Quest for the West Art Show

andythomas.com

The 7th annual Quest for the West Art Show hosted by Eiteljorg Museum is right around the corner. The Quest will showcase Western art by 50 of the most talented artists in America. All pieces will be original works of art! It will be held September 6-7, 2013 by a "luck of the draw" sale, which will leave a mystery as to who will take each piece home.

Last year, Andy's painting, George Catlin Painting Four Bears, a 40"x30" oil featured an Indian tribe admiring the Mandan Chief, Four Bears, whose attire is covered in beautiful feathers, posing, while artist George Catlin paints him. This year Andy's painting will include Pursued 20"x16 oil and Trouble Ahead 24"x36" oil, which are two suspense filled western paintings.

George Catlin Painting Four Bears

Pursued shows a brave mother and very scared child on an all white horse galloping away from the approaching danger behind them. In the background, you can vaguely see men on horses trying to pursue this woman. She has her whip in hand and her child is tightly grasping on. She's making a run for it. I wonder what she must of done.... I wonder if she'll get away...?

Pursued

With Trouble Ahead,  the story of what lies ahead may be different from viewer to viewer. One thing's for sure, trouble is lurking in the distance. In this painting, we can see two cowboys on their horses preparing for the unknown. A child is pointing ahead to warn of danger. A band of wagons as far as the eye can see parades along side single filed. We don't know exactly what's ahead, but we can only imagine it isn't good.

The story of Trouble Ahead goes as follows: As a wagon train of pioneers crawls slowly across the plains, potential danger lies ahead. A party of mounted men is approaching and the wagon train's guide rides out to assess danger. The wagon master turns his attention to his wagons. They must be brought into a tight formation in case of trouble.

Trouble Ahead

Some other artists that will be in attendance at the Quest include, Doug Hyde, sculptor, who will reveal his exhibit, Shaped by Stone: The sculpture of Doug Hyde, opening night; he was also the 2011 Quest Artist of Distinction. John Coleman, who won the 2012 Quest Artist of Distinction and Howard Post, who holds the title of Victor Higgins Award of Distinction for Best Body of Work in the show in 2012. Andy and these 3 artists are among 46 others, so there will be a wide variety of art sure to suit many tastes. To view art from previous shows, click here. To view the rest of the 2013 artists of the Quest, click here.

Registration for couples is $400 for the weekend per couple if you are a member and $450 if you are a non-member. If you plan on attending solo, registration is $250 for members and $350 for non. If you can't make it to the Eiteljorg Museum for this spectacular show, but still want a chance at owning one the great pieces that will be offered, you can register as an absentee buyer for $150. To register, you can contact Kay Hinds via phone, 317- 275- 1341 or email, khinds@eiteljorg.org. You may also visit eiteljorg.org to register.

Please note how this "luck of the draw" sale will operate- You will have an opportunity to place ballots in a box correspondent to the painting of your choice. If your name is chosen first, you can either accept or pass. If 2 passes happen, then the 3rd person will be responsible for buying the painting. It is a fixed price sale. Absentee buyers will be notified by phone or email of their winnings.

Come join the fun, meet talented artists and have your chance of winning a wonderful piece of your liking.

Click here to view a video on Quest for the West.

Art FAQ

www.andythomas.com

Frequently, I get asked questions by new collectors or someone just purchasing a gift for a collector, what some of the terms listed below means. I decided to compile some frequently asked questions to help make it easier to purchase art for all those that may be wondering. If you have any additional questions or confusion about an item when purchasing, leave it in the comments below and I'll be sure to add it to the list!

What does AP mean?

AP refers to Artist Proofs, which go back to the days of hand made presses. The artist would actually crank the crank, print the print and check the colors. If they didn't like the red, they changed it; they made these adjustments until the print was to their liking. They were truly proofs. Today, they are a tradition since technology has made huge changes in the printing industry.

AP's are a limited edition that make up about 10%-15% of the signed and numbered edition of the same image and size. If 350 signed and numbered prints are made in a specific size, only about 35 artist proofs are created for that particular size. Each artist proof is numbered similar to this 20/35AP and signed as well.

What does S/N mean?

S/N refers Signed and Numbered prints, which means exactly that -- they are signed and they are numbered. Each reproduction that is S/N is limited in edition. Each S/N reproduction would look similar to this 20/300 and signed.

Should I purchase an AP or S/N reproduction?

Ultimately the decision is yours, some collectors feel as though an AP print will be more valuable in the long run since not many are produced compared to S/N editions. While that could be true, it also depends on the market at the time.

Is there a difference is quality between AP and S/N reproductions?

No, the quality is exactly the same, created from the same image, same paper and same inks. The only difference is the limited quantity of prints with the AP designation.

What is a Giclee Print?

A Giclee is the printing process used for reproducing a print. Giclee's are individually produced on a special large format printer from a digital scan of existing artwork. They contain bright colors, crisp detail with a high-resolution display.

What is Timeless Edition?

These prints are of an edition, which are signed and sequentially numbered reproductions. They are not limited edition prints, but are numbered in the order that they are produced. Every print will have a different number from each other. They are the same quality as limited edition prints. Example: #24   #25   #26

What is a Large Format Canvas Giclee?

A Large Format Canvas Giclee is something we offer to those of you with large spaces that need to be filled. They are special orders reproduced larger than what is offered on the site. They would be by-quote only depending on the size of the reproduction you would like. Any image on the site can be made to order and some can be made up to 50" high. They are the same quality as the reproductions offered on the site and one of a kind. If you are interested in a quote, you can email orders@andythomas.com.

What is Stretched and What is Rolled Canvas?

Stretching is the process of taking a Rolled Canvas and stretching it over a stretcher bar, thin wooden rails, in which the canvas is stapled to. The canvas is then ready to be framed.

A rolled canvas is a canvas that has not been stretched yet. It ships in a tube, rolled up, and would need to be stretched before framing.

What are the benefits of a Stretched Canvas?

Stretched canvases are ready to be hung, no other work is required, other than choosing a frame of your choice. If you were to buy a Rolled Canvas and have it stretched by a third party or yourself, you could have a higher risk of damage, such as the painting cracking during stretching especially if the person is not a professional. I advise against stretching the canvas yourself, unless you are a professional.

What are the benefits of a Rolled Canvas?

Rolled canvas is priced less than stretched canvas, but keep in mind that a rolled canvas will need to be stretched to frame. It is advisable to have a professional framer stretch the canvas when they are making your frame. If a print is larger than 24x36, it will automatically be shipped rolled due to the high cost of shipping. It's also much safer when the print is larger than 24x36.

Do you offer framing for prints?

At this time, you may only purchase some of the Civil War prints framed. If it's not listed in the product pull down menu, then it isn't an option. You will need to supply your own frame for most of the artwork.