Lively Times: Bozeman Art Exhibitions

– 5-7 p.m. May 1 at the University Center Gallery; the show runs April 28-May 23, with a lecture at 4:30 p.m. May 1. Call 406-243-4991 for details.

– 5-8 p.m. May 2 in downtown Missoula; art makers mingle with art admirers during the monthly stroll. A sampling of artists and exhibits includes Joshua Meier, whose “oklahoma: Blood and Sky” shows through June 3 at Gallery Saintonge; photographs by Niki Payton and Megan Helm, documenting Missoula’s vibrant music scene, at Forward Montana; “Oil Painters of America – National Exhibition,” featuring more than 200 paintings by artists from throughout the U.S., through June 15 at the Dana Gallery; Potsketch 2008, live and silent auctions of original pencil sketches or paintings on Italian paper by an international cadre of artists at the Clay Studio; Botanical Illustrations, featuring works of students in Nancy Seiler’s class, at the Montana Natural History Center; and an unveiling of “Taurus” and “Equis,” two new limited-edition prints at the Monte Dolack Gallery.

– 7 p.m. May 2 at Missoula Art Museum; Montana artists Sara Mast, Leslie Van Stavern Millar, Shawna Moore and Susanne Truman join two Spokane-area artists May 2-July 19 in a display of contemporary encaustic paintings. “Christopher McElroy: Archetypal Subversion” continues through May 24, with a reception May 2 and an artist talk during the Artini, 7 p.m. May 15; the artist works in diverse media, including glass, electronics and video. “Katy Stone: A Season Swirling (Unfurling),” a dramatic installation inspired by Montana’s landscape and changing seasons, continues through May 31. “Molly Murphy: Reservations Required” is on display through May 24 with biting, edgy works that embrace the rich history of Native American beadwork and the language of contemporary art. “Following the Rhythms of Life: The Ceramic Art of David Shaner” celebrates the legacy of this accomplished studio artist and former director of the Archie Bray Foundation, through June 7. The Willard Alternative School Juried Student Exhibition is on display May 2-Aug. 22. Bev Glueckert teaches two classes: “Relief Collagraph Without a Press,” May 10; and “Beginning Intaglio Printmaking,” May 17. Call 406-728-0447 for details.

– 5-8 p.m. May 2 at Whooping Crones Gallery; from May 2-31, works by these two master watercolorists are on display. Leech (1906-1969) ran art schools in Florida each winter and in Virginia City each summer. Rowland was once a student and later a teacher at Leech’s school. Katherine Rowland’s book, A Painter and His Wife, will be available at the gallery. Michel Colville shows new felted wearable art through the month. Call 406-721-3042 for details.

– 1-4 p.m. May 4 at St. Michael’s Church at the Historical Museum at Fort Missoula; new permanent display at the chapel explores the history of the Sisters of Providence in the area and the opening of St. Patrick Hospital. Through December at the museum, photographs by Lee Silliman document former “boomtowns” around the state where mining and the timber industry once thrived in “Treasure State Remnants: Montana’s Ghost Town Heritage.” “Unintended Consequences: The 1918 Flu and WWI,” which continues through February 2009, explores the consequences of the flu pandemic, especially on soldiers, through newspaper articles, medical documents and photographs. Call 406-728-3476.

– 6-8 p.m. May 10 at the Downtown Dance Collective; artist worked with six dancers of the collective, capturing the essence of their personalities and movement styles. The reception coincides with the grand opening of the dance studio. Call 406-360-8763 for details.

– May 6-Aug. 16 at Montana Museum of Art and Culture, PARTV Building, UM; exhibit, on loan from the Montana Historical Society, offers a cross-section of American painting, including works by Willem de Kooning, Arshile Gorky, Franz Kline and Richard Diebenkorn. Curator Manuela Well-Off-Man discusses “Abstract Expressionism: Innovations and Traditions,” 7 p.m. May 22. Call 406-243-2019.

– through May 9 at UM Gallery of Visual Arts; “on the edge” by Kim and “The Extravaganza Awaits” by Rodriguez are on display. Call 406-243-2813.

– through May 31 at Missoula Public Library; this exhibit provides the opportunity to review and celebrate contributions of gay and lesbian individuals, from writers and filmmakers to political leaders and athletes. Call 406-721-2665.

– through May at Blessed Trinity Parish; Clancy artist Linda McCray shares abstract spiritual paintings.Call 800-923-5537 for details.