The King of Western Pulp Illustrators
In partnership with the Museum of Western Art in Kerrville, Texas, we proudly present “A.R. Mitchell, The King of Western Pulp Illustrators.” This special exhibit on loan from The A.R. Mitchell Museum will be displayed in the Kieckhofer and Egloff galleries through April 18th, 2026.
Explore the vibrant journey through the life and work of one of America’s great visual storytellers.
Kuehl Fine Art: Cari Faye Antonovich
Imaginarium: A Girl is a Gun
An exhibit featuring the art of Cari Faye Antonovich
Cari Faye is a visual artist specializing in self-portraiture that explores themes of identity, transformation, and connection. Her work often described as hauntingly beautiful weaves natural elements like light shadow and texture into personal narratives. Inspired by the interplay between human experience and the natural world, Cari uses experimental techniques to create evocative images that invite viewers to reflect on their own stories. Based in Wyoming, she draws inspiration from the landscapes around her making art that explores the shared complexities of life.
More info on Carifaye.com
Opening event March 6, 5-8pm
Light food and drink.
Attendance is Free
Kuehl Fine Art: Sarah Boston
An exhibit featuring the art of Sarah Boston
Sarah Boston is a self-taught artist who was born and raised in Great Falls, Montana. From a very young age, growing up in Russell country, she developed a deep love and appreciation for Western art. Over the past nearly two decades, she has pursued a professional art career, honing her skills and specializing in highly realistic portraits of both people and animals. Her preferred mediums include oil paint, soft pastel, and graphite, through which she expertly captures detail and emotion. Sarah is deeply committed to bringing life and genuine feeling to her work, often embedding subtle stories and meaningful elements within each piece.
Currently, Sarah resides in Trinidad, Colorado, where she plays an important role in the local art community by curating the annual “Resonance Art Invitational” show for the A.R. Mitchell Museum of Western Art.
More info on www.SarahBostonFineArt.com
Opening event April 3, 5-8pm
Light food and drink.
Attendance is Free
Artist Lecture: Charles Parson & Devon Parson
Artist Lecture at Trinidad State Boyd TCRM building (and virtual!)
Charles Parson’s multi-faceted work includes drawings, prints, paintings, sculptures, installations, stage designs and performance art, as well as monumental public sculptures. His work has been viewed in galleries, art centers and museums throughout the U.S. He has 75 One-person exhibitions, as well as numerous regional and national showings in group shows. Additionally he has produced many alternative public art events and large-scale temporary installations.
Devon Parson received a masters in education and is currently the Program Director for a Transition Program in Durango, Colorado. Devon also currently teaches Emergency Medical Services Courses with Southwest Community College. Growing up in a family of artists it is no surprise that Devon has the drive for creative expression. Devon has been involved in music for most of his life playing in local bluegrass bands and recently has found visual arts to be an outlet. Devon has shown his work statewide and has provided multiple artist talks and his process and theme of his work.
Full artist bios and info: Charles Parson / Devon Parson
4/16/26 5:30-6:30pm
Additional information and virtual event access will be posted at https://trinidadstate.edu/als before the lecture
Artist Lecture: Craig Ludwick
Artist Lecture at Trinidad State Boyd TCRM building (and virtual!)
Craig Ludwick is a multidisciplinary creative professional whose career is rooted in visual storytelling, design, and artistic problem-solving. With a background heavily grounded in creative design, Craig has operated a successful freelance art and design practice called Ludwick Handcrafted since 2012, collaborating across a wide range of creative disciplines. Creativity is central to his professional identity, serving as both a vocation and a driving force behind an expansive and diverse career.
Full bio can be read here: Craig Ludwick
Additional work at Craig Ludwick’s Instagram
Craig’s book, Casen & Ghost: Journey to the Unknown, available here.
5/7/26 5:30-6:30pm
Additional information and virtual event access will be posted at https://trinidadstate.edu/als before the lecture
Artist Lecture: TBD
Artist Lecture at Trinidad State Boyd TCRM building (and virtual!)
More info coming soon!
6/4/26 5:30-6:30pm
Additional information and virtual event access will be posted at https://trinidadstate.edu/als before the lecture
Artist Lecture: TBD
Artist Lecture at Trinidad State Boyd TCRM building (and virtual!)
More info coming soon!
