News

George Phippen at work in his studio

George Phippen remembered

A recent issue of Cowboys & Indians magazine featured the story of George Phippen’s life and career, as recounted by Phippen Museum Executive Director Kim Villalpando.

Phippen Museum opens three new exhibits at official Grand Opening!

On Friday, July 22, 2011 from 5:30 – 8:00 p.m., the Phippen Museum will celebrate the official Grand Opening of its newly expanded facilities and provide an opening reception for three different Western art exhibits. Offering 6,000 square feet of new gallery space, the expansion project now makes it possible for the museum to run concurrent shows and offer a wider variety of artwork for the public to enjoy.

The exhibit Local Color features artwork from Prescott area artists and is on display in the new Kemper and Ethel Marley Western art gallery from July 23 through October 30. Highlighting pieces from 10 of our most skilled, local Western artists, this exhibition includes the talents of Bill Anton, Kathy Quick Anderson, Shawn Cameron, John Coleman CA, Bill Nebeker CA, Robert Peters, Dave Powell CA, Don Rantz, Cynthia Rigden and Curt Walters.

From July 23 to October 16, Native Myths and Legends II will present the works of six different prominent Native American artists from around Arizona. Using unique art forms and varied techniques, these artists will explore their rich cultural heritage and traditions in this returning exhibit to the museum’s George Phippen gallery.

And finally, there will be a very special exhibit of the Solon H. Borglum Collection in an area designed specifically for these items. The Phippen Museum is especially proud to be the new home of the Prescott Area Arts Trust’s collection, which includes sculptures, furniture, paintings and other objects and memorabilia from Borglum’s life. A renowned sculptor from the late 1800s and early 1900s, Solon’s reputation as an artist was unfortunately eclipsed by his older brother, Gutzon Borglum, who designed Mount Rushmore. However, Solon’s realistic sculptures of Native Americans, cowboys, and North American wildlife won him tremendous accolades in 19th century Europe, and the title, “Sculptor of the Prairie.” In the early 20th Century, Solon began to focus on creating monuments like Prescott’s Captain William Owen O’Neill Memorial, now more commonly referred to as the “Rough Rider Monument.”

This Grand Opening event is free to all Phippen Museum members, $15 for non-members and will include a special presentation from Old West speaker, humorist, author and artist, Bob Boze Bell of True West Magazine.

For comments or questions regarding Phippen events, contact the Events & Volunteer Coordinator.