The 57th annual Cowboy Artists of America Exhibition & Sale yields more than $1.2 million in sales.
November 3 and 4, collectors and admirers of Western art gathered at the Will Rogers Memorial Center in Fort Worth, Texas, for the 57th annual Cowboy Artists of America Exhibition & Sale. The show, presented with the support of the Fort Worth Stok Show & Rodeo, featured new artwork by 21 artists. This included members of the esteemed group and guests William Matthews and Howard Post.
Over 78 percent of the artwork was purchased during the Saturday night party, yielding more than $1.2 million in sales. This included Martin Grelle’s painting APSAALOOKE STORM RACERS, which received the gold medal for oil painting, at $170,000; Brandon Bailey’s oil THE THWART OF MAJOR RENO at $26,000; and THE WARM REFLECTIONS OF AN AUTUMN CAMP, by Michael Dudash, at $31,000. Dudash’s painting took home the Ray Swanson Memorial Award, which is given to the “work of art that best communicates a moment in time and captures the emotion of that moment.”
In the oil category, along with Grelle’s work, Teal Blake received the silver medal for THE NORTHER. Sculpture honorees were Bruce Greene’s stunning relief THE BELL ON OLD BLUE, which earned the gold medal, and the longhorn sculpture LONE STAR LEGACY, by Dustin Payne, that took home silver. Phil Epp received both silver and gold in the water solubles category for BLACK SUNDAY and FENCH BUILDER, respectively. The drawings category saw Tyler Crow earn the gold for THE WRANGLER, while Greene earned another prize with the silver medal for his charcoal work MESTEÑEROS. Sweeping the mixed media category was Mikel Donahue with his acrylic and gouache paintings PICK OF THE REMUDA (gold) and SUMMER’S RELIEF (silver).
From the gold medal winners, the group selects the artwork for the Anne Marion Best in Show. Epp received the accolade for the second consecutive year with his Dust Bowl-themed work BLACK SUNDAY. He also was honored with the American Hat Award, which goes to the best overall exhibition as selected by active Cowboy Artists of America members.
Earlier in the week leading up to the exhibition and sale, the organization also voted to extend membership invitations to Todd Conner, Dave Santillanes, Alvin Marshall and Albin Veselka.
For information on the Cowboy Artists of America, the Joe Beeler Foundation, and to view art from the exhibition, visit cowboyartistsofamerica.com.
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