8/6/26 5:30-6:30pm
Additional information and virtual event access will be posted at https://trinidadstate.edu/als before the lecture
Kuehl Fine Art: Cody Kuehl
An exhibit featuring the art of Cody Kuehl
Cody Kuehl is a contemporary painter who features moment of impact images of the west. Born in Northern Colorado, Cody's formative youth was raising, training, and showing draft horses with his family. Cody currently resides in Longmont Colorado. He is the board president of the A.R. Mitchell Museum where he runs his gallery, Kuehl Fine Art.
Opening event August 7, 5-8pm
Light food and drink.
Attendance is Free
From Dawn to Dusk: By Frank La Lumia
Fri, Mar 6, 2026 - Tues, Apr 30, 2026
A retrospective plein air painting show about light, featuring the art of Frank La Lumia
This exhibit features never-before-seen watercolor paintings created during 50 years of Frank’s worldwide travel.
Frank Lalumia, a longtime resident of Trinidad, CO, was born in 1948 in Chicago, Illinois, and is a renowned artist known for his watercolor and oil paintings. He received his B.A. from Bradley University in Peoria and studied at the American Academy of Art in Chicago. LaLumia has dedicated himself to painting full-time since 1977 and has taught at various workshops, including Plein-Air Painters of America Workshops in Bennington, VT, and Colorado Springs, CO. His art is characterized by a focus on light and the American Southwest, with influences from various cultures and landscapes. LaLumia is a member of several prestigious organizations, including the American Watercolor Society, the Oil Painters of America, and the National Watercolor Society. He has authored the book "Plein Air Painting in Watercolor and Oil" and has been featured in numerous publications and exhibitions.
More info in this article by Prism News
Opening event March 6, 5 - 8 pm
Light food and drink.
Attendance is Free
So On & So Forth: A Celebration of the Idiosyncratic
Fri, Mar 6, 2026 Tue, April 30, 2026
An exhibit featuring the art of Rick Dallago, Michael Dowling, Charles Leveque, Julia Martin, and Meghan Wilbar.
The A.R. Mitchell Art Museum is pleased to present SO ON & SO FORTH – A Celebration of the Idiosyncratic, a dynamic group exhibition featuring five accomplished Colorado-based artists— Rick Dallago, Michael Dowling, Charles T Levesque, Julia Martin, & Megan Wilbar— on on view March 5 through April 30, 2026. Carefully curated by artist & filmmaker RICK DALLAGO, SO ON & SO FORTH examines the ways we perceive ourselves (and one another) through humor, irony, and layered storytelling.
A former Hollywood film producer & location scout turned painter, Dallago has long admired Trinidad’s cinematic character. “I’ve been a fan of Trinidad for decades. The downtown is 'back-lot' ready for any movie set in the 1940’s. I look forward to spending time in Trinidad during the exhibition and engaging with its vibrant creative community.”
The museum itself carries a legacy deeply rooted in American art history. Named for A.R. Mitchell, a prolific illustrator who rose to prominence at the dawn of pulp magazine western fiction, the institution reflects Trinidad’s authentic artistic pedigree. Mitchell’s vivid depictions of frontier life helped define the visual language of the American West during the early twentieth century, lending the town a cultural lineage that continues to inspire contemporary artists exhibiting within its walls.
Featured Artists:
RICK DALLAGO
Rick Dallago creates meticulously rendered, photorealistic works that humorously critique our self-absorbed culture. Often described as a “snarky Norman Rockwell,” Dallago’s paintings reflect on the quirks and contradictions of modern life with both affection and sharp wit. His filmography includes Father of the Bride, City Slickers 2, Blue Crush, The Doors, Ishtar, Baby Boom, etc…
MICHAEL DOWLING
Internationally collected, Michael Dowling merges classical techniques refined in Italy with contemporary subject matter. His drawings and paintings balance timeless composition with modern themes, creating works that feel both enduring and immediate.
CHARLES T. LEVESQUE
A Denver-based artist and recent Bachelor of Fine Arts graduate of Metropolitan State University, Charles T. Levesque bridges traditional oil painting training with unconventional materials. His work fuses blue-collar sensibilities with fine art practice, resulting in pieces that are both tactile and conceptually layered.
