Official Guide to Art Week Great Falls, Montana March 15th-19th, 2023
Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1219974
50 • portfolio Kira Fercho Art Show Time-Honored Western Pieces with a Contemporary Flair kira fercho art show CELTIC COWBOY Darkhorse Wine Hall & Snug 116 1st Avenue South Kira Fercho Art Show B March 18-21 10am-10pm By Holly Matkin old, jewel-toned paintings, rustic rocker- cowgirl leather goods, and vintage Native American jewelry are stealing the spotlight at this year's 12th annual Kira Fercho Art Show. Located downstairs in the Darkhorse Hall and Wine Snug at the Celtic Cowboy Pub and Restaurant, this show is an eclectic blend of classic western style and contemporary technique. As a modern impressionistic oil painter, Fercho creates captivating Montana-inspired pieces replete with thick, impasto textures and creamy, bold hues. "The surface value is every bit as important to the composition as the actual painting itself," Fercho says. "I believe that the texture is the emotion behind the piece." One such piece, entitled "Medicine Man," will be included in the 2020 Russell auction. "It' a world-class museum in my home state," she says of her 11th consecutive contribution to the auction, which benefits the C.M. Russell Museum. "It is always so much fun!" The high plains have a special place in Fercho's heart and are often reflected in her work. "Everyone loves the mountains of the West, but not everyone gets to really experience and appreciate the prairies and badlands," says Fercho, who was born and raised in Shepherd. "As someone who grew up in this environment, the high plains have equal grandeur and dramatic beauty and maybe even more gradation in color – so much material to work with." Fercho's boldly beautiful artwork is currently on display in six national galleries and two museums, and is the sole focus of her gallery in Big Sky. She also loves merging art and women's fashion, and is currently working with the iconic Stetson and Karman companies to design a painting that will be used to create women's boots. She does not allow any prints of her work, so the pieces available at this year's show will truly be one-of-a-kind. In addition to her original paintings, Fercho will also have high-quality,