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The American West somehow still maintains its foothold in the global subconscious, its raw and alluring brew of archetypes, wide-open dreamscapes of canyons and mountains, cowboys and Indians, grizzly bears and buffalo. As such, quote/unquote “Western Art” continues to make coin by milking these fantasies.

But of course, that West is long gone, if it ever really existed. What remains? What really happened here? Where are we going? What is happening to the land, the indigenous peoples, the scant and ever-diminishing waters? Who and where are the voices that will lead us forward?

Diane Stewart’s Modern West Gallery has made its name by unflinchingly addressing these hard questions through art. Diane, her family firmly grounded in the West, believes that art offers a unique path forward, and the Modern West Gallery her instrument to do so.

But hold on. This re-opening night, for a carefully curated exhibit called “Variant,” was a celebration. We collectively just emerged from the strangest of years to gather yet again, feel human, listen to live music (thank you Reckless Gestures), and drink free wine. Party at the Modern West!

In this podcast, we hang out with Diane and the three uniquely gifted artists she carefully chose to help us reflect on and move forward from this surreal year, Jorge Rojas, Al Denyer, and Paul Reynolds. Though they all share a passion for social and environmental justice, they couldn’t be more different as artists. How did they each respond to these times? What emerged from them after a year of isolation? How does mixing activism and art work? How can we describe art without using impenetrable, pretentious language? Is Pinot Noir really red wine, really? Join us to find out.

Scroll down to view their art.