SANTA FE, N.M.-What do Steve Martin (b.1945), Linda Ronstadt (b. 1946) and Diane Keaton (b. 1946) have in common? Besides being born one year apart, they are all collectors of Western landscape painter Maynard Dixon (1875-1946) whose work will be auctioned off at the first Jackson Hole Art Auction (JHAA) in Jackson, Wyoming on Saturday, September 15, 2007.

Jayne McKay, Producer and Director of a new Dixon documentary will screen a portion of her film “Maynard Dixon: Art and Spirit” on Saturday, September 15, 11:15 a.m. prior to the auction. Dixon’s “Oncoming Storm,” (36 x 40 inches, oil on canvas, 1941) graces the cover of the Jackson Hole Art Auction catalog and will be on sale, as will his “Flathead Brave,” (oil on board, 10 ¾ x 13 ¾ inches, 1909).

The film is narrated by award-winning actress Diane Keaton, an avid collector of Dixon’s paintings. Western actor and songwriter, Don Edwards, provides the voice of Maynard Dixon. The soundtrack contains original music composed by Grammy winner, John McEuen of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. Michael Ronstadt and his band, the Santa Cruz River Band, contribute a song once performed for Maynard Dixon, when the Ronstadt family lived across the street from the artist’s home in Tucson.

The desert was Maynard Dixon’s sanctuary, a timeless place where he could forget the hurried pace of his life in San Francisco. He would often leave his wife and children, his paying work in the city, and his friends in the bohemian art scene for months of solitary searching in the American West. Under the desert stars, Dixon wrote poetry. Under the desert sun, Dixon painted, sketched and drew. His travels took him to the camps and reservations of the Hopi and Navajo, where he was welcomed with reverence for his talent with pencil, crayon and paint. He lived with the Native Americans and his art became a language between two cultures.

“Maynard Dixon: Art and Spirit” reveals the rich canvas of his life through insightful interviews with his family, friends and members of the art community. Lifelong friend, photographer Ansel Adams, speaks of the man he loved and his appreciation for Dixon’s genius. More than four- hundred Dixon paintings and drawings, and Dorothea Lange’s family photographs are included in the documentary. Filming took place in Montana, Utah, Arizona, California and New Mexico bringing Dixon’s paintings and drawings to life framed by the breathtaking panoramas of the land that he loved so deeply.

The filmmakers, Alan and Jayne McKay have been in the entertainment industry for over 30 years, working on projects nationally and internationally. Six years of research and preparation have resulted in Producer/Director Jayne McKay becoming a leading expert on the life and art of Maynard Dixon, and the careers of photographer Dorothea Lange and artist Edith Hamlin.

The Jackson Hole Art Auction is a unique event celebrating the best in Western American art. Sponsored by Trailside Galleries and the Gerald Peters Gallery, the auction will feature the work of contemporary artists alongside the work of masters, including the Taos Colony of Artists. Troy Black, President and CEO of Black and Associates Auctioneers, will lead an energized bidding experience as he auctions off over 228 top works in Western American art.

The event will take place at the Jackson Hole Center for the Arts, an architectural crown jewel in a town known for its inspiring Western scenery. A portion of the proceeds from the auction will go to the Center as well as to the National Wildlife Museum of Art, which overlooks the breathtaking Jackson Hole elk reserve.

Trailside Galleries has locations in Scottsdale and Jackson and has been known as a preeminent source of Western American art since 1963. The Gerald Peters Gallery, based in Santa Fe, has additional locations in Dallas and New York City. The Jackson Hole Art Auction will be held on Saturday, September 15, 1:30 p.m.