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2. visual art and design
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WESTERN ART WEEK
Your Guide to all the Art
Shows & Auctions
Murphy-Maclay Hardware
A Business That Grew Up
with Great Falls
HARMLESS HUNTER
The Wildlife Art of Charles M. Russell
The 18th Annual Art Auction
April Showers:
Blooms Art at The Square
Easter Buffet
Roasted Leg of Lamb
Vol. 7 No. 1
Publisher/Editor
Ben Chovanak
Marketing/Sales
Ben Chovanak
Contributing Writers
Creative Director
Contributing Photographers
Contact us
Tamariel Christopher
Brian D'Ambrosio
Alyse Johnson
Carrie Kohles
Marci Marceau
Charla Nelson
Dwayne Nelson
Ron Paulick
Nadine Pickthorn
Kristi D. Scott
Dr. Craig Sweeney
Ron Ukrainetz
Suzanne Waring
Paula Wilmot
Ben Chovanak
Elizabeth Moore
Dwayne Nelson
Suzanne Waring
406-870-0122
820 2nd Avenue NW #2
Great Falls, MT 59404
ben@bestofgreatfalls.com
www.bestofgreatfalls.com
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without the written permission of the publisher. ©2015
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4
Spring 2015
features
Contents
8
Charles M. Russell Paintings to
appear in The Russell Live Auction
Written by Alyse Johnson
12
Out West Art Show & Sale
Written by Ron Ukrainetz
8
14
The Great Western Living &
Design Show
Written by Paula Wilmot
16
28th Annual March In Montana
Dealer Show & Auction
Written by Charla Nelson
20
32
Jay Joseph Contway
Sculptor & Artist
Written by Suzanne Waring
22
Ledger Art
at Paris Gibson Square
Written by Kristi D. Scott
32
Murphy-Maclay Hardware
A Business That Grew Up with Great Falls
Written by Suzanne Waring
42
36 Todd Foster: Boxing the Way to Fitness
Written by Brian D’Ambrosio
38 Luz’s Mexican Food
Written by Marci Marceau
40 The 18th Annual Art Auction
April Showers: Blooms Art at The Square
Written by Kristi D. Scott
42 HARMLESS HUNTER:
The wildlife art of Charles M. Russell
20
Written by Alyse Johnson
46 Easter Buffet: Roasted Leg of Lamb
ON THE COVER: Charles M. Russell (1864–1926), An Indian
War Party, 1902, watercolor, 7 x 8 inches, $250,000–350,000
Written by Dwayne Nelson
WESTERN ART WEEK 8-27
40
FINANCE 49
6
HEALTH/FITNESS 50
7
Original Charles M. Russell oil paintings
and four watercolors to appear in
The Russell Live Auction
Charles M. Russell (1864–1926), Supremacy, 1895, oil, 35 x 23 1/8 inches, $1,500,000–$2,500,000
Written by Alyse Johnson, Communications Coordinator, C.M. Russell Museum
The C.M. Russell Museum announced that Charles M. Russell oil
paintings will appear in the Live Auction of The Russell: An Exhibition and
Sale to Benefit the C.M. Russell Museum on March 21, 2015.
The 1895 oil painting “For Supremacy” is expected to sell for between
$1,500,000 and $2,500,000, the highest priced painting ever to appear in
The Russell. The painting depicts a battle between the Blackfeet and Crow
Indians and is 35 inches wide by 23 1/8 inches high.
Brian Dippie, Ph.D., professor emeritus of history at the University of
Victoria, British Columbia, explains that the painting demonstrates Russell’s
growing skills at the time and his natural gift for portraying “vivid and
revealing action.”
C.M. Russell Portrait, Gift of Ralph and Fern
Lindberg. Copyright C.M. Russell Museum,
Great Falls, Montana.
Dippie said the composition of the painting is ingenious. “Riders racing
out of the picture on either side are anchored by the set piece in the center
pitting a dismounted war chief, his wounded black horse beside him,
and an enemy warrior charging past on an eyecatching white horse. This
one-on-one duel holds the picture together, imposing order on chaos and
rendering the battle’s furious action coherent.”
8
The first watercolor is titled An Indian War Party,
painted in 1902 and estimated to sell for $250,000
to $300,000. Experts consider An Indian War Party
a completely finished work rather than a study
because the figures are surprisingly complicated.
In Romance Maker: The Watercolors of Charles M.
Russell, art historian Rick Stewart explained that
watercolors dominated Russell’s early work because
he was more naturally gifted in the medium and
the materials he needed were easier to get and
use. Created during the heyday of the artist’s
production, An Indian War Party numbers among
the 230 finished watercolors the artist painted
from 1896 to 1909. Native American subjects
dominated Russell’s output during this time,
numbering 155 works, about 67 percent of his
total production.
Charles M. Russell (1864–1926), An Indian War Party, 1902,
watercolor, 7 x 8 inches, $250,000–350,000
Charles M. Russell (1864–1926), Cowboy on a Bay Horse, c. 1895,
watercolor on paper, 13 1/2 x 19 1/2 inches, $250,000–300,000
Charles M. Russell (1864–1926), The Battle between the Blackfeet
and Piegans, 1897, watercolor and pencil on paper, 14 3/4 x 21
1/4 inches, $275,000–375,000
9
Cowboy on a Bay Horse, 1895, is estimated to sell
for $250,000–$300,000 at The Russell Live Auction.
B. Byron Price, director of the Charles M. Russell
Center for the Study of Art of the American West
at the University of Oklahoma, observed, “The
dozen years Charles M. Russell spent as a night
herder for Montana cattle outfits provided him
with an indelible identity as a ‘Cowboy Artist’
and an inexhaustible supply of colorful
subjects. Cowboy on a Bay Horse is one of just over
two dozen known equestrian portraits the artist
produced of individual range riders during his
productive career . . . Although the identity of the
confident cowpuncher in the image is unknown,
Russell often portrayed pals with whom he had
ridden the range.” The Battle between the Blackfeet and Piegans was
painted in 1897. Brian W. Dippie, professor emeritus
of history at the University of Victoria, British
Columbia, describes the painting as “a fine example
of Russell’s depiction of a running fight. It is an
accomplished work in how it captures a sense of
motion and action in the watercolor medium.”
Russell spent the summer of 1888 in Alberta,
Canada, on a friend’s ranch that was located near
High River and between the Blackfoot reserve to
the north and the Piegan and Blood reserves to
the south. The artist spent hours listening to old
warriors from the three Blackfoot tribes recount
their youthful exploits. The Battle between the
Blackfeet and Piegans is Russell’s depiction of one
of those adventures. It is expected to sell for
$275,000 to $375,000.
The last watercolor, Untitled (Indian on Horseback),
1898, is an excellent example of Russell’s early
single-figure studies. Russell abandoned the cowboy
life in 1893, when he started painting full time in
Great Falls and Cascade, Montana. He created this
painting after he married Nancy Cooper in 1896 and
moved to Great Falls. Russell was earning income
from paintings and drawings like “Indian on Horseback”
to illustrate national magazines, including Recreation,
Western Field and Stream, and Sports Afield in 1897.
He achieved additional national exposure when six
of his works appeared as halftone illustrations in
Emerson Hough’s book The Story of the Cowboy
(1897). Russell produced this portrait while preparing
watercolors for his first New York exhibition at the
Macbeth Galleries in 1898. The painting is expected
to sell for $150,000 to $250,000.
Charles M. Russell’s fine oil painting “Scouting
Party,” dated 1900, will be the centerpiece offering at
the live auction of The Russell: An Exhibition and Sale
to Benefit the C.M. Russell Museum.
Charles M. Russell (1864–1926), Untitled (Indian on Horseback),
1898, watercolor, 11 x 14 inches, $150,000–250,000
The 20-by-14-inch oil painting is estimated to be
sold for between $900,000 and $1.3 million. The live
auction is set for March 21, 2015, at the Mansfield
Convention Center in Great Falls.
Russell Museum chief curator Sarah Burt said
“Scouting Party” is one of a series of Russell paintings
that featured the legendary Blackfeet warrior White
Quiver, known as the greatest horse raider of his
time.
These oils and four watercolors plus the 270 other
pieces of classic and contemporary Western artworks
available for bidding during The Russell events will
be on display at the C.M. Russell Museum beginning
February 19, 2015, in The Russell Exhibition.
BNSF Railway is the 2015 Presenting Sponsor of
The Russell: An Exhibition and Sale to Benefit the C.M.
Russell Museum.
To purchase tickets and find more information on
The Russell 2015, visit cmrussell.org/the-russell.
The mission of the C.M. Russell Museum is to
collect, preserve, research, interpret and educate on
the art and life of Charles M. Russell; the art and
lives of his contemporaries; and the art of preceding
and ensuing generations that depicts and focuses on
the culture, life and country of Russell’s West.
Charles M. Russell, (1864–1926), Scouting Party, dated 1900, oil,
20 x 14 inches, $900,000 - $1,300.00
10
The Russell: An Exhibition and Sale to Benefit the
C.M. Russell Museum - scheduled events
sale will be donated to the museum by the participating
artists.
$50 museum member; $60 non-member
Presenting sponsor: The Meredith Family
February 19–March 19, 2015: The Russell Exhibition at C.M.
Russell Museum, 10 a.m.- 5 p.m., Wednesday–Sunday
The Russell Exhibition will display all 279 pieces of classic and
contemporary Western artworks available for bidding during
The Russell: An Exhibition and Sale to Benefit the C.M. Russell
Museum. Subjects range from traditional Western images of
cowboys and Indians, to landscapes, wildlife, and still-life
images. Museum admission: free for museum members, $9
non-members
March 20, 2015: First Strike Friday Night Auction at Mansfield
Convention Center, 6–9 p.m.
The lively and casual First Strike Friday Night Live Auction
will be expanded to 117 lots of art submitted exclusively by
living artists. Both experienced collectors and burgeoning
bidders alike will have the opportunity to compete. Patrons
can meet the artists and other collectors in a casual atmosphere
and enjoy hors d’oeuvres, beverages, and live music by The
Dirty Shame, a country blues band from Bozeman.
$40 museum member; $50 non-member
Supporting sponsor: Mike Ingram
March 17–22, 2015: FREE admission to the C.M. Russell
Museum, Tuesday - Sunday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
400 13th Street North, Great Falls, MT 59401
Free museum admission during Western Art Week is
proudly sponsored by The Windmill Foundation
March 19–21, 2015: Russell Skull Society of Artists Suites at
Mansfield Convention Center
The Russell Skull Society of Artists is an elite group of 22
distinguished painters and sculptors, recognized by the C.M.
Russell Museum for their efforts to keep alive the traditions
of Charles Marion Russell. They will exhibit and sell their art
works in the Mansfield Convention Center from March 19 to
21. The public is invited to visit the Artist Suites during the
following hours, where live music, a cash bar, plentiful seating,
and Cowboy Cocktails™ from Big Mouth BBQ will be
available.
• Thursday, March 19: 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
• Friday, March 20: 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
• Saturday, March 21: 10 a.m.– 4 p.m.
Free admission. Supporting sponsors: Dave and Sandy Solberg,
Jim Ryffel, Dave Kornder, Columbia Grain
March 21, 2015: Educational Symposium: A New Vision of
Wilderness: Nineteenth-Century American Art, Conservation,
and the National Park Movement in the Missouri Room at
the Mansfield Center for the Performing Arts, 9 a.m.–noon
Saturday morning’s Educational Symposium, an event that
is free and open to the public, will focus on wildlife and land
conservation themes and the upcoming exhibition “Harmless
Hunter: The Wildlife Work of Charles M. Russell” to be
displayed in the C.M. Russell Museum in the summer of
2015.
Presentors: Joan Troccoli, Ph.D., Independent Curator and Art
Historian, Founding Director of the Petrie Institute of Western
American Art, Denver Art Museum
Peter Hassrick, Director Emeritus and Senior Scholar, Buffalo
Bill Center of the West, Cody, Wyoming
Joni Kinsey, Ph.D., Professor of American Art History, University of Iowa, Iowa City
Free admission.
Presenting sponsors: DA Davidson and Triple Creek Ranch
March 19, 2015: The Russell Art Preview Party at C.M.
Russell Museum, 6 - 8 p.m.
