Arts in the bitterroot 2014

arts

IN THE BITTERROOT OCTOBER 2014

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Show & Sale Arts in the Bitterroot, November 2, 2014 - Page 3

in this issue Artrageous in the Bitterroot.....................................4 Bitterroot Empty Bowls..............................................6 Good and Cheap........................................................8 Bitterroot Performing Arts Series 2014.....................9 Dance in the Bitterroot...............................................13 China painting............................................................16 Slice of Montana literature.........................................18 Artist on the street......................................................22 Art in the Schools Corvallis.............................................................23 Darby..................................................................25 Florence.............................................................26 Hamilton............................................................28

Families for Education......................................31 Stevensville........................................................32 Victor..................................................................34

cider

coming soon

mber 8, 2014

, Montana

Arts in the Bitterroot is published by the Ravalli Republic Newspaper, a division of Lee Enterprises.

Mark Heintzelman, Publisher Sherry Devlin, Editor Jim Coulter, General Manager Frannie Cummings, Kathy Kelleher, Jodi Lopez & Justine Morris, Advertising Sales Dara Saltzman, Production & Design

to Hamilton 100% LOCAL apples & pears

Arts in the Bitterroot is copyright 2014, Ravalli Republic.

day, November 8, 2014

98 Marcus St. rroot Valley, Montana look for soft openings in late 2014

www.406Cider.com

232 W Main, Hamilton, MT 59840 ravallirepublic.com

Page 4 - Arts in the Bitterroot, November 2, 2014

Kristine Komar Ravalli Republic

ARTrageous [in the Bitterroot] was born of need and vision and opportunity and passion.

Take part.

Needs. Needs are rarely so inspiring. We have a need to help our community appreciate the arts and the artists in our midst and learn to see the gifts they bring to our lives and communities. Artists help us see and interpret our world, savor and tell stories from our past, and help create livable and interesting communities.

Our local businesses need customers during the slow shoulder season. We need to increase the market for local arts so the artists can sell their art. Local arts organizations need to find ways to collaborate that strengthen and sustain each while building capacity for all. We need

the more well-known arts—visual and performing—to help bring support for the traditional arts (useful objects beautifully made), emerging arts (comics and related popular art forms), and bolster the literary arts, dance, and design. We need to know more about art--what’s an encaustic, a Shino glaze, a colograph, the five essential –Isms?

Vision. A ‘big idea’ drives ARTrageous. We live in one of the most spectacular and beautiful places on earth and have a swelling rank of accomplished artists living and working here, but the Bitterroot isn’t well known for our art as well as our scenery, wildlife, and trout streams.

Why not? Other communities have accomplished this--Jackson Hole, Santa Fe, Sun Valley/ Ketchum, Big Fork—so why not us? We can become known as a place of art. Art that boosts our quality of life and invites others to visit here and enjoy this special place.

Opportunity. And there are many opportunities. ARTrageous is the perfect opportunity for our community of artists—from emerging to world famous—to work together, to support each other, the more experienced mentoring

Arts in the Bitterroot, November 2, 2014 - Page 5

those coming up. The Show & Sale and Gala are the jewels in the crown of the ARTrageous weekend and offer the opportunity for more than 70 artists working in over a dozen mediums to share and sell their art. The Gala is an opportunity for serious and budding (!) collectors to spend time getting to know artists and their work. And, of course, Gala attendees have the first opportunity to purchase the fresh art brought to the Show & Sale. There are opportunities for us to share in regional marketing to attract visitors to our area. There are opportunities for businesses to plan creative ties to the arts. There are opportunities to give back, to ensure that students have the opportunity to explore art and music in local schools. There are opportunities to explore the new and opportunities to engage all five senses: see art, taste and smell art, hear art, touch art. And dance, too.

Passion. Artists are passionate about their work. Some are quietly passionate, some exuberant, all have a fire burning within. And a

heart within like the Tin Woodsman received from the Wizard of Oz. It takes the efforts and passion and caring of many artists to mount ARTrageous. It is an honor and pleasure to work with all who have come forward—they work so hard--allowing each of us to experience and share the passion for our creative lives.

Take part. Peruse the many ARTrageous events and activities at www.bitterrootarts. org which is optimized for handheld devices.

Visit the schedule frequently throughout the ARTrageous weekend, November 7-9, to fill the gaps and spaces in your days and evenings with fresh local Montana art. And remember to take a chance on something new.

(Special thanks to the Montana Department of Commerce/Office of Tourism for the grant that provided this new site.]

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Page 6

- Arts in the Bitterroot, November 2, 2014

photo provided

Advance Studio.

Ravalli Republic

Empty Bowls is 20+ year old international grassroots concept to fight hunger. The basic premise is simple: potters and craftspeople, educators, and others work to create handcrafted bowls. Guests are invited to a simple meal of soup and bread. In exchange for a donation, guests are asked to keep a bowl as a reminder of all the empty bowls in the world.

The money raised is donated to an organization working to end hunger and food insecurity.

Organizers decided to add an Empty Bowls event to ARTrageous 2014 to demonstrate the

power of artists giving back to the community that sustains them.

The Ravalli County Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) stepped up to partner on producing a lunch event and Bitter Root Empty Bowls was born. In order to qualify for the federal funding they receive, RSVP is asked to help the seniors in their program, and beyond, address their own food insecurity issues. Sharon Bladen, RSVP Director, immediately saw the advantages in teaming up. “It’s a natural for us to be interested in helping the seniors in our program. We also have a strong relationship with Pantry Partners Food Bank in Stevensville

Arts in the Bitterroot, November 2, 2014 - Page 7

as many RSVP volunteers spend time there.

And we share a building with Meals on Wheels, so are partnering with them, too. Seniors have less access to fresh fruits and vegetables in the winter, so with our share of the proceeds from Empty Bowls we’re going to be providing additional fruits and vegetable to Meals on Wheels.”

