21st Annual "Cowgirl Up!" Catalog

March 27 — May 31, 2026, Wickenburg, Arizona

21 ST ANNUAL COWGIRL UP! ART FROM THE OTHER HALF OF THE WEST

Cowgirl Up! Goals

To continue to tell the saga of the West by showcasing the best in art — painting, drawing, and sculpture.

To provide a museum setting for artists and audiences to both share this ever-changing saga and to interact.

To focus on art from the “other half of the West” — work created solely by women artists who are capturing the spirit of the West and its lifestyle.

To contribute to the overall high quality of Western art by sponsoring and perpetuating an invitational exhibition and sale.

To serve as a resource for both sophisticated and emerging collectors of Western art.

To inform and educate the public about the Western art genre and the women who are creating it.

To support Arizona’s most Western museum as it reaches out to tell the stories of the West.

2026 COWGIRL UP! COMMITTEE

Leslie Parran – Chair

Maura Allen

Lynne Boyer

Holly Caniglia

Peggy Colley

Ginger Collier

Sally Cutler

Linda Fett

Lori Jaros

Peggy Means

Kathleen Parrish

Maura Schuster

Elaine Schweitzer

Our Distinguished Panel of Judges

Dr. Betsy Fahlman

Arizona State University Emeritus Professor

School of Art, retired Adjunct Curator of American Art, Phoenix Art Museum

Dr. Ann Lane Hedlund

Cultural anthropologist, writer, retired curator & professor

Anita Lang

Founder & Principal Designer of IMI Design

Artlink Board Member

Arizona State University Creative Impact Board Member

Curator

Dr. Tricia Loscher

Guest Curator

Mary Ann Igna

TABLE OF CONTENTS

James Colley, Chairman

Mike Parrish, Vice Chair

Maura Allen, Secretary

Ken Heineman, Treasurer

Charlee Brotherton

Sam Crissman

Allen Gasper

Sarah Goulard

Bruce Jackson

Mary Lester

Gilbert Melendez

Mia Merendino

Jo’Ann Montana

Kathleen Parrish

Becky Rovey

Maura Schuster

John “Jack” Sigler

Linda Waag

Betty Watt

FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

What a year it’s been for our museum! The 2025 Cowgirl Up!, America’s premier Western women’s art exhibition and sale, was one of our most successful ever as we approached grossing $1 million.

For more than three years, we have been dreaming, designing and raising money for our new art museum and pavilion. Two longtime supporters of the Museum and Cowgirl Up, Jack and Carey Sigler, stepped forward with a pledge of $20 million toward the $30 million project. This is one of the largest gifts ever made to an arts and culture organization in Arizona history.

To pay tribute to them for their amazing generosity, the board of trustees unanimously approved changing the name of the museum to the Sigler Western Museum. On January 27th, we broke ground, not just on a building, but on a bold new chapter for the museum and Wickenburg. The building is scheduled to be completed by late summer of 2027.

Dita and John Daub continued underwriting our collection of art by early Western women artists. This unrivaled assemblage chronicles the art of Western women from its earliest days. In addition, we have many later pieces including more than 25 works by Cowgirl Up! artists.

We’re also pleased to share that the collection now features three Georgia O’Keeffe works, one of which was added thanks to Hiram Moody and Sarah Goulard’s generous donation of a beautiful watercolor by this true American trailblazer.

Finally, we are recognizing Becky Rovey, who chaired Cowgirl Up! for six years (2018-2023), at our fifth annual Western Woman of Distinction luncheon with the Elizabeth Hudson Smith award for 2026. Hudson Smith owned and operated the Vernetta Hotel in Wickenburg for more than 30 years, from 1905 to 1935. She was one of the first African American woman entrepreneurs in the state.

All these accomplishments combined have firmly secured the Sigler Western Museum’s place as the most renowned museum dedicated to Western women’s art. Without the vision of Cowgirl Up!’s founding mothers and fathers, this year we are giving a tip of the Stetson to Rea and Jim Ludke, none of this would have happened.

We are most grateful to all the sponsors, patrons and buyers who steadfastly support this important work. We hope you truly enjoy the 21st Cowgirl Up! Exhibition and Art Sale.

Daniel M. Finley Executive Director Sigler Western Museum

A TRIBUTE TO REA AND JIM LUDKE

Rea and Jim Ludke: The Spirit Behind the First Cowgirl Up!

When Cowgirl Up! first took shape, it wasn’t yet the signature event we know today—it was an ambitious idea fueled by determination, community spirit, and the unwavering leadership of Rea and Jim Ludke. As this year’s honorees, we celebrate their vision, grit, and the extraordinary foundation they helped build for what has become the museum’s most beloved tradition.

Jim, who was chairman of the Museum's board at the time, says they “started from zero.” And it’s true. There was no blueprint, no established model—just a belief that Western women artists deserved a platform. The community would rally behind them, volunteers were limitless, enthusiasm was contagious, and everyone pitched in. Jim also championed an equitable commission structure, as he believed strongly that women artists deserved a fair commission. The artists agreed wholeheartedly.

Rea played an equally essential role. She was part of the team that reached out to every artist and helped create the warm, welcoming environment that Cowgirl Up! is known for. There were 57 artists that participated in the first year and, amongst many other things, home hosting—artists staying with local families—was a hallmark of the early years. Many lifelong friendships began around those kitchen tables.

In the beginning, only main sale pieces were included; miniature pieces were added later as the event grew. Jim recalls, “It took a lot of effort from a lot of people,” and that collective enthusiasm is still one of the things he’s most proud of.

One of the most remarkable early achievements came from Dick DeVore, who single handedly raised $150,000 from the first sponsors—serving as a committee of one and setting a precedent for the generosity that continues today.

Despite early skepticism—some believed museums shouldn’t sell art—Cowgirl Up! made a profit in its very first year and has continued that success throughout the years. That success is a testament to the artists, volunteers, sponsors, and community members who embraced the event and kept it thriving.

Today, Cowgirl Up! has become a national celebration of Western women artists and a powerful testament to what passion and teamwork continue to create.

Rea and Jim Ludke helped shape its identity, its values, and its enduring spirit. Their leadership—and the enthusiasm of the many people who joined them— created something truly special.

This year, we honor them with gratitude for lighting the spark that continues to shine so brightly.

MAURA ALLEN (NEW MEXICO)

The enduring spirit of the American West—both real and romanticized—is at the center of Maura Allen’s work. Her creative process begins on location at ranches and rodeos where she is drawn to the power of the silhouette, of how simple forms can tell big stories. In her Abiquiu, New Mexico studio, Maura weaves her contemporary imagery with “Old West” motifs to create a sense the past is present. “The pull for me are the stories and history that endures and continues to evolve—what Wallace Stegner termed the ‘Geography of Hope. It’s a belief the West is not a place on the map, but the promise of possibility.” Maura’s work is included in numerous museum, corporate and private collections across the country and has been represented by top galleries for over two decades.

Recently, Double D Ranch, the #1 Western lifestyle brand in the country, partnered with Maura, showcasing her art in its topselling collection of women’s clothing and jewelry. Maura holds a BA in Classical Studies/Latin from Stanford University. She serves on the board of trustees of the Sigler Western Museum and board of directors of Leica Society International and photolucida. She teaches at Santa Fe Workshops and speaks frequently about the role photography has played in shaping our view of the American West. Together with Cowgirl Up! artists Jan DeLipsey and Star York, Maura is a founder of Abiquiu Rising, an art

Allen, Born with the Rodeo in Me, Acrylic on Panel, 48″ x 48″

alliance focused on elevating women artists and forging deeper relationships with the region, collectors, and museum curators nationwide.

MARCIA BLAKEMAN (COLORADO)

Beauty “In The Everyday The West” is home to Marcia. She grew up in Wyoming and spent her childhood summers in Colorado where she now resides. After living several places across the United States, she feels most at home in the West. Marcia has always been drawn to the mountains, the wide-open spaces and all that lies within. There is something about old weathered buildings, animals and the West’s vistas that speak to her. In Marcia’s words: “Painting is simply a pleasure. I don’t paint to make a statement but rather to bring the beauty of everyday scenes to light. We often overlook what we pass on a daily basis.

I think my small-town childhood helped me to appreciate the “Beauty in the Everyday.”

This quote by Aaron Rose sums it up: “In the right light, At the right time, Everything is extraordinary.”

As an artist, I have the real need or desire to create. I have always felt this… but even more since surviving cancer. Like the structures in many of my paintings, I have a little more character and am still standing.

Marcia Blakeman, Night Watchman, Pastel, 24″ x 18″

SARA BLOODWOLF (LOUISIANA)

Sara comes from the Alpine forests of California, descended from performers in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show, sharpshooters and legends of the old frontier. Sara’s great, great grandfather Sequah performed with Buffalo Bill Cody for crowds and sold a patented cure-all “Prairie Flower” in blue glass bottles bearing his name. Her ancestry stretches to the eastern woodlands where her grandfathers were the literal inspiration for James Fenimore Cooper’s Last of the Mohicans tales, the very real exploits of her long hunter family and their fearlessness far beyond what was penned in his books.

Painting daily and often till dawn in her one hundred-year-old cabin in the woods surrounded by family heirlooms, cabinet cards of ancestors on buffalo robes that sometimes live again in her paintings , a flintlock rifle passed down through a hundred hands, she attests that the characters in her family tree as well as a passion for history as the reason for her subject matter.

Sara has been awarded ‘Best Of Show’ in the Western Gallery annual exhibition and created artwork for a myriad of galleries and collectors from the Smithsonian, to Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. She has created art for a number of well known brands from Gretsch Guitars to Guns N’ Roses and Colter Wall. Her work can be found in museums and many noted private collections.

