Artist: Mitzi Nelson

Sponsor:

Beneficiary: Ruby Valley Hospital Foundation

Location: Sheridan

Artist Comment: The concept of my painting is to capture the beauty of Montana after a snowfall. I tried to show the majesty of our wildlife by portraying the elk and deer in a natural setting each among their female Harmon I used the couture of the fish's fins to create snow covered rocks that stick out from the ground giving the painting a sense of depth.

Minimum Bid: $3,500
Current Bid: $3,500

Artist: Kathy Claassen Carpenter

Sponsor: Paul Moseley

Beneficiary: Madison County Nursing Home Foundation

Location: Alder

Artist Comment: The sculpture represents all of the game fish throughout Madison County. It seemed fitting to do this in a way that they would each have a special place on the sculpture. There are Cutthroat, Rainbow Trout, Whitefish, Arctic Greyling, Brown Trout, and Brook Trout.

Minimum Bid: $3,500
Current Bid: Reserve Not Met

Artist: Sherril Gold

Sponsor: Ruby Springs Lodge

Beneficiary: Twin Bridges Senior and Community Center

Location: Twin Bridges

Artist Comment: The short, intense burst of color the wildflowers bring to Madison Valley is reflected in the shimmery leaping trout. I have been inspired by Georgia O’Keefe and Van Gogh; their flowers are glorious. In painting the flowers much bigger than real life, I wanted to bring them right to everyone’s attention. Some of the blooms are less than an inch across and their beauty is easy to overlook. Just flashes of color, easy to miss in our busy lives. I hope the beauty of the flowers and the grace of the leaping trout brings delight to all who see it.

Minimum Bid: $3,500
Current Bid: Reserve Not Met

Artist: Janet McGahan

Sponsor: Mike Mulvehill

Beneficiary: Big Brothers Big Sisters

Location: Virginia City

Artist Comment: The form of this giant trout provided me with a “canvas” on which to paint a mural of fishing, rafting, and wildlife watching on the Madison River. A father with his young son leaning in to watch ties a fly onto his son’s line; rafter in rubber boats float and relax; hip-booted fishermen share the river with a young grizzly; a mother fishes as her children try their luck on the bank. Osprey, geese, ducks, and wildflowers add to the river’s bounty. I enjoyed having my imagination flow in paint from one end of the fish to the other (a river running over it), and I held in my mind the idea of promoting healthy rivers which in turn promote healthy activity for all who love rivers and the life in and around them.

Artist: Gloria D’

Sponsor: Fred Goldberg and Saltchuk Resources

Beneficiary: Madison Valley Food Bank

Location: Jeffers Corner and Ennis City Park

Artist Comment: This design honors the Native Americans who lived in the Madison Valley. On the fin is a lodge (tipi) design, the lodge was an important part of native life. It was much more than a shelter, it was a circle to learn and grow, to teach history, the craft and the traditional way of life through the Elders. The four circles represent the four directions: North – White – Wisdom; South – Red – Innocence; East8– Yellow – 6uture; and West – Black – Introspect. The black and white triangles (feathers) are the war bonnet of the first chief from this valley. They all point to the great mountains and the circle of the sun. The Eagle in the center represents the future. He is the messenger to the Creator, he carries all prayers. The speed of the dragonfly, the agility of the lizard, and the long life of the turtle, all connect to the medicine wheel for all nations. The final feathers of the war bonnet are to honor the last great chiefs who called the Madison Valley home, Chief Ten Doy and Chief White Bear.

Artist: Linda Phillippi

Sponsor: Moraine Foundation

Beneficiary: Sheridan Main Street Association

Location: Sheridan

Artist Comment: My "affectionate" name for my fish is Maddie, short for Madison. She depicts the playful nature of native Maidens coming out to play by the light of the crescent moon & Aurora Borealis. Mountain Maiden comes by way of mountain & valley, crawling down into the river to nudge her friend out of the river. Mer-Maiden awakens, leaping from the river in the entanglements of willow leaves, feathers, bubbles, and actual rainbow trout. The mystic friends frolic together under a glittery umbrella of night sky until the morning comes, disappearing into the landscape for their day's rest in dreamy anticipation of another night's play.

Artists: Ed Totten, Natalea Totten, Samantha Kimmey, Brady Cornett,
Madaline Hagl

Sponsor: Big Sky Western Bank

Beneficiary: Friends of the Madison Valley Library

Location: Madison Valley Library Lawn, Main Street, Ennis

Artist Comment: The artwork is representative of the numerous petroglyphs found throughout Montana. It is fitting that children painted them because of the primitive nature of the art – a great representation of the beginning stages of the artistic process and the ability to communicate. One side represents the strong historic presence of the Native Americans who lived in this valley with the teepees and tangible dwellings, and the other side represents this culture that has faded but is still present.

Minimum Bid: $3,500
Current Bid: $3,500

Artist: Christina Blackledge

Sponsor: Ruby Springs Lodge

Beneficiary: Madison Valley History Association

Location: Virginia City

Artist Comment: The artwork represents the entire history of the surrounding area. It includes the Native Americans and their spirits, the gold rush, the miners, the Chinese, Yellowstone Falls, and many, many other pieces of history. Look closely and you’ll find hidden faces, animals, and other symbols of Montana legacies.

Minimum Bid: $3,500
Current Bid: Reserve Not Met

Click Here To Bid On This Sculpture

This is a silent auction that will last until the live auction in the summer of 2009. The high silent auction bid will be the opening bid at the live auction. Forty-five percent of the proceeds from the auction will go directly to the beneficiary listed above, forty-five percent will go the Madison County Economic Development Council, and ten percent will go to the artist.