On Saturday, June 1st, the Moss Mansion welcomes you to the 35th annual SpringFest – a spectacular art and craft festival, all beautifully presented on the museum’s lawn. SpringFest delivers a day of shopping, live music, delicious food and fun activities for kids of all ages. Featuring over 50 juried artists and thousands of unique treasures, it’s the perfect place to shop, relax and connect with friends while enjoying one of Montana’s best historic places.
The day begins with a delicious pancake breakfast at 8:30 a.m. Then from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. shoppers will delight as they explore works of art and fine crafts presented by the artists. This year’s festival features a wide variety of handmade art in mediums such as jewelry, photography, clothing/textiles, leather, wood, pottery/clay, paintings and prints, and more.
A selection of foods including tacos and burgers, plus beverages including mimosas, Bloody Marys, wine and locally brewed beer are on hand to fuel your day of shopping. And, for anyone with a sweet tooth, there’s kettle corn, homemade baked goods and ice cream!
Watch artists demonstrate their work or take in the sights and sounds of performers at three stages.
Little ones will also find fun things to do in the children’s area complete with games, face painting, sno-cones and cotton candy.
Admission to SpringFest is free! The Moss Mansion and Gift Shop, located at 914 Division St., Billings, MT, will be open for self-guided tours from 10am – 4pm at regular tour prices.
All proceeds from artist booth fees, donation jars and food and drink sales benefit Moss Mansion’s operations and ongoing preservation projects.
Featured: Yellowstone Art Museum Receives Two Major Gifts Totaling $1.4 Million
The Yellowstone Art Museum (YAM) has announced that the museum has received its single largest gift, from a private donor, in its sixty-year history. Deborah Anspach and John Hanson, longtime Billings residents, have gifted $1 million to the YAM’s Endowment Fund. Additionally, the Mary Alice Fortin Family Foundation, Inc. recently committed $400,000 to the ongoing care of the YAM’s historic building and in support of Education Outreach at the museum.
The generous gift from Deborah Anspach and John Hanson will financially support the position of the executive director and, in honor of the gift, the executive director’s position will now be named “The Deborah Anspach and John Hanson Executive Director of the Yellowstone Art Museum.” Jessica Kay Ruhle, the YAM Executive Director, said, “Deborah and John have been steadfast supporters of the arts for many years. They have donated countless hours of leadership and service to the museum and other civic organizations in town. They embody a spirit of warmth, good cheer, and generosity. We are honored and deeply grateful for their continued support of the museum, and their commitment to making Billings a vibrant place to live and work.”
“What the Yellowstone Art Museum does so well is to act as a collective memory for Billings and the surrounding region to help us better understand ourselves and preserve our various cultures. Art shapes and changes lives, in positive ways. Time and time again, we hear stories from so many people, about how art and art making saved their lives. Art matters.”
Deborah Anspach
Deborah Anspach is a retired attorney and YAM Trustee. John Hanson, a retired physician, shared, “It’s more fun to do this when you’re alive to see the gift in action.” Philanthropy and community involvement are driving factors in this couple’s philosophy.
“We hope our gift inspires others to give. Give what you are able. It all makes a difference.”
John Hanson
“It truly is an astounding gift,” said Precious McKenzie, Director of Advancement. “When they told us of their intentions, our executive team was, at first, speechless, awestruck. Then we were just absolutely moved to tears by their generosity. Words cannot express how grateful we are for this amazing gift. Deborah and John are inspiring. This gift makes a tremendous impact for the future of the museum.”
The Mary Alice Fortin Foundation, Inc. has a long and meaningful history of philanthropy in Billings and throughout the country. This significant contribution to the YAM is designated for the restoration of the building and to increase access to Education Outreach programs. Specifically, the support to education will help fund scholarships to the YAM’s summer camp programs and will provide resources to expand art education opportunities specifically for Indigenous community members.
These two are testaments to the growth the museum has recently experienced. In 2023, the museum was awarded a $240,000 grant from Art Bridges to break down barriers to access by making museum admission free for the next three years.
The Yellowstone Art Museum celebrates its 60th anniversary this year and will honor the museum’s history and future at programs throughout 2024.
Featured: The YAM presents The Montana Modernists: Shifting Perceptions
The Yellowstone Art Museum is proud to announce the opening of The Montana Modernists: Shifting Perceptions. The exhibition features ceramics, prints, drawings, paintings, and mixed-media work and will be up through June 11, 2023.
The YAM will host a reception and curator’s talk featuring Dr. Michele Corriel on Saturday, January 28 at 2:00 PM. The talk will be followed by a book signing.
