Happenings March/April 2002
By Montana Living

Ted Turner Paintings on Exhibit
     Celebrity and Montana resident Ted Turner has loaned 13 western landscape paintings from his personal collection to the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman. This exhibit marks the first time any of the paintings have been shared with the public in Montana, as well as the inaugural presentation for two of the artists’ work at the museum.
     The exhibit, “In Western Light,” displays works by 19th-century American artists Albert Bierstadt, Thomas Moran and Jules Tavernier, says Steve Jackson, the museum’s associate curator of art and photography. Bierstadt and Moran were among the earliest artists to venture west past the Mississippi in the hopes of visually capturing the beauty of the Grand Canyon, Sierra Nevada and Rocky Mountain ranges. Tavernier is best known for his depictions of Hawaii, but during a stint in the West, he painted scenes of American Indian culture.
     The exhibit focuses on the similarities in the artists’ treatment of color and light to create a particular mood or atmosphere, Jackson says. All of the paintings show the rugged grandeur of the west, which was first captured in paint by these artists.
     The exhibit opened in January and will run through April 7. Ten of Bierstadt’s paintings are shown, along with two from Moran, and one by Tavernier.
     The Museum of the Rockies, located at Montana State University, is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

     Western Art on the Block in Great Falls
     From March 13 to 16, the 34th Annual C.M. Russell Auction of Original Western Art and Exhibitor’s Show will once again transform Great Falls into the “Western art capital of the world.”
     In addition to being perhaps the most distinguished Western artist, Charlie Russell was also the first to live his entire life in the West, 30 years of it in Great Falls.
     Great Falls Advertising Federation is sponsoring the auction, proceeds from which will benefit the C.M. Russell Museum. This year’s honored guest is artist Joseph Bohler. He is a native Montanan and a six-time winner of the Juror’s Best of Show award at the C.M. Russell Auction. Join Bohler on Friday, March 15 at his seminar “Plein Art Painting: A Journey Through the Eyes of an Artist” (plein art represents outdoor light and air), where he will discuss light, subjects, shapes and technique.
     The festivities will open with the Exhibit Room Premier, held at the Heritage Inn. The event allows the public and participants to view over one hundred artist’s exhibit rooms and purchase Western art. Thursday night from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., participants may view the art to be auctioned at the C.M. Russell Museum. The auctions will follow on Friday and Saturday nights beginning at 7 p.m. at the Heritage Inn. Tickets for the auction cost $125 per person and include admission to all auction events and a full-color catalog. For more information, contact the organizers at (800) 803-3351
     or www.gfaf.com.

     Run
     for the Trees
     Instead of running for the hills, on April 6 you can run for the trees and celebrate Arbor Day. Missoula’s Run for the Trees invites runners of all levels to participate in a 5 K fun run or a 5 K walk. Missoula Parks and Recreation is organizing the event, which starts at 10 a.m. at McCormick Park and follows the Clark Fork Riverfront Trail system. There are men’s and women’s divisions (everyone runs together but the divisions are timed separately). Prizes for the top three winners in each division will be given. A one-mile fun run for children 12 years old and under begins at 9:30 a.m. The registration fee is $15 for adults and $10 for youth 15 and under. Included in the fee are a long-sleeve T-shirt designed by local artist Mary Beth Percival, and a seedling to plant. The run raises money for Missoula’s Urban Forests program which plants new trees at schools, along boulevards, and in parks. Sponsors include Brown-Ferris Industries, Northern Rockies Orthopedics, and the Montana Water Co. The registration deadline is March 29. Go to www.active.com, or check local sporting goods stores for registration forms. For further information, call Missoula Parks and Rec. at (406) 721-7275.

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Courtesy of Montana Living Magazine