Woman to Woman: North-Central Montana Portraits 1930-1970

Woman to Woman: Female Portrayals showcases a collection of works by women artists who lived in Northcentral Montana during the early 20th Century. With a special focus on portraiture of female subjects by women artists, Curator of Art Kristi Scott states, “These paintings provide a glimpse of women’s views of the world in which they lived and provide aspects of Northcentral Montana’s (post-Charlie Russell) history and culture, as told through artwork. Art works by Mary Trinitas Morin (a Sister of Providence) and Mother Raphael Schweda (an Ursuline Sister) offer a rare glimpse into the creative spirit of local women religious and are presented alongside works by Fra Dana, Josephine Hale and Val Knight, who were all accomplished local artists in their own right. Women’s voices in history, even as artists, have long been silenced or ignored, and this exhibition aims to shine a light on female perspectives.”

This special exhibition brings together art works spanning the decades between 1925-1955 and features works from The Square’s Permanent Collection, University of Providence’s Galerie Trinitas and Ursuline Centre (both located in Great Falls), Missoula’s Montana Museum of Art and Culture and a few pieces borrowed from private collections. Scott notes, “During the same era that Mother Raphael Schweda was painting realistic portraits of her students and religious figures in her studio high atop the Ursuline’s Mount Angela Academy on Central Avenue, artist Fra Dana was painting at a prolific rate across town in the Blackstone Apartments. In one of Dana’s impressionistic pieces Bird Cage (borrowed from the Montana Museum of Arts and Culture in Missoula, MT) a little girl sits by a caged bird admiring the tiny captive. Another exceptional Dana piece is a loan from local historian Ken Robison and features prominent local resident Sue Ford Bovey (1907-1988). Her flushed cheeks and bright eyes in the stunning portrait convey vitality. Dana’s works serve as both a testament to her talent and also a record of her experiences.”

Credit: Exhibition overview from museum website