Blackfoot Pathways: Sculpture in the Wild returns for fifth year

LINCOLN - The fifth anniversary of Blackfoot Pathways: Sculpture in the Wild this September promises to elevate further the surprising art park in this small mountain community.

In addition to playing host to renowned sculptors Cornelia Konrads and Kate Hunt who will be working on new installations in the 26-acre sculpture park on the eastern edge of town, visitors and residents will be treated to an eclectic range of musical concerts curated by Composer-in-Residence Adele O'Dwyer.

Visitors are welcome throughout the three-week residencies to observe and, possibly on occasion lend a hand, to the artists. Folks who visited during last year's residencies will recall the work of sculptor Patrick Dougherty with his small army of volunteers, "weaving" some 13 tons of willow saplings into the "Tree Circus," which has taken its place alongside the historic Teepee Burner as an iconic centerpiece of the park.

Events planned during the residencies start with continuing work by the artists throughout their Sept. 10-29 residencies. (See "This Year's Artists" below).

The artists' mission is to respond to the environmental and industrial heritage of the Blackfoot River Valley in the creation of their large-scale sculpture installations. They will also present scheduled talks describing their work during the residency program. (see "Artist Talks" below).

BPSW music

Music played a role in all the earlier residencies, but there will be much more this year thanks to the residency of composer and cellist Adele O'Dwyer.

She has curated a series of concerts that will feature musical genres including classical, jazz, folk, original music and song. All the concerts - including three lunchtime performances on Wednesdays (Sept. 12, 19 and 26) during the residencies - will be in the Lincoln Community Hall. The 40-minute lunchtime concerts will begin at 12:30 p.m.

On the evening of Sept. 27 the Lincoln Youth Concert will feature the children of the Lincoln School Choir. Starting at 7 p.m. the program will include work prepared as part of the Sculpture in the Wild Montana-Ireland Song Exchange and Collaborative Composition Project, as well as a performance by the school band. On display in the hall that evening will be a gallery of artworks, writings and mural panels inspired by the exchange project.

The Closing Concert at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 28 - the night before the launch of the new sculptures - will feature the premiere of a specially written, commissioned composition by O'Dwyer for voice and piano quartet. The song cycle incorporates the poetry of native American poets Victor Charlo and Heather Cahoon.

The "Festival in the Wild"

A weekend of sculpture park activities including tours and music events is planned for Sept. 22 and 23.

On the evening of Saturday, Sept. 22, the Café Music Night concert featuring pianist Phil Aaberg, singer/song writer Pan Morigan, Adele O'Dwyer and the BPSW piano quartet is already is sold out.

Sunday, Sept. 23 will showcase a concert by Pan Morigan and Friends at 3 p.m. in the Lincoln Community Hall.

Roger Treece, a multiple Grammy winner, said of the singer-songwriter-violinist Morigan, "Her song forms, when appreciated as they should be, will catalyze the next branch of evolutionary development in song-writing. Actually, I think if she was world famous, people would be raving about how amazing and truly unique her songs are."

Sculpture launch

The official launch of the new BPSW sculpture installations will be Saturday, Sept. 29. The public is invited to meet with artists Cornelia Konrads, Kate Hunt and Anne Yoncha in the TeePee Burner at 2 p.m. and proceed to the new sculpture installations.

After the launch, music will be provided in the Teepee Burner by Steve Gores and Friends.

Artist-in-residence talks

• Yoncha will explain her unique work Thursday, Sept. 13 at 6 p.m., starting at the Teepee Burner in the park.

• Konrads and Hunt will present artist talks starting at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 18, at the Montanan Steakhouse in the heart of Lincoln.

• O'Dwyer will have no formal "talk," as such, but her performance style always includes conversational descriptions of the featured works and artists.

More detailed information about this year's sculptors and composer and their work as well as a schedule for this year's residencies can be found at the BPSW website, sculptureinthewild.com.