The Montana Modernists follows the investigation of twentieth-century postwar Montana art in guest curator Dr. Michele Corriel’s new book Montana Modernists: Shifting Perspectives on Western Art. Examining the emergence of an avant-garde movement in the state, Dr. Corriel profiles the pioneers of this movement, Jessie Wilber, Frances Senska, Bill Stockton, Isabelle Johnson, Robert DeWeese, and Gennie DeWeese. Together, these artists implemented an aesthetic philosophy and a modern understanding of form, color, and abstraction that expanded the way Western art in Montana is defined.
Drawing primarily from the extensive collection of the Yellowstone Art Museum, the exhibition explores the first-generation modernists in Montana through the themes of Place, Artistic Lineage, and Community—all crucial elements in the lives and works of these artists. As the nascent movement grew and took hold across the state, it not only affected artmaking but allowed Montanans access to new ways of viewing themselves, society, and nature, and a way of seeing that had lasting effects on the struggle for a broader, more authentic Montana narrative.
This wave of postwar artists found the need to express themselves differently from the Western illustrative work permeating the state. Their experiences, their point of view, and the changing world they found themselves in required something more. As Robert DeWeese noted, “The art students in 1949 were a completely different lot. They’d been in the war worldwide, and they were hungry for all of it.” It is not a leap to suggest that so many veterans who had seen the world, the war, the dropping of the atomic bomb, the devastation of Europe, and the reckoning with fascism needed a new way to communicate.
Isabelle Johnson and Bill Stockton were native-born Montana ranchers, and Wilber, Senska, and the DeWeeses came from elsewhere to teach at Montana State in Bozeman. They were all missionaries of modernism who developed an authentic, personal style of expression in response to the land and society of contemporary Montana. Showing the works of all six of these artists together in one place demonstrates what these artists did and how in their interactions with one another, in their teaching, and, most of all, in the works they left behind, they created an art movement that still resonates today.
Michele Corriel researched these artists for years before writing her book, and this show reflects her deep consideration for each of them. “This project, culminating in a show at the Yellowstone Art Museum, validates the last five years of my academic life. I am thrilled to work with the YAM and to fulfill my personal promise to these amazing artists. I hope to keep their work in the eyes of the public for years to come.”
Corriel is a well-published art writer and has covered the region for the last 15 years. Her Ph.D. in American Art helped to guide her work through the rich history of Montana and to bring light to the largely untold story of modernism in the state. Her book Montana Modernists, published by Washington State University Press, will be available at the opening and for sale in the YAM store.
Exhibition sponsors include Charles M. Bair Family Trust, Linda Shelhamer & Stephen Haraden, Gordon McConnell and Betty Loos, and Dr. Ralph & Sheryl Costanzo
Featured: Yellowstone Art Museum celebrates with a new art action and gala event
The Yellowstone Art Museum (YAM) prepares to host The Night, a black-tie gala and art auction, on Saturday, September 10. The Night is a reimagined fundraising event that aims to support the YAM’s educational programs and ongoing exhibitions. The gala and art auction will feature a unique in-gallery dining experience, live music, and exceptional art for auction.
The evening’s honoree, Sally McIntosh, was a former YAM Art Educator and owner of McIntosh Arts, a local art supply store, gallery, and community space. Sally’s dedication to art, students, and the YAM has inspired countless members of our community. Funds will be raised during the auction to support YAM art education programs in celebration of Sally’s commitment to the arts.
The art auction will be led by auctioneer Shawna Rudio, from Missoula, Montana. She will be joined by Billings arts enthusiasts Corby Skinner and Steve Corning. Art available for auction showcases Montana’s leading contemporary artists, many of whom can be found in the YAM’s permanent collection. A full listing of the twenty-three artists and online bidding opportunities are available through September 9 at www.artmuseum.org/Gala2022.
Additionally, an exhibition of the auction artworks can be seen at the YAM through Friday, September 9. YAM Director, Jessica Kay Ruhle, will lead free guided tours of the auction exhibition on Thursday, September 1 at 5:30 PM and Thursday, September 8 at 12:15 PM. Tours are free and all museum visitors are welcome.
Dinner at The Night will be catered by Bozeman-based Seasonal Montana led by chef Melissa Harrison. Harrison was a recent contestant on the television series Top Chef where she demonstrated her culinary talents. Seasonal Montana honors farm-to-table practices and spotlights locally sources ingredients. The dining experience will be hosted in the museum’s Montana Gallery, alongside the artwork of Michael Haykin. Billings-based artist Jane Waggoner Deschner’s latest exhibition, Remember me., will open early to gala attendees. Remember me. opens to the general public on Sunday, September 11.