It didn’t take long for ARTrageous and RSVP to find even more community partners. St. Francis Catholic Church came on board and donated the use of their beautiful Pastoral Life Center; the Knights of Columbus have volunteered to manage the kitchen; and of course, RSVP and Pantry Partners volunteers will be lending a hand to serve the lunch. The bowls are being made by local artists -- each one say right away, “‘Yes, of course I’ll make some bowls!”. Monica Grable and Kasey Arceniaga, art teachers at Hamilton High School, are each making a stack of bowls and they’ve invited their Advanced Studio students to join them.

Photographer Flori Engbrecht is providing a framed photograph of a bowl. Mary Byers is contributing a hypertufa pot/planter bowl.

The simple meal of bread and soup? Simple it may be but very tasty as the soup is being made by chefs at restaurants involved in the ARTrageous DINEaround; Bouilla, Bradley O’s, and Signal Grill to name a few. And the staff of life… the bread? It will be made by Ali Bowcutt, artist, baker, and owner of Red Rooster Artisan Bakery.

The Town Pump Foundation, long a supporter of food banks in the Valley, stepped up to sponsor Bitter Root Empty Bowls so that all donations for lunch can be distributed to RSVP and Pantry Partners to further their work to reduce hunger and food insecurity in the Bitterroot Valley. A crew from Opportunity Bank of Montana (formerly American Federal Saving Bank) will be helping by taking donations at the door.

With so much support from our generous and caring community in its inaugural year, it is clear that Empty Bowls is already a success. In

upcoming years the partners plan to expand the event to support more organizations and to include more media for bowls—turned wood, baskets for bread, an upcycled/recycled bowl?

What kind of bowl can you make?

Bitterroot Empty Bowls Lunch Saturday, November 8 11:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

St. Francis Pastoral Life Center, 411 South Fifth Street, Hamilton Donation at the Door (We suggest a minimum of $20/person, more if you are able.)

For more information: www.bitterrootarts.org 406 360-7019 Like us on Facebook : www.facebook.com/artrageousinthebitterroot

photo provided

Zoi Martin, Advance Studio.

Page 8 - Arts in the Bitterroot, November 2, 2014

Good and cheap: eat well on $4 a day Ravalli Republic

Good and Cheap is a collection of recipes for people with limited incomes, particularly those on a $4/day food stamps budget.

Written by Leanne Brown, a food-studies scholar as her Masters thesis, it is downloadable for free at Leanne’s website, www.leannebrown.com. Leanne wanted to help those with fewer dollars to devote to the purchase of food prepare healthy, affordable meals--good food that just happens to be inexpensive. When Leanne learned that often families with limited incomes do not have access to the internet, she determined to print copies of her cookbook that could be given to them. Her Kickstarter Campaign to print books was set at $10,000 and ended up raising over

$144,000; clearly an idea that captured the hearts of many.

Leanne provided 25 free Good and Cheap cookbooks to Bitterroot Empty Bowls and we were able to purchase 50 more at $4 each.

These will be distributed to those who need them through RSVP, Pantry Partners, Meals on Wheels, and others.

If you’d like to purchase this gorgeous Good and Cheap cookbook for yourself, they will be available for a donation of $20 at the Empty Bowls lunch. With the funds we raise from these sales, we’ll buy more books for free distribution to those who need them.

If you know someone who is in need of a Good and Cheap cookbook, please contact Sharon Bladen at RSVP, 406 363-1102 or rsvp@montana. com.

The Daly Mansion Preservation Trust invites you to

have Lunch in Hattie’s Kitchen and do all of your Christmas shopping early at

The Holly Jolly ArtisanNovember Show & Sale 7th - 9th

Friday, Noon-6pm • Sat & Sun 10am-4pm High quality homemade and handcrafted goods featuring 35 local and regional crafters and artisans on all three floors of the beautifully decorated Mansion Admission $3 at the door; Kids are FREE call 363-6004 Ext. #2 for more information Located off of Eastside Highway between Hamilton and Corvallis

Art Guild membership open to Artists & Crafters in Ravalli Co. Art Guild sponsors Art in the Park 4th weekend of July Christmas Show weekend before Thanksgiving Proceeds go to high school scholarships

Mary Lockwood 821-4678

Arts in the Bitterroot, November 2, 2014 - Page 9

Exciting lineup scheduled for BPAC’s 11th season Ravalli Republic

For its 11th season, the Bitterroot Performing Arts Council has an exciting lineup of world-class artistry coming to the Hamilton Performing Arts Center.

The Wailin’ Jennys kicked off the season Oct. 4.

The second performance of the season will be Nov. 22, with pianist Christopher O’Reilly and cellist Matt Haimovitz collaborating on pieces

photo provided

The Wailin’ Jennys

Page 10 - Arts in the Bitterroot, November 2, 2014

that cross in and out of classical and pop music genres.

Grammy-award winner Marc Cohn will perform in January and won’t leave the stage before singing his classic 1991 hit, “Walking in Memphis.”

Bonnie Raitt once called Cohn “one of the most soulful, talented artists I know.”

His latest album is a collection of soulful covers by artists such as Cat Stevens and the Grateful Dead.

On Valentine’s Day, the BPAC will present Pokey LaFarge – a consummate yet photo provided Cellist Matt Haimovitz and pianist Christopher O’Reilly young entertainer who creatively mixes early jazz, string ragtime, country blues and western swing. He will be backed by a “stellar five-piece band” Grable said.

High energy will continue in March with the performance of the eight-piece Brooklyn party band, Red Baraat. Their powerful live performance includes North Indian rhythms

photo provided

photo provided

Grammy winner Marc Cohn

Pokey LaFarge

Arts in the Bitterroot, November 2, 2014 - Page 11

with elements of jazz, brass funk and hip-hop.

