Art in the Garden

Alice Campbell Havre Daily News [email protected]

People can soak up some fresh air and sunshine while taking in local artwork during the Art in the Garden tour Sunday. The event, running from 1 to 4 p.m., features pieces by 17 artists placed among flower beds and along pathways and fences in five local gardens. Becky Ross, who is helping with the event, said that sometimes works are displayed hanging from trees or fences, propped up off the ground among the flowers or on easels. The artwork consists of various mediums including oils, pastels, pencil, watercolor, acrylic, pottery, handmade paper, sculpture and photography. Sometimes gardens have been used more than once, and some are larger or smaller than others, Ross said, and added that artists sign up to participate in the event. The event began several years ago as a way to blend gardening and art and raise money for the two scholarships that the Havre Art Association offers one to a student graduating from Havre High School and another to a student at Montana State University-Northern, Ross said. Other than expenses to put the event on, "it all goes back to the community," she added. The event, popular enough to draw visitors from Great Falls, features the following gardens this year, the seventh show: The Gwynn garden, located at 412 Montana Ave., that has tiered hillsides and many native flowers and plants, will feature the works of Ramona Lohse, Linda Pollington and Marie Toldness. The Linda Warneke garden at 1540 12th St. that includes grape vines, clematis and miniature alpine trees, will feature works by Linda Warneke, Ned Malone, Inetia Cantin and Bonnie Mosbrucker. Also at the Warneke garden, cookies and lemonade will be served. A special raffle drawing will take place at the end of the afternoon. Each artist will donate a work that will be displayed inside the Warneke house. Raffle tickets admission tickets with the purchasers' names and numbers written on the backs will be drawn, and one winner will get to chose one work from the 17 works to take home. The Shortell garden at 1617 Pine Drive has phlox, sedums, scented thyme and hostas along with a water feature. Ginny Streeper's and Vince Woodwick's works will be featured in it. The Lamb garden at 315 14th St. W. boasts a birdhouse collection and brick wishing well, along with snapdragons and droopy-headed columbine. The works of Kris Shaw, Beryl Arvin and Mary Nault will be displayed. The Shulund garden at 412 14th St. W. is the largest garden this year and includes waterfall ponds filled with fish, wispy willows and vegetable patches. The works of Ross, Delores Ball, Penny Strommen, Kellie Williams and Frank Miller will be displayed. Tickets are $5 and can be purchased in advance from art club members, Cavaliers, High Plains Gallery & Frame Shop or Artitudes Gallery. Tickets also can be purchased the day of at any of the gardens. All proceeds go toward the scholarships. For more information, call Ross at 265-4723 or 390-2599.