Yellowstone Art Museum

Ever wonder where art museums keep everything that's not on exhibition? We want to show you where-in our new Visible Vault. Pick up a key card at the main museum front desk and pay a visit to the Visible Vault at 505 North 26th Street, behind the museum. There you'll be able to see where and how we store our 7,300-object permanent collection. Whatever behind-the-scenes work is going on at the moment will also be on view, whether it's the coming and going of objects preparing for exhibition, photography and cataloging of new works, conservation treatments, or similar activity. Would you like to make an appointment to study an specific object closely? We'd be delighted to help. Please give our This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it a call to schedule a time. Our artist-in-residence studio is also in this building.

The Visible Vault is the first publicly accessible art storage facility in our region and may be the only one in the country that opens one museum's entire collection storage space to public view. Stop by to find out more about how we care for our region's artistic legacy.

Brooke Atherton, the YAM's Current Artist-in-Residence

Brooke Atherton notes that her "textile art is a visual record of my journey across the North American West.  One of my interests is in the marks that natural forces, such as fire and water, leave on fabrics.  I use earth and plant pigments and a diverse range of objects found in my travels to reference the impact humans have in the landscape.  I then piece, layer, and stitch the surfaces into maps and calendars and journals that reflect this exploration.  It gives my work a strong sense of place."  Brooke's works are rich visual memory banks unlimited by any convention interpretation of "fiber."  The works are intense and sensitive in their use of color and include found objects that reflect a moment or place.  Stop by during the YAM's regular hours, pick up a key card at the front desk, and go on over to the Visible Vault to watch Brooke work, through January 2012.  Brooke will lead a snow-dyeing workshop at the YAM on Saturday, January 28, at 10 a.m.  Pre-registration is required...pick up an Experience Art adult workshop flyer.

Brian Keith Scott, Second Artist-in-Residence

Brian Keith Scott worked onsite from February through July 2011.  Scott's work is familiar to Billings's audiences--he is a frequent contributor to the annual Art Auction, and the YAM hosted a solo exhibition of his work in 2007.  Scott works in metal and glass.  During his time as the YAM's artist-in-residence, he completed several kiln-casting projects and cold glass and metal works.  Scott is enthusiastic about the Yellowstone Art Museum and found the interaction between visitors and himself to be inspiring.

Tracy Linder Concludes Inaugural Residency

Our first artist-in-residence was Tracy Linder, whose residency concluded in January 2011. Linder found the experience of working in a public space and conversing with visitors to be invaluable, and she expects "the benefits will be long lasting."  During her six-month residency, she created a "herd" of cast paper cattle heads titled "Blindsided."  Each has an ear tag.  Linder states, "Aspen is the first cow to successfully donate her DNA for cloning.  I ear-tagged each cow head with the name Aspen, a number, birthdate, and my livestock brand.  The embedded grass strands are to remind us that all flesh is grass, as well as to give a nod to the small grass-fed ranching operations."

Being a native to the region, Linder's agriculturally based sculptures and installations address our indelible connection to the land and the sanctity of our food sources. She transforms remnants of animal, plant, human and machine into visceral hybrids that reveal the reciprocal relationships necessary to sustain life. She is interested in the individual biographies of the mundane, the endurance and perserverance of the vulnerable.

Linder's works are derived from living a life close to the land--she grew up on a family farm and now lives out on the vast prairie of south central Montana with her husband, Mike. Her artworks have been exhibited in New York, St. Louis, Indianapolis and throughout Montana, Colorado and North Dakota. Her work is in the permanent collections of the Yellowstone Art Museum and Billings Clinic in Billings, Montana; North Dakota State University in Fargo; and Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art, Great Falls, MT. Linder received her M.F.A. in 1991 from the University of Colorado at Boulder.

See the Artist-In-Residence Studio to learn more.

Montana's Newest Treasure Is Here!

We enjoyed warm weather and a great turnout for the grand opening of the Visible Vault on August 7 & 8, 2010. Activities included an official ribbon-cutting ceremony, live music, steamroller prints, children's art projects, tours, and antique appraisals by Timothy Gordon. We would like to thank our sponsors, volunteers, and all our event visitors for helping make this opening unforgettable!

Visible Vault Parking Lot
A new parking lot surface made up of 501,600 ground up glass bottles. The porous paving system uses a plant based glue to hold the glass particles together. Water flows through the glass and into a gravel base. (Source: Billings Gazette)