Art for the masses

New exhibit highlights work of American master

The Hockaday Museum of Art announces the opening of three major summer exhibitions: "Thomas Hart Benton (1889-1975): The American Story"; "Montana Painters Alliance: Glacier National Park Landscapes"; and "Botanical Art by DD Dowden."

These fine exhibitions give local residents and area visitors a rare opportunity to see both famous works by a nationally known deceased artist and a variety of works by Montana artists capturing the beauty of our natural environment. An opening reception will be held Thursday from 5 to 7:30 p.m. and the public is invited to attend.

View classic scenes that symbolize the American way of life through the familiar works of American Regionalist artist Thomas Hart Benton (1889-1975).

"Thomas Hart Benton (1889-1975): The American Story", on display through July 28, includes two of Benton's major oil paintings, "The Twist" and "Ozark Reflections," along with 15 etchings and two bronze works, all on loan to the museum from a private collection.

Benton belonged to the last generation of artists who wanted to provide Americans with a democratic art easily accessible to the average citizen. Regionalism refers to the work of a number of rural artists, mostly from the Midwest, who came to prominence in the 1930s.

What they shared was a humble, anti-modernist style and a desire to depict everyday life. Benton was at the forefront of the American Scene movement along with Grant Wood who was known for his famous painting of "American Gothic."

Benton's belief was that art is renewed from life, not from art. This was a direct reaction to the work of Jackson Pollock, one of Benton's principal students at the Art Students League from 1930 to 1933.

Experience the grandeur of Glacier National Park through the breathtaking works of members of the Montana Painters Alliance, a statewide organization comprised of professional outdoor painters from all corners of the state, living and painting in Montana.

On display through July 28, this exhibition features works by alliance members who participated in the group's 2005 fall paint-out in Glacier National Park, including Lou Archambault (Helena), Susan Blackwood (Bozeman), Josh Elliott (Helena), Thomas English (Great Falls), Howard Friedland (Bozeman), Laurie Stevens Gilleon (Cascade), Tom Gilleon (Cascade), Dave Hodges (Big Timber), Phil Korell (Great Falls), Nick Oberling (Kalispell), Steve Oiestad (Ft. Shaw), Bob Phinney (Florence), Aaron Schuerr (Livingston), Steve Seltzer (Great Falls), Janet Sullivan (Missoula), Ron Ukrainetz (Great Falls), Jeff Walker (Ft. Shaw), Joe Wayne (Livingston).

See botanical watercolors and representations of some of the species recorded by Lewis and Clark while they were in Montana by Helena artist and graphic designer DD Dowden in the Museum's exhibition "Botanical Art by DD Dowden", on display through June 24.

Dowden studied art and botany in college and graduate school in Arkansas and has worked in the publishing industry for the past 20 years in which she has illustrated, designed, and computer produced more than one hundred titles.

Also currently on display is the museum's permanent exhibit, "Crown of the Continent - The Glacier National Park Gallery," which captures the nostalgia and grandeur of Glacier National Park that today still attracts so many artists seeking to portray its greatness. The exhibit features works by significant authors, photographers, and painters as well as park collectibles, including vintage maps and hand-tinted photographs.

The Hockaday Museum of Art features the art and culture of Montana and the artists of Glacier National Park. It is located at 302 Second Ave. E. in downtown Kalispell.

Admission to the June 1 opening reception and daily admission to the museum is $5 for adults, $4 for seniors, $2 for students, and $1 for youth, with free admission for museum members. The museum's extended summer hours begin June 1 and are Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, call 755-5268 or visit www.hockadaymuseum.org.