Legacy 2025: Montana's Expanding Western Art Exhibition

For the first time in its five-year history, the annual Western art exhibition organized by Riley Wolery will expand to two Montana cities this spring. "Legacy 2025" will showcase regional artists at the Baxter Hotel in Bozeman on April 26 and at the Northern Hotel in Billings on May 3rd, bringing together diverse artistic talents from across the state.

Each year, Wolery selects a single word to define his exhibition. For 2025, that word carries special significance. "This year legacy stuck out to me because art can be impactful in more than one way," Wolery explains. "Nobody is going to live forever so ultimately, what type of legacy is your art gonna leave behind." This reflection on artistic permanence sets the tone for both shows, which will feature carefully selected artists working across various mediums and styles.

The Bozeman exhibition at the historic Baxter Hotel will showcase six regional artists, while the Billings show at the Northern Hotel will expand to feature fifteen artists. According to Wolery, this dual-city approach represents the beginning of a larger vision. "This is actually the first year I am putting on two shows at two separate locations," Wolery says. "Eventually, I do want these shows to be a traveling show throughout the entire state of Montana."

The decision to start with Bozeman and Billings was strategic. "People will always say location, location, location is crucial. I am 100% believer in that and feel that the art presented as well as art sales will reflect that based on where they are held." While most artists will appear exclusively at one venue, two artists—Elyssa Leininger and Miah Chalfant—will have work featured at both exhibitions.

Both events follow the same format, beginning with an exclusive VIP hour from 5:00 to 6:00 PM. This premium experience includes wine, light appetizers, and the opportunity to purchase artwork before the general public. VIP attendees will also enjoy presentations from guest speakers and a special dance performance. General admission begins at 6:00 PM and continues until 10:00 PM, with a $10 entry fee collected at the door.

New to this year's events is a partnership with the Veterans Navigation Network (VNN). "The organization is called VNN veterans navigation network," Wolery notes. "Their main focus is to be there for support as well as having a safe place for veterans to come to with any issues they may have whether it is financial, emotional, physical, etc."

This collaboration has led to another meaningful addition: "We will also have the colors presented during the VIP hour, as well as having a traditional drum circle take place," thanks to a connection with a Native American veteran organization.

When asked how to characterize Western art, Wolery acknowledges the subjectivity involved. "Some people might only consider Charlie Russell work to be true traditional western art. But then they may also argue that another artist that does more contemporary/pop art style would be considered western."

His personal philosophy is inclusive: "For me, art is in the eye of the holder. But personally, I do feel that western arts needs to have expression whether it's expression from the subject matter or expression coming from the color palette." This broad definition allows for the diverse range of work that will be on display at both venues.

For Wolery, these exhibitions represent more than just art shows—they're the culmination of a personal quest that began five years ago when he was 25. "I was kind of in a mental block in my early to mid 20s. Wasn't sure what I was going to do the rest of my life," he recalls. Seeing peers hitting traditional life milestones on social media added to his uncertainty. "For me, it was telling myself that hey I love art—why not try to make a job/career out of it. I started to think to myself how can I make this job and I came up with putting on an art show."

That first exhibition was entirely self-funded and self-organized. "It was 100% my doing and I ultimately felt like I had nothing to lose. Nothing was holding me back but myself and I decided worst case scenario if I spent all this money and it doesn't work out at least I can say I tried." Five years later, the exhibitions continue to evolve and expand. "Each and every year I put these shoes on I want it to continue to grow not only in awareness but the number of artist involved, the different styles/mediums of art, whether it is dance performances, paintings, traditional, beadwork, etc."

Tickets for the VIP hour are limited to 100 per event and can be obtained by contacting Wolery directly at 406-321-3399 or through the Wolery Artwork pages on Facebook and Instagram, where the events are listed as "Legacy 2025 Part One" and "Part Two." As Wolery reminds potential attendees: "Art is in every form of our lives. We just have to take a step back and recognize it as well as respect it."