Santa Fe Art Auction wrapped up another successful Art of the West sale on May 27 and 28, earning $565,750 in total sales across the 464-lot sale, with 85-percent sell through rate. “There was strong bidder activity and [clearly] the Western market continues to perform,” says auction president Gillian Blitch. “A lot of it is because this is our expertise, this is what we do best—demonstrate the diversity of Western art.”
John Nieto (1936-2018), Big Horse Southern Cheyenne, 1988, acrylic on canvas, 60 x 48¼” Estimate: $12/18,000 SOLD: $26,840
The first session, on May 27, was a sale of textiles and multiples, and session two on May 28 yielded strong results for originals. A John Nieto 1988 painting, Big Horse Southern Cheyenne (est. $12/18,000), soared above estimate at $26,840, earning the top lot for the sale. “[The piece] is just such an iconic Native American image,” Blitch remarks, “and it’s the perfect expression of the influence of fauvism. Nieto’s prices have consistently gone up and results have been strong since we sold his painting Zuni Woman Holding Pottery last November.” Big Horse sold to a private collector out of Arizona, who also purchased a couple other top lots from the sale.
Kim Wiggins, Chiricahua Night, 2015, oil on panel, 11 x 14” Estimate: $3/5,000 SOLD: $17,080
Dan Namingha’s 2021 Desert Sunbeam (est. $6/9,000) depicting just that—a pattern of sunbeams breaking through clouds and illuminating a deserted landscape below—sold 55 percent over its estimate at a whopping $17,080. “Namingha is an important Native artist today,” says Blitch. “He’s a modernist who still pays tribute to his [Hopi-Tewa] heritage in his work.” The artist is known for his depictions of his homeland and the Hopi people in sculptures and paintings, keeping the beauty of his ancestry alive.
Earl Biss (1947-1998), A Soft Afternoon in Autumn Waters, 1992, oil on canvas, 18 x 24” Estimate: $8/12,000 SOLD: 12,200
Tying with Namingha was Kim Wiggins’ 2015 Chiricahua Night (est. $3/5,000), featuring his swirly, distinct sky and a group of wild horses on the run, set against a mountainous background. It comes as no surprise that this prominent “Western art innovator” found a spot at the top of the sale. “We were delighted to see Wiggins hammer at $14,000,” says Blitch. “We knew it would be strong, but not five times the low estimate. It’s certainly an exceptional small jewel from Wiggins’ oeuvre.”
Other significant lots include a 1992 Earl Biss slightly abstracted and colorful oil painting, A Soft Afternoon in Autumn Waters (est. $8/12,000), selling for $12,200; a 1990 oil on linen horse image, Untitled (Oak Leaves), by Joe Andoe selling at $11,875 at an estimate of $3,000 to $6,000; a Sheldon Parsons adobe depiction surrounded by a gorgeous landscape, Untitled (New Mexico Adobe with Ristras) (est. $6/9,000) that sold for $10,980; and Taos Cottonwood (est. $8/12,000), a 1987 oil by Carlos Hall featuring Native American figures standing by a large, distinctively painted cottonwood tree that sold for $9,150.
Dan Namingha, Desert Sunbeam, 2021, acrylic on canvas, 30 x 30” Estimate: $6/9,000 SOLD: $17,080
Santa Fe Art Auction saw strong performances in all categories and Blitch is excited to see that the Western market is standing firm. “We’re always pleased to see an 85-percent sell-through in today’s market,” Blitch explains, “and it’s very satisfying to exceed a total low estimate (est. $525/867,000), which reassures us that we continue to track and match auction offerings to the current market, offering a diversity of values but a consistency of quality within collecting categories.” —
Top 10 Lots: Santa Fe Art Auction, Art of the West, May 27-28, 2022 (including buyer’s premium)
Artist Title Low /High Estimate SOLD
John Nieto Big Horse Southern Cheyenne $12/18,000 $26,840
Kim Wiggins Chiricahua Night $3/5,000 $17,080
Dan Namingha Desert Sunbeam $6/9,000 $17,080
Earl Biss A Soft Afternoon in Autumn Waters $8/12,000 $12,200
Joe Andoe Untitled (Oak Leaves) $3/6,000 $11,875
Sheldon Parsons Untitled (New Mexico Adobe with Ristras) $6/9,000 $10,980
Carlos Hall Taos Cottonwood $8/12,000 $9,150
Bill Hughes Comencheros Trading at the Taos Pueblo $2/3,000 $7,930
Mirac Creepingbear Kiowa Sun Dance $2/4,000 $6,710
Ross Stefan Halfway to Chinle $4/6,000 $6,100
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