The 20th annual Quest for the West at the Eiteljorg Museum achieved an event record of over $1.3 million in art sales.
September 5 and 6, the Eiteljorg Museum in Indianapolis hosted the art sale weekend of its 20th annual Quest for the West. The event was one to remember as more than 350 attendees gathered to view and purchase art, meet the 48 exhibiting artists, and make shared connections through a love of fine art. Throughout the weekend 113 works were purchased during the main art sale and another 42 paintings from the miniature sale found a home. This pushed the sales total to $1,325,825, a new record for the event, which each year usually sees just over $1 million.
Along with the two fixed-price, luck of the draw sales, collectors and artists alike gather for the annual awards banquet. This year Sean Michael Chavez took home the Harrison Eiteljorg Purchase Award for his 40-by-30-inch oil painting REBELDES LOOK (NOCHE). This honor, which sees the work being added to the museum’s permanent holdings, is selected by Eiteljorg supporters who make up The Western Art Society.
Sculptor Tim Cherry was also recognized by The Western Art Society with the Artist of Distinction Award for his bronze DANGER FROM ABOVE and others. As a result, during the 2026 Quest for the West, his work will be on view in a special retrospective exhibition.
Another sculptor earning top honors for the weekend was Pati Stajcar. Her wood carved work SLOW ROLL, depicting a larger-than-life snail, was given the Cyrus Dallin Award for Best Sculpture.
The Henry Farny Award for Best Painting was awarded to Colorado-based artist Dave Santillanes for his painting TREASURE, which depicts his young daughter hunting for shells on a beach. Along with that honor, Santillanes also received the Victor Higgins Award of Distinction for best overall body of work at the show. The grouping of works by the artist, who is a member of the distinguished Cowboy Artists of America, included TREASURE, two landscapes—COLORADO and SUNLIGHT ON A RED BARN—and the ranching scene THE TRIANGLE-X.
Each year the exhibiting Quest artists have their hand in selecting the recipient of the Artists’ Choice Award, which this year went to David Griffin for his painting THE ART OF WANDERING. Attendees of opening weekend have the chance to vote for both the Patrons’ Choice Award and the Miniature Art Show Patrons’ Choice Award, with P.A. Nisbet’s LAND OF SHADOWS winning the former and Krystii Melaine’s SILENT SENTINEL taking home the latter.
Eiteljorg President and CEO Kathryn Haigh says in a press release, “The 20th annual Quest for the West Art Show and Sale was a remarkable opportunity for art collectors who are passionate about the American West to connect with some of the finest contemporary Western artists working today. The extraordinary caliber of the artwork, combined with the Eiteljorg’s national reputation for excellence and our one-of-a-kind Hoosier hospitality, contributed to this year’s success. Now we invite the general public to experience these exceptional Quest for the West artworks, on view at the Eiteljorg Museum through October 5.”
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