Upcoming Events
Opening of MINE: An exhibition inspired by the Upper Clark Fork Ecosystems
MINE: An exhibition inspired by the Upper Clark Fork Ecosystems showcases both new and existing work by Montana-based artists Eric Jensen, Lane Chapman, and Manette Bradford, all participants in Open AIR’s 2024 Artist-in-Residence program.
Jensen and Chapman completed their residencies in partnership with the Clark Fork Coalition, where they shared a studio space at the Cottonwood Field Station, allowing for close collaboration and creative exchange. Bradford held her residency at the Hungry Hill Art Center in Butte, Montana, a location rich with the mining heritage that continues to shape the region’s identity.
The exhibition, titled MINE, explores themes of place, extraction, ecology, and personal connection to the land. It will be on the fourth floor of the Missoula Public Library through July 28, 2025. The exhibition will conclude with a closing reception and panel discussion, featuring the artists and representatives from the Clark Fork Coalition, reflecting on their experiences and the role of art in engaging environmental narratives.
Open AIR Open: Call for art DEADLINE
Open AIR invites artists, designers, tinkerers, and builders to design and construct one-of-a-kind mini-golf holes for our inaugural Open AIR Open, a wildly imaginative fundraiser where art meets play.
Using the base forms from MiniGolf Company, each selected artist or artist team will create an interactive, artist-designed mini-golf hole that celebrates creativity, community, and joyful engagement. This is your chance to bring your wildest ideas to life—whimsical obstacles, unexpected materials, or kinetic features are all welcome!
Application Form - Register today!
FAQ
Timeline:
● Call Opens: May 15
● Applications Due: June 17
● Notification of Selection: By July 1
● Installation + Artist Pizza Party & Test Round: September 20
● Event Date: Saturday, September 21st from 10a-8p at Fort Missoula Iris Gardens
Nikki Culley Artist-Led Workshop
| CYANOTYPE HAND PRINTING at GARDEN CITY HARVEST |
About the workshop:
Come and join documentary photographer and artist Nikki Culley at Garden City Harvest this summer to learn the cyanotype process and make your own photographic prints. We will have a wander across the garden to collect plants and flowers that are most interesting to us and use the natural sunlight to make individual and group prussian blue holographic prints together. All materials will be provided and you can take your prints home or leave them behind to be included in an exhibition that will share the story of the garden’s community in photographs.
About the Artist:
Nikki is a documentary photographer from Manchester UK who shares stories of people, place and community. Nikki first learned manual photography on an art foundation course at Sunderland University in 2004 but pursued a first career as a journalist in London.
In 2015, Nikki returned to visual storytelling, studying a masters degree in History of Art Photography at Manchester University and building a darkroom in her home.
Currently, Nikki is working on long-term projects with; women working the land and at sea in remote areas of Iceland; and, with male fighters in mixed martial arts communities in UK cities.
She has had on-location assignments across the UK, in Tanzania, India and Iceland, with photographs published in a raft of magazines, for the BBC and shown at exhibitions for various galleries and festivals.
Register Here! https://form.jotform.com/251315634095152
Questions? Email program@openairmt.org
Eleanor Qull Artist- Led Workshop
| FLY: a kite-making workshop to explore the shapes and sounds of insect futures |
About the workshop:
Learn to make a singing kite and maybe communicate with local insects and butterflies.
Findings about insect wing patterning, flight, and behavior can suggest new approaches on how we cohabitate with insects and can apply to a creative kite making process – experimenting with pattern, shapes, movement and sound.
This workshop is an open discussion through direct insect observation, conversation, and three-dimensional hands-on kite making, on xenobiotic and environmental changes that are affecting and changing insect behaviours and biology, and how we can respond to those changes.
About the Artist:
Eleanor Qull [Alias Eleanor Tullock, Delano Roosevelt]
Maker, sound artist, and Australian exile based in California and the western states.
After graduating with a Master of Architecture in Design, Eleanor has put formal design training under scrutiny and intense stretching - to experiment with free-form creative practice in experimental audio, sculpture, writing and theoretical inventions. This has included large scale projects such as ‘Flog’ (an architecture magazine), the Graham Foundation supported ‘Never Discuss Politics at Home’ (an attempt to make architecture TV) and a daily practice of making objects both small (dueling gloves, horns, instruments) and large (a 40 ft X 28 ft hand painted kabuki drop curtain, ‘The Mountain’ for a performance in the Festival of New Works, Red Cat Theatre 2021).
She moved to the Western states to explore the complex intersections between the landscape, the built world, ecology, and diverse, and sometimes secret, communities.
Register Now: https://form.jotform.com/251475301226146
Questions? Email program@openairmt.org
Kids workshop at Philipsburg Public Library
Free kids workshop ages 6+
More info coming soon!
Anne Yoncha Artist-Led Workshop
| Improvisations With The Trees: Drawing, movement, sound, and taste explorations in collaboration with Moonrandolph Homestead Orchard |
More about the workshop:
Join artist Anne Yoncha for 12 immersive experiences combining drawing, movement, sound, and taste in the Moon Randolph Homestead Apple Orchard. Through these experimental exercises, you'll explore deep listening and use elements like sound, shadows, and wind to inspire your drawings among the trees.
About the artist:
Anne Yoncha (US) is currently Assistant Professor of Art + Painting Area Coordinator at Metropolitan State University Denver. She was born and raised in Wilmington, Delaware. After earning her MFA at the University of Montana in 2019, she was awarded a Fulbright fellowship at the Natural Resources Institute Finland, working with restorationists to make collaborative art-science work about former peat extraction sites outside Oulu. Her practice combines digital sensing technology, such as bio-data sonification, and analog, traditional processes including painting with ink she makes from locally-sourced plant matter. Her ongoing research with the HAB (High Altitude Bioprospecting) working group began in Fall 2019 at Field_Notes, a residency of Finland’s Bio Art Society at Kilpisjärvi Biological Station in subarctic Lapland, where she worked with artists, biologists, and programmers to detect high-altitude microbes using a heli-kite. Outside the studio she can often be found doing another kind of environmental “research” via bicycle.
Register Now: https://form.jotform.com/251314933108148 Questions? Email program@openairmt.org
Amanda Bielby Plein Air Workshop Series Session One
Plein Air along the Clark Fork Watershed - Amanda Bielby Workshop Series
Five guided sessions with artist Amanda Bielby
When: Every other Thursday from June 26th - August 21st, 2025
Session One: June 26th - Enhance Your Soft Pastel with Watercolors
Session Two: July 10th- Find Your Color Palette With Grey Scale
Session Three: July 24th- Loose Watercolor Landscapes
Session Four: August 7th- Nature's Molecular Abstract Patterns in Watercolor
Session Five: August 21st- Speed-Scapes
Session Time: 9am - 12pm
Place: Varying locations along the Clark Fork Watershed- each destination will be approved by MT FWP. All locations will be sent out via google maps leading up to the workshop.
Audience: This workshop is suitable for individuals 18+.
What to bring: Camp chair, water bottle, sunscreen, all workshop materials will be provided!
Cost: The workshop is free, but a suggested donation is appreciated! All participants will need a MT FWP issued conservation License.
Registration Opens Soon!
Questions? Email program@openairmt.org
Kids workshop at Philipsburg Public Library
Free workshop for kids ages 6+
More info coming soon!
