Artists Along the Bitterroot Studio Tour

 

(Above:  One of more than a dozen artist studios visited this past weekend.  Click on any image to enlarge!)

Blogging hasn't happened much since I've arrived in Hamilton, Montana for my one-month art residency through Open AIR but this oversight hasn't really bothered me!  Why?  Well ... I've been busy!  I have 24/7 access to Explore the Arts where I have a little nook for my personal use.  I've been keeping to east coast time too!  This means that I've arrived before 7:00 AM and have gone right to work.  I'm also stitching after dinner!  I've been on several trails and met all sorts of wonderful people.  Some of these people are other artists!  That happened a lot last weekend.

Last weekend was the annual "Artists Along the Bitterroot" studio tour.  (They actually do it twice a year!)  Two artists joined Explore the Arts owner Barbara Liss in using this space for the tour.  Because I'm obviously NOT an artist from the Bitterroot valley, not a member of the group, and didn't pay a participation fee, I agreed not to be in my nook from 10 - 5 last Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.  (It just wouldn't be fair!)  This was no problem!  I went on the tour, visiting more than a dozen places.  I managed to get to every single studio (except for the artist who had to cancel due to sickness).  I talked to lots of artists working in all sorts of media. 

I went on both Saturday and Sunday ... but Friday was also quite artsy!  I met with fellow SAQA (Studio Art Quilt Associates) member Heidi Zielinski and her Bricolage Group.  One of the great resources of SAQA is the ease of finding other art quilters using the membership directory.  Boy were the ladies talented and so generous with their time.  I had so much fun that I totally forgot to snap a picture!  

I didn't take that many photos on the studio tour either ... just a couple.  For the most part, I was just looking at art and noticing many differences between the studios here as compared to the ones I know back in South Carolina.  Lots of these Montanans live on very large pieces of land that can easily accommodate separate structures for their studios.  Many have professional ProPanel walls in their spaces to showcase work that is for sale.  There aren't as many ceramicists here and only one photographer was on the tour.  Obviously, wildlife was a dominate subject ... lots of bison, fox, deer, wolves, and wild goats.  Realism reigned supreme. There weren't many abstract works at all.  Most importantly, however, was the overwhelming number of large windows to gorgeous landscapes and natural light.

It was difficult for me to remember the names of the artists.  (I was busy using Google Maps to get from place to place!  This is why I haven't listed the artists in the first four photos!) Yet, I will remember this guy!  This is Philip Mahn.  His work was seriously awesome.  To build wheel-turned pots as big as he did is an incredible feat.  He answered every question about his process and his incredible wood-burning kiln.  Without a doubt, his was my favorite studio!

There were even two tiny bats hanging inside the kiln!  When the kiln is fired, it takes a cord of wood a day ... for four days.  It requires constant oversight, 24/7!  Amazingly, his prices were rather low and I am now the proud owner of a garlic jar!