It’s no secret that Montana has an abundance of natural beauty that many Western artists have sought to capture. With popular attractions such as the Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park, Glacier National Park and a varied landscape including awe-inspiring mountains, lakes, great plains and forested regions, it’s no wonder that artists flock to the state for inspiration. 
Beartooth Lake. Courtesy Visit Billings.
Montana contains a rich history of Native American tribes; the Cheyenne, Blackfeet and Assiniboine, to name few, along with the famous Lewis and Clark expedition bringing the first white explorers. This discovery brought the fur trade and, decades later, more people arrived after the discovery of gold. 
Street scene of the arts district in Bozeman, Montana. Courtesy Visit Bozeman.
Many renowned galleries and museums have also made Montana their home, with quite the array of Western treasures. Of these art destinations is the famous C.M. Russell Museum that features more than 3,000 pieces of Western art in a large complex that includes 16 exhibition galleries. While the museum houses an extensive collection of Charles M. Russell’s Western depictions, many of his contemporaries are also displayed as further education on Russell’s art and way of life.
Moving from St. Louis, Missouri, Russell was a staple for Western artists in Montana, paving the way as not only a talented artist, but as an active participant in the Western lifestyle. He worked as a cattle hand, sheep tender and even lived among the Blackfoot Nation. He was set on living the life of a cowboy and this translated into his historic body of work.
Wild Goose Island, Glacier National Park. Courtesy Glacier Country Tourism.
The city of Great Falls, which includes the C.M. Russell, is one of the most popular art destinations in Montana, with a large number of Western inspired events, exhibitions and festivals happening throughout the month of August. This includes popular shows such as the Out West Art Show & Sale, The Russell exhibition and sale and the Great Western Living & Design Show.
Throughout the state are numerous art hubs containing artists who exemplify Montana’s natural beauty, while also furthering the history of the genre of Western art.
Art Cities To Explore
Billings
This is the largest city in Montana and is home to museums such as Yellowstone Art Museum and Yellowstone Western Heritage Center, along with a continually growing downtown art scene with an array of galleries, live street theatre and art studios.
Bozeman
There is an artistic and historical richness to this southern Montana city, full of museums and dozens of art galleries, along with many delightful performing and visual arts that will thrill visitors.
Missoula
Western Montana is home to this city’s bustling arts and culture scene. There are museums and galleries galore, including the Montana Museum of Art & Culture and the Missoula Art Museum.
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Troy Collins, Everything’s About to Change, oil on canvas, 40 x 30"
Troy Collins
Hamilton, MT, (406) 830-0657, www.troycollinsfineart.com
“I feel that I am painting the best that I have as a professional artist and I am excited for collectors to see my newest works,” says landscape and wildlife painter Troy Collins.
“I am proud to be a Montana and a Russell Skull Society artist, who is lucky enough to live in this beautiful state and to be represented by four diverse galleries located across the broad expanse of Montana.”
Troy Collins, Summerland, oil on canvas, 24 x 24"
Troy Collins, Walking Between the Seasons (diptych), oil on canvas, 60 x 96"
Collins newest gallery, A. Banks Gallery, owned by Alissa Hammond, opened earlier this summer at its new location in downtown Missoula, Montana.
“I’m also looking forward to getting back to a new normal,” Collins furthers, “To be able to gather together after a year of isolation, due not only to Covid, but my wife’s cancer diagnosis as well. I’m looking forward to continued healing and turning the corner to a new, brighter time. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, and that is exciting and inspiring to me. It will be wonderful to be able to share my gift in person, once again, with my collectors.”
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Lisa Gleim, A Kodiak Moment, pastel on state maps, 34 x 36"
Lisa Gleim
(770) 919-7719, www.lisagleimfineart.com
Montana scenery and wildlife provide irresistible inspiration for artist Lisa Gleim. The Atlanta native and Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts graduate recounts, “A colleague of my husband’s owned property in Montana and invited us to visit. Within just two days, we had bought a house of our own in Big Sky. Our very best decision ever!”
Gleim’s successful career as a portrait artist allowed her to expand into genres she knew well. Low country landscapes, coastal and marine scenes, and wildlife were quickly noticed by gallerists such as Cheryl Newby and Beverly McNeil, and were highly sought after by collectors. Her portraits of water dogs made an especially big splash. Gleim’s masterful realism style displays her passion for the subjects, while deftly capturing light and its effect on each. 
Lisa Gleim, A Keen Observer, pastel on state maps, 34 x 46"
“I hope viewers will linger and ponder the subjects beyond the particular framed moment.” Her work also earned her signature member status with American Women Artists (AWA), American Society of Marine Artists, Artists for Conservation and other prestigious art associations. One of her first wildlife story narratives, appearing in an AWA exhibition, was acquired by the Booth Western Art Museum for its permanent collection. 
