By Darla Shelden, Metropolis Sentinel Reporter —
OKLAHOMA CITY – Final week, the Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum hosted the 49th Annual Prix de West Invitational Artwork Exhibition & Sale Weekend with in-person and digital live-streaming occasions. The exhibition was held within the Museum’s Sam Noble Particular Occasions Heart.
Because the Museum’s largest annual fundraiser, the occasion raised $2.68 million this yr. A portion of the proceeds will go towards funding the Nationwide Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum’s exhibitions and household programming.
The 2023 exhibition and sale featured greater than 90 artists and greater than 260 work and sculptures. Particular friends included famend artist Ed Mell, Thomas Blackshear II, Huihan Liu andRoseta Santiago.
“For 49 years now we have had the privilege of manufacturing Prix de West and showcasing a few of the best representations of Western artwork within the nation,” mentioned Natalie Shirley, Museum President and CEO.
“We’re honored to welcome again our artists and patrons each in particular person and nearly for an incredible and beloved annual celebration of the humanities,” Shirley added. “We’re wanting ahead to a different wonderful occasion subsequent yr for the 50th Prix de West right here at The Cowboy.”
The highest-honored Prix de West Buy Award winner, given to the artist whose murals is chosen by the Prix de West Committee and bought for the Museum’s everlasting assortment, was awarded to Greg Beecham, for his 30” x 48” Oil on linen portray titled Gone Fishin’.
Beecham acquired the $34,000 buy value, a $5,000 award, and the Prix de West medallion sponsored by Roberta M. Eldridge Miller.
Beecham mentioned, “I’d be mendacity if I mentioned I’d by no means dreamed of this. However I by no means thought it might occur. That is the massive one. That is the best honor I’ve ever had and the best honor I’ll ever get.”
Different 2023 award winners embody the Jackie L. Coles Patrons’ Selection Award was given to Bonnie Marris for her 40” x 30” Oil on canvas portray titled A Chilly Reception. Priced at $19,000, the piece offered in the course of the Saturday night fixed-price sale. The $3,000 award is given to the preferred murals chosen by Prix de West patrons and is sponsored by the Property of the late Jackie L.Coles.
Daniel F. Gerhartz acquired the Frederic Remington Portray Award for his 60” x 40” Oil portray titled Wayfaring Stranger. The portray priced at $42,000 offered in the course of the Saturday night fixed-price sale. Gerhartz acquired a $3,000 award for distinctive inventive advantage for a portray sponsored by Donna Holt, Jan Provine, and Terri Saddler, in loving reminiscence of their mother and father, Russ and Dortha Sadler, lifetime members and docents.
The Main Basic and Mrs. Don D. Pittman Wildlife Award was given to Daniel Smith for his 24” x 36” Acrylic portray titled By way of the Caldera. The portray priced at $20,000 offered in the course of the Saturday night fixed-price sale. The $3,000 award for distinctive inventive advantage for a wildlife portray or sculpture is sponsored by the Property of the late Main Basic and Mrs. Don D. Pittman.
The James Earle Fraser Sculpture Award was offered to Ross Matteson for his 15” H x 10” W x 9” D Solid bronze sculpture titled Black Merlin. The sculpture priced at $12,000 offered in the course of the Saturday night fixed-price sale. The $3,000 award for distinctive inventive advantage for a sculpture is sponsored by the Charlie Russell Riders in honor of Steve Rose.
The Categorical Ranches Nice American Cowboy Award, honoring the best portrayal of cowboy subject material, was offered to Eric Bowman for his 38” x 36” Oil portray titled Overlook. The portray priced at $19,800 offered in the course of the Saturday night fixed-price sale. The $3,000 award is sponsored by Robert A. Funk and Categorical Ranches.
The Donald Teague Memorial Award, honoring an distinctive murals on paper, was offered to Joel R. Johnson for his 25” x 38” Clear watercolor portray titled Sundown Reflections. The portray priced at $12,000 offered in the course of the Saturday night fixed-price sale. The $3,000 award was sponsored by Scottsdale Artwork Public sale.
The Wilson Hurley Memorial Award for an excellent panorama was offered to Skip Whitcomb for his 30” x 36” Oil on linen portray titled Moses Coulee Mares. The portray is priced at $21,500. The award of $3,000 was sponsored by Moore Tax and Monetary Companies.
The Administrators’ Selection Award for Excellence was awarded, acknowledging excellence in a murals, to John Moyers for his 24” x 96” Oil on canvas portray titled Vanguard of the Northern Plains. The portray priced at $78,000 offered in the course of the Saturday night fixed-price sale. The award of $3,000 was sponsored by an nameless member of the Prix de West Committee.
The Robert Lougheed Memorial Award was awarded to Scott Burdick for his assortment of 4 work titled The Many, Colours, Of Our, Nation. All items within the assortment offered in the course of the Saturday evening fixed-price sale: The Many for $6,500, Colours for $14,000, Of Our for $18,000 and Nation for $14,000. The award of $3,000 for greatest show of three or extra works is chosen by Prix de West exhibiting artists and sponsored by Barbara and Roger Simons in reminiscence of Faydra and George Simons.
All unsold artwork stays on show to the general public and out there for buy by means of August 8, 2023. See out there works on the net catalog.
The forty ninth Annual Prix de West Invitational Artwork Exhibition & Sale was made doable by the Presenting Occasion Sponsor, Eskridge Lexus of Oklahoma Metropolis, with Main Sponsorship assist from Mr. and Mrs. J. T. Atherton, Mr. and Mrs. Gregory M. Simon and the Dellora A. & Lester J. Norris Basis.
Affiliate Sponsors embody Southwestern Stationery and Financial institution Provide, a Southwestern Group Firm, Ghostwood, Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Grant and American Constancy Basis. Different Sponsors embody Mr. and Mrs. Steven Olshan, Panera, Kent and Teresa Webb, Mr. and Mrs. Mike Stieb, Southwest Artwork Value determinations and Uline.
The Museum provides annual memberships starting at simply $40. For extra data, go to nationalcowboymuseum.org.
