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Spotlight: Liz McRae
Published
6 years agoon
Posted By
Outlaw PartnersA mother refocuses on art
Artist collective opens in north Bozeman
By Sarah Gianelli EBS Senior Editor
BIG SKY – When you meet Liz McRae for the first time, it quickly becomes evident that she’s a woman who gives 110 percent to whatever she commits to, whether it’s starting a business, making art, raising her kids, or her latest venture—opening Grainhouse Art, an artist collective and gallery in north Bozeman’s historic Misco Mill.
But being fully focused can also mean having to place other interests on the backburner.
Without a touch of regret in her voice, McRae talked about selling her company Wizbang Hats when she had her second child in 2010.
At 11 and 8, McRae’s children Fin and Maeve have reached an age that has allowed her to turn her attention back to a lifelong passion for art and writing.
“I’m sort of emerging from being a full-time mom back into this world,” said McRae, who knew it was time when she realized that her kids were beginning to be able to take care of themselves.
“I almost needed to find my independence in order for them to find theirs,” she said.
While preoccupied with mothering, McRae remained involved in the arts. She started the Art Harvest program at Ophir School, sits on the Warren Miller Performing Arts Center’s visual arts committee, and helps execute Mountainfilm on Tour when it comes to Big Sky.
After selling her business, she built a studio in her backyard, as if planting the seed for her art to flourish years later.
“It was maybe more of a space to get out of the house,” she said. “Outside of the space I identified with mother, caregiver, wife.”
McRae considers herself equal parts writer and visual artist, and pairs short poems with her paintings. Currently working in encaustic and mixed media, she says her paintings are typically representative of whatever she is celebrating or struggling with in her life.
While her art is “less pointed” now than it was in college—she described mummifying and shaving the heads of Barbie dolls and attempting to return them to Toys R Us—they remain conceptual and thought-provoking.
The series on display at Grainhouse Art is largely abstract and explores notions of division and unification.
Conjuring thoughts of fences, road crossings and intersections, the series asks the viewer to see lines not only as means of dividing space, but also as a place of coming together.
The haiku paired with a painting of bold intersecting lines on a neutral ground reads, “roads cross and split land / touch and fold over themselves / I hope we meet there.” Another poem reads, “scars that divide us / can also be exactly / where we meet to heal.”
While the series has larger political implications, McRae used an example from motherhood to illuminate her meaning: “Being a mom, I’m on one side of the fence [but] you have to figure out how to come together … to move through that anger or emotion to something more positive.”
For McRae, art fosters that process. “Some people heal broken bones,” she says, “there are people who do all sorts of things to make the world a better place … my role as a human is swimming around in the arts.”McRae said that adding a literary component to the visual helps her figure out where she stands on an issue, develop an idea, or gain emotional clarity.
“It’s a very full experience for me … because mainly what I am is a storyteller,” she said. “Whether it’s visual or words, the stories are what compel me to move through the process of creation.”
Another process of creation culminated on June 1 with the opening of Grainhouse Art, a collaboration between McRae and longtime artist friends Molly Stratton, Laurel Hatch and Anna Patterson. In addition to their own distinctive work, the gallery will showcase an outside artist each month, and have items on consignment from area artists.
Along with McRae’s abstracts, the first exhibit features bright, poppy still lifes, subdued landscapes and intricate compositions created out of stitching on paper.
“There’s a language there that we’re all speaking in different ways,” McRae said about what unifies their different aesthetics. But, she said, the plan is to have the artwork change on a monthly basis to keep the space fresh—and keep her painting.
“We were all really wanting a place to not only show our work and see other beautiful work, but also where we could critique each other and learn together,” said McRae, describing the vision behind Grainhouse Art. Although not sure exactly where it will go, McRae sees a dynamic space of creative inspiration, with guest speakers, parties and outdoor movie screenings.
“We really want to be thinking outside of the box,” McRae said. “[Grainhouse] is not just going to be a gallery—we’re hoping it’s going to be a place of collaboration and creation.”
Grainhouse Art is located at 601 E. Cottonwood Street in Bozeman. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday. Visit the Grainhouse Art Facebook page for more information.
The Outlaw Partners is a creative marketing, media and events company based in Big Sky, Montana.
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april, 2024
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Saturday, March 23rd 6:00-8:00pm We will combine the heart-opening powers of cacao with the transcendental powers of breathwork and sound. Together, these practices will give us the opportunity for a deep
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Saturday, March 23rd 6:00-8:00pm
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March 23 (Saturday) 6:00 pm - April 23 (Tuesday) 8:00 pm
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We all are familiar with using a limited palette, but do you use one? Do you know how to use a
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We all are familiar with using a limited palette, but do you use one? Do you know how to use a limited palette to create different color combinations? Are you tired of carrying around 15-20 different tubes when you paint plein air? Have you ever wanted to create a certain “mood” in a painting but failed? Do you create a lot of mud? Do you struggle to achieve color harmony? All these problems are addressed in John’s workbook in clear and concise language!
Based on the bestselling “Limited Palatte, Unlimited Color” workbook written by John Pototschnik, the workshop is run by Maggie Shane and Annie McCoy, accomplished landscape (acrylic) and plein air (oil) artists,exhibitors at the Big Sky Artists’ Studio & Gallery and members of the Big Sky Artists Collective.
Each student will receive a copy of “Limited Palette, Unlimited Color” to keep and take home to continue your limited palette journey. We will show you how to use the color wheel and mix your own clean mixtures to successfully create a mood for your paintings.
Each day, we will create a different limited palette color chart and paint a version of a simple landscape using John’s directives. You will then be able to go home and paint more schemes using the book for guidance.
Workshop is open to painters (oil or acrylic) of any level although students must have some basic knowledge of the medium he or she uses. Students will be provided the book ($92 value), color wheel, value scale and canvas papers to complete the daily exercises.
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Trivia from 7 to 9 p.m. at The Waypoint in Town Center. Participation is free, food and beverages available.
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Trivia from 7 to 9 p.m. at The Waypoint in Town Center. Participation is free, food and beverages available.
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(Wednesday) 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
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The Waypoint
50 Ousel Falls Rd