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Home My WebLink About08-06-26 Correspondence - MT Arts Council - ARTeries_ News from the Montana Arts Council for Early August 2026From:Montana Arts CouncilTo:Bozeman Public CommentSubject:[EXTERNAL]ARTeries: News from the Montana Arts Council for Early August 2026Date:Thursday, August 6, 2026 3:14:37 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. The latest from Montana's state arts agency ARTeries - The Lifeblood of Arts In Montana White Divider Clouds and bright rainbow above winding stretch of road in rural Montana. There's a pot of gold to find at the end of every road in Montana, like this winding stretch that's located right near... Go explore. Walt Whitman says every moment of light and dark is a miracle (see below). I think just about every square foot of Montana is a miracle, is sacred ground, is the foundation of our hope and wonder. All of art—poetry, theater, paintings, ceramic art’s astonishing marriage of mud and color—is our response to the immensity of beauty and wonder that life holds. And its accompanying grief and rage. It’s all too much. Just as Montana explodes with grandeur and grace, our hearts explode with all our complicated responses. That immensity, mixed with the discipline of the day laborer, is what makes art. Summer is fleeting, life is short, art is everywhere. Take some time this week to feed your soul. And thank you for your good work. Krys Holmes Executive Director krys.holmes@mt.gov Queen of her own next chapter: Kristin Han Burgoyne retires, after serving the Montana Arts Council for 27 years. Play ball, good friend. FAREWELL This week we bid a heartfelt farewell to Kristin Han Burgoyne, who has held every position there is at MAC over the past 27 years—and held a few of your hands through challenging grant applications. Kristin is excellence on wheels: smart, funny, dedicated, knowledgeable, a wee bit sarcastic, and extravagantly fun to work with. We send her out to pasture with a mix of thankfulness and rue. Who will buy the snacks? Who will keep MAC organized and laughing? We are all so grateful to this excellent woman for her many gifts, her years of good work, and her ongoing friendship. News Six new honorees will join the 2024 class of Governor's Arts Award recipients this December. You should join us too! Six distinguished Montanans working in the arts have been recognized with the state’s highest honor, exemplifying excellence the visual, performing, literary, and traditional arts. The Governor’s Arts Awards, presented in the Governor’s name and administered by the Montana Arts Council, recognize outstanding Montana citizens and organizations whose achievements in the arts, or on behalf of the arts, benefit all Montanans. This year’s recipients will be honored in a ceremony at the State Capitol in Helena on December 3. The 2026 Governor’s Arts Award recipients are: Rock Star Jeff Ament of Missoula Landscape Painter Clyde Aspevig of Bozeman Stained Glass Artist David Fjeld of Bozeman Ceramicist Sarah Jaeger of Helena Baroque and Classical Violinist Carrie Krause of Bozeman Western Engraver Diane Scalese of Big Sandy Learn more about the Governor's Arts Awards here. "One Robe" book over white background. The Whole Country Was…One Robe, in full color hard-bound format, now available from Montana Historical Society Press, and at your local independent bookstores statewide. Little Shell book launch event Maybe you’ve been unwilling to shell out $700 for an out-of-print copy of Nicholas Vrooman’s Little Shell Tribal history, The Whole Country Was…One Robe. Now, in a cool partnership with Drumlummon Institute, Montana Historical Society Press has re- issued the book in glorious hard-cover format. If you’re in Helena Thurs. August 20th, come to a book launch party at the Montana Heritage Center, 5:30-7:30 pm. The Little Shell story is one of the most important (and little recognized) through-lines of Montana’s history. Drumlummon Institute is a tiny publishing house of Montana literature that you might not know about—so come meet those folks, too. Free & open to the public. More info here. Petala Ironcloud in New York City. Courtesy photo Petala Ironcloud. Grants support Indigenous artists Petala Ironcloud, a member of the Fort Peck Assinsiboine & Sioux Tribe and now a writer in New York, has been awarded a 2026 LIFT grant from the Native Arts + Cultures Foundation. The LIFT program supports emerging Native artists across the U.S. in the creation and development of new projects. We encourage Indigenous artists of all genres in Montana to check out NA+CF programs and grants, lifting up Native talent everywhere. "Light Breaking Shadow," by Bozeman painter Erin Jones Graf. Rep. Troy Downing recognized Erin for embodying the “spirit of arts, culture, and literature in our state.” Congressional delegates honor Montana artists In a program of the Montana 250th Commission, Montana’s Congressional delegation honored a handful of artists for their significant contributions to society: sculptor Jay Contway (1935-2019), painter David Graham (b. 1982), painter Brent Cotton (b. 1972), and painter Erin Graf (b. 1982). In addition to individual artists, the entire staff of the Montana Historical Society was also honored for their work creating the new Montana Heritage Center. Recognition for all these recipients was read into the Congressional Record. Because you can’t celebrate America without art. Good Things A purple, gold, and white vase with floral designs by Joanna Barker A vase poured by Joanna Barker's husband, which she then hand-painted. The Governor's Arts Awards are coming. Let's check in with a past honoree It’s been 25 years since Joanna Barker received the Governor's Arts Award for her work painting on porcelain and china, but she still recalls that the awards ceremony was a special occasion. It was certainly well-deserved, given her dedication to preserving and sharing the craft. “My husband and I traveled all across the states teaching at schools and conventions," Joanna recalls. "And judging at fairs and China shows. We met many people from Montana; they always had good comments about Montana, and we felt like ambassadors.” Joanna's Governor's Arts Award medallion alongside her work and publications at the WOCP Museum. Joanna's still teaching through her weekly classes, and she's now been painting for 50 years. Nevertheless, she still considers herself a student as well. "To me, it is an ever-learning experience." Joanna donated her Governor's Arts Award medallion and some of her work to the World Organization of China Painters museum in Oklahoma. Visit it here: Porcelain Art Museum White Divider Get State of the Arts in your mailbox, inbox...or right from the source at our Helena office. Newest State of the Arts newspaper out now Keep up on news, ideas, and people in the arts world across Montana. It’s free, statewide, and fun to read. You can subscribe here to get one in your mailbox. Or stop by and grab one out of our iconic news stand, designed by B.T. Livermore of Butte. Subscribe Now! Cool Quotes “To me every hour of the light and dark is a miracle. Every cubic inch of space is a miracle.” –Walt Whitman Rectangular horizontal shape in red-purple color Manage Subscriptions | Unsubscribe All | Help Montana Arts Council | 830 N. Warren Street | Helena, MT 59601 | art.mt.gov This email was sent to comments@bozeman.net using Granicus Communications Cloud on behalf of: MontanaArts Council