The annual Coors Western Art Exhibit has been going on for a good 30 years now and, like a lot of things at the National Western Stock Show, its value comes from the fact that it never really changes.
This is art as it used to be, housed at a stock show that celebrates a lifestyle hanging on strong despite a changing world. I want to say that it is stuck but that would be wrong. You can’t be stuck if you are not trying to go anywhere. Walking into the show can be a lot like joining a family holiday, for better and worse. Everyone greets you with a hello and some good advice on how to take in the offerings. They encourage you to vote for the People’s Choice Award. In my case, the guide chatted me up about my No. 1 pick and asked why, specifically, I liked it; she seemed genuinely interested.
Maeve Eichelberger”s Reflections on a Sunset” is made from hand-formed mirrored plexiglas. Ray Mark Rinaldi, Special to The Denver Post