JULIA MARTIN
Drawing from her Southern quilt-making heritage, Julia Martin creates mixed-media, hand-stitched works that blend reverence and wit. By highlighting raw edges and unruly threads, she transforms traditional craft into layered compositions that explore hidden labor, vulnerability, and identity.
MEGHAN WILBAR
Specializing in contemporary painting, landscapes, and torn paper drawings, Meghan Wilbar captures subtle shifts in texture and atmosphere. Her work reflects a sensitivity to place and material, offering quiet yet powerful meditations on environment and perception.
Together, these artists—each with a record of successful solo exhibitions and strong audience engagement—bring energy and insight to Trinidad’s expanding cultural landscape. SO ON & SO FORTH – A Celebration of the Idiosyncratic promises an experience that is thoughtful, humorous, and resonant, underscoring the vital role of the arts in fostering community dialogue and creative exchange.
Opening event March 6, 5-8pm
Light food and drink.
Attendance is Free
Artist Lecture: Frank La Lumia
Artist Lecture at Trinidad State Boyd TCRM building (and virtual!)
Frank La Lumia, “From Dawn to Dusk”
Frank’s discussion, given by his wife, Paula Little, will show how light affects outdoor watercolor painting, morning, noon, and night. Frank traveled the world, chasing down the light for 50 great years. The talk will include photos of paintings from China, Mexico, Guatemala, India, Morocco, the U.S., Turkey, the Caribbean, and more. The presentation will be a small selection of the 1,000 pieces which will hang in the A.R. MItchell Museum Feb-Mar.
In Plein Air Painting, everything can, and does happen! This will be illustrated with the regaling of a few quirky incidents, which occurred while painting. How does a person get the courage to fly to an exoitc land with 150 lbs of equipment and start painting the local scene? Some people are travelers and some are not. When you combine the wanderlust of travel and painting, this is the result.
Advice will be given to the neophyte plein air painter, the collector, with a question and answer period.
3/5/26 5:30-6:30pm
Additional information and virtual event access will be posted at https://trinidadstate.edu/als before the lecture
Kuehl Fine Art: Gregory Mayse
An exhibit featuring the art of Gregory Mayse
Being surrounded by the majestic landscapes, wildlife and western culture of the Rocky Mountains has had a tremendous influence on the life and art of Gregory Mayse.
Gregory is the owner of Wolf River Studio in Fort Collins, Colorado. He has always been attracted to realism in art and it is reflected in his painting style.
His works are showcased in storytelling pieces that could be about a moment in the day of a cowboy, Native American or mountain man. They can also capture the energy of a wild mustang racing across the landscape.
More info on GregoryMayse.com
Opening event February 6, 5-8pm
Light food and drink.
Attendance is Free
Artist Lecture: Gregory Mayse
Artist Lecture at Trinidad State Boyd TCRM building (and virtual!)
Mayse’s lecture, titled Crafting an Authentic Creative Life will focus on how creative paths are shaped through evolution, persistence, and the layering of skills across multiple artistic ventures. He will also be highlighting his new series, Echoes of the American West, showing at the Kuehl Fine Art Gallery during the month of February 2026.
Full artist bio and info at GregoryMayse.com
2/5/25 5:30-6:30pm
Additional information and virtual event access will be posted at https://trinidadstate.edu/als before the lecture
Gumbo Fundraiser!
Come join us for Chicken and Sausace Gumbo lunch ($15.00) per person and hear about all the fun things happening at the museum. Cody Kuehl and Sarah Boston will be doing a live painting demo. Tickets are available online through our website - www.armitchellmuseum.com and in person at the front desk.
Saturday Dec 6th 11a-1p
Kuehl Fine Art: Small Works
Small Works, an exhibition featuring work from over 20 artists from around the country.
Opening event December 5, 5-830pm
Light food and drink.
Attendance is Free.
Kuehl Fine Art: Penny Bidwell & Sarah Polzin
Matters of the Heart, an exhibit featuring the art of Penny Bidwell and Sarah Polzin
Opening event November 7, 5-8pm
Light food and drink.
Attendance is Free.
Penny sculpts ceramic figures to better understand herself. She relies on her subconscious and emotions to guide the process rather than planning ahead. By creating work from an emotional and intuitive place, the viewer can participate in an authentic human bond, much like an intimate conversation.
