Artists Showcase Frontier Life at Annual CMR Auction

Roundup-area artists featured at prestigious Great Falls event

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

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The annual Charles M. Russell (CMR) Auction and art shows in Great Falls, Montana have long featured works by artists from the Roundup and Musselshell Valley region, including Greg Eiselein, Joe Trakimas, Gregory Wilhelmi, Coila Evans, and Troy Evans. Local ranchers Henry and Kay Bedford have encouraged and supported these artists' participation over the years, even organizing a pre-show meetup. This year, three artists who attended the 2025 invitation-only 'Artist Roundup' event - Arturo Padilla, Joe Kronenberg, and Tobias E. Saurers - were juried into the upcoming 2026 Russell Auction.

Why it matters

The CMR Auction is one of the premier Western art events in the country, drawing collectors, museums, and art enthusiasts from across the U.S. and Canada. The inclusion of local artists from the Roundup area highlights the rich artistic talent and frontier-inspired subject matter found in this region of Montana, helping to cement its reputation as a hub of Western art and culture.

The details

The 2025 'Artist Roundup' event, organized by actor and model Robert Majerus, provided artists with full accommodations, catered meals, and access to skilled Native American, cowboy, and cowgirl models in period-correct wardrobes. The diverse terrain of the Hay Fox Ranch, where the event was held, offered artists a wide range of inspiring settings to capture. One artist, Tobias E. Saurers, created a painting titled 'She Stood Tall' featuring a woman with a Sharps rifle, based on local Roundup models Maren and Reese Thatcher, and Coila Evans.

  • The annual CMR Auction and art shows are held each March in Great Falls, Montana.
  • The 2025 'Artist Roundup' event took place last August.
  • The 2026 CMR Auction is scheduled for Saturday, March 21, 2026.

The players

Greg Eiselein

An artist from the Roundup and Musselshell Valley region who has shown work at the CMR Auction and associated art shows in the past.

Joe Trakimas

An artist from the Roundup and Musselshell Valley region who has shown work at the CMR Auction and associated art shows in the past.

Gregory Wilhelmi

An artist from the Roundup and Musselshell Valley region who has shown work at the CMR Auction and associated art shows in the past.

Coila Evans

An artist from the Roundup and Musselshell Valley region who has shown work at the CMR Auction and associated art shows in the past, and served as a model for Tobias E. Saurers' painting 'She Stood Tall'.

Troy Evans

An artist from the Roundup and Musselshell Valley region who has shown work at the CMR Auction and associated art shows in the past.

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What they’re saying

“There is a broad swath of artists representing Western Art. I know people who like the arts both in the U.S. and Canada.”

— Henry Bedford, Emeritus Member of the CMR (Roundup Record Tribune)

“I have encouraged Canadians to serve on the CMR board.”

— Henry Bedford, Emeritus Member of the CMR (Roundup Record Tribune)

“The painting is fictional, but the story is not. It represents the countless women who stood at the edge of the Montana frontier in the late 1870's and 1880's often alone, often unseen and often responsible for far more than history records.”

— Tobias E. Saurers (Roundup Record Tribune)

What’s next

Robert Majerus has set the date for Artist Roundup 2026, which will again be an invitation-only event. The waiting list includes artists from across the United States, including members of the Russell's elite Skull Society, the Cowboy Artists of America, and the Cowgirl Artists of America.

The takeaway

The inclusion of local Roundup-area artists in the prestigious CMR Auction highlights the enduring influence of the frontier spirit and Western landscape on the artistic community, as well as the efforts of local patrons like the Bedfords to nurture and support these artists over the decades.