Highlights from the 16th Annual Loon and Fish Festival May 24-25, 2008
Alpine Artisans celebrated the arrival of summer over the Memorial Day Weekend with the 16th annual Loon and Fish festival in Seeley Lake, Montana.If you were among the fortunate ones to participate, you know how great the weekend was.
Saturday’s activities took place at the Seeley Lake Community Hall, beginning with Steve Lamar, author of Swan Valley Place Names, who gave a very enjoyable and informative presentation.If you have ever wondered about a specific place name, check out Steve’s book. Marla Robbins, the designer of the 2008 Loon and Fish logo, came from Hot Springs, MT to participate in the Quick Draw and sign t-shirts.Thirty-nine Alpine Artisans displayed their work for sale.Donna Love decorated the walls of the Community Hall with artwork of Loons done by the Seeley Lake Elementary students – grades K-8.Donna also leda rock painting activity with the young visitors to the festival, who took their artwork home.
Art sampling #1
Ma Brown doing a 'quick-draw'
The annual Soup Bowl Lunch was a huge success: all the bowls sold out before noon, and the Festival raised over $3,500 for the Seeley Lake Food Bank.A special thank you to the restaurants who supplied the delicious soups – The Hungry Bear in Condon; the Filling Station, Chicken Coop, Littlebird’s School House, Pop’s, Double Arrow and DAGR Den in Seeley Lake, and Kozy Corner in Ovando. Robin Staden demonstrated wool spinning and encouraged people to try their hand at wool carding, spinning and plying. 2 Valleys Stage sold more season tickets this year than last.Check out the 2008-2008 2 Valleys Stage Performance Series and take advantage of the Season Tickets. The Quick Draw this year had both paintings and dimensional artwork.Jennifer Dyer created a basket, Merrily Dunham created two wire sculpture figures – one horse and one dragon, Marla Robbins created a painting, Donna Love created a pen and ink loon and Carol Dorne created a pencil sketch of a wolf.These pieces were raffled off later in the evening, after the Montana Loon Society presentation. The afternoon wrapped up with a wonderful raffle of gift baskets full of artwork and accessories created or donated by Alpine Artisans members. A unique feature of this year’s raffle was a special prize of a fine-art stained glass piece created by Georgina Staggs.
Our Loon mascot!
Robin Staden demonstrates carding and spinning
Activities continued on Sunday.Diann Erickson and other naturalists conducted wildflower walks to Holland Falls. Although the weather discouraged people at the early walk, a good-sized group showed up for the 1:00 p.m. walk.Jeff Brown, fromJMB Master Rod Builder in Ronan, conducted a wonderful fly-casting clinic at the Ranger Station, which lasted nearly 4 hours. The Festival concluded with a book signing and reading by Bill Kittredge at the Grizzly Claw Trading Company Sunday evening.
A special thank you to all the Alpine Artisans who participated in the festival and all the participants who visited the festival for helping to make the 16th annual Loon and Fish Festival such a success. If you couldn’t fit the festival into your schedule this year, be sure and mark it down for Memorial Day Weekend next year and help make the 17th annual festival a bigger success than this year.
Art sampling #2
Raffle items
2008 Raffle Items & Winners Basket #1 Accessories by AAI - Judy & Larry Butterworth Basket #2 Hearth and Home - Danna Templeton Basket #3 Artisans in the Kitchen - Betsy Casper Basket #4 Art and the Man - Albert Brewer Pair of framed Seeley Lake photos - Robbie Ludeman Sandy Antonich Pheasant - G. J. Guevin Set of 6 G. Skaggs Wildlife Cards - Stu Swanberg Shari Hirst hand knit socks - Gen Schneider Chris Jewett Duck Photograph - Ken Donovan J. Bissell Hand Knit Scarf - Shannon Connolly G. Skaggs Wildlife Cards & Cookie Cutters/Mix - David Gazzara “Unusual Friends”book by Elinor Williamson - Amy Garguli Jon West 3 piece jewelry set - Sandy Harris Juan de Santa Anna photo - Sue Cushman Donna Love “Ospreys” book - Sandy Bohlman Shari Hirst hand knit socks - Arlene Cannon Donna Love “Loons” book - Larry Casper Russ Abolt Wood Carving - Stan Nicholson “Miracle of Mountains in MT” book by E. Williamson - Annie Z. Ma Robbins Feather Art painting - Aurora Morgan C. Nicholson card collection - Steve Lamar Ken Dvorak framed photograph - George and Emily Beck Ma Robbins postcards - Larry Deeds Juan de Santa Anna photo - Mary Kenny Set of 6 G. Staggs wildlife cards - Louise Cameron Food basket with Sharon Lamar painted cards - Robbie Ludeman Tim DePuydt framed loon photo - Robbie Ludeman Juan de Santa Anna Photo - Tom Forrester 2008 Quick Draw Items & Winners Donna Love's pen and ink loon - Susan Bohlken Carol Dorne's pencil sketch wolf - Cindy Poett Merrily Dunham's wire horse - Roberta Stroden Merrily Dunham's wire dragon - Rochelle Harmon Jennifer Dyer's basket - Donna Cherry Marla Robbins' painting - Adrienn Marx Georgina Staggs' stained glass - David Gazzara
*Our 2008 Loon & Fish logo was designed by AAI member Marla A. Robbins, a.k.a. "Ma Brown," who resides in Hot Springs, MT where she produces "Ma's Western Art." Her work includes oil and acrylic depictions of wildlife, western landscapes and children.
Marla does commissioned pieces and has competed in juried and open shows in several states with many of her entries receiving awards. Marla offers workshops in acrylic painting and continually tries to show the beauty of our land in her art.
Alpine Artisans, Inc. P.O. Box 841 Seeley Lake, MT 59868 (406) 793-5706 Contact AAI
