Fort Worth, Texas (September 2, 2009) – The National Cowgirl Museum & Hall of Fame announced today the fifth annual Heart of the West Art Exhibition will be held October 2 – 25, 2009. The sale will be held October 16th, following the 2009 Hall of Fame induction.
Established in 2004 to honor women who embody the Western spirit and express their passion for the American West through art, the Heart of the West Art Exhibition and Sale is the premiere all-female Western art show and sale in Texas, and features themes of the West as captured through bronze, sculpture, oil, watercolor, pencil and other fine art media. The event will feature 42 outstanding artists including one of the 2009 Hall of Fame inductees, Deborah Copenhaver Fellows.
“Through this exhibition, we want to recognize the contributions of contemporary women in the arts; women who interpret the American West through a variety of viewpoints, styles and media,” said Pat Riley, executive director of the National Cowgirl Museum & Hall of Fame. “These women have contributed to the fabric of American culture and their insights and perspectives bring new life to the art of the West.”
Works of art go on sale October 16 during a gala reception at the Museum beginning at 6:00 p.m. Those interested in buying a particular item will put “intent to buy” slips in boxes next to each piece of art. At 7:30 p.m., officials will select names from each box at random and the first person whose name is posted beside the artwork will have 20 minutes to declare their intent to purchase the piece. If after twenty minutes, the buyer has not committed to buying the artwork, a second name will be drawn, and after 10 additional minutes a third. Works of art not purchased by the third round will be available to any interested party through October 25, 2009 at the Museum. For bronze sculptures, all interested parties can buy an edition, depending on artist availability, however the first name drawn may purchase the bronze on display.
A portion of the proceeds from Heart of the West benefit the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame, and purchases on October 16 are sales tax-deductible. Tickets to the Heart of the West Art Reception and Sale on October 16, 2009 are available now for $60 per person. To place a bid on artwork remotely, interested parties can download a bid form at http://www.cowgirl.net/hotw/2009/absenteebidding.html. An advance catalogue is available for $10. For more information, to purchase tickets or order a catalogue, contact Jennifer Siegel at (817) 509-8960.
About the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame
The National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame honors and celebrates women, past and present, whose lives exemplify the courage, resilience, and independence that helped shape the American West, and fosters an appreciation of the ideals and spirit of self-reliance they inspire. Open Monday through Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday 11:45 a.m. to 5 p.m., admission is $8 for adults ages 13 and up and $7 for children ages 3 to 12 and senior citizens. Group rates and docent tours are available. For more information please call (817) 336-4475 or (800) 476-FAME, or visit www.cowgirl.net.
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