Please join us on Thursday, September 5th, for “BeTween”, an exhibit of hand-crafted kites by St. Ignatius artist, Lindy Johnston.  Fine art, live music by cellist, Lee Zimmerman and refreshments!  For more information, please call 406-863-ARTS or go to http://www.whitefishgallerynights.org!!

“I grew up in Libby, where traditional Eddy and box kites did not offer much entertainment due to the lack of steady wind.  Then, in college, I discovered “fighter kites” native to the Himalayas and Japan.  My first kites were made to replace the ones I flew until they became non-repair-able, Grandmaster kites, still imported from southeast Asia.  Often flown at the beach, these maneuverable and intimate kites are well-suited to light breezes of mountain regions-for many reasons they are my favorite kites to make and fly.  From the start I began developing my own surface designs.  At that time in North America, few people made paper kites, preferring to use durable fabric.  Traveling to kite workshops and festivals introduced me to wonderful people around the world and I learned to split bamboo from kite masters from Asia.  In China I discovered that other kite makers put radish shapes on kites and I learned that my decorative themes were not necessarily as original as I thought!  My kites are often traditional, sometimes abstract.  Preferred materials include ages bamboo, collected papers and scraps, maps and my own markings.  Many kites are part of a series never complete-I think of these kites somewhat like mono-prints, related yet unique and although I try to be consistent in cataloging them, some get away.  Not all kites fly well, they either fly or attempt to fly or else they are not kites, but about kites.  With exposure, paper kites fade, get damaged, yet that does not necessarily detract from their art.  Some serve as tools to explore relationships twixt time and tactile, earth and word, person and heaven.  Some are just for fun!”  -Linda “Lindy” Johnston