Cowboy Artists Gallop into Phoenix

Twenty years ago, in the quiet desert community of Phoenix (population 170,000), the "art museum" was a few thousand dollars' worth of art housed in a small, nondescript building. This year, with the Phoenix metropolitan population nearing 114 million, the Phoenix Art Museum is housed in its own handsome multimillion-dollar building, and Museum director Ronald D. Hickman proudly proclaims, "In conservative figures, the collection is now valued at well over $10,000,000 and the vitality of this Museum is extraordinary!"

The force behind this phenomenal growth is the participation by the Museum membership and associated community organizations such as the Art Museum League, Men's Arts Council, COMPAS (Combined Metropolitan Phoenix Arts), Western Art Associates, the Costume Institute, and Friends of Mexican Art, who have conducted fund-raising drives and activities that make possible Museum expansion and the acquisition of valuable art properties.

"For a young museum we have incredible collections! In our collections the Museum has kept itself diversified to a point where there is a potential of expanding certain areas that should become very strong mainly contemporary American and Western," says Hickman.

"It's almost impossible to decide which is the best example of art in our Western Wing," Hickman explains. "Perhaps the most important historical piece is the Alfred Jacob Miller painting 'The Buffalo Hunt.' His work is a fine example of the explorer-artist; those men who were hired to accompany the westward movement and record what the explorers found.

"Another important piece by an explorer-artist is 'View of the Grand Canyon' by Thomas Moran. Moran has probably been the most admired artist that traveled with the explorers. Another prominent artist of the West, George Catlin, is popular for his portrayal of the Indians of that period-although he never period-although h acquired the glamour of Thomas Moran.

"Our Taos-school paintings are very important to the Museum. An outstanding example is 'Taos Women' by Joseph Henry Sharp. Our recent acquisition of Irving Couse pictographs has been very

popular with our patrons," says Hick-man. “His ‘Standing Indian’ is very impressive.” Up until three years ago no one would have thought cowboys would feel at home at the Phoenix Art Museum (cowboy artists, that is), but in 1973 the Cowboy Artists of America brought their annual show and sale to the Museum, liked the pace and pleasantness of Phoenix and its people, and have returned each year since. From its origin in 1965, the CAA show had been hosted by the National Cowboy Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City, but in 1973 the Men's Art Council, the Western Art Associates, and the Phoenix Art Museum staff invited the Cowboy Artists to Arizona for their annual show and sale.

The move has proved to be a successful one for the CAA and the Museum. Take last year's sale, for example: From the Friday night opening to closing time on Sunday, the first weekend's sales of fine Western art had totaled nearly $327,000!

Fine, contemporary Western art is a “There has been considerable enthusiasm and genuine interest between these groups over the last three years,” said Hickman. “Their cooperation has been instrumental in making it a successful event.” Ron Hickman is staking his professional career on the future of the Phoenix Art Museum, and feels the challenge is exciting and invigorating. The exhibition schedule for Fall 1976 through Spring 1978 will bring, in addition to the Cowboy Artists show, exhibitions of a quality never before seen in Arizona. There will be exhibitions from contemporary American and European art, including the works of the Society of North American Gold-smiths (who will hold their national competition at the Museum in January). For information regarding events at the Museum, readers may inquire of the Phoenix Art Museum, 1625 North Central Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85004.

Cowboy Artists of America 1976 Show and Sale

On Friday evening, October 22, the annual Cowboy Artists of America show and sale will open at the Phoenix Art Museum. (We strongly recommend that those wishing to attend on opening night obtain reservations from the Museum.) On Saturday, October 23, there will be an autograph party and book sale at the Museum, and that evening the awards banquet will be held at the new Hyatt Regency Hotel in downtown Phoenix; Arizona's Senator Barry Goldwater is to be the master of ceremonies. The show and sale of the Cowboy Artists will continue through November 21 at the Phoenix Art Museum, which is open daily except Monday, and open Wednesday evenings until 9:00 o'clock.

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