Faculty Lectures:

On February 2nd the School of Art will present two exciting lectures by our faculty.  Be sure to join us as we learn more about the art work and research being done by professors in our school.  These events are free and open to the public.

Professor Brad Allen will present his lecture, “New Work and the Decentralized Aesthetic” from 5-6pm in social Science room 356 on February 2nd.

Professor Valerie Hedquist will also lecture on February 2nd.  Join us from 7-8pm in Social Science room 356 to hear Valerie talk about her recently published book, “Fra Dana American: Impressionist in the Rockies“.

In between the two faculty lectures on February 2nd we will be hosting the opening reception for our exhibition, “Exchange” in which graduate students from the School of Art sent their works to Portland State University and vice versa.  We are very excited to host this event and look forward to meeting PSU students at the Gallery of Visual Art from 6-7pm.  Please join us as we celebrate this exchange of art and ideas.

First Friday:

School of Art alumna Cait Finley is exhibiting work at Le Petit Outre (129 S. 4th W).  Join Cait at her opening reception from 5-7pm and take a look at her wild creations or “strange creatures thriving in unusual habitats.”  The one below is called, “Echiura Alveolar- The World’s Laziest Predator”.

Prudential Real Estate (314 N. Higgins) will be displaying paintings by School of Art alumnus Eric Ashcraft for First Friday.  Be sure to stop in and see what this UM graduate has been working on since receiving his BFA in 2006.

School of Media Arts student Charles Raffety has some very interesting work on display at Computer Central (136 E. Broadway).  Check our Charles’ art and use your smart phone or tablet computer to scan the embedded QR Codes in each one to be transported to websites and images chosen by the artist.  Charles says it’s, “…a reflection of the history of technological advances and global industrialization.”

The Brink Gallery (111 W. Front St.) is pleased to announce the upcoming exhibition “I pass by”, a series of photographic silkscreens by Pennsylvanian artist Benjamin Lee Sperry.  “My work is a conceptual form of photography, it deals with a wide variety of themes ranging from youth and ambition to uncertainty and desire. The work is meant to be a form of visual narrative that evokes feeling from its viewers.” The opening reception will be from  5 – 8pm this First Friday.

Our friends at The Clay Studio of Missoula (1106 Hawthorne) are exhibiting, “International Cup 2012“, an exhibition showcasing ceramic work that explores the infinite possibilities of the idea of a cup. Juried by accomplished potters and cup makers Jayson Lawfer and Emily Schroeder Willis, 40 cups have been selected from the 175 applicants from all around the world.  The exhibition will be on display until February 24- opening reception on Friday, February 3, from 5:30-9pm.

The fine folks over at the Montana Museum of Art & Culture continue their two wonderful exhibitions in the Paxson and Meloy Galleriers.  “Fra Dana: American Impressionist in the Rockies” (Also the title of Professor Hedquist’s book) and “Frances Carroll Brown: Bitterroot Portraits” will be on display until February 25th.  There will be a First Friday reception from 4-6pm in the PAR-TV building on campus.

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If you have an item you would like to share with the Missoula art community and think it would be appropriate for this blog, EMAIL us and we will consider it for publication.  Have a safe First Friday and go make some art!

Join us at The Brink Gallery for “Conversation Pieces: Experiments in Collaboration”.  This exhibition will feature the works of 23 artists including School of Art graduate students Lucy Capehart, Michael Flynn, Will Hutchinson, Burke Jam, Anna Lemnitzer, James Loukes, Claire Melli, Jack Metcalf, Scott Miller, Yaro Shon Neils, Sarah Tancred and Nathan Tonning.  The art grads have teamed up with students from UM’s Creative Writing program to bring some amazing work to The Brink; don’t miss this wonderful exhibition.

Annual Art Auction:

The Missoula Art Museum is gearing up for their annual art auction and are ready to show off the works up for bid at a First Friday reception!  Preview the exceptional contemporary art available at the auction, purchase your tickets, and applaud the generosity of these artists. The impressive exhibition ranges from paintings and drawings to ceramics and photography and highlights some of the best emerging and established artists in our region.

Sample tasty hors d’oeuvres and join Jennifer Combe, Visiting Assistant Professor from UM’s School of Art and Jane Goffe for an exhibiting artists’ gallery talk at 7 PM.  Enjoy the country ballads of Russ Nasset throughout the night.  View exhibitions in six galleries, sample delicious wine, enjoy hand-crafted microbrew from Flathead Lake Brewing Co., and non-alcoholic beverages.

The Montana Museum of Art & Culture:

Be sure to stop by the Performing Arts Building on campus to see two amazing exhibits currently on display.  “Fra Dana: American Impressionist in the Rockies”
will be on display in the Meloy Gallery until February 25.  “Frances Carroll Brown: Bitterroot Portraits”  will be on display until February 25 in the Paxson Gallery.

School of Art Professor Valerie Hedquist co-wrote the book, “Fra Dana: American Impressionist in the Rockies“;  it is available at the Montana Museum of Art & Culture.  Speaking of Professor Hedquist, here is a picture of her looking at “The Blue Boy” by Thomas Gainsborough.

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If you have an item you would like ot see on our blog, EMAIL us and we will consider posting it. Have a fun and safe First Friday.  Enjoy the remainder of winter session or winter break.  We are looking forward to an amazing spring semester!

VISITING ARTIST:

Join the School of Art, in conjunction with the Jim and Jane Dew Visiting Artist Lecture Fund, as we welcome CARA TOMLINSON to campus on Thursday, December 1st. The lecture will take place in the Social Science Building, room 356, from 5-6pm.  This event is free and open to the public.

MFA THESIS EXHIBITION:

Immediately following the visiting artist lecture on December 1st, please join us for the opening reception of RANDI O’BRIEN’S MFA Thesis Exhibition.  “Seeing Red, Feeling Yellow” will be on display in the Gallery of Visual Arts until December 16th.  The reception will be held on December 1st from 6-7pm and is free and open to the public.  We encourage students and the public to join us for excellent art and tasty snacks as we congratulate Randi on completing her studies in the School of Art.

OPENING RECEPTION;

The University Center Gallery will host an opening reception for its latest exhibition, “The Art of Comedy” on Thursday, December 1st from 5-7pm.  This collaborative exhibition includes works from art students as juried by Ted Hughes, the registrar at the Missoula Art Museum.  The exhibition will run until December 13th.

FIRST FRIDAY:

This month students from Professor Kevin Bell’s painting class will exhibit contemporary work in a temporary gallery downtown.  Named “Fresh Paint”, the gallery will feature work from advanced painting classes at affordable prices.  Located at the corner of Higgins and Broadway ( 248A N Higgins), the gallery will be open Friday and Saturday, December 2^rd and 3rd.  Join us for an opening reception on Friday, December 2nd from 5 to 8:00pm.

School of Art graduate students will present an exhibition at FrontierSpace this First Friday. “It Could Be Worse” is an exhibition of work by Josh Eck, Will Hutchinson, and Nathan Tonning.  This show will feature a selection of work ranging from installation to drawings.  Engaging the physical space of the gallery, “It Could be Worse” emphasizes the gallery as a place rather than a neutral environment.  An opening reception will be held on Friday, December 2^nd from 6 pm to 9 pm.  FrontierSpace is located behind the Old Post Pub in the alley between Pine and Spruce, one block west of Higgins.

The Brink Gallery (111 W. Front St.) will host the opening reception for “Reshuffle,” a collaborative exhibition featuring works by School of Art Adjunct Professor Steve Krutek, alumni Jonathan Marquis and Travis David Smith as well as Montana Museum of Art & Culture Curator of Art Brandon Reintjes. The reception will be on December 2nd from 5-8pm.

School of Art student Jen Bardsley will be showing her latest works at House (133 Higgins).  Jen’s new paintings reveal abstracted forms that are derived from geological strata, geographic topography, and the layers of sediment.  The reception will be from 5-8pm.

Art students Melissa Lent and Bessie Bird will present their works in a joint exhibition at First Interstate Bank and Hunter Bay Coffee Bar (101 East Front St.)  “The Silent Interaction” and “A Nascent Town”, respectively, will be on display at the reception from 5-8pm.  The poster in the Fine Arts Building promises a keg of PBR and wine as well as music.