Activities commence Thursday evening with a Preview Party
where art lovers can reunite with friends and preview the art
to be sold during The Russell events. Heavy hors d’oeuvres
and hosted beverages will be served. Gather with friends,
old and new, at this kick-off for Western Art Week. $40 museum
member; $50 non-member. Presenting sponsor: Calumet
March 21, 2015: The Russell Live Auction, Mansfield
Convention Center, 5 p.m. Social hour, 6 p.m. Auction and
Sale
For the experienced collector of western art, The Russell Live
Auction features contemporary art plus significant historical
works in a competitive bidding atmosphere. This elegant
evening includes a gourmet dinner and beverage service and
is a must-attend event for collectors from across the country.
Guests are encouraged to dress in black tie/blue jean or
cowgirl couture/cocktail wear for this upscale event.
Price includes auction catalogue, reserved seat at a table, and
dining service.
$175 museum member; $200 non-member
Supporting sponsors: Hertz, Subway
March 20, 2015: Art in Action® Quick-Finish Event at
Meadow Lark Country Club, 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
This popular event has been a sell-out year after year. An
exciting variation of a traditional artist’s “quick draw,” it
features 26 nationally known artists working in a variety of
media. This quick-finish event gives artists several hours to
finish a piece of art while interacting with the crowd. Art in
Action® includes a brunch buffet, signature hosted beverages,
a cash bar, entertainment, and a live auction of the completed
works of art. One hundred percent of the proceeds from the
11
Written by Ron Ukrainetz
The Out West Art Show is kicking off Western Art Week
with a winning tradition in our premier location at the
Best Western Plus Heritage Inn, March 18-21, 2015.
Artists, buyers, collectors, art enthusiasts, and anyone
interested in art will find the 2015 Out West Art Show
exceeds their expectations. To celebrate the kickoff, the
Out West Art Show is pulling out all the stops including
our Opening Celebration and Party, hosted by the Heritage
Inn and presenting live music, hors d’oeuvres, and no host
bars. One hundred eight exhibit rooms featuring over 140
artists, and 10 premier Gallery Showrooms will be open
Thursday, March 18, beginning at 6 p.m.
Western Art Week is the finest arts exhibition of the
most outstanding artists, and premier western art galleries.
All of the OWAS show events are free to the public. The
purpose is to bring fine arts including western, contemporary,
realistic, Native American, original jewelry, and even a
unique gun engraver to the entire area. This year, over 1/3
of OWAS exhibitors have works in the C.M. Russell Art
Auctions.This venue typically draws many thousands of
serious art collectors and viewers from all regions of the
country as well as several provinces in Canada. For over
45 years, this event has also been a boon to the local economy,
and has even launched the art careers of many. Exhibitors
come from across North America and as far away as
Florida.
Our events include the very popular Out West Young
Masters Art Program, where area high school students are
offered classes from one of the exhibiting artists at the
show. Artist-instructors change each year, bringing new
techniques to all the students who attend. Organized
through and in conjunction with high school administrations,
students from the local area and as far away as Lewistown
and Power all are offered the opportunity to grow in their
knowledge of art. In addition, each year, the YMAP offers
a student art competition where participating students
may be awarded scholarships for further education. Winners
are announced during the show. It is a goal to extend the
Out West Young Masters program to the entire state in a
year round program of art instruction.
For the first time, the Out West Art Show will be featuring
a unique presentation on Thursday afternoon. The Missouri
River Dance Company will combine the traditional “Story
of the Buffalo Dance” in traditional story telling by Blackfeet
Chief Earl Old Person. The story will be translated into
Out West Young Masters at workshop taught by OWAFI board
treasurer Marcia Ballowe
12
English, and performed using Native
sign language, drumming, singing,
and modern dance. The beautiful
and stunning presentation was
initially performed this past summer
for the C.M. Russell Museum.
This year, the OWAS will feature
two Quick Finish events, one on Friday,
March 20, and one on Saturday,
March 21. Each will be followed by
an auction, which is free and open
to the public. Twenty juried artists
with ply their skills to finish one
piece in one hour, which will then
be auctioned on that day. Twelve
artists will work on the lower level
in the French Quarter, and 8 artists
will work on the Sun Terrace above.
Jeff Legg, Oil Painters of America Master Artist during Quick Finish
These popular events will surely
draw a crowd as all the artists participating are masters in their own right. Live music by
addition, our list of volunteers spans all ages, ethnicities,
area musicians will also be provided.
incomes, and interests, without whom we could not
function.
Saturday has been chosen as Sponsor and Gallery Recognition
Day. All of the participating galleries will feature many of
their artists by providing demonstrations, autograph parties,
book signings, and other special events. Check the Out
West Art Show website for complete details.
Having a close relationship with the C.M. Russell
Museum has allowed our participating artists to also be
eligible for inclusion into one or more of the CM Russell’s
invitational benefit auctions or other events. By working
closely with the Tourism Business Improvement District,
there will also be shuttle buses ferrying visitors around the
city to other art related events. One of the goals of the Out
West Art Show is to insure that Western Art Week in Great
Falls continues to grow for years to come.
The Out West Art Show is operated by the Out West Art
Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization currently
under the umbrella of the Paris Gibson Square Museum of
Art. It was founded in late July to fill in the void of not
having a show at the Heritage Inn. All of the current Board
of Trustee members are local, and many are artists. The
Out West Art Show’s current show manager, Marty
Wilcox, is a familiar long time resident who has volunteered
for over 25 years at other events at the Heritage Inn. In
For more information, go to outwestartshow.com, or
westernartweek.com or cmrussellmuseum.org.
13
WESTERN LIVING & DESIGN
The Great
M
Written by Paula Wilmot
S HO W
ake yourself at home at The Great Western
Living and Design Show in Great Falls during
Western Art Week. This show is different from
the rest.
The show is in the Pacific Steel and Recycling Four Seasons
Arena at Montana ExpoPark, March 19-21, 10 a.m. - 10 p.m.
and March 22, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Admission is free.
It’s fine art and much more: home furnishings, jewelry –
even fishing nets – handmade by artists and artisans who
love what they do. Some of the furniture even has its own
jewelry.
Great Falls artist/ad man Chuck Fulcher developed the
show three years ago to fill a niche in home décor that he
thought was missing in the city’s annual art extravaganza.
Fulcher’s show has artistic ironwork, rustic barn wood
furniture, carved doors, tooled leather goods, hand-tinted
maps and jewelry inspired by nature. The functional and
decorative pieces and their creators travel from across
Montana and several other states.
Glen Gilmore of Hamilton brings his forged metal fireplace
screens, furniture and railings, as well as smaller pieces, such
as lamps, mirrors and fireplace tools. His elaborate designs
feature leaves, pine cones, flowers and fauna, all hammered
out of steel, bronze, copper and brass.
James Boyes and Mary Laud of Rollins are showing book
shelves, corner cupboards and tables of all sizes made of
salvaged wood from a Montana dairy farm. They call each
item A Piece of History, because it is. To show where they
recovered the weathered wood, they burn the farm’s brand
into each piece.
Ellie Thompson, a Chicago jewelry designer, is making her
first visit to Montana, bringing belt buckles, rings and necklaces
inspired by nature. The pieces are adorned with wild roses,
thistles and buffalo skulls, made of sterling silver, 18-karat
gold and gems.
Fishing nets to hang as wall art or haul in rainbows are
sure to attract attention, shown by first-time exhibitor Alan
Crist of Great Falls. Named for the Missouri River, a favorite
fly fishing stream, Mo Nets are made of exotic woods with
inlays of contrasting wood and metals.
These artists took interesting paths developing the creativity
that brings them to the Western Living and Design show.
Before he forged a career in decorative and functional
metalwork, Gilmore went to school to learn horseshoeing. If
he slips and calls himself a blacksmith, remind him that he is
an artist.
Gilmore’s metal works are exhibited in several galleries.
He also enjoys working by commission. His pieces adorn
homes in Japan, France and Italy as well as across the United
States.
Ellie Thompson, a Chicago Jewelry designer, is making
her first visit to Montana.
One of Gilmore’s largest works is a set of fireplace doors
14
measuring eight feet by four feet. Depending on size and
ornamentation, fireplace doors can take three to six weeks to
complete, he says. He’s proud of the doors’ functionality. To
assure that they operate smoothly, he makes the hinges and
latches himself. He also makes the tools he needs to perform
his work.
Boyes was a masonry and tile contractor when he and
Laud were offered the job of dismantling a barn and salvaging
the wood. Laud, a painter, carver and sculptor, and Boyes
saw new life for the weathered boards and rusted hardware
and began building furniture and accessories with the reclaimed
materials. Branded for source authenticity, the pieces are
popular in a Seattle gallery that sells Montana-made work.
Salvaging and reusing materials comes naturally for the
couple. They live in an imaginative 2,400-square-foot home
overlooking Flathead Lake. They built their “green” home
with salvaged materials, siding it with local stone and
insulating it with a living garden roof.
Ellie Thompson’s company has been making jewelry in
Chicago for more than 20 years, a progression from her first
endeavor, a gemology lab. After graduating from college
with a degree in gemology, she focused on the science end of
her field until people started asking her to design engagement
rings and other jewelry for them. After winning several design
competitions, she stuck with jewelry making.
Although she has never been to Montana, Thompson has
traveled extensively, gathering inspiration for her designs
from the land and nature. “I have that Go-West spirit in my
personal style too,” she says. She wears Western boots almost
every day, whether she’s in the country or the city.
Growing up in Missoula, Crist learned fly fishing from his
father. He first worked with bent wood while fashioning
snowshoes in Boy Scouts. To create Mo Nets, he laminates
strips of exotic woods – coolibah, verdecillo, bubinga and
African mahogany, to name few – and bends the strips to
make the frames and handles. Metal inlays adorn the nets
and can be used to personalize them. Serious about utility, he
uses fish-friendly netting material.
Crist’s day job is dentistry. He has been practicing in Great
Falls for almost seven years.
“I especially enjoy making custom pieces, maybe a net for
Grandpa from a piece of wood that meant something to
him,” Crist says. Depending on the size and intricacies of the
design, a net takes him 10 to 20 hours to complete.
From the top: Marks Buffalo, Stone Table. Designed by James
Boyes and Mary Laud of Rollins.
A number of the exhibitors are returning for a third time too,
including Andy Sanchez whose artistic jeweled furniture is a
crowning touch for a home, and the artistic Montana juniper creations.
The show also is a venue for Fulcher’s own art, as well as
his music. He’ll play with the reunion of the popular Pollo
Loco band. Other live music will be performed by Almeda
Bradshaw, a vocalist from Huntley, MT, who specializes in
putting vintage poetry to music. Musical performances will be
staged evenings.
For more information go to www.thegreatwesternshow.com
Paula Wilmot is a University of Montana
journalism graduate. After 38 years as a
reporter and editor at the Great Falls
Tribune, she still enjoys writing about
her home town.
“I think most of the nets I make are hanging on walls, but I
use mine,” he says.
Fulcher is excited at the growth his exhibition has shown
in a short time, from 60 to 80 to 100 booths in three years.
“People love the variety,” he says.
15
Written by Charla Nelson
M
anitou Galleries and The Coeur d’Alene
Art Auction will present their 28th
annual “March In Montana Dealer
Show & Auction”
March 19-21, 2015, featuring nearly 700 pieces of
Western, sporting and wildlife art and sculpture by past
and contemporary masters, Indian artifacts and Cowboy
collectibles.
The fine art category will include works by: Paul
Abram, Jr., Acheff, Afsary, Anton, Aspevig, Baize, Balciar,
Baumann, Beecham, Brown, Bunn, Burninghaus,
Chatham, Davis, Dunton, Eggenhofer, Fellows, Fery,
Fritz, Grelle, Halko, Hampton, Heikka, Herzog, Higgins,
Houston, Hudson, Jackson, Johnson, Koch, Laager,
Lang, Larsen, LeBlanc, Lone Wolf, Mann, McCarthy,
McGary, McKeller, Metz, Mieduch, Mignery, Morgan,
Myrah, Nebeker, Newman, Parker, Ace Powell, Dave
Powell, Lucien Powell, Prechtel, Red Star, Reed,
Remington, Russell, Scott, Scriver, Seltzer, Sharp,
Shope, Snidow, Speed, Stack, Stiha, Stavrowsky,
Swanson, Andy Thomas, Untiedt, Walters, Walton,
Zesch, Zogbaum, dozens more! Carl Carlock Co. (Phoenix, AZ) Silver Mounted Tooled
Parade Saddle with bridle and martingale
Est. $15,000-20,000
The Cowboy collectibles category will include 7
complete silver-mounted parade saddles by makers
such as Bohlin, Keyston Bros. and Heiser, along
with 3 Bohlin silver-mounted double gun rigs,
making up the largest selection of Bohlin material
ever offered in one sale at one time in Montana.