Nikki Cully Artist Presentation
Join us on Tuesday, July 1, at Garden City Harvest (GCH) for an artist presentation with Open AIR's GCH Artist-in-Residence Nikki Culley. Snacks will be provided. Let us know if you'll be joining us with the optional registration form linked here.
https://form.jotform.com/251314891218153
Nikki is a documentary photographer from Manchester UK who shares stories of people, place and community. Nikki first learned manual photography on an art foundation course at Sunderland University in 2004 but pursued a first career as a journalist in London.
In 2015, Nikki returned to visual storytelling, studying a masters degree in History of Art Photography at Manchester University and building a darkroom in her home.
Currently, Nikki is working on long-term projects with; women working the land and at sea in remote areas of Iceland; and, with male fighters in mixed martial arts communities in UK cities. She has had on-location assignments across the UK, in Tanzania, India and Iceland, with photographs published in a raft of magazines, for the BBC and shown at exhibitions for various galleries and festivals.
Kids workshop at Philipsburg Public Library
Free kids workshop ages 6+
More info coming soon!
Anne Yoncha Artist Presentation
Join us on Wednesday, July 9th, at the Moon Randolph Homestead for an artist presentations with Open AIR's Moon Randolph Homestead Artist-in-Residence Anne Yoncha. Snacks will be provided. Let us know if you'll be joining us with the optional registration form linked here.
https://form.jotform.com/250627326609156
Anne Yoncha - Anne Yoncha (US) is currently Assistant Professor of Art + Painting Area Coordinator at Metropolitan State University Denver. She was born and raised in Wilmington, Delaware. After earning her MFA at the University of Montana in 2019, she was awarded a Fulbright fellowship at the Natural Resources Institute Finland, working with restorationists to make collaborative art-science work about former peat extraction sites outside Oulu. Her practice combines digital sensing technology, such as bio-data sonification, and analog, traditional processes, including painting with ink she makes from locally-sourced plant matter. Her ongoing research with the HAB (High Altitude Bioprospecting) working group began in Fall 2019 at Field_Notes, a residency of Finland’s Bio Art Society at Kilpisjärvi Biological Station in subarctic Lapland, where she worked with artists, biologists, and programmers to detect high-altitude microbes using a heli-kite. Outside the studio she can often be found doing another kind of environmental “research” via bicycle.
Amanda Bielby Plein Air Workshop Series Session Two
Plein Air along the Clark Fork Watershed - Amanda Bielby Workshop Series
Five guided sessions with artist Amanda Bielby
When: Every other Thursday from June 26th - August 21st, 2025
Session One: June 26th - Enhance Your Soft Pastel with Watercolors
Session Two: July 10th- Find Your Color Palette With Grey Scale
Session Three: July 24th- Loose Watercolor Landscapes
Session Four: August 7th- Nature's Molecular Abstract Patterns in Watercolor
Session Five: August 21st- Speed-Scapes
Session Time: 9am - 12pm
Place: Varying locations along the Clark Fork Watershed- each destination will be approved by MT FWP. All locations will be sent out via google maps leading up to the workshop.
Audience: This workshop is suitable for individuals 18+.
What to bring: Camp chair, water bottle, sunscreen, all workshop materials will be provided!
Cost: The workshop is free, but a suggested donation is appreciated! All participants will need a MT FWP issued conservation License.
Registration Opens Soon!
Questions? Email program@openairmt.org
Kids Workshop at Philipsburg Public Library
Free kids workshop ages 6+
More info coming soon!
Eleanor Qull & Deborah Dohne Artist Presentation
Join us on Tuesday, July 15th, at the G.W. Marks Exploration Center in the Balsomroot room for two artist presentations with Open AIR's Missoula Butterfly House & Insectarium Artist-in-Residence Eleanor Qull and Rocky Mountain Gardens Artist-in-Residence Deborah Dohne. Snacks will be provided. Let us know if you'll be joining us with the optional registration form linked here.
https://form.jotform.com/250627326609156
Eleanor Qull - [Alias Eleanor Tullock, Delano Roosevelt] is a maker, sound artist, and Australian exile based in California and the western states.
After graduating with a Master of Architecture in Design, Eleanor has put formal design training under scrutiny and intense stretching - to experiment with free-form creative practice in experimental audio, sculpture, writing and theoretical inventions. This has included large scale projects such as ‘Flog’ (an architecture magazine), the Graham Foundation supported ‘Never Discuss Politics at Home’ (an attempt to make architecture TV) and a daily practice of making objects both small (dueling gloves, horns, instruments) and large (a 40 ft X 28 ft hand painted kabuki drop curtain, ‘The Mountain’ for a performance in the Festival of New Works, Red Cat Theatre 2021).
She moved to the Western states to explore the complex intersections between the landscape, the built world, ecology, and diverse, and sometimes secret, communities.
Deborah Dohne - is a visual artist and environmental advocate with an art practice rooted in sustainability. Her artwork is a reflection on the meaning of place, its histories, truths and interconnected human and ecological communities. She works with fibers, mixed media, beach plastic, wood, and other biodegradable materials. Deborah also engages place through participation in public science research projects.MFA, Ohio State University. Recognitions: Greening USA Community Advocacy Sustainability Award, Levine Award for NYS Ornithological Association illustrated journal article. New York State Council on the Arts Grant, Artist Trust Grant, Washington State Arts Commission Fellowship.
Molly Burki Artist Presentation
Join us on Thursday, July 17th, at Home Resource for an artist presentations with Open AIR's Home Resource Artist-in-Residence Molly Burki. Snacks will be provided. Let us know if you'll be joining us with the optional registration form linked here.
https://form.jotform.com/251314891218153
Molly Burki is an artist, educator, baker, and friend who is passionate about creating uplifting environments through community building and intentional and accessible resources. They are a weaver of many forms, primarily floor loom and basket weaving, and are committed to spreading awareness of accessible death care options and how weaving can guide us during those transitions. They are inspired by patterns, cycles, and the natural world's ease of flowing through them. Through playful exploration and devoted connection, they have hope we can, too.
Kids Workshop at Philipsburg Public Library
Free kids workshop ages 6+
More info coming soon!
Kelsey Dzintars Artist Presentation
Join us on Wednesday, July 23rd, at the Lolo Brewery & Grill for an artist presentation with Open AIR's Selway Bitterroot Frank Church Artist-in-Residence Kelsey Dzintars. Snacks will be provided. Let us know if you'll be joining us with the optional registration form linked here.
https://form.jotform.com/251314891218153
Kelsey Dzintars is a versatile fine artist, tattooist, muralist, and illustrator rooted in Bozeman, Montana. Growing up pursuing art and music in Rapid City, South Dakota, she followed her creative passion to Montana State University, earning a BFA in Graphic Design in 2009. Dzintars’ acrylic paintings draw from her personal experiences in the wilderness, weaving together expressive landscapes and surreal portrayals of nature’s divine feminine essence. Her work often merges with the mission of outdoor-centered brands and nonprofits, aiming to nurture and protect both the wilderness within us and the wild places beyond. She also spent time as a guide on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River, which deeply influenced both the visual and symbolic narratives of water in her work. When not creating in her studio at the Emerson Center in Bozeman you'll find her snowboarding, on the river (probably in costume), or engaged in a deeply philosophical—yet entirely pointless—Seinfeld-esque debate with her partner, Aaron, and their mischievous mutts, Neko and Ripley.
