It was another banner year for the Buffalo Bill Art Show and Sale in Cody. The annual contemporary Western art show and auction raised over $1.2 million in two days, with additional sales still to be calculated into the total.
Money raised from the 2025 show will be split between the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, the Cody Country Chamber of Commerce, and the artists whose works are featured in the show.
“Every year’s different, but it’s always glorious,” Katelyn Parker, the director of the Buffalo Bill Art Show and Sale, told Cowboy State Daily. “I’ve loved this show for as long as I can remember, so I want to make sure that experience is sustained, for the patrons and the artists.”
Moments Of Uncertainty
Of the 103 pieces from 103 artists selected to participate, 93 pieces sold during Friday night’s live auction.
Every year, a handful of pieces don’t meet the reserve prices set by the artists and go unsold. It can be a nerve-wracking experience for the artists, especially if they’ve traveled to Cody to attend the auction, which dozens do every year.
Being the only Western art auction that focused exclusively on contemporary Western artists, Parker said the Buffalo Bill Art Show and Sale works hard to “bridge the gap” between patrons and artists.
It doesn’t ensure a sale during the auction, but it helps the artists understand what kind of art potential patrons are looking for.
“If you have a bunch of beautiful artwork, but you don't have the patrons to buy them, then you're not bridging the gap,” Parker said. “We have an incredible selection committee that is comprised of industry professionals. They know our patrons, so they carefully cultivate the roster of artists.”
Big Buyers
Sometimes, all that’s needed is a handful of big buyers, and there were several under the tent in Cody this year.
The biggest buyer this year was Bidder 120, who purchased eight pieces totaling $70,500. That’s roughly 8% of the $930,500 of art sold during Friday night’s live auction.
Another buyer, Bidder 34, bought four pieces totaling $31,000 during Friday night’s auction. Multiple bidders bought multiple pieces, while many others didn’t raise their hands once.
Regardless, everyone seemed to have a great time getting caught up in the excitement of the auctions. Every buyer went home happy, as did most of the artists.
“You have to bridge the gap between the artist and the patron, and that's what we're here to do,” Parker said.
The Top Ten
Here are the highest-selling pieces from this year’s show, along with information about the artists.
"The Faithful Daughters Wore No Jewels, No Costly Diamonds, None, No None At All" by Michael Ome Untiedt: $17,000
• Oil, 36x30 inches
“Humans can be capable of incredibly unselfish acts of sacrifice and dedication, bound by love and kindness,” Untiedt said. “The title comes from a traditional Irish song, ‘The Galway Shawl.’ The words represent unblemished purity and beauty.”
Untiedt works out of a studio in Denver, Colorado, and his work has been frequently included in the Buffalo Bill Art Show and Sale.
His painting “As Sure As The Wild Geese Take Wing on November's Cold Breath, So Too Do Old Towns Slow Down,” was one of the top-selling pieces of the 2024 live auction, selling for $24,000.
Untiedt participated in the 2025 Quick Draw, where his painting sold for $5,000.
“Crystal Road” by Maeve Eichelberger: $17,000
• Hand Etched and Hand Formed Acrylic, 47x27x22
“‘Crystal Road’ is inspired by the Glacier Lily of the Shoshone National Forest,” Eichelberger said. “The Glacier Lily protrudes in springtime with its delicate paper white petals mimicking the elegance and strength of glass. I love the heartiness of springtime blooms, as they are the first signs of resilience after a long winter.”
Eichelberger, a Colorado native, specializes in “a new form of three-dimensional collage” using plexiglass. She creates pieces for a more three-dimensional interpretation of Western themes, “infused with nostalgia and beauty of our ever-changing environment.”
“Custer & the Table” by Thom Ross: $18,000
• Oil, 72x48 inches
“Upon the surrender of the Confederate army at Appomattox, General Sheridan bought the table that Grant had used to write out the terms of the surrender for $20.00 and gave it to Major General Custer as a gift for Custer’s wife, Libbie,” Ross said.
Ross is a renowned illustration and installation artist known for his distinctive depictions of famous people and historical events, often at life-size.
Several of his pieces, including “Hickok and Cody,” are in the collection of the Whitney Western Art Museum at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West.
“Into the Storm” by David Frederick Riley: $19,000
• Oil, 60x48 inches
“It is said that bison will head into a storm to move through it faster,” Riley said. “The metaphor is one that helps provide strength and fortitude in uncertain times, and as the bison know, this too shall pass.”
