By Bert Beiswanger, Eiteljorg Museum director of marketing and communications

Dave Santillanes
Fading to Gray, 2019
Oil, 22 x 46 inches

Every September, the Eiteljorg Museum becomes the center of attention in the world of art of the American West. The 14th annual Quest for the West® Art Show and Sale returns Sept. 6-7 for opening weekend of one of the best Western art sales in the nation.

The opening weekend attracts Western art enthusiasts — artists, buyers and media — from all over the country. Many of the artists and collectors consider Quest to be one of their favorite shows due to its unique, fun format and intimate, engaging setting. What Quest has meant to the Eiteljorg can’t be overstated. In addition to the national recognition and reputation the show garners for the museum, Quest has generated more than $13 million in art sales since its inaugural year, 2006.

Gerald Balciar
Fly Away, 2019
Bronze, 15 x 12 x 5 inches

Aside from its prominence nationally, Quest for the West® is simply one of the finest and largest art sales in Indianapolis and the Midwest. Whether you’re an avid Western art collector, a general art collector or are just beginning your art-collecting journey, Quest is one of the most fascinating shows you can attend. It all takes place within the beautiful confines of the Eiteljorg Museum in the heart of one of the most hospitable communities and downtowns in the nation.

Karin Hollebeke
Season of the Trapper, 2019
Oil on linen, 16 x 20 inches

Pre-registered opening weekend attendees will be the first to see and bid on paintings and sculpture by prominent Western artists in a “luck-of-the-draw” sale. This year’s show features four artists who are making their first appearance at Quest or returning for the first time in a few years: Tony Abeyta, Deborah Copenhaver Fellows, Dave Santillanes and Mian Situ. At the 2018 show, painter Mark Kelso, in his first year at Quest, was the only artist from Indiana; and he won the Artists’ Choice Award.

Quest for the West® is a special and different kind of art show. Potential buyers have the chance not only to be among the first to see the art in person, but to meet the artists who created the pieces. The entire event is fun and exciting from start to finish, from the sound of the bugle that opens the sale to the looks of anticipation on the faces of successful buyers.

Pat Anker, center, and other guests enjoyed the 2018 Quest for the West® Art Show and Sale. At left, programming intern Madison Hincks answered guests’ questions.

All of the art remains on exhibit at the Eiteljorg until Oct. 6, giving the general public who visit the museum the opportunity to see these remarkable works. Pieces not sold during opening weekend remain available for purchase until the exhibit closes.

On Friday of opening weekend, registrants will enjoy afternoon tours of two local collectors’ homes, a Friday evening reception and the opening of a special exhibition featuring 2018 Quest Artist of Distinction H. David Wright, as well as the return of a Miniature Art Sale. On Saturday evening during the banquet and awards ceremony, many lucky attendees will win a limited edition 2019 Eiteljorg Keepsake.

To register for opening weekend, contact Kay Hinds at 317.275.1341 or khinds@eiteljorg.com. You also may register as an absentee buyer.

Preview art, register and find complete information on Quest at http://www.quest.eiteljorg.org.

David Wright, 2018 Quest for the West® Artist of Distinction
The Eiteljorg Museum will open a special exhibit featuring the art of H. David Wright in conjunction with the 2019 Quest for the West®. Wright won the Artist of Distinction Award at the 2018 Quest, and the exhibit celebrates his remarkable career in Western art. Wright’s artwork has spanned many genres, but he is most known for his depictions of early American frontiers. The exhibit will focus on approximately 20 of these works from the last several decades of his career. The show runs from Sept. 7–Nov. 17 in the Gerald and Dorit Paul Gallery.

Miniature Art Sale
Now in its third year, the Quest Miniature Art Sale has quickly become a popular staple of Quest for the West®. It’s a perfect complement to the larger sale. For new collectors, the Miniature Sale offers an affordable entry point into collecting. And for experienced collectors who have no more room to add large works to their home and seek smaller pieces, it’s a convenient option. The Miniature Sale takes place Friday night, Sept. 6, and guests can purchase smaller pieces of art and take them with them that evening.

Quest for the West® 2019 List of Artists

Tony Abeyta (Navajo)
Gerald Balciar*
John Buxton
Russell Case
Bruce Cheever
Tim Cherry*
Rox Corbett
Brent Cotton
Glenn Dean
Steve Devenyns
Mikel Donahue
Michael Dudash
Barry Eisenach*
Josh Elliott
Tony Eubanks
John Fawcett
Deborah Copenhaver Fellows*
Robert Griffing
David Grossmann
Logan Maxwell Hagege
George Hallmark
Karin Hollebeke
Donna Howell-Sickles
Doug Hyde* (Nez Perce/Assiniboine/Chippewa)
Terry Isaac
Greg Kelsey*
Mark Kelso
Curt Mattson*
Joseph McGurl
Krystii Melaine
Denis Milhomme
Jay Moore
John Moyers
Terri Kelly Moyers
Brenda Murphy
Rock Newcomb
P.A. Nisbet
Robert Peters
Howard Post
Heide Presse
Scott Rogers*
Gladys Roldan-de-Moras
Dave Santillanes
Sandy Scott*
Mian Situ
Adam Smith
Daniel Smith
Nathan Solano
Tim Solliday
David Wright

Bold: artists making their first appearance at Quest.

*Sculptors

14TH ANNUAL QUEST FOR THE WEST®
ART SHOW AND SALE
OPENING WEEKEND: SEPT 6–7
EXHIBIT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC:  SEPT 8–OCT 6

This article was originally published in the June 2019 issue of Storyteller magazine.