Over the last two years in my position as the Teaching Artist for the Art Mobile of Montana, I have been delighted to get to know the artist Corky Clairmont. Because he lives nearby in Ronan, I asked him to join me at Polson High School. Even though he was busy setting up for his show at the Missoula Art Museum, which opens on April 6th, he made the time to come and talk to high school students with me.

Most of Corky's work is concerned with the environment, and the piece we have is no exception. The imagery, which includes gummy bears, leaves, spiders, and "Indian Head" pennies and nickels, are symbols of displaced animals and people. The Keystone Pipeline is shown as well, signifying all of the ways humans have negatively impacted the environment. See this piece and more at the Missoula Art Museum throughout the month of April. 

Thanks to Matt Holmes, Polson High School art teacher for inviting the Art Mobile!

Pass Creek School, a one-room north of Belgrade, MT, is one of the special ones. Sidney Rider, the teacher, did something right with these kids. We had the most pleasant time on Friday, March 2, when four of the older kids helped me bring the art in. At some schools you can just feel how the students know how to be good helpers, good listeners, and hard workers. Marla Goodman, the artist who painted "Swing Set Fire," came to visit from Bozeman that day. Her blog post on the experience, found here, nicely captures our pleasant afternoon. 

Better yet, ever wonder what we talk about when visiting a school? Marla took this video of my talk at Pass Creek, made extra special for the very cute kids.