Billings Winter ArtWalk: Friday, Feb. 2

Cool art, cold weather, merriment and music close 23rd season of ArtWalk Downtown Billings

Art Beat

Winter ArtWalk 2018, the end of ArtWalk Downtown Billings’ 23rd Season, celebrates cool art, cold weather, merriment, music and more on Friday, Feb. 2, from 5-9 p.m.

Each participating Winter ArtWalk location has a separate gallery page on ArtWalk’s mobile-friendly website, www.artwalkbillings.com. There, visitors can find images from current and past ArtWalk events, gallery notes, directions and contact information.

ArtWalk is free, family friendly and weather resistant. On-street metered parking is free; rates vary at city parking garages.

ArtWalk maps may be downloaded from www.artwalkbillings.com and www.billings365.com. Printed maps are available at all ArtWalk locations and in the Billings Visitor’s Guide. Images and gallery notes are posted on Facebook.

Winter ArtWalk: A sample

Here’s a partial roster of Friday’s offerings:

Winter ArtWalk: Barjons
Dani Rae shares paintings of animals at Barjons.Photo © Dani Rae

Barjons hosts Dani the Bohemian (Dani Rae), who utilizes simple strokes and a limited color palette to capture attributes and characteristics of beloved animal species.

Clark Marten Photography unveils works by Central High School students, created during a 24-hour art lockdown, fueled by pizza and pancakes. Corby Skinner at The Castle shows new works on black paper, including “Flores de Columbia,” a series of oil pastel drawings inspired by the vibrant colors and textures of the South American highlands.

Dickey’s BBQ features artist Katie Ericksen, who works in photography and other mediums.

Downtown Billings Alliance (DBA) welcomes photographer Eric Jones, who is always looking for hidden beauty in Montana cityscapes, landscapes and forgotten places.

First Congregational Church UCC features Kelly Wolfe’s photography, which evokes the sense of awe and wonder she feels in the natural world. Global Village welcomes Rilie Stovall, who works primarily in wood-burning and acrylics.

Harry Koyama Fine Art displays vivid impressionist paintings in a gallery adjacent to Koyama’s working studio.

Montana Gallery shows contemporary works by Tyler Murphy, plus emerging and established artists, including his cadre of painting partners, “The Young Guns.” Sandstone Gallery, the community’s only artist co-op, features 12-year-old Sophie Baretta as guest artist and member artists Peter Herzog, Madeleine Bladow, Leo Olson and Lana Bittner. The Winter ArtWalk exhibit is up through March.

Straight ‘n Arrow hosts Maverick Gammon and his woodcarvings and Laurie Nash of Laurel, who creates antler art. Terakedis Fine Art and Jewelry offers works by artisan jeweler Cindy Lou Smith and Billings painter Abraham Quintus during Winter ArtWalk.

Toucan Gallery showcases the work of Annie Bailey, an experienced artist, photographer and illustrator who has developed a shrewd synthesis of Montana subject matter and modernist style that transcends what is typically thought of as “western” image-making.

Tompkins Fine Art shows works by award-winning artist Robert Tompkins and invited guest artists. Vintage Apothecary hosts Danielle Egnew, whose paintings are infused with energy and vitality.

The Yellowstone Art Museum offers free admission and free drinks for new members, plus music by Shane de Leon. Selections from Art Auction 50 will be up; take advantage of the Silent Auction “Buy-It-Now” option, and check out the rare Pablo Picasso print that will be the star of the YAM Live Auction on March 3.

And for the musically inclined, Free Spirit Rock Band plays classics, jazz, blues and rock at Hooligan’s on North Broadway in a special Winter ArtWalk show.

For a complete roster, visit www.artwalkbillings.com.

ArtWalk: A Billings tradition

ArtWalk began in the early 1990s with a handful of artists and Montana Avenue galleries who agreed to be open five nights each year. Since then, the endeavor has expanded across downtown and grown many times over. In late 2017, ArtWalk’s Season Membership voted to expand the number of events to six, up from the traditional five.

“We hope the new schedule is easier to remember,” said ArtWalk Director Virginia Bryan. “Plus the new schedule adds another event during the summer.”

ArtWalk’s 24th Season begins on April 6, 2018. Additional events are on June 1, Aug. 4, Oct. 5, and Dec. 7, 2018, and Feb. 1, 2019. All dates are on the first Fridays of the months noted.