Antique firearms will also be a strong feature,
headlined by a Battle of Little Bighorn Springfield
45-70 calibre carbine. This first model 1873 is only
83 numbers away from 39448, a documented carbine
captured by the Indians at the Little Big Horn. MIM consistently features top quality historical
Indian artifacts and 2015 will not disappoint with
items from the Gregory Perillo collection (NY)
including a Crow Woman’s beaded saddle, children’s
items and weaponry. Also offered will be an
Arapahoe beaded scalplock warrior’s shirt, dozens
of fine weavings, beadwork, quillwork, ethnographic
items, a Blackfoot teepee back rest and a very early
toy teepee.
Daniel Parker, Dinner For Two, Three-piece glass and bronze coffee
table. (est. $10,000-15,000) Provenance: Estate of Ken Holm, Denver, CO
16
Full color catalogs are available through our secure
website for $30 ($40 foreign).
The 3-day Dealer Show will include top dealers,
artists and galleries from around the country, opening
its doors to the public Thursday, March 19 - Saturday,
March 21, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. A “Hospitality Room” featuring snacks and drinks,
as well as a beer and wine bar, is complimentary to
all our clients.
All events are free and open to the public and
transportation from MIM to other events during
Western Art Week is offered at no charge.
Schedule of events:
Auction Sessions
Wednesday, March 18 - Saturday, March 21
Auction previews, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. - Auction sessions
at Noon, Friday and Saturday
Hermann Herzog, Sunset on Glacier, 18" x 24" oil on canvas on
board (est. $8,000-12,000)
Dealer Show
Thursday, March 19 - Saturday, March 21, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Contact us at: www.marchinmontana.com
Follow us on: Facebook at Manitou Auctions
Email us at: info@marchinmontana.com
Call us at: 307-635-0019
Watch us live on: iCollector.com
Join us for our event at Town House Inn, 1411 10th
Ave. South, Great Falls
Clyde Aspevig, Montana Landscape, 16" x 20" oil on canvas
(est. $4,000-6,000)
17
Jay Joseph
Contway
Sculptor & Artist
Written by Suzanne Waring
Using mud, Jay learned that he could fashion figures as
his own art. He was the oldest son in a family of eight
children. His older sisters recall his annoyance when they
asked him to “come play,” but he preferred to work on his
art. Never did his family say, “You’ll never make any
money being an artist.” They encouraged him and bought
him drawing materials. Today, his siblings collect his work
and are proud of his accomplishments.
As a young man Jay was intrigued with two painters,
William Standing and J.B. Lukas, who allowed him to hang
around while they were painting.
During those years that he was finding his niche, Jay
tried several types of work. He was a calf roper during the
summers and worked on ranches and for the railroad. He
traveled to Oklahoma with an oil crew, but he always found
time for art. Jay was very lucky to work with men born in
the late 1800s because they had ridden the open range.
Their influence on Jay’s view of the West continues to be
reflected in his art.
Jay graduated from Montana State University-Northern
and became a teacher. After teaching in rural schools, he
came to Great Falls to teach. Soon after he sold a bronze for
an amount that indicated to him that he could make a living
as an artist.
Jay Contway, Looking Back, bronze
Those years of sculpting in mud paid off. Jay sculpts with
ease, and ideas for the next piece are always tumbling
around in his head. Over the years the challenges were to
have his own studio, his own foundry, and his own shows.
I
t’s 4 a.m. when the deer attempt to munch their
last bit of grass until evening. A coyote moves
across the prairie, looking for field mice. A light
snaps on in a distant building. The deer look
up, but silence remains. Only a square of light
in the building signals a change.
His wife, Lynn, said, “Jay’s tools make me laugh. He has
a few tools he has purchased, but he has many more that he
has made. He takes old jack knives and welds better handles
on them to use in sculpting. He sharpens corn dog sticks to
etch out detail. His stands are plumbing pipe that he has
put together to suit his needs.”
A man with a sturdy square jaw and a stocky build
moves softly around the lighted room. He is ready to
start the day. In fact, he has thought off and on all night
about the sculpture that’s in progress. This is his routine.
This is his life.
Jay likes action in his work, and he pays attention to
historical detail. For example, he would never put the saddle
from one era with a bridle from another. Having grown up
on the land and seeing many wild animals up close, Jay
makes certain that the anatomy of an animal and the position
it would take in action are always accurate.
Jay Joseph Contway, whose father was Sioux/English
and mother, of Cree/Irish decent, was born in 1935 in
Malta, Montana. In the first grade Jay and his older sisters
had to board out in Malta because their parents lived on
a sheep homestead well out of town. In the same house
where they stayed, a man by the name of Tommy Kelsey
often painted in watercolor. It fascinated Jay to watch
the artist work.
He has created sculptures given during events by different
organizations, such as the City of Great Falls, Montana
Stock Growers Association, and the American Herford
Association. He has contributed more pieces of art to the
Bronze Trophy Program of the Calgary Stampede than any
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A Variety of Art At the Jay
Contway and Friends Art Show
Art. More art. And even more art.
The Jay Contway and Friends Art Show
will display a variety of art for sale at
the Hilton Garden Inn, 2520-14th Street
S.W., during Russell Art Week.
You have met many of the artists
featured at the show. This year they
will bring new creations for your
amazement.
For example, Jay Contway will feature
his watercolors.
Jay Contway, Dr. Visit, Watercolor
Denise Pfau will be there with gourd
creations that include pyro-engraving,
carving, bead work, and basketry
techniques using unique natural materials
and traditional rattan designs.
other artist, Canadian or American. Jay has provided trophies for the
Alberta Rodeo Association, and he is the longest standing participant
in the Calgary Art Auction Quick Draws. Jay has won several Best of
Show for Three-dimensional Art awards and has been inducted into
the Western Art Hall of Fame at the Calgary Stampede. He has been
chosen as a Skull Society Artist by the C.M. Russell Museum for 2014
and 2015.
A member of Montana’s Circle of
American Masters in Visual Folk and
Traditional Arts, Elaine Snyder, of
Kalispell, will be showing her leather
clothing for which she has received
much acclaim.
Jay’s art is one of the most important things in his life. “I feel very
fortunate to have been able to make a living doing what I love. I am
aware that my ability as an artist is a gift,” said Jay.
Other exhibitors include a sculptor,
jeweler, potter, woodwright, three oil
painters, a bronze artist, and more.
In addition to his art, Jay enjoys the land where his home is built
west of Great Falls. His horses have all found new homes because at
the age of 80, Jay is trying to make life a little simpler. He spends
everyday working on his art
and enjoying the beauty of
Montana, the place he has
always called home.
March 19 - 21, 9 a.m. – 8 p.m. on Sunday,
March 22, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Admission is
free; freshly brewed coffee is available;
and parking is convenient. Stop by this
congenial show and see some great art
and craftsmanship.
A m er i nd
Jay Contway, Tell Me A Story, bronze
Amerind is a Native American art and craft show, in its 4th
year. It is small, but has a large variety of works. There is a
selection of art prints and originals available at affordable
prices. Artists include Jesse Henderson, Rabbit and Allen Knows
Gun and Richard Rock. Many handcrafted items will be available
including beadwork by Suzi Blanchard. Great Falls is fortunate
to have access to the works of many talented people. Join us
March 19, 20 and 21, 2015, upper level in the Times Square
building, 525 Central Avenue, Great Falls, MT. For more
information call Pam at 406-217-7916.
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Arts Association of Montana
Missouri Falls Fine Arts Show & Sale
Written by Ron Paulick
Lee (Tisch) Bialczak, a self taught
artist, feeds her artistic passion by
capturing incredible landscapes,
wildlife, and still life of the area.
Jean Radke grew up on a ranch
north of Choteau, Montana and a
stone’s throw from the Rocky
Mountain Front. In an area rich in
wildlife, Indian history, and “the
Cowboy Way”, it has provided an
endless source of material for many
of her paintings.
Judy Ericksen, potter - featured artist
Sally Beall, as a self taught artist, has shown her art for
over 35 years. She moved to Montana from New Mexico in
2003 and fell in love with the turn-of-the–century architecture
she saw in Great Falls neighborhood homes. Sally is a
member of Belen Art League, Belen, NM, AAM, and Studio
706 Art Guild. She continues her education by attending
numerous workshops and seminars.
A
fter our hugely successful first annual art show,
the Missouri Falls Fine Arts Show & Sale is back
bigger and better than ever. The second annual
show has expanded into three rooms at the La Quinta Inn,
600 River Road South, Great Falls, Montana with a diverse
group of 15 artists showcasing their works. The show will
be held Friday March 20, and Saturday March 21, 10 a.m. 8 p.m. both days with an artist’s reception Friday, 4 p.m. - 8 p.m.
This year they will also be open Sunday, March 22, 10 a.m. 1 p.m. Art enthusiasts and collectors will find a wide variety
of quality fine art including oils, acrylics, watercolors, pastels,
pen/ink, and mixed media from some of the “nicest” artists
around! We would be excited to talk about our art and
where we get our inspiration.
Darlene Sanford started painting with oils about 1970
with the subject matter being landscape and wildlife. In the
early 80s she started painting with watercolors. Over the
years, Darlene has been a member of Studio 706 Art Guild,
4 West Art League, GF Arts Association and one of the
original members of the Western Heritage Artists.
Julie Bitz Myers has loved to draw and color for as long
as she can remember. “Riding in the car, sitting in a class, I
drew and tried to create the romantic world of my imagination.”
She said “It was easy to be a painter at first, what is difficult
We are excited to have as our featured artist Judy Ericksen,
a well known potter from Great Falls, Montana. “My work
is a response to the beauty and diversity of Montana. Once I
settled on clay as my medium, the generous art community
of the state gave me the encouragement and education I
needed.” Judy has studied at the Banff Center and in the
Netherlands besides having a degree in English lit. Judy has
volunteered her time teaching in the public school system
and UGF and continues to teach at Paris Gibson Square and
in her home studio as well as workshops around the state.
“The family of Gallery Sixteen welcomed me in the early
70s and has provided endless inspiration.” Judy has received
a MT Governor’s Arts Award and she has been inducted into
the Montana Circle of American Masters.
New artists to the show this year include mother and son
artists Darlene Stephenson and Joel Long. While they both
paint in watercolor, Darlene has developed a signature style
and technique all her own over many years, incorporating
old family photographs. Both mother and son are members
of the Studio 706 Art Guild and AAM.
Above: Steve Nelson, River | From top of next page: Doris Boyle,
Fused Glass | Ron Paulick, 2-Trees, 8" x 14", pen, ink and gouache
20
is to find your own individual style when there are so many ways to
paint. Julie is an instructor of interior design at MSU Great Falls, moving
here from here from the Big Sandy area of her childhood. “I have fallen in
love with Charlie Russell country and the big Mo.
Also new to the show this year is Marie Daniels from Great Falls, Montana,
who has been painting seriously since the early 1980s. She started working
in watercolor but wanted more vibrant colors and more control so works
exclusively in oils now.
Returning artists from last year include Steve Nelson who works
mainly in watercolor and oil.
Ron Paulick became actively engaged with the visual arts at the start of
the 1980s. Ron didn’t actually create a painting until the mid-1990s. From
that point on, his art journey has been with pen and ink drawings and
watercolor.
Doris Boyle, a self taught artist of many mediums, was born and raised
in rural Montana. Doris makes “touchable art” for the viewer to experience.
Kathleen Zuelke is a self taught artist. “My grandfather took lessons
from Charlie Russell and I now live a block from his studio.” Challenging
herself with watercolor and other mediums, she gains confidence and
calm.
Jean Fleming-Mazur moved to Montana recently from Michigan where
she graduated from College for Creative Studies in Detroit, Michigan.
She is a full time fine artist after a 30 year career in graphic design.
Also returning to the show this year is Janet Christina. Her paintings
are from her backpack trips to many of Montana’s designated wilderness
areas.
