Served New York strip and shrimp on a skewer or heavy hors d'oeuvres and scotch tasting?

Art to fill that gigantic ugly space above your television or that teeny, tiny space in the hall outside the bath?

Art lovers and lovers of big parties can take advantage of two decidedly different events on Saturday evening in Casper.

The Nicolaysen Art Museum hosts its eighth annual Postcards of the Wild, Wild West event at 6 p.m., with bidding closing between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.; while Wyoming CARES hosts the eighth annual Rocky Mountain Art Show and Auction, with dinner at 7 p.m., and the auction at 7:45 p.m.

Tickets for the Nic are $25 for member and $35 for nonmembers and include heavy hors d'oeuvres and scotch tasting from the Ramada Riverside Terrace; a cash bar; dancing music by Will Rogers and the Chugwater Band; and a frenetic, competitive silent auction of more than 200 pieces of postcard-sized art.

Tickets for the Wyoming CARES event at the Parkway Plaza are $60 and include a served dinner, three ways to buy great art and a signed print of "A Pretty Pair," by featured artist Mike Beeman of Cheyenne.

"Tell people not to eat dinner before they come, because there's lots of food," said Holly Turner, the Nic's executive director." And the art is from all over the country, as well as Wyoming and Casper. It's such a fun concept and I'm just amazed at what there is. Every year it gets better and better."

The postcard-sized pieces include cowboys, photography, landscape, pastel, collage, 3-D and acrylic.

"You know, so many people say original art is not affordable and this really is a way to do that. They can add to their collection or buy their first one. Some people have a wonderful wall of just these pieces," Turner said.

She stressed that unlike other "gala" events, this is an evening to wear jeans and boots, relax and visit with friends - and have fun.

"There is no structure to this event," she laughed.

And once bidding stops around 9 p.m., the real dancing begins in the main gallery and lasts until around 11 p.m.

At the Parkway, a bit more structure will greet buyers who may choose from a juried selection of art of more than 40 artists, visit with many of the artists, and purchase through a live, silent or "draw" process.

In the draw, names of those meeting a pre-established bid price will be put in a box and the winning purchaser will be drawn.

"Mike Beeman's piece is just extraordinary," said Wyoming CARES director Margaret Salisbury. "The art committee selected him as the featured artist. Everyone who buys a ticket takes home a signed print of his pastel, 'A Pretty Pair.'"

Contributing artists include Sharon Ann Davies, E. Lynette Franzen, James Reed and Robert Seabeck from Wyoming, among many others from throughout the United States.

Wyoming CARES provides assistance to Wyoming residents in need, many of whom fall through the cracks in receiving help from other nonprofit agencies. All money raised stays in Wyoming.

Nic tickets are available at the door.

Wyoming CARES tickets need to be reserved today by calling 237-7035; but may be paid for at the door.

Reach Community News editor Sally Ann Shurmur at (307) 266-0520; sallyann.shurmur@trib.com or see her profile and blog at my.trib.com/Sal/blog