12 Aug Round Up: At a Museum Near You

Ranging from totem-inspired sculptures to art that honors the West’s railroad culture and national parks, here are some exhibitions to catch: 

North x Northwest

Through October 10  |  Yellowstone Art Museum  |  Billings, MT

Juror Julia Andrews, director of the Coral Springs Museum of Art, selected 60 works from 543 entries for this exhibit. The finalists represent 18 states and a range of media, including painting, sculpture, textiles, mixed media, and photography. Visitors are invited to vote for their favorite works of art through September 11, with the People’s Choice, Juror’s Choice, and Purchase Awards announced at a reception on September 12. Noted artists in the exhibition include Brooke Atherton of Billings and Red Lodge-based sculptor Kelsey Bowen. artmuseum.org

Spirit Totems: Sculpture by Herb Alpert

Through September 29  |  National Museum of Wildlife Art  |  Jackson Hole, WY

In addition to being a world-renowned musician, Herb Alpert has spent more than half of his life as a respected abstract expressionist painter and sculptor. Always personal and expressive, Alpert’s sculptures draw interest with their freedom of form. His first totems were inspired by indigenous sculpture from the Pacific Northwest, but his Spirit Totems series, with their massive form, became more gestural. These large, improvisational sculptures include many animal and bird-like shapes and reinterpret the traditional totem in an abstract fashion. Walking among these giants is awe-inspiring. Twelve will be displayed outdoors on the museum’s Sculpture Trail, along with a soundscape featuring Herb Alpert’s music. wildlifeart.org

America the Beautiful: Clyde Butcher

Through October 13  |  Yellowstone Art Museum  |  Billings, MT

This exhibit features 31 large-format silver gelatin photographs of America’s national parks, including striking views of Yellowstone, Glacier, and the Florida Everglades. Completed during the centennial anniversary of the National Park Service, this series is intended to celebrate and advocate for America’s most majestic places. Using a large-format camera and traditional photographic printing processes, Clyde Butcher creates monumental images that reflect the encompassing beauty and drama of the landscape.
artmuseum.org

Hear the Whistle Blow

September 26 – December 7  |  Hockaday Museum of Art | Kalispell, MT

Heavy Metal Thunder | David Tutwiler | Oil | 30 x 40 inches

In celebration of the Hockaday’s 50th anniversary, this exhibit focuses on historic and contemporary images of railroads. It seeks to impart an understanding of art as a medium that has — and continues — to chronicle railroads as an important part of American history and the region. Upon the establishment of Glacier National Park in 1910, the Great Northern Railway regularly contracted artists to paint for promotional purposes. A number of these historic paintings comprise an important part of the Hockaday’s permanent collection, including those by Charles M. Russell, John Fery, O.C. Seltzer, and Winold Reiss.
hockadaymuseum.org

A Timeless Legacy 2019 

Through September 21  |  Hockaday Museum of Art | Kalispell, MT

The fifth annual A Timeless Legacy exhibition features 23 critically acclaimed women artists from Western Canada and the U.S. who have experienced first-hand the awe of Glacier National Park. Featured artists will display a mix of plein air and studio pieces inspired by visits to Glacier. Artwork will be available for purchase at a sale on August 10, with proceeds benefiting the museum.
hockadaymuseum.org