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Dec
19
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Dec
19
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Art :: Art Show
Installation Ceremony for Glacier National Park Mural
4:00 PM
Hockaday Museum of Art
Description:
The Hockaday Museum of Art announces the installation ceremony for the seventh fully restored Glacier National Park mural "St. Mary Lodge" in the Lake County Courthouse on Monday, December 19, 2016 at 4:00 PM. 13 year-old Boy Scout Ethan McCauley raised $10K as part of his Eagle Scout project to fund the restoration of the largest mural in the Hockaday's collection.

The Hockaday Museum of Art announces the installation ceremony for "St. Mary Lodge", the largest fully restored historic Glacier National Park mural in the Museum's collection, is scheduled for Monday, December 19, 2016, at 4:00 PM, in the atrium lobby of the Lake County Courthouse in Polson. Commissioner Gale Decker, Boy Scout Ethan McCauley and his troop, Hockaday Board President Harry Wilson, Hockaday Executive Director Tracy Johnson, and donors who enabled the restoration will be among those in attendance for the unveiling of the 10 foot work of art.

13 year-old Polson resident Ethan McCauley read about the Hockaday's mural restoration efforts and January 2016 installation of two of those murals in Whitefish's O'Shaughnessy Center, committing his efforts to raising enough money to restore one of the recovered Glacier Park Lodge murals to be displayed in his hometown. Ethan raised $10,000 as part of his Eagle Scout project to achieve that goal; he said "I am excited about my Eagle Scout project which I think will be a wonderful contribution to our community. I am also proud that I have a chance to help restore a special piece of Montana history as well as Glacier National Park history." Hockaday Executive Director Tracy Johnson noted that "Ethan is a shining example of how one person can make a difference in preserving the artist legacy of our community and we are so proud to work with him on this special project."

Ethan worked with the Hockaday to select one of the murals, and boldly pushed forward after choosing the largest mural of the fifteen in the Museum's permanent collection. Joe Abbrescia, Jr., a professional Art Conservator from Abbrescia Art Restoration LLC, completed the restoration work and Frame It's Greg Smith framed the enormous 51" x 120" work.

In 1913, railroad tycoon Louis Hill built the Glacier Park Lodge in East Glacier, commissioning many murals to be painted to celebrate the natural beauty of the Park. Hill had the large-scale paintings installed above the wainscoting throughout the hotel, which became viewed as national treasures over the years. In 1950, fifty-one of the murals were water damaged and discarded. However, fifteen of them were rescued by Leona and Robert Brown of East Glacier's Brownies Grocery, and were stored in their garage for over 50 years. The murals were passed down to their granddaughter Leanne and her husband Alan Goldhahn, and they donated them in memory of her grandparents to the Hockaday Museum of Art in 2012. The Hockaday received enough support from local community members through 2015 to restore six of the murals.

The Hockaday Museum of Art is located in the cultural district of downtown Kalispell at 302 Second Ave East. It is housed in a 1904 Carnegie Library building that appears on the National Register of Historic Places. The Museum is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, open year-round, Tues-Sat from 10am-5pm. A wheelchair accessible entry and elevator are provided. For more information, please visit www.HockadayMuseum.org or call 406-755-5268.
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Age Group: All Ages
Venue: Hockaday Museum of Art
Address: 302 Second Ave E Kalispell, MT 59901
Phone: (406)755-5268

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