Fantastic End of Summer Events & Programming from the Briscoe’s Summer Exhibition – on Display Through September 5th
Saddle up to the fantastic end of summer fun at the Briscoe. Artist Demonstrations, Movies, Family Activities and More Take You West Without Leaving San Antonio!
Need a change of scenery for your summer? Roam the West without ever leaving San Antonio at the Briscoe Western Art Museum. Featuring the fantastic summer exhibition The Sons of Charlie Russell: Cowboy Artists of America the Briscoe is hosting an array of programming to allow everyone to head West from the heart of the River Walk.
Premiering at the Briscoe and including works from 17 public and private collections, The Sons of Charlie Russell features 70 works of art showcasing the forefathers of Western art and how their great works provide foundations, traditions and ideals for today’s contemporary artists. On display through Sept. 5, the exhibition is the first and only time these works will be viewed together. To accompany the exhibition, the Briscoe is hosting a summer of programming that brings Western art to life through artist talks, demonstrations and more.
August includes something for everyone, with a paint-along session with Chad Poppleton, one of the Cowboy Artists featured in The Sons of Charlie Russell, as well as an opportunity to listen in as experts on Western art weigh in on how Western art stays relevant in today’s changing world. Tour the exhibition during a gallery talk with Briscoe Curator of Art Emily Wilson, who curated The Sons of Charlie Russell, chill and enjoy a Western film (along with free beer courtesy of Ranger Creek Brewery) or make it a STEAMy family day with hands-on learning. The August line-up includes:
The Lessons of Our Fathers: How Western Art Stays Relevant
Saturday, Aug. 27, Presentation 10 – 11:30 a.m., Panel 2 – 4 p.m.
The Sons of Charlie Russell: Cowboy Artists of America casts a spotlight on the history and significance of the Cowboy Artists of America and its efforts to maintain and evolve the style and subject matter of traditional Western art. The Briscoe is hosting a panel discussion on the importance of maintaining the traditions of Western art, as well as the necessity for those traditions to evolve in order to remain relevant in a changing world. The discussion will also examine the CAA’s level of success at executing its mission: to authentically preserve and perpetuate the culture of Western life in fine art.
Panelists include:
- Michael Grauer, the McCasland Chair of Cowboy Culture and the Curator of Cowboy Collections and Western Art at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City;
- Seth Hopkins, the Executive Director of the Booth Western Art Museum in Cartersville, Georgia;
- Author and Western art scholar Byron Price. Price’s book “The Sons of Charlie Russell”, commemorates 50 years of the Cowboy Artists of America and inspired the title of the Briscoe’s summer exhibition. Now retired after more than 25 years in the museum profession, Price was the Charles Marion Russell Memorial Chair and Director of Charles M. Russell Center for the Study of Art of the American West at the University of Oklahoma and served as director of the university’s Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art.
The panel will be moderated by Emily Wilson, Curator of Art for the Briscoe Western Art Museum and the curator of The Sons of Charlie Russell. The event will feature light bites and refreshments. Seating is limited and pre-registration is recommended. Registration for the panel discussion is included in museum general admission on Saturday, Aug. 27, 2 – 4 p.m.
Prior to the panel, don’t miss Cowboy Artists of America (CAA) artist and the 2022 President of the CAA Bruce Greene as he gives everyone a glimpse into his life as a cowboy artist, sharing his journaling techniques and how he uses his journal to help with the accuracy of his art. Hear about his extensive research process and the time he spends on ranches to inspire his work. The presentation precedes the panel on Saturday, Aug. 27, 10 – 11:30 a.m., and is included with museum general admission
Cowboy Creations: Learn from Cowboy Artists
Bringing the art of The Sons of Charlie Russell to life, members of the Cowboy Artists of America are appearing in a series of demonstrations and talks throughout the exhibition. Guests can enjoy meeting and watching these talented cowboy artists share the processes behind their work.
- Hands-on Painting with Chad Poppleton (Paint-along)
Saturday, Aug. 6, 1 – 4 p.m.
