MDF Unveils Newest Downtown Mural Celebrating Local Artist Abby French on First Friday, Sept. 5 at the Wren

MISSOULA DOWNTOWN FOUNDATION UNVEILS NEWEST DOWNTOWN MURAL
CELEBRATING LOCAL ARTIST ABBY FRENCH ON FIRST FRIDAY, SEPT. 5 AT THE WREN

The public is invited to celebrate the unveiling of Downtown Missoula’s newest mural in conjunction with First Friday Gallery Night on Friday, Sept. 5, at The Wren (201 E. Main), one of Downtown Missoula’s newest hotels. Missoula artist and preschool teacher Abby French will be there to share her thoughts on the mural called What Makes Montana at 5 p.m.

Signature elements of Montana‘s culture and ecosystem are broken down into silhouettes. Each silhouette is transformed from a silhouette of Montana, showing the connection of our state and what makes it. Symbols include: Rainbow Trout, Meadowlark, Elk, Bitterroot Flower, Western Tiger Swallowtail, Grizzly Bear, Skier, Horse, Lupine, Kayaker, Buffalo, and Osprey.

Funded by the Missoula Downtown Foundation’s Arts & Culture Impact Grants and The Wren, the small mural will help people visualize some of the creatures that make Montana so unique.

“The simplicity and approachability of recognizable silhouettes will draw people in. The piece celebrates the great nature and culture that make Montana so great,” said artist Abby French. “My hope for this piece is to bring viewers a sense of state pride and connection.”

Originally from Wauwatosa, Wisc., French is a Missoula artist and early childhood educator who earned a BA in Fine Arts from the University of Montana in 2018. She has also published a book called Abbystract.

This is the third mural project funded by the Missoula Downtown Foundation this year. The other two are Alive with the Land by Madison Perrins at Worden’s Market and the Teen Art Project (TAP) completed by students at the Missoula Art Museum.

For more information on the reveal of What Makes Montana or the Foundation’s Downtown Arts & Culture Impact Grants, please reach out to the Downtown Missoula Partnership via phone (406-543-4238) or email ([email protected]).