Lisa Gleim, In One Ear Out the Other, pastel on sanded panel, 32 x 34"
“Animal interactions are captivating. Bears especially fascinate me,” Gleim explains. “When asked, ‘Do bears really hang around with birds?’ My answer is ‘yes!’ Now, do bears always take notice? Sometimes, sometimes perhaps not, as in In One Ear Out the Other.”
Her newest wildlife series is set against various ephemera including vintage national park maps and are often flecked with gold leaf. Many of the animals seem to lock eyes with an observer, quite possibly with a nudge to head West.
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Annie Allen Clark, Three Part Harmony, watercolor, acrylic and dyes, 18 x 24"
Annie Allen Clark
Lincoln, MT, (406) 431-9479, sunnybunny60@gmail.com,www.annieallenart.com
Connections to the land and the energy that surrounds it, ignite the art process within Annie Allen Clark. She began her art career 50 years ago on the wild plains of Laredo, Montana. Montana’s diversity of landscape and color palette never failed to inspire. She currently lives in the mountains of Lincoln, Montana, where the abundance of wildlife, birds and fish are captured through painting.
Clark has explored combining watercolor, acrylics, dyes and techniques on varying surfaces including fibers, wood and paper. This allows a rich, diverse tapestry of color to prevail in her work. Water plays a vital role in her compositions by revealing a softness, an energetic quality to the surface she paints on. 
Annie Allen Clark, Calm on the Surface, watercolor, acrylic and dyes, 14 x 8"
Clark has also developed and taught art programs for all age groups centered on using environmental techniques that work with surrounding land, vegetation and water. In addition, she owned and operated a gallery (Roasted) in Lincoln, building a strong foundation for the arts in rural Montana for several years. 
Annie Allen Clark, Angel Falls, watercolor, acrylic and dyes, 20 x 24"
A current endeavor for Clark includes illustrating her first book, titled Undulating La Roux. The book will be released through Farcountry Press and Sweetgrass books in December of 2021.
She currently travels from Montana to Arizona, enjoying the ample opportunities for growth and adventure through the arts. Her work is displayed in several galleries in Montana and in Tubac, Arizona. For more information and purchasing please visit the artist’s website.
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Elizabeth Mordensky, Morning Contemplations, oil finger painting, 24 x 18”
Elizabeth Mordensky
Gardiner, MT, (406) 219-8307, www.elizabethmordenskyfineart.com
Artist Elizabeth Mordensky, finds that small-town Montana is the perfect place for her art practice. Living in Gardiner, Montana, and doubling as a naturalist guide in Yellowstone National Park, allows Mordensky to immerse herself in nature on a daily basis. “I love to watch wildlife go about their natural daily habits,” she says. “It’s in these moments that I learn an animal’s true nature and become inspired to capture their essence on the canvas.”
Elizabeth Mordensky, Legacy of a Mother Bear, oil finger painting, 48 x 72”
Mordensky’s technique of oil finger painting brings texture and life to her work. She strives to highlight the beauty and unique personal character of each subject and believes that wildlife art can have a far-reaching positive impact on protecting the very subjects in her paintings. “My hope is that my wildlife paintings might inspire an even greater appreciation for these magnificent creatures and a desire to take action in the conservation of their natural ranges,” she says.
When collecting wildlife art, Mordensky believes that you should consider both the personality of the subject and the values of the artist. She explains, “You want your new piece of art to make an impact each time you see it, bringing to mind both the life and character of the wild creature, and the hopes of a bright future for their kind in the wild.”
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Kirsten Kainz, William, found objects; iron, brass, wood and antler, 42 x 21 x 24”
Kirsten Kainz
(406) 579-9845, www.kirstenkainz.net
Artist Kirsten Kainz is inspired by the natural world, is energized by gorgeous wide-open places and all the fantastic flora and fauna. The Western landscape in which she lives, feeds her on a daily basis. Kainz paints the serenity and simple energy of these wide-open places and the animals that occupy them.
“When I paint landscapes,” says Kainz, “I want us to be transported into them and I want people to feel the value in being part of such beauty. When I sculpt or paint animals, I am trying to capture the genius of the creatures. I want to steep them in good form, humor and whimsy, and I want people to lose their heart to the animals as completely as I have.”
Kirsten Kainz, Soul Mates, acrylic on canvas, 24 x 24”
Kainz loves using found objects to create her sculptural work, because she enjoys using what is available or “found” because of the many ironies and interesting forms. “I feel it counteracts our current mad, crazy consumer pace,” she furthers. “I hope my works help solidify people’s love and appreciation for nature and that my works stands monument in reminder to respect and care for these extremely valuable aspects of our world.”
When collecting, Kainz believes it’s so wonderful to find a piece of art which speaks to what is important in your heart. “We often see ourselves in a piece of art that did not have voice or is simply so wonderful we should turn up the volume,” she states. “All my pieces are, in a way, spiritual reminders of what I value most in life.” —
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