By TOM BENSEN
Montana Book Award Reception
Please join Fact & Fiction and The Friends of the Missoula Public Library for the 2015 Montana Book Award Reception. The reception will take place on April 6 from 6:30 – 8:30 PM at Fact & Fiction (220 N Higgins Ave.) The 2015 award winners include:
Lentil Underground: Renegade Farmers and the Future of Food in Americaby Liz Carlisle
Black River by S. M. Hulse
Crossing the Plains with Bruno by Annick Smith
Hawthorn: The Tree That Has Nourished, Healed, and Inspired Through the Agesby Bill Vaughn
Tunnel Vision by Susan Adrian
Last Best Printfest!
The Last Best Printfest is a ZACC annual event brought to you by the ZACC’s Printshop. This Gallery Opening showcases Montana Printmakers who are participating in this year’s Portfolio Exchange based on the theme “Metamorphosis“. We LOVE Printmaking and we want to share the love with you! Also, Montana’s youth printmakers will have their artwork on display in the hallway gallery.
This event is free and open to the public. Please join the ZACC in welcoming this year’s printmakers to the gallery during the grand opening April 8, from 5:30 – 8:30 PM. If you are unable to attend the show, the artworks will be on display in the Main Gallery for the month of April. The ZACC is open Monday through Saturday, 11 AM to 6 PM, located at 235 N. 1st St. W.
An Evening of Jazz & Art
Join Radius Gallery (114 E. Main) for an Evening of Jazz & Art, April 8, from 6 – 8 PM.
Two veteran Montana musicians pour over the standard jazz repertoire in an intimate and exquisite setting of a fine art gallery. Bob Packwood (piano) and MJ Williams(vocals & trombone) have played together for a couple of years in an archaeological discovery of songs they love to play, including a wide range of tunes from the American jazz legacy–compositions by Thelonious Monk, Charles Mingus, Bill Evans, Carla Bley, Ornette Coleman, Duke Ellington and Steve Swallow. Radius will also exhibit Jazz portraits by an internationally recognized wood engraving artist, James G. Todd Jr.
Tickets $10; very limited seating. RSVP by email to Lisa or call 541-7070.
Friendship Force Missoula-Western Montana, April Meeting
The Friendship Force Missoula-Western Montana monthly social meeting will be held April 6, 5:30 PM at Brooks and Browns Bar & Grill. Friendship Force Missoula website.
Theo Ellsworth & Daniel Scott Morris Costume Show at Radius Gallery!
Join Radius Gallery for a supremely fun event in conjunction with Radius Gallery’s show, Last Best Dream: Surrealism, Here & Now. Theo Ellsworth and Daniel Scott Morris will be entertaining us with their unique and highly crafted puppets in a puppet show for our closing reception, talk about going out in Surreal fashion! It will be an evening of handmade, otherworldly monster costumes presented as living installation pieces, so art in action if you will.
The festivities take place Friday, April 15 at 5 PM. Call Radius Gallery at 541-7070 or send an email for more information.
Exclusive Screening: America’s Diplomats
The Montana World Affairs Council announces an exclusive screening of the PBS filmAmerica’s Diplomats will take place on April 12 at 6 PM at the Crystal Theater. The film looks into the challenges faced by American diplomats, such as preventing war, promoting economic interests, and addressing global issues. The film is “visually and narratively attractive, packed with little-known facts and eye-catching clips, the film paints a faithful portrait of the U.S. Foreign Service while fair-mindedly probing a range of issues,” says George F. Paik, a former Political Affairs Officer in the U.S. Foreign Service. Ambassador Mark Johnson (ret.) will introduce the film and answer audience questions regarding diplomacy at the event.
24th Annual Run for the Trees
Missoula’s urban forest needs you! Celebrate National Arbor Month with a fun walk or run along the Riverfront trail system. The 24th annual Run for The Trees is Saturday, April 16, at 10 AM at Silver Park. Enter the 1-mile fun run, 5k run/walk or the 10k race. Proceeds help plant new trees in parks, boulevards and schools.
In honor of Missoula’s 28th consecutive Tree City USA award, all racers receive a free tree seedling to plant and a race t-shirt. Participants are also eligible for race awards and exciting door prizes. Youth 10 and under may run the 1-mile race for free.
Register online at runwildmissoula.org. Late registration, April 2 through April 15, is $25. The race is sponsored by Run Wild Missoula, Parks and Recreation, Republic Services, The Good Food Store and Trees for Missoula.
Art Associates of Missoula, April Meeting
The Art Associates of Missoula monthly meeting will be held Wednesday, April 20, 10 AM in the Education Center of the Missoula Art Museum, 335 N. Pattee Street. Pam Caughey, encaustic and mixed media ‘experimental’ artist will be sharing her art and process!
Art Associates meetings are free and open to the public. For more information, please call Susie at 544-0891.
Upcoming Classes at Zootown Arts Community Center
Tune-Up Tuesdays: April 5, 4 – 6 PM
Get out of garage and into the basement! Stop practicing your music all alone in your house or garage and join a group of like-minded young rockers to jam out together, continue making music, and learning more skills from instructors around. Tune Up Tuesdays are held each Tuesday from 4 – 6 PM during the school year for rockers ages 8 to 16. Much like open gym, your child may show up with their personal instrument or use what is available here at the ZACC. Practice, Rehearse, continue playing with your Rock Camp Band! Tune Up Tuesdays are monitored but don’t necessarily provide additional instruction, it’s time for your child to continue to express themselves with music! $40/$35 for members
FREE Silk-Screening Night: April 8, 5:30 – 7:30 PM
Come in with a blank shirt, tote bag, or scarf and leave with one of the house designs printed anywhere of your choosing! If you get any compliments on your print (which is inevitable) throw some change in the donation jar. No registration necessary-just come on by!
