Artists’ Day at Giant Springs State Park

Last Saturday I was out at Giant Springs State Park just east of Great Falls, MT. It was one of those days where you just felt lucky to be outside. The weather was awesome.

The park had invited artists to set up their easels and do some plein air painting. I hope it was as fun for the artists as it was for me watching them. Some were set up on the manicured lawns at the park, some sought sunshine, some followed the shade.

Local artist Steve Nelson was using the sun to pick up the best light and colors on the freshwater spring and trees in the background.

He was poised rather precariously and one wrong step would have definitely sent him swimming. His location was stunning though – a bubbling spring, birds singing, fish jumping. One thought running through my mind was that people actually buy these sounds on CDs and we can just experience them so close to home.

As I visited with the park manager it was interesting to see everything happening there that day. Some folks were out for a picnic lunch, others were bird watching, others were painter watching and some came to feed the fish at the hatchery.

It was just another great day in north central Montana!