HEATHER BURTON (COLORADO)

Heather Burton is a traditional oil painter living in Colorado Springs with her husband and fellow painter Dave Santillanes and their two children Conner and Callie. She attended Syracuse University for design and after graduation became a graphic artist, web designer and developer. In 2006, Heather decided to go back to school for her master’s in Painting and Illustration driven by a desire to show my son that he should pursue his passion. She attended the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. Since graduating in 2010 she has been teaching art and painting full time. She has always loved and been drawn to horses and other animals and in graduate school, she has combined her love of painting with her love of horses and

started focusing on painting horses in motion. Having grown up in upstate NY, she began painting thoroughbreds at Saratoga and upon moving to Maui, transitioned to painting polo ponies. She met her husband, a fantastic Colorado artist, in 2014 while he was in Maui for an art show. In 2015 she and her son moved to Colorado. Heather is happy to be living where beautiful landscapes, horses, and wildlife are abundant sources of inspiration. Her two amazing, unique, and beautiful children are also a constant source of inspiration.

SHAWN CAMERON (ARIZONA)

Shawn captures moments in the lives of those on Western cattle ranches today. From a young age she absorbed life around her filled with the talk of cattle, weather, the smell of horse sweat and leather, the sound of hooves before dawn, the weariness of long days as well as a sense of purpose. With no memory of beginning, she continues to preserve ranch life as it unfolds through paint and canvas. Her subjects are real and their story is true. Although primarily self-taught she was mentored by several prominent Western artists but is especially grateful to Bill Owen CAA who encouraged and shared his knowledge in many areas. She is a Cowgirl Up! founding artist and has shown in the Prix de West, the Night of Artists, Coors Western Art Show, The C.M. Russell and many other museum and gallery shows. Her artwork was purchased as part of the permanent collection of the Sigler Western Museum and The Booth Western Art Museum. She has been featured in numerous publications and graced the cover of magazines such as Western Art Collector, Western Horseman and others. Shawn lives with her husband in Pine, AZ.

SONJA CAYWOOD (WYOMING)

Born in Wyoming and ranch-raised in Montana, some of Sonja Caywood’s earliest memories are framing “pictures” with her hands while day-herding. Summers with her family’s roundup wagon removed modern distractions; she studied the animals that inspire the imagery she paints from her northern Wyoming studio today. Using expressive brushstrokes in oil, Sonja renders animals in portrait encounters, portraying them in a manner sometimes confrontational, but often as candid, relatable moments. Sonja backs up constantly as she works, ensuring that a painting appears realistic from across a room but surprises viewers with its abstracted components as they approach it closer. A college instructor once advised her not to share her work online for this reason. Her paintings are best experienced in person. Though not formally trained, Sonja has taken college art classes, workshops and remembers what her artist friends teach her. Her work hangs in corporate and private collections in nearly every US state and in 12 foreign countries on six continents. Her work’s been featured in documentaries and in print publications. Thank you, Sigler Museum Staff, Board Members, Volunteers and Patrons, for hosting Cowgirl Up!

SHERRY COBB-KELLEHER (COLORADO)

Colorado-based painter, Sherry Cobb-Kelleher, creates paintings showing moments of time from the Western lifestyle she lives, working primarily in oil currently, with secondary mediums of pencil and watercolor. Growing up on a farm and ranch in Southwestern Colorado gave Sherry the intimate knowledge of her subject that continues to surround her today on the ranch where her studio has been for the last 25 years. Her work explores themes of the true Western lifestyle, including ranching and everything that goes with it. Her subjects are animals, people, and the environment that surrounds them daily. She continually seeks out the moments that tell stories of the animals and people that inspire her. By combining a mastery of light with a strong foundation of drawing and composition, she has developed a unique style to bring to life the details of the world she loves. Growing up, some of Sherry’s earliest memories were watching her mother and grandmother paint. Over the years they patiently taught her how to look at the world with an artist’s eye, and to find her own voice by tapping into her deep and abiding love for animals. Sherry’s work has received the Director’s Choice Award

and the “Patrons’ Choice Award” at the 2019 and 2022 Cowgirl Up! exhibition & sale. Sherry earned the “Best Associate Award” at The WAOW 52nd National Exhibition 2022, for her painting Evening On Buttermilk Creek

LISA DANIELLE (ARIZONA)

After a devastating studio fire early last winter, Lisa hung a wooden sign that read FAITH! over the ruins, and began focusing on the positives. Nearly a year later, she paints in her bright new space under that same sign with a renewed spirit, focusing on the Biblical phrase “Beauty from ashes.” She credits her five decades of wonderful collectors, and her steady relationships with her galleries, museums, and show directors that supported her while all her creativity was spent rebuilding her work life. Now that Lisa finally has a brush in hand, quality over quantity will also be a challenge for an artist whose work is always in demand, but reflects a renewed desire to make every painting count. As in her life, she wants each painting to be a positive message of survival, renewal, and honoring the past to better shape the future.

Cowboy chivalry was alive and well when B. M. Bower wrote “Her Prairie Knight” in 1906. Based on her experience as a Montana homesteader, the book is as much a classic as the antique hide document trunk and the ivory-handled Colt .44 revolver. Imagine these in a gentleman cowboy’s quarters, ready to safe-keep and defend the Western damsel of his dreams!

CHRISTINE DEBROSKY (ARIZONA)

From early in her painting career, Christine Debrosky has been enthralled with the effects of light dancing across the landscape as subject. It was after seeing Joaquin Sorolla’s epic mural paintings in NY’s Hispanic Society Museum, she knew that capturing the glow would be a lifetime pursuit. Since then, her luminous landscape paintings have earned her signature membership with the American Impressionist Society and several other national groups, as well as Master Circle with the International Assn. of Pastel Societies. Christine has exhibited in numerous galleries and invitational venues across the US, Italy, and St. Petersburg Russia, and several times in France. In 2013 she was one of 10 American artists asked to show with the prestigious Societe des Pastellistes de France, and further honored by having her Sedona, AZ inspired painting featured on the poster, invitations and billboards across France. Wanting to share her experience and knowledge, she has taught for over 30 years in workshops across the U.S., as well as Venice and Tuscany, Italy, and Burgundy, France. She has earned inclusion in Who’s Who in American Art for several editions, as well as many books on painting, and in magazines such as SouthWest Art, PleinAir, The Pastel Journal, and Pratique des Artes. In 2008, pursuing a dream, she moved to Arizona with husband Wayne. Here, in the high desert surroundings of azure skies, colorful earth, and of course, the dazzling sunshine inspires continued learning and sharing of the wonders of the Southwest.

JAN MARIE DELIPSEY (NEW MEXICO)

With a deep love of the land, Jan Marie. DeLipsey’s paintings embrace nature through light, color and presence – spaces that invite viewers to slow down, breathe and see. Jan is recognized as one of the foremost women artists working in the Western landscape genre today. A Master Emeritus member of the Women Artists of the West, she has built a national reputation for her luminous oil paintings of Monument Valley, New Mexico and the open landscapes of the American West. Her work is rooted in Western landscapes – mesas, desert skies, interplay of light and shadow on the land. Her work is celebrated for its refined compositions, subtle color harmonies and an ability to evoke both the beauty and the stillness of the land. Her paintings speak to an intimate reverence for place. Her ability to see what many might overlook: relationships of form, color and atmosphere quietly invite a viewer in. Collectors value her paintings for their timeless quality and deep connection to the Western landscape and way of life. When viewing a DeLipsey painting, you will feel more than scenery – you’ll feel a moment. Whether it be a twilight sky above sweeping land, a fleeting cloud over a mesa, or muted tones of dusk settling into earth – her paintings bring an experience. Her work is held in private collections nationwide, valued for both artistic merit and investment potential. For availability of work, visit the Gallery Page, contact her or contact Thunderbird Foundation Gallery, Mt. Carmel, Utah.

LUCY DICKENS (ARIZONA)

Before Lucy Dickens puts brush to canvas, she personally experiences them. She is drawn to light and shadow and the interplay within. Her award-winning paintings are unique and she’s also a storyteller of fine art. Her paintings focus on landscapes, wildlife, and botanicals. Each piece comes to life as she shares her writings, seeking to bring you along on the journey with her. Not only are the sights, sounds, and experiences expressed through Lucy’s work, but her deep faith is also woven through her life and creativity. While her Southwest paintings are the most collected, she loves traveling on a wonderful adventure and then returning to complete a new painting series. Lucy’s fine art paintings have been published regularly in media, including several interviews and news segments. Her award-winning paintings are highly collected nationally and internationally, both in personal and corporate collections. Lucy began her journey in sketching and then acrylic painting before transitioning to oil in 2005. She has mastered her own unique style over the years—but not without in-depth training. She directed her art education, first by taking workshops, then continuing learning through expert one-on-one instruction from seasoned artists and classes through the Scottsdale Artists’ School. “From the first time I put brush to canvas, I knew this is what I was supposed to be doing. This is who I am,” she expresses. The more Lucy paints, the more a deep passion and sense of purpose fills her. “This is my calling,” she says.

