Cathy Weber uses her art to sell Montana – Next trade mission to New Zealand and Australia is March 26-April 4, 2004

Dillon artist Cathy Weber traveled half around the world to tell people about Montana art, and came home with a better understanding of just how powerful an image can be.

By Perry Backus of The Montana Standard

http://www.mtstandard.com/articles/2004/01/19/newsbutte/hjjfjiiajchdhi.txt

Last fall, Weber was invited to host a showing of Montana contemporary art at the Caven County Museum in Ireland. The show was part of a trade venture put together by the University of Montana-Missoula’s Montana World Trade Center http://www.mwtc.org/ organization.

Weber’s work was included with the likes of well-known Montana artists Russell Chatham, Monte Dolack and Kevin Redstar. For all their local fame, the artists were virtually unheard of in Ireland.

But the Irish did know about Montana.

And the images of cattle drives winding through a wide open plain, a cowboy riding bull in the rodeo or a hunter on horseback

riding into the mountains just fueled their enthusiasm for a place many consider to still be on the edge of the frontier.

And they peppered Weber with questions.

"There was someone who wanted to know all about the Custer Battlefield and others wanted information about Yellowstone and Glacier," she said. "And many already knew all about Butte."

Caven was the hometown of Marcus Daly — one of Butte’s Copper King magnates.

"Lots and lots and lots of people from Caven came to Butte," said Weber. "They populated the mines from places like Caven. The folks at the museum knew all about that Montana connection."

One lady who visited with Weber couldn’t help but smile as she remembered her father’s favorite saying whenever it came time to travel. Weber said the woman said her father was always saying "Pack it up, we’re going to Butte."

"Only a couple of generations ago, Butte was the land opportunity for them," she said. "When people left Caven, that’s where they went to make their fortunes."

The art show, with its 50 to 60 pieces, provided an opportunity for the patrons to let their imaginations soar.

"It was really a wonderful, wonderful show, with a blue chip list of artists," Weber said. "It’s not every day that you could see this caliber of work in one show, even in Montana. You might be able to see whole shows of one of these artists, but not as a collection."

The Irish were fascinated about the manner the landscapes were represented in the work.

For instance, the abstract paintings of George Gogas depicting high school rodeo were particularly popular.

People wanted to know more about the sport and were surprised to learn that high school kids can still participate as a regular school sport.

"It’s a whole different universe," she said. "It was interesting to see what a compelling place this is for people from another country … We’re making art with a sense of place from landscapes that are terribly compelling. The physical attributes of this place simply can’t be ignored."

"People really got excited and while the work represented only one small facet of our universe in Montana, I think it does a lot for getting this place in people’s heads."

Geoffrey Sutton, a program manager with the Montana World Trade Center, is hoping for just that.

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Montana World Trade Center

Gallagher Business Building, Suite 257

The University of Montana

Missoula, MT 59812-6798

You can also reach us at the following numbers:

Phone: (406) 243-6982

Fax: (406) 243-5259

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The art show was part of a trade mission to Ireland put together by the center. There were also a number of small Montana businesses looking for an opportunity to make an inroad into the export market to Ireland. One businessman, a hot tub producer from Stevensville, is now shipping his product to European markets and has increased his workforce from eight employees to more than 20 as a result of the trade mission.

Ireland was the test run for the idea of using Montana art as a means to attract attention to other products made in the state. The show initially opened in Dublin with American and Irish dignitaries in attendance.

"It was a great way to get our trade mission in newspapers, television and on the radio," said Sutton. "It was a way to make a splash and let people know that Montana was there to do some business."

"There are a lot of rural places in Montana where businesses don’t have the resources to look into the export market," he said. "We’re looking for ways to help."

The art show helps to create and foster the imagery that many people from other places have for the West. Sutton said several writers from Irish travel magazines made the trip to Missoula after they saw the show.

"Hopefully, their stories will spur some interest in people traveling here," he said.

The Montana World Trade Center is already in the process of putting together a second pair of shows that will travel around New Zealand later this year. One show will feature Native American art and crafts. The other will present more contemporary western artists works.

"We started in Ireland because it was both an English speaking and a small country. Most companies in Montana aren’t export ready, especially those in rural areas," he said. "They need to start small."

Sutton hopes the New Zealand show can be a springboard into the Asian marketplace for Montana companies.

"We are looking for companies who would like to participate," he said. "The hardest thing is finding companies willing to take a little risk. We had to beg people to come along."