Icons for a New West is a Rose Fredrick Project Space at Gallery 1261 exhibition that reconsiders what “Western” art can be right now. Curated by Rose Fredrick, the show brings together artists whose work speaks to the region’s enduring mythologies while engaging contemporary life, values, and change. Expect a wide range of approaches, from lyrical observation to bold reinvention, all united by a shared belief that the West is living culture, not a frozen chapter.

The American West has always been a place of projection, a landscape where history, identity, and aspiration collide. Icons for a New West leans into that tension. Rather than repeating familiar symbols, these artists expand the conversation with work that is urgent, personal, and visually compelling. Some pieces speak through atmosphere and memory, others through precision and narrative, but each offers a distinct lens on place, time, and meaning.

Curated by Rose Fredrick for the Rose Fredrick Project Space at Gallery 1261, the exhibition highlights voices that demonstrate Western art is not trapped in the past. It is evolving, responsive, and fully capable of carrying contemporary ideas. Together, the works invite viewers to look again at what we think we know, and to consider how collectibility, legacy, and cultural relevance are shaped by both craft and context.

Join us for Icons for a New West and experience a fresh view of the American West through the eyes of today’s leading voices. Admission is free, and all are welcome.

📅 On View: January 10 to January 30, 2026
📍 Location: Gallery 1261, 1261 Delaware Street, Denver, CO 80204 (Rose Fredrick Project Space)
🎤 Panel Discussion (No RSVP Required): Saturday, January 10, 2026, 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM
🎉 Opening Reception (Free, No RSVP Required, food and drink): Saturday, January 10, 2026, 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM

Participating Artists

David Griffin, Elsa Sroka, T. Allen Lawson, Steven Yazzie, Kate Breakey, Jan R. Carson, Chris Maynard, Reen Axtell, Michael Blessing, Dianne L. Massey Dunbar, Maeve Eichelberger, Victoria Eubanks, Andy Evansen, Terry Gardner, Ulrich Gleiter, Stephanie Hartshorn, Tony Hochstetler, Susie Hyer, David Carmack Lewis, Linda Lillegraven, William Matthews, Johanna Mueller, Billyo O’Donnell, Corey Pickett, Linda Prokop, Jen Starling, Michael Vacchiano, Dan Young. 

Panel Discussion (No RSVP Required)

THE VALUE OF ART: WEIGHING ENDURING COLLECTIBILITY

A conversation on what makes certain works more collectible than others, including how taste, trends, connoisseurship, and personal meaning shape long-term value.

Panelists:

Robert Lewis: Corporate lawyer and longtime collector of historic prints, photography, and mid-century modern art, with decades of collecting experience.

Daniel Sprick: Hyper-realist painter whose work explores uncertainty, transience, and permanence, with museum representation nationwide.

Michael Paglia: Writer, critic, curator, and educator focused on Western art and architecture, published widely and author of numerous books.

Rose Fredrick (Moderator): Curator and editor of Western Art & Architecture and Sculpture Quarterly, recognized for shaping major Western art programming and publishing monographs on artists.

Plan Your Visit: Parking and Directions to Gallery 1261