VIRGINIA CITY — Twelve artists from across Montana are setting up at the Virginia City Community Center for a reimagined version of an art show that has been running for 50 years.
Watch here Virigina City Arts Show reimagined:
The Virginia City Arts Show is moving indoors this year, a shift organizers say elevates the experience for both artists and visitors.
"The Virginia City Arts Show has actually been going on for 50 years, and this is sort of a new imagining of the show. We used to have it all outside, and this time we brought it indoors and elevated the experience," organizer Sheri Jarvis said.
Jarvis is a local artist who has been working to build a thriving visual arts scene in Virginia City. She says the event is coordinated by Virginia City Arts, which is also part of the Virginia City Schoolhouse Foundation. The organization is part of a larger vision that includes creating a cultural center and refurbishing the historic schoolhouse in town.
"It's gonna be a big party. We're gonna have food and a bar, and you know, people can come and hangout, and celebrate art together, which is a gift," Jarvis said.
Among the artists joining the show is Lynn Cain, a graphite artist from Townsend and Eureka best known for his hyper-realistic depictions of Montana's wild animals. Cain says Virginia City is a natural fit for an art show.
"Artists tell stories, and Virginia City is about stories. You know, it's romantic... So, you know, there's a lot to draw from ... no pun intended," Cain said.
Cain also reflected on what art can offer visitors beyond aesthetics.
"There's things to be learned. A piece of art tells a story, and you just have to have enough imagination to decide what the story is, and it might be different from what the artist even thought," Cain said.
Oil painter Michele Kapor, who grew up in eastern Montana and now lives in Hamilton, is also participating. Kapor has been a professional artist for five decades and has shown work across the nation. She is known for her landscape work, though her ranch upbringing occasionally makes its way onto the canvas.
"I grew up on a ranch in Montana, so I throw a cattle drive in once in a while, and I do have some cows with me this time, I think," Kapor said.
Kapor said she was glad to be part of the show and sees it as an opportunity to support the community's cultural goals.
"I felt privileged to be invited, and I thought, 'Oh! A new audience!' It's always good to have a new audience, and if it helps them get a cultural center and refurbish the old building, then we're happy to help,'" Kapor said.
Sponsored in part by local businesses and a grant from the Montana Department of Commerce, the event gives the town a boost as tourism season slows down.
The show runs three days and includes live music, food, and drinks from local businesses, and a live painting experience on Saturday evening.
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