Karen Leigh - October - The Purple Pomegranate

The Purple Pomegranate, a fine craft specialty store, is featuring work by Kalispell artist Karen Leigh during the month of October. Inspired primarily by the beauty and spirit of her native Montana as well as travels abroad, Leigh offers original watercolors and commissioned work. Karen states, “Always on the lookout for ‘accidental magnificence’, I am particularly interested in finding beauty in unexpected places and in painting the more intimate details of life around me.”

Karen is a fourth-generation Montanan who has lived in the Flathead Valley since 1970. A graduate of Montana State University, her primary interest has been transparent watercolor. Figures and portraits have recently become important subjects in her work. A full-time painter and signature member of the Montana Watercolor Society, she maintains a studio in the newly renovated Eastside Brick, formerly the local hospital. She also teaches privately and accepts commissions.

Meet Karen during Whitefish Gallery Night, Thursday, October 2, 2008 from 6-9 PM. Karen’s work will be displayed during the opening and throughout the month of October.

September - Marie Brittsan - The Purple Pomegranate

The Purple Pomegranate, a fine craft specialty store, is featuring work by Whitefish artist Marie Brittsan during the month of September. Marie’s bold, expressionistic artwork celebrates life and lifts the spirit. A former watercolorist, Marie uses layers of transparent acrylic glazes and applied texture to bring depth and intensity to her subjects. From abstract to representational, her colorful acrylic paintings carry energy and emotion.

Born and raised by the oceans and canyons in southern California, Marie developed a great love for the natural beauty surrounding her. She has painted since she was a child and the passion for painting has never faded. Marie speaks about her work, “When I am painting, my eyes become open again to the beauty around me. Color, light, shadow, form and energy are everywhere we look, always inspiring creative declaration. Music, emotion and Spirit have color, and I endeavor to capture those expressions in what I paint.”

Samarah Fine Art's September Show

Samarah Fine Art is proud to introduce new and original artwork by Chad Poppleton, Rusti Warner and Rolf Zillmer at their September show. Their pieces will be on display at Samarah throughout the month of September and a celebratory opening reception will take place on Thursday, September 4^th from 6:00PM – 9:00PM, as part of the 2008 Whitefish Gallery Nights. All are welcome to stop by and enjoy a memorable evening of wine and hors d’oeuvres by Ali Caters.

“Chad, Rusti and Rolf have been friends of the gallery for many years. Each of them has a unique style and voice as artists, so this show is a time for us to honor them and to showcase their talent.” Stated Rob Stern, Gallery Owner.

Chad Poppleton is a resident of Cache Valley, Utah, where his interest in art began at an early age. As a child, Chad spent most of his time at his family’s ranch where he was able to study and observe wildlife first hand. His respect for and affinity with nature has had the greatest creative influence on his artwork, and has made his paintings a true refection of his love for animals and the outdoors. Chad’s ability, not only to represent his subjects accurately, but to also capture their character, is what distinguishes Chad as a significant wildlife artist in his own right.

Rusti Warner is a Montana artist who grew up in Havre near several Indian reservations. Her time and friendship with those in the Native American community gave Rusti firsthand insights into the modern American Indian life. It was from this experience that Rusti’s interest in portraiture, artistic anatomy and oil painting began. Today, Rusti’s signature use of tonality infuses her paintings with a moody quality that makes her artwork so movingly sublime and peaceful.

Rolf Zillmer currently lives in Libby, Montana, and comes from a family of fellow artists. After spending the greater part of his life working in the arts, Rolf received an opportunity to photo-illustrate America’s national parks. This exposure to natural beauty refueled Rolf’s passion for painting and shifted his focus exclusively to fine art. Today, living in Montana, with its endless supply of reference material, has given Rolf the ability to develop and sharpen his skill as an acclaimed landscape painter.

August - Dixie Wajdic - The Purple Pomegranate

The Purple Pomegranate, a fine craft specialty store, is featuring work by Lakeside artist Dixie Wajdic during the month of July. Dixie uses the beauty of the Flathead Valley's lakes and mountains to help inspire her to create products which preserve the history of the Old West and Montana's Heritage. These items make great gifts for those who have a home with rustic decor, for those who love the outdoors and for the people who have everything.

The Boundry Line, Dixie’s company, specializes in creating one-of-a-kind wood items using the natural beauty of old juniper and cedar fence posts that have since been replaced. She creates vases, oil lamps, votive candle holders and lamps. Each piece is unique and some even still have moss growing on them. Dixie’s use of old fence posts is certainly a “green” way to create a beautiful work of art that is functional and eye catching.

Dixie’s work will be featured for the full month of July and on Gallery Nights which is August 7, 2008 from 6:00 to 9:00 pm.

Samarah Fine Art

Samarah Fine Art is proud to introduce new and original artwork by Harry Koyama, Charles Davis and Trent Gudmundsen for their August show. Their pieces will be on display at Samarah throughout the month of August and a celebratory opening reception will take place on Thursday, August 7^th from 6:00PM – 9:00PM, as part of the 2008 Whitefish Gallery Nights. All are welcome to stop by and enjoy a memorable evening of wine and hors d’oeuvres by Ali Caters.

This will mark an especially exciting occasion for Samarah, as it will feature pieces from both new artists to the gallery, and from those who have been cornerstones of Samarah's repertoire of western artists for many years.

