Frequently Asked Questions
Collecting Western Art
Western art is much broader than paintings of cowboys. It encompasses the landscapes, people, wildlife, history and cultures of the American West, interpreted through painting, sculpture, drawing and other media. Subjects range from ranch life, horses and Native American themes to wildlife, national parks and contemporary views of the Western landscape. Western Art Collector regularly explores these subjects through its Collector’s Focus sections, features and previews.
Start by looking—a lot. Visit galleries, museums, auctions and Western art shows before feeling pressure to buy. Learn which artists, subjects and styles consistently capture your attention. Western Art Collector can help accelerate that education: Collector’s Focus special sections explore themes and genres; Fresh Paint introduces up-and-coming artists and newly available works; previews cover upcoming shows and events; and features take you deeper into studios and subjects. The more art you see, the more confident you will become in recognizing quality and developing your own taste.
Pay attention to artists receiving increased gallery representation, inclusion in respected exhibitions and invitations to major Western art events. Also look for consistency: a developing artist should have a recognizable body of work rather than simply one exceptional painting. And, more than anything, read Western Art Collector. We’re the only monthly Western art magazine, and we routinely highlight new artists in our pages.
There isn’t a single formula. Value can be influenced by the artist’s reputation, quality of the individual work, size, subject matter, medium, provenance, exhibition history, rarity and recent comparable sales. If you have a piece of Western art you would like to learn about, inquire with a gallery that represents the artist, reach out to a professional art appraiser, or contact an auction house that specializes in Western art. Western Art Collector follows the marketplace closely through regular auction and event reports, as well as the monthly Sold! section highlighting recent sales.
All three can be excellent sources, but the experience is different. Galleries provide expertise, relationships with artists and opportunities to see new work. Museum and art-show sales can bring many respected artists together in one location. Auctions offer access to both historic and contemporary works, often with published estimates and competitive bidding. Western Art Collector covers all three, giving collectors an opportunity to research before they buy.
For most collectors, developing relationships with trusted galleries is one of the most important parts of collecting Western art. A knowledgeable gallery can introduce you to artists, educate you about their work, alert you to important new pieces and exhibitions, and help you build a collection over time. Western art shows, museum events and auctions are also excellent opportunities to broaden your knowledge, discover artists and see significant works. Western Art Collector helps connect collectors with this entire marketplace.
There is no single Western art capital. Santa Fe, Scottsdale, Jackson Hole, Denver, Great Falls, and communities throughout Texas and the broader West each offer distinctive collecting experiences, with galleries, museums, auctions, exhibitions and major Western art events. Western Art Collector’s State of the Art destination guides take collectors across the West—from Arizona, California, Colorado and New Mexico to Montana, Texas, Utah and Wyoming—highlighting the galleries, museums, artists and events that make each market unique.
Landscapes, wildlife, horses, cowboys, Native American subjects, historic Western scenes and contemporary interpretations of Western life all have passionate collector audiences. Trends change, but collectors shouldn’t choose a subject simply because it appears popular. The strongest collections usually reflect a genuine personal connection.
Historic Western art provides a connection to the artists who helped shape our visual understanding of the American West, while contemporary Western artists interpret the West as it exists today. Many sophisticated collections include both. Western Art Collector intentionally covers this full spectrum, from historic masters such as Frederic Remington, Charles M. Russell, Joseph Henry Sharp and John Clymer to living artists working in the West today.
Think of Western Art Collector as a monthly roadmap to the Western art market. Fresh Paint and Artist Focus help you discover new and rising artists. Gallery Previews show you new artwork coming to market. Sold! and auction reports help you follow sales and market activity. Western Art Trail, our monthly calendar, helps you decide where to go, while Collector’s Focus and State of the Art special sections provide deeper education about genres and collecting destinations. Most importantly, the magazine allows collectors to see artwork before shows open and sales take place.
The majority of the magazine is chosen by our editorial team based on what is happening in the world of Western art. Advance notice of shows and early event information is key to choosing events for the printed magazine, so if you have an upcoming event or opening, tell the editorial team. Western Art Collector also has opportunities for artists to bring their art directly to readers through special sections. These marketing opportunities allow artists, galleries, museums and other venues to connect with readers about artwork that may interest them.
Yes. In addition to the printed monthly magazine, Western Art Collector offers a digital issue for on-the-go reading, the full magazine and past articles on its website, social media content on Facebook and Instagram, and the American Art Collective podcast, which releases new episodes every other week along with monthly First Look episodes that explore the new printed magazine.
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