Masters at Play

This year’s Montana Masters show will feature important works by Russell Skull Society Artists.

Even as we’ve entered into a new year, Covid-19 continues to shape the landscape of art events and art happenings. This is also true for this year’s Montana Masters show organized and hosted by Bitterroot Frames out of Victor, Montana, during Western Art Week. While the show will be held at the Heritage Inn Hotel, like in past years and alongside Bitterroot’s sister show Montana Miniatures, the only participating artists will be the Charlie Russell Skull Society artists such as Brent Cotton, Chad Poppleton, Don Oelze and C. Michael Dudash.

C. Michael Dudash, Escape to Robber’s Roost, oil on linen, 30 x 40”

For the first two years, this popular wall-sale show had a huge variety of paintings and sculptural work from a large group of top artists. “However,” says Zach Cheetham, event organizer and Bitterroot Frames co-owner, “the chaos of 2020 and the cancelation of [The Russell auction], we re-geared the Montana Masters show to feature the Skull Society of Artists.” This group of artists is traditionally displayed at the Civic Center where they host The Russell and other events hosted by the C.M. Russell Museum.

“Most of these artists were very happy to have a venue to show their work,” says Cheetham. “I’m also excited to produce this Masters event because of the significant sizes of the pieces from notable artists.”

Brent Cotton, Whitetail Heaven, oil, 20x 30”

Among the notable artists is Cotton, who will be displaying his piece Whitetail Heaven, depicting light streaming through a wooded forest. “This painting was created a few years ago and has been in my personal collection,” says Cotton. I’m an avid outdoorsman and this painting was inspired by days spent in the woods observing and hunting whitetail deer with my longbow.”

Cotton predominantly used a palette knife to capture the texture of the woods and “the feeling of light cascading through the scene,” Cotton adds. He also places a whitetail buck “where the viewer will eventually notice him, but isn’t the first thing your eye gravitates to.”

Another significant Skull Society artist in the show is Dudash, who is displaying Escape to Robber’s Roost, featuring four bank robbers on the run with mules carrying several packs. “I’m known for creating narrative paintings that tell stories of the Old West,” Dudash explains. “Escape to Robber’s Roost is one such painting.”

Don Oelze, Night Song, oil, 38 x 44”. Images courtesy of Montana Masters Collections

While most of his narratives spring from his imagination, they are often based on real events or characters. For instance, Robbers Roost is historically known as an outlaw hideout in southeastern Utah, used by bandits (including Butch Cassidy). “[This] is the destination of these four outlaws,” Dudash explains, “where I’m sure they’ll feel safe while they lie low after a recent heist.”

In addition, Dudash feels that the piece reflects the look and feel of a Frederic Remington painting—“The simple forms of the sky, dirt bank and prairie grass all direct the eye to the main characters,” Dudash says.

While details surrounding the Montana Masters show are subject to change, and there is a possibility of going strictly virtual, the public is encouraged to visit the Bitterroot Frames website, or call for updated information.

Montana Masters
March 17-20, 2021
Heritage Inn, 1700 Fox Farm Road, Great Falls, MT 59404

(406) 363-7693
www.bitterrootframes.com