Artistic License: Monte Dolack

Monte DolackA 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.

 

Mary Beth Percival: Missoula Painter in the Medium of Watercolor

By MONTE DOLACK - My wife Mary Beth Percival works mainly in watercolor... more

If Charlie Russell Painted Missile Silos

By MONTE DOLACK- What if Montana’s famous cowboy artist, Charlie Russ... more

Monte Dolack: Color, Light and Landscape

By MONTE DOLACK-After many years of painting with both oils and acrylic... more

Monte Dolack: Art and Travel

By MONTE DOLACK-Sometimes you don’t have to travel far for a change of scene. Traveling, even close to home sheds new light, not only on the eye but into the mind and heart as well. ... more

Monte Dolack: Painting On Location

By MONTE DOLACK-As a first year student at Montana State, I remember a painting and drawing class I had in the spring of 1969 that included a field trip away from the stuffy classroom.... more

Monte Dolack: Nature of Art

By MONTE DOLACK-My personal creative and restorative touchstone to nature is not far from our Missoula home. It is The Crown of the Continent ecosystem and the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex. ... more

Monte Dolack: Magic Light

By MONTE DOLACK - Evening. Morning. In the gloaming when the light is soft and low. Magic light is painter’s light. It's known as the magic hour when the sun is near or below the horizon.... more

Getting Started

By MONTE DOLACK - Getting started on new works of art is a challenge. I am just preparing the studio for a series of new paintings. This is an exciting and scary time. What will my next painting look like? ... more

Commissions, Collaborations, and the Workshop Life

By MONTE DOLACK - As a maker of paintings I am constantly thinking about images and concepts I want to create. Some of them have been put off for years and others have just come to light.... more

Mary Beth Percival: Missoula Painter in the Medium of Watercolor

By MONTE DOLACK - My wife Mary Beth Percival works mainly in watercolor and has always been passionate about the Montana landscape and it’s dramatic big sky. A special exhibition of her work is currently on v... more

Under the Southern Cross-Monte Dolack Travels to New Zealand

By MONTE DOLACK - I recently traveled with my wife and fellow artist Mary Beth Percival to the other side of the world on tour of New Zealand. Here's what we discovered...... more

Dolack Gallery Celebrates Its Twenty Year Anniversary

By MONTE DOLACK - We opened our gallery on Front Street in Downtown Missoula in the summer of 1993 and will have been there for 20 years this June. Hard to believe!... more