INDIANAPOLIS, IN.- Sedona, Arizona artist Curt Walters has won The Artist of Distinction Award at the 3rd annual Quest for the West Art Show and Sale, held at the Eiteljorg Museum in Indianapolis, Indiana.

The Artist of Distinction Award, sponsored by the Western Art Society, is presented to the artist with the best body of work. During the Quest for the West's inaugural show, Walters was awarded Best Overall Presentation, and the second year found him with a Victor Higgins Work of Distinction and the Patron's Choice Award.

Besides the award, the prize also comes with a special ninety day One-Man Show, which will kick off next year's opening day ceremonies. The pieces for the upcoming show will be borrowed from other museums and private collections, including The Autry National Center, the National Park Service, and the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City.

On hand to deliver the awards were Chief Curatorial Officer James Nottage and the Gund Curator of Western Art, Suzan Campbell, Ph.D. The news was greeted with a standing ovation.

Walters was on board for a special artist discussion panel, which included Arturo Chavez and Jay Moore, and was part of a large group to visit the Indianapolis Motor Speedway under tour guide Lynn St. James.

This year's Purchase Award was won by Pennsylvania artist Robert Griffing.

Curt Walters has won more than a dozen major awards in just over a decade, from such prestigious venues as Prix de West, Artists of America, and Masters of the American West, where he won the 2008 Trustee's Purchase Award.

Besides art, Curt Walters is also well known for his passionate involvement with conservationism, especially in and around his home state, and particularly with the Grand Canyon. His work can be found at the Trailside Galleries of Scottsdale, Arizona and Jackson, Wyoming, and at the Claggett/Rey Gallery in Vail, Colorado.