MARGARET DRAKE (TEXAS)

Margaret strives for accuracy as well as aesthetics when creating realistic figures. Originally from Northwestern Colorado’s ranching country, Margaret first learned she had a propensity for sculpting after she retired from working 30 years in research in the pharmaceutical industry. Margaret has taken several workshops from noted Western art sculptors and patineurs. Most sculptors do not do their own patina work, as it means having to master the chemistry involved in oxidizing metal in conjunction with carefully applied heat. Margaret learned patination through working with a master patineur in the field. She does her own patinas, often quite colorful, thus making each piece unique. Margaret’s work has appeared in many prestigious juried shows throughout the United States. She has also taught sculpting at the prestigious Western Art Academy

at Schneider University, Kerrville, Texas. Awards: 2017 Permanent acquisition, Museum of Western Art, Kerrville, TX, Mr. Remingtons Cowboy 2020 Permanent acquisition , George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Houston, TX (purchased by the city of Houston) “Andaluz” 2023 - Directors Choice Award and permanent acquisition by Pearce Museum of Western Art, Corsicana, TX, “First Saddle” 2023 Permanent Acquisition, Museum of the First Americans, Oklahoma City, OK* *note: the Kiowa Black Leggings Society has submitted the piece to the museum and are awaiting word of acceptance 2023 Permanent acquisition, Kiowa Casino, Devol, Ok, “Kiowa Black Leggings Warrior” 2025 - Permanent Acquisition, Sigler Western Museum, Wickenburg, AZ, “Descent” 2025 - Director’s ChoiceCowgirl Up!, Sigler Western Museum, Wickenburg, AZ

Drake, Flight, Bronze, 13" x 25"

JUNE DUDLEY (TEXAS)

As her dad’s cowhand, June grew up riding horses and working cattle on her family’s quintessential Texas working ranch that has been in her family for a hundred-fifty-years since 1871 and has been recognized by the state as a “Texas Century Ranch.” She & her husband raised their family on this same ranch, a tradition still carried on today. This nurtures her passion for art giving her the subjects she loves to paint. Her paintings depict a sensitive sense of color and the strong feelings she has for her subjects. Her attunement with color creates a mood that is sometimes whimsical, sometimes majestic, but always inviting and approachable. Her desire is to capture her subjects with the passion she feels for them while creating a mood that the viewers share, painting with her heart as much as with her brush. She was a featured artist in Art of the West’s Sept/Oct 2025 issue. She has received top honors and awards in shows judged by Tony Alterman, Jack Morris, Oreland Joe, Alfredo Rodriguez, and Howard Terpning. She participates in these shows: Cowgirl Up!, Round Up, Cheyenne’s Governor’s Invitational, Trappings of Texas, Small Works Great Wonders, Hold Your Horses, The Bosque Art Classic, Mountain Oyster Show, and the American Plains Artists’ Show. June is published by Somerset Fine Art & Leanin’ Tree greeting cards. June is a lifetime member of the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo where she judged School Art as a steering judge for thirty years.

JUDITH DURR (ARIZONA)

Judith is a proud Native of Arizona, a registered member of the Choctaw American Indian Tribe, and an internationally recognized Native American artist. Judith’s artwork tells a story by preserving American Indian legacies through her exquisite oil paintings that capture the emotions of the viewer. “Enduring Legacies” describes Judith Durr’s oil paintings.

Judith’s oil paintings reflect her mother’s inspirational beadwork and the family’s collection of Navajo rugs. Her Choctaw mother was a beadworker and taught Judith to bead. Because of this inspiration, Judith learned the history of how beadwork came to be used in North America and on Native regalia. This history inspired Judith to carry on the legacy when she pursued oil painting. Judith taught herself how to paint the beadwork in her paintings. Her oil paintings are inspired by the use of her extensive collection of pottery, baskets, rugs, and moccasins. “I want my painted beads to look like real beads and the rugs to look like real fabric.”

Her exquisite style and dedication reflect her knowledge and attention to the history of her subjects. Her art captures a broad genre of still life, portraits, and Western and American Indian life.

JONI FALK (ARIZONA)

Joni Falk, a realist painter of still life and landscape, has lived in Phoenix, Arizona since 1960. She grew up in Chicago, Illinois, and is a graduate of Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It was the Southwest with its culture and history that provided the ingredients that compelled her to seek a full-time career in art. Joni is well known throughout the United States and Canada for her landscapes of American Indian life as well as her still life's of Native American pottery. The diversity of her subjects ranges from traditional and Western still life's, Pueblo or Plains Indian landscapes, and Native American figures.

In 2023, Joni was recognized with the “Heart of the West” award presented by the Desert Caballeros Western Museum (now Sigler Western Museum) for her lifetime achievement as a Western artist.

When people view my work, I hope the emotions I felt during the creation of the painting will be evident to the viewer and affect him or her with a lasting and positive impression.

Joni Falk, Glowing Petals, Oil on Panel, 18½" x 18½"

MAEVE EICHELBERGER (COLORADO)

Maeve Eichelberger is a Colorado native, capturing both urban and rural lifestyles in her artwork. Passionate about collage, Maeve specializes in a new form of three-dimensional collage. Using plexiglass as a material for its modern, durable, and transparent qualities, allowing her to explore layers more deeply. “I create multiple layers of experience that demonstrates the significance of observing life both sequentially and simultaneously.” Maeve explores the many vitalities in the West, via lifestyle, nature, and textiles. Her intent is to honor the many forms and the history by creating a three-dimensional interpretation, infused with nostalgia and beauty of our ever changing environment. She has exhibited her work around the country, and is collected by museums and various private collectors internationally.

The acrylic here is a green glass cast acrylic. I chose this color of acrylic to give the illusion of glass.

Mirage was hand-etched with a traditional spin on hand-tooled leather.

Eichelberger, Mirage, Hand Etched and Formed Acrylic, 46" x 27" x 22"

DEBORAH COPENHAVER FELLOWS (ARIZONA)

Deborah is a horsewoman, raised on a cattle ranch in northern Idaho and brought up in a family of rodeo champions. She holds a BA degree with a Fine Arts major following study in Italy. In the post-Vietnam era, Deborah gained recognition creating Veterans’ memorials across the country. Corporate commissions have included Boy Scouts of America, Coors, Kaiser Corporation, and the University of Texas.

In 2008, the National Sculpture Society elected Deborah Fellows as a “Life-time Member,” and in 2009 she was inducted into the Cowgirl Hall of Fame in Fort Worth, Texas. In 2011, Deborah was chosen to create a statue of Barry M. Goldwater for the National Statuary Hall in Washington, DC. In 2017, she sculpted James Bowie for the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas.

For the last 20 years, Deborah and her husband Fred have lived on their horse ranch in Sonoita, Arizona where she depicts her Western heritage. Through her realistic art, she documents the Western world that she knows and loves.

Deborah Copenhaver Fellows, She Flies Without Wings, Bronze on Wooden Base, Ed. 50, 15 ¾" x 21" x 6 ¼"

COREY GARMAN (ARIZONA)

The unique and incomparable landscape of the Southwest has been Corey’s muse for as long as she can remember. Growing up in Arizona, she spent countless hours exploring its deserts, canyons, and forests. These places with their every changing light and color remain her favorite things to paint. Having been a professional gemstone appraiser for many years, Corey has an affinity for the spectacular colors of the Western landscape. They are pure, clear and crystalline, and like gemstones they change along with the light. Corey’s paintings celebrate these everchanging moments and capture them on canvas for the viewer. Almost all of Corey’s paintings begin outdoors with the completion of an onsite study in which she records her direct impressions that are then used to create her larger paintings. Corey’s ultimate goal is to provide the viewer a visual journey to those places, where they can sense the sun on their skin, the breeze in their hair, the smell of creosote and the feeling of rocks and sand under their feet. Corey never tires of the Western landscape, the haunting petroglyphs, the shadows racing across the mountains and the clouds dancing in the sky. She lives in beautiful Wickenburg, Arizona with her soulmate, her pack of dogs and the many desert creatures she calls her wild pets.

Corey Garman, Eternal, Oil on Canvas, 40" x 30"

JESSICA GARRETT-LAWRENCE (ARIZONA)

Jessica started drawing around the age of three and never stopped. Drawing grew into painting, and in 2005 she was awarded a Merit Scholarship from Scottsdale Artists’ School and took a workshop with R.A. Heichberger, and another with Chris Saper. Jessica is a lifelong learner, taking several college art courses and frequently taking workshops from artists such as Kevin Macpherson, Tim Deibler, Skip Whitcomb, and Jerry Salinas. Jessica has had numerous solo exhibits at galleries representing her work across the states, including galleries in Texas, New Mexico, New York, Arizona, Wyoming, Colorado, and many more. She is currently showing work at Mountain Trails Gallery in Jackson Hole, Santa Fe Trails, Big Horn Galleries in Cody and Tubac, SmithKlein Gallery in Boulder, among others. Jessica participates in prestigious museum shows such as the Buffalo Bill Art Show & Sale in Cody, WY, and Cowgirl Up! exhibit and sale in Wickenburg, AZ. Other Western Art shows she participates in include, The Brinton 101, Mountain Oyster Show, and The Greeley Stampede Show. Although painting is her foremost passion Jessica also enjoys teaching art. She shares her color theory concepts at noteable art schools including Scottsdale Artists’ School and the Booth Musuem. Awards and Achievements: 2018 Governor’s Choice Award, Cowgirl Up! exhibit and sale, Wickenburg, AZ. 2019; Artist in Residence, Brinton Museum in Big Horn, WY. 2020; Patrons’ Choice Award, Cowgirl Up! exhibit and sale.

LINDA GLOVER GOOCH (ARIZONA)

Rooted in the wide skies of the American West, Linda Glover Gooch began her artistic journey along the California coast. Today, her work centers on the drama of towering monsoon clouds, evening skies, and glowing sunsets that sweep across the Western landscape. Though she continues to paint from life, her most ambitious cloudscapes take shape in the studio, enriched by the inspiration and insight gained outdoors. Her paintings capture the movement, mood, and wonder of the ever-changing sky.

Honored with numerous awards and recognitions: Cowgirl Up!, Desert Caballeros Western Museum (now Sigler Western Museum), Wickenburg, Arizona, 21 years exhibiting; 2019 Governors Choice Award and Artist Choice Award. 2021 Best of Show and Museum Purchase Award. 2025 Patrons’ Choice Award and People’s Choice Award.

A 14-year Participating Artist of The Celebration of Art at the Grand Canyon, Arizona: 2014 Judges Award “Best Body of Work” Her work has been featured in Art of the West, Southwest Art, Plein Air Magazine, Western Art & Architecture and Arizona Highways.

Linda is a Signature Member of Oil Painters of America, and out-of-state Member of the California Art Club. She is represented by Broadmoor Galleries in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Mountain Trails Gallery in Sedona, Arizona.

