Exhibit Archives

Jeanne Hamilton: A Retrospective
September 12, 2003 through January 3, 2004

Jeanne Hamilton was a well-known and much-loved Flathead artist who lived, painted, and taught in the Kalispell area for more than 40 years. Her legacy lives on in the memory of the many students she taught at Flathead Valley Community College, the Hockaday Center for the Arts, and in her home studio. 
She was born in Plains, Montana, and attended the University of Montana, where she received her Fine Arts degree in 1940. Jeanne taught high school art for four years before she went to graduate school at Mills College in Oakland, California, earning her degree in Occupational Therapy.
Jeanne moved to Kalispell in the early 1960's and taught art at Flathead Valley Community College for 11 years. She also taught summer art classes at the Hockaday and gave classes at schools throughout Northwestern Montana. She went on to found the Creativity Center. She worked in many mediums to create stunning landscapes, but portraits were her specialty.

Montana Landscape on the Line, by Jeanne Hamilton, on loan from Ruth Patrick

Today, her portraits can be found in many art collections around the Flathead Valley.  Today, over 400 of her finished portraits of children and families hang in homes across the United States.

Jeanne's painting, Montana Landscape on the Line is well-known throughout the state. The idea arose when she was painting with a friend, Barb Abbott. As they were painting outside in the late Sam Bibler's garden one day, the two of them discussed the idea of painting a series about the various ways people would hang their wash out to dry. Jeanne took the idea and ran with it. The first of the clothesline series was a tribute to the kicked-back life style of Montanans. 
The other works in the Clothesline Series were produced from Jeanne's travels around the world visiting her family in other countries. Several are on display in this show for the first time.