Winston Publishing

18 • portfolio outwest art show & sale Out West Art Show & Sale Artistry, Education, and Cultural Experience F orty-eight years and running stronger than ever, the Out West Art Show and Sale (OWASS) at the Heritage Inn remains one of the premier locations for western art collectors. The city of Great Falls, with deep ties to Charlie Russell, has the longest history of art-related activities in Montana. From up-and-coming to established artists with huge followings, participating in this show as either an exhibiting artist or as the silent observer, has become a combination of tradition, honor, and a dash of giddy excitement. The scope and caliber of talent on display astounds even the most seasoned art collectors with more than 130 exhibiting artists and a handful of premier Galleries being represented. The Show is funded through the Out West Art Foundation, a 501(c)3 which brings together the best Western artists from throughout the nation. "We try our best in selecting a range of unique artists that represent the breadth, scale, and diversity of the Western lifestyle and landscape," says Executive Director, John Godwin. Godwin may be new to the executive director position, but he is no stranger to Western Art Week. His involvement with the show in many capacities goes back longer than he cares to share but he does say to expect some great changes this year. They began by asking, "How does one look at 126 rooms of exceptional art?" asks Godwin. "We realized it was time to tweak the room layout and make it easier for visitors to navigate the venue," he adds. New maps, four times the original size, are now available and to step it up a notch further, we placed the artist's name right next to their room," Godwin says with a clever smile. Don't be startled as more than 200 years of history unfolds as Lewis and Clark re-enactors, in true buckskin fashion, wander throughout the event sharing history and posing for artists to paint. The OWASS teamed up with By Ellie Stone

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