Masters of the American West 2011 Recap



From Left: Jeremy Lipking, Buddy Le, Josh Paquette, Logan Hagege, Josh Rose



I just returned from the Masters of the American West Show at the Autry National Center and it was a great time as usual.  Anytime you can get out of the winter doldrums of North Idaho and into the sunshine of Southern California, you know it's going to be a good trip.  Besides the sunshine, it was terrific visiting with all the familiar faces of the Western Art World.  Shows like the Masters of the American West or the Prix de West are great because of the accessibility of the artists and the camaraderie with collectors and dealers.  The attendance and energy at this year's Master's was fantastic!  It was shoulder to shoulder throughout the entire reception and the flurry of action during the draw is always frenetic.  According to a source at the Autry National Center, the opening night sales totaled an astounding $3.25 million!  It felt like people wanted to buy, but it seemed like everyone wanted the same paintings.  Based on the total sales, they obviously liked the overall quality of the show.  There seemed to be particular buzz around Bill Anton, Kyle Polzin, Kyle Sims, and Daniel Smith, and of course there's always the hype surrounding Howard Terpning's masterpiece and works by Mian Situ and Morgan Weistling.  Here's a breakdown of the award winners for this year:



Z.S. Liang's "Rejecting the Metal Shield, Fort Mackenzie, 1835"



MASTERS OF THE AMERICAN WEST PURCHASE AWARD

Given in recognition of the work acquired by the Autry National Center for its permanent collection

Z. S. Liang, Rejecting the Metal Shield, Fort Mackenzie, 1835

THOMAS MORAN MEMORIAL AWARD FOR PAINTING

Given in recognition of exceptional artistic merit
Howard Terpning, Among the Spirits of the Long-Ago People

THE KENNETH T. AND EILEEN L. NORRIS FOUNDATION AWARD FOR SCULPTURE

Given in recognition of exceptional artistic merit
Doug Hyde, Doll Talk

AUTRY NATIONAL CENTER AWARD FOR WATERCOLOR

Given in recognition of exceptional artistic merit

Dean L. Mitchell, Yellowstone Cliff

BOB KUHN WILDLIFE AWARD, SPONSORED BY CARL AND ROSELLA THORNE

Given in recognition of exceptional artistic merit

Daniel Smith, Heavy Hitters

SUE AND JUDSON BALL SPIRIT OF THE WEST AWARD

Given in recognition of the most outstanding work in cowboy subject matter
Bill Anton, Under a Cowboy Moon

GENE AUTRY MEMORIAL AWARD, SPONSORED BY JAY H. GRODIN

Given in recognition of the most outstanding presentation of three or more works
Bill Anton

BOOTH WESTERN ART MUSEUM ARTISTS’ CHOICE AWARD

Given in recognition of the work most popular with artists participating in the
exhibition and sale
Len Chmiel, Gold Rush, Yuba River

DAVID P. USHER PATRONS’ CHOICE AWARD

Given in recognition of the work most popular with patrons of the exhibition and sale
Morgan Weistling, Where Stories Were Told

JAMES R. PARKS TRUSTEES’ PURCHASE AWARD

Given in recognition of the work designated for purchase by the Autry National Center
Len Chmiel, Gold Rush, Yuba River

JOHN J. GERAGHTY AWARD

Established by the Autry National Center’s Trustees to recognize an individual for his or her advancement of contemporary Western art

Booth Western Art Museum



Daniel Smith's "Heavy Hitters"



Talk about Collection Factors, it sure doesn't hurt when an artist wins one of these awards.  I think it goes a long way for the artist's legacy and in turn the value of your artwork.  It's a pretty big honor when you think about who these artists are exhibiting with and the competition for the awards.  If you're a fan of watercolors or Dean Mitchell, you have to check out the Dean Mitchell Show at J. Willott Gallery in Palm Desert, CA.

There are some major events coming up soon, so stay tuned for the Western Masters Art Show in Great Falls, MT, (find us in room #292 at the Heritage Inn), The Russell: The sale to benefit the C.M. Russell Museum, Altermann's Auction in Scottsdale, and the Scottsdale Art Auction.  I invite you to contact me if you would like representation at any of these events as there will sure to be great opportunities to add to your collection.  Finally, if you like what you read, share it with your friends and be sure to check out my gallery website: www.cdagalleries.com.  Talk to you soon!