A Local Art Center and So Much More (8/7/23)

One of the places that Bob and I had read about to visit is the Emerson Center for the Arts and Culture. We headed there today before running some errands. The center is housed in the former Emerson School, named after Ralph Waldo Emerson. The building was constructed from 1918 to 1920, to serve as an elementary and junior high school. It ceased being used as a public school building in 1992.

However, the center continues its educational focus by expanding the community’s exposure, understanding, and engagement in the arts not only through exhibits of local artists ‘ work, but also providing a space for artist studios, a theater, music instruction spaces, design studios, classrooms, and shops.

There were three exhibits at the center. The first was a photography exhibit by Matthew Hamon, a Montana-based freelance photographer. This set of photographs focuses on capturing the myths of the West.

The second exhibit was titled Barns, Bovines, and Botanicals, by Shari Chandler, a Bozeman, MT resident since 2017. Her paintings were much more lighthearted than the photographs, and the title of the exhibit was accurate.

The third exhibit was titled Flat Lens by Jennifer Combe, an associate professor of art at the University of Montana. She states that her artistic work explores cultural constructs around gender and mothering, ability and schooling. She distills her understanding of an experience into simple geometric shapes.

In addition to the exhibits, we just enjoyed walking around the first two floors of the building, looking at the art on offer in the shop as well as others on display.