avatarErie Astin

Summary

The article "Art on Wild Montana Streets" explores the unique forms of street art found in Montana, ranging from sculptures to an iron mural, challenging the notion that street art is confined to urban environments.

Abstract

The piece by Erie Astin, featured in the August monthly challenge for Globetrotters, delves into the unexpected presence of street art in Montana. Despite initial doubts about the existence of street art in such a rural setting, Astin discovers a variety of public artworks that embody the spirit of Montana, including sculptures of bears, sasquatches, and frontier figures, as well as an iron mural and Smokey Bear fire danger signs. These artworks not only cater to the expectations of tourists but also reflect the resilience and character of the local communities, such as the people of Noxon, who proudly declare their town as more than a "one-horse town" through a metal carving. The article emphasizes the symbiotic relationship between street art and tourism, suggesting that these art forms contribute to the rugged image of Montana that visitors seek.

Opinions

  • The author initially believed Montana's wilderness lacked street art but was pleasantly surprised to find a variety of sculptures and murals that qualify as such.
  • The sculptures, particularly those related to ice cream and frontier themes, are seen as a fun and recurring motif in Montana's street art scene.
  • Smokey Bear, while often associated with public service announcements, is recognized as a form of street art due to his creative depiction and widespread presence on the streets of Montana towns.
  • The art in Noxon, particularly the metal carving, is celebrated as an expression of local pride and resilience, despite the town's location in one of the poorest counties in the nation.
  • The article suggests that street art in Montana plays a role in promoting the state's rugged image to tourists, aligning with their expectations and enhancing the visitor experience.
  • The author expresses admiration for the street art found in Montana, describing it as quirky, rustic, and beautiful, and intends to continue seeking out and appreciating these artistic expressions.

Art on Wild Montana Streets

Sculptures, an iron mural, and Smokey Bear

Wooden sculpture of frontier woman holding an ice cream float. Photo © Erie Astin.

When I first heard that the August monthly challenge for Globetrotters is Street Art, I thought I’d have nothing to offer. After all, I live in the wilds of Montana, where there’s no street art or graffiti of any kind.

But is that statement true? As I began to look through my photos from the past year, I found that street art blossoms in Montana.

Take sculpture, for example. I love this big fat bear that squats in front of the general store in West Glacier:

Big bear, West Glacier, Montana. Photo © Erie Astin.

Zooming out a bit, his surroundings look like this. Not exactly a traditional venue for street art, but cool nonetheless:

West Glacier General Store. Photo © Erie Astin.

Then there are the hilarious sculptures along the highway in Hungry Horse (yes, that’s the name of a real town). A sasquatch and a grizzly bear offer frightening photo ops for tourists who stop at the ice cream and gift ship:

Sculptures in Hungry Horse, Montana. Photos © Erie Astin.

Sculptures connected to ice cream turn out to be a fun theme. Here a frontiersman and woman eat their frozen treats in beautiful Seeley Lake:

Frontier people eating ice cream. Photos © Erie Astin.

This art appears not far from the lake itself, which draws thousands of tourists per year. I’m sensing another theme here: street art and tourism. The art projects the rugged image of Montana that visitors expect to see.

Seeley Lake, Montana. Photo © Erie Astin.

If you want rugged Montana, go no further than Smokey Bear. For those of us used to seeing him, it may be hard to think of the Forest Service’s stylized bear as street art. He seems simply to be part of a public service announcement.

But Smokey is clearly artwork. He is creatively depicted and his image appears on the streets of nearly every Montana town. Definitely a different kind of street art than you’ll see in big cities!

Smokey Bear fire danger sign in Noxon, Montana. Photo © Erie Astin.

I particularly like this piece of street art from Noxon, up the road from my hometown in my own county, Sanders, which is one of the poorest counties in the nation.

The people of Noxon aren’t about to let that fact get them down! As the art (metal carving bolted onto the wall) says, “Noxon is more than a one-horse town.”

Street art in Noxon, Montana. Photo © Erie Astin.

As I’ve come to realize, the beat of street art pulses everywhere. I’ll be on the lookout for more Montana art. It’s quirky, rustic, and beautiful.

Thanks for reading, and thank you to the editors at Globetrotters (JoAnn Ryan, Anne Bonfert, Jillian Amatt — Artistic Voyages, Adrienne Beaumont, Michele Maize).

Jillian Amatt - Artistic Voyages shows us some fantastic examples of street art, including some you may never have thought of:

Erika Burkhalter’s photos are artworks in themselves, inspiring me to improve my own photography skills:

Travel
Monthly Challenge
Globetrotter
Photography
Street Art
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