Arts Association of Montana will again have the Val Knight Scholarship
raffle. Limited number of 100 tickets will be sold during our show, which
gives everyone a pretty good chance at winning an original piece of art
donated by various show participants. Due to last year public support,
we are now able to increase our scholarship money to $900 for seniors
interested in pursuing the arts. The scholarships are given to Great Falls
and CMR High Schools, and Paris Gibson Education Center.
Take time to check out the Missouri Falls Fine Arts Show in the Missouri
Room at the La Quinta facing the Missouri River with many of the artists
showing and selling Missouri River art scenes.
21
Ledger Art
at Paris Gibson Square
M u se um of A rt
The Warrior Art of John Isaiah Pepion
Written by Kristi D. Scott
historical ledger art have made their way into modern day
museum collections. The drawings often recount Native
perspectives of major events, oral histories, personal
memories, cultural traditions and more. Contemporary
ledger art has made a substantial resurgence in the art
world and is now sought after by scholars and art collectors
alike. Though individual styles vary greatly among artists,
the basic materials (recycled or reused ledger paper and
colored pencil), remain the same.
L
ong before the term ‘ledger art’ was coined,
individuals applied stylized imagery to animal
hides on the Northern Plains. The Blackfeet
are well known for their Winter Count hide
paintings that detailed significant aspects of
life and culture, year after year. A traditional Winter Count
featured pictorial images and symbols applied to tanned
hide with traditional tools, such as bone “brushes” and
natural pigment. The hides could be referenced and served
as a historical record for the entire tribe.
The Warrior Art of John Isaiah Pepion brings ledger art full
circle from a year ago at Paris Gibson Square Museum of
Art when a group show, Conflict, Courtship, Ceremony and
The Chase, was on exhibition. Some of the country’s most
prestigious ledger artists, the late George Flett of the
Spokane Tribe, Terrance Guardipee (Blackfeet), Dwayne
Wilcox (Lakota), Monte Yellow Bird (Arikara and Hidatsa)
and many others including John Pepion were featured in
the group show. A little over a year later Pepion’s first solo
exhibition is on display at The Square in the Dufrense and
Tradition and individual artistic expressions no doubt
influenced the development of new mediums in Native
American art over the centuries. One of these is ‘ledger art,’
which references the use of lined paper as a surface to draw
on. Colored pencil, ink and other writing tools were used to
apply illustrations to the lined ledger paper. Introduction to
the medium of ledger art vary for Native
Americans across the country. In some
cases paper simply replaced buffalo hide
as traditional materials became unavailable.
In other instances, used ledgers that were
once meaningful to record information
for store owners or government employees
were recycled and given a new purpose.
When Lakota and Apache prisoners of
war were taken to Fort Marion, Florida,
they were given ledger paper and pencil
while incarcerated. Many of their drawings
were marketed to tourists visiting the
region. Paper was also provided to Native
children that were forcefully removed
from families and relocated to Indian
boarding schools thousands of miles from
their homes. In both occurrences, introduction
to the paper was part of a national effort
to assimilate Native Americans into Euro
American culture. Many examples of
John Isaiah Pepion, Wolf Trail's Medicine, 2014, 17” x 11”, oil based colored pencil.
22
Cobb Gallery. Pepion states, “In this series
of 18 drawings I explore the warrior art
of Blackfeet culture through traditional
ledger art. I am interested in the story of
the Blackfeet warrior and ceremonial
aspects of Blackfeet culture and how
they may be represented through my
artwork. I utilize materials including
antique ledger paper, oil based color
pencils, and ink to manifest my ideas as
art on paper. Warrior art is explored in
this series and is inspired by oral tradition,
family history, traditional designs,
personal experience, and dreams.”
John Isaiah Pepion is an enrolled
member of the Blackfeet Nation in
northern Montana. He became inspired
to follow in the footsteps of several
family members who had attended the
Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA)
in Santa Fe, New Mexico. In 2004 he
received his Associate of Arts degree
from IAIA and started painting with
watercolors in the Plains Indian ledger
style. Pepion now uses oil based colored
pencil to apply vibrant color and stylized
design to historically significant 1800s
ledger paper. He begins each piece by
illustrating ideas stemming from his
personal life and cultural history and
incorporates the colorful designs of the
Blackfeet into his artwork. Pepion’s
work is recognizable by his depictions
of horses, often blue or green, which are
seen on traditional Blackfeet Winter
Counts. His horse figures feature his
signature exaggerated long legs and
stylized wide hooves. Pepion, a rising
contemporary ledger artist, is becoming
well known for his powerful imagery
that bring the subjects in his work alive.
His imagery represents aspects of his
culture that both intrigue the viewer
and evokes fascinating shared histories.
There will be a live artist demonstration
at Paris Gibson Square by Pepion that is
free and open to the public during Western
Art Week in Great Falls on Friday,
March 20, 1-5 p.m. Pepion will be featured
in The Square’s upcoming annual Art
Auction in April and his exhibition will
be on display now through April 13,
2015 at Paris Gibson Square Museum of
Art. [www.the-square.org]
23
Studio 706 Artist Guild Show
Written by Carrie Kohles
Studio 706 is an independent non-profit artists’
association offering camaraderie, classes, mentoring,
studio privileges and exhibition opportunities to artists
working in a variety of media. Membership in the guild
is open to any adult interested in promoting or pursuing
artistic activities.
One of the primary goals of Studio 706 is art education,
reflected in the yearly Bill Chigbrow Memorial scholarship
established by and named for its founder. The scholarship
is presented each spring to a Cascade County high
school senior interested in studying fine art, art education,
architecture, photography or graphic arts in college.
Applicants for the scholarship will be displaying their
work at the show and have the opportunity to sell it if
they choose. Fundraisers held throughout the year by
Studio 706 members help fund the scholarship.
For more information about Studio 706 or scheduled
show events call 781-4635.
Western Art Week is back in
Great Falls, Montana March 18
– 22.
Carrie Kohles, Rain", 13” x 21”, Acrylic & Ink on paper
S
tudio 706 Artist Guild will showcase the works
of local and area member artists during Western
Art Week, Thursday, March 19 through Saturday,
March 21, 2015 in the Gibson Room at the Great Falls
Civic Center. Show hours are Thursday from 5 - 9 p.m.,
with a reception from 5 - 7 p.m., Friday & Saturday from
10 a.m. - 9 p.m. The reception will feature live entertainment
by classical pianist Joshua Brodie .
Works will include all types of fine art including oils,
watercolors, acrylics, pastels, pen/ink, graphite, wood
carving, pottery, photography, stained glass and ceramics.
Guild artists representing a variety of media will give
demonstrations in their areas of expertise. All events are
free and open to the public.
24
Experience the art, from oil,
watercolor and sculpture in the
classic style to modern contemporary interpretations, bright
vivid and colorful. Interact with
the artists in their showrooms
and marvel at their skills
witnessing them create custom
works at several quick draw events. Feel the hair on your
arms tingle as the tension grows during the “The Russell’s”
First Strike Friday Night Live Auction. Take time to
contemplate all you have seen while enjoying many of the
art shows Live Music options. Allow us to drive you from
show to show, so you don’t have to fight traffic or search for
a parking spot by utilizing our complimentary transportation
system developed specifically for Western Art Week. However
you choose to experience Western Art Week, we hope the
www.westernartweek.com website will assist you in
discovering all there is to see and do and help make your
Western Art Week experience memorable and enjoyable.
Visit www.westernartweek.com for all there is to see and do.
Great Falls Western Collectibles
& Antique Gun Show
The 12th annual Great Falls Western Collectibles &
Antique Gun Show will be in the Exhibition Hall at
MT ExpoPark. It’s the building at the north end of the
4-Seasons Arena. Show opened to the public Thursday,
March 19, 3 - 7 p.m. - Friday, March 20, 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.
and Saturday, March 21, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Frank Towsley’s Ruana Knife Display will again be
a special feature this year. It is the largest Ruana display
in the world and will be a great show draw.
All merchandise is limited to antique and collectible
firearms, western memorabilia, Indian relics, edged
weapons, gambling items, artwork, collector books
and glassware. We ask all dealers to strive to maintain
the high quality of this show with the merchandise
they display.
For more information or if you have any questions
go to www.greatfallsgunshow.net.
Frank Towsley’s Ruana Knife Display
25
WHA
Footprints on the
Trail Art Show
This page, clockwise: Don Ream, Featured Artist | Jeanne Warren, oil.
In 1981, several artists got together in Great
Falls to form the Western Heritage Artists
(WHA). Thirty-four years later and the WHA is still
going strong with the longest running art show in
Great Falls. While members have come and gone
throughout the years, the WHA has always included
some of the best Western artists from Montana and
around the country. Art enthusiasts and collectors
can always expect quality work from this show.
The 2015 WHA is made up of over fifty artists
exhibiting on two floors of the Holiday Inn during
Western Art Week. This once a year opportunity
allows the public to mingle with a variety of talented
artists (and even see some in action). WHA artists
are open and friendly, willing to answer questions
and discuss artwork with guests. What makes the
WHA Footprints on the Trail Art Show unique is the
wide range of art mediums and prices. Whether
purchasing a print or an original artwork, no guest
has to leave empty handed.
Besides visiting artists’ rooms, there are a number
of fun events and attractions that guests can check
out at the Footprints on the Trail Art Show. Western
Art Week kicks off Wednesday, March 18 with a
Preview Night featuring live music by Jeni Dodd.
On Thursday, March 19, there will be a Quick
Finish. At this event, guests can watch artists battle
26
against the clock to create original artworks in only
forty-five minutes. The art is then sold to the highest
bidder in a live auction.
On Friday, March 20, the Paint-Around will take
place. Guests can watch as artists move from canvas
to canvas, producing blended, one-of-a-kind artworks.
Similar to Friday’s event, these pieces are then bid on
in a live auction.
On Saturday, March 21, Art Competing for Causes
will raise money on behalf of deserving charities. A
live auction allows guests to purchase first-rate art
with the net proceeds going to help these local causes.
The 34th Annual WHA Footprints on the Trail Art
Show will once again take place at the Holiday Inn.
The hotel is nicely suited for the show, as well as
visitors to Great Falls during Western Art Week.
Seven-stories high, each floor opens up into a large
atrium which includes a three-story waterfall. This
spaciousness makes for a relaxed feel and gives visitors
a better view of all that is happening at the show. The
Holiday Inn also contains its own restaurant for a
pleasurable dining experience as well as a sports bar
and casino that offers happy hour specials. The hotel
is fashionable, yet fun, embodying the spirit of the
show.
Art that “Rocks”
at the Wild Bunch Art Show
Written by Nadine Pickthorn
Left: Connie Tveten, wood craving. Right: Todd Manderville, Forever Ford, photography
I
believe creativity is most exciting when
taken to the maximum degree. Using interesting surfaces for my images has provided
my artistic expression to reach limits that are
simply unattainable using traditional paper
or canvas. Since I focus on painting wildlife, rocks
and wood are two of my natural choices to paint on.
I think using a piece of the subject’s actual habitat on
which to create my art adds a unique reality to the
painting. Having to deal with an existing composition
has its challenges for sure, but it also forces me to
come up with ideas for my creations that I wouldn’t
have thought of using a blank canvas. Many times, I
have discovered that those creative ideas, born of
necessity, result in a successful painting.
The first year I participated in the C.M. Russell Art
Auction and Exhibitors Show was in 1985. I offered
the attendees as many paintings on rocks as I could
get done. I sold them all at that show. What an
encouraging event for a new artist! All these years
later, my paintings on rocks are always the first sales
I make at art shows. I simply find a piece of Montana,
add value to it with paint, and offer a totally “one of
a kind” creation to my clients. They are definitely
27
durable, unusual, and collectible which are all excellent
criteria for a product that will garner excellent sales.
The paintings that I create on wood have the same
earthy look but not quite the rustic effect of rocks.
With our suede mats and shadow boxed framing,
they have a touch of elegance yet retain the focus on
nature that is so appealing for wildlife art.
In selecting participants for my Wild Bunch Art
Shows, I search for artists who have the courage to
follow their hearts in creating new and innovative
art. I also find that many beginning artists will strive
to reach their potential with some encouragement
and a chance to show their work. I love to be able to
provide them with that opportunity. There’s an old
adage, “Different strokes for different folks,” that I
strongly believe in. In my opinion, the public decides
who the real artists are by the shows they attend and
the purchases they make. Who knows what those
“Wild Bunch” of artists will think of next?
March 18-21, 2015, Hampton Inn, 2301 14th St SW,
March 18, Exhibit Rooms Open, 5 - 10 p.m.
