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people to see what they are viewing.
… This year will feature all one-of-a-
kind paintings with no repeat showings
from 2016."
To not distract from the main art
displayed, the MTWS show this year ex-
tends to the lobby for sales of smaller
items, Spurgeon tells.
Like other MTWS artists, Spurgeon
says she works to capture what wa-
termedia extends to the creator and
viewer. "Watercolors offer the sponta-
neous and settling mood that no other
media offers. They are dramatically
able to show off the best of design of
any western or contemporary sub-
ject," Spurgeon said.
Featured this year will be several
Signature Members of the Montana
Watercolor Society, which boasts of
200 members state-wide. To become a
Signature Member, a MTWS member is
subject to a jury process and must be
accepted into three national com-
petitions. Each competition is judged
by nationally recognized professional
watercolor artist judges from across
the United States.
Being a Signature Member herself,
Spurgeon says, "All of these people
have gone through the hoops. That
was a goal of mine as a young artist
- to be a Signature member. You are
measuring your work against nationally
known artists."
Paul Tunkis is another Signature
member who is at the Great Falls
show, this year offering a selection of
his Upper Missouri Breaks watercolors
completed during the fall of 2015. The
Bureau of Land Management selected
Tunkis as Artist-in-Residence for the
Upper Missouri Breaks National Monu-
ment, where he says he found "consid-
erable inspiration to an artist like myself
in search of beautiful, awe-inspiring
landscapes and abundant wildlife for
subject matter."
He adds that the stretch of river
in the White Cliffs and downstream
to Hole in the Wall and Burnt Butte
offer familiar and Iconic images of
that National Monument. While there,
he would canoe, hike and camp to
see nature in all times of day and in
all weather. Tunkis says, "I was 'in the
painting', so to speak, in the view
that most travelers seen only from the
water's edge."
Paul completed over 30 paintings
during his Artist-in-Residence; they can
be viewed at www.paultunkis.com.
MONTANA WATER
COLOR SOCEITY
SHOW EVENT
SCHEDULE
Thurs., March 16, 2017
• 6 – 9 p.m.: Display room open
Fri. & Sat., March 17 & 18, 2017
• 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.:
Display room open
Sun., March 19, 2017
• 8 a.m. – noon:
Display room open
La Quinta Inn & Suites,
600 River Drive South
montanawatercolorsociety.org
"Fall's Glory"
Watercolor, Sallie Bowen
"Classic Reflections"
Watercolor, Jessica Glenn
"Raven "
Watercolor, Kiana Fecteau