The BPAC’s final show of the season will be especially fun for families, as they present Handsome Little Devils: Squirm Burpee Circus. The clever vaudeville-style melodrama will be a theatrical extravaganza with dancing, singing and circus arts. The show was called an “irresistible Cirque du Silly” by Frank Scheck of the New York Post and will appeal to audience members of all ages.

photo provided

Red Baraat

photo provided

Pokey LaFarg and his five-piece band

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For more information on tickets, subscriptions and how to set up a sustaining membership, stop by the Bitterroot Performing Arts Council Box Office inside Signal Square at 127 W. Main Street in Hamilton or call (406) 3637946. More information can also be found on the BPAC website at bARTc.org.

photo provided

Handsome Little Devils: Squirm Burpee Circus

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Arts in the Bitterroot, November 2, 2014 - Page 13

photo provided

The Nutcracker by Ballet Bitterroot Performing Arts, Inc.

Bitterroot valley boast several dance studios Michelle McConnaha Ravalli Republic

Dance performance is art.

The Bitterroot Valley has several studios and opportunities to learn to dance including: Ballet Bitterroot Performing Arts, Inc., River Street Dance Theatre, Elenita Brown Dance, Glory Corbet, Groovz Dance and Fitness, and the Hamilton Boots ‘n Calico Square Dance Club.

Ballet Bitterroot Performing Arts is a nonprofit children’s performing arts company.

They offer Dance classes for “Tiny Tots” three and four year olds, pre-ballet for five year olds and kindergarten students, classical ballet

beginner through advanced and Pointe class for intermediate and advanced level dancers. They have three competition dance teams: mini, junior and senior.

Instructors include: Paige Thomas as Artistic Director and Pam Copley, Courtney Ratliff, Michelle Haynie, Marianna Jessop and Meagen Hensley.

BPAA is taking a year off from their annual production of the Nutcracker and will perform a Christmas Spectacular. It will be in the Bitterroot Valley’s “Radio City Music Hall” complete with their Rockettes.

Ballet Bitterroot Performing Arts is located at

Page 14 - Arts in the Bitterroot, November 2, 2014

photo provided

The Nutcracker by Ballet Bitterroot Performing Arts, Inc.

537 West River Road, Hamilton. For more information call (406) 961-1818 or visit their website Balletbitterroot.com.

River Street Dance Theatre with owner / director Pam Erickson offers many classes for youth and adults. Modern dance, ballet, tap, jazz, creative movement for children, and composition and improvisation. This year the River Street Dance Theatre is performing “The Grinch Who Stole Christmas” December 5 and 6 at the Mary Stuart Rogers Performing Arts Center in Victor.

Contact Pam Erickson of the River Street Dance Theatre for more information at 363-1203, 421 North Second Street, Hamilton.

Elenita Brown Dance teaching Ballet Flamingo in Stevensville with appointment. Call for information about other dance styles, age groups, classes or private lessons: 777-5956.

Dance instructor Glory Corbet teaches dancing for free.

“I usually go south for the winter,” said Corbet. “If a couple wants to come I do teach free and they can come to my home and I will show them how to dance as a couple. It is beyond western or ballroom dancing - you learn

more. I teach international folk from Germany, Russian, Finland and Sweden. Couples can learn to do a turning waltz. I like to dance so I teach couples. It’s like learning fundamentals and you have lots you can use no matter where you go.”

Call Corbet for more details at 961-8866, Corvallis.

Groovz Dance and Fitness, owner and director Michelle Post, said their studio has dance classes for age two though adult.

They teach kid classes: hip hop, jazz, ballet, tap, contemporary, Pound Rock-Out workout and Zumba. Adult classes include hip hop, tap, belly, Zumba fitness, Zumba Gold, Zumba toning, PiYo and Oula.

“We are still taking dance registrations for this year,” said Post. “We have amazing instructors, we have a lot of fun in the classroom and every class is a blast – that’s our goal.”

Groovz Dance and Fitness has two locations: 810 S. 1st Street in Hamilton and 217 Main Street in Stevensville. Call 375-5226, or visit groovzdance.com

Arts in the Bitterroot, November 2, 2014 - Page 15

photo provided

The Nutcracker by Ballet Bitterroot Performing Arts, Inc.

Hamilton’s Boots ‘n’ Calico Square Dance Club was formed in Darby about 1947 the moved to Hamilton in the 1950s. Square dancing is often remembered as a foot-stomping good time that has been around for centuries.

Their club dances at the Jefferson School gymnasium, also called the Golden Age Center, at the corner of Fifth Street and Baker Street, Hamilton, 7 p.m., Saturday nights, October to May. Lessons are taught through the Hamilton Adult Ed program.

Page 16 - Arts in the Bitterroot, November 2, 2014

MICHELLE MCCONNAHA – Ravalli Republic

This china painted oval done by Joanna Barker shows the process of layering paint, firing the item and adding more paint and repeating the process.

The Bitterroot valley is home to expert porc elain artists Michelle McConnaha Ravalli Republic

Western Montana Porcelain Artists formed in the 1970s and have 25 artists who paint china.

Their beautiful porcelain art work and their friendships inspire them to keep painting.

Hamilton china painting artist Jolie Wells is the Montana China Painting Art Association President and chairman of the china display area at the Ravalli County Fair.

“There is a lot of local interest and local artists here,” said Wells. “We have inspiring painters and are the biggest club in the state.”

Wells began china painting 20 years ago and

some of her work is on display at Joe’s Studio in Hamilton.

The club has two National Artists in the valley that tour the United States. - Joanna Barker, and Marie Langevin.

Joanna Barker from Corvallis specializes in wildlife, flowers and berries. She began painting on china in the early 1970s, received the Governor’s Award for the Arts in 2001 and has pieces on display at the World China Painters Association’s Museum and the International Porcelain Artists Association. She is a prolific and talented painter who teaches seminars and has authored videos and booklets.

