Distinctly Montana Magazine

D I S T I N C T L Y M O N T A N A M A G A Z I N E • S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 62 Artists of the Blackft Valley T HE ARTISTS OF THE BLACKFOOT VALLEY ARE AS DIVERSE AND VARIED AS THE LAND THAT ANCHORS THEM. Charles Geary, an artist-metalsmith; Annie Allen, a painter working with her homemade dyes; and Michael Brown, with his perfect pencil art, all bring their distinct styles and personalities into their work. ANNIE ALLEN PAINTER, ART INSTRUCTOR ANNIE ALLEN ART, LINCOLN One of Annie Allen's favorite words is verve and it suits her. Vigor and spirit flow through her and her work. She is an artist and an art instructor who teaches "Life is story; tell your story." She grew up a farm/ranch kid from Laredo, just outside of Havre, but art was always in her blood. "I do what I do because I couldn't not do it," says Annie. "My mother told me that I came out drawing." She drew her first piece at three, a giraffe, and she hasn't stopped since. She obtained a BA in education and an AA in art marketing, then taught art in the Lincoln school system for twelve years. When she decided to stop teaching to focus on her art, she opened a gallery, Roasted, in Lincoln. Roasted at one point displayed the work of eighty-three artists. When asked where the name Roasted came from she said, "I loved the sensa- tion of warmth beyond the name: tied to roasted coffee beans and a well-devel- oped art piece that was roasted to perfection!" "My process has changed over the years. It's pure experiment. There's more confidence. My story comes out on the canvas. And, I worry less about sales." She uses dyes and acrylic on different surfaces such as metal, canvas, wood, even buffalo skulls. "Surface is really important to me. It allows freedom and expression. And, I make my own dyes. This is unique to who I am." Her handmade dyes are earth-friendly and vibrant. She sells her work at Tubac Arts & Crafts in Tubac, Arizona, and at "places that honor the way I create freedom and expression." She also gravitates to art centers. Big Fork Cultural Center and Livingston Arts Center are two of her favorites. She's had solo shows and group exhibits at both. Big Fork Cultural Center presented a fiber installation that Annie based on moun- tains and water. She'll teach a children's workshop at the Livingston Arts Center this summer. At her studio in Lincoln she teaches adults and children Thursday-Sunday. Her classes are popular and fill up quickly. She limits class size to five students until the summer when she can expand her classroom outside. She is also a coach for the Montana Ar- trepreneur Program (MAP), www.art.mt.gov/ map, where artists can learn to market their work, increasing their sales and making business success a priority. Annie completed the MAP course in 2005. She credits MAP with giving her the confidence to open her art gallery. "The program was life-changing for me. It gave me verve and I bloomed." Her goal is to keep the verve going. Making a difference through the arts is huge for her. She feels the arts and artists are expanding in the Blackfoot Valley. Her advice to other artists is to "find your story." Find out more about Annie Allen at www.annieallenart.com, 406-431-9479, sunnybunny60@gmail.com. by LEE YORK

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