If you have any questions about getting involved with the 2009 Light Show please call us at (406)549-5329
Metallurgy
James Bailey
James was born in New Jersey, but grew up in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He received his BFA from the University of Minnesota and his MFA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
James is currently a professor of art and head of the printmaking area at the University of Montana. As an artist, he has exhibited his prints, artist’s books and paintings nationally and internationally.
I chose to encapsulate my work with copper for many reasons. First of all I love the beauty of its various patinas and the layered strata it creates. Copper also has deep roots in the area of printmaking and, of course, many connections to the history of Montana.
My sister and I are members of a very creative, close-knit family, where art has been at the center of our lives. With my sister Bek’s creative enterprise, Pomegranate Designs, there is always a bit of whimsy. Whether with her fanciful boxes, mirrors, or reclaimed “funky junque,” she plays generously with pattern, form and color. My artwork has always taken a decidedly more abstract path. We hesitated for a while as we considered the conundrum of who would go first, who would finish the mirror, and whether one style would be predominant.
My work is about transformations. It is about the transformation of the common into the sacred. Discarded materials find new and unexpected uses in my work; they are reassembled and co-joined with unlikely components, a form of rebirth from the ashes into new life and new meaning. These assemblages are metaphors for the evolutions and revolutions of existence: from life to death to rebirth, from new to old to renewed, from construction to destruction to reconstruction. These forms are examinations of the world in perpetual flux, where meaning and function are ever-changing
Medium: Glass, wood, glitter, paint, freshwater pearls, rhinestones, crystals, watch parts, found objects and vintage jewelry pieces
This piece is dedicated to Sara Brooke, a participant of the Living Art’s Mask-Making and Writing Workshop for the Young Adult at Camp-Make-A-Dream, January 2007
My work as a historic architect in the field of historic preservation is dynamic with exception toward new design. Sculpture, like architecture, provides the creative 3-dimensional outlet pregnant with possibilities. My vernacular is the simplistic, fundamental shape and images of house combined with house idioms manifest into form.
Paul Filicetti, native of Havre, is a Historic Architect who has worked on the repair and restoration of Missoula’s and Montana’s historic buildings including the Palace Apartments, Florence Building, Studebaker Building, soon to be restored Zip Auto, along with Old Faithful Inn in Yellowstone, the Montana State Capitol, and several of Montana’s treasured county courthouses.
Mr. Filicetti currently serves as President of the Montana State Historic Preservation Review Board responsible for listing historic properties to the National Register of Historic Places. He sculpts houses and solders in the summer from his home/studio, with his adopted son, in Missoula.
The Japanese language holds many terms for beauty, among them, Wabi Sabi. Wabi Sabi refers to the beauty acquired through time and use. This sort of beauty has always interested me. In our culture, so obsessed with youthful good looks and the sparkle of brand new, it seems especially important to remember that there are many ways to be beautiful. Sometimes when the varnish rubs off, another radiance appears.
Known primarily for her narrative paintings, Stephanie J. Frostad is an artist living and working in Missoula, Montana. She is represented by Davidson Galleries in Seattle: www.davidsongalleries.com.
This piece reflects ideas of regeneration and well-being. The white buffalo has long been a sacred phenomenon in various indigenous cultures. We have utilized found material combined with our won art processes to create this mirror of good fortune.
Stephen Glueckert is a sculptor and mixed media artist living in Missoula. He holds a BA in Art from The University of Idaho and a MA in Art education from Western Washington University. His work has been widely exhibited throughout the Western region, as well as nationally. He is currently showing at the Holter Museum of Art Helena , MT.
Bev Beck Glueckert is a working artist in Missoula, MT. She holds a BA in Art from The University of Idaho, and has MFA in printmaking from The University of Montana (UM). She teaches drawing and printmaking at the UM, and is an instructor for The Flagship after school Arts program in the schools. She was recently awarded a residency from the Jentel Foundation.
I grew up on a hillside that overlooked the city of Fairbanks and the far off Alaska Range. Occasionally my parents would go out in the evening and, after my brothers were in bed,’ I would turn off all the house lights, curl up on the living room chair and stare out into the huge night –lights, stars, silhouettes. It was always a wonderment –making me feel huge, elevated, uplifted and yet so simple at the same time. To this day I watch the sky, the night, the human lights …and I feel the same.
