The renowned Buffalo Bill Art Show and Sale has opened for its 44th consecutive year in Cody, Wyoming, featuring over 100 works of Western art valued at more than $1.25 million. The prestigious exhibition launched Friday evening at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, with immediate success as more than $20,000 worth of art sold before the opening night concluded. The live auction is scheduled for September 19th, giving visitors a full month to view the impressive collection.
Dozens of artists, patrons, and curious local residents attended the gallery opening, where 104 paintings from 104 different artists are now on display. The show's unique format accepts only one piece per artist per year, creating both opportunity and challenge for contemporary Western artists seeking exposure and potential substantial payouts at auction.
Katelyn Parker, director of the Buffalo Bill Art Show and Sale, emphasized the organization's commitment to supporting artists. "We're loyal to our artists, doing whatever we can to help their careers," Parker told attendees. "The Buy-It-Now sale is a very generous thing our artists opt into, because they're very loyal to the show. They're a very generous group."
This year's exhibition stands out for its vibrant color palette, featuring numerous landscapes depicting sunrise and sunset scenes with dramatic lighting effects. Parker described the 2025 show as "very colorful," noting the prevalence of paintings showing "the beginning or the end of the day, when the sun's dancing on the horizon." The collection also includes some neon representation, adding to the overall colorful theme. Notably absent this year are turkey subjects, with the exception of "Ladies Man," a bronze sculpture of a gobbler by Joshua Tobey.
The show showcases diverse artistic mediums beyond traditional paintings and bronze sculptures. One of the most unconventional pieces is "Crystal Road" by Maeve Eichelberger, described as a transparent saddle made entirely of hand-etched and hand-formed acrylic. "It's very different," Parker noted. "It's unlike anything we've ever had before."
The Buy-It-Now Sale serves as a cornerstone feature of the Buffalo Bill Art Show and Sale, offering high-quality Western art at more accessible price points. This year, 63 artists donated smaller works to this special gallery, with pieces ranging from simple sketches to preliminary studies for their larger featured works. Prices in the Buy-It-Now Sale range from several hundred to several thousand dollars, making Western art more accessible to collectors with varying budgets.
Parker curates this secondary sale specifically to break down barriers to art ownership. "Art is for everyone," she explained. "It can feel like an exclusionary experience, or that you must be in a higher echelon or income bracket to participate. The Scouts Mini and Buy-It-Now sales help us break down that perceived barrier so art can be enjoyed by all." By Monday following the opening, 23 of the 63 donated pieces had sold for a collective $21,315.
The exhibition includes several prestigious awards announced during the opening ceremony. This year's judges represented three crucial sectors of the art world: Caitlin Addlesperger, President and Executive Director of Ucross; Buffalo Bill Center of the West board member Bruce Thompson; and patron Charlee Brotherton. Five Awards of Excellence were presented for outstanding artistry, composition, and use of color in both two-dimensional and three-dimensional works.
The most coveted honor, the Spirit of Buffalo Bill Art Show and Sale Award, went to Santiago Michalek's massive 48-by-96-inch oil painting titled "A Matter of Utmost Urgency." The dramatic work depicts a mail courier handing off correspondence to a locomotive engineer on the Great Plains. Judge Bruce Thompson explained their selection: "We all felt that it represented the grit, tenacity, and innovation that have always driven the future of the West."
A special highlight of this year's show is 26-year-old Aubree Snook, who received the Gilly Fales Fine Art Award. This honor, created by the Gilly Fales Memorial Foundation for the Arts, celebrates emerging Wyoming artists between ages 18 and 30. The award commemorates Gillian Brookes Fales, a talented Cody High School artist who tragically died at 17 in a vehicle accident in February 2000.
Snook, who has been perfecting her painting skills in Powell for over two decades, was encouraged to submit by Rene Huge, director of the Cody Country Art League. "It's a huge privilege to get to have my work displayed alongside so many skilled artists and some of the best Western art that there is today," Snook said. "I was really surprised and honored to be able to do that." Her oil painting "Driven," depicting pronghorn with Heart Mountain in the distance, sold for $1,000 shortly after the gallery opened.
The award isn't given annually, making Snook's recognition particularly special. Parker noted this was the first time since 2022 that an aspiring Wyoming artist received the honor. "We had four very qualified applicants this year," Parker said. "Some years we don't have any submissions." Snook hopes her current inclusion will lead to future participation in the main gallery and live auction.
The 44th Buffalo Bill Art Show and Sale continues a tradition of significant fundraising for local cultural organizations. Last year's 43rd edition generated over $1.45 million, with proceeds supporting the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, the Cody Country Chamber of Commerce, and various local art organizations. While Parker cannot predict if this year will match that success, she remains confident in the event's continued impact.
The gallery will remain open to the public free of charge until the afternoon of September 19th, when all 103 main pieces and remaining Buy-It-Now works will be moved to the auction tent for the live sale that evening. Parker describes the event as more than just an art auction, emphasizing its role as a community gathering and celebration of Western art and culture. "It isn't just about raising funds," she explained. "Art is for everyone, and I think it just advances humanity in a special way. The people under that tent might not have seen each other since the last auction. It's a homecoming. It's about relationships. It's an entire experience, and we're lucky to have such a generous group of artists and patrons."
