COEUR d'ALENE - In a plush, cozy room on the second floor of The Coeur d'Alene Resort's Park Tower, Coeur d'Alene artist Robert Krogle greeted his guests with a smile.

Soft music played as visitors examined Krogle's impressionistic oil portraits of colorful visages, scenes of majestic cowboys, brilliant bears under blue skies and mystic American Indians telling tales around a nighttime fire.

"It is a looser style that puts familiar imagery in kind of a dream-like state," Krogle said Thursday afternoon. "You know it's a painting, but it's like you're dreaming of it. It's not like you're looking at the real thing with all the hard edges. These are varying soft and hard edges on the images, which kind of put them in a dream-like state."

Krogle is one of about 70 artists from near and far who have their works on display this weekend at the Heart of the West Contemporary Western Art Show and Auction, a multi-level, multi-media event where art appreciators will have the opportunity to view artwork, meet artists, watch demonstrations and purchase works. The show also includes an artist panel, "Breaking Barriers: Alternative Media and Women in the Arts," artist discussions and presentations.

Vickie Locken of Post Falls meandered through the intimate rooms where artwork adorns walls and tables. It was her first time attending a show with the room presentation format.

"This is awesome, I am totally impressed," she said. "I like all of it, especially the animals, the moose and deer. It's really amazing. They've got some good stuff here."

This is the first time the Heart of the West show has been held in Coeur d'Alene. Show director Morgan Cawdrey of Whitefish, Mont., said although the exhibits include the wildlife, American Indian and landscape renderings commonly found at Western art shows, the contemporary aspect means works by living artists who are "using a lot of color, pushing the edges - it's not going to be quite as representational" as other markets.

"It invokes the West," he said.

The Heart of the West Contemporary Western Art Show and Auction continues in The Coeur d'Alene Resort from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m. today and Saturday. Guests will find exhibit booths in bays of the convention center as well as exhibit rooms on the second and third floors of Park Tower. The "Off the Wall" live auction takes place from 4-7 p.m. Saturday and auction lots can be previewed in the Shore Room today and Saturday beginning at 10 a.m.

The show is free and open to the public.

Info: www.heartofthewestart.com