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March 19,2010
PRESS RELEASE:
C.M. Russell Western Art Museum 2010 Art
Show
Mark Keathley attended the CM Russell
Western Art Museum's 2010 Show and Sale with
two paintings entitled "Jail Break"
and
"Independence Pass."
The Auction was different at this years
show, in that it was set up as two sales.
On Friday night, there was a Wall Sale,
where art collectors could deposit their
name and contact information on a slip of
paper and place it in a box next to one of
120 pieces of art hanging in the museum.
The slip of paper was a silent auction and
created a bid from the collector who placed
it in the box. There were over 1,000
western art lovers and collectors enjoying
the fine cuisine, open bar, western music,
and the friendly company of other Art
Connoisseurs. They all were enjoying the
diversity of the fine art represented at the
show.
"I arrived that evening
in the middle of the event, and never saw
anyone put a slip of paper in the boxes.
I was beginning to wonder if anyone there
was going to bid on my two paintings at the
show", Mark stated. "It was kind of nerve
racking; but, when it was all over, and they
opened the box, I had a buyer for one of my
entries. My painting, "Independence
Pass" sold to Bob Bosworth of Denver
Co. It was great to meet him and chat about
the business." Mr. Bosworth is on the board
of the Denver Art Museum. 
The next night was a
live auction. At this sale Mark's painting
"Jail Break" sold for $9,000.
"This was a very successful show for me",
said Keathley. "Only 40% of the art at the
show sold this year, either there were no
takers during the wall sale, or the auction
price didn't get up to the artist's reserve
price; so to sell them both for full price
was exceptional."
Even though sales were
less than hoped for, the total event
produced much more revenue for the Museum
this year than the past year, so everyone's
spirits were up and great things are
anticipated for next year's CM Russell
Western Museum and Art Show.
http://www.cmrauction.com/Website/Schedule.aspx
Excerpted from the web site:
Biography of Charles M. Russell
Charles Russell is one of the few artists
who both experienced and artistically
documented the drama and innocence of the
American West. As the West was settled, his
nostalgia for days gone by was expressed in
his depictions of contemporary life on the
range.
As a self-taught artist, Russell began
drawing and sculpting at an early age. A few
weeks before his sixteenth birthday, he left
St. Louis and moved to Montana where he
worked as a cowboy for eleven years. During
those years, he sketched and painted the
cowboy life and the wilderness he loved. To
cover his expenses, Russell sold his
paintings for modest prices to saloons and
local establishments, whose proprietors were
the first Russell collectors. His first
commissioned mural was painted for a saloon
in Utica, Montana and was executed with
house paints on a pine board.
In 1896 Russell married Nancy Cooper who, as
his business manager had a lucrative impact
on his artistic career. She convinced him to
raise prices and paint full time. By 1911
his paintings were selling in the East for
what Russell referred to as "dead men's
prices", high figures normally achieved
after an artist's death. After 1919, the
Russells spent their winters in Pasadena,
California. In Hollywood they befriended
western art enthusiasts, many of whom became
Russell's patrons. In October 1926, Charles
Russell died in Great Falls, Montana.
For more details of Russell's life and work,
visit the
C.M. Russell Museum
website..
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