Full Description
For many, Charles M. Russell's paintings epitomize life in the West. But in twentieth-century postwar Montana, an avant-garde art movement--Montana Modernism--brewed. Its pioneers--Jessie Wilber, Frances Senska, Bill Stockton, Isabelle Johnson, Robert DeWeese, and Gennie DeWeese--created a community and pedagogy where, in stark contrast to stereotypical romanticized western art and frontier history themes, modernist ideas and art flourished, expanding traditional definitions of Western art.The first book devoted to the topic, Montana Modernists presents stunning artwork and illuminates a little-known art movement. Divided into three sections, Corriel's exploration concentrates on place, teaching/artistic lineage, and community. The isolation, beauty, and complexity of their surrounding landscape served as a backdrop and influenced the lives and art of these ranchers, teachers, and professors. Next, Corriel traces artistic lineages to describe how each arrived at their particular artistic style. Community, the third section, offers a thorough study of their teaching styles, art techniques, and social gatherings to demonstrate how a thriving community of like-minded artists, writers, dancers, musicians, and philosophers opposed the grand narrative of the West, a movement that still resonates in contemporary Montana art.
Contents
PREFACE
1. INTRODUCTION
2. SECTION ONE: PLACE
A Sense of Place: Isabelle Johnson and Bill Stockton
Bill and Isabelle: Working the Land Through Their Art
Bill Stockton's Portrayal of Place
3. SECTION TWO: TEACHING/ARTISTIC LINEAGE
Growing Artists
Educational Lineage
Experiencing Art in the Classroom
Frances and Jessie: Changing Perceptions
The Human Gaze
Making It Personal
Frances Senska: From Her Roots and Back Again
Making Precedes Matching
From Bricks to Ceramic Arts: Archie Bray and Other Characters
4. SECTION THREE: COMMUNITY
Patronage, Art Movements, and the G. I. Bill
The Democratization of Art
Community: Strength in Numbers
Politics and the Politics of Art
Bob and Gennie
Robert DeWeese: Responsibility is the Ability to Respond
Gennie DeWeese: I Paint What I See
5. CONCLUSION
Redefining Western Art in Montana
BIBLIOGRAPHY
