The famous elk antler arches in the Jackson Hole Town Square. Courtesy Wyoming Office of Tourism.

Found in Moran’s journal, and available through the Yellowstone National Park Service website, is a description of the artist’s time in the park: “For the first time in my life I slept out in the open air. during the night it rained a little but not enough to wet us to any extent. Got up early enough in the morning to get our Breakfast, & commence photographing as soon as the sun rose. The outlet of the lake is through an immense gorge in the Mountains bordered with great cliffs & peaks of Limestone some of them isolated & forming splendid foreground Material for pictures…”

Bison roam Wyoming pastures Near Jackson Hole. Courtesy Wyoming Office of Tourism.

Today, artists continue to be influenced by the scenery that Wyoming has to offer, while cities like Jackson Hole, Cody, Cheyenne and Casper have become impressive art hubs for collectors and enthusiasts alike.

A man practices his lasso throw at the Vee Bar Ranch. The Western way of life is alive in Wyoming. Courtesy Wyoming Office of Tourism.

“Each September, the Jackson Hole Fall Arts Festival brings together the nation’s top Western, wildlife, and landscape artists for an immersive 10-day celebration of art in the heart of Jackson, Wyoming,” say event organizers. “With over 50 art events, local galleries and venues transform into vibrant showcases of creativity.”

 

Million Dollar Cowboy Bar
What is arguably the most famous cowboy saloon in the country sits directly on the Jackson Hole Town Square. The Million Dollar Cowboy Bar, with its neon bucking-bronc sign twirling over the town, is known for its lodge-like vibe with vintage wood décor, saddle barstools, live music and cold beverages. The bar is a staple for late-night drinks, post-show gatherings and as a warm, inviting place to take a load off after gallery hopping.

 National Elk Refuge
Created in 1912 to protect one of the more iconic animals within the region, the National Elk Refuge is more than 24,000 acres large and home to more than 5,000 elk (sometimes as many as 8,000) that migrate to the refuge during the winter months. The refuge, which is easily accessibly from Jackson Hole, is lower in elevation than much of the nearby national park land, which is why the elk and dozens of other species spend winters in the slightly warmer area. The best time to see the elk in the refuge is mid-Dember through early April. In late spring the elk begin to migrate toward summer ranges.

 

Elk Antler Arches
Marking the corners of the Jackson Hole Town Square are four large elk antler arches that stretch over the sidewalks into the park-like square. These are some of the most photographed places in Jackson Hole, where guests young and old snap selfies between the arches. The four arches were originally installed in 1960, and all the antlers came from the National Elk Refuge nearby. It’s been estimated that as many as 8,000 antlers (14,000 pounds) make up the four monuments. Every summer, usually in May, antlers gathered from the refuge are auctioned off during ElkFest, which benefits Jackson-area boys and girls through the Scouting program.

 

The Tetons
If you fly into Jackson Hole, and you happen to be seated on the lucky side of the plane, you will be treated to the most magnificent view of the Teton Range, which seems to rise up into the sky practically right next to the runway. The famous peaks— South Teton, Nez Perce Peak, Middle Teton, Grand Teton, Mount Owen and Teewinot Mountain—are a prominent feature all around the Jackson Hole area, and they beckon guests into Grand Teton National Park, which has an entrance not far from the center of Jackson Hole.

 

Steamboat Monument
In the center of the Jackson Hole Town Square is a bronze of Steamboat, the famous rider and bucking horse featured prominently all around Wyoming, including on the license plates. The bronze, dedicated in 1976, was created by artist Bud Boeller. Steamboat sits atop the Town Square Veterans Monument, which honors area service personnel who have honorably served in all wars beginning with World War I. The monument is managed by American Legion Post 43.

Interior view of Altamira Fine Art. Altamira Fine Art, Shane, oil on canvas, 40 x 50 in., by Billy Schenck.

Altamira Fine Art is a premier destination for Western contemporary art, dedicated to showcasing bold, evocative work by today’s leading and emerging artists. With year-round programming across two gallery spaces in Jackson, Wyoming, and Scottsdale, Arizona, Altamira presents a dynamic exhibition calendar that celebrates the evolving language of the American West.

Altamira Fine Art, Chris-Craft Beneath Moran, oil on canvas, 40 x 30 in., by Dennis Ziemienski.

“Our curatorial approach embraces a wide range of media—from luminous oil and acrylic paintings to sculpture in bronze and glass, as well as innovative light and mixed-media works,” says gallery director Kimberly Duncan. “Some artists of note include Duke Beardsley, Bradford Overton, Kenneth Peloke, Stephanie Revennaugh, Billy Schenck, Ben Steele and Dennis Ziemienski.”

Exterior view of the Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum.

This summer, the museum proudly presents the 45th annual Cheyenne Frontier Days Western Art Show & Sale, running July 17 to August 10, 2025. As one of the country’s premier Western art events, the show will feature more than 200 original works in a variety of media including oil, acrylic, watercolor, pastel, graphite, mixed media and sculpture. 

Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum, Good Morning Among Friends, oil on linen, 24½ x 30½ in., by Susie Hyer. A monument by Chris Navarro in front of the museum.

