Nature's beauty complements Wild West Gallery scene

Art Business News, Nov, 2001 by Jane Hart

Bucking broncos, buffalo and cowboys are all a part of the landscape in Jackson Hole, Wyo., a town which has preserved the feeling of the American "Wild West." But in addition to nightly staged shoot-outs and regular rodeo round-ups, artists and gallery owners benefit from a sophisticated audience who come through by the millions on their way to the Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks. Others come to Jackson as a final destination for the area's tony ski slopes. This tourist traffic, some say, has put Jackson Hole on the map as the fifth nationally recognized art center (based on sales) in the country.

Jackson is full of the right combination of idyllic scenery, endless outdoor activities, great food and a downtown full of surprisingly large art galleries which deal predominantly in western, Native American and wildlife art. Last year, according to Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce statistics, approximately three million tourists passed through Jackson on their way to national parks or for some combination of summer and winter sports including hiking, fishing, skiing and snowmobiling. Both artists and gallery owners agree that it's this volume of tourists that supports the art scene in Jackson.

Anita Pauwels, a sculptor of western, Native American and wildlife art, said the clientele in Jackson, despite an often outdoorsy, unshaven appearance, is a "top-end, no Popsicle-stick clientele" who is interested in fine quality art. "It's an excellent market," she commented. "People who come here are relaxed, interested consumers who come from all over the world."

Pauwels lives in Texas and said half of her revenue comes from her sales at the Buffalo Trail Gallery in Jackson. "Texans purchase a lot of art, but they are more likely to purchase that art here in Jackson because they are more relaxed when they come here."

Jackson's art and gallery scene has been compared to art communities such as Scottsdale, Ariz., and Santa Fe, N.M., but draws on local inspiration such as the often painted awe-inspiring Grand Teton--the tallest mountain in the Teton Range at 13,772 feet. "People want art that reflects the area so that they will remember their trip here," stated Leslie Still, owner of the Buffalo Trail Gallery. "Southwest art, for instance, does not do as well here."

Joffa Kerr, an artist who resides in nearby Wilson, Wyo., said the local inspiration is what started her career as a sculptor. "My work started because of this place. I fell in love with the animals here, bought clay and started sculpting. I have seen moose, bear and cougar in my yard, and I study all of them." Kerr's works include bronze sculptures of pigs, moose and bear which have a playful and personal quality that literally draw consumers to petting them.

Thom Ross, a now Seattle-based artist, spent 10 years living in Jackson and derived inspiration from the area as well by immersing himself in western history and the feel of the frontier. Ross, whose works are displayed in the Martin-Harris Gallery in Jackson, considers himself a storyteller who often depicts cowboys in their role as "juror," revealing the darker side of this American mythical figure.

Artists agree that the Jackson community is supportive of their work, and they benefit from annual events such as the Fall Arts Festival. This year, the 10-day festival--now in its 17th season--combined visual, performing and culinary art to attract visitors to more than 50 special gallery openings, artist shows, museum exhibits and musical performances.

Kerr said she has done well by such events and the support of her local community, but the community has also clearly done well by Kerr. In 1987, Kerr and her husband, Bill, donated a 750-piece collection of wildlife art which helped found the National Museum of Wildlife Art, a museum displaying fine art devoted to wildlife. The museum, located just outside of Jackson, overlooks the nation's largest elk preservation and is home to more than 2,000 paintings, sculptures, photographs and works on paper by more than 100 artists, including featured western and wildlife artists such as Carl Rungius and Charlie Russell. While not quite yet a destination attraction according to Kerr, it is on its way to becoming one, with the museum reporting 100,000 visits annually. Jinger Richardson, co-owner with her husband, Brad, of Legacy Galleries in both Scottsdale and Jackson, believes the museum's presence has fostered an interest in fine art collecting from the locals and increased interest in local gallery offerings.

But the Jackson art scene isn't only about cowboys, mammals and collections. Ross is probably best known for the time he created 154 ravens out of plywood, painted them black, and in the middle of the night, posted them on the fences along the road from Wilson to Jackson. The next morning, ravens, locals and tourists showed up in droves to examine the massive--if not prankish--environmental installation. Ross commented that it wasn't long before locals began taking the ravens to put in their own yards, and many can still be seen today.