Full artist bio and info at penneybidwell.com
Sarah's work involves crafting pieces that surpass the traditional artistic methods used with these mediums. Instead, she crafts multi-dimensional artworks that use tactile components to elicit humorous and clever narratives.
Full artist bio and info at cactusgalleryla.com
Artist Lecture: Sarah Boston
Artist Lecture at Trinidad State Boyd TCRM building (and virtual!)
11/6/25 5:30-6:30pm
Full information and virtual event access at https://trinidadstate.edu/als
Trinidad State College's Art Department is proud to present Sarah Boston as our visiting artist lecturer on Thursday, November 06, 2025, from 5:30 - 6:30 pm. She will be speaking about their artistic process, artwork, philosophy, and working life. She will also be highlighting her curation work, which is currently being featured at the A.R. Mitchell Museum in Trinidad, in the realized Resonance 2025 Invitational.
Full artist bio and info at SarahBostonFineArt
Resonance 2025
Opening Reception October 3rd, 5-8pm
Join us for the 4th annual Resonance exhibit featuring artists from around the country recapturing life in the Old West through original artworks inspired by photos from the museum’s collection. Experience these bygone times as witnessed through the lens of A.R. Mitchell.
Free admission
Light refreshments will be served
Follow AR Mitchell Museum on Facebook or check back here for more details on this show!
Kuehl Fine Art: Talia Swartz Parsell
An exhibit featuring the art of Talia Swartz Parsell
Opening event October 3, 5-8pm
Light food and drink.
Attendance is Free.
For the past few years, Talia has focused on exploring the visual concepts of memory and place. A whole life of layered moments and memories captured in specific places in time have created this unique story that we each have to tell.
Full artist bio and info at www.taliasart.com
Artist Lecture: Maeve Eichelberger & Amanda McLeod
Artist Lecture at Trinidad State Boyd TCRM building (and virtual!)
10/2/25 5:30-6:30pm
Amanda, a graduate of Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design, creates evocative oil and pastel works with impressionistic flair, drawing on her background in illustration and her life in southern Colorado.
Maeve, a Colorado native, is known for her innovative 3-dimensional collages on Plexiglass, layering urban and rural themes to explore nostalgia, beauty, and the ever-changing environment of the West.
Together, their work invites viewers to experience art that tells stories, honors history, and reveals new perspectives.
Full artist bio and info at www.amcleodart.com and www.maeveeichelberger.com
Additional information and virtual event access will be posted at https://trinidadstate.edu/als before the lecture
Kuehl Fine Art: Amanda Vela
An exhibit featuring the art of Amanda Vela
Opening event September 5, 5-8pm
Light food and drink.
Attendance is Free.
Amanda’s original digital paintings are created by drawing on a tablet screen with a pressure-sensitive stylus in procreate, a program where she customizes the brush tools, mainly airbrush, pen, dry brush, and blending tools in order to illustrate with them and present a unique and expressive style. Her vision is to create work that will uplift people, and bring them a sense of joy. She was awarded 1st place for digital arts at the castle rock art festival in 2023.
She also creates work with traditional media including color pencil, acrylic and oil painting, as well as mixed media pieces. All emphasizing the vibrancy of life, the subtle vibrant colors and profound, divine intricacies that make up the world all around us.
Full artist bio and info at www.thevelaranch.com
Artist Lecture: Amanda Vela
Artist Lecture at Trinidad State Boyd TCRM building (and virtual!)
9/4/25 5:30-6:30pm
Amanda’s original digital paintings are created by drawing on a tablet screen with a pressure-sensitive stylus in procreate, a program where she customizes the brush tools, mainly airbrush, pen, dry brush, and blending tools in order to illustrate with them and present a unique and expressive style. Her vision is to create work that will uplift people, and bring them a sense of joy. She was awarded 1st place for digital arts at the castle rock art festival in 2023.
She also creates work with traditional media including color pencil, acrylic and oil painting, as well as mixed media pieces. All emphasizing the vibrancy of life, the subtle vibrant colors and profound, divine intricacies that make up the world all around us.
Full artist bio and info at www.thevelaranch.com
Additional information and virtual event access will be posted at https://trinidadstate.edu/als before the lecture
Kuehl Fine Art: Cody Kuehl & Sarah Boston
An exhibit featuring the art of Cody Kuehl & Sarah Boston
Opening event August 1, 5-8pm
Light food and drink.
