INDIANAPOLIS — Admirers of Western American art and some of the country’s top Western artists will convene at the Eiteljorg Museum downtown on Friday and Saturday for a weekend of bidding on artwork during the Quest for the West Art Show and Sale. One of the top Western art shows in the nation, Quest for the West brings artists and collectors together at the museum for two fixed-price, luck-of-the-draw sales and a weekend of festivities.
Now in its 17th year, Quest for the West builds interest in and support for Western American art, allowing artists to reconnect with longtime collectors and meet new ones, and provides museum visitors an opportunity to encounter portraits, landscapes, still lifes and sculptures. Since its inception in 2006, Quest has generated approximately $16.2 million in art sales, with artists receiving $13.1 million and the museum netting nearly $3.1 million during the event’s first 16 years.
This year’s Quest for the West will be significant for another reason: It will be the final Quest for John Vanausdall as the Eiteljorg’s president and CEO. Vanausdall, who has served as emcee of the Quest events and awards presentations, recently announced his upcoming retirement from the museum after 26 years, effective next June 30.
“As one of the Eiteljorg’s main initiatives each year, Quest for the West has increased awareness of Western American art generally, and raised the Eiteljorg’s profile nationally in the art world. It is rewarding during the sale weekend to watch the interactions between the outstanding artists and collectors who treasure their works, and then, after the sale, to see the general public enthusiastically tour the month-long Quest art exhibition,” Vanausdall said. “Quest for the West brings together friends who are passionate about Western art, and I am grateful to The Western Art Society, our other sponsors and the hard-working museum employees and volunteers who make the event so memorable.”
Among the highlights of this year’s Quest for the West are:Art and Artists. Newly created artworks by 50 artists of the Western American genre will be shown and sold during Quest, and 42 artists are scheduled to be there in person to meet collectors. Many of the artists whose work is on view are returning favorites, including Robert Griffing, George Hallmark, Mark Kelso, Dean Mitchell, Gladys Roldan-de-Moras, Mian Situ and others. This year’s Quest welcomes six new artists: Abigail Gutting, William Haskell, Don Oelze, Mateo Romero (Cochiti Pueblo), Brad Teare and Gayle Weisfield. View the list of artists and latest gallery of art at quest.eiteljorg.org.
Main Art Sale. On Saturday, preregistered Quest attendees can participate in a fixed-price, luck-of-the-draw sale. Absentee bids also are accepted. Quest is not an auction; instead, a bidder whose name is drawn gets the first right to purchase a particular piece. If the bidder passes, the next person drawn is offered the opportunity to buy it. This process continues until a lucky bidder accepts and becomes the happy new owner of the artwork. The bidding period is filled with suspense and excitement for bidders and artists alike.
Miniature Art Sale. Before the larger Saturday sale, the Quest weekend of art viewing and bidding kicks off on Friday during the miniature art sale. Many Quest artists create additional smaller works, appealing both to first-time and experienced collectors who seek smaller pieces at lower price points. Buyers can take miniature art purchases home that evening.