Amanda Bielby Plein Air Workshop Series Session Three
Plein Air along the Clark Fork Watershed - Amanda Bielby Workshop Series
Five guided sessions with artist Amanda Bielby
When: Every other Thursday from June 26th - August 21st, 2025
Session One: June 26th - Enhance Your Soft Pastel with Watercolors
Session Two: July 10th- Find Your Color Palette With Grey Scale
Session Three: July 24th- Loose Watercolor Landscapes
Session Four: August 7th- Nature's Molecular Abstract Patterns in Watercolor
Session Five: August 21st- Speed-Scapes
Session Time: 9am - 12pm
Place: Varying locations along the Clark Fork Watershed- each destination will be approved by MT FWP. All locations will be sent out via google maps leading up to the workshop.
Audience: This workshop is suitable for individuals 18+.
What to bring: Camp chair, water bottle, sunscreen, all workshop materials will be provided!
Cost: The workshop is free, but a suggested donation is appreciated! All participants will need a MT FWP issued conservation License.
Registration Opens Soon!
Questions? Email program@openairmt.org
Kids workshop at Philipsburg Public Library
Free kids workshop ages 6+
More info coming soon!
MINE Closing Reception and Panel Discussion
Join us for a closing reception of MINE: An exhibition inspired by the Upper Clark Fork Ecosystems featuring artists Eric Jensen, Lane Chapman, and Manette Bradford. We will celebrate with food, drinks, and a facilitated panel discussion with the artists and representatives from Clark Fork Coalition.
Kids workshop at Philipsburg Public Library
Free kids workshop ages 6+
More info coming soon!
Amanda Bielby Plein Air Workshop Series Session Four
Plein Air along the Clark Fork Watershed - Amanda Bielby Workshop Series
Five guided sessions with artist Amanda Bielby
When: Every other Thursday from June 26th - August 21st, 2025
Session One: June 26th - Enhance Your Soft Pastel with Watercolors
Session Two: July 10th- Find Your Color Palette With Grey Scale
Session Three: July 24th- Loose Watercolor Landscapes
Session Four: August 7th- Nature's Molecular Abstract Patterns in Watercolor
Session Five: August 21st- Speed-Scapes
Session Time: 9am - 12pm
Place: Varying locations along the Clark Fork Watershed- each destination will be approved by MT FWP. All locations will be sent out via google maps leading up to the workshop.
Audience: This workshop is suitable for individuals 18+.
What to bring: Camp chair, water bottle, sunscreen, all workshop materials will be provided!
Cost: The workshop is free, but a suggested donation is appreciated! All participants will need a MT FWP issued conservation License.
Registration Opens Soon!
Questions? Email program@openairmt.org
Kids Workshop at Philipsburg Public Library
Free kids workshop ages 6+
More info coming soon!
Kids workshop at Philipsburg Public Library
Free kids workshop ages 6+
more info coming soon!
Amanda Bielby Plein Air Workshop Series Session Five
Plein Air along the Clark Fork Watershed - Amanda Bielby Workshop Series
Five guided sessions with artist Amanda Bielby
When: Every other Thursday from June 26th - August 21st, 2025
Session One: June 26th - Enhance Your Soft Pastel with Watercolors
Session Two: July 10th- Find Your Color Palette With Grey Scale
Session Three: July 24th- Loose Watercolor Landscapes
Session Four: August 7th- Nature's Molecular Abstract Patterns in Watercolor
Session Five: August 21st- Speed-Scapes
Session Time: 9am - 12pm
Place: Varying locations along the Clark Fork Watershed- each destination will be approved by MT FWP. All locations will be sent out via google maps leading up to the workshop.
Audience: This workshop is suitable for individuals 18+.
What to bring: Camp chair, water bottle, sunscreen, all workshop materials will be provided!
Cost: The workshop is free, but a suggested donation is appreciated! All participants will need a MT FWP issued conservation License.
Registration Opens Soon!
Questions? Email program@openairmt.org
Kids workshop at Philipsburg Public Library
Free kids workshop ages 6+
More info coming soon!
Scarabic Serenades
If you are in Helena, MT - join us for a screening of Scarabic Serenades, a film about beetle courtship and the folks it inspires.
Get your tickets now for Scarabic Serenades: A Documentary!
Click here for tickets.
The film will screen on Thursday, May 29, at The Myrna Loy
7:00 pm
followed by a Q&A
Watch the movie trailer HERE!
Screening - begins at 7:00
$12
All ages
Screening includes a brief introduction and a Q&A with filmmakers after the film.
Scarabic Serenades chronicles two artists’ collaboration inspired by the mating songs and dances of the Japanese Rhinoceros Beetle. Part documentary, part art film, this film braids together researchers from the Emlen Biology Lab at the University of Montana, music by composer Jessi Harvey, and dance by choreographer Julynn Wildman into a story as captivating as the beetle itself.
With their oversized, pitchforked horns and an enigmatic mating ritual that includes both battle and a courtship song/dance, the Japanese Rhino Beetle captures hearts and imaginations alike.
Scarabic Serenades is a tongue-in-cheek film featuring over 20 Montana artists and researchers exploring the quirks of and questions about these charismatic critters.
A brief artist Q&A will follow the premiere screening.
This project is made possible in part by The University of Montana Emlen Evolutionary Biology Lab, Open AIR, The University of Montana School of Music and Dance, the National Science Foundation and the Prop Foundation, the Awesome Foundation, and the Missoula Butterfly House & Insectarium.
Becky Roberts Artist Presentation
Join us on Thursday, May 1, at Home ReSource for an artist presentation. There will be snacks provided. If you plan on attending, feel free to fill out the optional registration form linked here.
https://form.jotform.com/250627326609156
Home ReSource Artist-in-Residence Becky Roberts is a California native and Montana transplant. She has always been a maker of sorts. Aside from being an artist, Becky can add mom, florist, film student, cat lover, slinger of vintage clothes, and art framer to her resume. She finds her true passion as an assemblage and collage artist, reimagining the world around her through found objects. As such, she has a lifelong love of tacky glue.
Missoula Gives
On May 1–2, Open AIR is proud to join the Community Foundation of Missoula for Missoula Gives, a 24-hour celebration of generosity and community spirit!
This year, our goal is to raise $10,000 to support creativity in our communities—and we need your help to get there. The giving portal is open soon, and whether you can give $10 or $1,000, your contribution helps fuel the creative spark that powers everything we do.
When you support Open AIR, you support all of us.
You uplift:
Artists pushing boundaries in their craft
Partnerships that bring art to unexpected places
Collaboration that invites open dialogue
Communities strengthened through creativity
Amanda Baker Artist Presentation
Join us on Tuesday, April 29, at the Montana Natural History Center for an artist presentation. Snacks will be provided. Let us know if you'll be joining us with the optional registration form linked here.
https://form.jotform.com/250627326609156
Montana Natural History Center Artist-in-Residence, Amanda Baker (b.1994) is a Brooklyn-based interdisciplinary artist and educator. She received an MFA in printmaking from Pratt Institute in 2024, and a BFA from Massachusetts College of Art and Design in 2016. Her work investigates 19th-century naturalist illustration through a contemporary print-based lens. Amanda has been a former artist in residence at COPE NYC, has curated and shown work in numerous group exhibitions, and was a 2023 Pratt Graduate Student Engagement Fund recipient. She also participates in various NYC-based bird and wildlife conservation advocacy groups and teaches community printmaking workshops.
