Every December, the Young Guns Art Show shines a spotlight on emerging Western talent in anticipation of the Coors Western Art Exhibit & Sale and the National Western Stock Show, both held in January 2025.
The one-night Young Guns exhibition, also billed as the Rhinestone Rodeo,takes place from 6 to 9 p.m. on December 12, and is curated to introduce Western artists on the rise to both experienced collectors looking for new favorites, and those just starting to build their collections.
Drew Macias, See You on the Other Side, oil on canvas board, 20 x 24 in.
Roughly 150 original works will be presented by 30 showcased “young guns,” among them Jacob Lovett, Drew Macias, Nelson Tucker and Rudi Broschofsky.
“As a Western artist, the Coors show is always a highlight of the year, so to be featured in the Young Guns show really is exciting,” says Macias, who will be showing one of his signature “smokin’ cowboy” paintings at this year’s event. “As an up-and-coming artist you see these shows and create goals to be in them one day, and to see it happen really makes all the hard work worth it, and tells me I [am] headed in the right direction.”
As a Denver artist, Tucker feels equally privileged to be a first-time exhibitor in the Young Guns Art Show. “I hope the surrounding community is able to appreciate my unique technique and see that I am able to represent the current Western approach, along with the heritage of the past,” he says. Tucker will be showing a scratchboard piece titled Honey Hocks,an attempt to raise awareness of the far-reaching importance of bees.
Nelson Tucker, Honey Hocks, scratchboard, 24 x 9 in.
Iconic photographer of the West, Chris Douglas, is the subject of a commanding oil by Lovett, who took the reference photo for the portrait at the Diamond Cross Ranch in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. He explains, “You’ll see that the subject is protruding out of the background in this painting which is a recurring stylization that I put on a lot of my pieces that I like to call ‘Western windows.’ The idea behind this motif prompts the viewer to wonder what the subject could be thinking, where they came from and where they are going. Are they eager to return to a place of warmth and comfort or are they searching for their next adventure, stepping into an unknown world?”
Rudi Broschofsky, Moonrise, spray paint on panel with resin, 48 x 48 in.
As an artist and owner of Flat Blak Gallery, Broschofsky has been familiar with the National Western Stock Show and Young Guns, as well as many of the participating artists, for a long time. Known for taking an urban approach to Western art, he will be showing Moonrise, created with spray paint and resin on panel. “I love getting out into the mountains, looking at the universe and I always enjoy a sunrise or sunset,” says Broschofsky. “Add a full moon and you have the full enchilada.”
“The Young Guns Art Show is a unique event that connects emerging to mid-career artists with newer collectors in a vibrant, social atmosphere,” says Coors Western art coordinator Grace Weihs. “It offers an exciting chance to discover fresh talent, with accessible price points that appeal to both first-time and seasoned collectors. Attracting young professionals from Colorado and throughout the Southwest, the event blends art, networking and entertainment, highlighted by the lively Rhinestone Rodeo. Purchases not only support rising artists but also benefit the National Western Scholarship Trust, making it an opportunity to invest in the future of both Western art and education.”
Jacob Lovett, And Yet It Doesn’t Matter, oil on canvas, 24 x 24 in.
The Young Guns Art Show and Coors Western Art Exhibit & Sale are a part of the National Western Stock Show, which takes place January 11 through 26, 2025. —
Young Guns Art Show
December 12, 2024, 6-9 p.m.
National Western Complex, Expo Hall, Third Floor
4655 Humboldt Street, Denver, CO 80216, (303) 291.2567, coorswesternart.com
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