Great Falls, Mt

June 2, 2012

We arrived at Great Falls, Mt, and proceeded to go on a buying frenzy. Its not just that things are cheaper here but with no sales tax its a good place to stock up. Jim and Nancy showed up and Nancy treated us to a great vegetarian lasagna!
The plan was to leave today and cross into Canada but the weather forecast is for the passage of a strong front and so we will wait till tomorrow. Its hard to sit still when I want to be on the road but I don't relish driving with 30-40 mph sideways wind gusts so sit we will. Maybe we will catch a movie.
However, instead of a movie we decided to go to the Charles Russell Museum. Without going into a big explanation it was a good choice for an extra day in Great Falls. Jim and Nancy had also wanted to see the museum so we headed off to an afternoon of art.

The museum is a real gem and Great Falls should be proud of this place. As Charles Russell was a western artist the themes were right up our alley. You could see his development and the museum did a nice job of explaining the growth and impacts on his style. Other western artists were displayed and I was especially moved by the portraits of members of the Blackfeet tribe.
We had some excitement as Renita accidentally set off an alarm but no guards rushed in and I was relieved that she hadn't been arrested. Molly and I would have missed her while we were in Alaska.

The center is really three buildings and after the main gallery we were able to visit the artists studio.An impressive timber rattler skin hung on a wall and it simply dwarfed the small prairie rattlers we have in Wyoming.
It was a nice day, a nice time with friends, and it so made me want to grind rock and wrap it with wire. I guess that's what art museums are for to awaken the artist in us all. Clear skies