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Hello from Helena! I am happy to share The Wild Women of Montana, a series that brings Montana’s bold women of the Wild West to life. After months of digging into their stories, painting, and discovering all these incredible details, the collection is finally here. Each portrait captures a piece of Montana’s past, from fearless businesswomen to trailblazing activists. Along the way, I got to attend some amazing talks at the Holter Art Museum and the Montana Historical Society. One of my favorite moments was hearing about two mid-century artists who spent their lives here in the mountains, creating pottery and prints inspired by nature. Their work and love of life resonated with me as I painted these portraits. I also had a fun encounter while painting Dorothy Baker’s portrait downtown. An older gentleman stopped by, and when I told him who I was painting, he lit up—turns out his dad owned the lumber company back in the day. As a 13 year old, he would make deliveries to Dorothy’s place during the big remodel. He shared how she was a big tipper; one delivery to “The Rooms” could equal an entire week’s pay. Moments like these make me feel so excited about this project, and I can’t wait to see where it leads me next. All the paintings are now live on my website, and if you’re in Helena, you can catch the collection in person! It’s debuting at the Holter Art Museum in a group show starting November 8th, running through the end of the year. The other half of the series will be displayed at Margie’s Vintage for the big Art Walk event on November 8th. There are a couple more surprise paintings in progress to share with you next Friday. Come check it out in person, or explore the collection online—I’d love for you to experience the spirit of these incredible women! Katy
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