“Harry Koyama and Charles Davis have been part of the Samarah Fine Art family since 2004,” stated gallery owner Rob Stern. “I have seen Harry’s paintings, with their bold color palette and impressionistic style, continually grow in acclaim and popularity, and the subtle elegance of Charles’ pottery become renowned throughout the state. To witness that kind of momentum and success in two of our artists is a truly exciting thing to see.”

For expressionist oil painter Trent Gudmundsen, this will be his first show with the gallery. Trent’s signature pieces are compelling interior landscapes and romantic portraiture that marry what he feels with the realism in what his sees. The show will highlight some of his latest pieces and will introduce Trent as a new and welcome addition to Samarah’s portfolio of artists.

July - The Purple Pomegranate - Elaine Gutierrez

The Purple Pomegranate, a fine craft specialty store, is featuring work by Whitefish artist Elaine Gutierrez during the month of July. Elaine started sewing 18 years ago when her husband bought her a sewing machine to repair a pair of his jeans. She has since developed many techniques in her exploration of fabric, textiles and fiber art.
As a self taught artist, Elaine uses a mix of appliqué, collage and free motion machine embroidery to create one-of-a-kind wall hangings. Inspired by the natural surroundings of her small ranch north of Whitefish, she often uses her own photographs for themes in her work. Elaine designs outdoor scenes; cutting small pieces of colorful fabric and appliquéing them to develop an intricate landscape. She dyes many of her background fabrics by hand and her palette ranges from earthy to vivid. She is currently moving into a new studio and is looking forward to having her own space to create her fabric collages.

Meet Elaine during Whitefish Gallery Night, Thursday, July 3, 2008 from 6-9 PM. Elaine’s work will be displayed during the opening and throughout the month of July.

Samarah Fine Art's Three Visions of the West Show

Samarah Fine Art will introduce new artwork by acclaimed western artists Rob Stern, Tara Moore

and Robert Krogle for their July show. An opening reception will take place on Thursday, July 3^rd from 6:00PM – 9:00PM as part of the 2008 Whitefish Gallery Nights. Additionally, the gallery will host an onsite painting demonstration by Coeur D’Alene artist Robert Krogle, from 10:00AM – 2:00PM that same day.

Samarah’s “Three Visions of the West” show highlights Stern, Moore and Krogle’s different interpretations of the west’s romance and mystique in their theme and composition. Yet despite their varying executions of the same subject matter, all three exemplify a commonality in their inherit interest and admiration of the cowboy genre. It is this identification with western art that allows all three artists to effectively reach the viewer on an emotional level with their powerful and compelling imagery – making this a truly memorable show.

Samarah Fine Art Celebrates the Artwork of Nicholas Oberling and Jennifer Li

Samarah Fine Art is pleased to announce that they will feature the artwork of husband and wife artists Nicholas Oberling and Jennifer Li throughout the month of June. The gallery will honor these two artists during an opening reception, which will take place on Thursday, June 5^th from 6:00PM – 9:00PM as part of the Whitefish Gallery Nights.

Nicholas Oberling has been a cornerstone Montana Landscape painter in the gallery for several years. With this event, Samarah will showcase many of Nicholas’ latest works, many of which celebrate Montana’s endless natural beauty (see image below).

Nicholas Oberling is a nationally represented artist, but has poured much of his energy and focus into fostering the Flathead Valley’s ever growing art scene. Such efforts include his work as a founding member of the Montana Painters Alliance, his organization and conception of the Big Hole River in Paint fundraiser and his time as an active board member for the Hockaday Museum of Art in Kalispell.

This will be the first time that Samarah Fine Art has had the opportunity to feature the evocative artwork of oil painter Jennifer Li. With a technique inspired by the Dutch Golden Age, Jennifer brings a touch of naturalism into her subjects, giving her pieces a modern and fresh quality that sets them apart from traditional genre paintings (see image below).

Like her husband, Jennifer has been represented in galleries nationwide. The two have been based in Montana for 10 years and currently reside in Kalispell.

MiCasa Pottery

MiCasa Pottery would like to invite you to Gallery Night, May 1st. 2008, featuring unique leather creations by Deborah Hogen. Deborah will be present from 6:00-9:00 p.m. Refreshments will be served and we hope you will be able to join us for a fun evening.

Samarah Fine Art Rings in the Spring Season with Its Local Artist Invitational

Samarah Fine Art will kick off this year’s Whitefish Gallery Nights by hosting its annual “Local Artist Invitational”. This memorable evening is inspired by the incredible artists who are living and producing artwork right here in the community. Featured artists will include Nicholas Oberling, Elizabeth Michelsen-Jonas, Paula Humphreys, Rob Stern, Robert Marceau, Tara Moore, Treg Miller and Charles Davis, to name a few.

“Samarah Fine Art is fortunate to work with some of the area’s most prominent and emerging artists. This show is about honoring their talent and serves as a “thank you” for continuing to amaze us with their truly inspired and beautiful pieces,” stated gallery owner Rob Stern.

All are welcome to experience this very special event which will take place on Thursday, May 1^st from 6:00PM – 9:00PM at Samarah Fine Art, located at 15 Central Avenue. Wine and Hors d’oeuvres by Ali Caterers will be served, and additional parking can be found behind the Library.