Monte Dolack

A native and lifelong resident of Montana, Monte Dolack grew up surrounded by the same sweeping vistas and big sky as artist Charlie Russell. Monte’s love for the diverse landscapes and wildlife of the west are evident in the images he creates and the commissions he undertakes.

After studying art at Montana State University and The University of Montana, Monte opened his first design and painting studio in 1974 and began his full time career as an artist. Some of his best known earlier works—wild animals occupying human homes—comprise Dolack’s Invaders Series which explores the myths of the West and how we view our relationship with our environment.

Monte’s works are part of the collection of the Library of Congress, the American Association of Museums, the National Wildfire Foundation and numerous other museums and corporations. Exhibitions have included Artists of the American West, Bank of Ireland Fine Arts Centre, Dublin, and The Kumamoto Prefectural Art Museum, Kumamoto, Japan. Monte’s work was chosen to be included in The North American Print Biennial, Boston, MA as well as the National Art Museum of Beijing, as part of the 2007 New West Exhibition.

In 2011 his work was exhibited at the Palace of Nations at the United Nations, Geneva, Switzerland. In 2012 he exhibited in London at the Bossanyi Studio, and in 2014 his solo exhibition, Altered State, was shown at the Holter Museum of Art in Helena, Montana. He has most recently exhibited artworks at Old Main Gallery, Bozeman, Montana and Radius Gallery in Missoula, Montana.

In the year 2000, the Missoulian and The Montana Century selected Monte Dolack as one of the 100 most influential Montanans of the twentieth century. In 2009 Dolack was awarded the distinguished Fine Arts Alumni award from the University of Montana. And most recently, in 2018 he received the Montana Governors Award for the Arts.

A love of art, history and the natural world has shaped the content of his imagery. Blending mythology, nature and elements from our modern civilization, Dolack’s work is often infused with a sense of humor and irony. A keen interest in environmental issues has lead to commissions for the Nature Conservancy, Defenders of Wildlife and Trout Unlimited; he has created over 200 posters and prints for various cultural and conservation organizations. In 2014 he was chosen to create the official national commemorative poster for the 50th Anniversary of the American Wilderness Act.

Monte has traveled extensively in the US, Europe, Mexico, South America, New Zealand, Japan and Antarctica—visiting important cultural sites, museums and natural landscapes and making paintings inspired from his travels.

In addition to his paintings and many posters he has also created numerous original lithographs. From 1992 until 2015 he owned and managed a flourishing fine art studio/gallery in historic downtown Missoula, Montana. His original paintings and fine art prints are available via the Monte Dolack Fine Art online gallery. Posters may be purchased at Frame of Mind in Missoula.