For immediate release

Buffalo Bill Art Show & Sale
Cody, Wyoming
Contact Diane Ballard, director
1-888-598-8119, or (307) 587-5002
art@codychamber.org

Editor’s note: For an image from the 2004 live auctions, contact Mark Bagne, (307) 527-5811, bagne@wyoming.com.

Cody Art Sales Exceed $700,000

Cody, Wyo. – A capacity crowd of 800 guests generated weekend sales of $700,875 during the 23rd annual Buffalo Bill Art Show & Sale at the Buffalo Bill Historical Center. The total compares to record sales of $724,000 in 2003.

One hundred western artists from 14 states and Australia sold about 200 pieces of art during Friday night’s live auction, Saturday’s Quick Draw live auction, and two silent auctions. Friday’s auction generated $518,800, the Quick Draw, $96,700, and the silent auctions, $85,375.

The Historical Center’s William E. Weiss Purchase Award contributed $25,000 to purchase a color pencil called “Great Basin Buckaroo” by Sheridan, Wyo., artist Carrie L. Ballantyne – making it the highest selling piece of the weekend. The 2004 award winner will become part of the Historical Center’s collection.

A 20 x 16 inch oil by M.C. Poulsen of Cody, Wyo., called “The Red Hat” attracted the highest sales price of any piece in Friday’s live auction, $20,000. The painting of a mountain man tied for the 2004 People’s Choice Award. An oil painting by 2004 Honored Artist Wilson Hurley of Albuquerque called “Winter Cottonwoods at Sunset” attracted the third-highest price of $17,000 during an intent-to-purchase drawing.

Other top sellers were “By the Beaver Dam,” an oil painting by John Fawcett, Clark, Colo., $12,500; “Through the Pass,” a bronze by Sherry Salari Sander, Kalispell, Mont., $12,000; “Castle Rock Evening,” an oil by Reid Christie, Cody, Wyo., $11,750; “Buffalo Tracks,” an oil by Allan Mardon, Tucson, Ariz., $11,000; and “The Buckaroo,” a pencil by People’s Choice cowinner Karmel Timmons, Elbert, Colo., $11,000.

The highest selling piece at Saturday’s Quick Draw Auction, “Western Women,” produced in one hour by Donna Howell-Sickles of St. Jo, Texas, brought $5,500. A painting called “Winter Sun” by Karen Vance of Winter Park, Colo., generated the top price of $5,300 at either of the silent auctions.

Proceeds from the Buffalo Bill Art Show & Sale benefit the Buffalo Bill Historical Center and Cody Country Chamber of Commerce. For more information call (307) 587-5002, email art@codychamber.org, or visit www.buffalobillartshow.com.