Art in the Beartooths, the annual fundraiser to benefit the Carbon County Arts Guild and Depot Gallery, brings a bevy of art and artists to Red Lodge July 14.
The event begins with the Art in the Beartooths Signature Artists Exhibition, on display June 28-July 30 in the main gallery of the Arts Guild. This year’s exhibit features paintings by Laurie Lee and Shirle Wempner, along with sculpture and paintings by Hal Olson.
In addition to the month-long exhibition, Lee, Wempner and Olson join 25 additional artists for the Art in the Beartooths quick finish event on Saturday, July 14.
Other participants are: Brooke Atherton, Amber Blazina, Terry Cooke-Hall, Elliott Eaton, Thomas English, Kadin Goldberg, Carol Hartman, Joan Kosel, Michael Kosorok, Harry Koyama, Elizabeth LaRowe, Jackie Larson Bread, Tess Lehman, David McMasters, Tyler Murphy, Denney NeVille, John Potter, Kevin Red Star, Marcia Selsor, PJ Smith, Trish Stevenson, Brenna Tyler, Lee Walker, Tom Wolfe and Dana Zier.
The art created from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. will range from painting to wood sculpture and from beadwork to fiber art. These pieces will be sold during the live auction later in the evening. The daytime event is free and open to the public; the evening auction with dinner is $60 per person.
In addition to the exhibition and live auction, a silent auction with 52 pieces will be on display and open for bids June 28-July 14. Works in the silent auction are smaller, making them a good price point for the beginning collector. Artists participating in the silent auction include 23 artists from the live auction, plus Cate Allen, Kristi Brothers, Ken Deaver, Magie Fleisher, Patti Gordon, Eleanor Guerrero, Carol Hagan, Connie Herberg, Wendy Johnson, Katherine Jore, Pat Kuper, Susan Lyons, Karen McBride, Kenneth Wayne McClane, Dale Marie Muller, Lara Myers, Dorci Newman-Tremblay, Joan Owens, Linda Paige, Vicki Quick, Afton Ray-Rossol, David Ritter, Norma Scheidecker, Randi Slaughter, Norman Tjeltveit, James K. Vincent, and Randy Wiethorn. The silent auction closes 15 minutes after the live auction.
About Art in the Beartooths Signature artists
Laurie Lee, whose passion for art began as a child, paints western themes derived from living life in the West. Her work has been featured in many publications including Western Horseman, Art Talk, and Art of the West. She has shown her work in national art shows including the National Watercolor Society’s Art Exhibition in Los Angeles; C.M. Russell Museum Art Auction in Great Falls; the Western Visions Show in Jackson, Wyo.; the Cowgirl Up! Exhibition in Wickenburg, Ariz.; and the Buffalo Bill Art Show in Cody.
Livingston native Hal Olson grew up and attended school in Billings, and studied art and architecture at Montana State University in Bozeman. His career path is varied and includes house painting, being part of a survey crew, cattle ranching, collecting sanitary waste, and doing custom baling. His passion, however, is art. Most of the paintings Olson creates are watercolors but he also works in oils and sculpts. His inspirations include fish, historic buildings, river rocks, and modes of transportation. Recently, he has been carving and painting wood into fish and making furniture out of juniper at the Rocky Fork Juniper showroom in Red Lodge.
Big Timber resident Shirle Wempner strives to capture the essence of the subject matter she paints, whether it’s wildlife, ranch scenes, figures, or landscapes. Using broad brushstrokes, a palette knife, and vivid colors, Wempner creates images that invite the viewer to participate in the final unfolding of the scene. Wempner is a member of the Montana Painters Alliance; her work is in numerous collections, and she has participated in many exhibitions, including the C.M. Russell Museum Art Auction in Great Falls and the Yellowstone Art Museum Art Auction in Billings.
For further information, visit www.carboncountydepotgallery.org or call 406-446- 1370.