Pottery made by artist Danielle Kucera that will be for sale during the ArtWalk at the Classic Car and Art Show on August 2nd at 2111 Montana Ave. (Courtesy photo)
This year marks the ArtWalk in Downtown Billings’ 25th Anniversary Season, formed in 1994 when “a group of visionary folks created a recurring event that highlighted the ever-growing community of artists and art galleries in downtown Billings.” This year their website lists 32 venues for people to go see top-notch fine arts and crafts for sale in addition to opportunities to make your own art, family activities, gallery talks, dance, live street theatre, and interactive events for everyone to enjoy. Event hosts include galleries, art studios, businesses, a church, non-profit entities, professional offices, and other locations that value the creative spirit that thrives in downtown Billings. The event will be held Friday, August 2nd from 5-9pm.
The ArtWalk website lists three “loops” of venues for patrons to travel around: the Uptown Loop with venues like Barjon’s Books, hosting the family of artists Inkronicity, and First Congregational Church, hosting watercolor painter Greg Hogan who will also give a talk at 7pm; the Skypoint Loop hosting things like the Free Spirit Rock School Band at Hooligan’s and the Montana Gallery which will be showing the work of the “young guns” of the contemporary west art scene; and the Historic Loop with places including Harry Koyama Fine Art, where Koyama will be showing his well-renowned impressionist and abstract creations, and Kucera Scale Station which will be hosting their annual Classic Car and Art Show.
In speaking with Danielle Kucera, who is putting on the Classic Car and Art Show at 2111 Montana Ave., she said that proceeds from certain artists’ pieces at their show will be going to pay medical costs for Betina Johnson, one of their featured artists who will soon be undergoing stem cell transplant in the near future. “Not only is the entire ArtWalk a great opportunity for artists to have their work seen and for the people of Billings to see the crazy amount of great art coming out of this city,” says Kucera, “this year it’s also an opportunity for us to use it to help a really good person take care of her needed medical expenses.”
The ArtWalk doesn’t cancel their events for rain, thunder, or hailstorms in the summer or during blizzards and below zero temperatures in the winter. After this August’s event, the ArtWalk will have more events on the first Fridays of October, December, and February. Make sure to get out and go see the amazing art that this city has to offer, you won’t leave disappointed and may even find your new favorite piece of art.