Attendance is Free.
Cody is a Northern Colorado born, self-taught artist who has built his business from the ground up in Denver. After building his skills in college with mini pop-surreal paintings, he decided to get serious about making his art into a business and built it into the gallery of New Western art he has today. Now, The Art of Cody Kuehl features New Western paintings with a unique stylistic interpretation merging detailed graphical subjects with abstract underlays.
Full artist bio and info at artofcodykuehl.com
Sarah Boston is a self-taught artist born and raised in Great Falls, Montana. She fell in love with Western art as a young child growing up in Russell country. She has been creating art professionally for almost two decades and specializes in realistic portraits of people and animals. She strives to bring life to her pieces, especially when reinvigorating the spirit of long-dead heroes of the West.
Full artist bio and info at sarahbostonfineart.com
Cowgirl Artists of America: Women's Work
Opening Reception August 1, 5-8pm
Women's Work showcases the expansive and significant contributions made by women past and present. Its goal is to spotlight the diverse and influential roles played by women in building our societies and to present a more nuanced and accurate representation of women in the West.
Artist Lecture: Leslie Lambert & Paige Weber
Artist Lecture at Trinidad State Boyd TCRM building (and virtual!) 7/31/25 5:30-6:30pm
Additional information and virtual event access will be posted at https://trinidadstate.edu/als before the lecture
Trinidad State College's Art Department and the A.R. Mitchell Museum are proud to present Leslie Lambert and Paige Weber as visiting artist lecturers. These artists will be speaking about their artistic process, artwork, philosophy, and working lives. They will also be highlighting their new work, which will be featured in “Women’s Work” presented by Cowgirl Artists of America at the A.R. Mitchell Museum opening at the museum on August 1st.
Character in Context 2025
Opening Reception May 2nd, 5-8pm
The Largest Show of Illustration in the American West.
Artist Demonstrations- Saturday, May 3 10am -12pm. Light Lunch Provided
This show celebrates the enduring importance of illustration in the contemporary art sphere and is a direct contrast and rebuttal to artificially created artwork. This exhibit features process work from each artist, from preliminary drawings to color studies, accompanying final artworks, which will all be available for public purchase. This is the largest collection of original illustrations for sale from living illustrators in the Western United States, and is the most comprehensive presentation of processes from living and working illustrators ever collected in one space.
L’Amour by Manchess
Opening Reception May 2nd, 5-8pm
Click “View Event” for more detail!
Kuehl Fine Art: Mary Leslie
An exhibit featuring the art of Mary Leslie
Opening event May 2, 5-8pm
Mary Leslie's artistic journey is a tale of rediscovery and passion. Alongside her husband Richard and a lively bunch of Horses, Donkeys and dogs, Mary's charming ranch serves as both her abode and her inspiration.
Mary's art paints a vivid picture of her deep-rooted affection for the untamed beauty of the West and its inhabitants. Her larger-than-life paintings are a heartfelt tribute to the animals and landscapes that have captured her heart and guided her life's course.
Full artist bio and info at marylesliestudio.com
Light food and drink.
Attendance is Free.
Artist Lecture: Mary Leslie
Artist Lecture at Trinidad State Boyd TCRM building (and virtual!)
5/1/25 5:30-6:30pm
Mary Leslie's artistic journey is a tale of rediscovery and passion. Alongside her husband Richard and a lively bunch of Horses, Donkeys and dogs, Mary's charming ranch serves as both her abode and her inspiration.
Mary's art paints a vivid picture of her deep-rooted affection for the untamed beauty of the West and its inhabitants. Her larger-than-life paintings are a heartfelt tribute to the animals and landscapes that have captured her heart and guided her life's course.
Full artist bio and info at marylesliestudio.com
Additional information and virtual event access will be posted at https://trinidadstate.edu/als before the lecture
Kuehl Fine Art: Steve Knox
Exhibit featuring the art of Steve Knox
Opening event April 4, 5-8pm
Full artist bio and work at fineartbysteveknox.com
Light food and drink.
Attendance is Free.
Kuehl Fine Art: Jonathan McAfee
Exhibit featuring the art of Jonathan McAfee
Opening event March 7, 5-8pm
Jonathan McAfee (b. 1982) is an artist working in Evergreen, CO. After graduating from Herron School of Art and Design (Indiana University) with a B.F.A. in painting, McAfee began focusing on the figure and developing his expressive application of paint.
