One night only
Annual group show
Settlers West Galleries’ annual Great American West show returns November 23 in Tucson, Arizona, and this year with works by more than 50 artists, including many of the greats within Western art.
“While summer is often associated with leisure and relaxation, it’s a time of great productivity and inspiration for the 53 artists invited to participate in our annual Great American West show,” says gallery manager Mike Salkowski. “Their efforts result in stellar new major pieces throughout our gallery for this special opening, tempting both new and seasoned collectors. Over 110 works will be on display by Don Oelze, C. Michael Dudash, Robert Griffing and many others. This exhibition is the highlight of our busy fall season, and with themes ranging from traditional Western realism to more contemporary scenes art lovers are sure to find something unforgettable to fill that final empty space on the wall.”
The show hangs for nearly a week, but collectors are strongly encouraged to come to the November 23 reception and sale. Not only will many of the artists be present, visitors can put their names in for the fixed-price, by-draw sale. The lively event culminates into a spirited drawing for the winning buyers. Any
unsold works will remain in the gallery for the remainder of November.
Works in the show include John Fawcett’s magnificent Bounty from Fort Robinson, a watercolor that shows more than a dozen horses being herded together by a single Native American rider. “The Red Cloud Agency was established on the White River in what is now northwest Nebraska in 1873, and Ft. Robinson became a military site and fort the following year,” Fawcett says of the work. “It was built in response to the Sioux uprising over treaty violations by white settlers in the Black Hills looking for gold. Through the years it became a major breeding and training facility for horses and mules used in the military, extending even until the start of World War II. Here, this Lakota brave has raided the camp and is returning to his people with a ‘bounty from Ft. Robinson.’”
Other works include Tim Cox’s moody nocturne Warm Evening, Cool Water, which shows a pair of horses lit only by moonlight, and Lakota Summer Song, by R.S. Riddick, which shows a pair of Native American figures within a cluster of aspen trees and wildflowers. Both artists are emeritus members of the Cowboy Artists of America.
In The Approach, by Kenneth Yarus, the artist shows a mountain valley with dramatic light, drifts of snow sweeping
across the mountain face and an emerald river. “The Approach began as an incredible backpacking journey through Glacier National Park in 2017,” Yarus says. “After a grueling bushwack around a stunning waterfall we were greeted by this breathtaking view of Margaret Lake. It was one of those moments that I knew I had to paint what was before me.”
Bradley Schmehl turns to history in his work The Golden Spike, which was an idea inspired by Settlers West owner Stuart Johnson. “Back in early April of this year…stuart Johnson proposed that I should produce a painting on the driving of the golden spike, which completed the transcontinental railroad in May 1869 in Promontory Point, Utah, to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the event. When Stuart asked if I could get Golden Spike done in the time allotted, I simply said, ‘I’ll do my level best,’” Schmehl says. “I proceeded to scour the web and my own files for any photographic material that would help to create the composition, spending what seemed like weeks assembling all the reference material that I would need to execute a painting that would appeal to history lovers, railroad buffs and collectors of fine art. Once I found every historical and contemporary photograph that I thought might help me do the job—thank
God for the internet!—i got busy developing the composition, which itself took many days. When I was satisfied with the compositional layout, I got to work painting the full-size canvas, having decided to forego painting a color study in the interest of saving time. I devoted over 140 hours over the course of nearly two months to the execution of the 24-by-36-inch oil on canvas titled Golden Spike.”
Another work in the show is Ian Ramsay’s
gouache work High Country Camp. “This somewhat-abandoned mining camp was situated along my journey to Glacier National Park in Montana,” Ramsay says. “I was attracted to the rugged setting, buildings and waterfall.
As I always do, I enhanced the scene with intense color and my own sense of drama. It is, I am sure, more akin to my own interpretation than its actual naturally dramatic appearance. The scene drew me in…i hope that the painting does the same to the viewer.”