The Livingston Depot Museum will open for the year starting Saturday, May 12 at 10 a.m. with its railroad and Yellowstone history displays, and also a new special exhibit for the 2018 season, Pure Quill: The Photographs of Barbara Van Cleve.   

The expression “pure quill,” in the language of the West, means “authentic; real, through and through,” and Van Cleve’s gripping photos of the West lend the expression a vivid authenticity that spans years. 

Born and raised on a working cattle and horse ranch in Montana’s Crazy Mountains, Van Cleve has focused her lens across decades on the land, people, and animals that animate it.  In bold compositions and captivating textures, her photographs give a sense of the West’s vibrant personalities and real spirit.  The Pure Quill exhibition was generated by the Sweet Grass Arts Alliance in Big Timber, under the auspices of the Montana Art Gallery Directors Association, and will tour participating Montana galleries through 2019.  In connection with the exhibit, the Depot will also host a variety of special events including a presentation and book signing by Van Cleve. 

Depot Museum Director, Laura McCarthy Cota, said, “Barbara’s works are not just well-taken photos but give the viewer an insight into the Western experience and Van Cleve’s rich Montana legacy.” 

In connection with the exhibit, the Depot will host a variety of special events including an artist’s reception Thursday, June 14 at 5:30 and a special Depot Days with free family activities August 18 and 19.  The Depot also hosts other events during the summer including the Festival of the Arts July 2-4 and other events like the Roundhouse Roundup to follow later. 

The Depot Museum exhibits in 2018 will be open from May 12 through September 23.  The Depot’s popular ongoing main exhibit “Rails Across the Rockies: A Century of People and Places” introduces visitors to the rich history of railroading in Montana.  It gives special attention to the Northern Pacific and its central role in the opening of Yellowstone, America’s first national park, through Livingston beginning in the 1880s.  In addition to its main and special exhibit, the museum also presents “The Livingston Depot in History and Architecture,” and “Film in Montana: Moviemaking under the Big Sky.”

                                                                                                                                

Operated by the Livingston Depot Foundation and located at 200 West Park, the Depot is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m.  There is a nominal admission, and group visits are also welcome by special arrangement. Additional information can be obtained by contacting the Depot office at (406) 222-2300 or visiting www.livingstondepot.org.