Born and raised in Montana, I’ve chosen to raise my daughter in my hometown, Missoula. I am inspired by the way art enhances my life and the lives of others. A benefit is a rewarding way to encourage a creation. Bringing light to others lives brings light to my own. I work with handmade papers as a part of my job. The lamp is made with a favorite from India. It’s not so much a lamp as it is a night light, casting shadows on the ceiling and walls when other lights are out.
Statement: Ron is a Montana artist who paints fine art as well as cover and story illustrations for books and magazines. His main interest is in outdoor subjects: birds, landscapes, fish and fishing scenes and an occasional abstract composition.
In addition, he has written short stories and descriptive materials for outdoor publications. “Accuracy and attention to detail are important to me. Everything I do has a fact-based beginning including abstracts and design work. I have a strong respect for nature and the outdoors. Being an artist gives me more opportunities than most people to spend time there.”
A native Montanan, Vickie’s education has been varied and is generally art oriented. Primarily a watercolor painter, she additionally creates in a variety of media including fiber, wood, paper, collage and vintage jewelry components. She delights in constructing art from mundane found objects and thinks of herself as a recycler as much as an artist.Vickie has shown her work in many Missoula venues, in the northwest area of Montana, Idaho and Washington, Wisconsin and in NYC.
She currently ‘dabbles’ in the computer world with graphics and web page designing and is serving as Vice-President of the Montana Watercolor Society.
I am a volunteer for the American Cancer Society and saw a program on the Living Art when it first began in the Missoula area. I have enjoyed seeing the artwork displayed at the Missoula Relay for Life…INSPIRATIONAL! I am glad I can be a part of The Living Art Light Show.
My vision for this mirror project was to create a wearable, reflective talisman that protects the wearer and allows their soul to shine out and reflect their inner selves. I used small craft mirrors, wire and reflective type beads of all kinds. I added the pearls to make an airy, light, almost spiritual piece.
Topiary Lamp Kathryn Kress
This lamp was inspired by a love of birds, gardens and the outdoors in general.
For many years I have worked as a visual artist. However, in recent years I have been employing my skills as a designer in order to help others create workable and delightful environments for both public and private spaces. Making this lamp has challenged me to create an object that is decorative, useful and, I hope, resonates with deeper meaning than the word “decorative” usually implies.
Instructions for use: The top of the container is easily removed in order to access the contents. Remove the shade by unscrewing the finial and lifting the shade. The harp, cord and top are then exposed and can be lifted off.
This mirror was created with scrap metal and copper. Growing up on a dairy farm, my father taught me the art of welding. Later in life I used this talent to work my way through college.
Now, as a working artist, I am once again exploring the art of metal and welding. In the future, I hope to incorporate my photography into my metal structures.
These images are made by a combination of a photographic darkroom process and traditional hand painting. The process begins with the printing –directly onto the canvas, metal, copper or tile surface –of a black & white image. Next, selected areas may be hand painted with oil paint. Each image is an original as it will only be printed once.
Cindi Laukes is a painter and a clinical research manager for The Montana Neuroscience and Cancer Institutes at St.PatrickHospital in Missoula, and is a Faculty Affiliate in the Skaggs School of Pharmacy at UM. She moved to Missoula from Tucson, Arizona, where she was President of the DinnerwareContemporaryArtGallery in downtown Tucson. She received her MFA in Painting from The University of Iowa-Iowa City in 1991, and has taught university courses in the arts, curated international art & science exhibits, and has shown her work nationwide.
Marion has a B.A. in Applied Art, which she received from the PennsylvaniaStateUniversity. She has worked as a commercial artist, display designer, lettering artist, potter and painter in many mediums. Numerous graduate level courses in Art History, Ceramics and Fine Arts along the way have kept her explorations fresh.
She has had shows in Philadelphia, Seattle and Missoula, and has participated in numerous invitational shows, group shows and auctions. She holds signature memberships in the Montana Watercolor Society and the Northwest Watercolor Society.
Although primarily known for her watercolors depicting the natural world, her most recent work has been with mixed media collages that allow transparency, reflected light, and layers of mystery. Many of these pieces show her lifelong fascination with all things aquatic.
This inspiration for “Pipe Dream #2” came from my lifelong fascination with all things aquatic –shellfish, corals, fish and more. Many of these creatures have multiple units for locomotion, food gathering or light sensing –independent structures unified by a common purpose. My first pieces of this kind were done in clay, but it was exciting to revisit this passion and bring it to light with mirrors.
Los Angeles based designer Tana March has been setting trends since 1993 with her creative environmental do-it-yourself projects and philosophy: "We already have everything we need. We just need to find creative ways to use it."
