Historical Western culture meets vibrant modernism in this year’s Small Works, Great Wonders show at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City.
More than 100 artists are bringing a collection of small-scale works, allowing both traditional and contemporary styles to depict the story of the West. “We include artists whose work is steeped in tradition,” says Marla Cook, show manager. “However, as an ever-evolving institution we include artists who work in a modern style, thus providing a venue where both genres can work hand-in-hand to move forward while still honoring our history.”
Naomi Brown, Desert Magic, oil on panel, 12 x 16 in.
The show features several returning artists, including sculptor Eric Slocombe. One of his pieces, Buffalo Spirit Rising, depicts a Lakota shaman dressed in ceremonial attire designed to call upon the buffalo spirit. Slocombe spends long hours researching history and Indigenous traditions across North America, connecting them with the natural world through his work. “I see myself as a storyteller. For me, sculpture is a way of capturing a moment and inviting the viewer into the story with me,” Slocombe says. “I hope this piece sparks curiosity. I want people to be enchanted by what they see and to leave wanting to discover more.”
Rachel Brownlee, The Queen and Her Crown, charcoal on panel, 16 x 20 in.
Painter Naomi Brown also returns this year with two atmospheric landscapes honoring the Southwest, both of which feature her recent interest in depicting the full moon in the desert. There is no lack of inspiration to be found in the secluded landscape surrounding her home in the San Tan mountains. “Each sunset and sunrise are beautiful. I find myself getting lost in an almost surreal atmosphere each day,” she says. “This dreamy feeling transcends in each of my paintings of the desert.”
Small-scale works hold a special importance for Brownlee. The artist taught herself to paint on postcard-sized papers, which she sold in her grandmother’s antique shop. “It helped me to take a lot of information from an image…and organize it into a pleasing composition on a 4-by-7-inch postcard,” she says.
Angie Haskell, Hank’s Crude Awakening, acrylic, 20 x 16 in.
The show also features 17 new artists, including painter Angie Haskell. She brings her modernized images depicting vignettes of classic Western traditions. While her subject matter is rooted in cowboy iconography, the artist is inspired by the geometric shapes of Juan Gris and Pablo Picasso, among others. “Together, those influences have helped me find my own place between past and present—paying homage to the Old West while reimagining it for the modern West.”
Haskell says she is excited to be included in the show this year and hopes collectors will find the familiar stories they love amid her bold colors and angled forms. “[Collectors] are expanding their idea of what Western art can be. I am honored that my work is a popular part of this movement,” she says.
Eric Slocombe, Buffalo Spirit Rising, bronze, 19 x 15 x 14 in.
Rachel Brownlee will bring two charcoal pieces honoring her ancestry as she continues the family business as a fifth-generation cattle rancher. Her piece The Queen and her Crown, depicts an aged cow and honors her place in both historic and modern agriculture. “She has a strange horn…but it is the crown of glory for a cow who has kept their rancher alive with her calves and knows the lay of the land,” Brownlee says. “She has a beautiful cow face; she is very special.”
The show opens for viewing on Saturday, November 7, with the official sale following on Friday, November 13. All unsold works continue to hang and remain available for purchase through November 29. —
Small Works, Great Wonders
November 13-29, 2026
National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum
1700 NE 63rd Street, Oklahoma City, OK 73111
(405) 478-2250, www.nationalcowboymusuem.org
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