James Weikert: Story of a Place

James Weikert, 2020/2021 Selected artist from our Artist Wilderness Connection Residency Program, exhibits new works created and inspired by his transformative experience in the Bob Marshall Wilderness complex last summer! 

In late summer of 2021, Bozeman, Montana artist James Weikert was selected for our Artist-Wilderness Connection residency program, a partnership with Flathead Forest Service, Swan Valley Connections, and Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation.  This program places working artists in the Bob Marshal Wilderness complex for up to two weeks.  The work exhibited in his solo show “Story of a Place, Two Weeks in the Great Bear Wilderness” uses a visual narrative to tell stories about landscape. His work explores the unique geology, diverse plant life, and human effects on the land he encountered. The exhibition features a series of new oil paintings, sketches, and excerpts from the journal that James kept during his time in the wilderness.

Originally from northern New Hampshire, James moved to Montana in 2003 and immediately fell in love with the dramatic landscapes of the northern Rocky Mountains.  Drawing on techniques learned from studying architecture, he created a unique painting style that blended elements of illustration, painting, and technical drafting.