Enjoy a unique painting workshop and leave with your very own cowboy artwork! Cowboy Artist of America member Artist Chad Poppleton, a member of the Cowboy Artists of America featured in The Sons of Charlie Russell, will guide you in creating your own cowboy art as he shares his insights and experience in this hands-on workshop. Don’t be intimidated by Poppleton’s talent: This workshop is for all levels, including beginners. Pre-registration by Aug. 4 is required and paint-along space is expected to sell-out, so early registration is suggested. The paint-along is $45 for nonmembers and $35 for museum members.
The registration fee includes supplies (easel, canvas, brushes, oil paints, palette and supplies for cleaning). Aspiring cowboy artists are free bring the supplies they are used to working with as well (portable easel, extra canvases, paints or sketchbook and pencils).
- Bruce Greene (part of “The Lessons of Our Fathers” programming)
Saturday, Aug. 27, 10 – 11:30 a.m.
Cowboy Artists of America (CAA) artist and the 2022 President of the CAA Bruce Greene will give everyone a glimpse into his life as a cowboy artist, sharing his journaling techniques and how he uses his journal to help with the accuracy of his art. Hear about his research and the time he spends on ranches to inspire his work. The presentation is included with museum general admission.
- Teal Blake (Paint-along)
Saturday, Sept. 3, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Family Fun: STEAM into the West with The Sons of Charlie Russell
Families and visitors of all ages are invited to learn about the American West through the works featured in The Sons of Charlie Russell during the museum’s “Full STEAM Ahead” series on the third Saturday of each month. From transportation and weather to animals, astronomy and engineering, each program explores an aspect of life in the West to engage and inspire learning. Full STEAM Ahead is included with museum general admission. Children 12 and under receive free admission to the Briscoe.
- Full STEAM Ahead: Whimsical Windmills
Saturday, August 20, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Windmills have become an iconic image of the West, but they were also one of the first home innovations powered by alternative energy! While conservation and renewable energy efforts may seem like new solutions to the energy crisis, cowboys and settlers alike used renewable energy long before access to gas and electricity was ever invented. Using the windmill as inspiration, families and children will create their own alternative energy homes using recyclable materials.
What is a Western? Summer Film Series
The Briscoe’s popular Summer Film Series returns with a question: What is a Western? What are the elements of a Western and how has the Western been re-interpreted through the years? The first film in the series will explore the traditional components of Western cinema. A short presentation discussing the foundations of the Western will begin at 1 p.m., followed immediately by the screening. Each film is included in general museum admission, with free brews courtesy of Ranger Creek Brewery. Popcorn, drinks and snacks will be available for purchase. The Summer Film Series is included with museum general admission.
- “Wind River”
Sunday, Aug. 21, 1 p.m.
In this tense neo-western thriller, Jeremy Renner and Elizabeth Olsen star as a U.S. Fish and Wildlife hunter and an FBI agent investigating a murder on the Wind River Indian Reservation. The 2017 film was “Yellowstone” creator Taylor Sheridan’s directorial debut.
210 West: Gallery Talks
Join the Briscoe for an in-gallery chat featuring selected works from The Sons of Charlie Russell. Using the exhibition gallery guide, Curator of Art Emily Wilson will provide an overview of the tools and strategies used to evaluate narrative art. Guests will leave with a deeper appreciation of the artistic strategy, methods and design choices made by the artists. Included in general admission, the Gallery Talk is Friday, Aug. 12, 1 p.m.
The Sons of Charlie Russell: Cowboy Artists of America is supported in part by Jan McCaleb Elliott, the Eddie Basha Collection, Mr. and Mrs. Marrs McLean Bowman, The Elizabeth Huth Coates Charitable Foundation of 1992, the Klesse Foundation, Jessica Elliott Middleton, Debbie and John T. Montford, and Western Art Collector.
Head West While Staying Cool at the Briscoe
From its McNutt Sculpture Garden to the museum’s beautifully restored historic home inside the former San Antonio Public Library building, the Briscoe collection spans 14 galleries, with special exhibitions, events and a fantastic Museum Store, providing art, culture, history and entertainment.
Admission is always free for children 12 and under and for active duty military members. The museum is proud to participate in Museums For All, Blue Star Museums and Bank of America Museums on Us. The Briscoe is located on the south end of the River Walk, near the Arneson River Theatre and La Villita, with convenient parking at the Riverbend Garage directly adjacent to the museum or one of many downtown surface lots. Museum hours, parking and admission details are available online.
