Celebrating Western culture through the eyes of both emerging and established Western artists is the larger mission behind the annual Western Spirit Art Show & Sale,hosted at the Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum. For the event’s 44th edition, collectors can expect to see a whopping 300 pieces by more than 120 artists in a wide range of mediums including acrylic, oil, drawing, printmaking, photography, pastels, mixed media and sculpture.
Danielle Kirby, Altair, oil on canvas, 42¾ x 32¾ in.
Amanda Marshall, art show and events coordinator, says that the show will have some returning features and some new ones as well. One returning feature is the “miniature wall,” featuring small and miniature pieces that artists present alongside their juried works. “These pieces can only be up to 10 by 10 inches, but people get to take them home as soon as they buy them,” says Marshall.
Highlights among the juried pieces this year include Altair by returning artist Danielle Kirby. Her impressive Western skyscapes, subject matter she is most known for, includes the colorful grandeur of the Milky Way and a bison grazing in the foreground.
Jimmy Devine, Welcome to the High Plains, watercolor, 8¾ x 7½ in.
“The star Altair is one of the three stars that make up the Summer Triangle—an asterism that can be found high in the night sky in late summer,” The artist says. “I knew when I set out to paint Altair that I wanted the Milky Way to be the main focus. This was only my third time painting a nocturne, and I had a lot of fun troubleshooting the palette and researching what would be visible in a late-summer Wyoming sky. There are many, many layers of color in this piece, as I pushed and pulled the light of the stars and the depth of the dark sky.”
New to the show this year is artist Audrey Powels, known for her cow photography. “I like to think that I create artwork that has classic beauty portrayed in a unique way,” she notes of her style. “Art that can bridge the divide between the Western world and that of a more contemporary fine art feel.”
Audrey Powles, Tilly, photography, 17 x 21 in.
Powels successfully creates feelings of joy, curiosity and wonder in works like her show piece Tilly. “When Tilly was born,” explains Powel, “I was so excited to showcase my first ever ‘mini’ calf born on the ranch. [I] live and work on the Powles family ranch and run a commercial cow/calf operation of primarily Angus and Gelbvieh cross (Balancer) cattle. It took a few years of negotiating (or begging) and I had finally convinced my husband to let me purchase a couple of commercial mini cows…Ruby was the first of the two to give birth that spring and I was excited to find a tiny little heifer calf at her side, who was promptly christened with the name Tilly. I decided I would photograph little Tilly and share my excitement with others.”
Steve Knox, Roam Wild, mixed media on tea bags, 31 x 36 in.
The Western Spirit Art Show & Sale kicks off with the opening reception on March 8, where Best in Show and winners in each medium are announced. Earlier on March 8, the museum will host the Western Spirit Seminar, featuring workshops and presentations beginning at 9 a.m. Artwork featured at the event will remain both in-person and online through April 19. Tickets can be purchased online or at the museum. —
Western Spirit Art Show & Sale
March 8-April 19, 2025
Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum
4610 Carey Avenue
Cheyenne, WY 82001
(307) 778-7290 www.oldwestmuseum.org
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