Western Art Collector magazine has changed the way artists, galleries and collectors connect. It has closed the gap that previously existed in the Western art market. Spectacular and instant SOLD! stories keep rolling in. On this page you can read just some of the feedback pouring into our office from coast to coast on sales and connections achieved. And now that the virtual version of the magazine launches up to 10 days before the Printed edition arrives, collectors can find new art even faster. 

11. Glenn Dean returns to Maxwell Alexander with sold-out show

Contemporary Western painter Glenn Dean had a spectacular September sale at Maxwell Alexander Gallery in Los Angeles. The California-based painter brought a dozen new works to a show titled Across the Divide. The show quickly sold out, further cementing Dean’s growing and important presence within Western art. The show featured a number of Dean’s popular cowboy pieces, but also included Native American subjects. The show was previewed in the September issue of Western Art Collector.

22. Billy Schenck rocks the house at Blue Rain Gallery

New works by Billy Schenck were among some standout sales at Blue Rain Gallery in Santa Fe, New Mexico. “Contemporary Western painter Billy Schenck, otherwise referred to as the ‘Granddaddy of Western Pop,’ continues to bring along fans of the Western genre with his unmistakable photorealist technique, surprising palette and brilliant compositions,” says Denise Phetteplace, executive director at the gallery. “His paintings embrace all of the metaphor, mythology and mystique that the Western genre holds. Some recent sale highlights of his work include paintings such as Zuni Buttes, Mares & Foal, Study for Chingona, Study for the Roper and The Trail Ahead.” 

333. Edward S. Curtis republication sold right from the pages of the magazine

Christopher Cardozo’s recreation of Edward S. Curtis’ ambitious publication The North American Indian has been featured in numerous ads Cardozo has placed in Western Art Collector in recent years. He routinely reports sales from the ads: “We have sold more sets of our historic republication of Edward Curtis’ The North American Indian through our ads in Western Art Collector than any other source,” he says. “We have also been very pleased with the quality of the new clients and their strong interest in what we offer.” In addition to these exciting sales, Cardozo also saw considerable interest in an Artnet auction of Curtis platinum prints from his collection. Platinum prints are extremely rare, and desirable because they are the highest quality of Curtis print. One of the top lots from the sale was Before the Storm (The Storm) – Apache, which sold above estimates at $28,000.

44. Manitou Galleries reports enthusiasm for Jim Eppler bronzes

Jen Rohrig from Manitou Galleries had an amusing interaction with two new clients at the Santa Fe gallery: “Two new Manitou clients came into the gallery and were immediately smitten with Jim Eppler’s life-sized bronze ravens. They were not expecting to purchase on this day, but the momentum of the moment and the beauty of the ravens caught them both off guard, and after about an hour of looking, they could not resist choosing two for their collection. I packed each raven up carefully and I carried one, while my new client carried the other and led the way to his car. I followed as he opened up the door to a black sedan and laid the first raven safely inside.
I placed the other sculpture right next to it in the backseat. The couple was quite excited and giddy with their spontaneous art purchase! We said our good-byes in the parking lot and they walked down the street to celebrate with lunch and a glass of vino! I went back to the routine of my day as a gallery girl.

“At about 4 o’clock that afternoon I received a phone call. On the other end was the woman who purchased the ravens earlier in the day, and I could tell immediately that she was very upset. She said, ‘Something went terribly wrong. When we arrived home, the sculptures were not in the back of our car! They must have been stolen from our SUV while we were at lunch!’

“The news hit me like a ton of bricks…we did not place the sculptures in the back of an SUV. I distinctly remembered the sleek black sedan that we so carefully laid them into. ‘Ma’am, I do believe we placed your sculptures into the wrong vehicle,’ I said without hesitation. I placed her on hold and looked outside. To my surprise, there in plain view was the exact car from earlier in the day, and yes, the sculptures were still snug inside of the wrong car. In their excitement, the clients had walked to the wrong car! Immediately I grabbed the phone to tell her not to worry, and explained what I thought had happened, but now the burden was mine alone. It was up to me to go back into an unsuspecting tourist’s car and take back those sculptures we had so generously given to the wrong family! How could I explain this whole oddball scenario should I get caught entering (thankfully not breaking into) this car?  I closed my eyes and completed the task as quickly as I could, feeling like a cat burglar the whole time.

“I guess they were so excited about their newest acquisitions that they couldn’t even see straight! The best art will do that to you.”

Interested in having your SOLD! stories featured in the pages of Western Art Collector magazine? Email Michael Clawson at
assistanteditor@westernartcollector.com to find out how you
can share your recent sales and successes.—

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