Phil Epp, Teal Blake and Bruce R. Greene are among the award winners at the 59th annual Cowboy Artists of America Exhibition & Sale.
On November 7 and 8, members of the Cowboy Artists of America gathered for the organization’s 59th annual Exhibition & Sale at the Will Rogers Memorial Center in Fort Worth, Texas. The show, presented by the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo and the Joe Beeler Foundation (the CAA’s nonprofit branch), featured more than 127 works of art by active and emeritus members who find ongoing inspiration in the beauty and culture of the American West.
Artist C. Michael Dudash, who is the outgoing president of the group, explains that it’s not just the artwork though that interests the members. He notes, “For the guys who are in this organization, it goes beyond just having pretty pictures and trying to sell them. We have stayed in the CAA—some of us for decades—because of a love for art and for the traditions of our Western heritage.”
Throughout the two days, attendees were able to meet the artists, purchase new works and attend the award ceremony.
Phil Epp was among the standout artists of the weekend when his painting MOONLIGHT AND SHOWERS not only received the Gold Medal in the oil category but also the Anne Marion Best of Show. The latter prize was selected by the judges from the four gold medals, which recognize achievement across distinct mediums.
Also in the oil category, Dudash was honored with the silver medal for his work SENTINAL. Teal Blake earned two awards this year: the gold medal in the water soluble category for THE RED BULL and the silver medal in mixed media for THE BRONC TWISTER. Taking home the gold in the mixed media category was Mikel Donahue for TELLER OF TALL TALES. Tyler Crow’s WHEN THINGS GET TIGHT and Wayne Baize’s QUITTING THE HERD, won the drawing category’s gold and silver medals, respectively. Crow also was named the Patron’s Choice Award winner for his entire body of work as voted on by the show attendees. For sculpture, Alvin Marshall’s FEMALE RAIN was awarded the silver medal.
Known for his work across mediums, Bruce R. Greene was a three-time award winner. His sculpture BRED FOR THE DANCE received the Gold Medal and his painting COVERED IN THE INDIAN BLANKET, of a cow basking in a field, earned the silver medal for the water soluble category. He also won the True West Award for his painting THE BEST OF DAYS. For the prize, “a cowboy and cattleman with experience in the saddle and understanding of the Western lifestyle” honor a work that authentically represents life in the West.
Chad Poppleton’s TAKING IT EASY, depicting a rancher cooking fireside, was the recipient of this year’s Ray Swanson Memorial Award. The prize recognizes a “work of art that best communicates a moment in time and captures the emotion of that moment.” Rounding out this year’s honorees was Grant Redden. He took home the Artists’ Choice Award for the best overall exhibition as chosen by the active Cowboy Artists of America members. Redden’s grouping included a 10-by-10-inch drawing titled BRONCO and five paintings focusing on the life of a working cowboy.
The group is gearing up for next year’s 60th anniversary. Dudash says, “These kinds of events don’t happen to every organization. It helps you understand why we do this. It’s about the Western art—the love the collectors have for it, the love we artists have for it, and the love of the subject matter, the culture and the history.”
The post The Roundup | Cowboy Artists of America’s 59th Exhibition & Sale appeared first on Southwest Art Magazine.