Page 41 - Flathead Beacon // 11.5.14

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
NOVEMBER 5, 2014| 41
“I was thinking, ‘How do you de- scribe what’s going on right now?’ and bittersweet’s the exact word,” Stika said.
The project began three years ago as part of a fundraising effort for Stump- town Art Studio, a nonprofit organiza- tion in Whitefish. Melanie Drown, exec- utive director at the studio, said the goal was to get the project to pay for itself, while also establishing a $10,000 fund for maintenance and to help with the studio’s Art with a Heart program.
Art with a Heart seeks to bring art to the underserved population in the Flat- head, such as assisted living facilities, and provide specialized training for the instructors who work with children and adults who have autism.
“We’ve got about $4,000 left to go,” Drown said. “So we are hitting the streets, trying to drum up sponsorships.”
Any business or individual who do- nates $500 or more will get a handmade tile with their business logo or name on it, which will go on permanent display next to the spring panel.
The panels depict Whitefish’s his- tory and its connection to the seasons through popular activities. Each one is created by community members who have taken the mosaicking class from Stika; the community even brings their own odds and ends to add to the mosaics.
“The mementos include everything from conductor’s keys for the train to Winter Carnival pins from the kings and queens,” Stika said.
The final window will feature some
Amy Mow, center, and Deb Stika work on a design for the fourth and final installment for the Windows on Whitefish mosaic project. GREG LINDSTROM | FLATHEAD BEACON
“THE MEMENTOS INCLUDE EVERYTHING FROM CONDUCTOR’S KEYS FOR THE TRAIN TO WINTER CARNIVAL PINS FROM THE KINGS AND QUEENS.” Deb Stika, Artistic Director
of them followed through and came to work on the murals.
“I have made some long-time friends, and other people meeting other people and having that connection - it’s like a club,” she said. “It’s a community.”
Upcoming mosaic classes will take place on Nov. 10, Dec. 1, and Dec. 11, and free community sessions working on the panels will happen in both months.
The artists who have worked on the project are invested in it, she said, and they take pride where they’ve placed their time and talent.
“Art is such a big part of the Flat- head Valley and when you can rally with members of your artistic tribe, it’s really a great feeling,” Stika said. “We give each other confidence.”
Drown said the winter panel will likely be finished up some time in Janu- ary, and will be unveiled in the spring. Until then, anyone who wants to con- tribute to the fund is welcome to do so, and can still get a tile on the wall with the panels.
Aside from fundraising, Drown said the WOW project has been an unmiti- gated success from a community art standpoint.
“Even if it doesn’t make us much money, I think it’s worth the effort that we put into it,” Drown said.
For more information on the Stump- town Art Studio and the Windows on Whitefish project, visit www.stump- townartstudio.org or call 406-862-5929.
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of the city’s most iconic winter scenery, with the annual holiday decorations – including a snowflake, a bell, and a snow- man – and pieces of the historic Winter Carnival, such as a skier being pulled by
a horse during a skijoring competition. Stika said it has been rewarding to work with the public on a project of this magnitude. Hundreds of people have come to learn how to mosaic, and many
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