Heritage Awards
Painter William Matthews and former senator honored at the C.M. Russell Museum in Montana.
On March 21, the C.M. Russell Museum in Great Falls, Montana, honored painter William Matthews and former United States senator Alan Simpson with the 2019 Heritage Award— Williams was recognized for his artistic achievement, while Simpson received the award for his statesmanship.
The award recognizes significant contributions in interpreting and documenting the legacy, culture, life and country of Charles M. Russell’s
West. The museum awards the honor annually in areas of artistic achievement, musical achievement, Western storytelling, preservation, conservation and statesmanship. Previous winners have included Western art scholars such as Brian W. Dippie, Peter Hassrick, Larry Len Peterson and Byron Price, as well as Western master painter Howard Terpning.
In a statement about the awards, the museum acknowledges Matthews’ depictions of the West. “Matthews’ work has captured the attention and imagination of the viewing public and has directly contributed to the understanding of the intricacies of Western life including its varied landscapes and personalities,” according to the museum. “From his early years as a graphic artist to his ongoing experimentation in watercolor, Matthews’ paintings reflect the same intellectual curiosity and empathy for the West that motivated Charles Marion Russell. Matthews paints to capture a moment that inspires the imagination and leaves the observer changed. The C.M. Russell Museum is proud to honor William Matthews for his lifelong dedication to depicting the varied images of the West in your original watercolors.”
Simpson, who had a long distinguished career in Congress representing the state of Wyoming, “shares Russell’s cowboy traits of honesty, integrity and no-nonsense rhetoric.”
The awards were given in a private ceremony presented at the museum. For more information about the Western destination visit www.cmrussell.org.