Be sure to stop by the Montana Museum of Art & Culture for their reception on First Friday from 4-6pm.  Two new exhibitions, “Fra Dana: American Impressionist in the Rockies” and “Frances Carroll Brown: Bitterroot Portraits”  will be on display in the Paxson and Meloy Galleries until January 25th.

Our friends over at the Missoula Art Museum have invited us all to “Gaudete: A celebration of the season with Dolce Canto“ at 6 PM.  Then join Willem Volkersz for a talk about his sculpture Childhood (Lost). Explore the ways in which it incorporates and contrasts symbols with objects from popular culture at 7 PM.

SYMPOSIUM:

Join students from Burke Jam’s Introduction to Art Criticism & Global Visual Culture for a symposium on Friday, December 2nd in Fine Arts room 304 from 1:30-3:30pm.  This is an excellent opportunity to ask questions, share ideas and express opinions related to art.  An open forum led by panelists Glenn Bodish, David Regan, Lisa Jarrett and Burke Jam will facilitate the discussion beginning at 1:30.  A slide roulette and panel discussion with Rebecca Weed will follow at 1:45.  At 3:00 there will be a question and answer period with students and panelists.  The symposium will conclude at 3:30.  This event is free and open to the public.

COMING UP:

Two exciting events are just around the corner…

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If you have information or items you would like to share, EMAIL us and we will consider your submission for publication.

Drive By Press

School of Art alum Tyler Krasowski will be representing Drive By Press and demonstrating printmaking techniques as he serves as our visiting artist this week.  Drive-By Press workshops are two-day events using a mobile print lab and utilizing hosts’ facilities. The first day includes lectures and demonstrations in relief and screen print. The second day is a hands-on printing session with the students printing artist blocks of their choice.

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If you have information you would like to see on this blog, EMAIL us and we will consider publishing your event or announcement.  Thank you for supporting The University of Montana’s School of Art. 

Before we get into all the First Friday action, warm up with trip to the UC Gallery for a most wonderful exhibition by School of Art alumni Nellie Lutz and Louis Habeck on THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 3 from 5-7 with an artist talk at 5.30.  The exhibition is titled, Land of the Lost and it is really quite a thing to behold.  Don’t miss it!

FIRST FRIDAY:

There are several First Friday events going on in Missoula on November 4th.  Join members of the School of Art and the local art community as we celebrate these artists at gallery receptions around town.

FRONTIERSPACE:

For the month of November FrontierSpace welcomes Ohio artist Keith Benjamin.  Using everyday materials, Keith will be exhibiting a sculptural installation created specifically for FrontierSpace and the Missoula community.  Please join the artist for an opening reception on Friday, November 4^th from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm.  FrontierSpace is located behind the Old Post; one block west of Higgins in the alley between Pine and Spruce.  Please feel free to contact us at frontierspace@gmail.com with any questions or inquiries regarding this exhibition.

Buttercup Market

Art major Jennifer DuToit will present an exhibition of her works at The Buttercup Market and Cafe (1221 Helen Ave) for First Friday.  Jennifer’s exhibition, Seventeen Buttons will consist of paintings and drawings and will be on display until November 30th.

The Top Hat

The Top Hat‘s Rock Bottom presents Art Major Jason Bohman: Big. New. Drawings.  Join Jason for First Friday from 5-9 for the premier of his latest works in Big. New. Drawings. The exhibit will showcase his foray into abstract drawings on paper that are big and new.

The Brink:

The Brink Gallery is pleased to announce the upcoming exhibition Ideal Girls, Ideal Women, a series of gouache paintings on rag paper by Missoula artist Leslie Van Stavern Millar.  She has been working with gouache, a one-time neglected watermedia, for over 3 decades.  Her work with gouache is a contemporary version of traditional Persian and Indian Miniature painting.  The Ideal Girls, Ideal Women series was inspired by Indian instructional posters from the 1970′s.  These posters served as templates for young Indians, depicting the behavior expected of them by their parents and the society at large.  Millar has updated this concept to provide environmentally and socially correct guidance for the young women of today – the need to tend a garden, write letters to relatives, wash the dishes and brush one’s teeth. During October 2011 Leslie was in residence at the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts working on new paintings in this series. Please join the artist on Friday, November 4th, 5 – 8pm.

The Clay Studio of Missoula:

This November, the Clay Studio of Missoula opens up its gallery space to showcase the diverse and exciting work created by their students, members, and studio artists. Open to all who have participated in the Clay Studio in 2011, this exhibition promises to be a great show, as well as a reminder of the strong artistic talent we have right here in our Missoula community.  The exhibition will be on display at the Clay Studio of Missoula from November 4-18,  with an opening reception on Friday, November 4, from 5:30-9pm.

The Missoula Art Museum

Our friends over at the Missoula Art Museum are excited to present an opening reception for their latest exhibition.  Visit the MAM to see the works of Haddon Hufford’s  beautiful silversmith art.  Hufford is a master silversmith practicing his craft near Frenchtown. Learn about his journey into metal-smithing and the tools of his craft at 7 PM.  Don’t forget to check out the awesome exhibition of Ansel Adams photographs while you are at the museum!

Montana Museum of Art & Culture

Montana Museum of Art & Culture presents War Torn: The Art of Ben Steel in the Meloy and Paxson Galleries.  One of 8,000 American and 40,000 Filipino survivors of the Bataan Death March and a prisoner of war in Japan, Steele endured unparalleled cruelty and savagery—41 months of starvation, dehydration, hard labor, torture and a journey on notorious ‘hell ships’ to the Japanese homeland.  Crippled by a combination of dysentery, pneumonia, malaria, blood poisoning and beri beri, Steele miraculously survived before being liberated in 1945. In an effort to conceal their actions, the Japanese destroyed photographs and documents. His depictions of the Bataan Death March are some of the only surviving images of this historical event.  Reception 4:00-6:00 p.m.

Montana Art and Framing

Walter Hook was a professor and chair of the then Department of Art at The University of Montana in the 1970s.  Don’t miss an opportunity to view some of his wonderful paintings this First Friday at Montana Art and Framing (709 Ronan St.) from 5-9pm.

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If you have info you would like to see on this blog, EMAIL us and we will consider your event for publication!  Have a safe and art filled First Friday!

The School of Art is proud to bring visiting artist MARK GROTE to campus for a lecture in conjunction with his exhibition currently on display in the Gallery of Visual Arts.  Join us in Social Science room 356 on Wednesday, October 26th from 5-6pm to hear Mr. Grote discuss his work and answer questions.  Immediately following the talk, there will be a closing reception for the exhibition in the GVA.  This lecture is made possible by the Jim and Jane Dew Visiting Artist Lecture Fund.  The event is free and open to the public.

ART EVENT:

The School of Art presents the 11th Annual Day of the Dead Steamroller Print Project!  On Thursday, October 27th, from 10am to 5pm, art students and professors will gather in front of the Fine Arts Building’s University Theatre to create images from printmaking blocks using an industrial steamroller.  The relief prints will then be made into banners and used in Missoula’s Annual Day of the Dead parade.  The public is welcome to watch as our art majors create images celebrating Mexico’s national holiday. 

ART EXHIBITION:

The Annual Student Juried Art Exhibition is fast approaching!  Be sure to turn out at the Gallery of Visual Arts to see the works of art students from all levels of instruction- from freshmen to grad students- this is one of our favorite exhibitions!  The opening reception will be from 5-7pm on Thursday, November 10th. Special thanks to this year’s juror PHOEBE TOLAND. 

CALL FOR ART:

The University Center Gallery is calling for artist applications for their next year of exhibitions. Click the link for the official application:  UC Art Call 2011

INFORMATION FOR ARTISTS:

On Friday, October 28th from 12-1pm, Visiting Adjunct Instructor of Art NICOLE PIETRANTONI will present an informational seminar on Fullbright grant writing. The presentation will include break out sessions and a question and answer period.  For more information about this free and open to the public event, click HERE

STUDENT ART:

Students from Professor Beth Lo’s Ceramics I class have their works installed at Hide and Sole  (236 N. Higgins) for the remainder of October.  Stop by and see what these creative artists have in their exhibition titled,”Some Shoes“.