Glass Fusing Orientation Class: April 13, 6 – 8 PM
Ready to learn how to fuse glass? This introductory class will cover the basics of glass-from how the kilning process works to slumping, fusing, mold-making, and glass aftercare. Once you have attended this fun night of glass fusing you’re welcome to come in anytime and work in our Glass Fusing Studio! $20/$15 for members + cost of glass
Please visit ZACC’s website for information about registration.
MCT Kids’ Spring Break Day Camp
If you haven’t made plans yet for your child’s spring break, have no fear! The Missoula Children’s Theatre has limited spots available in its spring day camp production of The Amazing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, April 4 – 10. MCT gives your child a full, fun theatrical experience. Each K-12 kiddo participates in an audition, receives a role in the show, rehearses, acts, sings, dances, and performs on the MCT Center for the Performing Arts stage.
Robinson Crusoe Day Camp runs April 4 – 8, from 9 AM – 4 PM. You choose a Saturday or Sunday performance date when you register at MCTinc.org.
The Amazing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe performances are April 9 and 10 at the MCT Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets are available online or by calling 728-7529; or at MCT’s Box Office.
ZACC Spring Break Day Camps
WILDWALK COSTUME MAKING CAMP
Make a costume for the Missoula WildWalk parade. Learn the art of mask-making and costume assembly. Either make your own or participate in constructing a large scale costume to be carried by the group in the Missoula WildWalk Parade on April 17! This is a Half Day Spring Break Camp, which runs 9 AM – 12 PM, April 4 – 8.
TEEN ROCK CAMP
In this camp, teens will work together through music exploration. Regardless of musical experience, campers will receive instrument instruction, form a band, write an original song, and perform at Family Friendly Friday at the Top Hat Lounge. They will also learn about music history, attend song-writing clinics, talk about stage presence, create flyers for their upcoming show, design a band logo and screen T-shirts, and more. Campers will also get to meet other musicians in Missoula and be exposed to different local bands for lunch-time concerts. Part of the goal of the camp will be to create a safe, welcoming space for boys and girls to recognize their own strengths as well as those from their fellow rockers, build friendships, and find their creative, rocking voice! Spring Break Teen Rock Camp takes place April 4 – 8, from 10 AM – 4 PM. This camp is open to ages 13-17 only!
Register for spring break camps by calling Zootown Arts Community Center at 549-7555.
Cancer, Courage, & Creativity
Living Art of Montana presents the Cancer, Courage & Creativity workshop for anyone who has or has had cancer. It runs Wednesdays through April 13 from 5:30 – 7:30 PM at the Living Art Studio. Call 549-5329, or visit their website by clicking here.
Presentations: Economic Development in Indian Country
The University of Montana Native American Law Students Association will host its annualIndian Law Week, Monday through Friday, April 11 – 15. This year’s theme is “Economic Development in Indian Country.”
During the week NALSA will host lunchtime presentations with speakers who will discuss a variety of topics impacting tribal communities. These sessions will be held from 12 – 1 PM, April 11 – 14, on the UM campus. The Monday and Wednesday presentations will be held in Law Building Room 201, and the Tuesday and Thursday lunch sessions will be held in Law Building Room 101. The discussions are free and open to the public. Click here for more info.
Missoula Art Museum Unveils Two New Exhibitions This Week
MAM will feature Abbie Miller’s talent and creative process in the form of a site-specific installation entitled Exit Strategies. Miller’s installation will draw inspiration from and interact with the large, multi-level space of MAM’s Aresty Gallery. Miller’s unique and honest approach draws equally from her art education and passion for fashion design. Her signature sculptural forms are architectural in scale and express figurative movement. Abbie Miller: Exit Strategieswill be on view April 1 – August 13.
In addition, the Missoula Art Museum is honored to share an exhibit by Portland, OR photographer Holly Andres. Displayed in MAM’s stately Carnegie Gallery, Holly Andres: The Homecoming features photographs selected from three large and several smaller suites of photographs. This exhibition will be on view April 8 – August 20.
Mark your calendars for upcoming events surrounding MAM’s newest exhibitions:
Upcoming Events at MAM:
Artist in Residence: Holly Andres, May 3 – 6
Contemporary Collectors Circle: May 3, 6 – 7 PM
Distinguished Artist Lecture: May 3, 7 PM
First Friday: May 6, 5 – 8 PM
Artist Reception and Gallery Talk: May 6, 7 PM
Saturday + Matt Hamon, June 25, 11 AM
The Missoula Art Museum is always free admission, and is open Tuesday – Saturday from 10 AM – 5 PM. The museum is located at 335 N. Pattee Street.
Thesis Exhibitions by Beth Huhtala and David Tarullo
UM Master of Fine Arts graduate students Beth Huhtala and David Tarullo will present their thesis exhibitions April 12 – 21 in the University of Montana Gallery of Visual Arts. An opening reception for the exhibitions will take place from 5 to 7 PM on Thursday, April 14. The event is free and open to the public.