Jackie Vetter Artist Presentation
Join us on Thursday, April 24, at the Missoula Public Library in the 4th-floor Cooper Room for an engaging artist presentation. Light refreshments will be provided. Let us know if you are attending with our optional registration form linked here.
https://form.jotform.com/250627326609156
Missoula Public Library's Artist-in-Residence, Jackie Vetter, is a Theatre Artist and Actor/Director based in Anaconda, MT. She's the Founding Artistic Director of the new Anaconda Ensemble Theatre (AET). As a director, Jackie has led productions of 'Little Women' (Orphan Girl Children's Theatre), 'Peter and the Starcatcher' (Orphan Girl Community Theatre), 'A Mile High and a Mile Deep' (The Clark Chateau Radio Players), 'The War of the Worlds' (AET), and most recently 'The Harvest' by Havre playwright Jason Pyette (AET). Montana theatre acting credits include Kayleen in 'Gruesome Playground Injuries' (The Ballroom Players, Butte), Annie Sullivan in 'The Miracle Worker' (Orphan Girl Theatre), Janet in 'Five Kinds of Silence' (The Ballroom Players, Butte), 'Pitiful Beautiful Pittance' (Last Chance Play Festival, voted the best actor), Sylvie in 'Sports of Nature' (ZDK Arts/Third Ear Productions), Mrs. Wormwood in 'Matilda' (Mother Lode Series Butte), Phyllida in 'The Margins' (AET), as well as two seasons with the Virginia City Brewery Follies. Her Montana acting credits expand to the screen with commercials for PureView Health Center and the Grub Hub 2019 Year in Review, as well as a co-star on Yellowstone Season 4, Cindy in Heart and Home's Finding Love in Big Sky, MT, and the supporting role of Maria in Broke (Working Title) with Wyatt Russel.
Cory McKague and Kaitlynn Radloff Artist Presentation
Join us on Tuesday, April 22, at Travelers Rest State Park for two artist presentations. There will be an opportunity to meet and mingle with the artists. Snacks will be provided. Let us know if you are attending at the optional registration link below.
https://form.jotform.com/250627326609156
Travelers Rest Artist-in-Residence Cory McKague is an educator, storyteller, creative technologist, and artist. These all contribute to being a game designer in an expansive sense. Cory researches emerging creative technologies to build bridges, connect communities, and develop more immersive and inclusive spaces through avenues of teaching, technology, research, and social practice. Cory McKague is an Assistant Professor in Game Design + Interactive media at the University of Montana. Cory has degrees in education, social practice, and creative technologies. Cory currently teaches courses in the areas of game design and development and immersive media. Through interactive experimentation, Cory aims to expand expectations, break barriers, and promote engagement. Cory is a parent of two small children, coffee drinker, a backpacker, rock climber, an overall nature enthusiast, a humanitarian and Lolo local.
Kaitlynn Radloff is an interdisciplinary artist, musician, and educator living in Missoula, Montana. Her artwork focuses predominantly on celebrating the natural world and shedding light on/bringing focus to a variety of social issues. Kate has worked as a public school teacher for the last decade in Milwaukee, WI, and Frenchtown, MT. When not creating or teaching, she spends time outside with her dogs and plays music with friends.
Printmaking From the Montana Natural History Center's Collection Workshop with Amanda Baker
Register NOW for Open AIR’s next Artist-Led Workshop:
Printmaking from the Montana Natural History Center’s Collection with Amanda Baker
Register HERE:
https://form.jotform.com/250556337763160
About the workshop:
This workshop brings naturalist illustration and printmaking traditions into a contemporary context. Participants of all experience levels will draw an animal or specimen from the museum's collection and translate that drawing into a linoleum block print.
Participants will be guided through drawing specimens from the museum’s collection, carving images into easy-carve linoleum blocks, applying ink, and pressing their images onto heavyweight printmaking paper.
In working through this print-based project, participants will gain knowledge of a print-based process and generate new ideas about how nature can be represented in visual art.
Audience: This workshop is suitable for all ages 12+. Please bring your grown-up if you are under 16.
What to bring: Everything you need will be provided!
Cost: The workshop is free, but a suggested donation is appreciated!
Registration: Registration is required and will close 24 hours before the workshop begins.
About the Artist:
Amanda Baker (b.1994) is a Brooklyn-based interdisciplinary artist and educator. She received an MFA in printmaking with a Certificate in College Teaching from Pratt Institute in 2024 and a BFA from Massachusetts College of Art in 2016. Her work centers around natural history aesthetics and representations of nature.
Cancellation: If you are registered and cannot attend the workshop, please let us know at program@openairmt.org so we can open the spot for another participant!
Questions? Email program@openairmt.org
Fair is Fair Opening Reception
Fair is Fair is a group exhibition featuring recent works from Open AIR’s 2024 Western Montana Fair Artists-in-Residence.
In August 2024, artists were invited to Missoula, MT, to spend a week as Artists-in-Residence at the Western Montana Fair. They were given a studio space on the second floor of the Culinary Arts Building and asked to immerse themselves in and be inspired by the fair! The result was a unique and joyful experience where the fair’s animals, food, rides, culture, crafts, rodeo, etc. became part of daily life instead of an afternoon visit.
The featured artists in Fair is Fair are local, regional, and national artists.
Montana Artists:
Chris Alveshere (Missoula)
Sarah Cook (Missoula)
Kaisha Gerhardt (Missoula)
Zola Kell (Missoula)
Stacey Klocke (Missoula)
Ladypajama (Missoula)
Kia Liszak (Missoula)
Christine Martin (Butte)
Jennifer Ogden (Hamilton)
Sarisa Rodriguez (Missoula)
Out-of-State Artists:
Lori Damiano (Oregon)
Megan Karls (Washington)
Ben Nathan (Wyoming)
David Raba (Washington)
Renée Reizman (California)
Matthew Wuorinen (Minnesota)
Carrie Moran McCleary: “Rock Your Beads Night - An Unexpected Art Practice Windfall” Artist Talk
Join us for our next Open AIR Indigenous Art: Indigenous Minds Online Artist Presentation!
Register here for the online event:
https://form.jotform.com/250497707825164
Topic Description:
Carrie Moran McCleary shares the story of Rock Your Beads Night, which started as a spontaneous denial of isolation and became a community of Indigenous love, art education, and mentorship.
Where:
Online
Cost:
Free
About the Artist:
Carrie Moran McCleary is a fashion designer, beader, and doll maker from the Little Shell Chippewa Tribe. She lives on the Crow Reservation in Montana. In 2016, she founded Plains Soul to share her unique style and artistry with a wider audience.
Euphoria Starts Now - Group Artist-in-Residence Exhibition
Visit this exhibition during gallery hours or reach out to Bob’s Your Uncle to make an appointment!
Gallery Open Hours:
Friday, March 14, 1:30 - 5 pm
Saturday, March 15, 12 - 5 pm
Friday, March 21, 1:30 - 5 pm
Friday, March 28, 1:30 - 5 pm
Saturday, March 29, 12 - 5 pm
Euphoria Starts Now features new work from 25 artists who participated in Open AIR’s 2024 Artists-in-Residence. Open AIR collaborates with artists from all disciplines. Euphoria Starts Now includes works of sculpture, painting, printmaking, singer/songwriter, ceramics, film, composing, mixed-media, performance, quilting, poetry, furniture design, musical theater, illustration, and video, all inspired by the residency experience.
