On the Town: First Friday

The Final Frontier

Frontier Space was never meant to be a typical gallery. In fact, the art it displays probably would never hang in the Dana. University of Montana fine art graduate students Nathan Tonning and Will Hutchinson created it because they felt Missoula needed alternatives.

"We came here and realized that Missoula had culture but no spaces to show alternative art," Tonning said. "Most galleries want to hang something and wait for it to sell. We wanted something where artists could take over and embrace the space on their own terms."

Tonning said Montana's blessing is its isolation, but that's also a problem for bringing in new art. Frontier Space was created with the goal to bring an outside perspective to Missoula.

"We're interested in showing young and emerging artists who are on the edge," Hutchinson said. "It's a nontraditional gallery, so we want art with a nontraditional approach."

So far the idea has been successful. Other students have gotten involved with the gallery, and they plan on keeping it open after Tonning and Hutchinson move on after graduation.

Frontier Space is just off the typical First Friday path. It sits in the alley between Sean Kelly's and Sushi Hana. During openings, appetizers and drinks sit outside so people can mingle into the small room.

Now in its 15th show, the gallery has brought in art from all over the country. "Strata" by Chicago artist Daniel Braid will premiere at Frontier Space tonight.

Work It

If clothes are more your style, check out Selvedge's Project Selvedge fashion show. Similar to "Project Runaway," amateur fashion designers have one week to create new designs and then show them off at a live fashion show each Friday. Every week one designer will be eliminated until there's a winner.

Say Cheese

The Brink Gallery is featuring "I pass by," a series of photographic silkscreens by Penn sylvania's Benhamin Lee Sperry. Sperry's conceptual and narrative style deals with a wide variety of themes ranging from young ambition to uncertainty and desire.

Anawada?

The Artists' Shop gallery is presenting "See what the first hath wrought: Wood-fired ceramics from The Clay Studio Anagama Kiln." Local artists will be displaying their pottery and sculptures from the last firing of the Japanese Angama kiln. The wood-fueled technique is labor intensive but can create extraordinary results.

Something's fishy

Liquid Squid is bringing a mix of painting, fashion design, dance and music with its new theme, "Skin, Canvas & Cloth." Featured artists Suzanne Shope, Rick Phillips, Joy French, Cynthia Knutsen and Geoff Pepos are displaying their talents every half hour starting at 6 p.m.

Also for your consideration

Bring your Droid or iPhone to Computer Central's smartphone interactive exhibit of changing technology.

The Dark Room is showing "Wakeful Impressions" by photographer Stuart Garney.

See Missoula sculptor Maryann Eikens's wildlife bronzes at The Mood Boutique.

The Tides Gallery presents "Reel Time: New Photographs by Carmine Leighton," a timely exhibit about infamous moviegoers from past and present.

UM alum Cait Finley is showing new work at Le Petit Outre about some of the world's strangest animals.

dameon.matule@umontana.edu