Linda Glover Gooch, Fields Of Clover, Oil on Canvas, 34" x 34"

VERYL GOODNIGHT (COLORADO)

A voice for animals and the softer side of the West, Veryl was inducted into the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame in 2016 for a lifetime of depicting the American West in both bronze and paint. Horses have been one of her favorite subjects since sculpting them in snow as a child. She taught horse sculpture over a period of 30 years and is a firm believer in working from life. Her studios have been in or near barns to accommodate not only horses, but a variety of other animals, including wildlife given to her for rehabilitation. Veryl has been a participant in many major museum exhibits including

LISA GORDON (NEW MEXICO)

Lisa M. Gordon grew up in southern California where progress was measured by the continuous advancement of the suburbs. With one stable after another closing like dominoes, it was very difficult for her to keep her beloved horses. This encroachment became the early catalyst for her first bronze sculptures.

“It was only natural that the horse’s image would become my focus. As I continued my education, I began developing an understanding of my place in the art world. I constantly questioned how I related to the vast history of equine art … while simultaneously keeping in mind what my very first sculpture instructor said, ‘There is no question you have talent and that you can sculpt, but what you do with that talent becomes the real question.’ ”

In 1992, Lisa received an MFA in Sculpture from California State University in Fullerton. She worked for numerous foundries throughout the Southwest and began to experiment, pushing technical boundaries while exploring elements of motion, relationships to the landscape, and personal metaphors.

Lisa Gordon, Springtime Blues, Bronze, Steel, Wood, 20" x 26" x 4"

Cowgirl Up! She has both paintings and bronzes in public collections and museums across the United States, Germany and Japan. She has been represented by Trailside Galleries since the 1970’s, and still works in her studio almost daily. Veryl lives with her husband, Roger Brooks, and a menagerie of animals in the mountains of Southwestern Colorado.

Veryl Goodnight, Smoke and Dust, Oil on Linen, 16" x 18"

ANN HANSON (WYOMING)

Ann Hanson has been painting the West – as she sees it – for more than 30 years. From cowboys and cowgirls to Native Americans, she has a deep love for the Western way of life. She attended two years at a community college as an art major where she focused on graphics and technical illustration. Her painting skills are selftaught and are a never-ending research project.

KATHY HARDER (CALIFORNIA)

For years, California artist Kathy Harder has honored a dream of combing her artistry with the stewardship of her beloved mountain ranch. Surrounded by old oak forests, her creativity springs from a “return to source” and a connected journey along side the animals she documents with such creative power. As someone whose life embodies her art, both literally and figuratively, her expression is deeply intertwined with her daily life. This integration serves as a narrative, as do the more than twenty years of art study. Her disciplines have run the gamut, from painting, drawing, photography, to printmaking and ceramics. Her work has been shown nationally, including the Phippen Museum and the Coors Western Art Exhibition. Kathy was also one of thirty-seven artists to premier in the Western Women’s show at the Woolaroc Musuem, Oklahoma. Her current medium of watercolors, allow layering light and movement in her work, and an ability to capture the environment. Her technique of palette knife and brushwork encourages the natural evolution of the paintings, allowing them to develop and bring out the dimension of the prints. Kathy’s distinctive vision will continue to reflect her purpose, creating work that stimulates the mind, while speaking to the soul.

Kathy Harder, Merry-Go-Round, Watercolor on Paper, 29¾" x 30"

Ann has been featured in art magazines, and she has participated in several Western art shows in which she has often received awards for her work.

Ann tries to challenge herself with each new painting and to learn new techniques she can incorporate into her unique style.

Ann Hanson, Sweet Nothings, Oil on Canvas, 24" x 18"

CAROL HEIMAN-GREENE (CALIFORNIA)

It was in college that Carol realized her love of drawing and painting could be her life’s work. She graduated from California State University–Long Beach, with a BFA in illustration. Even as an illustrator her work was animal oriented, so when she decided to follow her true passion and become a fine artist specializing in Western wildlife, she felt confident there would be exciting adventures ahead. Working in oils, Carol uses many techniques of the Old Masters, layering in an underpainting and glazing in colors to create depth and dimension, then finishing with thicker layers of colors to bring her paintings to life. Life and light are central to

Carol’s work Her joy comes from capturing even the smallest of moments to the most dramatic that nature has to offer.

What attracted me to these magnificent stallions was their history I could see. Their incredible size, the scars they bear and the long tangled manes tell of their years at the top. Now they are best of friends, no longer rivals ... Herd bosses that protect their family.

Carol Heiman-Greene, Pancho and Lefty, Oil on Canvas, 24" x 30"

HARPER HENRY (ARIZONA)

Idaho-born artist Harper Henry paints a fresh perspective, merging the heritage of Western art with immersive abstraction. After earning a BFA in illustration, she built a successful 30-year career as a designer and art director in commercial advertising. Harper began painting professionally in 2016. Through a fusion of realism

and abstraction, she forges a distinctive vision of contemporary Western art. Her work captures the authenticity of her subjects while interweaving light, color, and form into abstractions that evoke movement and emotion.

The Desert Caballeros ride off making way for a new future.

ELIZA HOFFMAN (TEXAS)

Art has always been Eliza’s passion. Her talents were apparent at a young age, as she was able to pick up on techniques through observing her grandfather, who was also an artist. Through the mentorship of Ms. Betsy Miller from Colors of the Heart Studio in Friendswood, Texas, Eliza learned about the basic fundamentals. Her love of art became stronger by competing in the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo (HLSR) school art competition. Eliza’s artwork was selected for auction several times at HLSR, where she received the “Reserve Grand Champion” award in 2023 and the “Grand Champion” award in 2024. Through HLSR, she was granted a scholarship to attend the Western Art Academy (WAA) in Kerrville, Texas, in 2021. At WAA, Eliza discovered her love for oil painting. Since then, it has become her primary medium. Eliza has participated in several events through the Oil Painters of America, including the 2022-2025 Western Regional Exhibitions, the 2023-2025 annual Student Art Competition, and their 2025 National Exhibition. In the summer of 2024, she was selected by Southwest Art Magazine to be included in their 2024 “21 Under 31” feature.

This past year, Eliza was a part of the 42nd annual Roundup at the Museum of Western Art, and she will be a part of their 43rd Annual Roundup this Spring. Eliza currently attends the University of Texas at Austin, where she is majoring in mathematics and biology. She continues to paint and improve her skills in pursuit of becoming a working artist.

MICQAELA JONES (NEVADA)

For 25 years, Micqaela, an enrolled Shoshone tribal member, has poured her heart into creating paintings that honor her heritage and reflect her deep love of nature and animals. Her artwork is inspired by the beauty of her culture, blending traditional Shoshone themes with contemporary techniques. Through her vivid use of color and rich texture, Micqaela creates paintings that resonate on an emotional level, inviting viewers to connect with the stories and spirit of the land and its creatures. A self-taught artist, she has spent years honing her craft, constantly evolving her style and pushing the boundaries of her medium. Her work is known for its vibrant colors and dynamic textures, which add depth and energy to each piece. By experimenting with new methods and materials, she keeps her art fresh and innovative while staying true to her cultural roots. Micqaela’s work has earned international acclaim, with award-winning pieces collected by galleries and private collectors around the world. Her ability to merge traditional influences with a contemporary sensibility has made her an in-demand artist, celebrated for her unique perspective and technical skill. From her studio in Boise, Idaho, Micqaela continues to explore new concepts, ideas, and techniques. Her paintings reflect her ever-evolving journey as an artist, driven by a passion for capturing the beauty of the natural world and honoring her Shoshone heritage through art that tells a story, sparks connection, and invites viewers to see the world through her eyes.

Micqaela Jones, Silent Guardian, Acrylic on Canvas, 48" x 24"

LESLIE KIRCHNER

(CALIFORNIA)

SUSAN KLIEWER (ARIZONA)

Susan Kliewer is a native of California, but has made Arizona her home for 57 years. She spent five years at Marble Canyon Trading Post in a remote area of Northern Arizona. She started sculpting in 1985 after working in a foundry for ten years. Susan has created several large sculptures for the City of Sedona and Na Aina kai Gardens in Hawaii. Susan has won six major awards over the years at Cowgirl Up! including two Governor’s Awards. She has won the Olaf Wieghorst Award at the Mountain Oyster Club show in Tucson twice, as well as many other accolades. In 2024 the City of Sedona presented Susan with the Mayor’s Lifetime Acheivement Award for her long and distinguished career in art and her dedication to promoting the arts within the community. Susan often uses her Native American friends and relatives as models.

Susan is represented by Santa Fe Trails Fine Art, Santa Fe, NM; Mountain Trails Gallery in Jackson Hole, WY; Park City UT.and Sedona, AZ; as well as Medicine Man Gallery in Tucson, AZ; Mountain Spirit Gallery in Prescott, AZ; Cameron Trading Post, Cameron, AZ; and Sage Gallery in Wickenburg, AZ.

Susan Kliewer, Dancing Under the Stars, Sculpted Bronze, 25" x 10" x 13"

Leslie Kirchner is a professional Western and wildlife artist. Her goal is to create work that resonates with viewers giving them a window into the natural world. Reference material for her work is obtained through field experience, photography, and observing wildlife in their native environments. She has worked with cougars, bobcats, wolves, and birds of prey. Her home and studio is in a small, rural mountain community. She feels it important to connect with and portray each animal’s uniqueness and individual personality. She uses paint and brushwork to capture the personality, mood and movement of her subjects through the exploration of color, composition, and use of positive and negative space in her work. She shows her work throughout the country and is a Signature member of American Women Artists, Women Artists of the West, and the International Guild of Realism. Her work appears in shows including NatureWorks, where she was the 2024 Featured Artist; Rocky Mountain Oyster Club; American Women Artists National Exhibitions; Cheyenne Spirit of the West; Women Artists of the West National Exhibitions; the Woolaroc Museum; Phippen Museum; Loveland Museum; Customs House Museum; and the Kerrville Western Museum of Art among others. The landscape, animals, and atmosphere of the west inspire her, not only for exploring, but as a means of bringing the drama and beauty to her painting. She hopes to draw the viewer into her paintings and give them a sense of her inspiration for each piece of work and the animals in them.

