Arts-Entertainment
The 2nd Annual Mentor + Mentee Connections Art Exhibition opens April 21st and runs through May 16th at the Livingston Center for Art and Culture. The exhibition examines the creative relationships that shape artistic work across generations and communities. Featuring mentors and mentees, teachers and students, peers, and collaborative partners, the show highlights how guidance, shared inquiry, and mutual support contribute to both individual growth and collective artistic development.
The exhibit is curated by Hilary Honadel. “As guest curator and participating artist, I’ve been thinking about how artists are shaped by lived experience. My earliest memory of art is not in a gallery, but in a tipi in Missoula at a raku firing led by artist and educator Professor Beth Lo. I was about four years old, there with my stepfather, Matthew Campbell, as part of his class. I remember the heat, smoke, and the quiet change of objects in fire, while baby piglets pressed their cold feet against my stomach because I had tucked them into my shirt. It was my first experience of art as something communal and physical.
Growing up in Havre, where access to galleries was limited, my understanding of art came from home. My mother’s collection taught me how to see. My stepfather’s metal work showed me art as a way of life. My father also shaped this foundation. Together, these early experiences formed how I understand art today. In this exhibition, I work alongside my stepfather, Matthew Campbell, in an ongoing dialogue through our work.”
Connections will be on display from April 21st to May 16th. The public will have the opportunity to meet participating mentors and mentees at a reception on May 1st from 6 to 8 pm. For more information about exhibitions and classes, contact the Center at (406) 222-5222 or visit http://www.livingstoncenter.org/.