BOZEMAN — A series of light fixtures by a student and local artist group called the Menagerie has made its debut.
Montana State student and artist Bianca Everts is part of a brand-new art collective featuring works from students and local artists.
"They're practical objects in our households; we need them because we still operate after dark. So it's practical, but then there's so much potential with making it artistic," Everts says.
Their first show is called "Moth to a Flame".
"As moths are attracted to light, we kind of wanted the public to be attracted to our gallery," Everts says.
These artists are lighting up the exit gallery at the Student Union Building (SUB) at MSU.
"I think collectively, one thing we all have in common is young artists trying to get our name out there and just trying to dip our toes in the water of becoming more community involved with our art," Everts says.
Everts's piece, 10 feet tall, stands in the center of the gallery. It is called "Alice, You're Late," and it is inspired by Alice in Wonderland.
"This carousel has 12 faces, kind of like a clock. And so, the whole concept was this natural movement of an animal captured in frozen pieces within time constraints," Everts says.
For fashion designer turned artist Brinley Nielson, gems and crystals come to life.
"Yeah, I had a fun time picking up the glass for this from studio wheelhouse to kind of tie in the colors of the jade with the glass. And I added a copper patina to this to tie into the lamp base I got from an antique store in Livingston," Nielson says.
The artists in the Menagerie collective say they want observers to feel at home—so much so that one of the organizers, Josie Parry, says her piece is a point of view inside a fictional old man's house.
"Like he's coming home, taking off his work of clothes, belly out, and just slouching over, and he might be mean to his wife all day. But then, at the end of the day, he enjoys this feminine and relaxing environment that she's created in her living," Parry says.
Most importantly, the artists of the Menagerie want folks to come check it out.
"I am hoping that Bozeman can get to the point where they are comfortable going and seeing an event where maybe they don't know anyone there. And I would love to see people come to these events who maybe do just see the flyer in the grocery store," Parry says.
From now until Dec. 8, you can see the warm glow of a Moth to a Flame. On Nov. 21, there will be a reception at the art gallery in the SUB from 6 to 8 p.m.
Then, it's off to the Holter Art Museum in Helena in March.