Tana began her career as a self taught artist and furniture designer with the opening of her company FEED Functional Art Designs. FEED's focus has ranged from custom furnishings and lighting made from found, unconventional and recyclable objects to faux finishes, decorative painting and murals. Her reputation garnered a contract from the infamous Shabby Chic, Inc. to reinvent their signature painted finish to revive a struggling line of wooden home furnishings.
As a licensed Nevada Architect and Interior Designer, art has been influential in many aspects of my designs and color pallets. Art is interpreted on a personal level as is architecture and design. I have great appreciation of all media. Practicing in several states has given me the opportunity to see a broad spectrum of talent. I feel that by limiting oneself is equal to self destruction in the field of Architecture and Design as it would be in Art.
I relocated back to my home state of Montana to be where my heart and family resides. I opened an office for Architectural & Interior Design and Consultation. My firm caters to those with meticulous taste whether it is for commercial or residential projects.
The mirror I am contributing, “Reflections in Textiles,” is a neutral and functional piece. It combines both synthetic and authentic materials to “reflect” the co-existence of each textile while maintaining freedom of design.
Artist’s Statement: The concept of a beaded flashlight necklace with a beaded necklace purse to carry the reflective quality of beads I have recognized for 25 years.
Artist Biography: Elizabeth has been beading for 25 years. She says that “beading is her solace.” Elizabeth teaches beading at DickinsonAdultEducationLearningCenter and her creations are available through her business: Blue Dragon Beads
Materials: Silk, an assortment of beads, clay tiles
Artist’s Statement: Imagine if, as a child, you were told that you were beautiful as a person. Imagine that message was loud and clear that you are perfect exactly as you are and that you are loved. How would that affect your life? How would you treat others? How would you treat yourself, knowing that you are loved and whole?
What would it feel like to look into a mirror and no matter what was reflected back to you, you would see a loved person? We all struggle so with personal appearance that at times, our inner life is forgotten. This mirror represents that we are more than meets the eye; that we are beautiful. And, if you will notice there are jewels hidden in and amongst the silk. Hidden sparks that we can find within ourselves as the journey of self discovery begins.
And remember, Living Art allows others to see their own inner life and light during a time when holistic beauty is paramount.
Deserae’s ten-year modeling career began at the age of twelve when she took runner up at the Teen Maybeline model search in New York City. After graduating high school, in Frenchtown, she attended the Art Institute of Portland. During this time, she modeled for Cusicks Modeling Agency where she appeared regularly for Fred Meyer, Meir and Frank, Jantsen Swimwear, Everclear music videos, as well as local catalogues and runway shows. After earning a degree, she decided to settle close to home to raise a family and open Jules Model and Talent Agency. Along with being a mother, wife, former model and small town girl, Deserae wants to offer individuals honesty, advice, and support while furthering their careers.
The Pressed Flower Art “Slippers of the Forest” means a lot to Deserae, because she collected the Mountain Lady Slippers and the Fairy Slippers, while going on a nature hike, on her father’s land, with her husband and two small children. The mirror is an antique that was passed down to her by her grandmother!
She hopes this piece will bring light into anyone’s life. To learn more about Jules Model and Talent Agency, order pressed flower art, or view some of Deserae’s Photography, go to www.julestalent.com
Susie and her husband, Ray Risho, have lived in Missoula for almost forty years. During their last family-run business, Perugia Restaurant and Gallery, Susie placed on permanent display in the dining rooms of Perugia, large free-form ceramic sculptures, appliquéd fabric wall hangings, collages, paintings, and interior design.
In 2005 Susie published two books: “Echoes,” a hand-crafted book of paintings with inspirational words, and “An Enthusiasm of Waxwings,” a book of prose and poetry.
Susie has taught school in various private schools since 1980 and currently teaches art at the MissoulaInternationalSchool, and the fifth grade “Art Experience” at MAM. Susie has co-directed Community Church Ministries since 1979, conducting worship services for the elderly and disabled populations in the MissoulaValley. She is director of Missoula StoryKeepers.
This mirror, embellished with natural found objects, helps, as we glance or gaze at our reflection, to remind us of the earth we live in.
I work with intuition, dream, renewal and decay. This is the balance life strives for, order from chaos. I have interest in all sciences and world affairs. We live in the world, not only in America. So, I do not use many images pertaining to a certain culture. Art is not just for galleries, art is life. It is all around us; it should not be separate from our lives. In many other cultures, it is still one and the same.