Arts in the Bitterroot, November 2, 2014 - Page 17

MICHELLE MCCONNAHA – Ravalli Republic

MICHELLE MCCONNAHA – Ravalli Republic

Jolie Wells is the Montana China Painting Art Association President and chairman of the convention in Hamilton this year. She works at Joe’s Studio and is a wonderful china painting artist. She is holding and standing by her porcelain paintings.

China painted vase by Marie Langevin.

Marie Langevin began in the 1990s and specializes in portraits and dolls. Her studio has three kilns and an area for classes. She has painted with friends for over 25 years.

In china painting, the glass is heated and gets soft and the paint flows into it and becomes permanent. The next layer is added and the process repeated.

The Hamilton club also paints china cups for patients that are having chemotherapy at Marcus Daly Memorial Hospital.

MICHELLE MCCONNAHA – Ravalli Republic

Marie Langevin specializes in portraits. She holds classes in her studio and has painted with friends over 25 years.

Page 18 - Arts in the Bitterroot, November 2, 2014

A Slice of Montana Literature :

PHOTO PROVIDED

Book Reviews from Chapter One Book Store Ravalli Republic

One thriving component of the Montana arts scene is literature. Montana is rife with talented writers, both long-established authors such as Pete Fromm, to first-time novelists such as Carrie La Seur who are making waves in the literary world. We have chosen to highlight four

authors and their new books. Celebrate the arts through the written word.

Painted Horses by Malcolm Brooks In the mid-1950s, America was flush with prosperity and saw an unbroken line of progress clear to the horizon, while the West was

Arts in the Bitterroot, November 2, 2014 - Page 19

still very much wild.

Catherine Lemav is a young archaeologist on her way to Montana, with a huge task before her--a canyon “as deep as the devil’s own appetites.” Working ahead of a major dam project, she has one summer to prove nothing of historical value will be lost in the flood. And then there’s John H, a former mustanger and veteran of the U.S. Army’s last mounted cavalry campaign, living a fugitive life in the canyon.

John H inspires Catherine to see beauty in the stark landscape, and her heart opens to more than just the vanished past. Painted Horses sends a dauntless young woman on a heroic quest, sings a love song to the horseman’s vanishing way of life, and establishes Missoula author, Malcolm Brooks, as an extraordinary new talent.

The Home Place by Carrie La Seur After leaving her family and a messy history behind in Billings Montana, Alma Terrabonne feels obligated to return home after a tragic event. Her reunion brings her face to face with the people and the life she left behind, but Alma may be her 10-year-old niece’s only hope for a stable loving guardian.

Of her book, La Seur explains, this isn’t the Montana of gorgeous hunting lodges and guided fly fishing trips; it’s about the people who have stayed here through every kind of hardship because it’s home.”

Accepting the truth about her baby sister’s last acts and the violence surrounding the family “home place”, Alma must ultimately choose where to live her life and who she wants to be.

Thrilling plot and flawed characters make this Montana novel linger long after the last page.

If Not For This by Pete Fromm Pete Fromm, a multi-award winning writer living in Missoula is fluent in both non-fiction and fiction. His newest work is If Not For This is a remarkable novel. Maddy, an independent, hell-for-leather river junkie is blindsided by

life-changing news far more daunting that any Class VI rapid. How she navigates the black shoals illuminated by occasional moments of grace forms the heart of this breathtaking new novel by Pete Fromm. While she constructs a suit of armor—both mental and verbal--armor nevertheless always has its weak points. In the background, is Maddy’s husband Dalt, fighting his own demons of dreams deferred and destroyed. They both, in their own way, rage against the despair that seems impossible to resist. How does one carve out a new, unasked for life? The tone of his prose is both searing and full of compassion. This is a book you will not soon forget.

The Ploughman by Kim Zupan Kim Zupan’s haunting novel, The Ploughman, has at its center two men--a killer awaiting trial, and a troubled young deputy. Talking through the bars of a county jail cell, a connection between them begins to form: John Gload, so adept at killing that only now he faces the prospect of dying in prison, and Valentine Millimaki, low man in the sheriff’s department.

With a marriage collapsing, Millimaki finds himself seeking counsel from a man whose past shares something with his own. Their uneasy friendship takes a startling turn with an act of violence that joins together two haunted souls by the secrets they share.

“What I say is,a town isn’t a town without a bookstore. It may call itself a town. But unless it’s got a bookstore it knows it’s not fooling a soul.”

- Neil Gaiman

Monday - Friday 9 - 6pm / Saturday 10 - 5:30pm 252 Main St., Hamilton, MT • 363.5220 • chapter1bookstore.com

friday, saturday & sunday FRIDAY & SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7 - 9 www.BitterrootARTs.org 406 360-7019

Join us for a high-spirited evening to celebrate and enjoy amazing art created by Montana artists. Mix over 60 artists, with great food and friends. Add wine and stir for a great evening.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 7 7-10 PM EVENT CENTER AT THE FAIRGROUNDS $75 [Artful hors d’oeuvres with a no host bar.]

Tickets available at: www.bitterrootarts.org By phone: 406 360-7019 In person: Chapter One Bookstore

Local chefs and bakers will provide the soup and bread; and artists will make the soup bowls. Take your bowl home with you as a reminder of all the empty bowls in the Bitterroot and beyond.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 8 11:00 AM – 2:30 PM ST. FRANCIS PASTORAL LIFE CENTER

411 South Fifth Street, Hamilton Donation at the Door

(We suggest a minimum of $20/person, more if you are able.)

Proceeds will provide funding to Pantry Partners Food Bank and Ravalli County RSVP to assist their work to lessen food insecurity in our community.

