Publisher’s Note: This blog originally published on MakeItMissoula in May, 2013.
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By MONTE DOLACK
Mary Beth Sketching in New Foundland
My wife Mary Beth Percival works mainly in watercolor and has always been passionate about the Montana landscape and it’s dramatic big sky.
She has continually found beauty in the wild places of nature as well as the commonplace views of her own backyard.
Her paintings often celebrate simple pleasures of daily life – sun streaming through a window on a bunch of spring pussy willows or the gathering of a fresh wash from the clothesline.
Our travels in and beyond the Northern Rockies have provided inspiration and adventure, as well as the opportunity of viewing art in many of the world’s great museums. Our most recent art related travels have taken us to England, France, California and New Zealand as well as closer to home in Yellowstone, Glacier Park and the Montana prairies.
Bitterroot Bronze Plaque by Mary Beth Percival
Not many people know that at the turn of the millennium she received a commission from the city to designe bronze plaques of Bitterroot flowers that adorn both sides of the walking areas of the newly constructed Orange Street Bridge in Missoula.
Pansies by Mary Beth Percival
A special exhibition of her work is currently on view at the Monte Dolack Gallery at 139 West Front Street in downtown Missoula. Images of her paintings are also available as limited edition prints, fine art posters and note cards published by Monte Dolack Graphics.
Arnicas and Penstemons by Mary Beth Percival
Living on the Edge by Mary Beth Percival
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A native of Great Falls, Monte Dolack grew up surrounded by the same sweeping vistas and big sky that inspired Charlie Russell. His love of Montana and passion for the West’s diverse landscapes and wildlife are evident in the images he creates and the commissions he undertakes.
His best known early works – wild animals wreaking havoc in human homes – comprise his “Invaders Series,” exploring the myths of the West and how we view our relationship with our environment. The irresistible appeal of these images helped build Monte’s national reputation and continues to attract collectors.
A love of the natural world, combined with his exuberant curiosity and travel experiences, has shaped the content of Monte’s imagery. Blending mythology, technology, and elements from nature and the landscape, his work is infused with a sense of humor and irony.
To see more of Monte Dolack’s artwork, visit his Gallery or check out his newly renovated website.
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