March 19 - 21, Exhibit Rooms Open 10 a.m. - 10 p.m.
30
31
MURPHY-MACLAY HARDWARE
A Business That Grew Up with Great Falls
Written by Suzanne Waring
John T. Murphy and Edgar G. Maclay
anticipated the future of Great Falls before
it was even a town.
This page from top: First stone structure
of the Murphy-Maclay building
finished in 1886. | John T. Murphy |
Right: Edgar G. Maclay came to
Montana in 1863 as a bookkeeper for
the St. Louis firm of John J. Roe & Co.
In 1884 he and J. T. Murphy of Fort
Benton, opened the business in Great
Falls which still bears the same name
of Murphy-Maclay Co. Photos courtesy
The History Museum
In 1882, Murphy and Maclay formed a
partnership to run a mercantile business
in Fort Benton and Helena. They entered
into this hardware and grocery business
with experience in freighting and selling
merchandise to early settlers beginning
in the 1860s when both of them had
found separate ways to Montana. Maclay
had previously been part owner of the
Diamond R Freight Line, and Murphy
had owned mercantile stores in Helena
and Virginia City. The partnership was in the family as Maclay
had married Murphy’s first cousin, Blanche Murphy.
In a very short time, these entrepreneurs could see that the
railroads were going to take over the steamboat business that
had made Fort Benton thriving. It was time to think about a new
center of commerce. A Great Falls Tribune article on August 10,
1887, reported that “Mr. Maclay was one of the first [Fort]
Bentonites to discern the growing greatness of Great Falls. . . .”
They sent one of their clerks, W. P. Wren, to Great Falls to open
32
a store in the fall of 1884. Business was so good they decided to purchase lots on Central Avenue. It might have
seemed premature since the city wasn’t incorporated
until 1888. Regardless, they made plans to build a structure
at 200 Central Avenue.
Before a railroad ran east of Great Falls, a stagecoach
left every morning from the Murphy-Maclay building
and traveled to various locations, such as Belt, Utica,
Lewistown, Fort McGinnis, and Lavina with Billings as
the final destination.
Until it was completed, they rented the Peck & Wall’s
store building at 119 Central Avenue. It was more a
storeroom than a building. W. G. Jones (known as Vinegar
Jones) installed shelves in the Peck & Wall facility for
them.
During those stagecoach years, the Great Falls National
Bank, that opened in 1891 and was housed in the far
west front corner of the Murphy-Maclay building,
would send silver dollars, halves, quarters, small
change, and gold coins—twenties, tens and fives to a
bank in Lewistown via the stagecoach. To throw off any
would be stagecoach robbers, bank employees would
pack the money in heavy wooden boxes with the
Murphy-Maclay label. Another label would indicate
that the contents were iron washers.
The new 25’ x 100’ store consisted of two-foot thick
stone and brick walls, massive one-foot support timbers,
and rough-hewn 2” x 12” joists for all ceilings and floors
in anticipation of adding two more levels in the future
The store opened in July 1886.
Great Falls National Bank remained in the front west
corner of the building until 1915 when an imposing
edifice was built at the corner of First Avenue North and
Third Street. Murphy, Maclay, and R. S. Ford were the
original incorporators of the bank.
Because business was thriving in this small store,
Murphy-Maclay built a new structure to the east of the
original building starting in June 1888. In November a
galvanized cornice was placed on the building. By 1889
the building increased to 60 foot across the front and 125
feet deep, which included a brick structure added on the
Second Street side to the back of the building. The addition
to the east had a recessed entrance that is still there.
Interestingly, the original front doors now adorn the
entrance of the Dragonfly Dry Goods store.
The space on the Murphy-Maclay lots was filled by
1896. Excavation on the last frontage was started late in
1892 and took a number of months to finish. The company
often rented out to another business the store front to the
east of the rest of the facility.
Oxen teams would bring wool to Great Falls to be shipped via the railroad. Note how the Murphy Maclay building was separate from
other buildings. Photo courtesy The History Museum
33
Various commercial enterprises other than selling
hardware and groceries went on in the MurphyMaclay building throughout the years. Besides the
bank, at one time the Strain Brothers started their
business in a storeroom. At another time there
was a separately owned tin shop at the back of the
business. For a few years a canopy provided
customers a protected place to park their cars.
When photography became popular, enthusiasts
were able to use the darkroom at the hardware
store for free.
In the early predawn hours on January 4, 1896, a
fire was started by an overheated stove that was
left running to keep the fruit from freezing at J. F.
Fox Fruit, Confectionary, and Cigar business. The
resulting fire consumed several businesses, including
the new Murphy-Maclay building adjacent to
other businesses. All that was left were the walls.
The Murphy-Maclay building that took up the first
sixty feet from the corner was spared. It was a big
loss for the company because it was insured for
half of its value. The part of the store that was
destroyed was rebuilt before 1900. In the years to
come, cosmetic improvements were made.
In June 1896 the business was incorporated by
Edgar G. Maclay, John T. Murphy, and John B. Turton,
who was an employee of Murphy’s in Helena. A
few weeks later, on July 13, 1896, Edgar G. Maclay;
his wife, Blanche Murphy Maclay; John T. Murphy;
and his wife, Elizabeth Morton Murphy sold the
building to Murphy-Maclay Hardware Corporation.
As with many businesses at that time, customers
could open charge accounts. In 1891 Murphy-Maclay
went to a cash only system. The Great Falls Tribune
reported that it turned out to be a positive decision
for everyone. Then in 1893 the company did away
with the grocery business and concentrated strictly
on hardware.
From the top: Inside the Murphy-Maclay Hardware store. Photo courtesy
of Alisa Herodes. | Interior of Murphy-Maclay Hardware after the
addition of electric lights. Photo courtesy History Museum. | By the
look of the cars, this picture of Murphy-Maclay building was taken in
the late 1950s. Photo courtesy The History Museum
34
Besides being a partner in the hardware business
and the bank, Edgar G. Maclay was involved in
bringing both water and electricity to the city.
Maclay, Paris Gibson, and Ira Murphy financed a
fifty horsepower engine that was installed at Third
Alley South between Third and Fourth Streets. On
August 29, 1888, Murphy-Maclay Hardware, the
Park Hotel, and a few other businesses began
enjoying the benefit of electric lights both inside
their businesses and in front of their buildings on
the sidewalk. Maclay, Ira Myers, and T. C. Collins
built the first water plant. After 1889 and until the
water plant was purchased by another private
The building was owned by Murphy-Maclay Hardware
Corporation until April 1973. Phil Richards, who is the
present owner, enjoys the history of the building as well
as working on it. “I kept the original roofline because I
felt it was important to keep the historical integrity of
the building,” Richards said. He likes to point out the
historical aspects of the building, such as the bank vault
in the basement that was used by the Great Falls National
Bank, also the wooden addition that likely occurred
when the city allowed owners to expand the building
approximately eight feet to the front on Central, and the
change of the pattern of the stubble rock on the west side
where Richards thinks a tunnel was dug under the street
so that it would come up in the Murphy-Maclay basement
during prohibition.
individual, any city resident who wanted to connect to
city water went through the Murphy-Maclay store to
sign up.
Unlike John T. Murphy who continued to live in Helena,
Edgar G. Maclay lived in Great Falls with his family. He
and Blanche had two children who grew to adulthood,
and both children lived in Great Falls most of their lives.
On January 3, 1897, Maclay was coming home from
Chicago on the train. Traveling from Big Sandy to Fort
Benton, he was visiting with a friend when he was seized
with coughing and expired before the train arrived in Fort
Benton. He was fifty-three years old.
From the time the store opened, H. P. Wren had been
its general manager. He was popular with the community
and his customers. He married Jodie Murphy Conrad
who was also cousin to John T. Murphy and a sister to
Blanche Maclay. All at once Wren “severed” his relationship
with Murphy-Maclay in December 1900. John T. Cottier
was brought in from Big Timber as the manager.
Great Falls preservationists have created special interest
in the building recently through their “Red Light District”
tours. The second floor of the street-side brick addition
became the St. Charles Hotel and was used in the 1950s
as a brothel when prostitutes were turned out of buildings
near the railroad tracks and had to find new locations
around town.
John T. Murphy died from pneumonia on May 19,
1914, but the corporation of Murphy-Maclay Hardware
lived on. “I remember going into the store with my
mother in the 1940s,” said Patti Peressini Kercher. “The
store had every hardware item you could imagine. I was
especially intrigued with the ladders that rolled along
the walls so that employees could get items from the
upper shelves.”
Today the Murphy-Maclay building is still an integral
part of downtown. Today eight different businesses are
found within the confines of what was originally a very
busy hardware store.
A life-long interest in communications
made Suzanne Waring first a college
English instructor then a writer. She lives
in Great Falls and writes about Montana
people and their communities.
Later Cottier’s son, Melvin G. Cottier, worked as
President and General Manager until the store closed in
1962. By that time, Murphy-Maclay was the oldest
continuous business in Great Falls.
35
Todd Foster:
Boxing the Way to Fitness
Written by Brian D’Ambrosio
Increasing numbers of people are taking up boxing not to get
in the ring and punch it out but to improve their cardiovascular
health.
Boxing is a fitness goldmine for those who are looking to tone
muscles with a workout that’s rigorous, constantly changing
and requires the use of the mind in addition to the body.
The sport provides participants with exercise, self-control and
self-confidence, along with a social environment away from the
streets.
“It’s the best physical workout that you can get or imagine,”
said Todd “The Kid” Foster, owner of Kid Foster’s Boxing
Academy, which is located at the Kids Fun Zone, 4900 10th Ave.
South.
Foster, 47, said that his gym is fixed more on fitness than
fighting.
“If people want to drop weight and get into better condition,
this will help them,” said Foster, a former C.M. Russell High
athlete who earned a national Golden Gloves championship
and represented Team USA at the 1988 Seoul Summer
Olympics. “It has kept me in good shape for many years. These
workouts help build self-confidence and make people start feeling better about themselves.”
The one-hour classes currently are Monday and Thursday
nights from 6-7 p.m. The monthly cost for eight sessions is $50
for kids and $100 for adults
Foster said that boxing is a savage chess match completely
different than any other sport.
“It’s always something unexpected and to be learned from
boxing,” said Foster. “You can never be quite perfect at it, you
can never adjust completely and you can never get tired of it.
You are always learning.”
Certainly Foster has never lost his love of the beautiful and
36
brutal quandary of prizefighting. In 1988, the
Great Falls native was defeated in the quarterfinals
of the Olympic Games boxing tournament.
Afterwards, he broke down in a news conference
and left the room, crying. He was a slugger, and
punchers are penalized by amateur boxing’s
regulations, which favor the boxer of movement,
agility, and jabs.
At 21, Foster returned to Great Falls without a
medal but with his popularity intact. When he
arrived home, 300 consoling people waved placards
and greeted him at the airport. Smiles flashed.
Hands waved. A band played. They even hosted a
parade for him.
harder it’s going to be for you to unlearn.”
The gist, in essence, is to work your way up to a
simulated regulation boxing match: 12 rounds of
three minutes apiece, with one minute of relief
between rounds.
To that end, for everyone who laces up a pair of
gloves, boxing provides a protected environment
to take out the stresses and strains of everyday
living.
For people with stressful jobs, Foster added,
releasing the tension of a long workday can
tranquilize the mind and the body, and positively
affect other parts of their lives. “For some people,
it helps them to relax, to think straight. You go
home and go to sleep with no problem.”
Todd working with one of his students.
But getting gnawed by the fighting bug, Foster
said, is part of the way boxing is trained.
The Great Falls Tribune published a “Todd Foster Commemorative Edition,” for which 130 local firms bought ads.
“It’s the normal progression of the way boxers are
taught,” said Foster. “After people have gone through the
basic form and punches, the weight distribution, hitting the
handpads, the shadowboxing, conditioning, strength and
speed, then they go, ‘What’s next?’”
In 1989, Todd Foster turned pro before a packed house of
5,000 at the Four Seasons Arena, dispatching a fighter
known as “The Gangster.”
Foster retired in 2001 with a record of 41-4-1. For many
years, he brought the inimitable thrill of fighting to Montana.
His most notable losses came at the hands of Hector Camacho
and Jimmy Paul.
Foster said that it will be quite some time before there is
any contact in his gym, and that for now he is sticking
solely to instructing the fundamentals.
