Kevin Doyle, managing director at the Jackson Hole Art Auction, said something after his hit September sale that really reverberated with me. The quote is in the article on Page 116, but here it is again: “I’m so grateful to be in this genre. It doesn’t get more exciting than this.”
International Artist Publishing has five art titles: American Art Collector, American Fine Art Magazine, Native American Art, International Artist and Western Art Collector. Having contributed to all five titles, I have something I want to repeat: “I’m so grateful to be in this genre. It doesn’t get more exciting than this.”
Every American art community is unique and wonderful. I truly love the scenes that swirl around each one, whether it’s contemporary realism in Los Angeles, or American Art Week in New York City, or Santa Fe Indian Market in Santa Fe, New Mexico—and so many others spread from coast to coast, and beyond.
But Western art is something very special. I see a difference in the shows and events, in the museum openings, in the gallery shows and in the auctions. There is an energizing excitement that is plugged into this genre. You can feel it at the events, and I think you can feel it in this magazine. It’s unmistakable.
In this issue, I write about the early days of the Cowboy Artists of America, and how, when Joe Beeler, Johnny Hampton and Charlie Dye went to Mexico for what would become the first CA trail ride, at that point in their careers they were considered “struggling artists” on the fringes of a forgotten genre. Then they, and others, built the genre back up to the glory days of Remington and Russell, the Taos Society of Artists and even the Western pulps. Today, the genre is thriving.
The Western market has gone through many changes since the days of George Catlin 200 years ago, and it is likely to go through many more, some of which we are seeing manifested now with a new generation of contemporary Western artists. No matter what happens, it’s guaranteed to be thrilling. Thank you for participating in this journey with us.
Michael Clawson
Executive Editor
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