Challenge the orange cone zone at NMWA to see wonderful "Yellowstone to Yukon" exhibit

Dwayne Harty, "Mountain Goats"

Wildlife artist Dwayne Harty was working on a new painting in the lobby of the National Museum of Wildflife Art this morning. It was hard to carry on a conversation as jackhammers made a racket. The NMWA is under renovation. The deteriorating rock facade has been removed and a new one is going up in its place. Upslope from the museum, a new sculpture garden is being installed and parking lots remade. Downslope toward the National Elk Refuse, a new bike path underpass (complete with public art project) is being built.

The museum is still open (as the sign says) and we viewed the exhibit "Yellowstone to Yukon: The Journey of Wildlife and Art." It features the work of Dwayne Harty completed over a four-year span. He traveled the length of the Yellowstone-Yukon wildlife corridor three times over the course of as many years, painting in areas so remote that few, if any, painters have captured it. During the fourth year, Dwayne was artist-in-residence at the Murie Center working out of a studio at the Arts Center in Jackson.

Brave the construction and see the exhibit. It won't be there much longer.