MICHELLE KONDOS

(CALIFORNIA)

Michelle Kondos is an award-winning artist living in both Borrego Springs, a small town in the remote California desert, and in New Orleans, LA. The beauty, history and spirit of the American West has always inspired her. She was an avid horseback rider in her childhood, sparking her lifelong love of horses. Today scenes of Western lands, people, and wildlife animate her paintings. Her work has recently been chosen for the March/April 2026 cover of Art of the West Magazine, which will appear along with a six page feature article.

Kondos has been part of Cowgirl Up! in Wickenburg, AZ since 2020, winning both the People’s Choice Award as well as the Western Art Collector Award in 2023. She has shown her paintings annually since 2016 at the Settlers West American Miniatures Show as well as at the Mountain Oyster Club Show in Tucson, AZ. There, she recently received the purchase prize by the club for their permanent collection. Her work has also been selected for the prestigious C.M. Russell Auction annually since 2017. She is currently represented by Broadmoor Galleries in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Her work can be seen in public and private collections throughout the U.S.

Michelle Kondos, Ring of Fire, Oil on Linen, 40" x 30"

LESLIE LAMBERT (IDAHO)

Leslie Lambert is a watercolor artist whose luminous poured paintings capture the strength, spirit, and stories of the American West. Dividing her time between Southern Idaho and Northeast Washington, Leslie draws inspiration from the rugged beauty of ranch life, the vastness of the landscape, and the quiet resilience of the women who live and work under its wide skies. Using her signature poured watercolor technique—layering transparent color in successive washes—Leslie allows pigment and water to merge freely while guiding their flow with precision and intuition. The result is a glowing fusion of light and form that transforms familiar Western subjects into vibrant expressions of emotion and place. Her paintings honor the traditions of Western art while reimagining them through a contemporary lens, blending realism with abstraction to reveal both the grit and grace of life in the West. Leslie is a Signature Member of Cowgirl Artists of America, Women in Watercolor, and the Northwest Watercolor Society. Her work has been featured in Plein Air Magazine, Western Art & Architecture, Western Art Collector, and The Art of Watercolour, and exhibited in juried shows including Women Artists of the West and Modern Masters of the West. Each painting is a reflection of her deep connection to the Western landscape and lifestyle—where light, labor, and spirit intertwine.

Leslie Lambert, Grace in the Reins, Poured Watercolor, 36" x 24"

LAURIE J. LEE (WYOMING)

Laurie J. Lee’s interest in art began when she was very young. Having an artistic mother provided her with more opportunities to explore that interest and continue to develop what would become her passion and future career. Her subjects usually involve Western themes that are, in part, obtained by helping with local cattle drives, attending brandings, and generally, just living life out west.

Laurie’s work has been featured in many publications and she has shown her work in several national art shows. Her awards include: 2019– Peter Fillerup Award at Buffalo Bill Art Show; 2016– Honored Artist for Buffalo Bill Art Show; 2013– work chosen for Limited Edition Print at Cheyenne Frontier Days Art Show; 2012– “Award for Excellenceˮ at Cowgirl Up!; 2010– work chosen for Cheyenne Frontier Days poster; 2008- work chosen for Limited Edition print Cheyenne Frontier Days; 2007– 1st place 2-dimensional work at Cowgirl Up!

Laurie J. Lee, Moving Day, Oil on Canvas, 16" x 20"

MARY LESLIE (COLORADO)

Southern Colorado naturalist Mary Leslie’s paintings are the embodiment of her passion for ranching, wild spaces, and the grand vistas of the Sawatch and Sangre de Cristo mountain ranges where she lives and works. Mary began her studies at the Savannah College of Art and Design, with a concentration in graphic design. She realized early on, however, that she was more at home painting and working from life—not sitting at a computer. It was a modest commission for a mural that sent her on a decades long path of painting murals throughout the South for public and private spaces. These large-scale commissions allowed her to explore subject matter and materials while refining her sense of design and color. But mural commissions also made her yearn for more personal artistic expression. In 2020, Mary and her husband took a leap of faith and moved from Georgia to the small agrarian town of Westcliffe, Colorado. The clean break and total immersion in the Western way of life propelled Mary into the world of fine art. Mary’s paintings combine the expansive feel of murals with the vibrant, lively colors she gravitates to. Her tendency to anthropomorphize animals grew out of her desire to share her artistic conversation between painting and subject. Frequently, Mary’s horses, donkeys, and dogs on the ranch make cameo appearances along with the surrounding wildlife and flora of the desert, all of which reflect her deeprooted affection for the inhabitants and untamed beauty of the West.

Mary Leslie Uber, Oil on Canvas, 36" x 36"

LEAH LUCAS (ALBERTA)

Leah Lucas was raised in southern Alberta, Canada. From early childhood she reveled in the freedom to explore her world on horseback. She would forever be informed by miles of flat unending 350-degree views, covered with expansive blue skies, butted against the imposing Rockies in the distance. Developing a deep connection with the natural world, fostered by a profound love and understanding of horses, led to her life’s passion. Leah has spent her life raising, training, and showing these magnificent beasts; developing a thriving practice devoted to healing horse with physical and/or behavioral imbalances. Working with feel and light touch enabled her to receive subtle equine energies

that deeply guided her responses, bringing the most favorable results. Leah’s unique vernacular and system brought her great recognition, and respect. The demand for her services allowed her to travel extensively in the U.S. Leah is strongly drawn to Taos. For her, Taos exudes intimacy, mystery and joy: “It forces the brush to move across a canvas with deliberation, intent on purpose and with little choice but to express beauty.” Taos is enchantingit draws you in like no other place. We are continually embraced by the burgeoning soft-capes, vast hard edges, superlative light, distinguished people, and illustrious environs.

ELISE MAHAFFIE (WYOMING)

Elise Mahaffie received her B.F.A. from Syracuse University. She also completed a three year masters program at the Compass Atelier in Maryland. She currently lives in Jackson, Wyoming, where she works as an artist as well as art director for Jackson Hole magazine. Her long career as a graphic designer has had a major influence on her stylized paintings. Being a graphic designer for a good part of her life has definitely influenced the way Elise interprets shapes and how she see things. Most of her works are cropped tight, which gives the paintings a somewhat graphic composition. She loves that it gives the viewer a very personal feeling of what is happening within each painting as well as the power to create ones own story. Elise has been involved in numerous national shows throughout the years. She has been recognized in Southwest Art magazine as an “Emerging Artist to Watch” as well as receiving first place in the wildlife category for Artist magazine’s “Annual Emerging Artist Competition”. She also received the “Best Associate Award” and 2nd Place in the Women Artists of the West past two annual shows. She was just recently accepted into the Society for Animal Artists and juried into their 65th Annual Exhibition. She is represented by West Lives On Gallery in Jackson,Wyoming

CECILIA MCGUIRE (ARIZONA)

“I moved to Los Angeles, CA with a degree in Commercial Art from Stockholm, Sweden. Relocated to Arizona where I attended watercolor and acrylic painting classes at Yavapai College in Prescott where I received awards in painting at local art galleries. In 2016 I fulfilled a longtime desire to become a sculptor and have completed ten bronze sculptures since. I am a juried artist with the Wickenburg Art Club where I have received many awards, including Artist of The Year twice in sculpture. In 2018, I was juried into the 44th Annual Phippen Western Art Show & Sale in Painting and Sculpture, and was honored to receive The Phippen Foundation Award for my bronze sculpture In Trouble. In 2020, I was excited to receive 1st Place Award in Sculpture for my bronze Saved from The Storm at the 46th Annual Phippen Western Art Show and Sale in Prescott, Arizona. In 2022, I was proud to receive The Phippen Family Award for my bronze Moment of Praise at the 48th Annual Phippen Western Art Show & Sale. This piece is by far my most favorite sculpture. In 2024, all ten of my bronzes were displayed at the 50th Annual Phippen Western Art Show & Sale. I fulfilled my childhood dream of having horses when I moved to Arizona. My love for the Western lifestyle inspires me to create art of horses, cowboys, and landscapes of the West. I am now residing in Hillside, Arizona close to family.ˮ

DEANNE MCKEOWN (ARIZONA)

Deanne finds inspiration for her sculpture in the wildlife and cultures of the Southwest and in ancient folklore and magic. She frequently makes humorous or social comment through animal characters who become metaphors for human thought and behavior. Her work is frequently juried into national and international exhibitions and is included in many private and museum collections. She lives in Prescott, AZ and is represented mainly by Van Gogh’s Ear in Prescott, the Newby Gallery in Tubac, AZ and the Sedona Arts Center. She is member of Women Artists of the West, The National Sculpture Society and a Member with Distinction of Women Artists of America. Deanne is delighted and honored to celebrate her tenth year as a participant in Cowgirl Up! “Art is a partnership, an un-choreographed dance between the imagination of the artist and the life experience of the viewer. There is great joy in knowing that people I may never meet connect with my thoughts and ideas through my work. But, if my work never made a connection with another person, I would still create with clay and metal and paint because art is a way of being alive in the world.ˮ

Deanne McKeown, June Bloom, Bronze, Unique, 16" x 12" x 9"

VICKIE MCMILLAN-HAYES (TEXAS)

Vickie McMillan-Hayes, a native Texan, creates breathtaking wildlife paintings from around the world alongside iconic images of rugged cowboys and cowgirls set against picturesque wild terrain. As a woman artist, Vickie strives to infuse her work with rich layers of texture and color, bringing life and unique depth to each piece. Through her art, she seeks to inspire awe and appreciation for the beauty and majesty of the natural world and the Wild West, while also raising awareness about the importance of wildlife conservation. Despite living with Essential Tremors since age 16, Vickie has developed a unique artistic technique that transforms her challenges into a signature style. When painting detail, Vickie holds her breath while bracing her arm against her body to achieve the desired stroke. Her award-winning work is featured in prestigious art museums, galleries, and private collections worldwide, and published in leading magazines and reviews. Including The Briscoe Western Art, Night of the Artists; Museum of Western Art, Roundup Exhibition and Sale; The C.M. Russell; The Mountain Oyster Club-best New Artist; The Brinton Museum, 101; U.S. Department of State/Art of Embassies, Africa; California Art Club and the Salmagundi Art Club; Birds in Art, Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum; Southeastern Wildlife Exposition; Safari Club International Houston Artist of the Year; Houston Safari Club Artist of the Year; Settlers West, American Miniature Show; and Broadmoor Gallery.

