Artist combines wood and rocks with light

SEELEY LAKE – Monty's Agate Lamps have been for sale at the Seeley Lake Market since its inception. Howard "Monty" Montgomery has been making and selling lamps made from wood for 25 years. His first lamps didn't include the agate stones.

Monty's son Tom got him started in the lamp making business.

"He would take me out looking for wood for projects," Monty said. "It was something to keep busy."

His product has progressed from lamps made from logs with what is referred to as a "cat face" burl to blue stain boards purchased from Pyramid Lumber Company. Monty cuts boards to create a box for a light that shines through the agate rock, which comes from Brazil. Monty's neighbor Mark Kues helps with the product by silk screening animals onto the agate. This creates a shadow when the light is turned on.

Monty creates full table lamps with night light and smaller simple night lights which are available to purchase.

Along with his lamps, Monty displays and sells Montana Agate his son Bob Montgomery finds near his home in Sidney, Montana.

"Surprisingly, the summer market here doesn't attract a lot of locals," Monty said. "Ninety percent of my sales are from non-local people."

Monty sells his products through vendor events in Hamilton, Helmville, Lincoln and Seeley Lake.

The Seeley Lake Market is held on the lawn behind the Seeley Lake Foundation Building on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. through Labor Day.