-Featured Artists-
Montana Artists:
Manette Bradford (Billings)
Lane Chapman (Missoula)
Bev Beck Glueckert (Missoula)
Stephen Glueckert (Missoula)
Eric Jensen (Billings)
Hannah Laga Abrahm (Missoula)
Danielle O'Malley (Helena)
Melissa Thompson (Missoula)
Eliza Weber (Helena)
Out-of-State Artists:
Arwen Baxter (Idaho/UK)
Reilly Blum (Rhode Island)
Jiayi Chen (Illinois)
Anteo Fabris (Arizona)
Nyki Fetterman (Ohio)
Samuel Fisch (New York)
Linnea Fitterer (Ohio)
Jessica Jones (Ohio)
Rachel McGovern (California)
Melliot (New York)
Jacob Riddle (Idaho)
Vera Ting (Connecticut)
Genevieve Waller (Colorado)
Amy Whitcomb (Washington)
Opening Reception - Euphoria Starts Now
Join us for the Opening Reception of Euphoria Starts Now!
Euphoria Starts Now features new work from 25 artists who participated in Open AIR’s 2024 Artists-in-Residence.
-Featured Artists-
Montana Artists:
Manette Bradford (Billings)
Lane Chapman (Missoula)
Bev Beck Glueckert (Missoula)
Stephen Glueckert (Missoula)
Eric Jensen (Billings)
Hannah Laga Abrahm (Missoula)
Danielle O'Malley (Helena)
Melissa Thompson (Missoula)
Eliza Weber (Helena)
Out-of-State Artists:
Arwen Baxter (Idaho/UK)
Reilly Blum (Rhode Island)
Jiayi Chen (Illinois)
Anteo Fabris (Arizona)
Nyki Fetterman (Ohio)
Samuel Fisch (New York)
Linnea Fitterer (Ohio)
Jessica Jones (Ohio)
Rachel McGovern (California)
Melliot (New York)
Jacob Riddle (Idaho)
Vera Ting (Connecticut)
Genevieve Waller (Colorado)
Amy Whitcomb (Washington)
Cameron Worden (Illinois)
Participating Site Partners:
Missoula
Garden City Harvest, Home ReSource, Missoula Butterfly House & Insectarium, Missoula Public Library, Montana Natural History Center, Moon-Randolph Homestead
Outside of Missoula
Clark Chateau, Butte, MT; Clark Fork Coalition Field Station, Deer Lodge, MT; Explore the ARTS, Hamilton, MT; Flathead Lake Biological Station, Polson, MT; Hungry Hill Center for Art, Butte, MT; Philipsburg, MT; Selway Bitterroot Frank Church Foundation, Selway Bitterroot Wilderness; Travelers’ Rest State Park, Lolo, MT.
Mixed Media Mania - Artist-Led Workshop with Ladypajama
Register HERE for an exciting, free, hands on workshop: https://form.jotform.com/250266347803154
About the workshop:
Participants will learn how to make mixed media paintings Ladypajama style! Working on three to five different "canvases," participants will learn how to layer different media, and move from piece to piece as inspiration flows. Mark-making, collaging, and scribbling will play a part in this fast-paced, fun class.
Audience: This workshop is suitable for all ages 16+
What to bring: Everything you need will be provided, but we will send an optional supply list upon registration.
Cost: The workshop is free, but a suggested donation is appreciated!
Registration: Registration is required and will close 24 hours before the workshop begins.
About the Artist:
Ladypajama is a self-made, self-taught artist. She explores all mediums and loves mark-making, scribbling, and collaging. Her art is more about process than product, feelings over precision. Ladypajama’s work is found sprinkled all over Missoula. She also publishes a monthly zine that is distributed all over the world.
Cancellation: If you are registered and cannot attend the workshop, please let us know at program@openairmt.org so we can open the spot for another participant!
Questions? Email program@openairmt.org
Scarabic Serenades: A Documentary Film
SOLD OUT! Let us know if we should add another screening sometime in the future!
Celebrate this Valentine’s season with the world premiere of Scarabic Serenades, a film about beetle courtship and the folks it inspires.
Get your tickets now for Scarabic Serenades: A Documentary!
Click here for tickets.
1:30 pm VIP Event
2:30 pm Film Screening
VIP event - 1:30-2:30 (doors @ 1:30)
$30 per ticket
Includes a complimentary beverage and bowl of popcorn, bug costume photo op, a movement demonstration, and priority seating at the screening
Screening - begins at 2:30 (doors @ 2:15)
$15 adults, $12 senior/student/military
Screening includes a brief introduction and 15 15-minute Q&A at the end
Scarabic Serenades chronicles two artists’ collaboration inspired by the mating songs and dances of the Japanese Rhinoceros Beetle. Part documentary, part art film, this film braids together researchers from the Emlen Biology Lab at the University of Montana, music by composer Jessi Harvey, and dance by choreographer Julynn Wildman into a story as captivating as the beetle itself.
With their oversized, pitchforked horns and an enigmatic mating ritual that includes both battle and a courtship song/dance, the Japanese Rhino Beetle captures hearts and imaginations alike.
Scarabic Serenades is a tongue-in-cheek film featuring over 20 Montana artists and researchers exploring the quirks of and questions about these charismatic critters.
A brief artist Q&A will follow the premiere screening.
The VIP Event includes exclusive opportunities to meet with researchers, artists and collaborators. Walk the red carpet costumed in wearable Rhino Beetle-inspired sculptures, see preserved beetle specimens up close, and enjoy a complimentary beverage and popcorn.
Watch the trailer HERE!
This project is made possible in part by The University of Montana Emlen Evolutionary Biology Lab, Open AIR, The University of Montana School of Music and Dance, the National Science Foundation and the Prop Foundation, the Awesome Foundation, and the Missoula Butterfly House & Insectarium.
Community Dance Improvisation with Hannah Laga Abram
This workshop has been postponed! More Artist-Led Workshops are coming soon!
Debra Yepa-Pappan and Monica Rickert-Bolter: Centering Native Futures in the Heart of Zhegagoynak
Register here for our first Indigenous Art: Indigenous Minds Online Presentation of 2025!
https://form.jotform.com/250015444713144
Topic Description:
How do you bring Native American contemporary art to a place where Native representation has long been (and continues to be) based on generalized and racist ideas of our existence and our culture? In this presentation, co-founders of the Center for Native Futures: Debra Yepa-Pappan and Monica Rickert-Bolter, will highlight their current journey as well as their collective visions for the future of Native art and artists in a place that has always been a thriving hub of exchange.
Cost:
Free
About the Artists:
Debra Yepa-Pappan (Jemez Pueblo/Korean) is a visual artist and co-founding director of exhibitions and programs at the Center for Native Futures (CfNF), a dynamic contemporary art space in the heart of Chicago dedicated to Native artists. Through her artwork and her work at CfNF she is committed to advocating for positive representations of Native people, and providing a safe and welcoming environment for Native artists to gather, exhibit, and be in community with each other.
