Making a Mark

Students look to create Park centennial art display

By CHRIS PETERSON / Hungry Horse News

Saima Lee is on her belly in the middle of the boardwalk to Hidden Lake, camera in hand, snapping away photos of a green caterpillar making its way across the wooden planks.

The teenager is on a quest to get something unique, a different look at this place we call Glacier National Park. Lee is a student of Brooke Nelson's advanced art class at Columbia Falls High School.

The 17 students visited the Park last week — armed with cameras to gather images and ideas for a project to celebrate the Park's 100th birthday next year. From the photos will come everything from sculptures to drawings to paintings to a fake birthday cake made from plaster.

The idea for student-driven art came when the Columbia Falls centennial committee — a group of Columbia Falls residents — were brainstorming ways to celebrate the Park's centennial.

"The committee was real interested in getting students involved in the project," said Doug Cordier, a school counselor who also sits on the committee.

One thing led to another and last week a red bus tour of Glacier was donated to the students and off they went — from Lake McDonald Lodge to Two Medicine.

It didn't take long to get the young artists' minds ruminating.

"I'd like to do a black-and-white charcoal," said Christine Webber.

Webber said she hoped there'd be time not to just do a piece for the project, but also for family members.

Samantha Franks noted she didn't like painting much, "but it makes me calm when I do it."

Franks said she collects ties — she has 237 ties, in all different styles and colors. Might a Glacier tie be in the works?

Perhaps.

Nelson said she'd also like to get ahold of old maps of the Park and turn them into three-dimensional art.

There's also talk about video and multi-media projects. For the next couple of months, students will be working solely on this project, Nelson noted. A public show is planned for next year.