Vickie McMillan-Hayes, Untamed, Acrylic on Canvas, 30" x 30"

OLENA NABILSKY (NEW YORK)

Born in Ukraine and now based in New York, Olena Nabilsky is a fine artist whose work centers on traditional painting. With a background in fine arts, she spent years in design, mastering computer graphics, yet her true passion has always remained canvas and oil.

Focusing on intricate details, Olena’s work captures the essence of the natural world—ephemeral light, drifting clouds, and the delicate nuances of color and form. Through her paintings, she

Olena Nabilsky, Monuments, Oil on Canvas, 36" x 24"

aims to evoke emotion, nostalgia, and a sense of wonder, inviting viewers to pause, reflect, and reconnect with the beauty that surrounds them.

Each brushstroke is infused with deep admiration for nature, as Olena seeks to preserve fleeting moments and transform them into timeless expressions of art. Her work serves as a bridge between memory and reality, offering a sense of warmth, tranquility, and inspiration.

JULIE NIGHSWONGER (WYOMING)

Julie Nighswonger’s art exemplifies life in the west in a way that captures the beauty of her surroundings. In a style that she describes as impressionistic realism. Nighswonger captures moments that are all too often taken for granted. Her work explores nature, and the west. “Certain things catch my eye,” Nighswonger says, “it’s the crisp early morning light, the worm glo of the evening, or the way light dances off of a horse’s main.” In her work she strive to document and share the uniqueness of the Western landscape and its cowboy lifestyle. “It is my hope to stir a memory or evoke and emotional response.

Julie Nighswonger’s, Grace Upon Grace (detail), Oil on Canvas, 48" x 24"

The bond between a mother and her baby is always strong, even if it is in the equine family.

MEJO OKON (NEW MEXICO)

Nationally recognized, her paintings are in private and corporate collections throughout the U.S. Mejo has won both the Artist Choice and Best of Show Awards at the annual Cowgirl Up! 2026 marks her 9th year. Born in Indianapolis, she was always the class artist. She went on to have a lengthy and successful career as a graphic designer and commercial illustrator, eventually transitioning to fine art painting. Now settled in New Mexico, she has found endless inspiration in cowboys, ranches and the fabulous sunsets. (Got a ranch? Mejo would love to come out and

Okon, Where The Sky Meets The Grass, Oil on Canvas, 24” x 48”

take photos!) Her painting “Glow” graced the cover of Art of the West magazine in December 2022 along with a six page article. Southwest Art magazine, a six page article on her, in their July 2018 issue. Mejo is also courtroom sketch artist in sensational murder trials for TV’s ABC 20/20 (streaming on Hulu) “One must be quick as well as accurate. It’s fascinating to be part of the tableau.” Mejo was actually hired to play a courtroom artist for the Warner Bros. movie Coyote vs Acme starring John Cena and Will Forte. The movie is scheduled to finally be released next summer.

CRYSTAL ORLANDO (TEXAS)

Crystal Orlando creates captivating works in charcoal, capturing the profound spirit and soul of animals through meticulous detail and emotional resonance. Rooted deeply in the rugged landscapes and vibrant ranch culture of her upbringing, Orlando’s art explores themes of resilience, interconnectedness, and reverence for the natural world. Primarily self-taught, Orlando refined her distinctive style by combining classical realism with subtle abstraction, masterfully manipulating grayscale tones to convey striking depth and lifelike intensity. Her signature approach—marked by an evocative precision—infuses each artwork with authenticity and intimate narrative, elevating the ordinary to the extraordinary. In 2020, Orlando faced a transformative battle with breast cancer, an experience that profoundly deepened the emotional layers of her art. This pivotal chapter in her life inspired her work to reflect not only the fragility of existence but also the fierce beauty of perseverance and renewal, amplifying the empathetic power of her artistic expression. Orlando’s career is distinguished by significant institutional recognition, including exhibitions at Kensington Palace, London; the Desert Caballeros Western Museum (now Sigler Western Museum), Arizona; and the University of Texas Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. She was awarded 2024 Artist of the Year from Cowgirl Artists of America.

Crystal Orlando, Rolling Thunder, Charcoal and Graphite on Board, 36" x 24"

SARAH PHIPPEN (COLORADO)

Colorado artist Sarah Phippen portrays the West with an understanding that comes from a deep love of the land, people and animals of the region in which she was born and raised. Sarah’s formal training began with private lessons when she was 14. She went on to study with John Coleman for sculpting, and painters Jay Moore, Jim Norton, Daniel Sprick, Sandra Kaplan, and Anthony J. Ryder, each of whom deepened her understanding of oil painting, color and composition. “Communicating emotions

in a visual language requires a fluency in light, color and form, as well as patient observation,” she said. “I am often delighted by the livestock and wildlife living at the base of the Rocky Mountains where I grew up. There is a rich heritage in our relationships with the landscape, and the plants and animals that live side by side with us. I strive to paint every individual as a person worth knowing, and every landscape as someone’s home.”

DOLORES PURDY (NEW MEXICO)

“I am an Air Force brat, born at Langley AFB in Virginia and lived in many places. Our stays in the Western US were the best. Now I live and work in northern New Mexico, enjoying the beauty of the region. I am a trained watercolorist and have been in the art field for over 35 years. Over two decades ago, I discovered ‘Ledger Art’ while researching a member of my tribe (Caddo Nation), and began a love affair using the same mediums of antique paper, colored pencils, and stored away my brushes. I spent many hours and traveled many miles to research this old art form. I found wonderful mentors who helped me understand the significance of historical ledger art as a storytelling and pictographic language. In 2001, I tried my hand at it. My influences of pop-art, art deco and Asian textiles combined with a touch of whimsical humor, has led me down a path of contemporary feminine style of ledger art.” Dolores has her work in many galleries, private and public collections, numerous publications, and books. She is often asked by institutions and universities to present the history of ledger art.

My mantra: Happy Art Makes a Happy Home

Dolores Purdy, Late for my Date, Colored Pencil on Ledger Paper, 13" x 15.5"

STEPHANIE REVENNAUGH (MONTANA)

Stephanie Revennaugh’s sculptures emerge from a place where intuition meets craft — where form becomes a vessel for something just beyond sight. Best known for her bronze representations of horses and wildlife, her work is steeped in attentiveness to the inner world of animals, and the silent truths they carry. Each piece evokes a sense of presence-an echo of something remembered, felt, or dreamed.

Raised across the cultural and ecological contrasts of the Midwest, Central, and South America, and now based in Montana, Revennaugh’s creative voice is shaped by movement, immersion in wild landscapes, and a deep trust in the intelligence of nature. Her background as a horsewoman deepens this connection-offering her a rare fluency in the language of energy, gesture, and breath.

Revennaugh is an elected member of the National Sculpture Society and is represented by Altamira Fine Art (Jackson, WY & Scottsdale, AZ), Gallery MAR (Carmel, CA), and Old Main Gallery (Bozeman, MT). Her work is celebrated for its emotional resonance and refined craftsmanship. In recent years, she has expanded into mixed media, incorporating cast glass and steel to explore transparency, contrast, and elemental symbolism. Through these materials, she moves between weight and lightness, containment and flow-reflecting a personal inquiry into harmony and polarity.

While her themes are timeless, there is a quiet modernity in her approach. Beneath the surface of each piece lies a deeper listeningan awareness of form as a vessel for emotion, of sculpture as a

kind of wordless prayer. In this way, Revennaugh’s work becomes more than depiction; it becomes a mirror for what is felt but not easily spoken. In this way, her art becomes an offering-one that invites the viewer to reconnect with the wild, within and without.

ROBIN ROGERS CLOUD (CALIFORNIA)

Robin Rogers Cloud was born into a family of artists and ranchers, where open skies and quiet pastures became her first teachers. The rhythms of the West—hoofbeats, wind, and shifting light—shaped her vision long before brush met canvas. Guided by a deep love of animals, she earned a degree in animal science with a minor in art from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, studying watercolor under master artist Robert Reynolds. Graduate studies in drawing and painting at California State University, Long Beach, deepened her understanding of form, light, and the quiet poetry of place. A Signature Member of Watercolor West Transparent Watercolor Society, Robin’s award-winning plein air paintings have been exhibited across California, from Carmel to San Luis Obispo, and featured in Watercolor Artist Magazine’s “Ones to Watch.” For over thirty years, she has shared her craft as an art professor at Saddleback College. Like her mentor Wayne Thiebaud, she believes that teaching is a conversation with art itself—a way to see the world anew, again and again.