Sponsored by the Town Pump Foundation.

show & sale

Explore amazing fine art and hand craft created by artists from across the landscapes of Montana. Freshly prepared culinary art and Zaxan coffee will be available.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 8 10 AM – 5 PM SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 9 10 AM – 4 PM EVENT CENTER AT THE FAIRGROUNDS Free Admission

CONCERT for the ARTS

Quist - Aaberg - Gladstone

A Benefit for Young Artists & Musicians

An unprecedented evening of musical collaboration from three of Montana’s finest musicians and songwriters: Philip Aaberg, Jack Gladstone, and Rob Quist.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 8 7:30 PM PERFORMING ARTS CENTER AT HAMILTON HIGH SCHOOL Reserved Seating at $22.50 and $27.50

Tickets at www.bitterrootarts.org. By phone at 406 3637946. In person at the Bitterroot Performing Arts Council Box Office, 127 West Main Street, Hamilton or Rooted Music, 100 Skeels Avenue, Hamilton.

ine Around

More Art Montana Bricolage Artists Quilt Show

FRIDAY & SATURDAY NOVEMBER 7-8

Plan to dine out several times during the ARTrageous weekend as chefs prepare mouthwatering dishes featuring fresh local lamb. And come hungry, because you’ll want to eat and drink all the art the chef can dish up. There’ll be fabulous local wine, craft beer and cider pairings; fresh artisan bread, and desserts.

HAMILTON Bitter Root Brewing

Spice of Life Cafe*

Chef Mike King 406 375-7468 www.bitterrootbrewing.com

Chef Karen Suennen 406 363-4433 www.thespiceinhamilton.com

Taste of Paris

Bouilla

The Wild Mare*

Executive Chef Justin Ritchey 406 375-1110 www.bradleyos.com

Chef Steve Studar 282 Second Street, 406 961-8938 www.thewildmare.com

Higher Ground Brewing Company

Chef Fenn Nelson 406 375-5204 www.highergroundbrewing.com

Signal Grill*

Chef Amy Littlefield 406 375-9099 www.thesignalgrill.com

STEVENSVILLE Mission Bistro*

Chef Eric Loessberg 406 777-6945 www.facebook.com/missionbistro

BLODGETT Canyon Cellars

FR DAY Hamilton

From artist demonstrations to performances to special sales, there is enough creativity at First Friday in Hamilton to spill over into Saturday.

FRIDAY-SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7-8 :: HAMILTON MAIN STREET FRIDAY, 5-8 PM; SATURDAY, 10 AM-5 PM Brought to you through the generous support of:

Holly Jolly Artisan Show & Sale

with Tango Missoula, Hamilton City Hall Community Room Friday, November 7 8-10 PM

Fermented Fruits: A Pop-Up Wine & Cider Bar

at Bouilla Saturday, November 8 4-10 PM

*Offering pairings with Blodgett Canyon Cellars Wine.

Details at www.BitterrootArtrageous.org

First

Bitter Root Brewery Thursday, November 6 6-8 PM

Tango Demonstration & Class

CORVALLIS

Bradley O’s*

ARTrageous Kickoff Party

Daly Mansion November 7-9

Chef Laurence Markarian Suite 106, 406 369-5875 www.tasteofparis.info

Chef Dan Dean 406 361-0223 www.facebook.com/bouilla111

Higher Ground Brewery November 1-30

Cowboy Poetry & Dance

at Hamilton City Hall Community Room Saturday, November 8 6:30 PM For up to date listing, www.bitterrootarts.org

HAMILTON MORTGAGE

Services, Inc.

Blodgett Canyon Cellars · First Interstate Bank · Higher Ground Brewery DA Davidson ∙ Flower Happy ∙ Montana Public Radio ∙ Rocky Mountain Bank ∙ Town House Inn of Hamilton

Page 22 - Arts in the Bitterroot, November 2, 2014

Artist on the street :

As an artist, why do you like living in the Bitterroot?

Steve Wilson

Steve Wilson Fine Art stevewilsonart.com “The mountains and the outdoor activities available to us!”

Cynthie Fisher

On The Wild Side • fisherart.com “It feeds my soul to see the natural beauty of the Bitterroot and share it through my art with my friends and neighbors.”

Gary Lynn Roberts

Brooke Wetzel

Gary Lynn Roberts Western Art garylynnroberts.com

Jerry Crandall

“As an artist, I just love living in the Bitterroot. Man, it’s just amazing to get up in the morning and look at those mountains!”

“The beautiful unspoiled scenery that we have all around us!”

Eagle Editions eagle-editions.com

KJ Kahnle

Wetzel Fine Art brookewetzel.com

Details of Life kjpencil.com

“The mountains, rivers, and seasons provide endless inspiration.”

“It’s my home I love this community and the beauty of the valley!”

Arts in the Bitterroot, November 2, 2014 - Page 23

PHOTO PROVIDED

Corvallis High School’s production of Camelot - Performance art is seen as a key element to learning communication skills.

Art in the schools :

Art education and performance opportunities abound at schools valley-wide.

Michelle McConnaha Ravalli Republic

CORVALLIS Art education is given a strong priority at Corvallis Schools, with formal arts education beginning in kindergarten and continuing until high school graduation. Performance art is seen as a key element to learning communication skills.

At Corvallis Primary School, Naomi Webb teaches music for kindergarten through fourth grade and has been their music director for 21 years. The primary school concerts will be December 9 in the New Gym, grades K-1 at 5:45 p.m., grades 1-2 at 6:30 p.m. and grades 3-4 at 7:15 p.m. - with the last program having a veterans’ celebration.

Classroom primary teachers conduct their own art curriculum and there is an Artist in

Residence every year.

Corvallis Middle School principal Rich Durgan is proud of the strong arts program at Corvallis.

“We have incredibly dedicated teachers who are knowledgeable and love sharing their passion for the arts with the kids,” said Durgan.

Students at Corvallis can elect to play an instrument starting in fifth grade with strong participation rates.

