Cowboy Maelstrom

Sophy Brown is named the featured artist for the 2020 Coors Western Art Exhibit & Sale in Denver.

Prominent Western artist Sophy Brown, whose paintings of horses and working cowboys have captivated collectors for many years, has been named the featured artist for the 2020 Coors Western Art Exhibit & Sale, which will be held January 11 through 26 in Denver.

The annual art show, held during the National Western Stock Show, is known for its embrace of contemporary Western art, even work that pushes the envelope and challenges collectors in unique ways. In addition to being a major venue for Western art, the Coors show is also one of the largest fundraisers for the National Western Scholarship Trust, the philanthropic pillar of Colorado’s National Western Stock Show. Sophy Brown, Maelstrom, acrylic on board

“In the genre of Western art, Sophy Brown is an iconoclast. Horsewoman and classically trained artist, Brown elevates equine imagery by melding her reverence for horses with her search for understanding of the world around her,” according to a statement announcing Brown’s featured role at this year’s show. “Brown’s work has evolved dramatically over the last few years, bringing raw emotion to a new body of work that she refers to as ‘self-portraits.’ Brown has freed herself from the constraints of conventional representational Western art, and instead allows herself to experiment with spray paint, adding torn layers and flinging paint at the surface. She takes paintings to the brink of destruction—often beyond the brink—as a way to dive deeper into the depths of her psyche, open new pathways and, ultimately, express her very human experience.”

Brown, who is based in Niwot, Colorado, is thrilled about her involvement in this year’s show, both as a returning artist and a featured artist. “It is such a great honor to be chosen as the featured artist in this coming Coors Western Art Exhibit. I have been lucky enough to participate in 10 previously, and each one of them has introduced me to many interesting people from the agricultural and ranching world, the rodeo world, and of course the art loving community of Denver and beyond,” Brown says. “As the National Western Stock Show is a much-anticipated highlight of the year for so many people and for as many different reasons, so it has been for me. As an artist, it is great to be part of an art show that is so very well respected for its quality and range and one that supports such a good cause, the National Western Scholarship Trust.”

The 2020 Coors Western Art Exhibit & Sale opens January 7, 2020, with the Red Carpet Gala Reception. The exhibit features 60 contemporary realists from North America and Europe who capture the Western way of life. The exhibition is open to the public during the National Western Stock Show, January 11 through 26, 2020. The Young Guns Reception will take place December 12.
For more information, visit www.coorswesternart.com.—