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Artists chosen for 2009 Artist-Wilderness-Connection Program

By Beacon Staff

Three professional artists have been chosen to spend time in a remote cabin in the Flathead National Forest as part of the 2009 Artist-Wilderness-Connection program.

Rob Akey, a painter from Whitefish, Bobby Tilton, an art educator and mixed media artist from Missoula, and Kalispell painter Jim Clayborn will spend the months of August and September in the cabin focusing on their art. After the residency, each artist will share their talents and experience in the program with the local community in a public presentation.

In 2003, the Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation, Flathead National Forest, Hockaday Museum of Art and the Swan Ecosystem Center created the artist-in-residence program in order to connect artists and local communities with Montana’s wild lands. Past participating artists include Karin Connelly, Jane Latus Emmert, Myni Ferguson, Sally Hickman, Jane Kleinschmidt, Bill Knoll, Michael Patterson, Carol Poppenga, Annick Smith and Janet Sullivan.

Art pieces created from past residency experiences are on display at the Summit Nature Center on Big Mountain and at the Hungry Horse Ranger Station. In September, a special showing of all the program’s art pieces, including an evening program to showcase the 2008 program will take place at Flathead Valley Community College in the Arts and Technology Building.

For more information about the Artist-Wilderness-Connection Program, contact Teresa Wenum with the Flathead National Forest at 406-758-5218 or Lucy Smith with Hockaday Museum of Art, 406-755-5268.