Hockaday opens 'Glacier Reflections' Thursday

The Hockaday Museum of Art’s newest exhibition celebrates living legacy artists, each of whom devoted a lifetime to painting Glacier National Park, and opens with a reception Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m.

“Glacier Reflections: A Retrospective” will be on display from June 29 through Sept. 9 and is curated by Karen Leigh, a watercolor painter and longtime adjunct professor at Flathead Valley Community College. Featured artists include Corinne Lundgren, Marsha Davis and Darlene Morgan.

Lundgren is one of the founders of the museum, which opened in 1969, and she has played a key role in the Flathead Valley’s arts culture. She has painted in Glacier Park for more than 50 years.

Davis is an accomplished plein air painter. Her love of Montana has led to numerous road trips exploring the vast state, and she too has painted in Glacier for many years.

Morgan is the daughter of Merle Fisk Olson, who was a renowned sculptor and painter of the park. Morgan’s ink wash paintings have been influenced by the Blackfeet of East Glacier and her love of portraiture.

Each of these artists has inspired other contemporary artists in the park. “Glacier Reflections” complements another exhibit, “A Timeless Legacy: Women Artists of Glacier National Park,” which runs Aug. 15 through Sept. 23. “A Timeless Legacy” showcases the works of 28 of the nation’s top women artists with pieces reflecting the beauty of the park, including its wildlife, indigenous cultures and early visitors.

The Hockaday Museum of Art is located in the cultural district of downtown Kalispell at 302 Second Ave. E. It is housed in a 1904 Carnegie Library building that appears on the National Register of Historic Places. The Museum is a private nonprofit organization, open year-round, Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission to the museum is $5 for adults, $4 for seniors, $2 for college students and free for kindergarten, elementary and high school students. Museum members are also admitted free of charge.

The mission of the Hockaday is to enrich the cultural life of the community and region, and preserve the artistic legacy of Montana and Glacier National Park. For more information, visit www.hockadaymuseum.org or call 406-755-5268.