“For example, this year 219 students – 56 percent of all middle school students - elected to play an instrument,” said Durgan. “In addition to band and orchestra offerings, 80 students – 30 percent of our student body - are also presently taking choir.

“Art classes are part of our “core rotation” in the seventh and eighth grades, so virtually all students experience a semester of art each year.

Page 24 - Arts in the Bitterroot, November 2, 2014

We also have semester-long art that are open to interested fifth and sixth grade students, so our students have an opportunity to take art every year in middle school.”

Emily Athman is the middle school choir teacher and is also continuing the orchestra program Martha Ilgenfritz started twelve years ago for grades 5 – 12.

Corvallis has one of the few middle school strings programs in Montana.

Willi Prince teaches a strong band program for grades 5-8 including marching and recently performed at homecoming and for the primary school.

Peggy Leverton is a national board certified art teacher grades 5-8 and she volunteers to run an after school clay club each year.

At Corvallis High School, speech class and one year of fine arts are required for graduation and both competitive and non-competitive drama and music is taught and coached.

In 2014, their competitive drama team took the state Class A trophy and their drama team/ musicians did a three-night run of Camelot to sell-out crowds.

Their competitive drama program has earned eight state championships and three second place finishes in the past twelve years lead by Drama Coach Doug McConnaha.

In addition, the non-competitive program, led by directors Nancy Brown and Doug McConnaha, has filled the stage with performances of classics such as My Fair Lady, Guys and Dolls, Annie, Arsenic and Old Lace, Bye, Bye, Birdie, as well as an annual Christmas Madrigal and various melodramatic productions by musical theatre classes.

Students have the opportunity to be involved in several performance groups including marching band, pep band, jazz band, strings, guitar, keyboard and drumming as well as large and small vocal ensembles - performing for parades, festivals and community activities.

The concert calendar is very full; contact each school for details. A few not to miss include judging for the speech meet December 5 and 6, the High School Madrigal Performances and Dinners December 8 and 9 at Cornerstone Church and the Winter Concerts in the New Gym December 15, 6:30 p.m., for grades 5–6, and December 16, 6:30 p.m., for grades 7-8.

DOUG MCCONNAHA – for the Ravalli Republic

CHS marching band on the football field.

Arts in the Bitterroot, November 2, 2014 - Page 25

darby Darby School has two high school fine arts teachers and one elementary music teacher.

Rhoda Toynbee is the Art teacher. Formal art classes begin in the eighth grade and a collaborative program has high school students write story books and illustrate them with the first and second grade students.

Brooke Gardner is the Music teacher for Kindergarten through grade four.

Alex Petrusaitis is the Choir and Band teacher for grades 5-12. All students in grades five and six take band and students in seventh and eighth grades choose either choir or band.

In high school the opportunities expand to include band, choir, drum line and digital

music production.

“Our digital music lab is state of the art and from what I hear, possibly the only music lab of its kind in Montana,” said Darby Principal Jennifer Burdette.

Darby Winter Concerts will be held December 15-17and their spring concert will be May 18-20.

“Our community supports an art fair called the McClintock Art Fair hosted by the Sula Women’s Club and many of our students participate in this event K-12th grade,” said Burdette. “Additionally, our high school art class enters drawings for the love and respect calendar that supports SAFE each year.”

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TERESA STOLLE for the Ravalli Republic

Students in Amy York’s Advanced Art class and their portrait projects at Florence School: (Front row) Natalie Drozdz, Cody Randles, Kayla Amt, Abby Ostheimer, (second row): Alexis Cope, Annette Thomas, Josie McCann, Colin Jelinski, Kristyne Drozdz, Nichole Crisp, Tyler Mitchell, (third Row) Isaac Boid, Trey Lohman and Jacob Christopherson.

florence The Florence Carlton School music program continues to grow and be a strong part of the school community.

Lauree Sayler - elementary music, Morgan Jones - 6-12 choir and Jennifer Kirby - band provide a wealth of musical opportunities for all Florence students.

Chrissy Hulla, K-5 Principal at Florence, shares her excitement of arts for elementary students.

“We have art and music K-5 and band starts in 5th grade,” said Hulla. “Our music teacher,

Mrs. Sayler, is amazing. Students have the opportunity to explore and learn about a variety of musical instruments. Each grade level gives an evening performance for parents. Students in grades 3, 4 and 5 have the opportunity to participate in Supersingers - which is a singing group that meets during lunch and performs for area seniors and community groups twice a year. Third graders can earn awards for different levels of achievement in playing the recorder.

She calls this Recorder Karate.

“Our art teacher, Mrs. Hartman is equally amazing. She is a talented artist and gets students excited about art. Kindergarteners

Arts in the Bitterroot, November 2, 2014 - Page 27

develop a love of art because they get to do fun projects that teach them skills and build their artistic confidence. By fifth grade our students have developed their creativity and skills and produce amazing works of art.”

Lauree Sayler - elementary music, Morgan Jones - 6-12 choir and Jennifer Kirby - band provide a wealth of musical opportunities for all Florence students.

“Percentages of kids who continue in music after elementary remain high with over 80 kids in choir and over 120 in band,” said Kirby. “We want Florence kids to come away feeling like Ray Charles when he once said, “I was born with music inside me. It was a force already within me when I arrived on the scene. It was a necessity for me like food or water.”

Florence had three members selected to participate in the All State Band October 17-19,

in Missoula. Kendra Hergett, senior clarinetist; Torrey Hoff, senior euphonium and Trevor Nei, sophomore bass clarinet.

“This is fantastic participation from a Class B school - congrats to those three musicians,” said Kirby. “Music is alive and well in Florence.”

Florence just held their High School Choral Concert.

Other performances included: The ‘Music Around the Globe’ concert of sixth, seventh and eighth grade choirs.

