On the Road with JRO ART: Montana Bound, Part Two
Expanding, Connecting, and Creating Across the American Landscape
Expansion isn’t just about covering ground; it’s about reaching further and experiencing the depth that exploration reveals. Part two of this journey to Montana stayed true to that truth. I drove through California, Nevada, Utah, and Idaho—each state offering its own terrain, its own tempo—before arriving in Big Sky Country. As an artist, explorer, and cultural conduit, I travel not only to share my work but to engage with the texture of a place—the landscape, the community, the energy. Driving remains one of the most visceral ways to encounter this country. From the sentience of rural stretches to the rhythm of small-town America to the raw surge of cities, you feel the pulse of the nation in motion. One truth remains: people are people. Whether crossing vast remote stretches, pausing in tight-knit towns, or immersing in the hum of a city, the challenges shift—but they’re always present. And so are the solutions, if you meet them with focus, heart, and relentless dedication.
My time in Whitefish began with a personal non-negotiable: reconnect with the water. As a Minnesota lake girl through and through, I never pass up the chance to plunge into something cold, clear, and alive, and Whitefish Lake, glacier-fed and soul-stirring, delivered. That first swim isn’t about novelty; it’s a ritual. A reset. A reconnection with my center. A reminder of who I am and where I come from. Water has always been my anchor, my return point.
Throughout the art festival, I connected with so many curious, thoughtful, open-hearted individuals from across the country—people who spent real time with the work. Watching others experience the art remains one of my greatest privileges—how they move around it, pause, return, lean in. One moment to celebrate involved a dynamic, and, I must say, beautiful couple who were drawn to a piece from The Atmospheric Collection, created especially with this Montana journey in mind. They circled back multiple times, called over her sister (love sisters) for another perspective, and thoughtfully imagined where the piece might live in their new mountain home. Serious and intentional in their appreciation, they were deliberate in creating a space shaped with grace, beauty, and love. To have one of my works become part of that story is a profound honor I carry with deep gratitude.
Cherry season was in full swing, and yes—I indulged. Those roadside bags of fresh, sweet fruit became a daily treat, turning me into a sticky-fingered maniac with zero self-control. There’s something about cherries: fleeting, lush, and utterly impossible to eat neatly. Life is vivid—unfiltered, messy, and alive. Cherries stain your fingers, just like the best art and the most honest living: they leave a mark. The drive itself—long stretches of solitude broken by gas and coffee stops, brief exchanges with strangers—set the tone. Somewhere between mountains and mile markers, the most unfiltered, necessary conversations surfaced. No performance. No distraction. Just truth, movement, and the open road.
As we departed Whitefish, the sun was already up. Entering Flathead National Forest, the sharp morning light sliced through the trees, casting bold, cinematic shadows across the road. It was disorienting—beautiful in a way that demanded full attention. We moved through the denser, hushed landscapes of Lolo National Forest, then into Helena National Forest, where the terrain opened up once again. Each forest held its own presence, its own emotional weight. Driving through them reminded me how important it is to pay attention—to the land, to the shifting light, to the people around us. We’re not just passing through; we’re responsible. It’s our duty to notice what matters, to give voice to what’s overlooked, and to stay awake in a world that too often encourages sleepwalking.
This is what expansion feels like: movement with purpose, connection that lingers, risk that sharpens, and rituals that ground. Exhibiting near Glacier National Park was beyond delightful—surrounded by raw beauty and deep skies.
But the journey doesn’t end here.
Next stop on the West Coast Beauty JRO ART TOUR: the ever-inspiring State of Washington! Washingtonians just get it—kindness woven into their style, soul, and sharp eye for extraordinary art. Washington is a stunner: lush, moody, alive, and glowing with that unmistakable Northwest spark.
With each stop, the journey deepens—another road, another body of water, another chance to connect, to leave a mark, and to carry JRO ART into new landscapes with intention, curiosity, and clarity.
DRIVE VIDEOS FROM INSTAGRAM, DAY 1, DAY 2, DAY 3
