience in a beautiful setting.”

: Nikolo Balkanski, The Village Edge, oil, 16 x 20.

: Carol Jenkins, Cloud Dance, oil, 18 x 24.

: Karryl, Sundown, bronze, 14 x 15 x 9.

It appears they’re off to a great start; the first show was very well-received by artists and patrons alike. “We’re so grateful that eve-ryone is giving us a chance as new organizers—and we’re especially pleased that all of the invited artists from last year are returning this year, plus a few more,” McWilliams says. This year’s show features nearly 30 artists who create works in a variety of mediums, subjects, and styles. Each artist brings three new works to the show, and most are also creating a new piece in the Quick Draw.

Works on view include cowboy-themed paintings by Sophy Brown, Jimmy Devine, Michael Untiedt, and this year’s featured artist Terry Gardner; wildlife paintings by Edward Aldrich and Renée Buller; and landscapes by Gary Kim, Carol Jenkins, Leon Loughridge, and David Santillanes. There are also still-life paintings by Terrie Lombardi and Jie Wei Zhou, and wildlife sculptures by Karryl, Stephen LeBlanc, and Pati Stajcar.

: Leon Loughridge, Wet Mountains Hay, woodblock, 16 x 7.

: Janice Sugg, Above a Violet Horizon, oil, 30 x 30.

: Renee Buller, Fall Treats, oil, 24 x 13.

Festivities at the Lucky Penny Ranch kick off with a western-style art opening and sale on Friday, June 7, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The Quick Draw takes place on Saturday, June 8, at 10 a.m., during which attendees can watch as 25 artists take on the challenge of creating a new piece in just 90 minutes. Immediately following the Quick Draw is a ticketed champagne brunch and live auction of the fresh works.

Proceeds from the event benefit Bootstraps, a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to supporting the continuing education of promising students in the mountain area, with an emphasis on financial need. Since 1945, Bootstraps has awarded almost $4 million in scholarships and interest-free loans to over 1,900 students. —Lindsay Mitchell

contact information
www.weekendinthewestartshowandsale.com