Hockaday celebrates the 20th anniversary of its Members Salon exhibit — A celebration of local art and diverse artists

For the last 20 years, the Hockaday Museum of Art has given its member artists the opportunity to shine with their own exhibit.

Members Salon began in 2002 as a way to re-engage members with the Hockaday and create an exhibition that celebrated and highlighted arts in the local community. The annual exhibit is beneficial to both the Hockaday and local artists, says the Hockaday’s Executive Director Alyssa Cordova.

“Members of any skill level have an opportunity to exhibit their work in a professional museum-quality exhibition, participate in the opening reception and mingle and meet with other member artists,” she said. “The Hockaday benefits from the opportunity to engage with our members and fulfill our mission to support the artists and art of the region and Glacier National Park.”

While traditionally exhibited in the museum’s Community Gallery, this year Members Salon is being exhibited in its Main Galleries.

“We decided to expand the exhibition to our Main Galleries for several reasons,” Cordova said. “First, the challenges of Covid the past two years — we did not even get to have an opening reception in 2021, and we are very sensitive to how Covid-19 impacted artists’ careers and exhibition opportunities. Finally, it was a way to show our gratitude and appreciation to all of our members who chose to support us through the years, including through the pandemic, despite reduced programming and gatherings. We are so grateful for their loyalty and support.”

WHEN ARTIST Therese Ely cast her vote for the People’s Choice Award at the Hockaday Museum of Art’s 2022 Members Salon exhibit, she chose a piece done by her plein air companion during a recent outing. By coincidence, the painting Ely chose from her own portfolio to display in this year’s exhibit titled, “Ahead of the Wind,” happens to be from that same art excursion — the two paintings depict the scenes of the two friends looking in opposite directions.

Cordova said that’s what makes Members Salon unique and fun for everyone.

“Every year the staff has so much fun seeing what submissions come in,” she said. “Since all work is new and we do not jury the works in advance, we never know what artists will submit, so the surprise when we unwrap an artwork feels like Christmas morning!”

Ely, who lives in Creston, has been an artist and art instructor for many years.

Her love for the outdoors and the mountains was cultivated by her parents while she was growing up in San Diego and then while living in the Bay area.

“My mother was a huge fan of the national parks so my family drove to many,” Ely said. “Particularly those in the Rockies and the West.”

As a kid, Ely took private art lessons and enrolled in state-sponsored art classes. She also took art classes in college where she double majored in chemistry and biology.

“I’ve always loved the outdoors, art and painting, but art wasn’t such a great career path back then,” Ely said.

And the college art classes didn’t interest her that much.

“I took a sculpture class and I hadn’t done the assignment,” she recalled. “The day it was due I grabbed an abalone shell from my patio and an egg. In class I cracked the egg into the shell … and I got an ‘A,’” she said, laughing. “I just didn’t relate to that kind of art.”

Ely worked 10 years in the aerospace industry in Fremont, California, primarily doing lab work in the research and development department.

“I’d gotten far afield from my love of the outdoors,” she said.

Once their third child was born she decided to stay home. She and her husband Gary enjoyed taking their three kids on backpacking and camping vacations, including to Montana.

When their youngest went into preschool, Ely began teaching tiny-tot art classes in Fremont and then was invited to teach at a private fine arts studio within walking distance of her children’s school, a job she held for 20 years until she and her husband were about ready to retire and decided, in 2015, to move to Montana.

Since Gary is the commissioner for the Montana Boy Scouts of America organization, the two have traveled widely across the state, with Gary finding the best fishing spots while Therese would set up her easel and paint en plein air. But her favorite places to paint are Glacier Park and along the Swan River. Her home studio views to the north and east are of the Swan Mountains.

“I respond to the outdoors through my art,” she said. “The landscape, the mountains, the geology are all reflected with my painting.”

While Ely has garnered several awards and her pieces have been selected for national exhibits over the years, she says she was surprised when she won last year’s People’s Choice Award at the Hockaday’s Members Salon.

“It was a thrill. It was so exciting,” she said. “There are so many fine painters here. Members Salon is rewarding to us because we not only get recognition from our peers, but we enjoy and are proud of having our work shown alongside one another.

“Members Salon reflects the artwork of local artists,'' Ely added. “Art is one way we are all part of our community.”

“One of the best aspects of this exhibition for the community is bringing artists together in one exhibition, from artists just starting out, to established professional artists,” Cordova said. “Members Salon celebrates the collaborative spirit of our local arts community, which is truly special and unique. You do not always see that in other art communities.”

LEARN MORE

More than 60 artists submitted work in a variety of media including painting, photography and sculpture for the Hockaday’s Members Salon 2022.

The public is invited to view the art and vote for the People’s Choice Awards. Voting closes Thursday, Feb. 3. Winners will be announced the following week. The Hockaday awards $250 to the first place winner, $100 for second, and $50 for third. The exhibition will be on view through April 3.

All the artwork is available as a combined benefit sale for both the artists and to support the Hockaday’s exhibition and education programs.

The Hockaday Museum of Art is located at 302 Second Ave., E., in Kalispell.

Community editor Carol Marino may be reached at 406-758-4440 or community@dailyinterlake.com.