BPSW welcomes new Executive Director

LINCOLN, Mont. – The new year brought with it a new executive director for Blackfoot Pathways: Sculpture in the Wild.

Jenny Bevill officially stepped into the leadership role for Lincoln's international sculpture park at the beginning of January this year. Though she carries a different title, Bevill's duties will largely be the same as those of former Artistic Director Kevin O'Dwyer, who retired from his role with Sculpture in the Wild after the 2021 residency.

Since moving to Montana, Bevill has visited BPSW about half a dozen times, including two trips here during the 2022 residency.

"I was working at the Missoula Art Museum until October of (2021). I was really looking to move into a more leadership position in a more non-museum setting," Bevill told the BVD. "My friend had sent me the job description because she knew I was looking for a position. She was like 'this is perfect for you,' and I kind of agree."

Bevill, who lives in Whitefish, brings a strong educational background to the job. She came to Montana in 2014 after moving from New York, where she had spent ten years working at the Guggenheim Museum with classroom teachers on arts curriculum. Since coming to Montana, she has worked for the Office of Public Instruction, the Montana Arts Council and the Missoula Art Museum, where she was the Educator and Outreach Specialist from 2018 to 2021. In 2021, her peers voted her National Arts Education Association Teacher of the Year.

She also brings a love of contemporary art. "The reason I love contemporary art is it's the art of our time," Bevill told the crowd during the pre-launch of the new work at Sculpture in the Wild last September. "Even though we have a historical legacy here and a historical connection, all the pieces created here are created now, or within the last ten years, so they bring a kind of potency or an immediacy to the conversation. I think it's a good introduction to folks who maybe aren't that into art or don't know what art is to them; to come and be in dialogue with these works in nature, which all of us in Montana love more than anything."

"I realize 100 percent I have some big shoes to fill because anytime anyone mentions Kevin to me, the words 'powerhouse' and 'force of nature' get used. I'm not either of those things," she said during her remarks at the pre-launch. "I do have a lot of ideas and I'm a super collaborator. I'm really excited to work with everybody to meet the mission and vision and values of Sculpture in the Wild."

Bevill said the first part of the job for her will be learning, listening and meeting people as she seeks to balance the park's international reach with its hyperlocal character.

"The idea of sort of helping Sculpture in the Wild become...sustainable, relevant (and) inclusive excites me a lot. I'm really excited to bring my skill set and my experience to this place," she said.

Although her international reach might not be as extensive as O'Dwyers, Bevill told the BVD her reach nationally and within the state certainly is. "I feel pretty connected to do outreach among Montana artists who would be a good fit for the sculpture park."

"I love all the art (O'Dwyer has) brought here, and all the artists that are here are amazing. I do kind of want to do more outreach to have artists find us," she said. "Maybe a little bit wider net to involve indigenous artists, for sure. That's top of my list."

Bevill worked with 2022 artist-in-residence Bently Spang while she was with the Missoula Art Museum and indicated his involvement as the first Indigenous artist at Sculpture in the Wild highlighted the need to include more Indigenous perspectives.

"The place has always been so significant to Indigenous people. I hope that conversation will be started with Bently's work and continue with other Indigenous artists," she said.

Bevill also hopes to include artists from different underrepresented communities including women and LGBTQ artists, as well as environmental artists and people who want to have climate change and environmental conservation at the front of their practice.

Although the goal of Sculpture in the Wild is to bring in artists from other countries and areas to interpret the history, culture and environment of Montana and the Blackfoot Valley, she'd also like to address the possibility of including Lincoln-area artists.

"There are different ways to recruit artists for the sculpture park," she said. "There are ways that are more inclusive in terms of reaching out and inviting people to apply."

For Bevill, it's Sculpture in the Wild's connection to nature she finds unique. "I'm so glad the paths are not paved and there's not grass or manicured lawn. It's still the woods. I love that the sculptures are just discoverable. You walk along an 'ooh, there's a sculpture; there's another one.' That's my favorite part."

Bevill thanked the BPSW President Becky Garland and the board of directors for the opportunity to take the reins of the sculpture park going forward. "I'm so excited to be here. Sculpture in the Wild is a place I've been to many times and was on my radar when I first moved to Montana eight years ago."