The celebration begins July 17 with an exclusive opening reception, including a cocktail hour at the governor’s mansion and dinner at the museum. Guests can also enjoy a limited-edition custom hat experience from Greeley Hat Works. Proceeds benefit the museum’s exhibits, education and preservation efforts.

A look at Gallery Wild’s walls in Jackson, Wyoming.

The gallery first opened in July of 2018 in downtown Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and was well received by the Jackson Hole community. It quickly established itself as a mainstay gallery on Broadway, opposite the historic Wort Hotel. Gallery Wild’s mission is to inspire collectors and impassion others to help protect wildlife and wild places for future generations through the acquisition and enjoyment of fine art.

Gallery Wild, More Than a Number 399, oil on linen, 30 x 30 in., by Patricia A. Griffin. Gallery Wild, Royal Alpenglow, oil on canvas, 48 x 48 in., by Silas Thompson.

The gallery collection features both established and emerging artists who offer a variety of mediums including both oil and acrylic paintings, bronze sculpture, glass and mixed media, and photography. Browse the entire collection online or visit the gallery in person to get up close and personal with all the great work.

Clockwise from top: A view of the Jackson Hole Art Auction showroom. Jackson Hole Art Auction, Two Brothers Hunting, oil on canvas, 20 x 24 in., by Eanger Irving Couse (1866-1936). Featured at the Annual Live Auction. Estimate: $70/100,000. Jackson Hole Art Auction, Start of the Roundup, 1898, watercolor on paper, 14½ x 20½ in., by Charles M. Russell (1864-1936). Featured at the Annual Live Auction. Estimate: $180/250,000

The 19th Annual Live Auction, held on September 13, has been recognized as one of the premier art events in the country and is a signature event of the Jackson Hole Fall Arts Festival, attracting collectors from across the country and abroad. JHAA’s sales feature works from highly collected artists such as John Clymer, Howard Terpning, Bob Kuhn, Carl Rungius, Joseph Henry Sharp, Frederic Remington, John Nieto and Robert Bateman, and many others.

The National Museum of Wildlife Art, founded in 1987, is the world’s premier wildlife art museum holding more than 5,000 artworks representing wild animals from around the world. Featuring work by prominent artists like Georgia O’Keeffe, Andy Warhol, Thomas Moran, Bob Kuhn, John James Audubon and Carl Rungius, the museum’s unsurpassed permanent collection chronicles much of the history of wildlife in art, from 2500 B.C. to the present.

Top: National Museum of Wildlife Art, Buffalo Mountain and Little Buffalo Mountain, 2015, granite, by Stewart Steinhauer (Cree/Canada). © Stewart Steinhauer. National Museum of Wildlife Art, Mount Moran, Teton Range, Idaho, 1903, oil on canvas, 40 x 30 in., by Thomas Moran (1837-1926). Bottom: National Museum of Wildlife Art, The Deer Pass, 1852, oil on canvas. 37½ x 83 in., by Sir Edwin H. Landseer (1802–1873). KM Collection.

Built into a hillside overlooking the National Elk Refuge in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, the museum received the designation “National Museum of Wildlife Art of the United States” by order of Congress in 2008. 

Exterior view of the Brinton Museum, the Forrest E. Mars Jr. Building.

Located on the historic Quarter Circle A Ranch at the foot of Wyoming’s Bighorn Mountains, the Brinton Museum presents art, history and nature through the lens of the American West. The museum features an impressive permanent collection of Western and Native American art, historic photography, and contemporary works by regional and national artists.

The Western art gallery featuring a Remington piece in the foreground, and Riess works in the back.

Its state-of-the-art, environmentally sensitive Forrest E. Mars Jr. building houses galleries, a museum store and sweeping mountain views. The original 1892 Brinton Ranch House offers guided tours with furnishings and fine art from Bradford Brinton’s private collection.

Shannon Marie Schacht, Maverick, acrylic, 40 x 40 in.

Schacht’s work is best described as contemporary realism with dramatic, yet intimate compositions. These are not your typical wildlife paintings. She has the ability and gift of conveying the personality of animals that is instantly recognizable and endearing to her collectors. Schacht’s artwork reflects her deep connection with animals, and she works hard at creating these visions with each brush stroke. She is represented by West Lives On Gallery in Jackson Hole and Thomas Anthony Gallery in Park City, Utah. She has a large following of collectors across the globe.

Wilcox Gallery, Blackfoot Bear Knife Ceremony, oil on linen, 36 x 32 in., by Barry Eisenach.

Among these top artists, collectors will find a fine collection of Kyle Ma’s masterful diverse subjects. The quality of the work draws collectors like Wilcox to Kyle, but his story cements the draw. Many collectors have compared Ma’s art to Richard Schmid and other painting greats.

Wilcox Gallery, Well Suited, oil, 22 x 22 in., by Tom Browning. Interior view of the Wilcox Gallery II in downtown Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

The gallery is set to host Ma’s fifth solo show, opening July 5 at its downtown location. The opening reception on July 5, held at Wilcox Gallery II, will include a live demo by Ma starting at 5 p.m., with the reception continuing until 8 p.m. —