The Capital Gallery Society

THE MISSION OF THE CAPITAL GALLERY SOCIETY IS CELEBRATING HISTORY, ART, AND CULTURE! THROUGH ART GALLERIES AND EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH.

PROGRAMMING SUMMARYTHE SOCIETY LAUNCHED A NEW PLATFORM FOR PROGRAMMING DURING THE YEAR, INSPIRED LIVING, PROVIDING PROGRAMMING BOTH WITHIN THE SOCIETY'S GALLERIES AND OUTREACH. THE INITIATIVE INCLUDES PROVIDING ART CLASSES TO UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS, INCLUDING HOMELESS AND THOSE IN ABUSED ADULT RESOURCE FACILITY. SPECIAL EMPHASIS OF THE CLASSES IS ON THE HEALING BENEFITS OF ART. AN ANNUAL STUDENT ART FAIR, WHICH INCLUDES A $1,000 SCHOLARSHIP ALONG WITH OTHER AWARDS, WAS ALSO PART OF THE PROGRAMMING. JANUARY THROUGH MARCHSTAGED INTO THE WEST EXHIBITION, FEATURING OVER 20 ARTISTS, EACH DEPICTING WESTERN THEMES, WHETHER IN PAINTINGS, BRONZE OR CLAY. AMERICAN INDIAN LEDGER ARTISTS WERE INCLUDED, PROVIDING MULTIPLE PERSPECTIVES ON THE THEME. FEATURED ARTISTS INCLUDED WALTER PIEHL, CHERIE ROSHAU, BUTCH THUNDER HAWK, MONTO YELLOW BIRD, KAYE BURIAN, VERN ERICKSON, MICHAEL WESTERGARD, KALENZE KRAFT, TODD CLAUSNITZER, KATRINA CASE, LINDA DONLIN, MICHAEL HAYNES, PATRICK SHANNON AND ANDREW KNUDSON. APRIL AND MAYGOOD VIBRATIONS WAS A COMPLETE MAKEOVER OF THE GALLERY, SWITCHING TO LIGHTER, MORE COLORFUL SPRINGTIME THEMES, INCLUDING NEW ABSTRACT ARTISTS MEDORA FREI AND LONGTIME LANDSCAPE AND STILL LIFE ARTIST ELLEN DIEDERICH. JUNE THROUGH MID SEPTEMBEROUR SECOND GALLERY IN HISTORIC MEDORA WAS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, SHOWCASING OVER 20 ARTISTS WITH A STRONG WESTERN AMERICANA THEME. OVER 7,500 VISITORS FROM THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATE ENJOYED THE GALLERY, WITH A HIGH PERCENTAGE MAKING THEIR FIRST VISIT TO AN ART GALLERY. COMING AFTER THE COVID-IMPACTED 2020, IT WAS THE BEST ATTENDANCE YET FOR THE GALLERY.JUNESCHOOL'S OUT! STUDENT ART FAIR TOOK PLACE DURING THE MONTH, ATTRACTING 12 GIFTED HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, EACH OF WHOM RECEIVED SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARDS AND ONE INDIVIDUAL A $1,000 SCHOLARSHIP GRANT. THE SHOW WAS STAGED WITH FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FROM THE CENTRAL REGIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION. JULY AND AUGUSTWALKING ON SUNSHINE KEPT UP A LIVELY SUMMERTIME THEME FOR THE GALLERY, SHOWCASING NEARLY 20 ARTISTS, INCLUDING SEVERAL NEW TO THE GALLERY. THE SHOW INCLUDED BOTH ABSTRACT AND TRADITIONAL PIECES.SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBERBISON BALLET EXHIBITION WAS A NOVEL APPROACH TO FOCUSING ON AMERICAN BISON-THEMED ART. THE SHOW WAS TO BE HELD IN CONJUNCTION WITH A NATIONAL BISON SYMPOSIUM AT BISMARCK STATE COLLEGE, BUT CONTINUED COVID CONCERNS PREVENTED THE EVENT FROM TAKING PLACE. THE EXHIBITION, HOWEVER, WAS A BIG HIT, FEATURING MANY OF OUR MOST POPULAR ARTISTS, KNOWN THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, INCLUDING KAYE BURIAN, WALTER PIEHL, VERN ERICKSON AND BRONZE ARTIST, JAMES MCCULLOCH. OVER 30 ARTISTS PARTICIPATED IN THE SHOW. NOVEMBER AND DECEMBERI'LL BE HOME WAS A RADICAL DEPARTURE FOR THE GALLERY, WORKING WITH AN INTERIOR DESIGN FIRM TO TRANSFORM THE ENTIRE SPACE TO APPEAR AS A HOME ENVIRONMENT, INCLUDING LIVING ROOM, DINING ROOM AND BEDROOM. VISITORS WERE ABLE TO CLEARLY SEE HOW THE ART FROM A GREAT VARIETY OF ARTISTS WOULD LOOK IN THEIR OWN HOME ENVIRONMENT. THE EXHIBITION WAS A PERFECT COMPLEMENT TO OUR ANNUAL ART GALA FUNDRAISING EVENT, INSPIRED EVENING CONDUCTED IN EMPTY SPACE WITHIN OUR BUILDING, ADJACENT TO THE GALLERY. IT WAS OUR MOST EXCITING AND PRODUCTIVE EVENT EVER, WITH NEARLY 200 IN ATTENDANCE.