The Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art recently announced its 18th annual “Quest for the West®” Art Show and Sale held Sept., 8 and Sept. 9, 2023 generated more than $1 million as more than 300 collectors and guests came together for the weekend event in downtown Indianapolis. The “Quest for the West®” showcases artwork from some of the nation’s leading and contemporary Western American artists, which will remain on display to the general public through Oct. 8, 2023 as a public art exhibition.
“As a major initiative of the Eiteljorg Museum, the ‘Quest for the West®’ Art Show and Sale builds awareness of Western American art and artists, and raises the museum’s profile nationally as one of the top Western art sales and exhibitions in the country,” said Kathryn Haigh, president and chief executive officer of Eiteljorg Museum. Haigh, who took on the role in May 2023, succeeded John Vanausdall after he retired earlier this year after 27 years serving as president and CEO of the museum.
The annual event, which was sponsored by the Western Art Society and the Avis Foundation Inc., featured 48 artists such as Gladys Roldan-de-Moras of San Antonio, Texas; Donna Howell-Sickles of St. Joe, Texas; William Haskell of Santa Fe, New Mexico; Ezra Tucker of Monument, Colorado; Dean Mitchell of Tampa, Florida; Krystii Melaine of Colbert, Washington; Don Oelze of Clancy, Montana; and P.A. Nisbet of Sante Fe, New Mexico; to name a few. Throughout the two-day art show and sale, collectors could purchase works either in-person or as absentee buyers, with 75 percent of the sales proceeds designated directly to the artists. The remaining proceeds went toward the Eiteljorg Museum, and any artworks not sold during the event is still available for purchase through the duration of the public exhibition.
“‘Quest’ provides Eiteljorg visitors an opportunity to experience exceptional artwork that is being made today and gives both novice and seasoned collectors access to these important artists. We are grateful to the artists, museum staff, volunteers, sponsors, and members of the Western Art Society who made it possible,” Haigh said.
“Quest for the West®” also featured two fixed-price, luck-of-the-draw sales, an awards banquet, and a special guest speaker, Jim Hatzell, who is an artist, photographer, and movie and TV film crew veteran. The awards banquet recognized artists like G. Russell Case of Brigham City, Utah for “Autumn in Twilight” with the Henry Farny Award for Best Painting, sponsored by Steve and Jane Marmon; and Scott Rogers of Logan, Utah for “Whiskey’s Rebel” with the Cyrus Dallin Award for Best Sculpture, sponsored by Michael and Carla Leppert.
Other artists, like Krystii Melaine was recognized with the Artist of Distinction Award for her overall body of work, which will be featured in a special exhibition during the 2024 “Quest for the West®”; Dean Mitchell of Tampa, Florida received the Victor Higgins Award of Distinction, sponsored by Catherine Turner; Mark Kelso of Bargersville, Indiana received the Patrons’ Choice Award for “The Sound of Silence”; and Donna Howell-Sickles received the Harrison Eiteljorg Purchase Award as the Western Art Society purchased “Waiting for the Boot to Drop” for the Eiteljorg Museum’s collections.
The 2023 annual event also featured an Artists’ Choice Award, sponsored by Phyllis Cockerill, which resulted in five artists jointly sharing the distinction for their works: William Haskell for “Unrelenting,” Mark Kelso for “The Sound of Silence,” Dean Mitchell for “Monument Valley,” Heide Presse for “They Shall Inherit The Earth,” and Scott Rogers for “Commander.”
The Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art is located in White River State Park in downtown Indianapolis. Since its inception in 1989, the museum has become more than an art museum, as a cultural pillar with a mission to inspire appreciation and understanding of the art, history, and cultures of the Indigenous peoples of North America and of the American West. For 34 years, the organization has collected, conserved, and exhibited art and cultural objects, and become a space of dynamic storytelling of both the Indigenous peoples of North America and diverse peoples of the American West.
As a cultural institution, the Eiteljorg Museum also hosts a number of other events and programming throughout the year, such as its annual Eiteljorg Indian Market and Festival, and the upcoming Indigenous Peoples’ Day Community Celebration on Saturday, Oct. 7, which celebrates, raises awareness, and honors the many cultures of Indigenous or Native American peoples of North, Central, and South America. The event, which runs from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m., will feature scheduled storytelling, dance performances, and artist demonstrations throughout the day. The museum will also offer free admission Monday, Oct. 9 in celebration of Indigenous Peoples Day.
The Eiteljorg Museum will also host a Día de Muertos Community Celebration from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 21 in partnership with Arte Mexicano en Indiana and Nopal Cultural. The “Día de Muertos Community Art and Altar” exhibit will also run Oct. 10 through Nov. 2, 2023 featuring community-created ofrendas, or altars, by Consulado de Mexico en Indianapolis, the Indianapolis Central Library, and Mujeres Conectadas en Indy, among others. The “Quest for the West®” event will also return for its 19th annual weekend on Sept. 6 and Sept. 7, 2024.
Text: R.J. Weick
Photography: Courtesy of artists and Eitlejorg Museum
Featured image: Courtesy of G. Russell Case, Eiteljorg Museum | Pictured: “Autumn in Twilight,” 2023, oil linen on board, 30 x 40 inches, G. Russell Case of Brigham City, Utah. Henry Farny Award for Best Painting, sponsored by Steve and Jane Marmon
