The Briscoe Western Art Museum in San Antonio gears up for its signature sale March 29 – 30.
If you’re a consumer of Western art, you can fill yourself to pleasantly full in the month of March with a couple of major events. After Western Art Week in Great Falls, Montana, March 20 – 24, head for Night of Artists at the Briscoe Western Art Museum in San Antonio, March 29 – 30.
What a way to artistically usher in spring — in Alamo City, one of the West’s iconic towns, surrounded by the best in Western art during late March, when the weather’s typically warm and breezy.
This is the third year Briscoe president and CEO Michael Duchemin has been involved in Night of Artists. During that time, he’s seen the museum’s signature event grow in artists, collectors, sponsors — and prominence.
“There’s been strong word of mouth,” Duchemin says. “We feel great about getting support from the artists and also about putting San Antonio on the Western art circuit.”
Duchemin is especially looking forward to Friday night’s live auction, a new feature as of last year.
“The live auction last year was fantastic — it was a big success,” he says. “It gave sponsors the opportunity to buy both at the auction on Friday and at the wall sale on Saturday.”
Once again, the Friday night live auction will consist of 30 pieces. “It’s 45 minutes long — tight and short by design,” Duchemin says. “It starts at 8:30 and is done by 9:15, during the course of dinner.”
Two of the most exciting pieces in the live auction, he says, are by Martin Grelle and Z.S. Liang.
Click on the image above to view the slideshow.
Forty-seven of the event’s 78 participating artists submitted pieces to the live auction. Thirty pieces were selected, with the majority of the balance going into the luck-of-the-draw sale on Saturday. Last year, 100 percent of the live-auction pieces sold, and the overall event had a 70 percent sell-through.
Duchemin’s excited about the prospect of building on last year’s numbers and about the lineup of this year’s participating artists: “We’ve shuffled the deck and have 13 new and returning artists in the show.”
Some of those artists include Glenn Dean, R. Tom Gilleon, Joe Kronenberg, Bonnie Marris, Adam Smith, Randy Van Beek, Joe Velazquez, and Jeremy Winborg.
“Jeremy sent Beauty of the Desert, a vertical — 40 by 25 — of a Native American woman with a blanket that she appears to be putting over her head to shield her from the sun,” Duchemin says. “It’s a very striking piece, well done in Winborg’s unique style. He’s a hot ticket since The Russell last year, when one of his paintings sold for $52,650, including buyer’s premium. He’s definitely a rising star.”
The artists and the art, sales and the atmosphere, and the fun factor of art lovers gathered in an art-loving city like San Antonio all make the Briscoe’s Night of Artists a special event. And Duchemin hints there’s even more.
“We’ve got some surprises I can’t reveal that will make it even more special. It’s going to be a great event.”
For more on Night of Artists at Briscoe Western Art Museum, visit the museum’s website.