Buffalo Bill Center of the West

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Buffalo Bill Center of the West

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  • Visit
    • Current HoursDecember 1–February 29: 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Thursday–Sunday
    • Hours & RatesPlan your visit to the Center of the West.
    • Group SalesWe welcome commercial group and bus tours.
    • Facility RentalsThe Center is the perfect place for your next event.
    • Visiting YellowstoneYour best stop on the way to or from Yellowstone.
    • LodgingSelect from a variety of local accommodations.
    • ItinerariesDiscover some quick day trips in and around Cody.
    • DirectionsFind driving directions and check road conditions.
    • StoriesFind your story among ours.
    • Calendar of EventsSee what events are happening during your visit here.
  • Explore
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      • Draper Natural History Museum Buffalo Bill Center of the West
      • Whitney Western Art Museum Buffalo Bill Center of the West
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      • NewsroomStay up-to-date with all Center happenings.
  • Learn
    • School Programs & ResourcesEssential info and resources for teachers and students.
    • Family ProgramsFamily-friendly programs, activities, and craft ideas.
    • InternshipsCollege students may apply to gain museum experience.
    • Skype in the ClassroomLive, interactive K–12 field trips.
    • WorkshopsExplore hands-on programs for kids, families, and adults.
    • Conservation InternshipsTraining for conservators from all over the world.
    • Pre-K ProgramsSet up a guided tour for your preschool class.
    • Field TripsInvestigate outdoor adventures for adults and children.
    • Highlights MapsDiscover collection highlights in each of our museum.
    • Games and InteractivesLearn about the collection through online interactives.
    • Lectures & FilmsPlan for future talks and view past program videos.
    • Western EssaysDelve into historical information on western topics.
  • Shop
    • Books
    • Clothing and Accessories
    • Gifts
    • Native American Replicas
    • Fine Art
    • Quality Leather
    • Native American Jewelry
    • Navajo Rugs
    • Pottery
    • Prints
    • Media
    • Baskets
  • Research
    • McCracken Research LibraryFind books, photos, archives, media, and more.Buffalo Bill Center of the West
    • Digital CollectionsExplore our extensive photo and manuscript collections.
    • Archival Collection List and Finding GuidesBrowse inventories of archival collections.
    • The Papers of William F. CodyDiscover scholarship on the man and the myth.
    • Fellowship ProgramContribute to new scholarship using Center collections.
    • Buffalo BillUncover in-depth information about William F. Cody.
    • Greater Yellowstone Natural HistoryLearn more about the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.
    • Western ArtDelve into the lives and works of western artists.
    • Plains IndianDiscover more about Plains Indian tribes and collections.
    • FirearmsFind a firearms bibliography, glossary, and more.
    • ConservationFind out how we preserve Center collections.
    • Rights and ReproductionsLicense or reproduce images from our collections.
  • Support
    • Planned GivingLeave your legacy with a bequest or estate gift.
    • Patrons BallAttend our annual gala fundraiser.
    • MembershipBecome a supporter and receive great benefits.
    • VolunteerSupport the Center with your time and talent.
    • Our next raffle car: a 1967 Pontiac GTOBuy your tickets online for this amazing prize!
    • Give TodayMake a donation to programs and operations.
    • Why I SupportSee what motivates donors to give to the Center.
    • We have a winner for the car raffle for 2019Winner: from Lusk, Wyoming, with ticket #0553
    • Raptor ExperienceHelp provide care for our avian friends.
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Home > Newsroom > Buffalo Bill Center of the West hosts “Forged & Founded” art symposium

Buffalo Bill Center of the West hosts “Forged & Founded” art symposium

March 2, 2017 by Nancy McClure

This year, 2017, marks the Buffalo Bill Center of the West’s Centennial—100 years of research, collecting, exhibitions, and programs. As part of the festivities, the Center’s Whitney Western Art Museum hosts, on Saturday, June 17, a special symposium that brings together top art historians and trailblazing contemporary artists to examine topics related to western American sculpture.

