Harpist Janet Whitesell played "Variations on a Familiar Melody" that everyone recognized as "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star."
Kal Kovatch performed an original song entitled "These Hands." While he has played at funerals, this was the first time he said he received applause for his performance.
Siblings Adin (piano) and Zia Kloetzel (guitar) made their debut performance as a duet at the event playing "Helpless."
Jayla Kauffman received her youth grant to attend the International Music Camp from Dona Aitken. Kauffman also performed at the event.
Humorist Anne Beach told jokes and funny stories while Gary Miller assisted. At one point, Beach questioned if she was getting upstaged by the Laugh sign.
Attendees had many opportunities to bid on the silent auction items.
Terryl Bartlett, Patty Dillree, Chris Flinders & Abram Pocha sang Johnny Cash's "Burning Ring of Fire" acapella.
Ruth Anderson and Ken Barber play "Big Yellow Taxi"
Steve Fraker shared his original cowboy poetry.
SEELEY LAKE – The Alpine Artisans Inc. (AAI) Art Auction and Talent Show Friday, May 6 offered something for every palette. Attendees were able to enjoy and bid on local artists' work while munching on treats and listening to local musicians and poets. All proceeds for the event went to support the AAI student grants, scholarships and outreach activities.
AAI Vice President Dona Aitken conceived the idea for the event as a replacement for Wine and Chocolate.
"The concept for this event was to present, encourage and support - indeed 'applaud' both literally and figuratively - our own local musicians, poets, thespians, comedians and visual artists of all ages, while at the same time raising funds to sustain AAI's programs that are designed to inspire, encourage and support our young people to pursue their interests in the arts," wrote Aitken in an email to the Pathfinder.
Aitken was very pleased and even overwhelmed by the success of AAI's first attempt at organizing an event to showcase the communities' talents.
"We, at AAI, are extremely grateful to the performers who had the courage and generosity to step forward to entertain us, and to the visual artists and artisans who generously donated and displayed their work at this event (from the silent auction items to the student artwork on the walls), as well as to the 'culinary' artists who donated their edible creations," wrote Aitken. "We have an impressive amount of talent of all sorts in the communities of the Seeley -Swan and Blackfoot Valleys and it was wonderful to have a chance to expose, see, hear and really enjoy a small fraction of it last night."
Aitken announced this year's recipients of the AAI Ruth Korn Memorial Scholarship and three youth grants. Morgan Barker from Lincoln High School received the scholarship for $500. She will be attending the Northwest College of Art and Design in Poulsbo, Wash. to pursue her passion for drawing.
Hailey Jones, a fourth grader at Potomac school, loves to act. She said she just feels right when she is on the stage. She will be attending the Missoula Children's Theatre.
Jayla Kauffman, an eighth grader at Swan Valley School, received a grant to help with travel costs to attend International Music Camp this summer. Kauffman sings and plays the trombone.
Zia Kloetzel, from Ovando and freshman at Hellgate High School, received a grant for the second year to attend the Montana Fiddle Camp.
"What a fantastic night!" wrote AAI Past President Kris Gullikson in an email to the Pathfinder. "It was so nice to see neighbors from the outlying communities attend. The support for our local talent really shone through and I'm safe to say AAI will be doing this again!"
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