Since then, Foster has held numerous jobs, none of which
have ever come close to eclipsing the intensity, adrenaline,
or raw power of boxing.
“Ideally, I really would like 10 people who want to train
to box,” said Foster. “I want to get them gung-ho about
boxing. I want to inspire them to love the sport like the way
that I love it.”
“There is so much mental preparation when it comes to
understanding the fundamentals of boxing,” said Foster.
Sure enough, it’s not just the mental facet of boxing that
entices newcomers. Many have seen the firm, taut abs and
the muscular legs and arms of the pros, and want to get
that body for themselves.
“It shapes your entire body,” said Foster. “People think
it’s just upper body, and that it will make your upper body
really big, but if you do it the right way, you use your
whole body the whole time.”
Brian with Mike Tyson
Indeed, only a qualified coach such as Foster can teach a
newcomer how to move, step and strike properly. Boxing is
a juddering, contact-heavy workout, and you shouldn’t just
hang up your heavy bag and start flailing away.
The human body isn’t necessarily designed for repetitiously
generating and accepting the biomechanics of boxing;
mechanical proficiency cuts down the risk of injury. Foster
said that his job is to prevent students from reinforcing
improper habits.
“The more bad punches you throw,” said Foster, “the
deeper your bad technique becomes ingrained and the
37
Brian D'Ambrosio is the author of
10 books, including Warrior in the
Ring, a biography of the first Native
American world boxing champion
Marvin Camel, who came off the
Flathead Indian Reservation to win
two world titles. Available at
Riverbend Publishing.
Written by Marci Marceau
“Hellin, Let me make the hot sauce, Beauty?”
“Okay, Luz.”
“Hellin, let me make the enchilada sauce?”
“Okay, Luz.”
“Hellin Beauty, let me make the rice?”
“Okay, Luz, go ahead.”
I wish I could transfer my mom’s (Luz) accent on paper.
My mom has the BEST accent EVER. For those who know
Luz, I’m sure you would agree.
Luz started making her addictive, delicious Hot Sauce
at the El Ranchito Inn many years ago. She also made the
Inn’s enchilada sauce and rice.
In 1970 a neighbor of Luz’s, Mrs. Offerdahl, asked Luz
to come with her to the El Ranchito Inn because she was
going to apply there to be a waitress. Luz was a “stay at
home mom” with three very active little girls, but she
agreed to go. They all went, little girls included. Helen
Orrantia owned the El Ranchito with her husband, Art
Orrantia. Helen asked Luz if she would take a position.
My mom, Luz, didn’t apply for the job, but she got one!
She was very surprised. She said she would talk to her
husband about it. My dad, Michael John Paul, didn’t like
the idea, but they worked it out.
That’s the way Luz Paul began her career in the restaurant
industry. She had no idea that she would end up owning
her own restaurant one day or that her sauces would be
found in grocery stores. At her first job at the El Ranchito
Inn, Luz would watch and taste how Helen made the hot
sauce, rice, and enchilada sauce. After a time my mom
38
From the Top: Chimichanga, Deluxe Dinner: Taco,
Enchilada, Chili Relleno, Rice and Beans & EnchiLUZa
decided to ask if she could make these items. She
asked one item at a time. Helen didn’t care as it was
one less thing she had to do with her very busy day.
Luz’s mother-in-law, Ramona Paul, who is 100%
Dutch taught her how to cook, so as children we
never ate Mexican food. But Luz’s dad, Arrcadio
Gonzalez, was a very good cook. Luz tasted the hot
sauce that Helen made and decided she wanted it
years, people had not forgotten her delicious food. I
talked to my mom about this. I said to her, “Mom, I didn’t
know that my sisters and I are the daughters of a
celebrity!”
to taste how her dad made it. That is how Luz’s Hot
Sauce began.
Luz Paul opened Luz’s Mexican Restaurant on Fox
Farm Rd in 1979 at the “old” Rendezvous Inn. Many
told Luz that it was a bad location as many restaurants
had tried and failed. The restaurant was opened despite
the naysayers. Luz’s was at the Fox Farm Road location
until 1990. Luz’s was a favorite Mexican restaurant in
Great Falls for many years.
Many would ask me if I would consider reopening my
mom’s restaurant. After many requests, after thinking it
over, and after Bill and I talked it over, we decided to do
it. So after thirteen years of being closed, Luz’s Mexican
Food opened at 520 Central Ave and has now moved to
2500 Tenth Avenue South.
Luz’s has been in many locations since 1990. Luz
owned the restaurant until 1994. Then LaCinda Paul, my
youngest sister, had the restaurant until she decided to
close in 1999 as a result of the sudden death of our dad.
So, seemingly, Luz’s Mexican Restaurant was closed for
good.
Luz’s Mexican Food products, such as the hot sauce
and salsa, may be found at both ACE Hardware Stores in
Great Falls, 2J’s Fresh Market, Everyday IGA on Sixth
Avenue North, and Snyder Drug and Gift Store. Please
ask for it where you shop.
What’s best for me is listening to my mom say,
“Marguita! I thought Luz’s was dead, but you brought
Luz’s back!” Watching my mom say that to me with
her beautiful smile and with her beautiful accent is
quite simply, awesome!
In 2007 I moved back home to Great Falls, Montana,
because I married the man of my dreams. I know that
sounds corny but it’s true. As I became reacquainted
with Great Falls, I learned something wonderful! Many
in Great Falls loved Luz Paul and Luz’s Mexican Food.
Though my mom hadn’t owned her restaurant for many
39
The 18th Annual
AApril
RT AUCTION
Showers:
Blooms Art at
the Square
Written by Kristi D. Scott
Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art, building, 1400 1st Avenue North
S
pring is a time to awaken our senses and to
welcome Mother Nature’s resilience and
beauty after a long winter on the Northern
Plains. It is also the time to experience
fabulous contemporary art in one of our
City’s most beautiful buildings that hosts the region’s
only contemporary art museum, The Square!
photography and mixed media works. This year we
highlight artists including: Ron and Echo Ukrainetz, Josh
DeWeese, John Isaiah Pepion, Monte Dolack, Liisa Nelson,
Mary Ann Bonjorni, Julia Galloway, Brenda Wolf and others.
The Square promotes the belief that art is for everyone,
and we would like to invite the community to see and
experience the art on this year’s auction block. Selected art
works are on display at the Museum beginning Thursday,
March 19, and all are welcome to visit during our open
hours (Monday - Friday 10-5 p.m. and Saturdays, 12-5
p.m.). Admission to the museum is free thanks to Farmers
Union Insurance. While you preview auction art you will
also be able to see the colorful ledger art exhibit of John
Isaiah Pepion on the first floor and the Art Association of
Montana’s group exhibition in the Community Gallery on
the second floor. The public is invited to attend our free
open house and celebration
Thursday, April 2, commemorating
‘Corner-stone Day.’ Please check
our website for additional details
about this event and stop by to see
the variety of incredible artwork
that will be on display at The
Square.
Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art’s annual Art Auction
will be hosted Saturday, April 11, 2015, 5:30 p.m. - 10:30
p.m. at 1400 1st Avenue North. This year, we have
moved the event from February to April and welcome
the Auction in our historic building. Indulge your senses
and enjoy the upbeat atmosphere of The Square during a
fundraiser for the Exhibitions Department. Our 18th annual Art Auction features more than 100 pieces of juried
art, including ceramics, jewelry, furniture, paintings,
Larry Blackwood, Where the Buffalo Roam, 2014, 18” x 12”, photography.
40
Supporting artists and bringing
contemporary art to North Central
Montana is no small task. It takes a
community effort and Paris Gibson
Square Museum of Art is grateful to
the talented artists who send us
their pieces to make the Art Auction
successful. As one of our largest
fundraisers of the year; the Square
counts on the support of our
friends, members, community, and
sponsors whose purchases support
Left: Ron Ukrainetz, Dinner in
Potomac, 2012, 24” x 16”, Oil
Below: Jeff Kuratnick – Vessel – 14”
x10” x10”, wood fired stoneware
with soda, fired to cone, 2014.
to watch and visit with
the artists. Throughout
the building a hearty
spread of gourmet appetizers will delight
auction goer’s taste
buds and live music will
serenade guests as they
visit the no-host cocktail
lounge serving spirits,
local brews and wine. The popular silent auction featuring
nearly 100 quality pieces of art will end at 7:45 p.m. and our
exciting Live Auction begins at 8 p.m. Tickets are on sale
now with a promotional price offered for Museum members. Business and larger groups may reserve a limited
number of tables of eight by contacting The Square at 406727-8255.
our mission. The art auction directly supports the exhibition
program at The Square where an average exhibit costs
$2,500, and that does not include ancillaries such as heating
and electricity. The Square displays approximately 15
separate exhibitions annually and every dollar helps us
bring exciting contemporary art to Great Falls. The Square
duly works with artists to bring their work to a larger
audience. Artists need to make a living and unless otherwise
noted a portion of each sale during the Art Auction goes
directly to the artist. Artists that have donated all of the
proceeds of the sale of their work to The Square are listed
with full donation on the exhibit label.
Paris Gibson Square serves as a cultural treasure to North
Central Montana. Patrons enjoy the unique juxtaposition of
elegant 19th century architecture with dynamic exhibitions
of contemporary art in seven different galleries and an
outdoor sculpture garden. Inside the building beyond the
galleries you will find a blooming
Education Center. The Square features
a wide variety of classes (for all ages
and levels of experience) including
ceramics, painting, sculpture, yoga, Tai
Chi and more. You can find a list of our
classes, exhibits and events at the museum
or online at .
Mark your calendar and join us Saturday,
April 11, for an exciting and fun-filled
evening at beautiful Paris Gibson
Square. Events include a Quick Finish
featuring four popular artists completing
art works live where guests are invited
41
Charles M. Russell (United States, 1864 - 1926), To the Victor Belong the Spoils, 1901. Oil on Canvas. 31 1/2 x 44 1/2
inches. JKM Collection®, National Museum of Wildlife Art.
C.M. Russell Museum to Open New Exhibition
“H A R M L E S S H U N T E R :
The Wildlife Art of Charles M. Russell”
Written by Alyse Johnson, Communications Coordinator, C.M. Russell Museum
T
he C.M. Russell Museum will host an exhibition featuring
the work of America’s favorite cowboy artist titled “Harmless
Hunter: The Wildlife Work of Charles M. Russell” this
summer from May 16 - September 13, 2015. “Harmless
Hunter” is organized by the National Museum of Wildlife Art in
collaboration with the Charles M. Russell Center for the Study of Art
of the American West, University of Oklahoma, Norman.
Charles M. Russell (United States, 1864 -1926), Old Man Coyote Listens. Ink on Paper. 5.50 x
6.25 inches. JKM Collection®, National Museum of Wildlife Art.
Though Charles Russell is perhaps best known for his popular
artworks featuring cowboys, Native Americans and Western
landscapes, “this show focuses for the first time on Russell’s paintings
of wildlife, which constitute roughly a quarter of his oeuvre,” says B.
Byron Price, director of the Charles M. Russell Center and University
of Oklahoma Press, and guest curator of the exhibition. “Harmless
Hunter” is the way Russell referred to himself in a letter to a friend.
“Russell believed in the superiority of nature and although he enjoyed
the camaraderie of a hunting camp, he would not participate in the
killing of animals for food or sport,” explains Price.
42
Charles M. Russell (United States, 1864 - 1926), The Bluffers, 1924. Bronze. 7 5/8 x 18 x 9
inches. JKM Collection®, National Museum of Wildlife Art.
Born in St. Louis, Mo., in 1864, Russell lit out for
Montana at the age of 16, determined to become a cowboy,
and eventually worked for a number of outfits before
turning to art full-time. The prolific Russell was very
popular in his lifetime, producing thousands of artworks
from his log cabin studio. “Russell’s wildlife art attracted
avid patronage – from the publishers of books, magazines,
and calendars seeking illustrations to wealthy businessmen
anxious to decorate their clubrooms with scenes of nature
and the hunt,” says Price.
43
Russell also captured the rapid
changes to wild lands and creatures
with the settlement of the West in his
work. “Many of Russell’s paintings
and sculptures celebrate the majesty
and harmony of nature,” notes Price.
“Works featuring wildlife and human
interaction, however, often address
more problematic environmental
themes, most of them a reflection of the
rapid changes wrought by the onset of
settlement, economic development,
and near decimation of wild game.”