Riley’s massive paintings of Western wildlife are consistently among the highest-selling in the Live and Quick Draw auctions. His painting of a black bear won the People’s Choice Award and was the highest-selling piece of the 2025 Quick Draw at $25,000.
His painting of a bison, “American Dream,” was the highest-selling piece during the 2023 Quick Draw Live Auction, selling for $19,000. His painting of Grizzly 399 and her four cubs, “Maternal,” sold for $19,500 during that year’s Live Auction.
“Celestial Nomad” by Jeff Legg: $20,000
• Oil, 30x30 inches
“‘Celestial Nomad’ captures my reverence for the pronghorn’s form – its skull, both delicate and enduring, floating in the quiet vastness. Set against Wyoming’s endless plains and the mystery of the night sky, it becomes a lone traveler between worlds, where beauty, memory, and space quietly converge.”
Legg has been recognized as a Master Painter by the Oil Painters of America. One of his pieces was purchased by astronaut Neil Armstrong, and another was selected to be included in Lunar Mission One, a digital time capsule that was going to be sent to the moon.
“Guardian of the Wilderness” by Krystii Melanie: $26,000
• Oil, 30x24 inches
“‘Guardian of the Wilderness’ meets your gaze with wild wisdom,” Melanie said. “He looks deep into your soul, reminding you of your inner strength, your path, your purpose. May he stir something ancient in you – a call to live authentically, to stay fierce, and to honor the spirit that cannot be tamed.”
Melanie is an Australian native who is a Master Signature Member of the American Women Artists. “Guardian of the Wilderness” won the 2025 People’s Choice Award, which helped contribute to a higher price during Friday night’s live auction.
Melanie participated in the 2025 Quick Draw, where her painting sold for $3,750.
“In the Land of the Tukudeka” by Vic Payne: $30,000
• Bronze, 54x45x13.5 inches
“I created this piece to honor the Tukudeka, the Sheepeaters of the Mountain Shoshone,” Payne said. “Skilled hunters, artisans, and spiritual leaders, they survived in the rugged mountains of northwest Wyoming, now Yellowstone National Park. Through this work, I hope to restore a piece of their history and ensure their remarkable story is remembered.”
Payne works out of the restored Meeteetse Mercantile building and is currently overseeing the construction of a new bronze foundry nearby. His bronze sculpture “Sounds of the Night” won a Judge’s Award of Excellence and was the highest-selling piece at the 42nd Buffalo Bill Art Show and Sale, selling for $45,000.
“Granite Creek Bull” by Tucker Smith: $35,000
• Oil, 20x24 inches
“The inspiration for this painting was the gesture of the gull as he acknowledges the viewer,” Smith said.
Smith has been a full-time professional artist since he was 31, after growing up “at the foot of the Wind River Range” in Pinedale. He has a home and studio on the Hoback Rim where he paints images of “vast landscapes, sprawling cattle ranches, and the back country with its abundant wildlife and natural, unspoiled beauty.”
Smith’s painting, “Sanctuary,” won one of the five Judges’ Awards of Excellence and sold for $37,500 at the 43rd Buffalo Bill Art Show and Sale.
“A Matter of Utmost Urgency” by Santiago Michalek: $42,500
• Oil, 48x96 inches
“The world is changing but not always in a linear fashion,” Michalek said. “The message in this bag has endured perils and many riders to get to this point. This is a success story of brave people, during a time when old and new were colliding, despite that this urgent message must get through.”
Born in Argentina, “A Matter of Utmost Urgency” won the 2025 Spirit of Buffalo Bill Art Show and Sale Award. Michalek’s painting “Horse Power” won the People’s Choice Award for the 42nd Buffalo Bill Art Show and Sale and was one of the highest-selling pieces that year.
Michalek participated in the 2025 Quick Draw, where his painting sold for $17,000.
“Crow Indians Small War Party” by Kevin Red Star: $50,000
• Acrylic Mixed Media, 60x48 inches
“The Crow land in northern Montana is lush and plenty,” Red Star said. “There is grassland and water for the horses and game animals. The Big Horn and Yellowstone River flow through and on Crow land. It is ideal and coveted by outsiders.”
Red Star was born on the Crow Indian Reservation in Lodge Grass, Montana, and holds honorary doctoral degrees from Rocky Mountain College and the Institute of American Indian Arts. His pieces are consistently among the highest-selling pieces at the Buffalo Bill Art Show and Sale.
Andrew Rossi can be reached at arossi@cowboystatedaily.com.