THIS BLOG:

If you have information about an art event, or really anything you think might be of interest to art majors, feel free to EMAIL us and we will consider your request.

VISITING ARTIST:

The School of Art is proud to have internationally acclaimed artist Mike Feeney on campus for a lecture and reception surrounding his exhibition in the Gallery of Visual Arts.  Mr. Feeney will speak in Social Science room 356 from 5:10-6pm on Thursday, October 6th.  There will be an artist reception immediately following in the GVA.  The exhibition will remain on display until October 27th.  Mr. Feeney’s visit is made possible through the Jim and Jane Dew Visiting Artist Lecture Fund.

GRAD STUDENT EXHIBITION:

The UC Gallery will be displaying the work of School of Art Graduate Student Mike Flynn from October 3 to October 28th.  There will be an opening reception on Thursday, October 6th at 5pm and an artist talk on October 27th at 4pm.  Be sure to stop by and see the latest creations from this talented student.

FIRST FRIDAY:

The Brink Gallery is pleased to announce the upcoming exhibition Road Warrior by Mary Ann Bonjorni.  Road Warrior is squarely planted at the intersection of myth and reality – humor and tragedy. It reads like a roadside attraction of familiar objects that both entertain and question the customs of people and place. Mary Ann Bonjorni is a Professor of Drawing at The University of Montana during the school year and range rider for a cattle association during the summer.  Her research includes both gallery presentations and on-site artworks throughout the Rocky Mountain West. Please join us for a reception with the artist on Friday, October 7th, 5 – 8pm.

School of Art undergraduate Ray Chapman invites you to the Missoula AIDS Council for an exhibition of his latest works.  Join us as Ray unveils his art in an exhibition titled, “MASCULISM” from 5-7pm at 500 N. Higgins.

The Montana Museum of Art & Culture is proud to present:

War Torn: The Art of Ben Steele, Paintings and Drawings from the Bataan Death March
Featuring the art of WWII Veteran, Bataan Death March survivor and Montana artist Ben Steele.  As a POW, Steele endured 41 months of starvation, hard labor, torture and Japanese ‘hell ships’ while crippled by dysentery, pneumonia, malaria, blood poisoning and beri beri.  As a prisoner, he created artworks which record the Japanese invasion of the Philippines, the capture of American and Filipino POWs and the degradation and cruelty to which the prisoners were subjected.  Steele credits art for his survival and recovery. His record is an aesthetic and historical testimony by a native son who taught generations of art students at MSU – Billings. Part of the MMAC Permanent Collection, this body of work is an important part of Montana’s cultural heritage.  Join us for a First Friday Reception on October 7th from 4-6pm in the PAR-TV Building.

The Missoula Art Museum is very excited to host a definitive exhibition by one of America’s most legendary photographers. The exhibition Ansel Adams: A Legacy consists of over 130 gelatin silver prints by the artist whom many consider an American master. The Opening Reception will be from 5:00-8:00 pm, with a Gallery Talk by Bruce Hamilton of the Sierra Club at 7:00 p.m.  The exhibition will be on display until April 15.  Click HERE for more information.

The Clay Studio of Missoula will present: Function, Figuration, and Architectural Forms, featuring work by Martha Grover and Carla Potter, both from Helena, and Eliza Au of Vancouver B.C., explores the relationship of material, object, and environment. All three artists utilize the grace and delicacy that porcelain offers, manipulating the material in traditional, yet individual ways. Martha Grover uses the potter’s wheel and throws her forms before altering them into elegant nested porcelain dishes glazed to reference orchids and lilies. Carla Potter’s hand built, figurine scale sculptures are narratives of a young girl questioning her place in history. Eliza Au uses molds to generate her 3-dimensional architectural tile sculptures. While representing three distinct contemporary views of porcelain production, the artists each investigate ways to identify, establish, and define a specific time and space. Unified by more than material, the work of Grover, Potter, and Au exemplifies some of the more striking and diverse uses of porcelain today.  The Opening Reception will be October 7, 5:30-9:00 p.m.

ART STUDENT’S  EXHIBITIONS:

School of Art BFA candidate Stephanie Kenny will have drawings on display throughout the month of October at Food for Thought, right across the street from campus.  Be sure to stop in and check them out!

School of Art BFA Sculpture candidate Tory Gustafson will present his latest works at ZooTown Brew this First Friday from 5-7pm.  Stop by for a coffee and some mighty fine drawings!

The UC ART GALLERY is currently soliciting applications for their exhibition space.  Here is  the official  UC Art Call 2011 application.

If you have an art related event you would like to see on this blog, please email us HERE and it will be considered for publication.  Have a safe and happy First Friday!

Join the School of Art faculty, staff and students on Tuesday, September 27th as we learn all about Dr. Valerie Hedquist’s recent adventures at sea.  Dr. Hedquist will present a lecture titled, That’s Edutainment: Art History at Sea, 5:10-6 pm, Social Science Building, Room 356, followed by a closing reception of the Annual Faculty Exhibition in the Gallery of Visual Arts, 6-7 pm. This event is free and open to the public.

Art Exhibition:

The Montana Museum of Art & Culture is proud to present:

War Torn: The Art of Ben Steele, Paintings and Drawings from the Bataan Death March
Featuring the art of WWII Veteran, Bataan Death March survivor and Montana artist Ben Steele.  As a POW, Steele endured 41 months of starvation, hard labor, torture and Japanese ‘hell ships’ while crippled by dysentery, pneumonia, malaria, blood poisoning and beri beri.  As a prisoner, he created artworks which record the Japanese invasion of the Philippines, the capture of American and Filipino POWs and the degradation and cruelty to which the prisoners were subjected.  Steele credits art for his survival and recovery. His record is an aesthetic and historical testimony by a native son who taught generations of art students at MSU – Billings. Part of the MMAC Permanent Collection, this body of work is an important part of Montana’s cultural heritage.

Fall Gallery Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday 12 – 3pm and Thursdays, Fridays 12-6pm

Art Opportunity:

The Women’s Resource Center and out words  are partnering for the Student Involvement Network’s 2011 LOVE YOUR BODY DAY event. As part of this year’s celebration of the body and its diverse beauty, we are proud to extend an art and writing submission opportunity to the entire community. We are requesting art (including photography) and writing submissions to be a part of the LYBD exhibit in the University Center at The University of Montana on Wednesday, October 19, 2011.

LOVE YOUR BODY DAY is an annual event across the country to fight unhealthy body images. If you have any questions regarding LYBD or are interested in other events planned for the day, please contact the Student Involvement Network 406.243.5622.

Details:

The submission deadline is Monday, October 10, 2011. All pieces will be displayed in the exhibit and one art piece and two written pieces will be chosen as the focus pieces and included in the December edition of Out Words.

Please bring up to three pieces for submission to the Women’s Resource Center, located in the University Center Student Suite 210. Each piece should include a submission form, attached below and art pieces may also include (if desired by the artist) a one paragraph explanation of each piece.

This Blog:

Next week we will have a full post listing the many First Friday events in October.  Please feel free to submit art related info to this blog by emailing us!

The public is invited to view works created by University of Montana School of Art faculty when the annual Art Faculty Exhibition opens Tuesday, Sept. 6, in UM’s Gallery of Visual Arts. There is no charge for the exhibition, which runs through Sept. 27.

Several lectures will be held in conjunction with the exhibition, starting with a presentation by H. Rafael Chacón, professor of art history and criticism, titled “Napoleon in the Rice Paddies: It May Go Viral, but is it Art?” from 5:10-6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 8, in Social Science Building Room 356.  A reception for the Art Faculty Exhibition will follow from 6 to 7 p.m. in the Gallery of Visual Arts.

Valerie Hedquist, associate professor of art history and criticism, will present “That’s Edutainment: Art History at Sea” from 5:10 to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 27, in Social Science Building Room 356. A closing reception for the faculty exhibition will follow from 6 to 7 p.m. in the Gallery of Visual Arts.

Each year, School of Art faculty exhibit their work to introduce themselves to students, the campus community and Missoula-area residents. This year’s exhibition will highlight permanent tenure-track faculty and adjunct faculty, including Chacón, Hedquist, Brad Allen, Kevin Bell, Mary Ann Bonjorni, Jennifer Combe, Julia Galloway, Matt Hamon, Trey Hill, Lisa Jarrett, Steven Krutek, Beth Lo, Cathryn Mallory, Nicole Pietrantoni, Edgar Smith and Shalene Valenzuela.

