"Paintings have a life of their own that derives from the painter's soul." Vincent Van Gogh

Saturday, September 24, 2016

2016 Coeur d'Alene Auction of Western Art

New hound dog painting hot off the easel!

Focused Resolve / 16x12 / oil on masonite

In July, as we do every year since moving to Reno, my husband and I attended the Coeur d"Alene Auction. The catalog cover this year featured a delicate oil by Charles M. Russell called The Tenderfoot painted in 1897. Charles Russell was a real and rugged cowboy in addition to being a painter and sculptor. This piece engendered some spirited bidding and sold for $700,000.00 USD.

2016 Auction Catalog and bidding paddle


 The center painting in this photo is Howard Terpening's  Blackfeet Storyteller 1988. He is such a magnificent painter with enviable brushwork and is a master of lost edges.This one also sold for about $700,00.00 USD. (That is the Charles Russel Tenderfoot painting on the right).




Harry Jackson's 60 inch high sculpture called Pony Express 1983 shows the kind of energy and motion that I love to paint!



 A portion of the display of over 300 paintings and bronzes that encircled the entire ballroom.




Two Conte drawings and two acrylic paintings by contemporary artist Bob Kuhn. I was impressed by the crispness and purity of his colors.



 Paul Pletka's Crow Warrior was one of my favorite pieces.


 This romantic painting by Richard Schmidt seemed very nostalgic to me, hearkening back to more carefree times.



After viewing the lots the night before the auction there is always a buffet dinner. This year the food was bountiful and better than ever including prime rib,lamb shanks, cheddar cheese balls, tiny quiche lorraine and wonderful pastries for dessert. The auction itself is always the most fun as it all happens at such a fast and furious pace. Most things were sold quickly. I learned that western art is alive and well in the United States although I must admit that generally the subject matter is not my cup of tea. My absolute favorite was not an American Western painting but instead an arrestingly beautiful picture by Leon Gaspard, a Russian trained painter and adventurer. The painting is Siberian Christmas and the story is that at 17 years old, after winning a gold medal at an exhibition at the National Academy of Russia, Leon set out into Siberia on a solo painting trip. The year was 1899 and after paying abut 12 cents for a ride in a horse drawn wagon from a passing family, he was dropped off at an inn deep in the interior of Siberia. This painting is a result of that experience.

Siberian Christmas / Leon Gaspard / 24x24
The photograph does not even come close to doing it justice. It sold to a lucky buyer for a mere $250,000.00!

Tuesday, September 20, 2016

New Painting Sold Painting and a California Chill!

Just completed and awaiting a title -

Untitled / oil on linen panel / 14x18

Sold from my gallery in Blowing Rock, North Carolina:

A Moment of Disciplined Pleasure / 11x14
And a few photos from a short trip to California. In mid-July, my husband and I had just completed some business in Palo Alto (outside of San Francisco) and decided to drive to Half Moon Bay a few miles away on the coast.  It was a beautiful, warm sunny day but the weather in Half Moon Bay was quite different! The wind was blustery and the temperature was so cold that sweatshirts and jackets did not keep us warm. We were not able to walk on the beach but were forced to shelter ourselves inside the Ritz Carlton Hotel and drink hot chocolate while looking out over the ocean! Summer on the northern California coastline!






I am going to make an effort to post more regularly and next time I will have some photos from the Couer d"Alene Auction of Western Art that was held here in Reno in July. Until then - many thanks for taking the time to follow my blog!