Robin Rogers Cloud, Morning Sunflowers, Oil on Canvas, 11" x 14"

SHARON STANDRIDGE (TEXAS)

Sharon Standridge was born in Denver Colorado, and raised in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains and on the vast plains of Nebraska. Sharon’s artistic focus lies in depicting the human figure, encompassing cowboys, pioneer women, children, and Native Americans from the Plains Tribes. Sharon’s artwork is distinguished by the captivating interplay between light and shadows, by employing bold contrasts of value, color and expressive brushstrokes. This year at Cowgirl Up! makes it Sharon’s 16th year to participate. In 2024, at Cowgirl Up!, Sharon received the Western Art Collector Edidtor’s Choice Award for What in Blue-Blazes is the Greenhorn Doing Now? Sharon also received “Best Westernˮ award for, Dirt n Dust from PleinAir Magazine’ s February 2024 competition. Her works are shown in the yearly Miniatures by the Lake at Coeur d’Alene Galleries. And will be participating in the 43rd Annual Round Up Exhibition at the Museum of Western Art in Kerrville, Texas. Sharon and David, her husband, are long-time residents of North Texas, where their home and studio overlook Lake Bridgeport.

Sharon Standridge, Warm Summer Breezes and Slow Days, oil on linen, 28" x 22"

GAIL JONES SUNDELL (WYOMING)

Gail Jones Sundell takes a roughly shaped stone from the earth and brings it to life. Carving figures from stone that is hewn out the earth is a very challenging and rewarding experience. Although this career is physically demanding, she has found a special advantage to being a woman sculptor. The hours that she spends caring for and nurturing family and friends have enabled her to relay a depth of feeling to her work that speaks to those who view her creations. While primarily self-directed, early in her career she benefited from the sculptors who frequented her family’s quarry near Fort Collins, Colorado. Her main subject matter: the legends, spiritual life and family relationships of Native Americans, was inspired by her father’s stories and his own paintings of his early life, growing up among the Cheyenne/Arapaho Indians in Oklahoma. Since she moved to Cheyenne, Wyoming in 1981, Gail has continued to associate with and study various cultures of Native Americans. She has been an exhibiting artist in numerous shows in the West. Her participation in Cowgirl Up!, where she received the “Best of ShowˮAward in 2013, has added patrons and friends to her list of numerous private collectors. Since 1999, she has shown in the Cheyenne Frontier Days Western Art Show and Sale, where in 2000, her sculpture was selected as one of the Old West Museum purchases. She became a Signature Member of the Cowgirl Artists of America in 2024.

Gail Jones Sundell, The Lost is Found, Colorado Alabaster, 19½ x 8½ x 6

DAWN SUTHERLAND (ARIZONA)

Dawn Sutherland is a painter of Southwest Landscapes. A teacher in her first life, and a counselor in her second. She began her third life as a painter in 2001. An avid gardener and hiker, Dawn, her husband Stan, and their cats moved from Wisconsin to Arizona in 2004. There, her paintbrushes met the challenge of intense blue skies, distant horizons, canyon mazes and crazy quilts of wildflowers blanketing the earth. “Painting outdoors uniquely captures the depth, definition, and feeling of the landscape before me. I feel there is almost always a near-perfect composition provided by nature. Sometimes a scene calls out loudly to be painted; sometimes I hear only a whisper. These are the images that find their way to my heart and my canvas.” When not painting, Dawn can be found in her gardens, exploring hiking trails, or singing with the Tucson Symphony Chorus. Dawn has painted in the Prescott Plein Air Festival since its inception in 2020 and co-judged the show in 2024 and 2025. The 2025 Grand Canyon Celebration of Art marks Dawn’s 12th year painting in this event. A founding member of Arizona Plein Air Painters, Dawn is also a member of The Nature Conservancy, Grand Canyon Conservancy, Best Friends Animal Society, and Morris Animal Foundation. Dawn teaches Landscape Painting at Northern Arizona University’s Honors College. She is represented by Arizona Handmade Gallery in Flagstaff, and Tucson Desert Art Museum’s Four Corners Gallery. Her work is also on display at El Portal Hacienda in Sedona.

REBECCA TOBEY (NEW MEXICO)

Rebecca’s high school art teacher told her that she was not good enough to major in art in college, instead she received a bachelors and master’s degree in theatre arts, focusing on scene design, stagecraft and props, creating art on a large scale. She joined her late husband in collaboration in 1985. Upon his death in 2006, she continued the work that they had pioneered as a solo artist. Nature inspires her work. After 40 years in the studio, she has a passion for exploring new images in both bronze and ceramic and loves the moment a ceramic sculpture comes out of the kiln because, as she says, “It’s like Christmas morning every time.” These days Rebecca and her rescued Springer Spaniel, Dexter, take long walks in the vast open space around her home in the country outside Santa Fe, NM, where they often see mule deer, coyotes, rabbits, snakes and lizards and all kinds of birds. Rebecca has participated in Cowgirl Up! since 2013 winning several awards for 3-D art as well as the “Museum Purchase” award. Her sculpture is in numerous public and private collections including the John and Mabel Ringling Museum of Art, Sarasota, FL; The University of NM Cancer Center, Albuquerque, NM; The Booth Museum, Cartersville, GA; The Hockaday Museum of Art, Kalispell, MT; Sigler Wester Museum, Wickenburg, AZ; The Phippen Museum in Prescott, AZ; and the Lincoln Center of the Performing Arts, Fort Collins, CO.

Rebecca Tobey, Mustang Sally, Ceramic, Unique, 31" x 25½" x 8½"

V …. VAUGHAN (TEXAS)

A lifelong Texan, V…. was the Cowgirl Up! 2016 “Artist’s Choiceˮ award winner. V…. got her start in advertising design, spending years as art director, illustrator, designer and cartoonist. Raising three children on the family farm with her husband, she created art and shared her passion as part-time high school art teacher for over 26 years. She’s also a workshop instructor.

“I’ve always loved working out my art thoughts with projects. These include a six-year concentration on Texas, humorously mapping out the history, geography and tall tales. I became a serious painter studying our family rodeo cowgirls and cowboys. Our farm had several arenas and I was best at sketching the riding and roping! Then I painted our family’s Last Year on the Farm, 365 small daily paintings. The collection and stories traveled for several years to museums and venues such as the University of Nebraska’s Great Plains Art Museum. I followed up with a two year study, painting other people’s farms, from a moving vehicle. A car or bus or train, was my studio as I painted Passing America. The exhibit premiered at the Bone Creek Museum of Agrarian Art in Nebraska. These days my current passion is leading artists and travelers in a rural area of South France, where we live with a famous host, and a chef in their 12th century castle! We sketch, paint, and explore small villages, markets and farms. Their rodeos are different than ours! Come along!”

V ... Vaughan, Thanks for the Rain, Oil on Canvas, 36" x 30"

YUN WEI (CALIFORNIA)

Yun Wei is a representational painter who uses traditional oil painting techniques in all of her work. Yun was born in TianJin, China. After graduating from Tianjin Academy of Fine Arts with a concentration in oil painting, she began teaching at the Fine Art High School of Tianjin. From 2003 to 2008, she worked as a professional artist for several galleries in New Zealand and Australia. In spring of 2008, she moved to the United States and then traveled with her family around the world for a few years. She currently has a studio in Eastvale, California. Yun has been inspired by the Dutch Golden Age still life artists such as Willem Kalf and Willem Claeszoon Heda since high school. Throughout Yun’s art career she has always been so obsessed with the traditional painting technique. Every time she stands in front of a master’s painting she always tries to see and think deeply through the layers of the painting. Yun believes that the beauty of art is emotional so she strives to paint elegance and calmness into her work using objects such as antique china, musical instruments, and arranged flowers. As time passes, Yun hopes that the message and effect of her work will be preserved.

Yun Wei, Tipsy Arrangements, Oil on Panel, 20" X 24"

KWANI POVI WINDER (UTAH)

Kwani Povi Winder is a young artist with a passion for learning and creating. Her paintings are characterized by vibrant colors, impressionistic brushstrokes, and deep emotions that infuse each piece with life. Her subjects primarily include landscapes and Native figures. Kwani’s work is heavily influenced by being an enrolled member of the Santa Clara Pueblo Tribe. Through her paintings she seeks to preserve, share, and educate about her unique heritage. She portrays each figure with authenticity and captures the spirit of every individual she paints. Kwani received her BFA in oil painting from Brigham Young University, Idaho and recently built and designed a house in Southeast Idaho. Kwani loves the outdoors and is always hiking or camping. When she is not creating, she spends time with family, watching movies, reading, and playing piano or viola.

Kwani Povi Winder, Grandmother’s Touch, Oil on Linen Panel, 20" x 16"

LIZ WOLF (NEW MEXICO)

“I was born in Duluth, Minnesota, and spent my childhood in St. Paul, Minnesota. I earned both my Bachelor and Masters of Fine Arts degrees in sculpture from Northern Illinois University. Afterward, I lived in Chicago as a working artist before moving to Santa Fe, New Mexico, in 1997—a lifelong dream that became a reality. My life as an artist is deeply fulfilling, and I will continue to create sculptures in bronze, clay, and wood for as long as I can, for every day brings new beginnings. I am represented by Manitou Galleries, Santa Fe, New Mexico; Mockingbird Gallery, Bend, Oregon; Marshall Gallery, Scottsdale, Arizona; and Davis & Blevins Gallery, Saint Jo, Texas.

When I am sculpting, I feel the sculpture take part in its own creation. I listen, and we continue to work together. That’s exactly what happened when creating this piece (pictured right). I originally planned for a young girl holding a fawn in her arms. But as I worked, the sculpture of the young girl seemed to want something sacred placed in the palm of her hand instead. I tried placing many small objects that I thought were sacred, but the only one that pleased her was a small Kachina I had carved years ago. When I stepped back and looked at her, I realized the little flat Kachina looked like a cell phone. I said to myself, ‛This is what she wants in the palm of her hand.’ I know that Kachinas are part of the Hopi world and hold great significance. This realization inspired me to recreate her as a Hopi girl from the early 1900s, complete with the sash belt and fringe that symbolize rain. Hopi girls receive Kachinas from childhood until marriage. Traditionally, Kachina dolls were simple wooden carvings given to Hopi children to teach them about their culture and the Kachinas that would visit during upcoming ceremonies. Kachinas are spirits of things in the real world. This experience awakened me, we all need something more spiritual to hold onto than just our cell phones.ˮ

THE 2026 COWGIRL UP! ARTISTS

+ 21-year participants

COWGIRL UP! SPONSORS

We recognize that private and corporate donations are vital to the success of Cowgirl Up!, and we are deeply grateful to these generous supporters. Their commitment has ensured the success of this 21st-anniversary exhibition and sale and has helped champion the West's remarkable women artists.

