Western Art Week

Last updated

Western Art Week is an annual visual arts festival held in the city of Great Falls, Montana, every March. The focus of the festival is Western art, and the festival is always held the same week as the March 19th birthday of noted Western artist Charles Marion Russell. [1] [2] Various events are held during Western Art Week, including the C.M. Russell Museum's "The Russell" art sale, the Western Heritage Artists Association Art Show, the Jay Contway and Friends Art Show, March in Montana (an art show and auction presented by the Coeur d'Alene Art Auction and Manitou Galleries), a Montana version of the Wild Bunch Art Show, and the Western Masters Art Show. [1] [3] The event draws bidders and artists from around the world, and the travel guide Frommer's has called it one of the finest Western auctions in the United States. [4] Another source has said the event "is widely regarded as the nation's largest and finest auction of original western art of the 19th and 20th centuries." [5]

Contents

History

Western Art Week was founded in 1969. [6] The event was built around the C.M. Russell Art Auction, which was founded by local television personality and civic booster Norma Ashby to benefit the C.M. Russell Museum. [6] The C.M. Russell Art Auction raised more than $5.6 million for the museum between 1969 and 2009. [6] The Western Heritage Artists Association Art Show was added in 1981, [7] and the Native American Art Show in 1982. [1] The Jay Contway art show (sponsored by a local artist) became part of Western Art Week in 1985. [8] Manitou Galleries began hosting the concurrent "March in Montana" art event in 2007, [1] although the gallery had been holding auctions during Western Art Week since 1982. [2] As of 2007, Western Art Week was one of the largest events held in the city of Great Falls each year. [9]

In 2009, the C.M. Russell Museum and the Great Falls Ad Club (a nonprofit organization of local business owners dedicated to promoting the local economy) ended their joint sponsorship of the C.M. Russell Art Auction. [10] [11] While the Ad Club continued to hold the auction, the museum established a new event, "The Russell" art auction, whose sole beneficiary will be the C.M. Russell Museum. [11] Many local leaders and artists worried that the competing shows would hurt both organizations and lead to much lower sales. However, in April 2010 the C.M. Russell Museum said that it had net proceeds of $605,473 from its March 2010 event, compared to just $120,829 from the jointly-run 2009 effort. [12] The museum announced it would continue to hold the separate "The Russell" auction in 2011. [13] "The Russell" auction ($1.57 million) just edged out the March in Montana show ($1.45 million) in total gross sales. [3] [14]

The Ad Club discontinued the C.M. Russell Art Auction after the March 2010 event. [15] [16] In 2011, Bigfork, Montana, natives Steve Cawdrey and Pat Hagan co-founded a new art auction, the Western Masters Art Show and Sale, to replace the former event. [16] [17] Also discontinued in 2011 was the Native American Art Show (although many of the artists and organizers joined the Contway show). [3] Another new art show, the Wild Bunch Art Show, also started operations in 2011. [3] (Wild Bunch Art Shows are also held in Glasgow, Montana, and Williston, North Dakota.) [15]

The COVID-19 pandemic caused 2020 to go on hiatus. It returned the next year, virtually.

2011 Western Art Week

Organizers of the various art shows and auctions said they experienced improved cooperation by all Western Art Week participants in 2011. [15] Ree Drummond, author of the blog "The Pioneer Woman," was a special speaker at the 2011 Western Art Week and signed copies of her newly released book, Black Heels to Tractor Wheels. [15] "The Russell" auction had sales of $1.35 million, [18] and Russell's watercolor, Bronco Buster, sold for $200,000. [19] This was below estimates (set at $240,000 to $280,000), [15] but 80 percent higher than what the piece sold for in 2003 when auctioned by Christie's in New York City. [20] Sales at the March in Montana auction were about $1.3 million. [19] The Great Falls Tribune said the new Western Masters Art Show was slightly larger than the C.M. Russell Auction held in March 2010. [21] Half the sales from the Western Masters Art Show's "quick finish" event [22] benefited the Michael J. Fox Foundation. [23]

