Every year at the National Museum of Wildlife Art members of the Collectors Circle group meet to discuss ways to support the Wyoming art destination. As part of the event, members also vote on which works to acquire on behalf of the museum. At this year’s event, held on July 14, the Collectors Circle voted to acquire four new works from a diverse group of artists.
The works are Tiger, created out of LEGO bricks by Chinese contemporary artist and activist Ai Weiei; the bronze work Diana (The Hunt) from 20th-century American sculptor Harriet Frishmuth; the 2021 oil painting Wasp Nest by surrealist still life painter Scott Fraser; and the 2021 watercolor The Sacred White Buffalo of Pojoaque by contemporary wildlife painter Scott Kelley. 
Scott Kelley, The Sacred White Buffalo of Pojoaque, 2021, watercolor on paper, 55 x 80½”
The Kelley piece, which is massive at 55 by 80 inches, was recently featured in a solo show for the artist at Gerald Peters Gallery in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The show highlighted animals in the West, including coyote, armadillos, badgers and great blue herons.
More than 20 artworks by 15 different artists were all considered for the museum prior to the members voting on the four selected works. In addition to buying the four works, the Collectors Circle also agreed on additional funding to help support the museum’s conservation efforts within the permanent collection.
“Once we have the votes counted, we announce a winner and subtract each winning amount from the total until we have exhausted the fund,” says museum curator Tammi Hanawalt. “This year it was particularly exciting that we added Ai Weiwei to the permanent collection. He is such an important artist!”
Calling all Western Art museums! Have a recently acquired painting or sculpture? Email the details to mclawson@westernartcollector.com.. —
Powered by Froala Editor
