Exhibition to Focus on Art’s Historic and Contemporary Relationship with Glacier National Park

The work of more than 20 artists will go on display later this month as the Hockaday Museum of Art opens an annual exhibition featuring a combination of contemporary art, loaned works, and artifacts, all of which are in some way connected to Glacier National Park.

“A Timeless Legacy: Artists of Glacier, Past & Present,” has been a feature at the Hockaday for eight years, and the upcoming version will be its seventh iteration.

“I wanted to really reignite the historic aspect of it,” said Alyssa Cordova, the Hockaday’s executive director. “I think this is just really going to be a well-rounded exhibition that highlights the art of Glacier, but is also going to give context to visitors with some really fun and interesting artifacts.”

Cordova said that some of the items used in the exhibition come from Glacier National Park’s own collection, including an old stereograph complete with unique black and white photos of scientists hiking on glaciers. One of the more eclectic items that will be on display is a full 1930s band costume that used to be worn during marches in St. Paul, Minnesota, aimed at promoting the Great Northern Railway and Glacier National Park.

Amid those artifacts will be works from a host of featured artists including Nancy Dunlop Cawdrey, Carol Cooke, Francesca Droll, Michelle Grant, Bonnie Zahn Griffith, Julie Jeppsen, John Hughes, Shanna Kunz, Erica Neumann, Gini Ogle, Mark Ogle and Sally Vannoy. From the Hockaday’s permanent collection will be works from John Fery, Linda Tippetts, Linda Wilder, Winold Reiss, T.J. Hileman, Krystii Melaine, Ace Powell, Lucy Van Slyck, Leonard Lopp, Joe de Yong and Charlie Fritz.

The exhibit opens Aug. 27 with a celebration at the Hockaday from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. that will start off with a panel discussion involving artists, Glacier National Park staff, and the exhibit’s original curators Tabby Ivy and Denny Kellogg. As Cordova explained, art has been intertwined with the history of the park, in part because of its role in bringing tourists to visit at a time when photographs were rare.

 “The Great Northern really relied on artists, and their panting to capture the feel, the allure, the grandiosity of the park,” Cordova said.

However, that connection between artists and the park isn’t confined to the past.

“The park is an endless source of inspiration for historic and contemporary artists,” she added.

 “A Timeless Legacy,” will be on display until Oct. 29. The opening celebration on Aug. 27 will include smaller works for sale, drinks, and live music. Admission is $10 per person, but is free for members. Tickets can be reserved by emailing [email protected] or by calling 406-755-5268.

 Looking at what the Hockaday has planned in the coming weeks, Cordova noted that the museum’s annual “Plein Air Glacier: Paint Out” event will take place in September, which will mark a first for the museum.

“It’s usually in June, but we decided to move it to fall to ensure that Going-to-the-Sun [Road] was still open for artists, and also artists were asking for a little bit of a different season for their color palette,” Cordova said.

The paint out and canvas stamping for the outdoor painting event will take place from Sept. 6 through Sept. 13, followed by a preview party and sale on Sept. 17, and an online exhibition and sale from Sept. 17 through Oct. 15.