Fill out the Artist Application Forms
and become a part of Death Valley history.

For over 58 years Artists have been displaying and
selling their wares on an invitational only basis at the
Death Valley '49ers Encampment.

Artist Letter
Click here to download a copy of the Artist Letter  ( PDF 75KB )

1st Time Artist Application
Click here to download a copy of the 1st Time Artist Application  ( PDF 75KB )

Artist Application
Click here to download a copy of the Artist Application  ( PDF 75KB )

 Artist Waiver
Click here to download a copy of the Artist Waiver  ( PDF 75KB )

Art Show General Information
Click here to download a copy of the Artist General Information  ( 75KB )

Western Art Guidelines
Click here to download a copy of the Western Art Guidelines  ( PDF 75KB )

'En Plein-air Competition' Event
Click here to download a copy of the "En Plein-air Competition" Event  ( PDF 75KB )

** Complete Artist Packet **
Click here to download a copy of the Complete Artist Packet
which includes everything listed above  ( PDF 160KB )

2008 INVITATIONAL WESTERN ART SHOW

ARTIST LETTER

Dear Artist                                                                                        January, 2008

We cordially invite you to jury for our, Death Valley ‘49ers Invitational Western Art Show.

Our Death Valley ‘49ers 59th Annual Encampment will be held November 6th – 9th 2008. 

Our first Art Show exhibited in 1951 and has grown into one of the finest

Invitational Western Art Shows in the Southwest. 

Slides/pictures are juried at the Death Valley ‘49ers Board of Directors

Meetings in January, March, May, July, and September. 

Please read the enclosed materials, complete and return as soon as possible.

New Artists Applications are accepted on first to jury basis.

2008 INVITATIONAL WESTERN ART SHOW

GENERAL INFORMATION

          The Invitational Western Art Show is sponsored annually by the Death Valley ‘49ers at the Encampment Program in early November.  The ‘49ers are non-salaried volunteers and receive no financial incentives. The compelling beauty of the Death Valley National Park and the fortunate union of the Death Valley ‘49ers, National Park professionals and the Xanterra, Inc. staff is unique. The premier western artists, musicians, and other features of this famous Encampment, since 1949, draw worldwide appreciative audiences.

          Encampment activities are located at Furnace Creek Ranch, the Park Visitor Center, and Stovepipe Wells Village. The spacious Death Valley National Park easily accommodates the thousands of people drawn to attend the events and to enjoy the beauty of the deep valley and high mountains.

          The Invitational Western Art Show, a prime feature of the Encampment, is held at the Death Valley National Park, Furnace Creek Visitor Center. Only original Western art is displayed and sold.  Prints may be sold from bins, but not hung in the exhibit booths. The categories are watercolor, oil, sculpture, acrylic, and other media.  Applications are juried on the color slides/pictures submitted.

          The three and one-half-day Invitational Western Art Show includes “quick-draws”, teaching demos, two peoples’ composites, painting with professional artists, a Children’s Art Workshop and auctions. 

          An annual composite painting is started at the Saturday “Breakfast with the Artists” and auctioned the following year at the same event. No commission is charged on art sales, although we require a list of sales and prices at the end of the show for annual evaluation and suggestions. The auction proceeds go to the Endowment Fund, which funds our Education Programs. Our Scholarship Program benefits graduating high school students from the Death Valley area who qualify for college and need assistance.

          Other events include talks on the history of the area, music with fiddling and picking contests, horseback trail riders, covered wagon train, 4-wheel drive tours, hikes, gold panning, horseshoe pitching contests, old-time costume contest, dancing under the stars, and much, much more.
 

2008 INVITATIONAL WESTERN ART SHOW

GUIDELINES

            Western Art depicts the living scenes, still or otherwise and the artifacts of life as it was or still may be, in the western United States.

            This could be men, women, children, animals, costumes and anything that might be characteristic of the old west.  This includes anachronisms and relics: wild or domesticated life, birds, animals, trees and flowers, (not floral arrangements); primitive culture or civilization (not cities); landscapes of desert, stream, mountain, lake (not seascapes).

            The life and times of the Indian, the miner, the mountain man, the Army, the Cavalry, the cowboy, past and present:  The open range, picks,  shovels,  shanties,  saloons,  desert etc.

            Western American celebrates the wide-open West in all its moods and seasons, the creatures that inhabit it, their struggles and triumphs, or defeats.  Creation unhampered in the making. 

POINTS CONSIDERED BY THE COMMITTEE IN JURYING

Originality of concept

Composition                  Understanding of subject matter

Color                            Presentation, frame, etc.

Drawing ability              Overall appeal

Perspective                   Is this artist copying? 

Please note: Each artist is responsible for California state sales tax.

The forms are free and can be picked up at the State Board of Equalization in any large city.