Bonnie Marris, The Best Stick Ever, oil on canvas, 34 x 48 in.

For Jackson, the success of the show is rooted in the museum’s supporters. They can be seen at many Briscoe events. They’re proud Texans with cowboy boots, cowboy hats and have voices with that lovely Texas twang. They are all about family—family by blood and community. “The profound amount of energy and enthusiasm is really incredible. We’re hearing from all new collectors and supporters. This show will have more support than ever. In fact, we blew past our [sponsorship] goals and we’re still two months away from the show,” Jackson says. “We have unbelievable people to work with. They believe in the show and the museum.”

Donna Howell-Sickles, Careful, I Keep What I Catch, acrylic on canvas, 30 x 30 in.

This support network is on clear view at most Night of Artists events. The galleries are packed during the sale. The tables at the dinner fill one room and spill out into a courtyard. During the closing night festivities, the dancefloor is swingin’. The Briscoe puts on an epic bash, one that brings out top collectors and creates excitement around the art and artists. “The whole idea is that we’re focusing on hospitality. Everyone should feel welcome, whether you’re a collector or just an art enthusiast,” Jackson says. “It all goes back to when Michael Duchemin was running the museum and he really let us ramp this show up. He and I split the show: he took on the art and artists, and then I focused on the event. Back then we wanted to build our profile. We wanted to build an atmosphere around the show.” And that’s what continues today.

Gladys Roldan-de-Moras, ¡Que chula es Puebla!, oil on linen, 24 x 36 in.; William Alther, Across the Ages, oil, 33 x 36 in.

Artists include Brandon Bailey, Teal Blake, Curt Mattson, Eric Bowman, Mary Ross Buchholz, G. Russell Case, Don Oelze, Howard Post, John Coleman, Todd Connor, Paul Rhymer, C. Michael Dudash, William Haskell, Jerry Jordan, Jim Vogel and many others. Among the 16 new artists are Kyle Ma, Thomas Blackshear II, Greg Beecham, Dean Mitchell, Sean Michael Chavez, Grant Redden, Matt Smith and T. Allen Lawson. 

Bruce Cheever, Trail of the Long Shadows, oil, 34 x 24 in.

Events kick off March 28 with a preview of the exhibition that will include an hour-long tour led by Newton, followed by artist demonstrations and then an evening bash for the small-works sale, live auction and dinner. Festivities continue on March 29 with a ticketed awards breakfast with the artists, a collector’s summit featuring a panel of artists and art experts, and then the by-draw sale and party. 

Dean Mitchell, Eyes of History, acrylic, 7½ x 20 in.; Morgan Weistling, The Piano Player, Round Up Dance, 1884, oil on linen, 23 x 30 in.

One of the returning artists is Gladys Roldan-de-Moras, who will be showing ¡Qué Chula es Puebla! “This painting…captures the rich historical and cultural essence of the China Poblana, intertwining the traditional dress with the story of Mirra, the Indian princess whose journey shaped its origins,” the Texas artist says. “The title pays homage to one of Puebla’s most famous songs, often performed with the China Poblana dancing to its vibrant rhythms. This work highlights the beauty of the iconic attire as it is traditionally worn in Mexico, celebrating it as both a symbol of Mexican heritage and a testament to the multicultural roots that define its history.”

Dustin Van Wechel, Icing on the Cake, oil on linen, 24 x 36 in.

Another returning artist, James Morgan, will be showing Trumpeter Swan Salon. “On a cold, sunny morning a quintet of trumpeter swans gather on a small island to rest, primp and preen. Swans spend a considerable amount of their time adjusting, readjusting, arranging, rearranging and waterproofing their elegant snow white feathers,” he says of the piece. “I enjoy exploring contrasts in all my work. This painting is an example of a few contrasting elements. Warm/cool, curved/straight, light/dark, rough/smooth.”

Greg Beecham, Afternoon Flare-up, oil on linen, 30 x 48 in. 

Beecham is a fellow wildlife painter, and it’s also his first year at the show. He’s bringing a variety of wildlife subjects. In Afternoon Flare-up he paints wild horses. “I spend as much time as possible out with the wild horse herd in Utah called Onaqui,” he says. “They are a rugged group and are, generally, quite animated—meaning they fight a lot. [They are] on the smaller side—I seldom see over 14 hands. They are big-boned, scarred-up and tough. This painting depicts one of the many feuds I observed over the course of a few days spent with them last spring.”

Abigail Gutting, Move Over, oil on linen, 20 x 40 in.

Another painter of horses is Abigail Gutting, who is returning with the work Move Over, a large work showing a pair of horses. “[This] is an action piece,” she says. “The story of this painting is the movement and will of both horses—saddle bronc and pickup horse—and how when they come galloping in one’s direction, it’s a good idea to get out of the way. Hence the cowboy boots and jeans scrambling over the fence in the upper left corner of the painting.”

James Morgan, Trumpeter Swan Salon, oil on linen, 30 x 48 in.

A new addition to the show is the support of Texas-based Vogt Auction, which will be running the auction portions of the event. Vogt brings to the show an elaborate auction platform that will allow live online bidding and a live auction feed so collectors can watch the bids in real time. 

Mikel Donahue, Night Hawk, acrylic, 18½ x 28 in.

Night of Artists