art in Montana (Billings, Missoula, Great Falls: 2009, houses, buying)

[PinkTopaz]

I'm thinking of visiting Montana and, amongst other things, like art (paintings, sculpture, arts and crafts, ...).
Is there any place in particular in the state - city(ies), town(s) - that have interesting galleries, art houses, museums etc. ?

[grizzfan]

Missoula has a newly remodeled ($5Million+) Missoula Art Museum. Very nice gallery of contempory art - fantastic facility, you'll enjoy it and entrance is free. Missoula is awash in interesting galleries in town; all close to the museum; all you have to do is walk.

Helena, the state capitol, has the Holter Gallery and the Archie Bray Foundation for ceramic arts and other galleries as well. Both are well done and the Bray Foundation has a world-wide following.

Billings has the Yellowstone Museum; fairly new with lots of western art and other venues. Haven't been there for several years.

Big Fork has lots of trendy galleries.

Bozeman has a very interesting Natural History Museum just off the campus of Montana State University. That's not the name, sorry, but its full of everthing from history to dinasours to art. And many private galleries downtown.

Great Falls has the Charlie Russell Museum, Montana's most famous western artist. A must see. As well there is a new Lewis & Clark Museum above the Missouri River with many dioramas.

Livingston has many trendy galleries and is the home of Russell Chatham a recent phenom popular amongst the Hollywood set for his impressionist themes of Paradise Valley and Montana in general.

Kalispell is home to the Hockaday Museum of Art. Very nice.

Hope this helps. Most every town of some size has something of interest.

[bigtrees]

I agree with Grizzfan -

Bozeman will have the nicest and most upscale art galleries if you are in to that type of thing. Missoula is the most artsy city in Missoula but not necessarily full of upscale galleries.

[grizzfan]

I like Bozeman, but only slightly disagree with Bigtrees. Missoula is the home of Monte Dolak, Pirnie and the late Rudy Autio, among many others. Just try buying one of their originals!!! I consider them to be very 'upscale', but maybe our definitions differ.

[bigtrees]

Originally Posted by grizzfan

I like Bozeman, but only slightly disagree with Bigtrees. Missoula is the home of Monte Dolak, Pirnie and the late Rudy Autio, among many others. Just try buying one of their originals!!! I consider them to be very 'upscale', but maybe our definitions differ.

I really haven't spent much time nosing around Missoula art galleries, so I may not have a good feel for it. I'll say that Missoula has a much better arts/culture scene in general, and the Bozeman galleries tend to cater to the rich people that travel through there on the way to Big Sky.....

All together, I'd recommend Missoula over Bozeman anyday for the arts/culture scene.

[rambrush]

Anaconda usually has a Art in the park event in July, August that has great local art. I imagine there are other communites that have similar events.
So if you want local flair look towards these events.

[spashark]

My 2 cents In Polson We have the Sandpiper gallery Sandpiper Art Gallery and Gift Shop

[PinkTopaz]

Thanks all ! - I think I will start with Missoula and time permitting travel to Bozeman.

[Reziac]

Originally Posted by PinkTopaz

Thanks all ! - I think I will start with Missoula and time permitting travel to Bozeman.

Also if you are interested in more-historic art in its original settings rather than just in galleries, Helena is the place to stop -- or at least it was 20 years ago, when the Gulch was full of old-time shops with old-time crafts and bits of very personalized art. And the historic buildings have their share too -- one time we spent the whole day looking at nifty stuff in Helena's various cathedrals.

[grizzfan]

The 2008-2009 Montana's Cultural Treasures 112 page magazine has just been released.

It is a full-color guide to museums, art galleries, bookstores and theaters in 122 listed towns and cities. An amazing production with much advertizing by artists and galleries as well. For instance, there are 8 pages of listings for Bozeman, 11 for Helena, 6 for Great Falls, 5 for Billings and 12 for Missoula.

To request copies of Montana Cultural Treasures, please email Holly Kuehlwein at holy.kuehlwein@lee.net or call800-366-7193 or write to PO Box 8029, Missoula, MT 59807. It appears they will send you one free. Found my on a local newstand for the taking.

Tom-