Artists

Friends of Two Rivers - Bonner, Milltown, Montana

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This class taught to over fifty folks in Helena, first offering in the Missoula area:

HOW TO DRAW ANYTHING

By Helena Artist Lou Archambault

Sat & Sun, March 9th and 10th, 9 am – 4pm, Bonner School

The first Hooked on Art was held on February 11, 2006. This recording by Living Portrait Video, created by Dave and Kathy Pleasant, captured scenes from the Art Market and preserved the special presentation: a panel of Walter Hook's friends, family and colleagues including Richard Bush, Janet Hook Julin, Rudy and Lela Autio, and George Gogas.

In 2010 Bob Phinney was the Hooked on Art featured artist. Bob spoke on "Creating Harmony with Nature."

The video was created by MCAT, Missoula Community Access Television.

In 2011 George Gogas returned to Hooked on Art as featured artist. His retrospect on Walter and description of his own work are memorable tributes to art and artists.

The video created by MCAT, Missoula Community Access Television, also contains views of the Art Market.

In 2012 Bobby Tilton was the Hooked on Art featured artist. Bobby explored inspirations for her work as she discussed "Humor and Wisdom, Walter Hook's Influences."

The video was created by MCAT, Missoula Community Access Television.

History of Hook on Art

Hook on Art, established in 2006, is a natural celebration for Bonner. Walter Hook's friends and admirers had long felt a tribute was overdue. After the Friends of Two Rivers' first successful Confluence Day, Chuck and Mary Erickson and Gary and Judy Matson were celebrating with a burger at the River City Grill where they met Vic and Ilona Hangas.

Appreciative of the natural resource festival, Vic's comment, "What we really need is to honor Walter Hook." With that comment, a new Bonner tradition was born and is celebrated every year on the Saturday before Valentine's Day.

Tributes to Walter Hook

"He's my hero." Vic Hangas

"He was my grandfather. I like to look at him as an inspiration." Nissa Liesz

"What I see is what you get."

Tom Yule, a life-long resident of the Milltown area, is a free-lance photographer and outdoor enthusiast.

His particular interest lies in capturing the delicate beauty of the wildflowers of Western Montana, as well as the scenic grandeur of the Treasure State. When it's not winter, you'll likely find him and his wife enjoying the tranquility of one of the numerous mountain lakes in their canoe, or snapping photos of flowers in some secluded meadow.
"I always look forward to seeing that first buttercup bursting out between early spring snow squalls."

Some of his works may be seen in the lobby of Two Rivers Bank, or you may contact him at 406-258-6450, or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more samples.

View the embedded image gallery online at:
https://www.friendsof2rivers.org/index.php/hooked-on-art/artists/#sigProId531c6c791b

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Hooked on Art Home

I marvel everyday at the beauty and strength of the natural world. My intention in my work is to attempt to capture a moment in time and to convey the wonder and excitement found all around us in a creative way. To tell a story, bring a smile, or to or evoke a feeling to the viewer.

For me, creating a sculpture involves a vision or a passion for something in life then being able to execute this idea in a creative way and hopefully to convey this to others.

The challenge of a three-dimensional art form and the tactile quality are what I love about sculpting in clay; that and the fact that the bronze art is classic and timeless.

Maryann Eikens has a BFA in Graphic Design from the University of Minnesota, Duluth.

She has been sculpting since 2005; bronze being the main medium, with occasional pieces in slip-cast clay.

Her sculptures are inspired by life, nature and by an active lifestyle. She has called Missoula home for the past 10 years. She is currently working on sculpting wolves, grizzlies, mountain lions and tigers, some of the live animals she had a chance to study and sculpt at a recent sculpture workshop.

She welcomes commissioned work including portraiture.

Juried Shows include: 2008 Western Heritage Show in Great Falls-Feature Artist,

2008 Tri-Cities Western Art Show- Quick-draw Artist,

2008 Wildlife Art Show in Jackson Hole,

2009 Loveland Sculpture Invitational Show.

2009, 2010, 2011 The Roots Festival in Missoula

Visit my website at: www.maryanneikens.com

View the embedded image gallery online at:
https://www.friendsof2rivers.org/index.php/hooked-on-art/artists/#sigProId63f4281043

view more Sculptors

Hooked on Art Home

The Healthy Naturals

It all started with soap! Linda White has been making soap for almost thirty years. After retiring from her day job in 2008, she started selling her soap locally at markets and fairs. The Healthy Soap Company was born and blossomed into a small batch manufacturing company. Known for her beautifully marbled and colorful, large-sized bars, customers returned over and over, saying this was the best soap they had ever used. Linda considered master batching, but eventually chose not to -- batching 100+ pounds of soap was too restrictive for her personal touches. Hiring and training an assistant gave Linda time to really experiment with recipes, colorants, additives and patterns. Life was all about soap!

