# 677 "Quest for the West" at the Eiteljorg Museum, con't . . .

Please see the previous post for more information about this blog.

Trish and I just returned from the Eiteljorg Museum's 10th anniversary of
"Quest for the West" in Indianapolis, Indiana.  We enjoyed the exciting art-filled event with fellow artists, collectors, and museum folks!

For information about the Eiteljorg Museum, please go to the link below.

http://www.eiteljorg.org



Below, are images, comments, memories, and souvenirs from this year's "Quest for the West".

Below, is an image of the Ken Bunn Fountain in front of the museum.

Our hotel was directly across from the museum.  We enjoyed the view from our window of beautiful Indianapolis.

Below, Trish is with dear friend and fellow artist, Robert Griffing and Adam Smith; son of Dan Smith and a fine painter.  Also shown, is George Carlson's dramatic sculpture at the museum entrance.

Shown below, is Logan Maxwell Hagege, winner of this years's museum purchase award, and Tony and Brenda Eubanks.
At far right is long-time friend, Wayne Rumley who was honored as this year's Collector of Distinction.

Shown below, is Wayne Rumley with Jack and Valarie Guenther; founders of the Briscoe Museum
and Seth Hopkins; founder of the Booth Museum.

Shown below, I'm with fellow sculptor and friend, Doug Hyde and Joe Osborne.  Joe and his wife Gita
 are sponsors and principles of the museum and held an open house at their gracious home.

Shown below, are images of the annual catalogue signing by the artists.

Below, I had time to catch up with old friend, Curt Walters as Curt Mattson was slow as molasses, signing his name!

A wildly popular new event was the artist small works art swap:  Each artist's name was pulled out of a hat
that corresponded with the name of one of the artworks shown below.

Below, is my swap bronze - "Bushytail" . . . included is Dan Smith's fox painting.
The fox was on my shortlist of work I hoped to be drawn for and I won!

Below, are 3 more paintings on my shortlist by Robert Griffing, Logan Hagege, and George Hallmark.
All of the art was outstanding and my shortlist was not so short!

Below, is the fox painting by Dan Smith that I won . . . no one paints snow like Dan and I love the painting!

Below, I'm with James Nottage; Vice President, Chief Curatorial Officer and Gund Curator of Western Art.

Shown below are Curt Walters, Trish, Tom Dailey, Joe Sylvan, and Steve Zimmerman;
Steve and Gita Osborne co-chaired this year's Quest for the West.

For information about my upcoming retrospective go to links below:

http://www.post #651
http://www.post#675

Go to the BLOG INDEX on the right for more information.

Blog, text, photos, drawings, and sculpture . . . © Sandy Scott and Trish

#605 Museum shows: The Autry Masters, con't . . .

The Autry Museum's 2015 Masters of the American West Fine Art Exhibition and Sale is in its eighteenth year and last night's gala saw brisk sales. 

Collectors from across America  attended the prestigious weekend
event in Los Angeles.  Please see the previous
blog for more information about the Masters.

http://theautry.org/masters

The show will run through March 8th.

Below, are images and memories of another wonderful,
weekend with collectors,  patrons, donors, fellow artists,
museum staff,  and gallery, media, and art publication folks.




Below, Saturday's chuckwagon  lunch and awards ceremony . . . the barbecue brisket is always great!

Below, are two of my favorite people . . . good friends John Geraghty and fellow sculptor,
Richard Greeves.  John is the beloved Special Advisor to the Masters and this year,
Richard sculpted his portrait which was presented on Friday night at the artists and patrons dinner.

Below, are friends and fellow artists, Jim Wilcox and Tucker Smith . . . two of America's finest painters.
The marine paintings shown are by Christopher Blossom.

Below, after lunch on Saturday,  curator Amy Scott (far right)  moderated  a discussion with art collectors
and gallery owners.  Panelists: Brad Richardson (The Legacy Gallery), John Geraghty,
Maryvonne Leshe (Trailside Galleries), and collectors Bob McCloy and Ross McKnight,

Below, the Howard Terpning painting, "The Patrol - 1877" sold at the Friday night auction for $1,300,000.

