For the next two months, the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame and Museum will be hosting the fifth annual America’s Horse In Art exhibit. The exhibits grand opening was on August 11, where an opening reception and sale was held in the Scharbauer gallery inside the Amarillo museum displaying all of the impeccable art created for this event.

American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame and Museum Curator Crystal Phrase explained the selling process.

“During the opening reception sale, each piece of artwork had a clear box underneath the art’s label with a slot for the bid sheets,” Phrase said. “Everyone in attendance of the event that was interested in buying a piece of the collection was given 4 to 6 bid sheets with their information on each sheet. The bidders were then able to view the collection and put their bid sheets in any artwork that appealed to them. Proxies were also available to people who wanted to buy some of the artwork but could not attend the event. The proxies just requested which art their bid sheets went to, and then someone from the museum placed their bid sheets in the boxes. Once the end of the night drew near, museum coordinators went around to each piece of art and drew the first three names from the boxes so that everyone could have a fair shot. Who ever the winning bidder was, got to purchase the artwork.”

Last year, about $92,000 was raised with a portion of the earnings going to support a great cause to preserve the history of the American Quarter Horse.

Artwork in the collection varied from sculptures to pencil drawings and ranged anywhere from $375 to $9,100 in value.

A total of 30 artists from all over the country, and this year the first Canadian artist, entered anywhere from 1 to 4 pieces of artwork to be shown off and sold to the winning bidder. Each year, one artist is carefully selected and chosen to be the Signature Artist for the America’s Horse In Art show. The Signature Artists’ work is used to showcase and promote the event throughout the year and during the exhibit.

This year West Texas’ own Mary Ross Buchholz was awarded the honor of Signature Artist.

“ I was so thrilled to be chosen Signature Artist,” Buchholz said. “It’s just such an honor to be hanging in the show with such great artists. My husband and I ranch and raise American Quarter Horses, and it is an honor to give back to the breed.”

The America’s Horse In Art exhibit is visited by tons of people everyday and artwork is being sold frequently online and in the museum. Jessica Read, a Senior Equine Business major at WTAMU and first time visitor to the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame and Museum was in awe of the impressive artwork.

“I was amazed at the talent and skill of all of the work in the exhibit,” Read said. “I could have stayed there for hours looking at all of the artwork that showed off the American Quarter Horse and I’ll definitely be returning to the museum for next year’s exhibit, and hopefully be in a position to purchase a piece for myself.”

All of the artwork is available for purchase and, once sold, will remain in the exhibit until closing day, Nov. 10, 2012. All of the art that has not yet been sold will remain available for purchase at the museum during visiting hours or online at www.quarterhorsemuseum.com.