Missoula artist Julia LaTray presents a solo exhibition titled "Animal Pleasures" at Bob's Your Uncle gallery in May, featuring paintings of animals on glitchy, digitized backgrounds alongside lighting and other works. The gallery is only open to the public on dedicated nights, so the exhibition is paired with performances, comedy, and readings on May 1, 8, 15, and 29. Separately, Hanis Coos artist Sara Siestreem brings her major exhibition "Acts of Love, Refusal and Resistance" to the Missoula Art Museum, filling the museum's main galleries with large-scale mixed-media paintings and sculpture, including handmade baskets and ceramic molded versions with gilded flourishes. The museum hosts a First Friday reception on May 1 and a "Coffee and Conversation" with the artist on May 2.
These shows matter because they highlight the vibrant local art scene in Missoula, offering residents and visitors opportunities to engage with both established and emerging artists in intimate gallery settings and a respected museum. LaTray's exhibition demonstrates how a small commercial gallery can create community around visual art through interdisciplinary events, while Siestreem's show at the Missoula Art Museum brings Indigenous contemporary art to a broader audience, emphasizing traditional skills like basket weaving alongside modern mixed-media practices. Together, they reflect the cultural vitality of a mid-sized Western city and the importance of accessible, community-oriented art programming.