Below, I'm standing by my raven sculpture entitled "The Taker".  Former governor of Oklahoma,
Frank Keating and his wife Kathy are looking at art behind me.  Artist Morgan Weistling at right.

Shown below, is the wildly popular miniature wall . . . last night every intent to purchase box was stuffed.

Go to the BLOG INDEX on the right for more information.

Blog, text, photos, drawings, and sculpture . . . © Sandy Scott and Trish

#571 "Spirit of the Wild Things", con't . . . it's a beautiful day

This blog is the fourth in a series of posts beginning with #568,
posted September 24, 2014, spotlighting excerpts from the book
"Spirit of the Wild Things - The Art of Sandy Scott".  Published
in 1998 by Stony Press,
the book chronicles early work and is also a learning tool for anyone interested in sculpture studio techniques and insights into an artist's working methods.

The story reprinted below is one of 46 stories and musings taken from early
journals and organized into the book written by Susan Hallsten McGarry on
the occasion of the 1998 Gilcrease Museum Retrospective of my work.
Many of the stories, such as the one below, are about time spent at the
Canadian cabin studio located on an island on Lake of the Woods.

http://www.spiritofthewildthings

It's a Beautiful Day . . . from the book entitled "Spirit of the Wild Things - The Art of Sandy Scott".

As autumn nears, like many people, I instinctively feel an urge to gather and harvest.  In the spring, I'm compelled to plant.  
Akin to the animals, humans have instincts, and mine are manifested in the land, to which I feel a closeness.

My father and my grandparents on both my father's and mother's sides of the family and their fathers before them made their living by farming.  In my own little way I carry on the agrarian tradition.  I have chickens for eggs, a small orchard and a garden. 
I have found that I am content in a rural or a wilderness habitat.

My live-off-the-land compulsion extends to draining and closing time as winter nears at my cabin.
At the end of the season, using Evelyn Cottam's special techniques, I can and put up lake
trout and pike in quart jars.  For the traditional Canadian Thanksgiving in October,
we eat Ruffed Grouse harvested from the island.

But it is the North Country that I identify with and where I feel at home.  
There I feel a part of an existence where life is simple.  The open horizons and the 
freedom of the wilderness - since my youth - have given my life meaning and purpose.

Below, are pictures of crappie and walleye caught for the evening supper . . . . both are excellent tablefare.
While at the cabin, we eat fish at almost every meal and in the fall,
grouse - or partridge as the Canadians call them - are a favorite delicacy.

Below, are walleye filets cooked in the old Presto fryer that's been in use at the cabin for almost 40 years.

Below, is a drawing of a walleye from my sketchbook and an original etching of a crappie.

Below, is a picture of our bird dog in a boat who would rather be grouse hunting.

Below, grouse hunting last week on a remote logging road not far from the cabin.

Below, grouse wings and tail will be put to use as reference for a
new sculpture in progress depicting a pair of Ruffed Grouse in flight.

Below, is an original etching entitled, "The Red Canoe" which was used to illustrate a story in the book,
"Spirit of the Wild Things - The Art of Sandy Scott".

Go to the BLOG INDEX on the right for more information. 

Blog, text, photos, drawings, and sculpture . . . © Sandy Scott and Trish

   

#569 "Spirit of the Wild Things", con't . . . pelicans

Please go to the previous blog for more information about this series of posts.

It's a cold, overcast, and blustery morning at the island studio on
Lake of the Woods in Ontario . . . a perfect time for the warmth of
a birch fire and reflecting upon times past at the cabin.

Seventeen years ago, Trish and I spent the months of late summer and fall here pouring over my journals and compiling 46 stories and musings for Susan Hallsten McGarry to organize into a publication about my work entitled "Spirit of the Wild Things".  Her superb writing and editing, along with forwards by Bill Kerr and Bob Kuhn, and
essays by Robin Salmon and Brooks Joyner, resulted in a book that was introduced on the occasion of the 1998 Gilcrease Museum Retrospective of my work. 

http://www.spiritofthewildthings  

Many of the stories were inspired by time spent in Canada since my youth . . . exploring and learning.

