Distinctly Montana Magazine

D I S T I N C T LY M O N TA N A • S U M M E R 2 0 1 8 76 F O R T H E L o v e O F . . . ANOTHER OUTSTANDING MONTANA NONPROFIT. A R T M O B I L E O F M O N TA N A B R I N G I N G A R T T O T H E P E O P L E by TESS FAHLGREN MISSION Art Mobile of Montana, the only program of its kind in Montana, is a statewide service offering interactive presentations of curated ex- hibits, quality hands-on art lessons, and teacher education. is program educates through art about the diversity of the human experience, culture, practices, customs, and history and provides opportunities for youth and adults to participate together in arts-learning through and about art. e exhibit, which changes ev- ery year, is comprised of 25-30 contemporary Montana visual artists' works and is accom- panied with presentations by the artists and resources for teachers about teaching art. BACKGROUND Eighteen years ago, Director of the Art Mobile of Montana, Sara Colburn taught art education at the Uni- versity of Montana-Dillon. As she taught the next generation of educators, she thought about the importance of access to fine art. Youth exposed to art develop skills difficult to develop from other sources. Instead of hoping Montanans would make it to the nearest art gallery or museum, a big ask for much of the rural population, Colburn thought she could bring the art to the people. is is what sparked the creation of the Art Mobile of Montana. After taking art to a pilot project of nine rural schools, the program grew to cover the state. For six years Sara traveled to more and more schools, community centers and events. She developed a system in which schools could request a visit, and she would drive to them. Since 2000, the Art Mobile of Montana has served anywhere from 50 to 85 schools in a year. Now, Sara takes care of the business end of the program, writing for grants to support Art Mobile's activities, and the teaching artists (TA's) drive the Art Mobile van around the state, and teach. HOW IT WORKS At each school the Teaching Assistant not only sets up all 30 works of art on portable wooden walls, but gives a presentation about the art, leading an interactive discussion. Art Mobile exhibits include examples of art from a wide variety of the many cultures in Montana. Native American artworks comprise one-third of our annual exhibits. We solicit art each year and select a wide variety of styles and techniques. Students look forward to the art making sessions that usually take place after the presentations are over. Each year Art Mobile teaches several different art lessons, each CONTACT INFORMATION: www.artmobilemontana.org artmobilemt1@gmail.com 406-217-4418 Instagram: @artmobilemt facebook.com/artmobilemontana Magritte's Leftovers, photo by Larry Blackwood of Bozeman Kelsey Dzintars, Bozeman, holds Into the Narrows: Deer Creek Falls

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