Monica Rickert-Bolter is a Chicago-based visual artist of Potawatomi and Black heritage. Her artwork uses traditional mediums, such as charcoal and pastels, graphic design, and digital coloring to create expressive characters and tell diverse stories. After her undergrad, Monica became involved with Native nonprofits, combining her love of art and education to develop youth programs and resources, including illustrating children’s books. She advocates for cultural representation and serves as a consultant for various institutions and organizations.
Monica is a co-founder and the Director of Operations at the Center for Native Futures, a Native fine arts gallery that opened in September 2023. Her artwork has been featured in exhibitions at The National Museum of the American Indian, The Field Museum, the University of North Carolina Stone Center, The Watershed Art & Ecology, and the Center for Native Futures. Her upcoming projects include a collaborative public art piece with the Beacon Hill Black Alliance for Human Rights and an installation at the National Public Housing Museum.
Linnea Fitterer Artist Presentation
Artist-in-Residence Linnea Fitterer will give an Artist Presentation at Explore the Arts in Hamilton!
Linnea is an interdisciplinary artist who works in social practice, sculpture, photography, textiles, and mixed media.
Join us for refreshments, conversation, and a chance to meet the artist. Let us know you are coming at our optional registration: https://form.jotform.com/242414874455158
About the Artist:
Linnea Fitterer (she/her) is from Southern Minnesota where she first formed values of loyalty, observation, and independence. Growing up on a vast prairie, her roots encouraged exploration and creativity. Fitterer studied Art History at Minnesota State University Moorhead. There, she expanded her understanding of the role of art and artists in society. Her undergraduate thesis work, titled Curating As An Artistic Practice, argued the responsibilities of art administrators require as much creative vision and technique as the art and artists they support. She completed her graduate studies at the University of Indianapolis in Social Practice Art. Through the program, she honed in on the values of human-scale engagement and further investigated dialogue as an art form. These strategies inspired her podcast project, Arranged Encounters. Fitterer is an artist, administrator, and educator providing leadership in program management, socially engaged art, and creative placemaking with a devotion to ethical community practice, industry safety, and cross-sector collaboration. Fitterer currently lives and works in the Greater Cincinnati, Ohio region where she is the Director of the Office of Engagement and Adjunct Professor at Art Academy of Cincinnati.
Lessons in Dada: Creating Compositions with Magic with Linnea Fitterer
Join us at Explore the ARTS for our next Artist-Led Workshop taught by Hamilton Artist-in-Resident Linnea Fitterer!
Register HERE: https://www.explorethearts.art/teen-adult/dada
About the workshop:
This workshop centers on the practices of making and writing that originated in the Dada movement and connects the movement's historical significance to what community-based art is/can be today. Participants will get an overview of Dada art and writing principles and values as inspiration for creating poetry and/or visual art compositions in a new way. Participants will leave this workshop with new skills and their creations. This workshop is family-friendly and has all the supplies provided.
Audience: This workshop is suitable for ages 10+.
What to bring: All materials will be provided.
About the Artist:
Linnea Fitterer (she/her) is an artist, arts administrator, and educator with a focus on socially engaged art and community practice.
Fitterer currently lives and works in the Greater Cincinnati, Ohio region, where she serves as the Director of the Office of Engagement and Adjunct Professor at Art Academy of Cincinnati.
Samuel Fisch Artist Presentation
Join us for a free and open to the public Artist Presentation with Samuel Fisch, Open AIR's Artist-in-Resident at the Missoula Butterfly House & Insectarium.
We will have light refreshments and a chance to meet and mingle with the artist!
Let us know you are coming at our optional Registration: https://form.jotform.com/242414874455158
About the Artist:
Samuel Ezra Fisch is a participatory artist whose work moves beyond the object world into the subjective. After receiving his BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2015, Fisch co-founded Fat City Arts, an artist co-op in Chicago, and Ground Level Platform, a Chicago-based interactive art venue. Fisch has shown his work in the Mary R Koch Art Center, Brattleboro Museum, Woodstock Artist Association Museum, Chicago Sculpture exhibit, Public Sculpture Initiative, Invisible Dog Art Center, the ChaShaMa Gala and Art Party, and The Marin Museum Of Contemporary Art.
Rachel McGovern Artist Presentation
Join us for an Artist Presentation by Artist-in-Residence and mixed media designer Rachel McGovern at the Missoula Public Library on Cooper Room A on the 4th floor!
We will have light refreshments, and a chance to meet the artist. Let us know you are coming at our optional registration: https://form.jotform.com/242414874455158
About the Artist:
Rachel McGovern explores the interactions of form, building an archive of work that plays among ideas of minimalism, tactility, and ornamentation. The objects she creates become interactive sculptures for everyday use, considering material and design. The performances between human and object and object and human are key to the construction of her work. Viewers become collaborators, as their visual reaction and use of each object is the ultimate product of her work.
Inquiry: A Day of Art & Science
Register now to join Open AIR at Flathead Lake Biological Station for a conference dedicated to the intersection of Art & Science!
Register at https://form.jotform.com/242686281903159
About:
In collaboration with Flathead Lake Biological Station, Open AIR presents our third annual conference celebrating art and science at Flathead Lake's beautiful Yellow Bay campus. This day-long event will feature artists, scientists, and educators leading various sessions, including presentations, hands-on activities, demonstrations, and art-making that engage audiences in conversations on place, art, and science.
This event is part of the Fall Open AIR Artist-in-Residence program in partnership with the University of Montana Flathead Lake Biological Station.
Cost: The conference is free, suitable for all ages, and open to the public. Lunch will be provided.
Inquiry Schedule 2024:
10:00 am Tom Bansak and Stoney Samsoe Welcome and Introduction to Biological Station/Open AIR
10:15 am Cameron Worden Playing with Light
11:00 am Arwen Baxter Composing In Place
11:45 Break and Lunch Provided by Open AIR
12:30 pm Monica Elser Flathead Lake Bio Station Activity
1:15 pm Eliza Weber Fiber workshop
2:00 Jiayi Chen In Process Works
2:50 pm Closing
What to bring:
Everything you need for the activities will be provided. You are welcome to bring a notebook or sketchbook to jot ideas and take notes as we go!
While most of the activities will be indoors, some activities might take place outdoors if the weather allows. Bring warm clothes and shoes suitable for walking on dirt and gravel pathways.
About the Artists and Presenters:
Arwen Baxter is a singer-songwriter from Montana who recently returned from living in the UK. She holds a BA in English and a BFA in Theatre from the University of Montana and completed a Masters in Literature at the University of York. She has brought her witty, poetic, western sound to two original LP’s, "Wildfire Season" and "Prodigal Daughter," weaving lyrical storytelling with a sense of place, space, and longing unique to the American West. A prolific writer and versatile musician, she has been published in The Sun, Frontier Magazine, and Scribendi, and has performed across the western US and northern UK.
Born in Chongqing, China, and based in Chicago, Jiayi Chen works in analog film, video, projection performance, and installation. Her works have been exhibited and screened internationally, including at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, Chicago; Museum of Contemporary Photography, Chicago; Mana Contemporary, Miami; Anthology Film Archives, New York; ACUD MACHT NEU, Berlin, Germany; Hypnos Theatre, Malmö, Sweden; Antimatter, Victoria, Canada; CSIF, Calgary, Canada; Harkat, Mumbai, India; and TANK Shanghai, China.