The book chronicles early work and summarizes A lifelong love of animals and the outdoors.

Below, is another story taken from an early journal and included in the book.

Pelicans . . .  from the book entitled, "Spirit of the Wild Things - The Art of Sandy Scott".


From May to mid-October I live and 
work at the studio in my cabin.
I load up supplies and books and head 
north when the ice goes out - 
I go to my source where new and familiar 
adventure waits.  What anticipation!

When summer days of exploring are gone I'm 
always overwhelmed by memories of younger times,
yet I know that the past is as vital as the 
leaves that break down into the soil.




I note the pelican's absence and the loon's 
rich black color change to a dull gray . . . 
whispering wings fly overhead.  
The beautiful Colorado winter is waiting and 
there's work to be realized in the studio there.

The golden days are to be savored.  
Every yellow birch leaf reminds me it's 
autumn . . . it's time to close up and go south.  
Spring will come.

Below, is an image of Pelican Bookends . . . created in the early 90s.

Below, is an image of an original etching created for the back cover of Gray's Sporting Journal in 1981.

Below, are images of drawings from my sketchbook.

Below, is a photo taken yesterday across the bay from the island.  Although the color looks enhanced . . . it is not.
  The fall color this year is stunning,

Go to the BLOG INDEX on the right for more information. 

Blog, text, photos, drawings, and sculpture . . . © Sandy Scott and Trish

#567 Art shows: "Buffalo Bill Art Show" . . . 2014

I attend several museum sponsored and juried art shows during the year and this weekend marked the
33rd Annual Buffalo Bill Art Show and Sale.  Held at the prestigious Buffalo Bill Historical Center in
Cody, Wyoming and surrounded by the majesty of the Greater Yellowstone Region, the celebrated art
show, sale, and quick draw is one of the West's most popular art destinations.
Buffalo Bill Museum
http://www.buffalobillartshow.com

Below, is an image of my sculpture in this year's exhibition . . . Taurus Rex

"Taurus Rex"
19"H 16"W 8"D
Ed 21
6300

Shown below, is this year's honored guest:  Jim Wilcox.  Jim is one of the West's most accomplished landscape
painters and is recognized for his depiction of the beauty of his Wyoming home . . .  the Grand Tetons.
Jim and Narda have been friends for many years and Trish and I cherish their friendship.

  

Below, are images of Friday night's auction, gala, banquet, and festivities . . . always a jam-packed and well-attended
event in a gigantic party tent on the museum grounds.  I'm shown with the popular and illustrious
Alan Simpson - former Wyoming Senator and resident of Cody; and with Dustin Payne - an accomplished
young sculptor of Western subjects who I've known since he was a child.

Collectors love the excitement of a quick draw, and the Cody show presents a fast-paced and popular event for art lovers. Saturday morning, painters and sculptors are given one hour to create a work of art and must start with blank canvas and blank armature material.  Over 40 painters and sculptors participated in this year's event.  The horn sounds and the artists have one hour to give it their best shot!  The work is then auctioned off in the party tent that afternoon.

Below, my quick draw subject this year was a bull entitled, Bullish.  Collectors love seeing the process of creating paintings and sculpture.  A quick draw must be planned carefully before starting a sculpture and modeling in front of a crowd for an hour:  The larger shapes are massed in first with an emphasis on spontaneity and elimination of unimportant detail . . .
a clear, simplified silhouette must dominate the design.

Shown below, is Jim Wilcox painting a wonderful composition with aspens.

To learn more about the subjects go to the links below.

For a complete list of the blog index go to the Index Page and

type the subject in the Search This Blog link on the right.

Blog, text, photos, drawings, and sculpture . . . © Sandy Scott and Trish