Footnotes

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Russell Auction Aids Associated Shows." Great Falls Tribune. March 11, 2008.
  2. 1 2 McGarry, Susan Hallsten. "Undimmed Destiney." American Cowboy. March-April 2001.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Ecke, Richard. "Overview: Many Changes, But Same Great Art." Great Falls Tribune. March 15, 2011.
  4. ↑ Peterson, Eric. Frommer's Montana & Wyoming. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2006, p. 21.
  5. ↑ Gottberg, John; Harris, Richard; and Haselsteiner, Fran. Hidden Rockies: The Adventurer's Guide. Berkeley, Calif.: Ulysses Press, 1995, p. 22.
  6. 1 2 3 Newhouse, Eric. "Museum, Ad Club Both Had to Scramble." Great Falls Tribune. March 16, 2010.
  7. ↑ "Art Fans Converge Here for Western Art Week." Great Falls Tribune. March 12, 1999.
  8. ↑ Newhouse, Eric. "Contway Event Returns for 25th Year." Great Falls Tribune. March 16, 2010.
  9. ↑ Fanselow, Julie. Traveling the Lewis and Clark Trail. Guilford, Conn.: Falcon Guides, 2007, p. 165.
  10. ↑ "Mont. Museum to Hold Art Show in March." Associated Press. September 14, 2009.
  11. 1 2 "Russell Museum, Ad Club Plan Separate Art Auctions." Associated Press. September 23, 2009.
  12. ↑ Ecke, Richard. "Russell Museum Nets $605,473 From Art Week Events." Great Falls Tribune. April 27, 2010.
  13. ↑ Ecke, Richard. "Museum, Ad Club Will Continue Separate Auctions in 2011." Great Falls Tribune. April 27, 2010.
  14. ↑ Ecke, Richard. "New Art in Action Packs House." Great Falls Tribune. March 19, 2011.
  15. 1 2 3 4 5 Ecke, Richard. "Western Art Week Organizers Await Capacity Crowd." Great Falls Tribune. March 16, 2011.
  16. 1 2 Stukey, Katie. "Great Falls Prepares for Western Art Week." KRTV.com. February 28, 2011. Accessed 2011-07-29.
  17. ↑ Kimball, Bennion. "Western Masters Auction Keeps Tradition Alive." Great Falls Tribune. March 20, 2011.
  18. ↑ "Sales Results." C.M. Russell Museum. April 2011. Accessed 2011-07-29.
  19. 1 2 Ecke, Richard. "Museum Keeps Pace Despite Changes and Turmoil Around World." Great Falls Tribune. March 20, 2011.
  20. ↑ Ecke, Richard. "Western Art Auctions Off Slightly But Russell Piece Sells for $200,000." Great Falls Tribune. March 19, 2011.
  21. ↑ Ecke, Richard. "Western Art Week: New Shows Out of the Chutes." Great Falls Tribune. March 17, 2011.
  22. ↑ In this event, artists are given a single hour to finish a painting or drawing they have already begun. The final works are then auctioned off.
  23. ↑ Hagan was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2009. The 2001 "quick finish" event raised $46,000 for the foundation. See: Kimball, "Western Masters Auction Keeps Tradition Alive," Great Falls Tribune, March 20, 2011.

Related Research Articles

Great Falls, Montana City and county seat in Montana, United States

Great Falls is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Montana and the county seat of Cascade County. The population was 58,505 according to the 2010 census, and was estimated at 58,434 on July 1, 2019. The city covers an area of 22.9 square miles and is the principal city of the Great Falls, Montana, Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Cascade County. The county’s population stood at 81,327 in the 2010 census.

Charles Marion Russell American painter

Charles Marion Russell, also known as C. M. Russell, Charlie Russell, and "Kid" Russell, was an American artist of the American Old West. He created more than 2,000 paintings of cowboys, Native Americans, and landscapes set in the western United States and in Alberta, Canada, in addition to bronze sculptures. He is known as "the cowboy artist" and was also a storyteller and author. He became an advocate for Native Americans in the west, supporting the bid by landless Chippewa to have a reservation established for them in Montana. In 1916, Congress passed legislation to create the Rocky Boy Reservation.

Four Seasons Arena Multi purpose arena in Montana

The Four Seasons Arena is a multi-purpose indoor sports and exhibition arena located in the city of Great Falls, Montana, in the United States. Constructed in 1979, it served primarily as an ice rink until 2005. The failure of the practice rink's refrigeration system in 2003 and the management's decision to close the main rink in 2006 led to the facility's reconfiguration as an indoor sports and exhibition space. In November 2018, the Cascade County Commission, in conjunction with the Great Falls TIBD, and the Great Falls Lodging Association began to develop a plan to replace the arena. At a cost of 86 million dollars, the proposed arena will seat between 10,000 and 12,000 people. The bond is expected to go before voters in November 2019. As of May 2011 it is the largest exhibition, music, and sports venue in the city.

Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame

The Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame is a 501(c)(3) hall of fame organization. Its stated goal is to ""To honor our cowboy way of life, American Indian cultures, and our collective Montana western heritage. It confers the honour of induction on an annual list of distinguished individuals. At present, the organization lacks a permanent physical museum, but was granted statutory recognition by the Montana State Legislature in 2003 and 2011. Fundraising efforts include a specialty car license plate, The hall of fame was granted US$0.5 million in state funds for site development and project planning during a 2007 special session of the legislature.

C. M. Russell Museum Complex Art museum in Montana, U.S.

C. M. Russell Museum Complex is an art museum located in the city of Great Falls, Montana, in the United States. The museum's primary function is to display the artwork of Great Falls "cowboy artist" Charles Marion Russell, for whom the museum is named. The museum also displays illustrated letters by Russell, work materials used by him, and other items which help visitors understand the life and working habits of Russell. In addition, the museum displays original 19th, 20th, and 21st century art depicting the American Old West and the flora, fauna, and landscapes of the American West. In 2009, the Wall Street Journal called the institution "one of America's premier Western art museums." Located on the museum property is Russell's log cabin studio, as well as his two-story wood frame home. The house and log cabin studio were designated a National Historic Landmark in 1965, and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1966. In 1976, the listing boundaries were amended to account for moving the house.

