James Cox Gallery Announces Exciting Spring Online Auction set for June 7th

Collectors, art enthusiasts, and admirers of Woodstock’s rich artistic legacy are invited to participate in the James Cox Gallery’s highly anticipated Spring Fine Art Auction on Saturday, June 7. This online-only event promises an exceptional selection of paintings, works on paper, cartoons, and rare collectibles from some of the most celebrated artists associated with the historic Woodstock Colony of the Arts.

A major highlight of the sale is an extensive consignment from the estate of beloved local figure and avid art collector Paul DeLisio (1941–2026). Best known for managing the Woodstock Golf Club for more than 50 years and serving as the cherished Master of Ceremonies at Woodstock’s annual Christmas Eve celebration, DeLisio assembled a remarkable collection featuring works by many of Woodstock’s most important artists, including John Fenton, Fletcher Martin, Georgina Klitgaard, Emil Ganso, Ethel Magafan, and Arnold and Lucile Blanch.

“Paul was always an enthusiastic bidder at our sales,” noted gallery owner James Cox. “Some longtime favorites will be returning to the gallery for this auction.”

Among the standout pieces from the DeLisio collection are Austin Mecklem’s delightful serigraph Dance Party, Clayton Buchanan’s charming pastel The Red Trunks, and Alfred Stieglitz’s striking photogravure In the New York Central Yards, originally published in a 1907 edition of Camera Work magazine.

The auction will also feature rare works from the estates of two of Woodstock’s most distinguished women artists, Doris Lee and Zulma Steele. Five intimate works on paper by Lee come directly from the artist’s estate, including Catching Butterflies, featuring preliminary sketches related to one of her most sought-after paintings that sold for $289,000, as well as a preparatory drawing for a Better Homes and Gardens magazine cover, complete with a handwritten note from the artist.

Equally compelling are the small pastels and sketchbooks by Zulma Steele, which the artist gifted to one of her closest friends and students. These refined and beautifully executed works capture scenes and individuals encountered during Steele’s travels through Spain, Morocco, Mexico, and Haiti.

Whimsy and humor will also take center stage with a superb selection of original cartoons and illustrations. Highlights include works from the estate of legendary New Yorker cartoonist Dana Fradon, who contributed more than 1,000 drawings to the magazine during his celebrated career. Additional cartoonists represented in the sale include Robert Weber, Donald Reilly, Richard Taylor, and William O’Brien.

The auction further includes notable figurative works by Albert Sterner, Leon Kroll, and Konrad Cramer, as well as outstanding Woodstock landscapes by Willard Allen, John Bentley, Anton Otto Fischer, and Arnold Blanch. Other exceptional offerings include a classic Isabel Bishop pen-and-ink drawing, a tender Lucile Blanch lithograph depicting a mother cat nursing her kittens, and an extraordinary Lucile Blanch papier-mâché nativity set—one of the most unique pieces in the sale.

Preview the Auction | June 5th | 5pm to 8pm

The public is invited to preview the auction from 10am to 5pm, Monday, June 1, through Friday, June 7, at the James Cox Gallery, located at 4666 State Route 212 in Willow, New York. A special preview party will also be held on Friday evening from 5pm to 8pm

Online Auction | June 7th | 1pm

The online-only auction begins promptly at 1pm on Saturday, June 7.
To register and bid, visit LiveAuctioneers or Invaluable.
For additional information or to arrange phone bidding, contact the James Cox Gallery at 845-679-7608 or visit their website.

This post is done in collaboration with James Cox Gallery

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Featured Photo: Painting by Wolter Goltz