Open AIR is proud to present Euphoria Starts Now, a dynamic group exhibition showcasing new work from 25 artists who participated in the 2024 Open AIR Artist-in-Residence program. During their residencies, artists engage deeply with the environment, culture, history, and daily life of their sites, leading to immersive and transformative creative experiences.

Euphoria Starts Now is a testament to the power of artistic exploration and the meaningful connections formed through Open AIR’s residency program. This exhibition invites the public to experience the diverse perspectives and creative expressions that emerge when artists immerse themselves in place and community.

Selected works:

Missoula Butterfly House and Insectarium

Samuel Fisch

“During my time at the Missoula Butterfly House and Insectarium, I spent a lot of time with the butterflies and studying the color refraction of their wings under a microscope. The striking and subtle beauty of these amazing animals is incredibly inspiring.”

Emerge
Acrylic on Burlap

See Me, Don’t
Acrylic on Burlap

Morpho
Acrylic on Burlap

Butte, Hungry Hill Art Center

Manette Bradford

“This work is the result of a few influences, primarily my research during the residency of the massive, perpetual environmental impact of mining and smelting operations in Butte and Anaconda on fish and other wildlife in and around the Clark Fork River system. Another primary influence was the psychological impression that contemplating the monstrous scale of the Berkeley Pit made during our tour of the Berkeley Pit on the second day of orientation.”

Hydra 2
ceramic, acrylic and wood

Our Lady
stoneware, watercolor, acrylic, and wood

Clark Fork Coalition

Lane Chapman

“This piece was influenced by the historical amount of mining contamination in the Upper Clark Fork River Valley from the copper mining in Butte and Anaconda. The river was contaminated over 100 years ago and caused (and still causes) harm to riparian ecosystems. The imagery of the herons and plants was inspired by the birds and plant life I saw during my residency.”

CuxSy (Copper Sulfides)
Stoneware, glaze, wire, copper, acrylic

Indicators
stoneware, glaze, acrylic paint

Travelers Rest State Park

Stephen Glueckert

“I continue to work on mixed media assemblage. The residency helped reinforce my instincts of working with various materials and never abandoning the story and narrative as a source of material.”

Adam And Eve Did Not Have Navels
Mixed Media

“Hell Pig was inspired by the Daeodon creature's jaw bone that is on display at MNHC. It has a wild set of teeth and many different ideas about what the creature looked like. It also has the amazing nickname of 'Hell Pig'! My first intention was to make it natural colors with lots of wiry hair, but once it was back in my studio it just screamed out for more color and texture. I kept the crazy teeth and built out from there. As with most of my creatures, it is definitely not a terrorising beast, but a most benevolent one.”

Montana Natural History Center

Melissa Thompson

Hell Pig
glass mosaic, plaster, wood, wire

“I had the opportunity to visit different wetlands during my residency, but one that left a lasting impression was McGee Meadow, a fen in Glacier National Park. McGee Meadow is a pristine example of a sedge-filled fen, bordered by evergreen trees. The sedges form a dense mat that floats above the water, creating an illusion of solid ground. Towards the center, the mat begins to thin, opening into a pond—an area where any hiker needs to watch their step! Near the pond’s edge, I was excited to witness multiple Brush-tipped Emerald dragonflies patrolling the water. Brush-tipped Emeralds are a species of concern in Montana, so their presence here was a promising sign of a healthy ecosystem. Scattered among the sedges, I found some small orchids that I later learned were Hooded Ladies' Tresses. Further out, as I explored, I startled a Wilson’s Snipe from the water.

Fens hold a subtle beauty that I am particularly drawn to. They are important habitats for breeding birds, rare plants, and insects, and I wanted to capture my memory of that day and the unique wildlife that fens support.”