Memorial art show celebrates Polson artist David Hafer

Phillips Gallery in the Kalispell is holding a memorial show honoring the life and legacy of painter, musician and maxillofacial surgeon, David Hafer, who died in 2024. 

The exhibit features more than 25 oil paintings by Hafer that have never been displayed to the public before, according to the gallery, which has displayed his work since 2020.  

Hafer’s paintings are rich with narrative, each canvas telling a story in the realistic style. He has said, “Painting places me more intensely into appreciation of God’s creation as I try to capture on canvas what I see."   

“This memorial exhibition invites all to experience his work and celebrate the stories he so passionately shared through his art. All are welcome to attend and honor David Hafer’s artistic legacy and sign the guest book,” Tammy Phillips of Phillips Gallery said. 

Hafer’s passion for the arts started with music, when he learned how to play the trumpet from his father at 5 years old. In elementary school, he took advanced classes at the University of Montana, where he later attended and started a jazz band called the Blue Hawks. His musical talents took him to California to perform in the 1961 Rose Bowl Parade.  

Though he initially pursued music, he found his calling in medicine, becoming an oral and maxillofacial surgeon. While practicing dentistry in Great Falls, Hafer developed a deep appreciation for visual arts, attending the Charlie Russell auction annually for 30 years. Once retired, he embraced oil painting, studying under renowned artists such as Mark Ogle, Nick Oberling, Rob Akey, Matt Smith and Jim Wilcox. Hafer’s surgical skills with a scalpel transferred to his paint brush naturally. 

The exhibition runs through June 28. The gallery is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. 

    "Abandoned," oil on panel by David Hafer. (Courtesy photo)