T

he myriad of outdoor activities,

massive mountain ranges and gorgeous

greenery of Montana make it a natural

playground for the Western artist—especially

those who delight in depicting the great

outdoors. From the Rockies to the Great Plains

to Yellowstone and Glacier National Park,

there’s endless inspiration abound. And the

state itself, nicknamed “the Treasure State,”

literally shines with an abundance of natural

resources like silver, gold, copper, garnets and

sapphires.

Undoubtedly fueling and infl uencing

the pull toward Western art felt throughout

Montana is the legacy of C.M. Russell, who

moved to the state in his youth to work on a

sheep ranch and ultimately settled there for

the remainder of his life. The city of Great

Falls, in the Northern Great

Plains, is home to the C.M.

Russell Museum, its collection

spanning the iconic artist’s

entire career. Every March is the

highly anticipated The Russell

Exhibition and Sale, held during

what is colloquially known as

“Russell Week.”

The Hockaday Museum of Art,

located in Kalispell, preserves the

artistic legacy of Montana.

The museum returns with

its fi fth annual A Timeless Legacy event,

celebrating the majesty of Glacier National

Park with artwork from some of the most

talented women depicting landscapes, wildlife

and the Indigenous cultures surrounding the

park. The public event and sale this year will

be held August 10, while the exhibition runs

August 13 through September 21. 

A couple hundred miles south is Montana

Trails Gallery in Bozeman representing

Main Street in Kalispell, Montana, during the summer. Photo by Donnie Sexton. Courtesy Visit Montana.

MONTANA

Hamilton

Bozeman

Helena

Kalispell Great Falls

State of the Art:

MONTANA