Billings Artwalk offers lively mix for the holidays

Published: November 29, 2010

"Parts Run" by Dan Burns, whose works are
on display at the Carriage House.

More than two-dozen galleries and businesses will be festively decorated for the Billings Artwalk, 5-9 p.m. Dec. 3. Entertainment, refreshments, original art and special events are on tap. The Fun Express Bus begins its two-hour tour of the galleries at the Good Earth Market at 5 and 7 p.m. and at Level 504 at 6:30 p.m.

Strollers who answer questions on the front of the Artwalk map and leave it a gallery will be eligible for Christmas gifts from participating galleries.

Big Top Studio & Gallery will host Billings native Kirk Peterson, who studied photography under the late Peter Whitson Warren at MSU-B. Peterson will show “Epitome,” a collection of large-format black and white photographs depicting portraits, objects and scenes from life.

CTA will feature works by painter, Ev Bergeron. “I work exclusively in watercolors and love their luminosity and spontaneity,” says the artist – a native Montanan who earned her BFA from MSU Billings.

Eve Bergeron's paintings are on display at CTA.

The Good Earth Market showcases works by Candace Forrette in the Apple Gallery Dec. 3-Jan. 29. Her exhibit, titled “An Equality of Being,” moves from the concrete to the abstract, from a simple ceramic bowl to circles, arcs, and to the illusionary depth of encaustic stardust. “A simple bowl of sustenance. We share this need with everyone, with everyone’s children,” says the artist, a native of South Dakota and director of Global Village.

The market also hosts an art and crafts fair on Friday and Saturday.

Local community volunteers and non-profit organizations have decorated a tree for every room of the landmark Moss Mansion, inspired by this year’s theme of “Christmas Around the World.” Stained-glass artist Arlo Thomas and photographer Kendra Bruget are featured artists at this new Artwalk stop. The gift shop will also be open.

Victoria Franck Wetsch will present live demonstrations of the ancient Egyptian technique of encaustic painting from 5-9 p.m. at Barjon’s. Also known as “hot wax painting,” the encaustic process represents an innovative art movement invented by the ancient Egyptians, the original beekeepers.

A sampling of other offerings includes photographs by Dan Armstrong and miniatures by Rabbit and Allen Knows His Gun at Q's Art and Frame; new works by Diana Mysse, Barbara Butler, Greg Eiselein and Robert Tompkins at Purple Sage Gallery; paintings by Diana Buckley, Lodgepole John and Kevin Red Star at Cline Fine Art of Montana in The Arcade; paintings by Ryan Brown and Nathaniel Salazar at The Rex in a show titled “Love Sick”; works by Larry Blackwood, Tina DeWeese Lisa Ernst and Gerald Kindsfather at Jens Gallery and Design in a show titled “Winter Grace”; and "Christmas Cars," featuring paintings by Dan Burns, at the Carriage House.

For more details, visit www.artwalkbillings.com or call 406-259-6563.