The Gallery of Visual Arts is located on the first floor of UM’s Social Science Building. Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursdays. Monday viewing hours are available by appointment only.

Montana Museum of Art & Culture

Our friends at MMAC will be hosting a reception on Wednesday, September 7th at 5pm to welcome students to campus and celebrate UM faculty and community artists who are featured in the current exhibition,60 Artists, 60 Artworks, 60 Years: Celebrating the Archie Bray Foundation. Join us in the Paxson and Meloy Galleries of the PAR-TV building for this event. The exhibition continues through Saturday, September 10, 2011.

Image: Beth Lo, detail, The eight Immortals, 2006, porcelain, gold leaf, china paint epoxy, gift of Miriam Sample, MMAC Permanent Collection.

Annual Faculty Exhibition

The public is invited to view works created by University of Montana School of Art faculty when the annual Art Faculty Exhibition opens Tuesday, Sept. 6, in UM’s Gallery of Visual Arts. There is no charge for the exhibition, which runs through Sept. 27.

Several lectures will be held in conjunction with the exhibition, starting with a presentation by H. Rafael Chacón, professor of art history and criticism, titled “Napoleon in the Rice Paddies: It May Go Viral, but is it Art?” from 5:10-6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 8, in Social Science Building Room 356.  A reception for the Art Faculty Exhibition will follow from 6 to 7 p.m. in the Gallery of Visual Arts.

Valerie Hedquist, associate professor of art history and criticism, will present “That’s Edutainment: Art History at Sea” from 5:10 to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 27, in Social Science Building Room 356. A closing reception for the faculty exhibition will follow from 6 to 7 p.m. in the Gallery of Visual Arts.

Each year, School of Art faculty exhibit their work to introduce themselves to students, the campus community and Missoula-area residents. This year’s exhibition will highlight permanent tenure-track faculty and adjunct faculty, including Chacón, Hedquist, Brad Allen, Kevin Bell, Mary Ann Bonjorni, Jennifer Combe, Julia Galloway, Matt Hamon, Trey Hill, Lisa Jarrett, Steven Krutek, Beth Lo, Cathryn Mallory, Nicole Pietrantoni, Edgar Smith and Shalene Valenzuela.

The Gallery of Visual Arts is located on the first floor of UM’s Social Science Building. Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursdays. Monday viewing hours are available by appointment only.

UC GALLERY

School of Art graduate students Dean Foster and Ron Geibel will present “Circumstance” in the UC Gallery until September 30th.  Join the School of Art students, staff and faculty for a reception on First Friday from 5-7pm.

The Brink

Missoula Art Museum

The Clay Studio

Tara Wilson’s “Quiet Pots” will open at The Brink for First Friday.  Quiet Pots initially speak softly yet reveal complexity in both form and surface through continued investigation and use.  Embodied in Tara Wilson’s atmospheric fired vessels is the serenity experienced by surrounding oneself in a rich natural environment.  While the surfaces of the vessels represent the natural world, the forms often relate to the figure, and the inherent relationship of pottery to the figure is accentuated in Tara’s gestural forms.

New Student Orientation for art majors will be at 1.00pm in Fine Arts room 302.  Please EMAIL or call Ed Morrissey (406.243.4181) with any questions.

Here is a list of important dates for the academic year:

Autumn Semester, 2011

August 22 (Mon)…………………………………….International Student Orientation Begins
August 25-26 (Thurs-Fri)…………………………………….Autumn Semester Orientation
August 29 (Mon)………………………………………………………………………….Classes Begin
September 5 (Mon)………………………………………………………………Labor Day, Holiday
October 24-November 4………………………………….Spring 2012 Registration Begins
November 11 (Fri)……………………………………………………………..Veterans Day, Holiday
November 23 (Wed)………………………………..Student Travel Day, No Classes Held
November 24-25 (Thurs-Fri)……………………………………………Thanksgiving Vacation
December 9 (Fri)…………………………………………………………..Last Regular Class Day
December 10-11 (Sat-Sun)…………………………………………………………….Study Days
December 12-16 (Mon-Fri)…………………………………………………Final Examinations

Winter Session, 2012

January 3 (Tues)……………………………………………….Winter Session Classes Begin
January 16 (Mon)…………………………………………….Martin Luther King Day, Holiday
January 20 (Fri)……………………………………………………Winter Session Classes End

Spring Semester, 2012

January 17 (Tues)……………………………..International Student Orientation Begins
January 19-20 (Thurs-Fri)……….Semester Begins, Orientation and Registration
January 23 (Mon)………………………………………………………………………Classes Begin
February 20 (Mon)……………………………………………………..Presidents’ Day, Holiday
April 2-6 (Mon-Fri)……………………………………………………………………Spring Vacation*
April 9-20……………………………………………………Autumn 2012 Registration Begins
May 4 (Fri)…………………………………………………………………Last Regular Class Day
May 5-6 (Sat-Sun)………………………………………………………………………….Study Days
May 7-11 (Mon-Fri)…………………………………………………………….Final Examinations
May 12 (Sat)…………………………………………………………………………Commencement

Summer Session, 2012 (revised as of July 14, 2011)

May 21 – June 22………………………………………..First Five-Week Summer Session
May 28 (Mon)………………………………………………………….Memorial Day, Holiday
June 25 – July 27………………………………………Second Five-Week Summer Session
May 21 – July 27………………………………………………….Ten-Week Summer Session
July 4 (Wed)………………………………………………………….Independence Day, Holiday

As always, if you have an art event or information you would like to see on our blog, EMAIL us and we will consider posting it.  Welcome, new and returning students; it’s going to be a great year!

FrontierSpace

Graduate students in the School of Art have teamed up to bring Missoula a very unique gallery in the alley behind the Old Post Pub.  Join us at FrontierSpace for the latest exhibition, “To Missoula, with Love”.  Over 200 artists created unique postcards and mailed them from all over the country!  The reception will be from 6-9pm.

Missoula Art Museum

Our friends over at the museum are all set for their reception of not one, but two fantastic young artists: Wendy Red Star & Pat Hoffman. Red Star’s exhibit, My Home is Where My Tipi Sits (Crow Country)” addresses the shifting nature of life on the reservations through a study of the traditional versus current environment. Pat Hoffman’s ceramic installation, “Polar Opposites“, breaks down tension and relationships on a molecular level. Both artists will speak at 7pm. As always, free!

The Brink Gallery

For August’s First Friday, the awesome Brink Gallery is exhibiting photography by Andrew Kemmis.  This collection features black and white portraits of people who have embraced Missoula’s MOBASH Skate Park.  The reception will be from 5-8pm on August 5th.

The Clay Studio of Missoula

“Bending the Line” will feature wood, soda, and electric fired pottery by the former Executive Director of the Clay Studio of Missoula, Jayson Lawfer.  The exhibition will be on display from August 5-26, 2011, with an opening reception on Friday, August 5, from 5:30-9pm.
In conjunction with his exhibition, Jayson Lawfer will be leading a workshop at the Clay Studio, The Pottery Triangle: Creating, Marketing, and Selling. This workshop, meeting from 9:30 am – 5:30pm on August 13th, will be a hands-on day full of creating and gaining insight into the world of pottery and the many opportunities artists have to market their work.  By discussing the triangle (creating, marketing, and selling), each participant will come out of the workshop with a better feel for their creations and how they can increase their sales and the visibility of their work in the art/craft market. The workshop costs $80 for members, seniors, and students, and $90 for non-members.

Montana Art and Framing

Montana Art and Framing presents the works of Jim Dew, a retired professor of art at The University of Montana.  Some 27 oil paintings, encaustic paintings, watercolors, pastels, and acrylics representing over 40 years of Mr. Dew’s career as a painter and teacher will be on display.  The reception will be from August 5th, from 5 – 9 pm in the gallery at 709 Ronan Street, Missoula. For information call 541-7100 .

Monte Dolack Gallery

For August’s First Friday, the Monte Dolack Gallery is teaming up with Animeals . To benefit this wonderful organization, Monte will paint live at the gallery during First Friday where art and animal lovers will have the opportunity to bid on the painting on his website until September 1st. This is an wonderful opportunity to watch Missoula’s favorite artist create.

