Same Quest, New Format

The Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art will feature an all-new virtual format during its 15th annual Quest for the West® Art Show and Sale, September 11-12, 2020.

The Quest for the West® Art Show and Sale will feature nearly 200 new artworks by 50 of today’s top artists specializing in Western-inspired paintings, landscapes, and sculptures. Instead of the traditional on-site, in-person sale, the Eiteljorg this year will host the new online sale format, where collectors will view the available artworks online, enjoy personalized concierge service and then place their bids during the fixed-price, luck-of-the-draw virtual sale.

In previous years, Quest for the West® included a gallery exhibition, two evenings of socializing between artists and collectors, a catered banquet that often drew nearly 300 guests each year and an awards ceremony.

“Since its inception in 2006, Quest for the West has built support for the genre of Western art; and collectors and artists look forward to it at the Eiteljorg each year,” Eiteljorg President and CEO John Vanausdall said. “The museum follows all state and local public health guidelines during the pandemic, and since it was impossible to know exactly what the circumstances will be in September, we concluded we would marshal our efforts to creating this exciting virtual version of Quest.”

Quest for the West always has received bids from absentee bidders even when it was an on-site sale; and this year, all registrants get to bid absentee. With the new format, the registration fee to enter the online sale and place bids is $25, an affordable price for first-time bidders who are starting their art collecting journey, or seasoned collectors seeking the right piece. All registrants will have access to an Eiteljorg concierge service that can assist them with bids and other questions.

A popular feature of Quest for the West is returning in virtual form: the Quest Miniature Art Sale, held Friday, September 11. For this sale, the artists create smaller, more affordable versions of their paintings and sculptures, which are prized both by new collectors and by experienced collectors who have no more room for large pieces and want something smaller.

The Eiteljorg is planning various digital extras that Quest registrants can enjoy leading up to and during sale weekend, including interviews with artists, virtual cocktail chats, and other online events.

“We at the Eiteljorg take pride in bringing together top artists and enthusiastic collectors of Western art, and are committed to making this year’s Quest very engaging and successful,” Vanausdall added.

Shifting the format means two parts of Quest for the West will be postponed to next year’s event. The guest speaker, Academy Award-winning actor Wes Studi (Cherokee), who has appeared in the films Dances with Wolves and The Last of the Mohicans, instead will be the special guest at the 2021 Quest. Also, a special on-site exhibit of Quest artworks that were past winners of the annual Harrison Eiteljorg Purchase Award is postponed to 2021. The Eiteljorg Museum plans to resume its regular format for Quest for the West next year, if the social distancing restrictions allow.

2020 Quest for the West Participating Artists
(*Asterisk: sculptors)

Gerald Balciar*
John Buxton
G. Russell Case
Bruce Cheever
Tim Cherry*
Rox Corbett
Brent Cotton
Glenn Dean
Steve Devenyns
Mikel Donahue
Michael Dudash
Barry Eisenach*
Josh Elliott
John Fawcett
Deborah Copenhaver Fellows*
Robert Griffing
David Grossmann
George Hallmark
Karin Hollebeke
Donna Howell-Sickles
Doug Hyde* (Nez Perce/Assiniboine/Chippewa)
Greg Kelsey*
Mark Kelso
Bruce Lawes
Curt Mattson*
Joseph McGurl
Krystii Melaine
Dean Mitchell
Denis Milhomme
Jay Moore
Paul Moore
John Moyers
Terri Kelly Moyers
Brenda Murphy
Rock Newcomb
P.A. Nisbet
Robert Peters
Howard Post
Heide Presse
Scott Rogers*
Gladys Roldan-de-Moras
Roseta Santiago
Dave Santillanes
Sandy Scott*
Mian Situ
Adam Smith
Daniel Smith
Nathan Solano
Michael Untiedt
David Wright

Learn more details at eiteljorg.org.

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