Plan ahead for all the August activity in Santa Fe around Indian Market. And leave room on the itinerary for loads more trip-worthy art in the West.
Now Open: The Bob Dylan Center
There’s a new place for fans of Bob Dylan to visit: The brand-new Bob Dylan Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, opened May 10. Dedicated to the study and appreciation of the renowned American singer-songwriter and his cultural significance, it comprises 100-plus items spanning Dylan’s career, including handwritten manuscripts, notebooks, and correspondence; films, videos, photographs, and artwork; memorabilia and ephemera; personal documents and effects, unreleased studio and concert recordings; musical instruments; and many other elements. U.S. poet laureate and internationally renowned performer and writer of the Muscogee (Cree) Nation Joy Harjo is the center’s first artist-in-residence. Tulsa Arts District, Tulsa, Oklahoma, 918.392.3483, bobdylancenter.com
May 27 – September 5
The Sons of Charlie Russell: The Cowboy Artists of America
Showcasing the foundation, traditions, and ideals established in the works of Frederic Remington, Edward Borein, and Charlie Russell, this exhibition illustrates the evolution of contemporary Western art, demonstrating how the Cowboy Artists of America provide a set of criteria for what traditional Western art looks like. It includes 70 paintings, sculptures, and works on paper dating from 1890 to the present day from 40 artists. Briscoe Western Art Museum, San Antonio, 210.299.4499, briscoemuseum.org
Frederic Remington, Hunters’ Supper, 1909, oil on canvas, 27” x 30”. Image courtesy of National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum
Through August 14
Red Cloud Indian Art Show
The country’s only art show held on an Indian reservation, this annual event offers genuine Native paintings, beadwork, and other traditional Native artwork from about 80 American Indian and Alaska Native artists. To guarantee authenticity, all artists must provide proof of tribal citizenship. Attend in person, or shop online. Heritage Center at Red Cloud Indian School, Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, South Dakota, 605.867.8257, redcloudart.show
Through August 23
Scenes of Transcendent Beauty: Thomas Moran’s Yellowstone
On assignment as a painter for the first official expedition into Yellowstone—the Hayden Expedition of 1871—Thomas Moran struggled to describe the breathtaking scenes he and his fellow explorers encountered. In his writings, the artist referred to “transcendent beauty,” a description that’s also apt for the art Moran produced. His relationship with Yellowstone would change the course of his life and prove vital in the creation of the world’s first national park. The exhibition includes 20 watercolor field sketches on loan from the Yellowstone Heritage and Resource Center in Gardiner, Montana. National Museum of Wildlife Art, Jackson, Wyoming, 307.733.5771, wildlifeart.org
Through September 25
Brad Kahlhamer: 11:59 to Tucson
In this solo exhibition of works by Tucson-born, Mesa/New York-based Brad Kahlhamer, the artist addresses issues of contemporary culture and identity through his highly personal narratives that are both autobiographical reflections of his life and quixotic reveries about his identity. Born to Indigenous parents and raised by an adoptive German-American family, Kalhamer’s full background is still a mystery to him. He creates artworks that resonate with both ambiguity and ambivalence about his origins and a fervent desire to discover them. Tucson Museum of Art & Historic Block, Tucson, Arizona, 520.202.3888, tucsonmuseumofart.org
Brad Kahlhamer; Fort Gotham Girls and Boys Club; 2014; acrylic, ink, spray paint, pencil on bed sheet. Collection of the Tucson Museum of Art, Museum Purchase. Funds provided by the Contemporary Art Society and the Virginia Johnson Fund. 2020.58. Photo credit: Courtesy of the artist and Garth Greenan Gallery, New York
Through January 8
Dress Codes
An examination of what we wear, how we wear it, and why, this exhibition features six enduring icons of Western style: blue jeans, the plaid shirt, the fringed leather jacket, the aloha shirt, the China Poblana dress, and the cowboy boot. Through more than 150 objects — including apparel drawn primarily from the Autry’s extensive clothing and textile collection as well as art, photography, and historical artifacts — Dress Codes explores the histories embedded in these key garments and their connections to ideas of Western identity, tradition, individual freedom, hybridity, and reinvention. Autry Museum of the American West, Los Angeles, 323.667.2000, theautry.org
Cowboy boots worn by Gene Autry, mid-20th century. Maker: Lucchese Boot Company. Donated by Mr. and Mrs. Gene Autry. Autry Museum; 91.221.137
June 17–18
Prix de West Invitational Art Exhibition & Sale
Prix de West turns 50 this year! More than 300 works by 98 of the finest Western artists working today come up for sale on art sale weekend, June 17–18. The art ranges from historical subject matter to more contemporary and impressionistic expressions of the West. All art remains on view through August 7. National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, Oklahoma City, 405.478.2250, nationalcowboymuseum.org
July 7–10
International Folk Arts Market
The world’s largest international folk-art festival features unique textiles, jewelry, basketry, rugs, and other art objects by 164 master artists from 49 countries. More than a treasure trove to explore, the annual event generates revenue that helps sustain entire communities, with market activities having touched an estimated 1.3 million lives worldwide to date. Museum Hill, Santa Fe, 505.992.7600, folkartmarket.org