The C.M. Russell Museum will offer
a number of events, guided tours, and
activities in association with the
“Harmless Hunter” exhibition throughout the summer.
Visit the C.M. Russell Museum’s website at
www.cmrussell.org for more information.
The mission of the C.M. Russell Museum is to collect,
preserve, research, interpret and educate on the art
and life of Charles M. Russell; the art and lives of his
contemporaries; and the art of preceding and ensuing
generations that depicts and focuses on the culture, life
and country of Russell’s West.
Easter
Written by Dwayne Nelson
According to the method used to determine which Sunday Easter
will fall on, it can fall anywhere from March 22nd to April 25th. This
year, 2015, Easter falls on April 5th. Research tells us it is always the
first Sunday after the first full moon after the spring equinox, the
equinox being the day when daylight and nighttime are equal. Here
at the Lower Camp we don’t watch the moon or time the hours of
daylight and dark or count days. We refer to the calendar the Augusta
service station gives away each Christmas and it has never been
wrong yet on indicating Easter Sunday.
The word Easter comes from Eostre, the goddess of spring and renewal.
Most of the time we are experiencing spring and renewal at Easter but
I have seen it with a foot of snow and cold while trying to find Easter
eggs. Last Easter the weather was nice so I dyed the eggs at the outdoor
kitchen to eliminate some mess in the house. They were left alone to
dry while I was called to the phone. After completing the call I returned
to find the eggs had disappeared and Denali, our dog, was sitting
there with a smile on his face and blue and green and yellow egg
shells from ear to ear. He is big enough to eat from the table with all
four feet firmly on the ground. So down to the store again for another
dozen eggs.
I have spent a good share of my life on airplanes, in hotels, restaurants
and bars (not necessarily in exact order) and with a little effort I know
where the best meals are…at home. We always eat at our
house with family and friends for all holidays, Easter
included which traditionally includes lamb.
Easter Buffet
Roasted Leg of Lamb
All natural raised mom’s milk and green
pasture, no antibiotics or hormones from
Montana Highland Lamb, Whitehall,
Montana.
Marinade for the lamb
Olive oil, Red wine, Garlic, Onion,
Rosemary, Thyme, Lemon, Vinegar &
Black peppercorns
45
Perfectly cooked
I cooked this over a wood fired grill which added
some smoke flavor.
Baby Red Potatoes with Butter and Thyme
Cut the potatoes in half and place in a shallow baking
pan cut side up. Sprinkle with olive oil, salt, pepper
and scatter around several sprigs of thyme. Bake under
the broiler element until fork tender. Don’t get too
close or they will burn on top and still be raw in the
center. When done dump in a bowl and stir around
with a good amount of butter and ready to serve.
Blueberry tart served with Montana
Chokecherry Liqueur, home made whipped
cream with a hint of mint and lightly sprinkled
with cocoa powder.
46
Smoked Ham Hock Consommé
The following will be for 4-6 people.
I suggest you make this a couple of days ahead of time. In a crock
pot on low.
Ham Hock Consommé
served with Olive Bread
When your ready to serve the consommé
remove from the refrigerator and skim and
discard any fat that has solidified on top and
simmer for 20 minutes or so to concentrate it
some, just prior to serving alongside a bowl
of chopped scallion tops for garnish.
a Montana
Put in 3 quarts of water
Couple smoked ham hocks from the meat case at the store
Couple of carrots rough chopped,
Couple of celery ribs rough chopped,
Couple bay leaf
One teaspoon of whole peppercorns
Couple sprigs of thyme.
Cook for about 4 hours then with a fork strip the meat
from the hock bones. Cook for a couple more hours then
strain through a sieve or colander with small holes. The
idea is to remove any solids. Put the broth in a container
with a lid and place in the refrigerator. Save the solids in
the frig and in a couple of days when you are tired of
eating lamb put the solids back in the pot with some stock
or water and beans and you have another meal.
Easter Buffet
Smoked ham hock consommé
Olive bread
Green beans and wild mushrooms
Roasted potatoes with garlic & thyme
Montana, grass-fed, all natural, full leg of
Lamb
served with
Miles City Syrah
by Ten Spoon vineyard, Missoula, MT
Blueberry tart with whipped cream
served with
Montana Wild Chokecherry Liqueur
by Willie’s Distillery, Ennis, MT
Dwayne Nelson is a freelance
lifestyle writer and photographer
that lives in Augusta.
April 5th, 2015
Elk Creek Lower Camp
Augusta, Montana
47
48
FI NANCE
As Small Business Optimism Rises,
Worries are Decreasing
Written by Tamariel Christopher
Retirement
Planning for retirement is another challenge that small
business owners face. In the survey, small business owners
were asked about their concerns around saving for retirement,
and 41 percent said they are not too worried or not worried
at all about putting enough money away for retirement.
That’s an improvement, up from 29 percent in 2011.
Owning a small business can be challenging. But, according
to the fourth quarter 2014 Wells Fargo/Gallup Small Business
Index, small business owners are feeling a renewed sense of
confidence as they head into 2015.
In November 2014, we surveyed small business owners
across the U.S. and the findings were clear: Business owners
are the most optimistic for the year ahead since the start of
the Great Recession. The Small Business Index score rose to
positive 58 (+58) in November, up nine points from positive
49 (+49) in July and up 34 points from a year ago.
The Small Business Index also found that unlike a year
ago, more business owners think their operating environment
in 2015 will be better (35 percent) than think it will be worse
(15 percent). This is a dramatic improvement over last year,
when 23 percent of business owners predicted a better year
ahead and 25 percent thought it would be worse.
The climbing Small Business Index score is not just good
news for small business owners—it’s also good news for
local communities and economies across America, including
Great Falls. In the survey, business owners said they anticipate
a better operating environment and higher revenues in
2015. They also said they plan to increase the amount of
money allocated for capital spending and increase the
number of jobs at their company. We know that in order for
our economy to thrive, small businesses need to succeed,
which makes this trend in improved confidence and positive
future outlook all the more encouraging.
Over the years, we’ve seen time and time again that small
business owners are a resilient and optimistic bunch.
Building and running a small business has its challenges,
yet as the improvement in the economy continues, business
owners may find these challenges easier to overcome.
Tamariel Christopher is a senior business relationship
manager for Wells Fargo in Great Falls. She can be
reached at 406-454-5562 or
tamariel.christopher@wellsfargo.com.
Another promising trend the survey revealed is that
small business owners have fewer worries than in recent
years. Attracting new customers and new business remains
a top challenge for small business owners, but overall,
concerns around key issues that could impact their business
are less pronounced than a year ago.
To help more small businesses achieve financial success,
in 2014 Wells Fargo introduced Wells Fargo Works for
Small BusinessSM —a broad initiative to deliver resources,
guidance and services for business owners. For more
information about Wells Fargo Works for Small Business,
visit: WellsFargoWorks.com. Follow us on Twitter
@WellsFargoWorks.
Here are some of the areas that saw the most improvement:
Paying Employees
For small businesses, balancing cash flow and managing
expenses such as payroll can be challenging. In the recent
survey, less than a quarter (22 percent) of small business
owners reported being very worried or moderately worried
about not being able to pay their employees. Compared to
32 percent in 2011, this is a strong downward trend that we
hope will continue.
Paying Bills
When asked about paying bills, only 5 percent of small
business owners surveyed said they are very worried about
making their minimum credit card payments, compared to
12 percent in 2011. We also asked those surveyed about the
ability to pay their household bills, and 8 percent report
being very worried about not being able to make those
payments, compared to 17 percent in 2011.
49
H E ALTH / FI TNE S S
Osteoarthritis & Chronic Pain
Written by Dr. Craig Sweeney
osteoarthritic changes in the spine. In addition, the joints
of the hands and shoulders are not good candidates for this
type of procedure either. Also, some patients are not good
candidates for surgery as they may have other significant
comorbid conditions that would make a surgical operation
and a general anesthetic very risky.
Osteoarthritis (OA) and chronic pain are very prevalent
in today’s society. It is estimated that the disease affects up
to 27 million Americans and its incidence increases with
age. As our population ages and with the increasing number
of “Baby Boomers” growing older, this is only going to
swell to larger numbers of people
being afflicted with the disease. As
anyone who has dealt with the pain of
osteoarthritis can tell you, it can be
quite debilitating and at times, significantly
impairing one’s daily activities.
I frequently see patients through
my clinic with chronic, intractable
pain secondary to arthritic changes
and get the same question from
them: What are the options for pain
control/symptom control? Each
patients pain management should
be tailored to his/her current comorbid
medical conditions, the joint(s) involved,
and previous therapies utilized in an
attempt to control the pain. Every
medication utilized, from over-thecounter medications to prescription
drugs, has side effects and a discussion
on the risks versus the benefits must be undertaken prior
to initiating any therapy.
Osteoarthritis is a chronic condition
involving, among other things, a
breakdown of the cartilage at bone
joints as well as subchondral bone
itself. Various joints throughout the
body can be affected, but large weight
bearing joints (i.e., knees and hips)
and joints of the hand seem to be
particularly susceptible. Although not
technically an inflammatory condition by definition, there
can be signs of what appears to be an inflammatory
process in the diseased joints. Pain is usually gradual in
onset, over months to years for most people, and can be
diffuse or localized to one set of joints. Symptoms of arthritis
can include pain with movement, crepitus (gravel sound
when moving the joints), swelling of the joints, and stiffness
after cessation of motion and then resumption of movement.
Proper diagnosis is key to treatment and should be done
by a healthcare professional. Diagnosis often involves a
thorough history and physical examination in combination
with the progression of your symptoms and imaging studies
(e.g., xrays, CT scans, etc.). Only after proper diagnosis can
a care plan be implemented.
Physical activity and weight loss are very important to
the overall therapy goal. It may seem counterintuitive that
your physician would want you to be more active when
the activity makes the pain worse, but oftentimes, obesity
leads to a progression of the disease (especially the weight
bearing joints) and as such, this should be addressed.
It is important to realize that there is no cure for osteoarthritis.
If it involves individual large joints (hips, knees), it is
possible that pain can be significantly reduced with joint
replacement therapy. It should be noted that a subset of
patients still complain of persistent post-surgical pain after
the procedure and this can/should be discussed with your
orthopedic surgeon. For a number of patients, this is a
good option as less pain is one of the most important
overall goals. However, for other joints of the body, surgery
simply isn’t an option. Surgical correction of arthritic
changes of the cervical (neck) and lumbar (low back) spine
would often involve fusion of the bones and at this time,
data does not support this type of procedure for pure
50
About the Author:
Dr. Craig Sweeney specializes in chronic pain
management, chronic spine and radicular
pain, neuromodulation in chronic pain,
pain associated with cancer, and anesthesia
at the Great Falls Clinic.
Medications are often used in the treatment of osteoarthritis.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) are common
first line agents in the treatment of pain secondary to
osteoarthritis, including over-the-counter medications
(e.g., Ibuprofen, Motrin, etc.) or prescription strength
medications. The prescription medications are often more
potent and some are more selective for certain enzymes
thought to be responsible for more of the pain generated
secondary to osteoarthritis called COX-2 enzymes. These
are often thought to have less gastrointestinal irritation as
well. Tylenol (Acetaminophen) is also often thought of as
first-line with regards to treatment.
Dr. Sweeney was born and raised in Northwest Montana. After nine years away from
Montana, he and his family are excited to
finally return to the mountains and fresh air of the Big Sky
Country. He looks forward to providing a much needed resource
to the community of Great Falls, while also enjoying the activities
and beauty the area has to offer. Dr. Sweeney is accepting new
patients and physician referrals at the Great Falls Clinic Specialty
Center, 3000 15th Avenue South. For more information or to
schedule an appointment, please call 406.454.2171.
Other options include intraarticular injections of
hyaluronic acid and/or steroids. In a subset of patients this
has been shown to be helpful, in particular for OA of the
knee. This can involve a series of injections over 3-5 weeks
(if using hyaluronic acid).
Newer options for those patients that don’t want joint
injections are available and include nerve blocks at the
knee. Should the diagnostic blocks work (with local anesthetic
only), radiofrequency ablation of these same nerves often
provide long term relief without the stresses of joint
replacement surgery. I have seen a lot of success with
these through my clinic though they should only be
performed by physicians trained in these techniques.