Eric Thorsen American painter and sculptor (born 1967)

Eric Thorsen is an American painter and sculptor known for his wildlife sculpture and fish carvings which have won him multiple awards at major art shows nationwide including "Best In World" at the 1992 World Taxidermy & Fish Carving Championships. At age 24 he is the youngest recipient of this award. Breakthrough magazine described him as "More than Promising" and his work has "an uncanny realism". Thorsen has appeared on TV shows and YouTube and his artwork can be found in prominent public spaces, private collections, and on product labels. He has been commissioned to create artwork for corporate entities such as Nike Inc.,Lowe's, Coca-Cola, Walt Disney Attractions, Inc. and national non profit groups. He is a resident of Bigfork, Montana.

Great Falls High School Public high school in Great Falls, Montana, United States

Great Falls High School is a public high school for grades 9 through 12 located in Great Falls, Montana. Established in 1890, it was the city's first high school. The school's original building, constructed in 1896, is now on the National Register of Historic Places. GFHS began construction on its current building in 1929 and occupied it in the fall of 1930. The high school marked its 80th year in the structure during the 2010–2011 school year. The school's current building, constructed in 1930, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in March 2013.

Montana ExpoPark United States historic place

The Montana ExpoPark is a fairground located in the city of Great Falls, Montana, in the United States. The 133-acre (54 ha) grounds contain 35 buildings, a horse racing track, grandstands, and the Four Seasons Arena—multi-purpose sports and exhibition arena. The site is the host of the Montana State Fair as well as agricultural shows, rodeos, basketball tournaments, and funfairs. The six original structures of the fairgrounds were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989.

Monte A. Dolack is an American graphic artist who lives in Missoula, Montana, in the United States. Frommer's called him "one of the best-known artists in Montana." He works primarily in watercolor, acrylic paint, poster art, and lithographs. Dolack's work often features whimsical animals in both a natural and artificial setting, and has a worldwide following. Dolack is considered a key figure in the visual arts of the American West.

Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art Art museum in Montana, U.S.

Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art is an art museum located at 1400 First Avenue North in Great Falls, Montana, in the United States. The building was constructed in 1896 to house the city's first high school, Great Falls High School. The high school moved to new quarters in 1931, at which time the building was renamed Paris Gibson Junior High School. The junior high school vacated the premises in 1975 for a new building. In 1977, Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art was formed, and it took ownership of the building. It is one of six museums in the city. The structure was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in September 1976.

J. C. Adams Stone Barn United States historic place

The J. C. Adams Stone Barn is a historic Romanesque Revival barn constructed of stone and wood located about 1 mile (1.6 km) northeast of the town of Sun River, Montana, in the United States. It is just south of U.S. Route 89. It is the only Romanesque Revival stone barn in the United States located west of the Mississippi River. Chere Jiusto, Christine Brown, and Tom Ferris of the Montana Historical Society have described the Adams Stone Barn as "one of Montana's most-beloved and best-known landmark barns." The structure was added to the National Register of Historic Places on January 12, 1979.

Norma Rae Beatty Ashby was the co-host for 26 years of Today in Montana, broadcast live on KRTV in Great Falls, Montana. Her career with the station began in February 1962, and she was inducted into the Montana Broadcaster's Hall of Fame in 2010 A fourth-generation Montanan, she produced more than 21 television documentaries and interviewed over 26,000 individuals, including a number of nationally known musicians, celebrities and political figures, including Bob Hope and Pat Nixon.

Daniel Parker (artist) American wildlife sculptor and painter (born 1959)

Daniel Ray Parker is an American wildlife sculptor and painter. Parker has won multiple awards for wildlife sculpture at major art shows in the United States. He is a resident of Kalispell, Montana.

Frank Hagel American painter

Frank D. Hagel is an American realist and impressionist painter and sculptor. His artwork depicts Native Americans, trappers, and wildlife of the western American frontier.

Earl Heikka was an American sculptor. He designed figurines and statues of the Old West, miners, and horses. He committed suicide at age 31.

Joe De Yong (1894-1975) was an American sculptor, etcher, and historical consultant for Western movies. His sculptures and etchings depicted the Old West, including Native Americans and cowboys, as well as polo players.

Olaf C. Seltzer was a Danish-born American painter and illustrator from Great Falls, Montana. He did over 2,500 paintings and illustrations of the American West, including cowboys.

R. Tom Gilleon American artist (born 1942)

Ralph Thomas Gilleon is an American artist who is best known for his paintings of Tipis, Plains Indians, and Old West imagery. His work is unusual within the Western art genre for its modernist style, taking inspiration from artists such as Andy Warhol, Mark Rothko, and Edward Hopper.

Joe Abbrescia was an American painter of the American West. By 2002, he had become "one of the country's most accomplished plein-air artists."

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.