More info at jonathanmcafee.com
Light food and drink.
Attendance is Free.
Artist Lecture: Jonathan McAfee
Artist Lecture at Trinidad State Boyd TCRM building (and virtual!)
3/6/25 5:30-6:30pm
Jonathan McAfee (b. 1982) is an artist working in Evergreen, CO. After graduating from Herron School of Art and Design (Indiana University) with a B.F.A. in painting, McAfee began focusing on the figure and developing his expressive application of paint.
He has exhibited in solo exhibitions at the Evansville Museum of Arts, History & Science (Evansville, IN) and Artwork Network (Denver, CO). His numerous group exhibitions include Muses of Mt. Helikon IV at Helikon Gallery (Denver, CO) and The Self-Portrait Show at Gallery 924 (Indianapolis, IN). In 2016 McAfee was awarded the second annual North American Artist Showcase through Professional Artist Magazine. He has exhibited in Los Angeles as part of the Superfine Art Fair (February 2019) and his latest solo exhibition took place at Kuehl Fine Art within the A.R. Mitchell Museum in Trinidad, CO in June, 2022.
McAfee's work is collected throughout the United States, Europe & Asia and can be seen and purchased at his art studio in Evergreen, CO or online at Artsy, Saatchi Art, Singulart, ArtFinder or through ArtRewards or Kuehl Fine Art.
More info at www.jonathanmcafee.com
Additional information and virtual event access will be posted at https://trinidadstate.edu/als before the lecture
Kuehl Fine Art: Cari Faye Antonovich
Imaginarium, An exhibit featuring the art of Cari Faye Antonovich
Cari Faye is a visual artist specializing in self-portraiture that explores themes of identity, transformation, and connection. Her work often described as hauntingly beautiful weaves natural elements like light shadow and texture into personal narratives. Inspired by the interplay between human experience and the natural world, Cari uses experimental techniques to create evocative images that invite viewers to reflect on their own stories. Based in Wyoming, she draws inspiration from the landscapes around her making art that explores the shared complexities of life.
More info on Carifaye.com
Opening event February 7, 5-8pm
Light food and drink.
Attendance is Free
Artist Lecture: Cari Faye Antonovich
Artist Lecture at Trinidad State Boyd TCRM building (and virtual!)
12/5/24 5:30-6:30pm
Full information and virtual event access will be posted at https://trinidadstate.edu/als before the lecture
Cari’s work can be seen at: www.carifaye.com
Cari Faye Antonovich in a portrait photographer living in Casper Wyoming. She was born in 1992 and homeschooled until she attended college at the age of 15. Always wanting to photograph people but afraid, her professor, Mr Keogh, encouraged her to start taking self portraits as means to build her confidence. After graduating, she opened her first portrait studio in downtown Casper, and hasn't stopped taking photographs since.
Antonovich's work is highly influenced by music. She explores ideas of surrealism in portraiture, based on lyrics that she connects with. She was formally taught film in college, but her digital work is entirely self taught. Her style is characterized by artful storytelling themes, that are unique and hauntingly beautiful. Cari loves to photograph people at all stages of life.
Kuehl Fine Art Presents Valarie Savarie
Exhibit featuring the art of book sculptor Valarie Savarie
Opening Event Dec 6th, 5-8pm
Light food and drink. Attendance is free.
Artist info at ValarieSavarie.com
Artist Lecture: Book Sculptor Valerie Savarie
Artist Lecture at Trinidad State Boyd TCRM building (and virtual!)
12/5/24 5:30-6:30pm
Full information and virtual event access will be posted at https://trinidadstate.edu/als before the lecture
Valarie’s work and bio can be seen at ValerieSavarie.com
Kuehl Fine Art Presents Rob Bell
Exhibit featuring the art of Rob Bell
Opening Event November 1st, 5-8pm
Light food and drink. Attendance is free.
Artist info at https://www.facebook.com/robertbellfineart
Artist Lecture: Rob Bell
Artist Lecture at Trinidad State Boyd TCRM building (and virtual!)
10/31/24 5:30-6:30pm
Full information and virtual event access will be posted at https://trinidadstate.edu/als before the lecture
