Between the live auction, quickdraw and silent auction, the 44th Annual Buffalo Bill Art Show & Saleachieved more than $1.4 million in art sales during the September event, one of the most successful to date. More than 600 people attended the live auction, held at Buffalo Bill Center of the West, in Cody, Wyoming, with more than 90 percent of the lots going home with happy collectors.
Krystii Melaine, Guardian of the Wilderness, oil, 30 x 24 in.
“The audience brought incredible energy to this year’s live auction, with several moments of lively bidding,” says Buffalo Bill Art Show & Sale director Katelyn Parker. One stand-out moment was when Krystii Melaine’s Guardian of Wilderness sold for $26,000, more than double its retail price of $12,000. “The crowd’s enthusiasm and our incredible auctioneer, Troy Black and his associates, made for an unforgettable evening,” Parker adds.
Kevin Red Star’s Crow Indians Small War Party was the top lot of the sale, achieving $57,500. “Kevin Red Star is one of the most respected contemporary Native American artists, known for his deeply personal portrayals of his culture and heritage which resonates strongly with collectors,” says Parker.
Kevin Red Star’s Crow Indians Small War Party was the top lot of this year’s Buffalo Bill Art Show & Sale, selling for $57,500.
In addition to Melaine, who received the people’s choice award at the event, award winners did well across the board. After winning the Spirit of the Buffalo Bill Art Show & Sale Award earlier this year, Santiago Michalek’s oil painting of a Pony Express rider handing off a satchel to the conductor of a moving locomotive joined the top sellers when A Matter of Utmost Urgency went for $48,000. John Potter won the award for two-dimensional artwork for his piece We Three Chiefs, which caught bidders’ attention and far exceeded its estimate when it sold for $15,000.
Hundreds gathered Saturday morning to observe the quickdraw event, during which 29 artists created original artwork in only 90 minutes. All of the pieces were scooped up by bidders before the paint—or clay, in some cases—had time to dry.
Michalek Santiago, A Matter of Utmost Urgency, oil, 48 x 96 in.
In addition to the paintings, a total of 52 bronze multiples, by five sculptors, were sold in the quickdraw auction. According to the post-event release, “Sculptor Dustin Payne drew a big laugh from the audience when he announced that his newly created sculpture of a mule would be titled My Daddy Was an Ass.” Eighteen copies of the bronze subsequently sold, each for $1,380.
“The Buffalo Bill Art Show & Saleis more than an auction—it’s a celebration of Western art and community,” says Parker. “The energy was unmatched this year, with a wonderful mix of returning friends and new faces coming together to share their passion for American Western art.”
David Frederick Riley works on a large-scale painting of a bear during the quickdraw event.
Mark your calendars: the 2026 Buffalo Bill Art Show & Sale will take place September 14 through 19, with the live auction on September 18, followed by the quickdraw sale on September 19. Visit www.buffalobillartshow.org for updates. —
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