With the exception of 2020, Western Art week has been held annually in the city of Great Falls since 1969. What started as an event built around the C.M. Russell Art Auction, which was founded by local television personality and civic booster Norma Ashby to benefit the C.M. Russell Museum, has grown into a wonderfully diverse gathering of some of the most influential and talented creators of Western art using any and all mediums.
It doesn’t hurt that as a city, Great Falls is uniquely suited for large scale event such as this. For one thing, it isn’t exactly a sprawling metropolis so you can pretty much get anywhere in town within fifteen minutes. Also, you won’t find yourself dealing with an abundance of traffic or fighting for parking spaces, even at the Montana Expo Park where the largest event was located. There are plenty of hotels for every budget, and some amazing restaurants. And the people are exceptionally friendly.
But back to the art.
It would be impossible to adequately convey how much talent and stunning artistry I observed in the space of two days. Truth be told, it was a little overwhelming. It might be easier to simply give you a tour with the art that I purchased.
The picture doesn’t do this piece justice. The artist is A. Nadine Pickthorn and she works with fused glass and high-powered engraving tools to engrave her images once the fusing process is complete. I tend to fall instantly and devastatingly in love with the art that end up buying for myself and that’s precisely what happened when I saw this little Chickadees feathers ruffling in the wind. This might be the most beautiful blue I’ve ever seen.
A few of the hotels around town served as overflow locations for the Show, and at the Holiday Inn I got to chat a bit with Donna Ridgeway who was just delightful. I absolutely loved her work and would have bought several pieces if I was a rich lady instead of a normal person. I chose this one because she explained she based it on the fact that when she was young, her horse and her dog were best friends…so, you know.
There were a few scratchboard artists who’s work almost broke my brain. Janice Bogy was one of them. Her animal portraits, some of which took several months to complete, were so detailed and realistic that the only reason I knew they were not photographs is because she told me so. She told that the moose portrait was based on a real encounter she had while walking in the woods with her dog one day.
Ariel Rodriguez was another obscenely talented scratchboard artist. I had trouble narrowing down which of her prints I wanted to buy because I wanted to buy them all.
There were some incredible Native American artists showing some really beautiful work and one of the most impressive was Lyle Omeasoo’s ledger art. I happen to be a little wild about ledger art, so it’s rather convenient that I live in close proximity to some of the best in the business.
I – LOVED – Sara Austin’s work. She uses colored pencils on wood and the result is incredible and so unique. She was also a lovely person and it was nice chatting with her.
And last but definitely not least, I probably spent a half hour talking to Rebecca Behrent about all kinds of things. She told me about her print making process, how long it took her to complete her largest painting, the downsides of the “Art World”, how she’s just now getting back to her art after suffering a loss several years ago. I really enjoyed talking with her and I really liked her work. I hope she sold all of it.
So, if you’re in the neighborhood next year, I wholeheartedly recommend dropping in at the Expo and checking out Western Art Week. My only disclaimer is that if you are a person who is easily irritated by wind, take that into consideration. They should have named it Great Wind instead of Great Falls. I can now fully understand why some of those early women who came to settle on the Great Plains eventually lost their minds and had to be carted off back East. Hey, maybe someone should create a piece of art about that.