We've Got The County Covered
We've Got The County Covered
Kristi Billmayer had her artwork displayed proudly in Galleries around the country through the years, but she had her favorites. Her husband Larry recalls three that she was particularly fond of, "Kristi loved the gallery in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. They sold a lot of pieces for her. There was one in Florida that she was particularly fond of as well and she really liked the Gallery in Bigfork. Jackson Hole and Bigfork though sold dozens of pieces for her, some for quite a lot."
Kristi would take eight to ten pieces to the galleries and then after a few months rotate the ones that didn't sell out with new work. Most of the Kristi's work is all original, she did to a few prints and some commission work but as Larry puts it, "She wasn't really fond of commissioned work, but she did do a few prints of her favorite work."
"The curator of the Bigfork Gallery was Bob Staten, and he kind of took Kristy under his wing. He was with the Charles Russell Art Show and introduced her to the organizers," stated Larry. "You didn't just show up to the CMR Art Show, you definitely had to be invited." Kristy displayed her work for more than 20 years at the CMR show, receiving numerous awards along the way.
Kristi loved the shows in general. She liked being able to sell her paintings and doing so was much more about validating her work as an artist than it ever was about money. The work that didn't sell adorn the walls of Larry and their two sons Alex and Casey, "Kristi loved houses with lots of walls, she wasn't really a fan of this new open look. Kristi wanted as many walls as possible to hang artwork on," said Larry. Kristi's favorite pieces are also included on their walls.
Kristi was very set in her ways when it came to her work, "She loved to go out and take pictures to use for her painting. She did most of that on her own. She had an eye for what she photographed and painted, and it showed in her work. She always used her own photos," added Larry.
Her work had to be framed perfectly, "Susan Huston started out framing her work, but her husband got sick with Cancer, and she switched to High Plains Gallery and they did everything since," said Larry. "Everything had to be perfect, the color, the design. Kristi was very particular on what type of frame went with each painting." The family, Larry and the boys, have about 100 pieces on their walls and he estimates Kristi did several hundred all together. "She could really turn them out when she was at her best. Sometimes she could finish a painting in 2-3 days, but most took about a week."
Of all of Kristi's work Larry doesn't hesitate as to what his favorite one is and it's not even in his house, "My favorite is called 'Hard Earned Rest and is hanging in Hill County Title companies' office. Kristi worked there for 15 years and really enjoyed it. It was kind of a driving force for Kristi, she would say 'every title in Hill County has to go through me!' She really made a lot of good friends there and they loved her time with them." So how exactly did Hill County Title end up with the painting, "She gave it to them, to spruce up the walls! She has other paintings displayed there as well. I thought about asking them for it back, but that's not in me." The painting 'Hard Earned Rest' depicts a team of horses resting in their stalls after a day's work.
Kristi loved her Art Show friends, "Her shows were definitely her thing," said Larry. "She loved going to each show and seeing all of them and there were a few she would attend every year just for that. "She loved the Russell show as well as one in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. She would trade some of her work with her friends from these shows and in the art community. Don Greytak was a good friend of hers that she often traded with. Mary Rick from Idaho was another 'Art Show' friend she often traded painting with." Larry went on to say, "Kathy Shirilla was a good friend, and she has been Greytak's assistant for many years and that's how they got to be friends and they remained very close friends throughout her life. Kathy was a huge help with the advertising and marketing of her work."
Kristi's invested so much of herself and who she was in her work and as such her legacy and memory will live on for generations to come. For those folks that love paintings of animals, especially dogs and horses, she will always have a connection with them. All of Kristi's work is currently with friends and family and not available for purchase. Many pieces are still on display in various locations and the Blaine County Museum in Chinook does have some prints on hand, but Larry was unsure if those were available for purchase.
