Press Release  August 17, 2020

The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum Selects Best Art in the West

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Author: chandra

The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum has announced their 2020 Purely Proxy Prix de West award winners and virtual tour.

The sale of the 48th Annual Prix de West Invitational Art Exhibition & Sale isn’t the only aspect of the nation’s premier Western art exhibition and sale that’s gone virtual: In a format befitting of 2020, the Prix de West committee presented the 2020 awards virtually to the winning artists this afternoon, August 14, via video conference.

“We wanted the thrill and excitement of announcing this year’s winners to come through even if we were hosting the announcement virtually,” said Natalie Shirley, The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum's president. “These winners are truly deserving, and it was wonderful to gather and celebrate them, even if it was from a safe distance this year.”

In addition, The Cowboy is pleased to offer a fully virtual tour of the entire Prix de West Invitational Art Exhibition. The virtual tour, produced by 3D Scans Plus, allows Western art enthusiasts from around the world to tour the entire Prix de West exhibition and view each piece of art as if they were standing in the gallery. 

Bill Anton received the top-honored Prix de West Purchase Award, which is given to the artist whose work of art is selected by the Prix de West Committee and purchased for the Museum’s permanent collection.

Anton won for his painting titled Makeshift Ambulance. In addition to the purchase price, Anton will receive the Prix de West medallion and an award of $5,000 sponsored by Roberta M. Eldridge Miller.

“I’ve done this show for 23 years and it’s been a joy in my life,” said Anton. “It’s an honor just to be in the same building as the other Prix de West artists.”

In 2009, Anton won both the Prix de West Robert Lougheed Memorial Award and the Express Ranches Great American Cowboy Award. He captured the Express Ranches award again in 2011 and 2018.

“We want to congratulate Bill on his exceptional work and the recognition of the Purchase Award this year,” Shirley said. “He is an exceptional talent in the Western Art world, and we are honored to add this piece to the Museum’s permanent collection.”

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The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum
Prix de West Purchase Award

Bill Anton, Makeshift Ambulance. Oil on linen. 34 x 46 in.

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The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum
Kyle Polzin still life painting of a native american drum
Frederic Remington Painting Award – Exceptional artistic merit for a painting

Kyle Polzin, Buffalo Drum. Oil on canvas. 29 x 34 in.

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The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum
Harold T. Holden bronze sculpture of a rearing horse with a cowboy on its back
James Earle Fraser Sculpture Award – Exceptional artistic merit for a sculpture

Harold T. Holden, Strike Lightning. Bronze. 30 x 23 x 23 in.

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The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum
Scott Burdick painting of a young native woman holding a license plate
Donald Teague Memorial Award – Exceptional artistic merit for a work on paper

Scott Burdick, Ponca Nation. Charcoal and acrylic on paper. 36 x 24 in.

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The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum
Carrie Ballantyne painting of a young blonde girl in cowboy hat, flannel shirt, and chaps, standing beside a barn
Express Ranches Great American Cowboy Award

Carrie L. Ballantyne, Young Hand. Oil. 23 x 17 in.

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The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum
Ralph Oberg landscape painting of a mountain range
Wilson Hurley Memorial Award – Exceptional artistic merit for a landscape

Ralph Oberg, A Remnant of Wildness. Oil on mounted linen. 32 x 48 in.

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The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum
Andrew Peters painting of swans in the mist floating on water
Major General and Mrs. Don D. Pittman Wildlife Art Award

Andrew Peters, Pleistocene Messengers. Oil. 28 x 32 in.

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The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum
Matt Smith painting of a flat, shallow creek bed with red brush
Robert Lougheed Memorial Award Selected by Prix de West exhibiting artists

Matt Smith, North Fork Creek. Oil. 20 x 26 in.

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The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum
Matt Smith painting of a mountain pass
Robert Lougheed Memorial Award

Matt Smith, North Walsh Autumn. Oil. 20 x 24 in.

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The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum
Matt Smith painting of a rocky coastline
Robert Lougheed Memorial Award

Matt Smith, Point Lobos. Oil. 18 x 16 in.

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The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum
Matt Smith painting of a creek and mountains in the snow
Robert Lougheed Memorial Award

Matt Smith, The San Miguel in Winter. Oil. 12 x 16 in.

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