Monthly Archives: December 2009

Frances Senska (1914 – 2009)

This acorn-shaped bowl, in the Fine Arts Collection of Luther College, is an appropriate symbol of the foundational role played by Frances Senska in the development of modern art at (now) Montana State University and in Montana generally. Her long and eventful life ended on Christmas Day. An extended interview conducted in 2001 is available in the Smithsonian Archives of American Art.

Update: A small exhibition of Senska’s work, entitled Humble Grace: A Tribute to Frances Senska, will be held at the Yellowstone Art Museum in Billings, March 19 – June 27, 2010.For more information, see the museum announcement.

20 artists help Aunt Dofe kick off 2010

The Montana Arts Council, a state agency, awarded Aunt Dofe’s Hall of Recent Memory a 2009 award for innovation in the arts. The award singled out Aunt Dofe’s approach to presenting art as a unique experience that the artist shares with the rest of us.

Aunt Dofe makes some assumptions in presenting work. There are a lot of rooms in the house we call ‘contemporary art’. And we often take a certain pride in “knowing what we like”. But, by dismissing work that falls short, we have sadly excluded one more person, one more experience from our lives. Maybe, with a little effort we could expand our community. That effort becomes much easier if we can think of it as taking a walk through the world with another person, the artist. One artist might be taken by a sunset, by a mountain valley, or by every hair on a bobcat; but others are just as taken by a leaf, the horizon, or by the way gray wax separates from white lines etched into it. Aunt Dofe has always tried to give such artists a place to present those experiences, but even more importantly she has tried to give us a place to experience along with them.

Aunt Dofe is acknowledging the Montana Arts Council award by beginning the new decade with a special show. Rather than emphasizing one artist or a medium; the show presents work by 20 artists. “It’s meant to be more like fireworks than an art show,” says curator Dave Kirk. “Unrelated images are crammed together. Each one has its own glow or report. Some days one will hit you harder than another. The next time through that one will seem quiet, and another will sing out. I hope that experiencing this show will be a lot like experiencing the world the way an artist does.”

The show is up now and will be constantly changing until early March. Call Aunt Dofe’s at 285-6996 to get directions or arrange an appointment.

The Joys of Winter @ Artist’s Gallery

During the month of January the local artists of the Artists’ Gallery will be displaying small pieces inspired by this snowy season. Since winter lasts at least half the year here in Bozeman, it is sure to bring about some creative imagery. Though some people can find things to dislike about this season, this show will prove there is so much more to love.

Join us for an artists’ reception January 8, 2009 from 5:00-8:00pm at the Artists’ Gallery in the Emerson Center, 111 S. Grand.

Show runs January 4th – January 25th, 2009.

Angst, Corrigan, and Dunbar @ Artists’ Gallery

The Artists’ Gallery at the Emerson invites the public to a reception for featured artists Sarah Angst, Mary Jane Corrigan, and George Dunbar, to be held on Friday, December 11 from 5 to 8 PM. Their show will be on display from November 30 through December 26.

Printmaker Sarah Angst will be featuring a selection of her new, never seen before, hand painted linocuts.

Mary Jane Corrigan will be showing a selection of 2009 paintings, with a focus on simple kitchen still-lifes in water soluble oil on linen.

Local potter George Dunbar has fired two kilns for his show of beautifully thrown vessels, sinks, dinner ware and functional hand thrown pieces, with colors as varied as a Montana skyline.