Monica Elser is the Education Liaison at the Flathead Lake Biological Research Station. Monica spent many years engaged in limnological research and published her work in a wide range of scientific journals. She moved out of science research and into working to enhance science and sustainability science education within the K-12 community. She has since published her work with students and teachers in a variety of education journals. Monica recieved a BS in Biology from the University of Notre Dame, an MS in Ecology from the University of Tennessee, and a MEd in Curriculum and Instruction from Arizona State University.
Eliza Weber completed her MFA at Arizona State University. Originally from Great Falls, she received her BFA from The University of Montana. She has completed short residencies at Medalta in Alberta, Canada and The Pottery Workshop in Jingdezhen, China. Eliza was also an Artist in Residence at Pottery Northwest in Seattle, Washington. She served on the boards of NCECA (National Council on Education of Ceramic Arts) as a Student Director at Large and the Ceramics Research Center. Presently, she serves as Secretary for the NCECA Green Task Force and as a board member for the Urban Art Project. Most recently she worked as Director of Education at Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art and will be spending the next two years as a Long Term Resident at the Archie Bray Foundation.
Cameron Worden is a film artist, programmer, and projectionist based in Chicago. He is part of the Chicago Film Society, which exhibits, preserves, and provides educational initiatives around analog motion picture film. Starting in 2019, Worden has been working on a series of 35mm experimental nonfiction films titled Auto-Sketches, grouped around personal experience and the perceptual limits of representation.
Questions? Email program@openairmt.org
Cooking with Bugs Workshop with Samuel Fisch
Join us for an experimental cooking class with bugs at the Missoula Butterfly House & Insectarium in the Honeyberry Culinary Kitchen on the 2nd floor.
Register HERE: https://form.jotform.com/242677102779162
About the workshop:
Experiment with cooking with edible insects! Participants will use their taste buds and creativity to concoct delicious and bizarre combinations of creepy crawlies with conventional cuisine. We will explore edible bugs' ecological and health benefits while reveling in childlike novelty and open-mindedness. Please note that folks with shellfish allergies should not ingest insects.
Audience: This workshop is suitable for ages 16+.
What to bring: Everything you need will be provided!
Cost: The workshop is free, but a suggested donation is appreciated!
Registration: Registration is required and will close 24 hours before the workshop begins.
About the Artist:
Samuel Ezra Fisch is an artist focused on participatory events that bring people together and inspire childlike wonder through novelty. Fisch creates games, events, and situations for audience participation. Fisch has exhibited in Marin MOCA, Brattleboro Museum, Invisible Dog Art Center, LBIF, Chicago Sculpture Exhibit, Public Sculpture Project, and ChaShaMa Gala.
Cancellation: If you are registered and cannot attend the workshop, please let us know at program@openairmt.org so we can open the spot for another participant!
Questions? Email program@openairmt.org
Raptors and Art with Bev Beck Glueckert and Kate Davis
Register HERE: https://form.jotform.com/242386958367171
About the workshop:
This workshop will introduce participants to the world of wild raptors and provide an opportunity to make art based on observation. Two live raptors and Kate Davis of Raptors of the Rockies will be on hand. Attendees can create drawings and monotype prints as Bev and Kate provide information, inspiration, and instruction.
Audience: This workshop is suitable for ages 16+.
What to bring: Everything you need will be provided, but you are welcome to bring your favorite drawing tools and sketchbook.
Cost: The workshop is free, but a suggested donation is appreciated!
Registration: Registration is required and will close 24 hours before the workshop begins.
About the Artists:
Bev Beck Glueckert lives and works in Missoula, MT. She has been busy as an art instructor and workshop facilitator for adults and children for over 30 years. Her studio work has been widely exhibited throughout Montana and the surrounding area, as well as being involved in a number of commuity art projects. She served as adjunct faculty in drawing and printmaking at The University of Montana, and is a co-founder/ member of the SALTMINE Artists group in Missoula.
Kate Davis began the educational program Raptors of the Rockies in 1988 with a dozen live birds held at her facility and home on The Bitterroot River. They are the subject and source of information for her etchings, drawings, paintings, welded steel sculptures, photography, and writing. She has authored and illustrated seven books on birds. Photography is a fixation, and printmaking is a passion.
Cancellation: If you are registered and cannot attend the workshop, please let us know at program@openairmt.org so we can open the spot for another participant!
Questions? Email program@openairmt.org
"Over the Moon" Open Air Fall Fundraiser
Open Air’s Annual Fall Fundraiser - “Over the Moon”
Taking place at the Fairgrounds in the Commercial Building. Buffet style appetizers and dinner. Cash bar. Live and silent auction.
Exhibition "Over the Moon" - Open to the Public
Join us in Balsamroot Room 112 (located i the same building as the Butterfly House) to preview the artwork created for "Over the Moon," Open AIR's Annual Fundraiser!
This exhibition will feature artwork inspired by the Western Montana Fair and more! All artworks will be available for auction at Open AIR's Annual Fundraiser, "Over the Moon," on September 21 at 5 p.m. at the Missoula County Fairgrounds.
Tickets to the fundraiser are available at: https://www.openairmt.org/moon
Opening Reception - "Over the Moon"
Join us for an opening reception in Balsamroot Room 112 (located in the same building as the Butterfly House) to celebrate the artists who donated artwork to the Over the Moon Fundraiser!
This exhibition will feature artwork inspired by the Western Montana Fair and more! All artworks will be available for auction at Open AIR's Annual Fundraiser "Over the Moon" on September 21 at 5 pm at the Missoula County Fairgrounds.
Tickets to the fundraiser are available at: https://www.openairmt.org/moon
Dacia Red Thunder Griego - Cultural Values, Contemporary Innovation
Register here to join us for our next Indigenous Art: Indigenous Minds Presentation! https://form.jotform.com/242415069470152
Topic Description:
In "Cultural Values, Contemporary Innovation: The Story of Indigenous Made Montana’s Support for Indigenous Artisans," Dacia Red Thunder Griego explores how Indigenous Made Montana empowers Indigenous artists while revitalizing their cultural heritage. This presentation delves into the organization’s mission and history, highlighting its role in bridging traditional art forms with contemporary markets. Dacia will examine how Indigenous Made Montana provides crucial support to artisans, integrates traditional art into modern spaces, and navigates challenges and successes. Through profiles of featured artisans and discussions on community impact, she will illustrate how the platform fosters cultural preservation and drives social and economic benefits for both Indigenous and broader audiences.
When: Thursday, September 12, 2024 at Noon
Where: Online
Cost: Free
About the Artist:
Dacia Red Thunder Griego is a dedicated advocate, artisan, and educator whose work reflects a profound commitment to her Chippewa Cree and Mexican heritage weaving cultural teachings and values into the work she does to empower her community.
Her inspiration is rooted in her identity as an Indigenous woman and mother, an experience shaped by the challenges of maintaining cultural traditions in mainstream communities. This experience fuels her overarching goal—to amplify Indigenous voices, educate younger generations, and share the richness of Indigenous culture with the wider community, ensuring cultural preservation across generations.
Dacia is the co-founder of Indigenous Made Montana, where she actively contributes to the amplification of Indigenous voices, fostering empowerment among creatives, and showcasing the brilliance of Indigenous art. Her personal and professional aspirations converge in advocating for Indigenous people through education, community organizing, and the transformative power of art, aiming to spotlight the strength, resilience, and beauty of her people in every aspect of her work.
