Martha Swanson shows the process of making SwanWoods' wooden bowls in her home studio near Ovando. After aligning blocks of wood into a square, she then makes circular cuts at a downward angle so the wood turns into several rings where it then develops its bowl shape.
Lori and Maecy Enger paint watercolor feathers as part of Uncorked & Creative Painting Class' first session on Friday Oct. 9 taught by Kris Gullikson at Tamaracks Resort. This is Gullikson's fourth year teaching the class. "The creative expression that you get to see bloom when you're teaching a class is just the most rewarding part," Gullikson said. "It's like watching everybody become a painter."
Diane Whitehead of Ovando stands next to a few of her original oil paintings featured in the Brand Bar Museum during Alpine Artisans' Tour of the Arts. Whitehead has been painting full time for 22 years. She got into painting after her uncle gave her his oil set and some books on how to paint when she was 12.
Angela Williams of Ovando shows off her copper jewelry display as part of the Tour of the Arts in the Brand Bar Museum. She makes earrings, bracelets and necklaces out of her home studio. This is her fourth year participating in the event, but she has been crafting for as long as she can remember.
Jerry and Martha Swanson of SwanWoods present their showroom where they display their collection of wooden hand wash serving ware for sale. Their pieces come in several sizes and are typically made out of ash, cherry and walnut hardwoods. Martha Swanson is a third-generation woodworker taught by her grandfather while Jerry was taught by his hobbyist woodworking father.
Stretching from Seeley Lake to Lincoln, this year's Tour of the Arts sponsored by Alpine Artisans, Inc. was a big draw to the area Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 10-11. While COVID-19 limited the participation of several of the regular artists, this year's Tour featured three new galleries, a new studio and several new artists. There were additional in-person demonstrations including pine needle weaving and watercolor painting at Gallery 83, chainsaw carving at Willow Creek Gallery, Will Kats' wood sculptures at the Grizzly Claw, wool spinning at Lincoln's Heritage House and wooden bowl making at SwanWoods.
"In spite of COVID-19 shadowing our lives, this year's Tour of the Arts had a great turnout, with some studios seeing more visitors this year," wrote Jenny Rohrer, AAI Program Manager, in an email. "It's exciting to see all this new work and experience the wide range of creativity present among us. Each year, the Tour of the Arts offers a rewarding and entertaining way to get to know those creative forces in our community. We look forward to seeing you again next year!"
Reader Comments(0)