Titled Forged and Founded—Western American Sculpture, a Centennial Symposium, the day-long program takes place from 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Costs are $25 for students, $55 for Center members, and $65 for non-members; the fee includes lunch.

From the beginning, sculpture has been central to the Whitney’s story. The Museum was founded around a monumental bronze, the iconic Buffalo Bill—The Scout. And today, its collection of sculpture is broad and deep—a defining strength of the Whitney’s holdings.

Sculpture has an important place in local history, too. Sculptors have long been drawn to Cody, situated just an hour beyond the East Entrance to Yellowstone National Park. The region’s scenic beauty, cultural heritage, and relative remoteness have attracted artists of international renown. Today, contemporary sculptors are creating compelling works of art that expand and explode familiar definitions of western American art.

Forged and Founded features four enlightening lectures in a morning session, a lively Lunch & Lecture, and a menu of optional tours, open houses around the community, and visual arts presentations during an afternoon session. This multifaceted program holds appeal for scholars, professionals, students, and art and history enthusiasts with a range of interests. Coordinated with an eye toward interactivity and accessibility, Forged and Founded takes an innovative and engaging approach to scholarship on western sculpture.

Alexander Phimister Proctor (1860–1950). Q Street Buffalo, 1912 (date copyright). Bronze. Gorham Co. New York Founders. Buffalo Bill Center of the West, Cody, Wyoming, USA. Gift of A. Phimister Proctor Museum with special thanks to Sandy and Sally Church. 2.16.2. Photograph by William J. O'Connor.

Alexander Phimister Proctor (1860–1950). “Q Street Buffalo,” 1912. Bronze. Gorham Co. New York Founders. Gift of A. Phimister Proctor Museum with special thanks to Sandy and Sally Church. 2.16.2. Photograph by William J. O’Connor.

Attendees of the symposium can expect to:

  • Learn about the history of bronze casting in America.
  • Hear from experts about renowned sculptors Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney and Alexander Phimister Proctor, their connections to Cody, and their impact on the national art scene.
  • Consider groundbreaking contemporary sculpture in the West.
  • Explore the bronze casting process as revealed by industry insiders who provide insight on this complicated—but compelling—art form.
  • Interact with contemporary sculptors, and get the inside scoop on their artistic methods.

The symposium coincides with the publication of The Best of Proctor’s West, the latest book by noted art historian and the Center’s Director Emeritus Peter H. Hassrick. The event also draws on the subjects of two new exhibitions at the Center: Cody to the World! Celebrating 100 Years at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West and a special spotlight exhibition in the Whitney’s Proctor Studio including new-to-view sculptures and paintings.

Pre-registration is encouraged and online registration is available. For questions and more information, contact Nicole Harrison at [email protected] or 307-578-4051.

We gratefully acknowledge funding received from the Peters Family Art Foundation, Bill and Robin Weiss, Carlene Lebous and Harris Haston, Hope and Edward Connors, and the Proctor Collection Endowment Fund. Thank you for supporting the Whitney’s mission of advancing scholarship on the art of the American West.


Since 1917, the award-winning Buffalo Bill Center of the West in Cody, Wyoming, has devoted itself to sharing the story of the authentic American West. The Center is an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution. For additional information, visit centerofthewest.org or the Center’s Facebook page.

Filed Under: Newsroom, Whitney Western Art Museum
Tagged With: Alexander Phimister Proctor, art symposium, Forged & Founded, Karen McWhorter, Peter Hassrick, western art, western sculpture, whitney western art museum

 

About Nancy McClure

Nancy works in the Center of the West's Public Relations Department in electronic communications. Her work includes writing and updating website content, publicizing events, updating electronic signage, working with images, and producing the e-newsletter Western Wire. In her spare time, Nancy enjoys photography, reading, and playing the flute.

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