Fourth grade students presented ‘Melodies in the Mountains’ and student artwork, created in Mrs. Hartman’s art classes was on display.

photo provided

Florence had three members selected to participate in the All State Band October 17-19, in Missoula. Kendra Hergett, senior clarinetist; Torrey Hoff, senior euphonium and Trevor Nei, sophomore bass clarinet.

Page 28 - Arts in the Bitterroot, November 2, 2014

photo provided by Vince Raggio

HHS pep band members march in the Homecoming Parade on Friday, Sept 26.

photos provided by malina clark

Artwork from Hamilton school district students.

hamilton Hamilton School District gives students an opportunity to shine through art education and performance.

Washington Primary School, kindergarten through first grade, is where they learn the basics of instruments, rhythm and singing from music teacher Robert Prince. Students do art with their teachers in their individual classrooms.

Daly Elementary School, grades 2-5, has music teacher Mary Woods and art teacher

Malina Clark.

Hamilton Middle school students have three different levels of visual arts, choir, band and drama (theatre arts) taught by Malina Clark, Peggy Bucheit, Shawn Thacker and April Johnson, respectively.

“The students produce artwork in two- and three-dimensional forms,” said Clark. “They gain confidence and proficiency working with a variety of mediums including drawing/coloring tools, painting, collage, plaster, papermaking, wire sculpture, and clay. They also learn about art history, various artists, cultural/ commercial art, art criticism, color theory and

Arts in the Bitterroot, November 2, 2014 - Page 29

drawing/coloring techniques.”

Hamilton High School has five arts teachers: Monica Grable and Kasey Arceniega – Art, Shawn Thacker – Band, Peggy Bucheit - Vocal photos provided by malina clark Music, and April Johnson – Theatre Arts.

Artwork from Hamilton school district students.

HHS Band Director Shawn Thacker encourages students to participate in band.

“The music brings out creativity and helps to connect the human souls,” said Thacker.

HHS bands consist of Freshman Concert Band, Symphonic Band, Marching Band, Pep Antiques Band and chamber ensembles. They all perArts and Crafts form for home concerts in the PAC, out of town festivals and numerous athletic events.

Jewelry The upcoming Winter Concert - a combined Himalayan Salt Lamps concert for middle school and high school band students - is scheduled for Monday, December 15, 2014, in the HHS PAC beginPhotographs ning at 7:30 p.m.

Black Herbal Salve The bands have two fall fundraisers: the annual Citrus Fruit Fundraiser in October and the annual Christmas Tree Sales by Steve Boshae beginning the Friday after Thanksgiving - for more information call the 175 South 2nd Street, HHS Band Office at 375-6060 ext. 6248.

Downtown Hamilton 363-9708 Peggy Leonardi Bucheit, is director of Hamilton Choirs.

A Gallery of Unique Gifts

Page 30 - Arts in the Bitterroot, November 2, 2014

photos provided by malina clark

Artwork from Hamilton school district students.

2015 season

The Drowsy Chaperone The Curious Savage Singin’ in the Rain The Odd Couple Pride and Prejudice

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Season tickets go on Sale MOnDay, nOveMbeR 10, 2014 at 1:00 PM box Office Hours:

Monday-Friday 1PM to 5PM 100 Ricketts Road, Hamilton, MT | 375-9050 | hamiltonplayers.com

Her favorite quote about the value of music is by an unknown author: “For the common things of every day - we were given speech in a common way. For the deeper things we thing and feel - we were given poetic words to reveal. But for the heights and depths that know no reach - we were given music, the soul’s own speech.”

At Hamilton High School they offer five choirs: Symphonic Choir (beginning women), XY Factor (beginning men), Treble Choir (intermediate women), Concert Choir (intermediate to advance auditioned mixed choir) and Guys and Dolls (advanced, auditioned ensemble).

“Our focus is on educating the whole child,” said Bucheit. “Students in the choir program learn to read music, write music, improvise and perform. At the core of the choral curriculum is artistic expression. All singers work to develop the skills necessary to perform with musical and stylistic understanding and expression.

“Every year, we send 8-15 students to the Montana All-State Honor Choir. We also send singers to join the best in the five Northwest States to sing in the Northwest Honor Choir each year.

“Our Concert Choir has toured from the Pacific Northwest to New York City. We have also been invited to sing in such prestigious venues as the Vatican on two European tours.

Touring allows us to share our music with others, deepening our bond to our music and each other. It also allows us to attend professional musical events and experience music of other cultures.”

Upcoming choir events include: Polson, Stevensville and Corvallis choirs joining together, November 17 and 18 - the concert will be Tuesday, 6:30 p.m. The choral department will produce a musical in March.

Arts in the Bitterroot, November 2, 2014 - Page 31

Families for Education MICHELLE McCONNAHA Ravalli Republic

Each school in the Hamilton School District has a program called Families for Education they are operated by parents in support of the schools and specifically enhancing non-sports programs – leaving that effort to the Booster Club.

Hamilton High School FFE co-president Demaris Moore said the program is working great.

“On a national level they are called a parent advisory committee but we already have a PAC in Hamilton so to avoid confusion we call them FFEs,” said Moore. “Each school has their own group and they raise money for their own school. PTA was a sharing of funds for the whole school district. We are one non-profit

and share the same 501c3 number.”

Their Mission Statement says “We believe families of all students play a vital role in each child’s education. Goals: to improve communication between families and the school, to provide opportunity for all families to engage in the learning community and provide support for school, faculty and enrichment activities to enhance the education opportunities for all students.”

“For example at the high school we are involved in the Keystone program now and through the FFE we are doing seminars for adults and parents,” said Moore. “We are collaborating with ARTrageous and the Music Box and we want to bring in a digital photography class for students. The money we raise will go to a digital photo lab: computers and software.

The high school is selling Bronc scarves and stadium seats and partnering with ARTrageous.

“Some ideas we have are we’d like to do some suicide prevention and an anti-bullying program. The middle school brought that program there.

