32 • portfolio
Western Heritage Art Show
Footprints on the Trail
By Denise Czuprynski
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Bringing nature to you...
Jerry Simchuk Art Studio
www.simchuk.com • 406.407.5708 • jerry@simchuk.com
Western Heritage Artists @ Holiday Inn - Room 215
ooking for a friendly, welcoming way to experience Western Art Week and
don't know where to start? Make the Western Heritage Art Show: Footprints on
the Trail your basecamp. This event, held at the Holiday Inn, features a variety
of media from more than 60 artists. In addition to photography, paintings,
and sculptures, you'll find woodcarvings as well as works of leather, metal,
batik, and wheat.
Great Falls photographer Doug Worrell, who specializes in Western
landscapes and wildlife, says, "This is a very friendly show. The artists are
outgoing and willing to talk with visitors. The laid-back atmosphere allows me
to work with customers to match a photo with their décor."
Lee Bialczak of Fairfield, who paints Western scenes with pastel on
sandpaper, is making her art accessible to the public by selling some smaller
works and intentionally engaging with visitors. For the first time this year, she will
encourage the public to create art with her. She'll set up an extra easel and
large canvas and invite art lovers to add strokes to a collaborative painting.
She will later frame and exhibit the piece at next year's show.
"A lot of us will be working on a painting during the show," Bialczak says.
"We'll talk to people about what we do. Some are afraid to ask, so we will
welcome them and start a conversation."
Lee Tisch Bialczak