I grew up in a small northwestern Kansas town which literally was black and white, mirroring the beginning of the Wizard of Oz. In my youth I dreamt of techno-colored mermaids, unicorns, and fairies. Alas, my pragmatic father would not allow me to fulfill my dreams of becoming Van Gough; therefore I became a health care worker. I abandoned my talent for several years and lived a life of conformity. But, as I came to know my unique place in the universe, my artwork again blossomed. The past year, I fabricated several cemented yard art torsos and bequeathed them to nonprofit organizations for their fundraisers. And, thus, has begun my journey as an artist.
Simply put, this lamp is about the luminescence from within that shines in us all.
Andy Smetanka grew up in Billings, Montana and came to Missoulain 1990. He earned his Bachelors degree in history from UM in 1998 and is currently finishing up an MFA in nonfiction creative writing. He cuts silhouettes for fun and relaxation.
Martin McCain moved to Missoula in 1993 to attend the university and graduated in 1998 with a Bachelors degree in biology--the same year he began to gravitate toward fine woodworking after seeing some pieces in a local gallery. He is self-taught through books and trial-and-error techniques.
Artists' statement: Martin McCain
"The piece is made from cherry, walnut and tiger maple. The base demonstrates bridal and mortise and tenon joinery. The light cabinet was constructed using hand-cut half blind dovetails, the strongest method used in constructing cabinets. My reason for doing this piece is to use my craft to benefit the Missoula community."
Medium: Acrylic and Watercolor on Ceramic and Cloth
I chose to paint this lamp because of its size, shape and textured surface. I also really wanted to cover over its horrible color scheme. It took about 50 hours of painting to create the illusion of sky, water, fauna and bird that make up “Twilight”.
Karl Stein has been painting in Montana since attending UM on a football scholarship in 1969. He has had numerous exhibits around the state and has exhibited work on both the east and west coast. His work is currently shown at the DanaGallery in Missoula. He lives with his wife and son on a beautiful hill outside Arlee.
While walking through the woods on one of the first warm days of this year, I came upon this lovely old tree. It was quite off the beaten path. Few, if any others, would ever be able to appreciate its beauty. I carried it home and with the help of my husband we created this sculptural light fixture which will cast an intricate pattern of shadows onto the walls and ceiling of the home that it graces.
I am the owner of Studio Modera, an architectural firm that specializes in modern, environmentally responsible architecture. We believe in designing dwellings that are gentle on the land, energy efficient, and full of clean air and sunshine.
I remember using a small portable typewriter for term papers and exams in college. Some of my better thoughts came as I stared at the keys and tried to make my pencil outline into sentences. Sometimes the light in my brain came on and I pounded the keys. Therein was born the idea of the Typelighter: a combination of creating text and light.
John Vanek lives and works in Olympia, Washington making metal sculpture. Art in the everyday things of this world is his passion. Lamp making offers that opportunity. For the last three years he has contributed lamps to this auction and takes great pleasure in seeing other people enjoy his pieces.
My specialty in photography is life. I choose everything that stirs the eyes of my heart. My portfolio includes a wide range of images, from the tiniest glacier flower, across the mystique of the Mediterranean, to the vibrant hues of the African landscape. I like to tell stories with my camera; therefore my subjects are varied, ranging from people, animals, landscapes, and architecture.
Loryn Zerr is no stranger to The Light Show. Her mirror, entitled "Four Lotus," is her third piece for Living Art's annual Light Shows.
Loryn grew up in Colorado and has always made art, mostly painting, sculpture and mixed media. In 1993 she moved to Missoula with a love for the outdoors and a feeling that it would be a great place to raise a son. For years she has been interested in the gesture language of Hindu dance and has studied American Sign Language as a second language. Recently she has begun painting mandalas, which are circular patterns that represent the cosmos and are intended to bring an internal awareness to the viewer through contemplation of the patterns and quieting of the mind. With these thoughts in the back of her mind, she created "Four Lotus," which consists of many layers of deep blue paint. On this, painted in white, there are four hands in "hastas" (Hindu dance hand gestures). These are holding beaded plant sprigs that spiral out from the central mirror. The leaves of the sprigs seem to be reaching for four lotus flowers, which are facing in from the corners.When she is not working on and making a living from her own art, Loryn is an avid flower gardener, enjoys dance and yoga, and is a K-12 substitute art teacher for the Missoula public schools.
Living Art of Montana
Mailing Address: PO Box 17303, Missoula, MT 59808 (406)549-5329
Physical Address: 725 W. Alder, #17, (Warehouse Mall), Missoula
Email: ysteinprograms@livingartofmontana.org