Homemade soap need not be plain, beige or boring. Linda’s individually crafted batches of soap are aromatic, feel luscious on your skin, and beautify your bathroom. Using unique combinations of herbs, all-natural colorants, juices, milks, natural additives and scents that last the life of the bar, her soaps pamper every sense.    She does this without compromising the soap’s health benefits for your skin.

The skin is our largest organ and soap can feed the skin. Healthy Naturals soaps contain nourishing ingredients to exfoliate, clean, soften and rebalance the skin’s Ph naturally getting rid of dry, oily, blemished or broken skin!   Linda believes that every home should use natural soap and skin care products, getting back to the basics of knowing what ingredients are in the products we use on our body.

Believing that what you put on your skin enters the blood stream, Linda saw quality body care as a health issue. Becoming more concerned about the Ph balance of people's skin, Linda discouraged customers from using any products that contained potentially harmful chemicals. Customers were complaining more about having roshea, exzemas, blemishes starting later in life and serious discoloration. These concerns, plus extra time in retirement, prompted Linda to create a line of natural face creams, body lotions, lip butters, scrubs and more. Almost as if being given an agenda, it was a seamless road to travel into making other products.

Her customers’ needs were apparent through their requests and suggestions. Linda set out to provide them with what was necessary to help the health of their skin. Business needs such as labels, containers and marketing were an interruption to Linda as she studied and researched. One day, her sister Laurie designed some labels for the creams Linda was preparing for a weekend fair. Feeling she could not use The Healthy Soap Company name for creams, Laurie named them Linda's Healthy Naturals. Linda’s two product names eventually merged to become The Healthy Naturals company.

At first, Linda was surprised her new creams and lotions were so popular. Then she looked at what was available commercially and understood – she could not find truly all natural creams and lotions on the market.   Linda’s philosophy is that nothing should be put on your body that is not organic or as natural as possible. Believing that many large cosmetic company products are too expensive and contain chemicals that may actually harm your skin, The Healthy Naturals provides a reasonably priced alternative.
While Linda promotes her products as natural, basic skin care, they are much more. Her creativity in combining skin-healthy oils and additives in her creams and lotions is truly wonderful. Linda does not just make one recipe -- she customizes products for individual skin types and uses all high quality food grade ingredients. She does all this while providing very reasonable pricing.

After developing her line of body care products, and after numerous requests, Linda began teaching others the “how to” of soap making. This led to a complete line of classes for making all the body care products. Many of Linda's students are now making and selling products.    Linda is frequently asked “Why create competition for your own business?”   Linda believes that getting back to the basics is primary, she sees education as a huge need. Many people attending her classes have no idea what ingredients are in cosmetics. She endeavors to educate people and promote overall good health.

Linda’s classes:   * Soap Making * Advanced Soap Making * Creams and Lotions * Bath and Body Basics * Body Butters & Balms * Natural Baby Care * Developing your Essential Oils Medicine Cabinet * Natural Perfumery * Mineral Make-up.

She jokes about the make-up class, as Linda has never worn make-up. When asked to develop a mineral make-up class, she groaned. After studying this area, Linda was pleasantly surprised to find out that many minerals from the earth, although inert, are actually quite healthy, pulling toxins from the pores and giving UV rays / sun screen protection.

Linda is watching customers look younger and is listening to quality testimonials. Dr. Bethany Chernich is using her cream on her little boy who has eczema. Dr. Christine White (no relation) personally uses her Mature Woman Cream and carries all of Linda's products in her office. Others rave about their new skin after using Linda's Healthy Naturals. If you ask Linda's about it, she’s amazed with the popularity of her products.

Linda credits the people of Missoula and all her students for being well educated and intelligent. They challenge her continually with questions and requests for custom formulations. Her products evolve and improve because of questions and requests that come from her customers. It is truly the fountain of youth and yet so simple.   You are welcome to dive in!

Contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.at Linda's Healthy Naturals or The Healthy Soap Company