Jackson Hole, Wyoming, sits at the heart of the greater Yellowstone ecosystem. With its wide-open planes cradled below the staggering Tetons, some of North America’s most iconic and important species roam the land and call it home.
Every fall, Western Visions Art Show + Sale,the National Museum of Wildlife Art’s largest and longest-running fundraiser, welcomes top wildlife artists and collectors to Jackson Hole to not only appreciate art but to experience a landscape that makes the genre possible.
Sally Vannoy, A New Hope, oil on linen, 28 x 50 in.
Entering its 39th year, the signature event is a part of the citywide Jackson Hole Fall Arts Festival. This year Western Visions kicks off on September 5, but the big sale night will take place later in the month, on Thursday, September 17, from 5 to 8:30 p.m. This year’s event features a wide array of traditional and contemporary artworks from 176 participating artists who work in mediums from paint and pencil to bronze and wood, as well as found objects and cut feathers.
Bruce Lawes, The Honor Guard, oil on linen, 21 x 31 in.
“As always, the Western Visions Art Show + Sale represents the best of contemporary wildlife art, showcasing the breadth and depth of the field,” says show director Madison Webb Stanko. “The exciting thing about the show is that it ranges from established artists like Tucker Smith, Ken Carlson and Dan Ostermiller to artists who are earlier in their careers and joining the show for the first time. This not only provides an important platform for artists, but it also gives collectors a unique opportunity to connect with longstanding favorites and potentially discover something new.”
John Perry Baumlin, The Edge of Twilight, oil on raymar canvas panel, 36 x 36 in.
All participating artists were required to include an element of nature or wildlife in their work, however, artists in the large-format category were asked to consider and interpret this year’s theme—curiosity. “The museum’s vision statement is to inspire connections with wildlife and nature,” says Webb Stanko, “Curiosity is often the first step in connection.”
As the field of wildlife art continues to develop and expand, so does the event. Among this year’s first-time participants are Joyful Ward and Paul Puckett, both of whom specialize in marine subject matter. Ward explores the underwater worlds of whales and other sea creatures, while Puckett focuses on sporting images of fishing. “We are excited to add more variety to the type of wildlife depicted in the show,” says Webb Stanko. “Aquatic species have been historically underrepresented, and these two artists bring a fresh perspective to the roster.”
Joe Kronenberg, Maternal Glow, oil on board, 36 x 36 in.
Other featured artists in the exhibition include John Perry Baumlin, whose work The Edge of Twilight depicts big horn sheep climbing rocks at blue hour. Baumlin’s work is informed and inspired by his travels through the American West. His work captures the experience of witnessing wildlife in nature, as he draws and sketches form life and takes photos to accurately preserve the moment.
Artist Joe Kronenberg’s work Maternal Glow illuminates a mother bear with her cubs on a foggy mountain slop. Kronenberg’s painting embodies the aesthetic and objective standard of the 19th-century European academic art world that give his work a timeless beauty. He captures the wildlife and nature of historic sites, national parks and the mountains of Idaho, Montana and Wyoming.
Jay Kemp, Marco Polo, acrylic on masonite, 18 x 24 in.
Wildlife art inspires wonder and curiosity. It allows for hundreds of viewers to experience the same moments of awe that the artist did when they decided to preserve it on canvas. The work often carries deeper meaning, as it reflects the importance of preserving the landscapes the wildlife inhabits or foster understanding of animal that is not encountered by the general public. “My hope is always that visitors will be inspired,” says Webb Stanko. “That they will find connection with the works and through the works connection to the natural world, and that that connection will bring them wonder, joy, and serenity.”
Doyle Hostetler, Adoration, oil on canvas panel, 20 x 16 in.
The Western Visions exhibition will be on view at the National Museum of Wildlife Art from September 5 through 27. For more information about the show visit www.wildlifeartevents.org. —
Western Visions Art Show + Sale
September 5-27, 2026
National Museum of Wildlife Art
2820 Rungius Road, Jackson Hole, WY 83001
(307) 733-5771, www.wildlifeart.org
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