All eyes are on Great Falls, Montana, the town of 60,000 that will come alive during its 55th Western Art Week. It was on March 19, 1864, that the Western master Charles M. Russell was born in St. Louis, and it was in Great Falls that he spent the second half of his life; he died there in 1926.
55th Western Art Week
Great Falls, Montana
visitgreatfallsmontana.org
March 14–17, 2024
A highlight will be the 37th Annual March in Montana Auction & Dealer Show, presented by Coeur d’Alene Galleries and Coeur d’Alene Art Auction (March 14–16, marchinmontana.com) and emceed by master auctioneer Troy Black. Among its 750 lots will be Western and sporting art and cowboy and Indian collectibles, with particular strength in Native American weavings and beadwork, the art of William Gollings, and woodcarvings by Montana’s John L. Clarke. Another exciting aspect are modern Native American artworks by such masters as Jaune “Quick to See” Smith, William Standing, George Flett, and Allan Houser.
Illustrated here is Norman Rockwell’s preliminary oil sketch for a mural that now hangs at the Society of Illustrators in Manhattan. Included with this lot is a trove of fascinating notes, books, photographs, and magazines that provide valuable documentary information about the painting.
Lots of other activities will be making Great Falls hop this March. Also occurring March 14–16 is The Russell, organized by the C.M. Russell Museum (cmrussell.org). It encompasses several parties, an educational symposium, the First Strike auction featuring contemporary artworks, and the main live auction that involves both historical and modern works.
Running concurrently nearby will be the Out West Art Show & Sale, Legends West Art Show, Great Western Show, Western Heritage Artists — Footprints on the Trail, Studio 706 Spring Show, and Wild Bunch Art Show. As if that were not enough, the Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art will be open as usual, presenting its permanent collection and temporary exhibitions.
View more fine art auctions and sales here at FineArtConnoisseur.com.
