National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, Oklahoma City, OK November 1-30
The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City hosts its 20th annual Small Works, Great Wonders beginning November 1, with the art sale on Friday, November 7. The event is a big deal for the museum and a good deal for Western art collectors. “Artwork is all but flying off the wall,” says Susan Patterson, the museum’s curator of special events who is in her 15th year at the institution. “Small Works, Great Wonders is a fast-paced, exciting and unique event. The artists set the price. As a fixed-price draw for art, once the bell rings and names are drawn, the art begins to sell. Museum staff begins removing the art and preparing it for the lucky winner to take home that evening.”
The sale offers a variety of media, all with size limits; and the smaller works translate to more affordable price tags. Among the more than 130 exhibiting artists—that includes 19 first-time participants—are Don Weller, Edward Aldrich, Ross Buckland, Maia Chávez Larkin and Mark Danker. The artists are chosen each year by a selection group made up of museum board members. Patterson says, “They are looking for those who have something different to say.”
Patterson notes that four artists—William Acheff, Shawn Cameron, Merlin Little Thunder and Sonya Terpening—have participated every year. Every exhibitor offers no more than two works, and the sale typically has more than 225 artworks available. The small works embrace a large range of subject matter: “People, places, traditions, wildlife and more, all appealing to a wide audience,” Patterson shares. “The art leans toward traditional Western art with an influence of the modern West.”
As she corrals artworks for the 20th annual event, Patterson reflects upon the sale’s founder: “This event was the brainchild of Cynthia Post, who was the assistant director of development from 2003 to 2009. She saw it as an opportunity to cultivate a new audience of collectors.” Patterson continues, “Prior to her passing, Post exhibited remarkable courage, faith and trademark high spirits during her battle with cancer, all while continuing to serve others and this institution. Post was instrumental in helping to establish and nurture Small Works, Great Wonders, and she would be proud to see how her original idea has grown and become an integral part of the museum’s annual events.” In 2009 the Cynthia Post Memorial Award was established as the buyers’ choice award, and it shifted in 2022 to celebrate artistic merit.
For those interested in the sale but unable to attend, the museum offers a proxy service. An online catalog will be posted prior to the show opening. Unsold works remain on exhibit and available for purchase through November 30.
A native of Oklahoma who also has resided in Arizona, Patterson recognizes the infinite inspiration in the American West. “The American West offers an artist a multitude of storytelling possibilities whether historic or contemporary,” she says. “It doesn’t take a massive canvas to draw one into the magic of the West.” —Colleen Smith
contact information(405) 478-2250swgw.nationalcowboymuseum.org
This story appeared in the October/November 2025 issue of Southwest Art magazine. Subscribe today to read every issue in its entirety.
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