Lively Times: Billings Art Exhibitions

– 6-9 p.m. May 2 in downtown Great Falls; explore the Electric City’s array of eclectic artspots. Call 406-761-7156 for details.

– 5-9 p.m. May 2 at Gallery 16; the Mahns – parents Carol and Gene, son Phil and grandson Clay – share weavings, woodworking, pottery and paintings through June. From May 7-14, Dennis Storrusten of Dennis Signs presents his new painting, “Cruisin’ the Drag,” with a special showing during the car show May 10. Call 406-453-6103 for details.

– opening May 8 at the C.M. Russell Museum; throughout the summer, the 23 members of the Montana Painter’s Alliance share original landscape paintings, many inspired by paint-outs in Charlie Russell Country. The show and sale features field studies painted on-site as well as paintings developed in the studio from those studies. See the new show during Charlie’s Friends at 5, a free get-together from 5-7 p.m. May 15. Along with four permanent galleries, dedicated to Russell’s artistic evolution, charming and humorous notes to friends and neighbors are back on display in “Your Friend CM Russell: The C.M. Russell Museum Collection of Illustrated Letters.” A new gallery showcases works by three generations of Seltzers; and 40 paintings by Browning artist Gary Schildt depict the Blackfeet Medicine Lodge Ceremony, known as the Sun Dance. Call 406-727-8787 for details.

– 5-7 p.m. May 22 at the Great Falls Public Library; through June, the 10-member Thursday Morning Artists’ Group shares an eclectic mix of art. The Hope and Opportunity Photography Exhibit showcases photography from Montana’s homestead era. Call 406-453-0349 for details.

– through May at A. Hooker’s Gallery; Vasser’s converted auto parts take on new life as stunning sculptures of metal and fused glass. Call 406-761-7156 for details.

– 5:30-7:30 p.m. May 30 at Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art; in “Free Rein,” the two Billings artists share a common love for and diverse approaches to equine subjects, through Aug. 2. They discuss their works during the reception, which also highlights the Ad Club Scholarship Exhibition, on display May 23-June 28. Also through June 28, “Tom Ferris: Details from the Road” features two series of photographs – one focusing on common roadside objects and the other on junked vehicles. Other new exhibits include “Bill Stockton: Retrospective,” featuring paintings and drawings by one of Montana’s leading modernists, May 30-Sept. 13; and “Rudi Dietrich: Echoes,” with enigmatic photographs by the former Montana State University professor, May 30-Aug. 9. The Great Falls Public Schools Student Exhibition fills galleries through May 17, while faculty members share their creative efforts May 23-Aug. 2. Also through May 17: “Culture Theory: Steven Young Lee” features recent ceramic work by the new resident director of the Archie Bray Foundation in Helena; and “Quench: Lea Zoltowski” showcases ceramic sculptures by the MSU-Billings instructor. Call 406-727-8255.

– through June 27 at Cool Beans Coffee Pub; Carol Spurgeon shares paintings inspired by the cultures of Asia, India, Africa and the Philippines. Call 406-454-8860 for details.

– through Sept. 30 at The History Museum; exhibit shares stories and memorabilia from many of the original families that settled along the Rocky Mountain Front. Call 406-452-3462 for details.

– through fall at the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center; ongoing exhibit features 12 panels that portray the lives of William Clark of the Corps of Discovery and David Thompson of the Northwest Fur Company – the two most remarkable cartographers of their time. Call 406-727-8733 for details.

– 5-7 p.m. May 3 at Lewistown Art Center; from May 3-31, artists from throughout central Montana create lampshades, window shades, sun glasses and umbrellas in honor of Pink Ribbon Month. Also on display May 3-31 is the annual Montana Watercolor Society Open Show, with a reception 5-7 p.m. May 17. The center offers a Mother’s Day Keepsake Collage Workshop May 3. Call 406-535-8278.

– 7-10 p.m. May 10 at Liberty Village Arts Center in Chester; from May 10-31, artist shows landscape paintings of the Northern Rockies in “Northern Light.” Call 406-759-5652 for details.

– April 27-June 12 at the Museum of the Plains Indian in Browning; Troy DeRoche, a native of the Blackfeet Reservation, shares his handcrafted works. Call 406-338-2230 for details.