I exhibited with the Western Heritage Artists at Western Art Week in Great Falls, Montana recently.  This is an amazing huge undertaking in which the entire city of Great Falls converts into a western art mecca.  People come from all over, and I estimate over 400 artists were displaying their art during this approximately 5 day event.

I was juried into the WHA (Western Heritage Artists) show this year, and had a room at the Holiday Inn in which the beds had been removed, and I was able to showcase my artwork. This is the website for WHA, in which I have a link to my artwork:  http://www.westernheritageartshow.com

I had the opportunity to meet many people, as a vast number of people come from all over for this week.  There were 7 different areas like the Holiday Inn which housed artist displays, as well as downtown.  There were additionally, two very large auctions, bringing in old master works, including some Charlie Russell pieces.

The Western Art Week formed to benefit the Charlie Russell museum, there in Great Falls.  It has grown to include fundraising for numerous charities, and draws people from all over the nation/world.  It was an amazing undertaking, and one in which my husband, Dave, helped me to accomplish.  I hope to do it again next year, so look for me, anyone who is a regular to this show!

In the lobby, each artist had a signature piece, representative of what was on display in their room.  I took my painting of Custer, entitled “Curtains – For the Record”  People who saw that piece identified my painting with the beads, as I also had paintings of trade beads on display in my room.  This painting is about the end of life and the end of a way of life.  The Battle of the Little Bighorn was “Curtains” for Custer and most of his 7th Calvary.  The beads signify the end of the trade; as items such as trade beads were at one point in American history a mutually beneficial currency.  The day of the rendezvous was short-lived.  Along the painting’s right side is a ledger art image of a cavalryman being chased by a Native American, symbolic of the victorious battle, known by the Plains Indians as The Battle of the Greasy Grass.

Bonnie Halsey-Dutton is an artist living and working in the beautiful Black Hills near Spearfish, SD.