The Dana Gallery

Head over to the Dana Gallery for an exhibition and reception based upon their annual “Paint Out!”   The plein air work, as well as studio work from each artist, will hang in the gallery for one month, July 21-August 31, 2011 .   Stop by and view all the wonderful local landscapes and Missoula scenes freshly painted by the talented and diverse group of 21 artists participating in the 2011 “Paint Out!”

The 2011-2012 Academic Year!

The School of Art and everyone at The University of Montana are excited to begin a brand new academic year, and we have quite a bit in store!  This blog will be updated with information regarding all the events surrounding the start of another academic session, so stop by for all the latest.  If you are an incoming freshman, you may want to check out the university’s Orientation Page to get started.  New and returning art majors should EMAIL or call Ed Morrissey at 406.243.4181 with any questions regarding registration or other issues.

Blog Content:

As always, if you have an item you would like to see on this blog, EMAIL us and we will consider it.  Have a safe and fun First Friday; we look forward to seeing you in class soon!

As summer session II begins, we celebrate the brand new month of July with a terrific First Friday!  Take a look at these great events happening on the 1st.  Please note that our friends at the Missoula Art Museum will be taking this First Friday off to prepare for the Fourth of July holiday.  They will hold a reception on July 7th instead.

School of Art graduate student Jack Metcalf invites you to join him for “this too shall pass” at Noteworthy – Paper and Press (101 South Higgins Avenue).  “this too shall pass” showcases a mixed media window display by Metcalf, accompanying additional new original artwork.  The display runs the month of July with an opening reception July 1st 5-8 PM.

Students from Adjunct Professor Edgar Smith’s Painting I course will be exhibiting their work at Le Petit Outre (129 S. 4th St) from 6-8pm.  Stop by and see some wonderful paintings and listen to music from local performers.

School of Art alumna AMBER PROUTY  will be hosting an opening reception of her latest works at FrontierSpace (Behind the Old Post).  Check out the flyer:

The Brink Gallery will be exhibiting the works of Rebecca Kamen, who is a professor at Northern Virginia Community College, in a show called, “fluid.”  Stop by to see how Rebecca blends art and science in this wonderful exhibition.

Another community college professor is exhibiting work in Missoula for July’s First Friday!  Join the Clay Studio of Missoula (1106 Hawthorn) in welcoming David Smith from Flathead Valley Community College and his exhibition titled, “Recent Work.”  Mr. Smith apparently has in this collection “Raku fired food” on display, so don’t miss out!

The Dana Gallery will bring us “Icons of the West” for this First Friday reception.  Artists were asked to participate by creating their own interpretation of a Western Icon. Pictured here is a work by Rob Akey. The works on display in the gallery are from H. Steven Oiestad, Frank Hagel, Andy Cline, Howard Friedland, Stephanie Frostad, and Linda St. Clair. Join the Missoula Art community from 5-8 p.m.

THIS JUST IN!  FrontierSpace has issued a call for entries for an upcoming exhibition called, “To Missoula, with Love.”  Take a look at this postcard_show_call for more information. 

Have a safe and happy First Friday and a wonderful Fourth!  Remember, this blog is open to your events, so email us HERE for consideration.

Art major Clay Pape will be showing his latest works at Studio D (420 N. Higgins) from 5-8pm on June 3rd.

Be sure to stop by The Montana Museum of Art & Culture as they present  “60 Artists, 60 Artworks, 60 Years: Celebrating the Archie Bray Foundation” in the Paxson & Meloy Galleries.

In celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts  this exhibition pays tribute to the lasting impact of the Archie Bray Foundation and includes a diverse selection of ceramics created by UM faculty, alumnus and former Bray residents. This exhibition will be held concurrently with ceramics exhibitions across the state. The exhibition will run until September 10, 2011.

Image: Kurt Weiser, Untitled, n.d., porcelain, 19 inches high, MMAC Permanent Collection

The Missoula Art Museum is also celebrating the ceramic arts this First Friday.  Head over to 335 N. Pattee and enjoy the diverse exhibition, “Persistence in Clay” featuring 19 contemporary ceramicists from Montana.  In addition to the June 3rd reception from 5-8pm, Salsa Loca will perform at 6 and there will be gallery talks with School of Art faculty members Beth Lo and Julia Galloway at 7pm.  The next afternoon, June 4th, will see  Beth Lo giving a PIC tour at noon, a User Created Documentary and Q&A with Geoff Pepos at 1pm, and a PIC Artists’ Panel moderated by Art Professor Trey Hill at 3pm.  The panelists will be Julia Galloway, Robert Harrison, Sarah Jaeger and Richard Notkin.

The Clay Studio of Missoula (1106 Hawthorne) will present, “1998-2011: Retrospective”, a group exhibition celebrating the rich legacy of the Clay Studio.  Participating artists include Doug Baldwin, Renée Brown, Cheyenne Chapman-Rudolph, Meagan Cheney, Eva Champagne, Danny Crump, Fuminori Deguchi, Hannah Fisher, Donna Flannery, Clare Ann Harff, Alex Kraft, Mike Kurz, Jayson Lawfer, Ryan Mitchell, Jill Oberman, Joseph Pesina, Larry Phan, Alison Reintjes, Audrey Rosulek, Lauren Sandler, Kyla Strid, Shalene Valenzuela, Steve Wicklund, and John Zimmerman. The reception will be from 5-9pm.

Head over to the Brink Gallery (111 W. Front St.) for their group exhibition, “sounding,” curated by Kerri Rosenstein, with James Agard, Fred Green, Ariya Martin, Wes Mills, and Kerri Rosenstein.  Opening reception 5-8 p.m.

The Union Club bar (208 E. Main) will be exhibiting Oil and acrylic paintings by local artist Matthew Mullendore whose work is inspired by abstract expressionism and surrealism.

Thanks for checking the School of Art’s blog!  Please check in often for info on art related events and info for art majors.  If you have an item you wish us to consider for publication, email us HERE. 

ARTINI:

Join us at the Missoula Art Museum to see Montana from a different perspective: through the lens of the artist’s camera as we explore the work of Jill Brody & Lucy Capehart, with a gallery talk at 6 PM. From sweeping landscapes to intimate domestic scenes, these photos ask you to look again, and focus on the world around you. Summery electro pop by Sick Kids XOXO and photo-themed DIY projects in the classroom.

Artini is an energetic intersection of live music, art, and social scene, featuring delicious hors d’oeuvres by James Bar and an exciting cash bar.

Thanks to First Interstate Bank, major sponsor; James Bar, food sponsor; and KBGA College Radio, media sponsor for their Artini support.

SUMMER SESSION:

The School of Art offers several courses during both summer sessions!  Click HERE for a schedule.

Check back soon for more summer art opportunities!

May 6 will mark the final First Friday of the 2010-2011 academic year and we are very excited to celebrate with the Missoula art community!  Join us for the following events:

Art major Jackson Goodell presents an exhibition of his photographs at Computer Central (136 W. Broadway) from 5-7pm.

Graduate Students, past and present, from the School of Art will be exhibiting work on  Friday, May 6th from 6:00pm-9:00pm at  FrontierSpace.    The opening reception for “Extended Family” is sure to be a visual EXPLOSION as they pack more than a dozen artists into about 300 square feet of gallery space.  Be sure to come out and see what Missoula’s finest have been up to.  FrontierSpace is located one block west of Higgins in the alley between Pine and Spruce.  Students in the Division of Ceramics will also be exhibiting work in the alley with live music.

Fresh Paint Two:

Student from the School of Art’s Division of Painting will be exhibiting their works in a temporary space around the corner from the Dana Gallery from 5-8pm.

Horizon Bound:

Art majors Louis Habeck, Emily Graslie, Ben Crawford and Eric Wall will have a reception for the exhibition of their latest works installed in the Downstairs Gallery under The Darkroom (135 N. Higgins) from 5-8pm.  The exhibition will be installed until May 27.

Benefit Art Auction:

A Silent Art Auction featuring the work of UM Art Faculty, students and alumni, with live music and refreshments, will be held at Pipestone Mountaineering Space (129 W. Front).   This is a benefit for the children of Katie Jividen, an art major who who died in a car accident in January.  Join us in memory of Katie and support of her family from 5-10p.m.