“We do teacher appreciation and lots of different things. Deb Gabelhausen spearheaded the FFE, set up the non-profit and made sure we were legal with our 501c3.”

FFEs are one way of supporting the Arts in Hamilton schools. Contact each school for further information about Families for Education.

Page 32 - Arts in the Bitterroot, November 2, 2014

PERRY BACKUS Ravalli Republic

Advanced Placement art teacher Mike Mikelson and his students.

stevensville Stevensville High School’s fourth-year art class gives students the opportunity to earn nine Advanced Placement credits for college.

Students complete the art lessons by teacher Mike Mikelson and create a body of work that is sent away to be ‘read’. The work is scored from one to five and if the students get a three or better they receive college credit.

“The last two years we’ve had a 100 percent pass rate for our class which is nine college credits,” said Mikelson. “It costs the students $50 to get the credits. We had a girl leave Stevensville

and she had almost completed her freshmen year [for college] from taking so many AP courses in high school - saving $12,000 to $13,000 in tuition fees alone.”

Mikelson has been the high school art teacher for 35 years, since 1979 upon graduation from Western Montana College with degrees in education for Art K-12 and History with Social Sciences.

His wife, Diane, is the Junior High school art teacher – also teaching at Stevensville 35 years.

For the elementary school Stevensville has a ‘Visiting Artist Program’ and Marina Weatherly does projects with the classes every Monday and

Arts in the Bitterroot, November 2, 2014 - Page 33

Tuesday.

Mikelson said that to be a successful art teacher ‘you better know just a little bit of everything’. He teaches classes painting in watercolor and acrylic, and a course on design.

“In the end they design and create and design a painting,” said Mikelson. “It teaches them about the language of abstract so they have a good solid foundation for abstract art.”

He also runs the ceramics/pottery program and is the director Adult Education program for Stevensville – a winter program conducted from January through March.

Mikelson noted two big changes in the school over 35 years of teaching at Stevensville: space and student personalities.

“The biggest changes are we’ve gone from a little room in the old junior high – which was the high school and junior high art room, to a nice big room here in the high school and a new junior high art room in the new building with skylights – designed for art,” he said. “When I first came, this was a rural farming community. Most kids were ranch kids and now we’re moving back to that – we have a really strong Ag program again. There are boots and cowboy hats and FFA jackets in the halls again – it’s really nice to see that farm presence back on the campus. It’s like old times.”

Mikelson said the positive support of the art program by both the school and community has been a constant.

“One thing we found over the years is the Stevensville Art Program is really well supported,” he said. “The school and community have been really supportive.”

He listed 1888 Jewelry and River’s Mist Gallery as being really instrumental in promoting and supporting the arts and even giving a show for a full month every year.

“They would set up the show, promote it and host us so the kids could see what it’s like to have a show,” he said.

Many students graduating from Stevensville go on to a career in art.

“I try to let them know how competitive it is,

and how much dedication it takes and how long they’ll work low wages and wait for the break – if it ever comes - and how much commitment it will take of their lives but some stay with it and a few have succeeded and made a living at it and some have gone onto education,” said Mikelson.

“There’s always something new to learn from them. You’d think it’s all about you teaching them but really it’s about how much they teach you still. You never master this - it’s an ongoing process of how you learn to get along with people and interpersonal relationships. And joy - with art it’s mostly all about joy. There’s a great quote ‘Failure is Education’ - I really stress that with art – especially with the painting process.”

Stevensville schools also offer band, choir, drama and competitive speech and drama for their students.

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Page 34 - Arts in the Bitterroot, November 2, 2014

PHOTOS PROVIDED

Victor students in seventh, eighth and tenth grades recently visited the National Bison Range, learned from a U.S. Fish and Wildlife naturalist at the range and drew in their sketchbooks..

victor

eral Missoula and Ravalli County schools this spring in the biennial Southgate Mall K-8 Art Exhibit in early May. This year’s theme includes art about bison; “Thunder of the Plains”.

Victor students in seventh, eighth and tenth grades recently visited the National Bison Range in Dixon to observe the Bison Round-up and engage in Science, Art and Language Arts activities. They also participated in playing Native Games at Traveler’s Rest in Lolo.

Amber Lynch, Victor School K-12 library media specialist, is directing “The Rest of the West” and is rehearsing Victor middle school students and high school helpers for the Wild West comedy. Wyatt Day stars as Jasper Schmidt and Azia Treece-Evans as Annabelle Oates.

“The show takes place in Cyanide Gulch,” said Lynch. “With crazy characters lost in time, the show is a western romp of giggles and guffaws.”

Performances are November 4 and 5, 7 p.m., at the Mary Stuart Rogers Performing Arts Center in Victor. Tickets are $3 for adults, $2 for students and children and can be purchased at the door.

Music, drama and visual art all play a part in education and extra curricular opportunities at Victor School.

According to Jennifer Ogden, Victor’s art teacher, “Victor School students in grades K-12 are creative people with dynamic interests centered on Music, Drama and Visual Art.” Music teacher, Tommy Dobberstein, has students tuning up and rehearsing for homecoming (Oct. 25) and many seasonal vocal and instrumental performances throughout the year. Band classes begin in grade four, there is a high school choir and all performances are 7 p.m. in the Mary Stuart Rogers Performing Arts Center.

Victor has a Veteran’s Day concert, 7 p.m., November 11, and Christmas Concerts December the 15-18. The high school has a ‘Cabin Fever’ concert February 11. March 2 is the Junior High Band Festival. They will have a couple of concerts in April – one in preparation for District Music Festival and June 3, 7 p.m., Dobberstein has a “We’re out of Here” Concert.

Victor’s K-12 art teacher, Jennifer Ogden, has stuFor more information contact director Amber dents gearing up to show their work alongside sev- Lynch at Victor School, 642-3221.

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