Individual tickets to The Night are available through the museum’s website, www.artmuseum.org/gala2022, or by calling the YAM at 406-256-6804 during regular business hours. Tickets must be purchased by Friday, September 2.
Yellowstone Art Museum’s SummerFair 2021
Exciting news! Yellowstone Art Museum will hold SummerFair 2021, their annual arts and crafts festival, outdoors on MSU-B’s beautiful campus! Billings. SummerFair 2021 is scheduled to take place Friday, June 25, 4 – 8 p.m., Saturday, June 26, 10 a.m. – 7 p.m., and Sunday June 27, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Yellowstone Art Museum’s Executive Director, Bryan W. Knicely states, “Due to some extraordinary circumstances, we had to move locations to provide better access to our vendors and patrons. We know this venue change will only expand the collaborations with SummerFair and other Billings Cultural Partnership member organizations into a much larger cultural weekend.”
SummerFair, now in its 43rd year, is one of the most anticipated arts and crafts festivals in the region, featuring artisans from across the country. Visitors will enjoy ample parking, accessibility to vendor’s booths and food trucks, kids’ activities, art demonstrations, and much more! Following SummerFair on Sunday, Symphony in the Park is just a short walk or drive down the street in Pioneer Park! Artist booths at SummerFair include painting, pottery, art from nature, glass, wood, metal, fiber art, photography, body products, locally make products, and artisan foods. SummerFair is a great place to find that unique gift for yourself or someone special while supporting artists and the Billings Community.
The YAM is currently accepting applications for vendors. The deadline to apply is Friday, April 30, 2021. The application for vendors can be found here.
The YAM is also accepting applications for food trucks. The food truck contract and more information can be found here.
SummerFair is a fundraiser for the Museum while embodying the YAM’s mission of enriching the community through interactive experiences and creative exchange while collaborating with our community partners. The YAM is looking forward to partnering with MSU-B, their expansive art department and to hosting SummerFair on their lush campus.
Molly Schiltz, the Yellowstone Art Museum’s Events Coordinator, writes, “After a challenging year for all, the YAM is looking forward to bringing this popular event back to the community in 2021. However, please be assured that we will be hosting SummerFair 2021 in compliance with recommended CDC safety guidelines as they develop. We can’t predict the future, but we plan to stay agile and adhere to outdoor gathering regulations that keep our staff, vendors, and community safe.” More information on MSU-B’s campus and event COVID-19 policies can be found here.
Featured: Sandstone Gallery to Host Vintage 40’s and 50’s Plein Air Art Show
Vintage works of master artists Beverly St. John and LeRoy Greene will be on display at Sandstone Gallery in downtown Billings. The show opens on Friday, April 9, 2021 from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM. Over 20 original framed paintings from the 40s and 50s will be on display and offered for sale during this extraordinary event. The public is invited to stop in and view or purchase these amazing works which will remain on display through May 28th.
We wanted to bring these stunning pieces together in one place where collectors and enthusiasts could view them en-masse,” said Jennifer Baretta, co-Director of Sandstone Gallery. “It really is quite impressive when you see them as a whole. We also want to make these master works available and affordable to the public.” In addition to the vintage art, the gallery is host to 15 resident artists offering oil and watercolor paintings, sculptures, jewelry and pottery in traditional to modern form.
Beverly St. John was a commercial artist in Chicago in the 40s. She moved to the Big Horn River valley to become a rancher’s wife and mother. When her ranch became a part of the Yellowtail Dam, she moved to Billings. Her stunning landscape oils largely depict scenes of the East Rosebud area.
LeRoy Greene (1893-1974) is known for his distinctive oil and watercolor paintings. He painted much of his work outdoors, which was somewhat unusual for artists of that time. He often made trips to the Crow and Northern Cheyenne reservations for his subjects.
Sandstone Gallery, located at 2913 2nd Avenue North in downtown Billings is a “Made in Montana” designated co-op gallery of local artists in the Billings, Montana area with paintings, sculpture, jewelry, ceramics, glass, cards & gifts. Open hours are Tuesday – Friday 11 am – 4 pm, Saturday 10 am – 2 pm. The gallery is closed Sundays, Mondays, and holidays. For more information Call (406)256-5837, email sandstonegallerymt@gmail.com, or visit the website at sandstonegallerymt.com.
