Mountain Trails Gallery in Tlaquepaque will present the new exhibition “Colors of the West” Friday, Oct. 2, with a reception from 4-7 p.m.

The show features traditional as well as contemporary paintings and sculpture by a group of award-winning artists that focus on today’s American West in a variety of styles and subjects.

The panorama of new work expands from rich and expansive landscapes to secluded spots of reprieve, from traditional Western history to contemporary activities, from subtle colors in nature to bold, bright, and powerful wildlife sightings.

The variety of styles extends from plein air, to expressionistic, to contemporary geometric, to realistic ways of seeing as each artist brings their own vision that shines forth to uplift and to bring the beauty and uniqueness to life in today’s West.

Arizona artist Marcia Molnar spends days and weeks at the Grand Canyon throughout the year and captures wondrous events to share in her paintings.

Concentrating on form and color in her combination style of contemporary and traditional, Marcia presents her painting “Enchantment” as a white-tail deer passes by, under the glow of moonlight.

A master of luminous cloud paintings Linda Glover Gooch sees the many nuances of light and color when capturing the moving atmosphere of changing weather.

In her painting “Drifting” the sky is filled with a multitude of amorphous shapes and tones but the scene is grounded by rocks, water, and trees.

Light and color also come into the forefront in Jim Hagstrom’s new tipi series of the Four Seasons, as he responds to the earth’s changing atmosphere and conditions.

Jim’s homeland of Wyoming is a source of inspiration for this plein air painter, as are the tribes of the Cheyenne/Arapaho and the Shoshone who still maintain their culture, traditions, customs, social dances, ceremonies, and languages.

Realist painters and historians of the West, both Vicki Catapano and Lisa Danielle each bring their own tribute to historic as well as living cultures in their artwork. Catapano sees the warmth of inner as well as outer beauty in her “Guardian of the Innocent” which depicts a Navajo (Diné) wearing her turquoise jewelry and her hair in the traditional (tsiiyéél) bun tied with white sheep’s wool yard.

A tribute to the beauty of cultural objects is front and center in Lisa Danielle’s colorful “A Sioux Striker Bag,” Here the tribe’s strike-a-light bag with an exquisite beadwork pattern on a smoke brain-tanned hide is highlighted along with an intricate flat-stitched belt displayed behind the bag.

An array of new artwork by wildlife artists Joe Garcia and Adele Earnshaw is included in the celebration of color. From birds to wildlife, both artists approach their love of nature with detail and reverence.

Joe’s watercolors and oils are filled with fine, subtle details among the color as his style allows for wildlife storytelling to unfold, while Adele’s painterly and colorful style is more immediate while she presents vibrant expressions of her favorite animals.

Sedona artist Susan Kliewer’s bronze “Spirit Horse” was inspired from her love of travel and art history. She has always admired the majestic portrayal of horses as a noble companion especially in Greek and Roman equestrian art.

Western sculptor Raymond Gibby captured a pair of doves, facing opposite directions but enjoying a peaceful rest on a berry bush.

This bronze as well as many of his other wildlife works have been inspired by living his life with a big, beautiful family, as he often compares animal nature with human activities in both a playful way and insightful.

The gallery is also proud to introduce jewelry by colored pencil artist Sandra Byland. Her pendants, necklaces, rings, and cameo mini prints which feature her remarkable animals will be on display.

Also, a new collection of one-of-a-kind jewelry with semi-precious stones and intricate metal work by Susan Adams and Joan Roberts will complement the exhibition. 

A beautiful bounty of work by more of the gallery’s award-winning group of artists will be a part of the exhibition including landscapes by Joshua Been, Richard Boyer, Betty Carr, Howard Carr, Bill Cramer, Michelle Condrat, Susie Hyer, David Jonason, Gregory Stocks, and Simon Winegar, as well as Western and wildlife paintings by Doyle Hostetler, realist paintings by Barbara Rudolph, wildlife paintings by Sandra Byland and Jennifer O’Cualain, wildlife sculpture by Bryce Pettit, Michael Trcic, and more.

The exhibition will continue through the month of October. The public is invited to attend the opening reception Friday, Oct. 2, 4-7 p.m., at Mountain Trails Gallery located upstairs overlooking Patio de las Campanas in Tlaquepaque, 336 S.R. 179, Suite A201, Sedona.

For more information, contact the gallery at 928-282-3225 mountaintrailssedona.com