Celebrating Western Art with Michael Duchemin

In this inspiring episode, Tim Fergestad welcomes Michael Duchemin—historian, author, museum leader, and Western art expert—for a rich conversation on preserving the American West through art, history, and culture. With decades of experience leading institutions like the Autry Museum and the Charles M. Russell Museum, Michael brings powerful stories of how the American West has been documented, displayed, and celebrated in both traditional and contemporary ways.

Michael shares how his journey began at Arizona State University studying public history, then takes us through museum leadership roles in Arizona, Los Angeles, Montana, and Texas. He discusses everything from the architecture of downtown Phoenix to curating exhibitions on diversity and convergence in the West. You'll also hear how Western art collecting is evolving, which artists and events to watch, and how younger audiences—thanks to shows like Yellowstone—are falling in love with this cultural treasure all over again.

Michael also shares why he's made Phoenix home again and how he’s helping clients—both artists and collectors—navigate the Western art world through his consulting and appraisal practice.

 

----------------------------------------------- Interested in being part of this? Please visit our guest invitation page where you can learn more and fill out a brief questionnaire to get started: https://phoenixprosperitypodcast.com/guest It’s going to be enlightening and, most importantly, a lot of fun. I’d love for you to be a part of it!