Hi-Line Living: Cooperative continues to foster fine art on the Hi-Line

Fifteen years after it first opened its doors, Artitudes Cooperative Gallery is continuing its mission to provide a location for emerging and established artists to display their original fine art.

"They asked us in the beginning, 'What does success look like to you?'" Kris Shaw, one of the founding Artitudes members, said. "And I said, 'If we're here in five years we've been successful.' So we've been successful three times already." 

Shaw said that she first got the idea in 2003 for an art co-op in Havre because she was part of another art co-op, in Bozeman, and after discussing it with friend and fellow artist Mary Nault, they started thinking about what it would take for something similar to be established locally. Shaw added that Nault got out a pen and paper and they discussed it while driving back from an art show in Lewistown.

In 2004, Artitudes first opened its doors, she said. She and Nault worked with Bear Paw Development Corp. to help get things set up and understand how to run a co-op. She added that they also worked with the Montana Cooperative Development Center, which helped them understand the legalities of operating a co-op.

"Bureaucrats and artists have a hard time working together," she said, laughing.

Montana Cooperative Development Center lists Artitudes on the "Success Stories" section of its website.

Havre attorney Jim Kaze wrote up the co-op's by-laws, Shaw said, and after writing its mission statement they moved into a gallery space on the first floor of the Atrium in downtown Havre.

The gallery is now located on the top floor of the Atrium.

Shaw added that they started with 30 members, but quickly dwindled down because people didn't understand what being a co-op meant. The co-op was not intended as a way to sell their paintings immediately and was not something that could support a living.

Nault said they were still happy to get their art out and display it for the community to enjoy.

The mission statement for Artitudes says the co-op is to create dialogue between the artist and members of the community, including children. Its vision is to get people excited and interested in the arts and to encourage artists to grow their skills.

People who want to be members of the co-op are required to bring in some of their work to have it evaluated on whether it is fine art, Shaw said, adding that they do not judge the quality of the piece, only determine if it is fine art. Primarily, fine art is original art, which is not copied or painted by number.

"We do try to promote and encourage emerging artists. That's one of the reasons we don't judge art ourselves," she said.

She added that members also pay a monthly fee, which is used to help pay the rent for the gallery and the telephone bill, as well as purchase a $75 share of the co-op. If an art piece is going to be displayed at the gallery it has to be framed, with an exception for the monthly featured artists, who are not required to frame their work. The co-op, according to its by-laws also requires members to work two days of their choosing per month in the gallery.

Shaw added that working two days a month is what is really hard for new members. Most of the members and artists in the community also working full-time jobs in addition to their art work and cannot afford or schedule two days off to work at the gallery, she said. Members are also required to patronize the gallery throughout the year.

Out of the original 30 members, Artitudes has nine active members and eight inactive members, she said. She added that all the members are very close, and most of the members, in addition to Artitudes, are also in other artistic groups or clubs.

Artitudes also welcomes guest artists to come display their work in the Havre community, she said. The co-op often reaches out to artists in the area to hold a show, but artists also find the co-op on their own. She added that the co-op charges $25 for guest artists to display their work in the gallery over a two-month period.

Nault said that although she and Shaw are founding members, the co-op has no senior members and everyone is equal within it. The gallery is not owned by any one individual.

"I love having my artwork here. Everybody can see it," Nault added. 

She said artists don't have a wide range of places to display their work in northern Montana, especially new or emerging artists. The co-op is a place for members of the community to get involved and have a chance to display its own art for the community. She said the co-op is important for the community because it also serves as a place for people to find original art rather than something everyone else can find. 

Nault said the gallery also doesn't feature many Western pieces because Western artists often have specific shows they are a part of or places they will display their work.

Shaw added that the gallery displays a wide range of different stylings of art. 

"There is more in the world than Western art, and we've got it," Nault said.

She said Artitudes also works to help grow the art community by being a place for people to learn about art. Artitudes has held several community service shows over the years, such as art shows at Triangle Communications to promote mental health and shows for high school and college students. The co-op also holds art classes called Art with the Artists of Artitudes.

The community is also welcome to attend the artist reception featuring the guest artist of the month, she said.

Shaw said many people don't consider art important, but for her, it is critical for a community. A number of people also don't want to be seen as an artist or think they are good enough to show their work in public.

"People are more apt to think about their survival before they think about their surroundings," She said. "For us, sometimes you need to make things beautiful so you feel good, not just so you can survive."

A recent improvement they made to the gallery earlier this year was installing track lighting to better display their featured artists, she said. She said some memorial money was donated to the co-op along with some funding from the Hill County Community Foundation, so with the help of Bear Paw Development Corp., the co-op was able to install the lighting.

Shaw said the co-op, like many other groups around town, does struggle to get younger people involved. She added that part of the problem is people don't have very much time or resources which allow them to get involved. People have jobs or kids or both and it is hard to get in to work at the gallery sometimes and pay the monthly fee when people already have so much on their plate.

She added that the co-op is always looking for new and or younger members to join because they are able to bring in fresh ideas.

People always have ideas of how something can be improved, she said. People are always welcome to introduce their thoughts and opinions on how to make Artitudes better. 

"I like the fellowship with the other artists," she said.

Shaw said if people are interested in the co-op they can go to the gallery's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Artitudes-Co-op-Art-Gallery-216347470076/ or visit their website at http://www.artitudesgallery.com/.