Artists
Carolyn Rae Maier
Carolyn Maier likes to get lost. Lost in a good book, lost in her own thoughts, lost in the beauty of a sunset, or the sights and sounds of a new city. As a national award-winning photographer she is constantly on the lookout for beauty and inspiration. Carolyn holds a degree in Business Administration from Boston College and a Master of Public Administration from The University of Montana. She also attended the Rocky Mountain School of Photography where she honed her skills and deepened her passion for the medium. She is a driven visionary, improving the world one day at a time. She finds that photography provides the perfect fusion between creative expression and documentation. With her many endeavors, there’s plenty of material to draw inspiration from!
Carolyn is the director of the Morris and Helen Silver Foundation. A fervent supporter of the arts, the Foundation is currently opening a 235-seat theatre and art gallery intended to host concerts, poetry readings, film screenings, and more. Carolyn also funnels her energy into natural restoration and preservation. Silver Park, the 14-acre riverfront park she helped develop in downtown Missoula, is a fusion of her passions: nature and art. When she is not busy making the world a better place, Carolyn’s pastimes include discovering new coffee shops (where she drinks one daily latte), visiting art galleries, and horses. She currently lives, works, and loves from Missoula, Montana with her two daughters and black lab, Paisley. They can often be found hiking in Montana’s vast and wondrous wilderness, finding the unique beauty in unexpected moments. |
Hadley FergusonHadley Ferguson is a skillful storyteller, utilizing her eye for compelling visuals to unpack history one project at a time. As an advocate and talented artist currently living and creating in Missoula, Montana. She draws inspiration from a place of deep compassion. The Vice President and Co-Founder of the Summit for Parkinson’s, Hadley uses her own stories of living with Multiple Systems Atrophy to create a safe space of advocacy for others. Her motivation to help others led to her involvement with the Forging Resilience project. Her own resilience and dedication shine as a brilliant example of overcoming physical limitations to pursue your passion.
As a freelance artist, Hadley worked on public and private commissions for collectors throughout the United States. After graduating from the University of Montana with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, Hadley spent several years in Portland, Oregon painting interpretive images. Her unique color palette and style grace the hallways and arches of historical sites across the Pacific Northwest. Ferguson’s projects include many of Missoula’s characteristic gems. Installations include The "Heart of Missoula Murals”, a seven-painting public art series that illustrates a historical representation of the City of Missoula Her most recent commission was a set of two murals for the public collection for the Montana State Capitol detailing the proud legacy of women in Montana. When she is not coaxing visual stories from the end of a paintbrush, Hadley lives and loves alongside her daughter, husband, and two dogs. She enjoys visiting art galleries and museums, where she marvels at art’s ability to move us on a spiritual and emotional level. |
Collaborating Partners
