Distinctly Montana Magazine

Distinctly Montana Fall 2016

Distinctly Montana Magazine

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W W W. D I S T I N C T LY M O N TA NA . C O M 55 "With those colorless wolf 's eyes, the hate and courage in her dried-apple face, I realized I'd found a model I should never duplicate, and I spent about 5 hours of precious painting time trying to win her….as she would SPIT ON ME, every time I approached." Eventually, the old woman, Mrs. Weasel Head, consented to pose for her portrait, so long as Lochrie herself would sit on a pile of manure while she painted. Elizabeth Davey Lochrie agreed. An artist renowned for her incisive portraits of Na- tive Americans, Lochrie was no ordinary banker's wife. She did not hesitate to make her way alone into hostile situations. She considered the work she was doing to be of real importance. Elizabeth Davey Lochrie was born in Deer Lodge, Montana, in 1890. Her father, Frank Davey, was the city engineer; her mother, Mary ("May"), raised four chil- dren and was active in the genteel society of the town. Davey's upbringing was unconventional. Her parents were open-minded for their time. She was raised to ride bareback almost as soon as she could walk, and she was taught all the outdoor skills befitting a frontier boyhood. Her parents exposed her to art and music. Crucially, they also encouraged her fascination with the commu- nity of Cree Indians who had an encampment near their home. ey allowed her to play among their teepees and learn their sign language. It was an unusual childhood for Elizabeth Davey. en, when she was only 12, Frank Davey was unexpectedly murdered. He had been repri- manding a local teenager for swearing in front of ladies; the boy, who was drunk, killed him. Elizabeth Davey's mother was obliged to support the family by teaching in Butte. She was often away from her young children. She nonetheless ensured that they received a good education. Davey was able to take I N 1942, A PROSPEROUS BUTTE BANKER'S WIFE NAMED ELIZABETH DAVEY LOCHRIE PULLED HER HANDSOME CADILLAC INTO A REMOTE INDIAN CAMPSITE. Emerging from her car into the "smelly dog and fly infested swamp," Lochrie was wearing the incongruous jodhpurs and riding boots that were the approved outdoor gear for ladies of her class. Lochrie spied a remarkable-looking old Native American woman: "Personally, I have all my life been drawn to Indians…" Elizabeth Lochrie By JENNIFER LI Photos Courtesy of HOCKADAY MUSEUM and BRIAN EKLUND E L I Z A B E T H D AV E Y L O C H R I E W O M A N A L O N E I N H E R WAY

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