Featured Artists
Lo Lo Peak
Cassie Loretta Smith is a mixed media artist living and working in Montana. She portrays her love of textile design in meticulously detailed pen and ink patterned illustrations combined with matte paint to make art that depicts mountainscapes across Montana. Smith’s piece for the Wren is a portrayal of Lolo Peak, which sits on the outskirts of Missoula in the direction of the Bitterroot Valley. She saw this peak every morning from the alley of her old apartment and remembers it fondly. You can find more of Smith’s work on her website cassielorettasmith.com
Symbols of Montana, Glacier National Park, The Garden City, & Missoula Infographics
Christian Schultz is a graphic designer and owner of Hukel Design, based in Bozeman, Montana. For the past seven years, he has created for all three “NEST” hotels including The Lark Bozeman, The Finch Walla Walla, and now The Wren Missoula. Chris has left his mark on the “NEST” of bird hotels with his designs of hotel compendiums, print materials, field journals, wall art and logo identities for both The Finch and The Wren. His “NEST” projects have been some of the most enjoyable and creative design work he has had the opportunity to create in his over 20-year career. Chris is extremely grateful to work with this group of creators and collaborators who continue to inspire him today.
Growing up in Montana and spending a lot of time in Missoula, Chris used his admiration for community’s eclectic personalities, vibrant culture, music scene, film, art, downtown waterfront, outdoor lifestyles, and city parks to inspire his wall art. He also used inspiration from western Montana’s landmarks and symbols to create postcards to guests and travelers on the wall.
Birds of Missoula, A River Runs Through It, & Missoula Hiking Infographics
Josh Quick is a native Montanan, illustrator/author of Montana Quick Facts/Yellowstone Quick Facts, drawer of many regional things and graduate of the Art Institute of Seattle. His family moved to Montana in the 70s and built a cabin in the woods leaving young Josh with ample time to fill up sketchbook pages with transformers and dinosaurs which has continued into adulthood minus the rustic drawing space. He lives in Missoula with his wife Tricia Opstad and dog Lucky.
Gelandesprung, Missoula Brewing, & Missoula Supergroup Rocks Infographics
Josh Taira (a.k.a. Daruma Party) is an illustrator, graphic designer, and constantly wants for the tuna onigiri found in Japanese 7-Elevens. Though born, raised, and currently a resident of Montana he is by all means, an unconventional Montana artist insofar that he enjoys fishing (in Final Fantasy XIV), hunting (in Final Fantasy XIV), and exploring the land (in Final Fantasy XIV). His work draws heavily from the anime and manga he watched and read as a kid, and from artists currently working in both mediums today.
Tower & Stumps
Max Mahn is a printmaker and illustrator working out of his hometown of Missoula, MT under the pseudonym Twin Home Prints. For the better part of 8 years, Max has worked in the world of screen printed gig posters creating artwork for national touring bands including Wilco, Primus, Ween, Andrew Bird, and more. Max says his goal for the Wren graphics was to encapsulate the vibrant, and at times devastating, history of our national forests which surround the greater area of Missoula.
Smokejumper Essentials, Redcedar Lifespan, Redcedar Taxonomy, & Johnson Flying Service Infographics
Nikki Simon is a designer and illustrator living in Helena, Montana. As a 4th and 5th generation Montanan, Nikki was raised on stories, outdoor traditions, and life lessons passed down like heirlooms. Like many other Big Sky natives, her upbringing paints a rich atmosphere in Montana’s natural landscape—a striking lens from which to view the world.
In her personal design practice, Nikki looks for elements that tap into this Montana spirit. Historical research and a deep appreciation for the human connection drives her end-imagery. She strives to evoke something beyond the image itself, an urge of curiosity to chase a given subject a little more.
Growing up in a U.S. Forest Service (USFS) household and working as a USFS wildland firefighter herself made illustrating the Western Redcedar and Smokejumper Essentials a welcome opportunity to honor Missoula’s tradition in forestry and fire. Thank you to all of the smokejumpers, pilots, and incident management wizards that helped provide imagery, guidance, and input in the making of these illustrations.
Traditional Forestry Tools Infographic
Walker Milhoan is a native of Vail, Colorado, and has called Bozeman, Montana home since 2001. A self-taught web developer and graphic designer, Walker specializes in combining beautiful websites with bold brands and colorful illustrations that draw inspiration from his ranching and rodeo roots. Prior to his design career, Walker worked as a helicopter ski guide, a cowpuncher (aka “cowboy”), a CrossFit coach, an agricultural researcher (in West Africa), and a ranch manager.
When he’s not building brands or sketching fresh designs, Walker can be found skiing with his three kids or working on becoming a better fly fisherman than his wife.
Classic Trout Flies & The Wilma Infographic
Yogesh Simpson is a designer, photographer and musician based in Bozeman Montana. He found his way to design through an early career in print journalism, earning an MA in photojournalism from the University of Montana in 2005. Missoula’s distinct culture and surrounding environs were a formative force during graduate school and the years following. The many days spent chasing elk and trout, and nights spent at the Wilma Theater epitomize that connection and provided the inspiration for his artwork at the Wren.