Welcome to the January issue of Western Art Collector and Happy New Year! We are starting this year with some of our favorite sections: the Western Auction Directory and State of the Art: Arizona. The destination guide hits close to home as our world headquarters are right here in the Grand Canyon State.
While executive editor Michael Clawson will take you deeper into the importance of one New York sale on Page 6, I want to reflect on the auctioneers themselves. As a colonel and certified auctioneer, I understand the entertainment of the auction and the importance of exceptional art in a room full of serious collectors. The pageantry, the spotlight and the happy collector owning their new acquisition—it’s all magic! It is energy and spectacle that everyone must experience and, starting on Page 69, you will find 33 pages of the best Western art auctions in America. Of course we include dates, auction records, single-owner collections and everything you need to know and where to go in the auction world. Plan accordingly. We do not want you to miss any opportunity in 2026.
The gold rush for Western art lives in our home state this month in State of the Art: Arizona. January is a great month to be here and it makes you understand why the West was won here. While everyone else is hunkering down for winter, Arizona might as well have a sign that says, “Come for the art, and stay for the weather.” And you should. We have an in-depth guide that will help you navigate around Arizona. While the romance of the West began in many states, Arizona continues the legacy with both classic and contemporary Western art.
As if all that wasn’t enough, we also have our popular Collector’s Focus: The Contemporary West. The artists included are the best of the best in contemporary Western art. No matter what are you are interested in—traditional or contemporary—this issue will speak to you as you follow your vision in this Western art world. It is a great time to be a Western art collector.
Wendie Martin and Adolfo Castillo
Publishers
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