Northern prof featured at art association show

The 43rd Annual Havre Art Association Show and Sale will be at Van Orsdel United Methodist Church, 410 5th Ave., Havre, Saturday, Nov. 2, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, Nov. 3, noon to 5 p.m.

This year the art association will have as special guest Joel Soiseth, originally of Williston N.D., who has been multi media artist and art professor at Montana State University-Northern since 1988.

Soiseth graduated from the University of North Dakota with a Master of Fine Art with an emphasis in painting and drawing. He lived in Grand Forks, N.D., for several years while he taught art at Mayville State College. He also worked for commercial design studios doing illustrational art and for a professional photographic studio. He is now concentrating on traditional oil painting of the human form.

Soiseth will be featured up front in a special display area with his work, and he will be speaking and demonstrating his technique and talent each day at 2 p.m., at the show.

The Havre Art Club members and other area artists have been planning their display areas, selecting their silent auction pieces, baking cookies and putting the finishing touches on their artwork for the show. The public will be encouraged to vote for the People's Choice Award selections located in the lobby where the artists interpretation of this year's theme "Wild Nights" will be displayed.

Each piece is created as a "challenge" for the artist in keeping with this year's theme, and the artists' identities are kept a secret until the winner is announced. A silent auction will also be held in the show room, with a variety of different pieces each day for the public to bid on.

This show is the largest and most respected fine art show in the region.

Many of the participants have been accepted into juried shows including the Western Heritage Show, C. M Russell Art Auction, the Montana Watercolor Society Watermedia Show, as well as many other quality shows in and out of state that require jury selection in order to participate.

Many styles and a variety of work in pottery, handmade paper, fabric paintings, batik, oil, watercolor, pen and ink, pastel, pencil, wire sculpture, wood carving and bronze sculpture will be available for viewing and purchase.

Many artists will be working in their display booths and invite the public to stop by and see how it is done. Work entered into this show will be newer work, in order to keep the show fresh and exciting.

This is an opportunity to meet each artist in person.

This is a family event, handicap accessible and admission-free.

Artists who would like to enter the show can do so until the deadline of Oct. 19. Entry forms are still available, but space is limited.

For more information or an application, contact Marie Toldness 265-4417 or Becky Ross 265-4723.