The Montana Museum of Art & Culture will host a gallery talk and opening reception for Barry Hood.  Mr. Hood will give a talk at 3pm in the Montana Theatre (UM PARTV Center), followed by an Artist Reception from 4 – 6pm. There will be music and food and all are welcome. Image: Barry Hood, Earth Hart, 2001, cast glass and applied earth pigment, 17 x 9 x 5 inches.

The Missoula Art Museum presents Big Sky High School Artists’ Exhibition.  Meet the talented Big Sky High School artists who created this visual dialogue between the public high school, the museum, and the community. The eclectic composition of the exhibition expresses the excitement, spontaneity, and freedom associated with the making of art. BSHS art teacher Dustin Hoon will talk about the students’ works at 7 PM.

The Brink Gallery  (111 W. Front) is pleased to announce ON DECK 6, a creation of the Montana Skatepark Association (MSA) and an annual fundraiser for the organization whose mission is to fund and facilitate the construction of free, public, concrete skateparks across Montana. This year’s skate art show and auction will feature approximately 50 custom skateboard decks created by artists from across Montana and the United States.  Montana-based artists include Courtney Blazon, Matt LaRubbio, Trevor Parr,  Amber Bushnell and Kelly Smith.  Bidding will begin the night of the opening reception, will continue for two weeks online at montanaskatepark.org.

The Dana Gallery will host the opening reception of the  exhibition featuring new works by international artist Chris Robitaille on First Friday, May 6, from 5 pm – 8 pm.

Bernice’s Bakery will be hosting the work of School of Art alumnus Marlo Crocifisso the month of May. From her statement, ” This group of paintings was created amongst hearing and seeing the world report of Nations’ rebellions, disasters, and on going conflict.”  Join Marlo from 5-8 p.m.

COMMENCEMENT:

The University of Montana’s 2011 Commencement will be held at 10am on May 14th in Washington Grizzly Stadium.  The School of Art’s Commencement Ceremony will begin at 2pm in the Montana Theatre (PAR-TV Bldg), but art students should be backstage by 1.45.  Please contact Ed Morrissey at 406.243.4181 with any questions.

SUMMER SESSIONS:

The School of Art is offering several courses over the two summer sessions.  Click HERE for a full schedule.

THANK YOU:

The School of Art would like to thank all the amazing, dedicated and talented students for making this such a great year!  Congratulations to all those completing their degrees; please stay in touch!  We would also like to thank the members of Missoula’s wonderful art community for their continued support of our program and attendance at our events.  Have a great summer, everyone!

VISITING ART HISTORIAN LECTURE:

The School of Art is proud to announce the lecture of Dr. Susan J. Baker on Thursday, April 28th from 6-7pm in Social Science 356.

Dr. Baker earned a Ph.D. in Art History from the University of Kansas in 1994 and currently teaches at the University of Houston-Downtown. An expert in early twentieth-century American painting,  she has written on the life and work of artist George Tooker and was curator of “Human in Form: Later Drawings of Paul Cadmus,” an exhibit of male nude drawings held at the UHD O’Kane Gallery in 2004. Dr. Baker is also the author of “Naked Boys, Desiring Women: Male Beauty in Modern Art and Photography”  Dr. Baker was the recipient of a 2009 National Endowment for the Humanities grant with which she wrote the  article, “A Duel with Fernando de Rojas: Picasso’s Celestina Prints”  in 2009.

Dr. Baker’s visit is made possible by a UM Visiting Scholar grant.   The lecture is free and open to the public.

MFA SENIOR THESIS EXHIBITION:

Two of the School of Art’s graduate students will present their thesis works in the Gallery of Visual Arts from Thursday, April 28th until. May 13th.  Join us as we congratulate Lucy Capehart and Stephanie Johnsen on the completion of their MFA studies.  The opening reception will be held in the GVA from 5-7pm on Thursday, the 28th.

About Lucy:
Lucy Capehart has been a photographer since 1986. Her large color studies of domestic interiors and the American cultural landscape have been widely exhibited, in solo exhibitions at the Portland Art Museum, mid-town Y Gallery in New York City, Blue Sky Gallery in Portland and the Missoula Art Museum. Her work is featured on book and cd covers and has been published in the New York Times (Sophisticated Traveler) Magazine, Oxford American, Architecture and the book Local Heroes Changing America.

About Stephanie:
Stephanie Johnsen was raised in the Rocky Mountains of northern Utah, the oldest of four children. She earned a BFA in Printmaking, and Painting & Drawing in 2006 at Utah State University. She is an MFA candidate in printmaking at The University of Montana. Stephanie has taught undergraduate courses in lithography, screen-printing, relief printmaking, drawing, and various workshops. Her prints have been shown both nationally and internationally. Nature, especially rivers, has been a significant influence in her life and work.

EXHIBITIONS:

The Montana Museum of Art & Culture has two exhibitions on display.  Be sure to check out Sense and Sensation: Laurie Fendrich, Paintings and Drawings 1990 – 2010 as well as Barry Hood: Flow.  Both exhibitions run until May 21st. 

FINAL EXAMS:

For a full listing of final exam schedules, click HERE.

COMMENCEMENT:

The University of Montana’s 2011 Commencement will be held at 10am on May 14th in the Adams Center.  The School of Art’s Commencement Ceremony will begin at 2pm in the Montana Threatre (PAR-TV Bldg), but art students should be backstage by 1.45.  Please contact Ed Morrissey at 406.243.4181 with any questions. 

We hope you all had a wonderful, successful and art filled year!  Have a safe summer, and keep making art!

Join us for a closing reception on April 21st from 5-7pm and meet the artists and other members of the university’s  amazing art community!

With a stellar career spanning more than 30 years, Pfaff is widely regarded as one of the preeminent installation artists of our time. She is known for her lyrical and energetic manipulations of surprising materials, taking over gallery and alternative spaces for months at a time.

Pfaff is a professor of art and co-director of the Studio Arts program at Bard College, Annendale on Hudson, New York. She was born in England and received a Master of Fine Arts degree from Yale in 1973.   She has received numerous awards for her sculpture, installation, prints and drawings, including a United States Artists Fellowship, a Barnett and Annalee Newman Foundation Fellowship, a MacArthur Fellowship and two National Endowment of the Arts Fellowships.

Join the School of Art, in conjunction with the Jim and Jane Dew Visiting Artist Fund, as we welcome Judy Pfaff to The University of Montana. This event is free and open to the public.

FACULTY EXHIBITION:

The Dana Gallery (246 N. Higgins) will be hosting an opening reception for the exhibition of the University of Montana School of Art Permanent Faculty James Bailey, Kevin Bell, Mary Ann Bonjorni, Elizabeth Dove, Julia Galloway, Matt Hamon, Trey Hill, Beth Lo and Bobby Tilton. The opening reception will be on Friday, April 1st,  from 5 p.m. – 8 p.m.  The Show runs through April 30.  Be sure to check out the works of the dedicated and talented School of Art faculty!

HOLY HELL:

Join School of Art graduate and and undergraduate students for a First Friday exhibition and reception at the Top Hat (134 W. Front).  Grad students Jack Metcalf, Brett Hargesheimer, Burke Jam and maybe Will Hutchinson will be joined by undergrad Louis Habeck for this one night only multimedia installation event.  Join us from 5-9pm and view the work they describe as “tasteless, yet well done.” 

BABY IT’S COLD OUTSIDE:

As you should know by now, grad students Nate Tonning and Will Hutchinson have themselves a sweet little gallery in the alley behind the Old Post Pub which they call FrontierSpace. For the month of April, and its First Friday exhibition, the gallery will be displaying the works of Laura Alich. Join us for the reception on April 1st from 6-9pm. 

Brandon Reintjes and Nate White:

Painters Brandon Reintjes and Nate White will exhibit new work for First Friday, April 1 at A&E Architects (222 N. Higgins). The exhibition will continue through May 28, 2011. Reintjes’ work consists of shaped paintings on aluminum which use regular and irregular geometric shapes to explore abstraction as a form of play.  White cobbles together disassociated narratives using depictions of animals, objects and landscapes to create vivid, almost hallucinogenic, works.

