William Smith

I have been an artist my whole life. At a young age I would draw every day for hours. I experimented with pencil, charcoal, pen and ink and finally developed a passion for oil painting. I pursed my artistic passion through art classes in school and commercial art classes in high school where everything changed. After receiving a A.A.S. in Commercial Art from Ferris State University, my career took me from newspaper editorial illustration, to design agencies and eventually to owner and creative director of a successful marketing communications firm in Michigan, from which I retired. My wife and I moved to Montana where I began my latest career in Bigfork, designing full-time for an award-winning creative firm. In my spare time, I work in my home studio putting brush to canvas using the beauty that surrounds me for creative inspiration.

Francesca Droll

Seeing my art will tell you that I’m crazy in love with painting 'en plein air' or in the great outdoors. Landscape is my first love but I also enjoy exploring other subjects including animals, vintage objects, and still life.

Pastels are my medium. Working with the little sticks is like an extension of my fingers. They offer me a lot of flexibility in how I use them to achieve the effects I’m looking for. From bold, expressive strokes to subtle blending, they are the perfect medium to convey the mood and motion of the scene before me.

I know many people share my love of a beautiful landscape. It can take them to a place of peace and comfort as it does me. If my art provides a feeling of tranquility to someone, then I’ve managed to create a connection with that person and myself. Art often brings people together in unexpected and delightful ways.

My formative years were spent in the Pacific Northwest but I grew up close to the coast in Southern California. I also spent time with family in Tucson, enjoying the peace of the southwest desert. Relocating to Bigfork, Montana, in the early 2000s, seemed like coming home to me. I was back in the mountains, feeling the peace of the forests and the refreshing water of lakes and streams.

My background includes 35 years as a graphic designer, operating a small design studio with my husband and partner, John R. Webster. On the side, I’m an avid reader, enjoy puzzling when I can find the time, and during the summer months, you’ll find me swimming in Flathead Lake.

https://francescadroll.com/

Lindsay Godfrey

"Art has broadened my perception of the world since I was able to hold a pencil. As a native Montanan, I find my work often reflects the beautiful landscapes that surround me. I have an innate desire to create and capture beauty. To get lost for hours in a scene of my own creation indulges this lifelong desire. I hope to give the viewer a small piece of my sanctuary, a place to rest, if only for a few moments."

-Lindsay Godfrey

Born and raised in a small town in western Montana, Lindsay draws deep inspiration from the natural beauty that surrounded her throughout her childhood.

“Most of our family vacations were spent in the woods at my grandparents’ cabin,” she recalls. “It was a time when life slowed down and nature became our sanctuary. My sisters and I would spend hours exploring the woods and creek below the cabin, swimming in the lakes and rivers nearby. So many of my fondest memories were made there.”

Elizabeth Showachert

I launched this practice in 2015 to share the tools I was designing and using in my own work. As an artist, I wanted tools that were both functional and inspiring—something that didn’t exist in mass production.

 Over many years of traveling throughout Asia, I developed a deep respect for the traditional tools and materials used in Chinese and Japanese painting. Time spent in Taiwan, Japan, Thailand, and China shaped how I think about rhythm, brushwork, and the role of the tool in artistic expression.

 The handmade brushes and papers I encountered—particularly in the context of Sumi-e and calligraphy—sparked a lifelong fascination with intentional mark-making. That influence remains at the heart of everything I make.

Chelcee Humphrey

Chelcee, a Montana native, has nurtured her love for art since childhood. Exploring various mediums from a young age, she studied art in college and showcased her work at local coffee shops and small galleries in Oregon. Transitioning into the nonprofit sector after graduation, Chelcee continued cultivating her passion for art through teaching classes to underprivileged children and families. Even during the pandemic, her commitment to spreading artistic joy persisted as she conducted virtual classes. Art remains Chelcee's enduring passion and source of fulfillment.

Email: Chelcee@baccbigfork.org