State of the Art: Colorado
Home to the Rocky Mountains, the Sawatch Range, the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and other captivating geometric forms, the Western state of Colorado is exhilarating in more ways than one. Often, some of the first things that come to mind when thinking of the Centennial State are the seemingly endless opportunities for outdoor adventures, the lush wilderness, and the popular capital city of Denver. In addition to all of that, the state has a vibrant Western art scene with institutions and events to delight any Western collector.
The Denver Art Museum in the city’s
Civic Center houses a diverse body of works, including a collection of Western American art and American Indian art. The American Museum of Western Art, also in Denver, is known for its Anschutz Collection, which has more than 600 paintings, drawings and sculptures representing more than 180 artists. The collection is on permanent display and represents a survey of the American West from the early-19th century to present day.
The National Western Stock Show, which happens every January, is a landmark event in Colorado. Part of the grand event—think livestock shows and rodeos—is the Coors Western Art Exhibit & Sale, featuring such talents in the Western art world as Dan Young, Quang Ho, Jill Soukup, Terry Gardner and the 2020 featured artist Sophy Brown.
To the north, in Greeley, the Greeley Stampede’s historic Stampede Western Invitational Art Exhibit & Sale is another beloved staple in the state. The event features more than 200 works from some of the top artists today working in Western subject matter.
Wild Horse Gallery is located in the city of Steamboat Springs, west of Greeley. The gallery showcases the works of premier Western artists like Nancy Boren, Edward Aldrich, Richard Galusha, Jay Moore and Cheri Cappello, a Golden, Colorado-based artist who creates one-of-a-kind Native
American regalia.
A wide variety of other Western artists and institutions are waiting to be explored within the state, including Claggett/rey Gallery, Center for the Arts Evergreen, Don Woodard Artworks, John Philip Wagner, Margaretta Caesar (represented by K. Newby Gallery) and Sandy Graves Art.