For OA of the neck and back, certain patients may be a
candidate for a set of injections known as medial branch
blocks and radiofrequency ablation that has been shown to
provide longer term pain relief for a subset of
patients. This is a process of blocking the
nerve that supplies the painful information
from the diseased joints in the spine. This is
provided by a pain management physician
trained in these procedures. As I see a large
population of spine osteoarthritis through my
pain clinic, I have seen a lot of success with
these procedures. This is a discussion that
should be undertaken between you and your
primary care provider as well as your pain
management physician (if you have one).
I see a large number of patients through
my pain clinic with a history of osteoarthritis
that oftentimes benefit with the interventions
listed above. If you have any questions or
would like to discuss these options, please
feel free to contact your primary care
provider or a pain management specialist.
51
Shopping Guide
ART GALLERIES
AUTO GLASS REPAIR
Studio 706 Artist Guild – 706 7th Avenue South,
Great Falls, Montana, 406-761-8228 or 406-727-0637
darpats@bresnan.net
Studio hours Tues/Thurs. 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Meetings 3rd Thursday
of the month, 6 p.m.; First Friday Art Walk 6-9 p.m. Spring Show:
Western Art Week, March 19-21, 2015, Gibson Room, Great Falls
Civic Center. Non-profit artist guild offering camaraderie, classes,
mentoring, studio privileges, and exhibition opportunities to
local and area artists for nominal membership fee. College
scholarships to Cascade County youth.
Falls Auto Glass – 108 5th Street South
Great Falls, Montana • 406-453-5537 - See page 17.
GREAT FALLS CHAMBER
The Great Falls Chamber of Commerce - 100 1st Avenue South
Great Falls, Montana • 406-761-4434
www.greatfallschamber.org - See page 4.
ENTERTAINMENT
Frontier Inn & Diamond City Casino – 3317 Vaughn Road,
Great Falls, Montana • 406-727-4439 - See page 17.
ART SHOW & AUCTIONS
FINANCE
Arts Association of Montana – Missouri Falls Fine Arts Show
& Sale, La Quinta Inn & Suites – 600 River Road South
406-453-4076 - See page 48.
Wells Fargo Bank – 4 convenient Great Falls Locations
Great Falls, Montana - See page 49.
C.M. Russell Museum – 400 13th Street North,
The Russell: An Exhibition and Sale to Benefit the C.M. Russell Museum
• 406-727-8787 • www.cmrussell.org/the-russell - See pages 11.
FUNERAL HOME
March In Montana - The Townhouse Inn, 1411 10th Avenue
Fine Art, Cowboy & Indian Collectibles Auction & Sale
www.MarchInMontana.com - See Inside Front Cover
Croxford Funeral Home and Crematory – 1307 Central Avenue,
Great Falls, Montana • 406-453-0315
www.croxfordfuneralhome.com – See page 35.
Jay Contway Friends Art Show – Hilton Garden Inn Great
Falls • JayContway.com - See page 39.
HEALTH
Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art – 1400 1st Avenue North
Ledger Art • 406-727-8255, www.the-square.org - See pages 22.
Access Fitness – 715 13th Avenue South,
Great Falls, Montana • 406-727-8888
www.accessfitnessgf.com - See page 43.
Out West Art Show & Sale – Best Western Plus Heritage Inn
Great Falls, Montana • www.outwestartshow.com - See pages 5.
Benefis Med Spa – 400 13th Avenue South, Suite 206,
Great Falls, Montana • 406-455-2845
www.benefis.org/medspa – See page 54.
Studio 706 Artist Guild Show – Gibson Room at the Great
Falls Civic Center • 406-781-4635 - See page
The Great Western Living & Design Show - Montana ExpoPark
• wwwthegreatwesternshow.com - See page 30
Benefis Walk-In Care – 1401 25th Street South,
Great Falls, Montana • 406-731-8888
No appointment necessary – See page 30.
Western Heritage Artists: Footprints on the Trail Art Show,
Holiday Inn, 1100 5th Street South,
www.westernheritageartshow.com - See page 39
Great Falls Clinic – Great Falls, Montana • 406-454-2171.
www.gfclinic.com. What Matters Is You – See back page.
Kindred Transitional Care and Rehabilitation - Park Place
1500 32nd Street South, Great Falls, Montana
406-761-4300 • www.kindredparkplace.com - See page 51.
Wild Bunch Art Show – Hampton Inn of Great Falls
anadinepickthorn.com/wild-bunch-art-show-great-falls - See
page 39.
INSURANCE
Amerind: Native American Art & Craft Show - Times Square,
525 Central Avenue • 406-217-7916 - See page 19.
State Farm Insurance and Financial Services
17 2nd Street South, Great Falls, Montana • 406-770-3040
www.gregfranczyk.com – See page 13.
Great Falls Western Collectibles & Antique Gun Show – Exhibition
Hall, Montana ExpoPark • wwwgreatfallsgunshow.net - See
page 25
ASSISTED LIVING
The Grandview at Benefis – 3015 18th Avenue South,
Great Falls, Montana • 406-7716200
www.TheGrandviewAtBenefis.org – See page 7.
The Rainbow Senior Living – 20 3rd Street North,
Great Falls, MT • 406-761-6661 or Fax: 406-761-4161 - See page 51.
MUSEUMS
C.M. Russell Museum – 400 13th Street North,
Great Falls, Montana • 406-727-8787
www.cmrussell.org - See pages 48.
Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art – 1400 1st Avenue North
Great Falls, Montana • 406-727-8255. The 18th Annual Art Auction
• www.the-square.org - See pages 3.
52
Shopping Guide
RETAIL
REAL ESTATE
2J’s Fresh Market –105 Smelter Avenue NE,
Great Falls, Montana • 406-761-0134
www.2jsfreshmarket.com
Your Store for Montana Meat & Fresh produce! – See page 48.
Great Falls Realty – 305 3rd Street NW,
www.greatfallsrealty.com
Great Falls Realty since 1958 specializing in
Farm, Ranch, Commercial & Residential.- info@greatfallsrealty.com
Kelly Parks - Broker/Owner cell: 406-788-6826
Russ Eustance - Realtor cell: 406-788-3363
Larry Hannah - Realtor cell: 406-788-1250
Tawni Johns - Broker cell: 406-231-0663
Talbert Bryan - Broker cell: 406-868-5157
Amazing Toys – 515 Central Avenue,
Great Falls, MT • 406-727-5557 • davec@amazingtoys.net
For a neat shopping experience, be sure to visit Amazing Toys in
Downtown Great Falls. They offer a large selection of toys, games,
puzzles, and collectibles for funsters of any age. Amazing Toys has
the classic toys that every child needs as well as some of the newest.
RESTAURANTS
Belles & Lace Bridal – 320 Central Avenue,
Great Falls, Montana
www.bellesandlace.com - See page 30.
3D International Restaurant & Lounge
1825 Smelter Avenue NE, Black Eagle, Montana – 406-453-6561
The 3D International Supper Club first opened in July 1946. In
1996, the 3D Club introduced the Mongolian Grill (the first in
Montana). The Mongolian Grill, with lunch menu is open
Monday - Saturday, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Open for Dinner 5 p.m. to
closing every day, offering Casual Dining at its best, excellent
appetizers, signature beef dinners, fresh seafood selections, and
home made Italian dishes. Prime Rib every Friday, Saturday and
Sunday, children’s menu, and full service bar. The Grasseschi
family welcomes you to a classic Italian/American experience.
Feather Your Nest – 311 Central Avenue,
Great Falls, Montana • 406-315-2410
FUN • FRIENDLY • AFFORDABLE - See page 25.
Ferrin’s Furniture – 308 1st Avenue South,
Great Falls, Montana • 406-761-2192
www.ferrins.com – See page 23.
Montana Mosaic – 525 Central Avenue,
Great Falls, Montana • 406-788-0878,
Fine and like us on Facebook - See page 21.
Bert & Ernie’s – 300 1st Avenue South,
Great Falls, Montana • 406-453-0601
www.bertandernies.com
LOCAL • FRESH • QUALITY - See page 21.
My Neighbor In Need – 525 Central Avenue,
Great Falls, Montana • 406-750-2542
www.myneighborinneed.org - See page 31
Borrie’s – 1800 Smelter Avenue NE,
Black Eagle, Montana • 406-761-0300
Finest in American & Italian Food - See page 31.
Napa Auto & Truck Parts – 601 6th Street SW, Unit 1,
Great Falls, Montana • 406-453-6517 - See page 17.
Noble’s Westside Liquor – 623 First Avenue NW,
Great Falls, Montana • 406-454-3612 – See page 31.
Bowers Brewing Co. Artisan Beer & Food – 1826 10th Avenue So.,
Great Falls, Montana • 406-315-1340 – See page 23.
Ship-it – 825 5th Avenue South,
Great Falls, Montana • 406-727-7157
Package Shipping Center. – See page 13.
City Bar & Casino – 709 Central Avenue,
Great Falls, Montana • 406-761-9432
The City Bar open its doors in 1939, the business is owned by
third generation Brad & Barb Watson. Serving Lunch Monday Saturday, 11 a.m - 3 p.m. They also, have the widest variety of
machines in town. Your favorite beer or cocktail is also available
from the bar, open daily at 9 a.m. - See page 37.
Howard’s Pizza – 713 1st Avenue North,
Great Falls, Montana • 4 locations • 406-453-1212
Dine In - Take Out - Delivery, open 4 p.m. Daily. Taste The Best
for Yourself. - See page 31.
Luz’s Mexican Food – 520 Central Avenue,
Great Falls, Montana • 406-315-3660
Food is made Fresh daily! - See page 41.
Pizza Baron – 203 2nd Avenue North,
Great Falls, Montana • 406-761-6666
www.thepizzabaron.com - See page 25.
The Celtic Cowboy • Darkhorse Hall & Wine Snug
116 First Avenue South
Great Falls, Montana • 406-952-0393
www.thecelticcowboy.com - See Inside Back Page
53
2015
fairs, festivals and events
First Friday Art Walk. Visit Downtown
Great Falls on the 1st Friday of every
month to view the works of local
artists, as well as to sample downtown
restaurants and pubs, and shop downtown's finest stores that stay open late.
FREE TROLLEY RIDES TO ALL THE
GALLERIES – 6 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Foreign and Independent Film Series
Wednesday, March 4, 7 p.m. and
Saturday, March 7, 2 p.m. at the
Great Falls Public Library. This series
is free and open to the public. For
more information call 406-453-0349
In March the library is hosting an art
exhibit of works by students from the
Great Falls Public schools in honor of
Youth Art Month. The exhibit will
include works from elementary to
high school students. A reception,
which will be free and open to the
public, will be held on Friday, March
6, 4 - 6 p.m. Refreshments will be
served.
Saturday, March 7, 11 a.m. Daughters
of the Nile Style Show to benefit
Shriners Hospitals for Children ®.
The 64th annual style show “Swing
Into Fashion” sponsored by Nile Club
#3 at the Best Western Plus Heritage
Inn. Tickets are $25. For more information
call 454-3759.
Getting Ready to Garden: Thursday,
March 5 - Getting Your Yard & Garden
Ready with a Special Focus on Flowers,
Trees, Shrubs (especially the Juniper
with Jeannie Bennett
Thursday, March 12 - Starting Seeds
at Home with a Special Focus on Varieties,
Timing, Seedlings, and Transplanting
in the Garden with Marcia Bundi
Thursday, March 19 - Picking What
Grows Best & Seed Swap with Amy
Grisak. Amy will discuss how to
grow everything from artichokes to
tomatoes by knowing which varieties
to choose, as well as tips on improving
growing conditions to raise plants to
maturity. At the GF Library 7 p.m.
54
Tuesday, March 17, 7 pm. The Great Falls
Public Library is presenting the following
events during Western Art Week:
TEDxGreatFallsLibrary.
Saturday, May 2, Cruisin’ The Drag
All car enthusiasts are invited to the
16th Anniversary of our all-inclusive
Free event! For information and registration forms go to www.cruisinthedrag
.com or call Bennett Motors 406-727-2100.
The Urban Art Project is located in
the 11 windows that surround the
Parking Garage at 315 First Ave South.
The Site-Specific Art Installations
change three times annually and can
be viewed 24/7.
Winter: February 5 - May 5
Summer: June 5 - September 5
Autumn: October 5 - January 5
To exhibit or sponsor contact: Jean
Price 406-452-9315
To have your event listed, e-mail:
ben@bestofgreatfalls.com or call 406870-0122.