Laurie Fendrich:

Stop by the Montana Museum of Art & Culture for April First Friday activities in conjunction with the exhibition, “Sense and Sensation: Laurie Fendrich, Paintings and Drawings 1990 – 2010”. At 3 p.m., New York based contemporary artist Laurie Fendrich will give a talk in the Masquer Theatre. From 4 – 6pm, a reception will be held in her honor featuring food and live music. The PARTV Center is located on the north end of campus near the Adams Center.

Missoula Art Museum:

Be sure to head over to the Missoula Art Museum for a First Friday reception to honor the work of local artist Andy Smetanka. Mr. Smetanka creates stop-motion silhouette films which will be presented at 7pm.  In addition, check out the work of School of art Professor Cathryn Mallory also on display in the museum.

POTSKETCH:

From 5:30-9:00 PM the Clay Studio of Missoula will host a First Friday gallery opening featuring a diverse array of works donated by local, national, and international artists for the organization’s annual POTSKETCH auction.  Visitors will be able to view over sixty unique drawings and nearly twenty ceramic pieces from both emerging and established artists, including works by Julia Galloway, Beth Lo, Richard Notkin, and Akio Takamori.

Nici Holt Cline:

The Brink Gallery is pleased to announce the upcoming exhibit “sow, mend”, by Nici Holt Cline. As an artist and a mother of two young children, Cline’s choices are dictated by her daily life. Using egg shells from the chickens in her backyard, and the lint from the dryer, she creates from and within her now.  “Because of both convenience and concept, my creative choices are honest, everyday, and present. I think about generations, purpose, seasons, impermanence, landfills, dust, growth and physicality. These things inform my parenting, my writing, my art-making, my home-making. It’s all interconnected and interdependent.” (Nici Holt Cline)  Reception Friday, April 1, 5-8 pm

The School of Art’s Annual Student Juried Exhibition opens on March 10th!  The opening reception and award ceremony will be from 5-7.  Be sure to stop by and see the works of art students at all levels, from freshman to graduate students!

VISITING ARTIST:

The School of Art is excited to bring Rick Hirsch to campus for a public lecture.  Join us for an artist talk at 6.00pm on Tuesday, March 15th in Social Science room 356. Mr. Hirsch is a permanent member of the International Ceramics Academy, a world-wide organization headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.  He is a recipient of a William J. Fulbright Research Scholar Award (2002), and has received several individual Artists Grants.  Mr. Hirsch co-authored the book Raku in 1975, published by Watson-Guptill.   Mr. Hirsch currently teaches at the College of Imaging Arts and Science at the Rochester Institute of Technology, New York.  Please join us for the artist’s lecture on March 15th at 6:00 p.m. in the UM Social Sciences building, Room 356.  This visit is made possible by the Jim and Jane Dew Visiting Artist Fund.

ARTINI:

School of Art Professor Cathryn Mallory will speak at the Missoula Art Museum for Artini on March 17th at 6pm.  Click HERE to see the complete page from the museum’s website. 

You can click HERE to see Cathryn’s artist website.

CALL TO ARTISTS:

The City of Missoula Public Art Committee invites artists residing in Missoula County to apply for a public art project to create art on traffic signal boxes (TSB) located throughout Missoula. The goal of the project is to use local traffic signalboxes as “canvases.” The Traffic Signal Box Art Project – Phase IV is designed to enhance our city by adding works of art to streetscape on surfaces that are often targeted by graffiti vandals. Artwork on TSBs functions as a form of communication to a moving audience with the goal of creating a safe, inclusive and interesting environment. Successful proposals will foster community pride and convey the sense of community. When designing your artwork, think of the relevance of the image to the project site and its users (pedestrians, commuters, and neighborhood citizens). Consider what makes Missoula unique: the arts, history, music, community events, recreational opportunities, and special attractions. For an application and further information, please visit http://www.ci.missoula.mt.us/Bids.aspx?BidID=110 The deadline is April 1, 2011.

UM Art Majors Bonnie Clark and Sean Bryers will be presenting new works for First Friday at Frankie’s Mercantile (223 W. Front St).  Their exhibition will feature art pieces created by layering alternative materials titled, “Making Thoughts Stand Still.”

School of Art alumnus Stony Sasser will present her latest works in an exhibition titled, “The Last Supper” in the UC Gallery.  There will be a reception on Thursday, March 3, and Stony will speak about her art at 5pm  This show will be on display until April 1st.

Art majors Amber Proudy, Zach Hamersley, Claire Lueders and Adam Lynn have correctly pointed out that one can not spell party without art.  Join them for their exhibition, titled, well, “Party” at the Stensrud Events Center (314 N. 1St W-across from the ZACC) from 6-11pm this First Friday.

School of Art graduate students Nate Tonning and Will Hutchinson have booked two new artists for a First Friday exhibition at their gallery “FrontierSpace“.  Join Andrew Reisert and Michael Vallera in the alley behind the Old Post, next to New West for a joint showing called, “COMA” from 6-9pm.
From the press release:
“Our interface with the physical world is a measure of our consciousness. We have a constant access to the gift of the land, as well as the retreat offered by the infrastructure surrounding us. COMA is an exercise in documenting the grey state in between. Using symmetry, abstraction and fact, these works act as a vehicle for transformation.  What is universal becomes intimate.  What is real seems impossible.”

The Missoula Art Museum invites you to meet your friends at MAM for First Friday from 5-8 PM. Meet local artists Phoebe Toland and Marvie Redmond as they come together to discuss both of their exciting exhibitions. View beautiful sculptural forms within two-dimensional prints inspired by world events in Toland’s High Impact. In Redmond’s Skyscapes, admire atmospheric paintings depicting the skyscapes unique to our area. Her savvy sense of realism communicates beauty and transcendence in the world around us. Let Toland inspire at 7 PM and reflect with Redmond at 7:30 PM.  While at the MAM, don’t miss the School of Art’s very own Cathryn Mallory who has works on display.  An opening reception is scheduled for March 17th.

Join the Montana Museum of Art & Culture for a First Friday Celebration on March 4 from 4 – 6pm. On view “Renoir, Magritte, Gauguin and other European Masterpieces from a Private Collection”, and “Three Centuries of European Prints from the MMAC Permanent Collection”. Food and live music.

The Montana Museum of Art & Culture will present a lecture by MMAC Curator of Art Brandon Reintjes on Wednesday, March 9, 2011 at 7pm in the Masquer Theatre at UM. The lecture will focus on masterpieces as unique historical objects as they pass from continent to continent and through lives over the span of decades or centuries. Free and open to the public.

Our friends over at the Brink Gallery are excited for another First Friday reception.  This month they are proud to present Danny Crump‘s, “seeing constructs,” wood-fired ceramics  from March 4 – 26, 2011.  Crump is currently the wood-fire resident at the Clay Studio of Missoula. He has a BFA in Ceramics and Sculpture from Utah State University in Logan. He has exhibited nationally and completed residencies in Utah, Montana, and New Zealand. He has also studied porcelain in Jingdezhen, China, and will begin a residency at Da Wang Art Center in Shenzhen, China in April.
STUDENT JURIED EXHIBITION:

The School of Art’s Annual Student Juried Exhibition is fast approaching!  The deadline for submissions is Thursday, March 3rd.  You can download the application  HERE The opening reception and award ceremony will be from 5-7 on March 10th.

VISITING ARTIST:

The School of Art  will host artist Steven Pearsosn’s public lecture about his paintings on March 9, 2011, in Social Sciences Room 356, from 5:30-6:30pm. Pearson’s painting style overflows with color, energy, and a playful approach towards layering and abstracting the natural world.

THIS JUST IN:

Art students, this is huge!

The City of Missoula Public Art Committee invites artists residing in Missoula County to apply for a public art project to create art on traffic signal boxes (TSB) located throughout Missoula. The goal of the project is to use local traffic signalboxes as “canvases.” The Traffic Signal Box Art Project – Phase IV is designed to enhance our city by adding works of art to streetscape on surfaces that are often targeted by graffiti vandals. Artwork on TSBs functions as a form of communication to a moving audience with the goal of creating a safe, inclusive and interesting environment. Successful proposals will foster community pride and convey the sense of community. When designing your artwork, think of the relevance of the image to the project site and its users (pedestrians, commuters, and neighborhood citizens). Consider what makes Missoula unique: the arts, history, music, community events, recreational opportunities, and special attractions. For an application and further information, please visit http://www.ci.missoula.mt.us/Bids.aspx?BidID=110 The deadline is April 1, 2011.