July 8 – 17
Calgary Stampede Art & Lifestyle Show
One of the major destination areas of the legendary Calgary Stampede, the Western Oasis offers multiple venues showcasing artwork from established as well as emerging artists working in everything from fine art, photography, and crafts to culinary and performing arts. Venues include the Maker Market, Kitchen Theatre, and Window on the West stages, as well as a photo gallery and artist studios, including one featuring mini-masterpieces. BMO Centre, Halls E and F, Calgary, Canada, 403.261.9251, calgarystampede.com/stampede/attractions/western-oasis
Neepin Auger (Creek), Medicine Spirit Dancers, acrylic on canvas, 40” x 60”. Photo credit: Courtesy of the artist
July 21–August 14
Cheyenne Frontier Days Western Art Show & Sale
Kicking off Cheyenne Frontier Days (July 23–July 31), this annual event features 54 top Western artists working in paint, wood, alabaster, and bronze. All art remains on view in the museum’s Carriage Hall for the duration of the show. CFD Old West Museum, Cheyenne, Wyoming, 307.778.7290, cfdartshow.org
July 22–October 22
Of Birds & Texas: The Art of Stuart and Scott Gentling
Texas is home to more than 600 species of resident and migrating birds. Fascinated by the work of John James Audubon, Fort Worth-based twins Stuart and Scott Gentling traveled the state in the early 1980s to sketch and paint its rich avian diversity. This exhibit presents 40 lithographic prints of their vibrant bird watercolors. The Bryan Museum, Galveston, Museum, 409.632.7685, thebryanmuseum.org
Stuart and Scott Gentling, Scaled Quail, lithographic print of watercolor, 28” x 34”. Courtesy of The Bryan Museum.
July 23
The Coeur d’Alene Art Auction
For more than 35 years, this event has offered high-quality artworks by past masters and outstanding contemporary artists. C.M. Russell, Frederic Remington, Thomas Moran, William Dunton, and Albert Bierstadt are among the featured artists in this year’s auction of Western American paintings. Grand Sierra Resort, Reno, Nevada, 208.772.9009, cdaartauction.com
What’s On In Santa Fe
July 30 – 31
Traditional Spanish Market
Now in its 70th year, the nation’s oldest and largest juried Spanish Market includes festivals, music, and cultural events intent on preserving the culture and art of Spanish New Mexico. Food, dance, music, and artwork by some 200 Spanish colonial artists transform the ambience at the Plaza to that of a bygone era. Santa Fe Plaza, 505.982.2226, spanishcolonial.org
Teresa May Duran, Saint Francis with Hummingbirds, retablo, 18” x 11”. Photo credit: Courtesy of the artist
August 7, 2022–August 31, 2023
Honoring Tradition & Innovation: 100 Years of Santa Fe’s Indian Market 1922–2022
Tracing the history of the market and exploring the ongoing impact of U.S. Indian policies on the Native American art world over the last century, this exhibition celebrates the artists, collectors, and volunteers who make Indian Market happen. It comprises 200-plus examples of works by Market artists, historic and contemporary photographs, and interviews with artists and collectors. New Mexico History Museum, Santa Fe, 505.476.5200, nmhistorymuseum.org
Robert H. Martin; Pueblo pottery vendors on Palace of the Governors portal during Fiesta, Santa Fe, New Mexico; 1948; photography. Courtesy of the Palace of the Governors Photo Archives (NMHM/DCA) 041392
August 13–15
Whitehawk Antique Indian & Ethnographic Art Show
For 44 years, this unique antique tribal event has highlighted top-tier dealers of American Indian, ethnographic, and fine Western art. A ticketed opening-night party kicks off the festivities Friday evening, August 12. Community Convention Center, Santa Fe, 505.988.9544, whitehawkshows.com
Prairie/Iowa moccasins, early and very rare Prairie moccasins, beaded in a typical Prairie design. Photo credit: Courtesy of Sherwoods: Spirit of America
August 17–19
Wheelwright Museum Annual Benefit Event
At the museum’s largest fundraiser, hundreds of one-of-a-kind artworks will be offered in price ranges to fit all collectors’ budgets. The benefit event starts with a ticketed Early Bird viewing August 17. On August 19 and 20, a Native artist market will also be held at the museum. Wheelwright Museum, Santa Fe, 505.982.4636, wheelwright.org/benefit
August 18–21
Art Indigenous Santa Fe
Featuring sculpture, painting, photography, performance art, and installations presenting major Indigenous artists who have earned a place in today’s world of contemporary fine art, this new gallery show, launched by Southwestern Association for Indian Arts, provides America’s top-tier fine art galleries a place to exhibit work by Indigenous artists they represent during Indian Market. El Museo de Cultural, Santa Fe, 505.992.0591, swaia.org/art-indigenous
August 20–21
Santa Fe Indian Market
For 100 years Santa Fe Indian Market has transformed the Santa Fe Plaza and surrounding streets with artwork and celebrations of Native culture. Highlights in this anniversary year include the work of roughly 900 Indigenous artists, the nearly weeklong Native Cinema Showcase, Native clothing contest, SWAIA Indigenous fashion shows, live music, and dance performances. Downtown Santa Fe, 505.983.5220, swaia.org
Check ahead with venues for potential schedule changes.
For more on Indian Market, check out the August/September 2022 issue of C&I. For more art events on view in May and June, click here.