Open Air Artist Residencies Offer Chance to Blend Art, Science
Four artists are spending October at the Flathead Lake Biological Station drawing inspiration from the land and work done by researchers
By Micah Drew
On a crisp fall Friday, Sophia Hart was seated cross-legged along the edge of a dock in Yellow Bay. With the sun pouring down just over her shoulder, Hart gazed back toward the buildings of the Flathead Lake Biological Station (FLBS) dotting the shore and, brushstroke by brushstroke, conveyed the sight onto a page in her sketchbook.
Scattered along the dock and shoreline were several other painters, taking part in a plein air painting workshop led by Hart. Painting “en plein air,” meaning “in open air” in French, describes art works completed outside in a single session. It was the first chance for Hart to share some of her artistry with the local community during her month-long Artist-in-Residence program at the Bio Station through Open AIR, a nonprofit program from Western Montana Creative Initiatives.
“You can’t beat this location for a studio,” Hart said, taking a break from her painting. “I’ve been getting all around the grounds of the Bio Station, picking a different spot each day as inspiration.”
Open AIR was founded in 2019 by Missoula-based artist Stoney Samsoe, who wanted to “bolster the role of the arts and interdisciplinary conversations in Montana.” The program offers three seasonal residencies each year with artists placed in a dozen historical or environmentally focused locations around western Montana for up to six weeks.
Hart is one of four Open AIR artists-in-residence placed at the FLBS. The Bio Station is also hosting Kelsie Leonard, a printmaker from Halifax, Mass., Polson singer/songwriter Kate Mostad and Maria Uhase, a painter from Wadsworth, Ohio.
The artists began their residency on Sept. 30 and will wrap up at the end of the month.
“Every time I get to do a studio visit and see what our artists are doing, I get a little jealous,” Open AIR program director Kelli Sinner said. “The Bio Station is a great example of the place-based connections we want our artists to experience. The staff and scientists go out of their way to let the artists participate and it really informs their work.”
Hart has a background in environmental and science-focused art and is a member of the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators. She fully immersed herself in the art-science connection offered at the Bio Station from day one. She’s accompanied biologists doing aquatic invasive species sampling, joined field researchers processing Northern Saw-whet Owls and learned about how the Nyack Floodplain is monitored.
“I’m inspired a lot by the natural world and by plants and animals so it’s really valuable for me to be able to learn hands on kind of stuff,” Hart said. “I didn’t go to school for science, so it’s just incredible to be here as an art resident and still get to join in and be included in these kinds of research opportunities.”
In addition to her scientific outings, Hart has made time for a daily plein air watercolor session. She’s captured landscapes along the shores of Flathead Lake, clusters of mushrooms hidden among more vibrant foliage and pathways meandering through the forest.
“It’s so valuable to be able to have a designated time to work, I wouldn’t be able to do this if I was still at home,” Hart said. “For me, just being able to focus on creating a body of work based on the experience itself and this space is a privilege.”
On Oct. 21, Hart and her fellow artists-in-residence will present a conference celebrating the overlap between art and science at the Bio Station. The conference will include nature walks, musical performances, artist talks and more.
Hart will share a portion of a project on aquatic invasive species she’s begun sketching and painting after spending time on the water with researchers.
“There’s something special about seeing the natural world in action, and then being able to paint it later. It adds a deeper connection to my art,” Hart said. “For example, I don’t think there’s anything like witnessing how a turtle walks or sticks out its neck in person — that kind of experience really informs my artwork.”
“Everything I paint, I want to know as much about it as possible. I find an extra layer of reverence in it that way,” she added. “As an artist, being able to translate what you see, even in a little mushroom painting, adds a layer to the piece that is specific to the eye of the person who experienced it. There’s so much to learn from all those unique viewpoints and different human experiences.”
To learn more about Open AIR, visit www.openairmt.org or follow them on Instagram @openairmt. To register for “Inquiry: A Day of Art and Science” on Oct. 21, visit https://form.jotform.com/222776519861063