Official Guide to Art Week Great Falls, Montana March 15th-19th, 2023
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portfolio PARIS GIBSON SQUARE MUSEUM OF ART portfolio • 43 in Montana's sculpture scene and is one of the founding members of the esteemed Archie Bray Foundation. Another compelling exhibition currently on display is Puzzled Paradise: Ceramic Chronicles by Ken Kohoutek. Kohoutek's work is a vibrant fusion of pop art and storytelling, where ceramic tiles and amorphous vessels serve as canvases for his wildly inventive narratives. His pieces exude a frenetic energy—playfully kitschy yet layered with a thri-store pastiche that invites closer examination. Textile artist Maggy Rozycki Hiltner brings a strikingly tactile dimension to the museum's lineup with three large-scale mural installations, each meticulously craed from quilted, found materials, embroidery, and reclaimed textiles. rough these intricate fabric compositions, Hiltner explores themes of mortality, truth, and environmental responsibility. "And it's all visual, so there are no words telling you what to think or do," says Evans. "ere is just a visual story-scape in a textile mural on the wall." Also on display is Rhythm and Whimsy, a traveling exhibition of small- scale sculptures by Richard Swanson. A celebrated Montana artist based in Helena, Swanson is best known for his monumental outdoor works, but this collection showcases a more intimate side of his cra. "Richard Swanson is kind of a legend in Montana for his large-scale outdoor sculptures," says Evans. is exhibition, however, allows him to experiment with metal on a smaller scale, exploring freer expressions of color, form, and movement. Visitors can also find some of Swanson's large-format permanent installations displayed on the museum grounds. Rounding out the museum's offerings is Folklore and Fanfare, a vibrant collection by Ukrainian artist Janina Myronova. "She makes these beautiful sculptures that are rounded, and they have these bright colors and black lines and interesting shapes that are reminiscent of Eastern European folk art," Evans explains. Myronova's work captures the essence of community, oen depicting people she knows, as well as elements of landscape and wildlife. "It's about friendship, community, day-to-day interaction but all created in sculptural figurative forms," Evans adds. With an impressive range of exhibitions spanning multiple mediums, the Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art offers a dynamic counterpoint to the Western tradition during Western Art Week. e museum provides free admission daily—ensuring there's never a bad time to explore its ever- evolving collection. Maggy Rozycki Hiltner's Installation (2017, Size variable, found quilt, cotton and linen, found and hand-stitched embroidery) is on view through April 13th, 2025, in The Square's Community Gallery alongside two other large works, Superfun(d) and Morningstar. Image courtesy of Paris Gibson Museum of Art