Don’t miss this lecture!  Professor Valerie Hedquist will deliver a lecture called, “A Good Likeness: Portraiture in the 18th – 20th Centuries” in the Montana Theatre (PAR-TV Bldg) at 7pm on Thursday, February 10.  This event is free and open to the public and in conjunction with the current exhibition, Renoir, Magritte, Gauguin and other European Masterpieces from a Private Collection hosted by the Montana Museum of Art & Culture.  If you have not had an opportunity to hear Dr. Hedquist speak, this is an event you really should plan on attending.

Artist Needed:

SEEKING A 2D ARTIST

We seek an artist with superb drawing and painting skills interested in working in a rural Mission Valley setting to complete 4 figurative panels. The artist must be sensitive to classical and Christian iconography and to working on a site-specific installation. For more information, please contact Andy at laue@blackfoot.net or Rafael at hrafael.chacon@umontana.edu.

Alumni News:

Recently two former students from the School of Art sent in inormation on their artistic endeavors, take a look:

Ian Clark is a filmmaker and visual artist born in Portland, OR.  He earned a BFA in Photography from The University of Montana in 2007 and is currently enrolled in the MFA program at the University of Oregon in Digital Arts.

Clark’s first narrative feature Pool Room premiered at the 2010 Kansas City Film Fest in April. He is finishing post-production on a second narrative feature Country Story, which shot June 2010 in La Grande, OR.

Clark also co-founded and directed the first-annual Eastern Oregon Film Festival, now a nonprofit that held its second-annual event October 2010.

You can watch Ian’s film, Pool Room by clicking HERE.

Eva Champagne received her MFA in Ceramics from the School of Art in 2009.  She was recently selected to attend and participate in Project Network, part of the International Ceramic Research Center at Guldagergaard.  Eva will travel to Denmark for the annual six week symposium for recent graduates. The aim of the project is to give the participants the opportunity to create network and dialogue within the same generation of ceramic artists. The project promotes international exchange and investigation into the future of  the ceramic arts.

Eva was also one of the participating artists in the recent Missoula Art Museum Annual Auction.  She donated 100% of the proceeds from her ceramic sculpture, “Indulged by the Presence” to the museum.

Following her stay in Denmark, Eva will attend  NCECA in Tampa to work for and represent The Clay Studio of Missoula.

The School of Art congratulates both Ian and Eva on their successes as practicing artists and community members.

Scholarships:

The School of Art has scholarships available for eligible art majors.  Take a look at our website and download an application today.  The deadline is February 14th. 

BFA Review Applications:

Applications for those students wishing to peruse a BFA are available on our website and outside the School of Art’s administrative office suite.  The deadline is March 1. 

SCHOLARSHIPS:

The School of Art offers scholarships to its majors each year.  Click here for the  Scholarship Application. The deadline is February 14th, so don’t miss your chance to receive some financial assistance! 

ART EVENTS:

The School of Art is pleased to welcome China Marks to campus and we invite you all to check out her work in the Gallery of Visual Arts from February 1 to 25.  There will be an opening reception on Feb. 3 from 5-7pm.

China Marks was born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri.  She earned a B.F.A. in Sculpture from the Kansas City Art Institute and an M.F.A. in Sculpture from Washington University in St. Louis.  In l976, she moved to New York City. She now lives and makes art in Long Island City, NY, using an industrial sewing machine to make process-directed drawings and books out of fabric and thread. Her work has been shown in galleries and museums in the United States and Europe. She has received numerous grants and fellowships, including a 2005 NYFA fellowship for her sewn drawings.  For exhibition hours, please call the Gallery of Visual Arts, Interim Director Lisa Jarrett, at 406-243-2813.

The School of Art’s student group “The Artists’ Collective” is hosting a joint exhibition of their member’s works in the UC Gallery until February 25th.  There will be an opening reception on February 3rd from 5-7pm.  Stop by and take a look at what these dedicated artists have been making lately.

The University of Montana School of Art Jim and Jane Dew Visiting Artist fund and UMECA (University of Montana Emerging Ceramic Artists) are pleased to host its annual Archie Bray Day, Tues February 15 from 10am to 7pm in the Ceramics lab in the Art Annex.  Each year, three of the current resident artists from the Archie Bray Foundation in Helena are invited to demonstrate their skills in ceramic art for students and the general public.  Approximately 10 residents work and study at the Archie Bray Foundation and have been selected from over 100 applicants from around the world.  This year the University of Montana will host Sean Erwin, Courtney Murphy and Aaron Benson.  Demonstrations will take place from approximately 10am to 1pm, and 2-6pm.  Slide lectures of the artists work will be shown from 6-7pm.  Archie Bray Days are free and open to the public.  For more information call Beth Lo 243-6476 or 243-5893.

Last month Israel Davis came to Missoula to exhibit his works at FrontierSpace.  By popular demand, Mr. Davis now has his works on display in the Gallery of Visual Arts.  You may view “Minutes, Daydreams, and Recollections” through February 25th.  Join us for an opening reception this First Friday from 5-7pm in the GVA.

Be sure to join us for the annual Archie Bray Day in the Art Annex!  Visiting artists will be giving demonstrations and discussions regarding ceramic arts.  This is a great opportunity for you to meet professionals in the field and ask questions of these accomplished artists. 

School of Art graduate students Nate Tonning and Will Hutchinson own a gallery called FrontierSpace and have been very busy bringing visiting artists to Missoula for lectures, demos and First Friday exhibitions.  This month Benjamin Love’s JMH Is My Spirit Guide will be the first solo exhibition of his most recent body of work.

The work in the exhibition spans various media including digital video, sound, sculpture, and installation. The sound piece Ultra Depth Pas Life Regression, leads the listener into a relaxed state, then guides them to reflect on a past life experience to be able to get insight into how it is affecting their current life. The Transfiguration Of JMH, a digital video loop, traps the performer, forever in his moment of transfiguration. Through the reinvigoration and re-contextualization of cast off material and subject matter, Love’s work examines the cult of the individual, revealing its destructive and consumptive power.

The Historic Union Club is proud to present the works of Crystal Kingston this First Friday.  Mrs. Kingston’s prints will be on display in the dining area of the club; an opening reception will be held from 5-7pm on Friday, February 4th.

Many, many people associated with the School of Art are participating in the Clay Studio of Missoula‘s Teapot Show!  The list of names is too long to type, but it includes Eva Champagne, Josh DeWeese, Julia Galloway, Beth Lo, Randi O’Brien and Ron Geibel. Click on the announcement card to read the entire list of talented artists taking part in this exhibit.   The opening reception will be First Friday, February 4th from 5.30-9pm, with the exhibition running until Feb. 25th.  Stop by and enjoy these wonderful ceramic pots, meet the artists and snack on the Clay Studio’s signature Goldfish Crackers!

SUBMISSIONS:

If you have art related events, exhibitions, etc that you would like to see posted on this blog, feel free to email us HERE.

FISHCAM:

As far as we can tell, The University of Montana has the only School of Art FishCam in the country.  We could be wrong…

MAKE ART:

Once again, we welcome you to the School of Art and hope this semester brings you much success and plenty of great art!

As you may know,  Drs. Chacón and Hedquist, as well as Director Galloway have taken students from Art 450 on a two week trip to Europe and Asia.  While studying abroad, the group will be in Rome exploring the Imperial Fourms, Capitoline Hill and Museums, the Colosseum, Christian Catacombs and the National Museum of Rome.  They will then travel to Ravenna to see San Vitale, Sant’Apollinare, the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia and other sights.  Rounding out this academic adventure will be a full week in Turkey with stops to the Hippodrome, Topkapi Palace, Ayasofya, the Blue Mosque, the Arkeoloji Museum and much more.  Here on the School of Art Blog, we will keep in touch with the group and update you on their travels via a blog set up by one of our students.

EUROPE and ASIA TRAVEL BLOG:

Check this site often for updates from our traveling art students and faculty!