Show Preview | Western Spirit Art Show

Cheyenne, WY
Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum, March 7-April 19

Michael Blessing, Members Only, oil, 48 x 30.

This story was featured in the March 2015 issue of Southwest Art magazine. Get the Southwest Art March 2015 print issue or digital download now–then subscribe to Southwest Art and never miss another story!

More than three decades after its  inception, the Western Spirit Art Show and Sale continues to celebrate the American West. Now in its 34th year, the show aims to capture the indomitable spirit of the West with both traditional and modern art in a plethora of media and subject matters. With over 100 artists displaying up to five works each, the show—which runs from March 7 to April 19 at the Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West  Museum—gives viewers an opportunity to experience the West and feel its spirit for themselves.

The show and sale kick off with an opening reception on March 7, which includes entertainment, a Quick Draw and live auction, and the annual Wyoming Tribune Eagle-sponsored Vandewark Miniature Art exhibit, featuring 100 miniatures from participating artists. The juried event continues to grow and now includes artists from all over the country and Canada, aided by the use of an online jury service implemented two years ago. “We’ve attracted a lot more artists from around the country,” says museum marketing manager Kristin Custis. “When this show started it was more regional, but it’s opened up to Montana, Idaho, California, Texas, as well as back east and Canada.”

After a successful first year in the show, photography and printmaking are included again this year, along with painting, drawing, sculpture, and mixed media. And with many up-and-coming artists participating, the show features plenty of work that has a contemporary feel. “We have a lot of traditional western art, but since many of the artists within this show are younger, we also get a lot more of the modern West,” says Custis.

Participating artists this year include William Ersland, Amy Brackenbury, Sonja Caywood, Tracy Miller, Nicole Viste, Chloe West, and many more. The museum’s website allows patrons to view and buy works online, a new feature intended to make the artwork available to collectors across the country. “Western art is such a broad term, and it can really speak to so many different subject matters  and styles,” Custis says. “We try to cover that spectrum and bring in all aspects of western art.” —Joe Kovack

contact information
307.778.7290
 www.oldwestmuseum.org

Featured in the March 2015 issue of Southwest Art magazine–click below to purchase:
Southwest Art March 2015 print issue or digital download Or subscribe to Southwest Art and never miss a story!