Bev Beck Glueckert: AWARENESS
“I like the act of engaging in creative processes without regard to the outcome and seeing what happens.”
Spring 2024 Artist-in-Residence at Travelers’ Rest State Park
Bev Beck Glueckert in the studio at Travelers’ Rest State Park, Lolo, MT.
For you, what's the most rewarding aspect of being an artist or creative?
Several things: I like the act of engaging in creative processes without regard to the outcome, and seeing what happens. The residency allowed me to do this far more than usual since I am so often working toward pieces and bodies of work for exhibition, along with deadlines. Just experimenting spontaneously with processes and ideas is refreshing, without so much regard for product.
Secondly, the ability to visually record observations and experiences is such a gift. As artists, we control the sharing of it, and this can be a learning experience and a gift to others, as well as generating meaningful dialogue.
Witness Trees by Bev Beck Glueckert.
Lastly, the vast community of amazing fellow artists and creators that we connect with along the way is truly rewarding. I greatly enjoyed our Open AIR cohort, 5 of us altogether, and the dialogue, the many meet-ups, and ideas we were able to share together. I really missed that camaraderie afterward. Art-making can often be a lonely endeavor as we grapple with problem-solving and making sense of the world around us, tucked away in our own studios. I’m a founding member of the SALTMINE Artists Group here in Missoula, which I treasure. We have been sharing creative work and ideas for almost 25 years now, with each other and with the public.
Spring 2024 Open AIR Cohort from left to right: Melissa Thompson, Bev Beck Glueckert, Stephen Glueckert, Anteo Fabris, Nyki Fetterman.
What are you reading/watching/or listening to?
It's been a precarious time recently after the lengthy election cycle, and I am watching EVERYTHING! I’m paying attention to what is happening with climate policy, land use issues, and how our habitat and wildlife are managed, especially here in the West. I am especially disheartened by the speed at which we are losing so many insect and bird species. I’m watching and reading information regarding Freedom of Speech and support for Arts funding. It's important to me as an artist to be able to bring some awareness to any of these issues.
Willow by Bev Beck Glueckert.
Describe your Open AIR Residency experience.
I was fortunate enough to be placed at Travelers’ Rest State Park outside of Lolo, MT. The site is rich with history, particularly that of the Lewis Clark expedition, as the Corps is documented to have camped there twice- both on the way westward and again on the return trip. That makes it a special place indeed. I had a comfortable studio space in the Visitors Center, and my husband, Stephen Glueckert, was working in the other half. The Center is open to the public to explore its many artifacts, educational exhibits, and historical information. This, coupled with the lovely grounds of the State Park, made for an inspiring and rich environment in which to work. Springtime was everywhere- blooming wildflowers, spring run-off into Lolo Creek, and the return of many of the bird species, starting with the ruby-crowned kinglets.
Having access to the knowledgeable staff was also a big plus. And walking the grounds provided plenty of inspiration for my work and often changed the course of my work for that day.
Steve and I teamed up on a final participatory project for the May 4 Indigenous Peoples Celebration at Travelers’ Rest. We created two large coloring book pages focused on the Bitterroot flower, as the plant and its roots are very important to the Salish culture. This public engagement, in which attendees were invited to color, was a valuable and meaningful way to end the residency.
My studio work has generally been connected to my environment, living in the Western U.S., and like so many, informed by nature. So this was a great fit for me. I primarily worked with the same media, employing inks and various printmaking techniques, along with related experimental processes, particularly using found organic material to create printmaking plates. Not everything comes out the other side of the press in ways that we expect, and I became a lot more comfortable with the unexpected. I also experimented with various papers- wallpaper, old maps, topo maps, textured papers, and vellum. Much of this experimentation and process continues in my current work. A number of the concepts and ideas I worked on during the residency have continued to evolve and morph into new pieces.
Lolo Creek by Bev Beck Glueckert
Lolo Creek at Travelers’ Rest State Park in Lolo, Montana.
What role does place play in your work?
Sense of place has always factored in a major way in my work and process. I’m a 4th generation Montanan and have lived around the Pacific NW and in MT for pretty much all of my life. Two sets of my great-grandparents came from the Midwest and homesteaded on the MT hi-line. They made their living raising crops and working in agriculture. I spent a lot of time there as a kid. When I travel to that area, I am always taken with the dramatic, often stark, wide-open landscape and feel right at home there. I’m often surprised to realize how much of my work has been informed by these experiences.
Children coloring on giant coloring book page made by Bev and Stephen Glueckert at the Indigenous Peoples celebration at Travelers’ Rest State Park.
Watch Bev discuss her artwork at Travelers’ Rest State Park!
Enjoy Bev’s Artist Talk!