Platinum Spur $25,000

Carey and Jack Sigler

Diamond Spur $20,000

Sally and Sandy Cutler

DeVore Foundation, Alta DeVore, Trustee

Lori and Rich Jaros

Jackye and Leon Powell

Gold Spur $10,000

John and Lynne Boyer

Christine and Paul Branstad

Dita and John Daub

J. Landis and Sharon Martin Family Foundation

Rancho de los Caballeros Ranch and Golf Club

Betsey and Bob Unger

Silver Spur $5,000

Margie and Allen Brown

Peggy and Jim Colley

Drs. Thomas and Virginia Collier

Mary Ann Igna

Rea and Jim Ludke

Sarah Goulard and Hiram F. Moody, Jr.

National Bank of Arizona

Vicki and Jerry Riggins

Linda Waag and Martin Schlumberger

Elaine and Peter Schweitzer

William and Patricia Sigler

Kathleen Parrish and Douglas S. Spencer

Nancy and Terry Theken

Betty and Tom Watt

Copper Spur $2,500 APS

Judi and Ken Besse

Robo and Kathy Brumder

In honor of all the Cowgirl Up! artists

Theresa and Bob Dunn

Gust Rosenfeld P.L.C.

Mary Jo and George Hellick

Jennie and Bruce Jackson

Craig and Peggy Means

Ellie Nolan

Phoenix Philanthropy Group

Linda and Joe Stevens

Wickenburg Ranch

Nickel Spur $1,000

Jeff Deming

Margaret L. Nyberg

Leslie and Dick Parran

Studio Ma

UMB Bank

Todd and Amanda Unger

June White

Turquoise Spur $500

Holly Caniglia

Double “H” Custom Hat Company

Jenifer and Dan Finley

Community Sponsors $400

McGuire Robb Attorneys at Law

Stacie B. Robb

Christine Smith

Lisa Knight

Lyndsay Henderson

Sage Gallery

Wickenburg Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center

Dr. Paul Savino – Wickenburg Family

Dentistry

Community Sponsors $200

96.3 Real Country

Sam Buchert – Edward Jones

Rancho Bar 7

Media Sponsors

Western Art Collector

Grant supporters

Best of Show Award “Main”

Chosen by the panel of Cowgirl Up! judges:

2006: Sherry Salari Sander; 2007: Jan Mapes; 2008: Sherry Blanchard Stuart; 2009: Sandy Scott; 2010: Louisa McElwain; 2011: Veryl Goodnight; 2012: Martha Pettigrew; 2013: Gail Jones Sundell; 2014: Donna Howell-Sickles; 2015: Laura Koller; 2016: Laura Koller; 2017: Jill Soukup; 2018: Susan Kliewer; 2019: Erin Hanson; 2020: Stephanie Revennaugh; 2021: Linda Glover Gooch; 2022: Mejo Okon; 2023: Rachel Brownlee; 2024: Georgia Rowswell; 2025: Stephanie Revennaugh

Best of Show Award “Mini”

Chosen by the panel of Cowgirl Up! judges: 2025: Yun Wei (inaugural year)

First Place Award – Two Dimensional

Chosen by the panel of Cowgirl Up! judges:

2006: Linda Lillegraven; 2007: Laurie J. Lee; 2008: Harriet “Rox” Corbett; 2009: Krystii Melaine; 2010: Linda Carter Holman; 2011: Harriet “Rox” Corbett; 2012: Krystii Melaine (canvas); Harriet “Rox” Corbett (paper); 2013: Lisa Danielle (canvas); Karen Cooper (paper); 2014: Darcie Peet (canvas); Rox Corbett (paper); 2015: Stephanie Hartshorn (canvas); Rox Corbett (paper);

2016: Dinah Worman (canvas); Rox Corbett (paper); 2017: Nancy Boren (canvas); Rox Corbett (paper); 2018: Erin Hanson (canvas); Rox Corbett (paper); 2019: Sonja Caywood (canvas); Stephanie Campos (paper); 2020: Nancy Michaelson (canvas); Sam Woolcott (paper); 2021: Harper Henry (canvas); Rox Corbett (paper); 2022: Lisa Danielle (canvas); Stephanie Campos (paper); 2023: Julie Nighswonger (canvas); Stephanie Campos (paper); 2024: Crystal Orlando (canvas); Dolores Purdy (paper); 2025: Heather Burton (canvas); Kathy Harder (paper)

First Place Award – Three Dimensional

Chosen by the panel of Cowgirl Up! judges: 2006: Deborah Copenhaver Fellows; 2007: Cynthia Rigden; 2008: Susan Kliewer; 2009: Liz Wolf; 2010: Sherry Salari Sander; 2011: Sherry Salari Sander; 2012: Sherry Salari Sander; 2013: Rebecca Tobey; 2014: Deborah Copenhaver Fellows; 2015: Jan Mapes; 2016: Lisa Gordon; 2017: Martha Pettigrew; 2018: Rebecca Tobey; 2019: Stephanie Revennaugh; 2020: Deanne McKeown; 2021: Susan Kliewer; 2022: Rebecca Tobey; 2023: Rosetta; 2024: Rosetta; 2025: Rebecca Tobey

Governor’s Choice Award

Chosen by the Office of the Governor of the State of Arizona: 2006: Elaine Manning Crook; 2007: Susan Kliewer; 2008: Sheila Cottrell; 2009: Sue Krzyston; 2010: Carol Swinney; 2011: Marcia Molnar; 2012: Susan Kliewer; 2013: Joni Falk; 2014: Sheila Cottrell; 2015: Shawn Cameron; 2016: Shawn Cameron; 2017: Cynthia Rigden; 2018: Jessica Garrett; 2019: Linda Glover Gooch; 2020 and 2021: not awarded due to COVID-19; 2022: Judith Durr; 2023-2025: not awarded Museum Purchase Award

Chosen by the Sigler Western Museum: 2006: Brenda Murphy; 2007: Jan Mapes; 2008: Joni Falk; 2009: Liz Wolf; 2010: Lisa Gordon; 2011: Louisa McElwain; 2012: Martha Pettigrew; 2013: Star Liana York; 2014: Maura Allen; 2015: Sherry Salari Sander; 2016: Gladys Roldan-de-Moras; 2017: Deborah Copenhaver Fellows; 2018: Stephanie Revennaugh; 2019: Rebecca Tobey; 2020: Shawn Cameron; 2021: Linda Glover Gooch; 2022: Veryl Goodnight; 2023: Stephanie Campos; 2024: Liz Wolf; 2025: Julie Nighswonger and Margaret Drake

Patrons’ Choice Award

Chosen by the Cowgirl Up! patrons in attendance:

2006: Mary Cooper Hamill; 2007: Liz Wolf; 2008: Moni Heil; 2009: Jenny Forge-Schmalstieg; 2010: Harriet “Rox” Corbett; 2011: Amy Ringholz; 2012: Susan Kliewer; 2013: Sheila Cottrell; 2014: Rox Corbett; 2015: K. L. McKenna; 2016: Sheila Cottrell; 2017: Jessica Gilbert; 2018: renamed Patrons’ Choice Award: Marcia Molnar; 2019: Sherry Cobb; 2020: Jessica Garrett; 2021: Naomi Brown; 2022: Sherry Cobb-Kelleher; 2023: Lisa Danielle; 2024: Crystal Orlando; 2025: Linda Glover Gooch

Artists’ Choice Award

Chosen by the Cowgirl Up! artists in attendance:

2007: Shawn Cameron; 2008: Teresa Elliott; 2009: Jenny ForgeSchmalstieg; 2010: Linda Loeschen; 2011: Kathryn Stats; 2012: Krystii Melaine; 2013: Maura Allen; 2014: Terry Cooke Hall; 2015: Stephanie Hartshorn; 2016: V…. Vaughan; 2017: Ann Hanson; 2018: Sheri Farabaugh; 2019: Linda Glover Gooch; 2020: Harper Henry; 2021: Harper Henry; 2022: Julie Nighswonger; 2023: Mejo Okon; 2024: Harper Henry; 2025: Mary Leslie

Director’s Choice/New Artist

2014: Barbara Zaring; 2015: Stephanie Revennaugh; 2016: Gladys Roldan-de-Moras; 2017: Heide Presse; 2018: Ann Huston; 2019: Sherry Cobb; 2020: Diana Madaras; 2021: Lisa McLoughlin; 2022: Kwani Povi Winder; 2023: Yun Wei; 2024: Karen Clarkson; 2025: Mary Leslie

People’s Choice Award

Chosen by Museum visitors throughout the run of the exhibition: 2018: Krystii Melaine; 2019: Stephanie Campos; 2020: Deborah Copenhaver Fellows; 2021: Julie Nighswonger; 2022: Ann Hanson; 2023: Michelle Kondos; 2024: Georgia Rowswell; 2025: Linda Glover Gooch

Western Art Collector Award of Excellence

For body of work, selected by Western Art Collector magazine: 2012: Laurie J. Lee; 2013: Harriet “Rox” Corbett; 2014: Liz Wolf; 2015: Terry Cooke Hall; 2016: Stephanie Hartshorn; 2017: Deborah Copenhaver Fellows; 2018: Suzanne Baker 2019: Shelby Keefe; 2020: Sheila Cottrell; 2021: Samantha Sherry; 2022: Kwani Povi Winder; 2023: Michelle Kondos; 2024: Sharon Standridge; 2025: Mary Leslie