Amy Whitcomb & Jacob Riddle Artist Presentation
Amy Whitcomb & Jacob Riddle Artist Presentation
August 6, 2024, at 5:00 PM
Explore the Arts, 701 W Main St, Hamilton, MT 59840, USA
Join us for a presentation featuring Open AIR summer artists-in-residence, in collaboration with Explore the Arts and the Selway Bitterroot Frank Church Foundation. Hear from Amy Whitcomb, the resident artist in Hamilton, and Jacob Riddle, the resident artist in the Selway Bitterroot Wilderness. Discover their artistic practices and engage in a Q&A session.
This event is free and open to the public, with appetizers provided.
Stay tuned for more details to be announced!
About the Artists:
Amy Whitcomb (Artist-in-Residence in Hamilton, MT)
Amy A. Whitcomb is an artist, editor, and educator based in Eastern Washington and Northern California. She holds a Master of Science degree and a Master of Fine Arts degree, both from the University of Idaho. Amy’s poetry and prose have appeared in the Cincinnati Review, Witness, Poet Lore, Broadsided Press, Terrain.org, and other journals. Her work has been recognized with a Pushcart Prize nomination and literary or paper arts residencies at Jentel in Wyoming, Playa in Oregon, and Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Jacob Riddle (Artist-in-Residence in Selway Bitterroot Wilderness)
Jacob Riddle is an interdisciplinary artist and educator with a passion for foraging connections between technology and the natural world. Drawing inspiration from his background in construction and labor industries, as well as his upbringing wading through the limestone creeks of the Appalachian foothills, Jacob has embarked on a creative journey to bridge the gap between these seemingly disparate realms. Having honed his ingenuity and cultivated experiential learning through the challenges of rural Appalachian life, Jacob now channels this unique perspective into the realms of art, technology, and academia. His work serves as a testament to the power of resilience, resourcefulness, and the harmonious coexistence of the digital age and the natural world.
Vera Ting: Open House FLBS & Artist Workshop
Visit Vera Ting - Open AIR Flathead Lake Biological Station Artist-in-Residence during the FLBS summer Open House!
Botanical Life Drawing Workshop
Time: 12:30-1:30 pm
Date: Friday, August 2
Location: FLBS Open House, University of Montana's Flathead Lake Biological Station
Details: Join us during the FLBS Open House for a Botanical Life Drawing workshop led by Artist-in-Residence Vera Ting. Discover the art of still-life drawing with botanicals in this engaging and hands-on session.
The Open House runs from 11 am to 4 pm, celebrating FLBS's 125th Anniversary. Explore the campus, meet the team, and learn about their cutting-edge research and education programs. Enjoy presentations, boat trips on the research vessel Jessie B., and a variety of science exhibits.
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About the Day
The University of Montana’s Flathead Lake Biological Station (FLBS) invites everyone to a free Open House from 11 am to 4 pm on Friday, August 2.
Celebrate the 125th Anniversary and explore the FLBS campus, meet the team, and learn about their cutting-edge, world-renowned research and immersive education programs. This year’s Open House will feature presentations, boat trips on a 30' research vessel, the Jessie B., and a variety of immersive FLBS science exhibits.
These exhibits include hands-on learning activities for kids of all ages, information about Flathead Lake and its watershed, close-up encounters with stream, pond, and lake creatures, updates from experts on the front lines of aquatic invasive species prevention and mitigation, a sneak peek at cutting-edge drone and GIS mapping research, and a chance to see what Open AIR Artist-in-Residence Vera Ting has been up to during her residency!
There is no cost to attend the Open House. Stay tuned to FLBS social media platforms and the FLBS website for updates. This is an excellent opportunity to meet and talk with FLBS scientists and educators about their work, all while enjoying an afternoon of sunshine and fun on the shores of Flathead Lake!
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About the Artist:
Vera Ting is an illustrator and fine artist with a background in avian biology and ecology. Her artistic practice is informed by experience in ecological fieldwork, scientific specimen preparation, and research in avian morphology. She sees art as an important medium connecting people and nature, where artists and viewers can form personal bonds with subjects through close observation. Her work seeks to reveal the hidden world of museum research collections and our shared commonalities with nature using art and storytelling. Vera holds a B.S. with honors from the University of Michigan, where her thesis examined the variation in Yellow Warbler wing structure and shape across the Americas. In 2023, she was a Bartels Science Illustrator for the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in Ithaca, NY, where she created illustrations for the Cornell Lab’s NestWatch program, Living Bird magazine, membership products, and more. Her illustration practice has taken her to the wetlands of northern Michigan and the deserts of western Texas, producing documentary field sketches for the Cornell University Museum of Vertebrates. When not making art, she may be found in the specimen prep lab amongst friends and study skins or outside catching dragonflies.
Children’s Workshop: Community Poem, “I am From” with Jessica Jones
Bring your kiddos to this drop in workshop at the Philipsburg Library taught by Open AIR Artist-in-Residence Jessica Jones.
About the workshop:
Calling all young creators! This workshop is for kids who love hands-on creative experiences. Visiting Writer Jessica Jones will be gathering with the kids of Philipsburg to read and write poems about home. First, we'll look at examples of famous poems such as "Home," by Salish author Jennifer Finley, and "Where I'm from," by southern writer George Ella Lyon. Then, we'll try collaborating to compose a group poem with lines from every child on their experiences of their hometown. Our final product will be show-cased on the "Dear Philipsburg" community poem website!
What to bring: Everything you need will be provided, but you are welcome to bring your favorite notebook or writing tool.
Philipsburg Artist Presentation: Nancy Fitch & Jessica Jones
Philipsburg Artist Presentation: Nancy Fitch & Jessica Jones
July 30, 2024, at 5:30 PM
Join us for a casual evening to meet the Summer Open AIR Philipsburg Artists-in-Residence. Artwork will be on display and there will be a brief reading by writer Jessica Jones. Refreshments will be served. This event is free and open to the public.
Stay tuned for more details to be announced!
Meet the Artists:
After majoring in fine art in college, Nancy Fitch entered medical school and practiced family medicine in Missoula and overseas, including ten years setting up care and treatment of HIV in African health systems. Now retired from medicine, Nancy became passionate about painting to make up for lost time. She studied watercolor with Kendahl Jan Jubb for 10 years and continued her education through Montana Watercolor Society, Oregon Society of Art, and Northwest Watercolor Society. Nancy has exhibited in various galleries in Missoula and participated in competitions with MWS and Dana Gallery. She paints in oils, and pastels, focusing on Montana's natural lands, flowers, wildlife, and waters, trying to capture transient, reflected light.
Jessica Jones holds a Masters in English from the University of Montana, with licensure for K-12 and training in Indian Education for All. She is on full-time faculty at Kent State University, where she teaches place-based composition, Native literature, travel writing, and poetry. She has also taught middle school on the Flathead Reservation, and often teaches with Upward Bound, serving students from the Blackfeet Reservation and Missoula County Public Schools. Jones’ creative work centers on place (both Northern Appalachia and rural Montana, as well as some travels.) Her chapbook, Bitterroot (2018), can be found at Finishing Line Press. Her work has also appeared in journals and book anthologies like Poems Across the Big Sky, Bright Bones, and Dear Vaccine. She has served as Writer-in-Residence for Calcutta Mercy Hospital in India, and Poet-in-Residence for the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. When not in the classroom she enjoys hiking, paddle boarding, and spending time with loved ones and her cat Magnolia.