Bill Owen C.O. Bar Cattle Country

On January 24, 2009, when Heritage Auction Galleries holds its Art of the American West and Texas Art Auction at its Design District Annex, at 1518 Slocum St. Dallas, untouched vistas and sweltering skies will inspire viewers and remind them that there is as much beauty in our collective present as there is in the past. Art of the American West, a new category for Heritage, is comprised of paintings, sculpture and works on paper inspired by the cultures and landscapes of the western United States. Our inaugural auction will touch on nearly every component of this broad category, including California landscapes, works by both founding and current members of the Cowboy Artists of America group, bronzes and Santa Fe School artists.

Joseph Henry Sharp Portrait of Chief White Grass

Fans of Joseph Henry Sharp will have the rare opportunity to select works from every period in his career: portraiture, landscapes, studio work and genre scenes. "Chief" among these paintings is Sharp's Portrait of Chief White Grass, an outstanding canvas that is new to the market, having been given to the consignor's family by the artist in the 1940s. Additionally, a selection of 15-20 artifacts from the artist's studio will also be included in the auction. Sharp was a collector himself, and often used his objects for props while painting in his studio. Navajo weavings, historic photos, sketches, and an 1873 Winchester rifle are just a few items in this rare collection of ephemera.

Theodore Waddell Mustangs

It wouldn't be a western art auction without representatives from the Cowboy Artists of America, an artists group founded in 1965 dedicated to the lifestyles of the cowboy and the American West, both as it was and as it endures. Lots in this auction run the gamut from early members Melvin Charles Warren, Donald Teague and Bill Owen to contemporary ones such as Jim Norton, Martin Grelle and Harley Brown. Speaking of contemporary art, art of the American West is a rather unique auction category in that it traditionally includes a significant portion of works by living artists, which is not usually the case in other fine art categories. Contemporary artists in this auction include George Booth Post, Theodore Waddell and Kevin Red Star.

Charles Schreyvogel The Last Drop

Bronze is a favorite medium for the western artist, and this auction contains numerous fine examples, including half a dozen figures from Dave McGary's "Warrior" Series. Serious collectors won't want to miss a rare bronze by Charles Schreyvogel, The Last Drop, depicting a cavalryman providing water to his weary mount after a skirmish.

William A. Slaughter Bluebonnets and Rocky Cliff

The other half of this signature auction is comprised of Texas Art, a category in which Heritage has a history of impressive results, such as the record price achieved for a Frank Reaugh canvas in May 2007. This auction features some excellent examples of work from two of the biggest names in early Texas art: Julian Onderdonk and Porfirio Salinas. Collectors looking for the ultimate bluebonnet painting need look no further than William A. Slaughter's gorgeous Bluebonnets and Rocky Cliff, where the marvelous hues of the state flower are echoed in an imposing bluff. This category is also making strides into the contemporary arena, for example, a pair of arresting canvases by Fort Worth artist Nancy Lamb.

The entire auction will go online approximately December 22, 2008.