Rendezvous in the West

This year’s Bighorn Rendezvous features a diverse range of talented artists.

The 8th annual Bighorn Rendezvous is shaping up to be one of the best editions yet. Held each year at the Brinton Museum in Big Horn, Wyoming, the exhibit and sale is one of the premier Western art events in the country, showcasing some of Western art’s very best.

Kenneth L. Schuster, curatorial director for the Brinton Museum, says that the 2023 Bighorn Rendezvouswill be one of the most diverse shows they’ve ever had, with a total of 14 artists working in oils, monotypes, pastels and bronze sculptures. “We’re fortunate that we know so many great artists. The Brinton Museum is a marvelous institution; a lot of people enjoy exhibiting here,” he says.

Anton Nowels, Beaver Creek Road, oil, 24 x 30”

“The beauty, the land…everyone wants to be a part of this,” says Barbara McNab, the Brinton Museum’s curator of exhibitions.

About four years ago, Brinton Museum staff made the decision that they’d change up the participants each year. New to the 2023 show are Jerry Salinas, Kathy Wipfler and Tammy Callens. Schuster adds, “Returning is Gregory Packard…a totally underrated but just marvelous artist. A very distinctive style. And then we have some local artists, like Sonja Caywood from the Dayton, [Wyoming], area.

Kathryn Mapes Turner works on a painting at last year’s Bighorn Rendezvous.

Sonja has really come into her own in the last three years. There’s also Jim Jackson. We have a vested interest in Jim because not only is he a fine painter, he’s a world-renowned leather artist.” Jackson will be bringing a painting on leather to the 2023 show.

Another artist Schuster is particularly excited about is Roger Broer, from Hill City, South Dakota. “Roger is a marvelous monotype artist; he doesn’t use a press, he rubs the entire image himself. It’s quite a process to view. He’s probably going to be the real eye-catcher in the exhibit,” Schuster says.

Tammy Callens, Looking Glass, oil, 24 x 18”

McNab adds, “He’s very social so he’ll have no trouble interacting with people.”

Other exhibiting artists include T.D. Kelsey, Tom Lockhart, David Mensing, Anton Nowels, Julie Oriet and Gerald Shippen.

Taking place on August 26 at the Brinton Museum’s Quarter Circle A Ranch is the quickdraw event, in which visitors can observe artists painting and sculpting in real time. “Our quickdraw event is different from many. It’s a three-hour event, so it’s more of a slow draw,” Schuster laughs. “The artists don’t like being forced to finish a painting in an hour…So most will come with a painting half finished [so they can focus on engaging with the visitors].”

Scott Yeager, Nightlife, oil on board, 8 x 10”

Artwork produced during the quickdraw will be auctioned that same evening at a dinner and art auction. Proceeds from the sales benefit both the Brinton Museum and the participating artists. The VIII Bighorn Rendezvous will be on view through August 26. —