Torrents First Friday: Randy Zielinski, Jess Alber, and Brian Christianson

The Confluence Center (Western Montana's Home for Nonprofit Events) art program Torrents is thrilled to present an action packed evening of the Arts for Downtown Missoula’s First Friday Art Walk! On October 6th we will feature three Missoula-based artists with different takes on experiencing the natural world: paintings by Randy Zielinski, sculpture by Jess Alber, and photography by Brian Chrisitianson.

Randy Zielinski received his first paint set as a gift in 2008 and hasn’t put down a brush since then. An acrylic and mixed media artist, he is inspired by the ongoing changes and beauty surrounding us. His work is an expression of these experiences with the use of vivid surreal colors within a natural composition.

Jess Alber is a polymer clay sculptor that translates her hyper focused view into detail-oriented 3D works. Jess takes inspiration from her love of the natural world, especially insects, and enjoys placing them in unusual contexts to create an unlikely and often distressing relationship between two objects.

Brian Christianson derives great joy from getting to intimately understand a place: its light, seasons, topography, flora and fauna. As a medium, he believes photography promotes seeing, really seeing, the interplay of those factors. Each photographic outing affords an opportunity to practice, implement and evolve this practice. Every day is a new opportunity to better understand and photograph the landscape.

The exhibit will be open to the public for First Friday, October 6th, 2023, 5pm-8pm, with live music by Ann Szalda-Petree. The Confluence Center is located at 119 W. Main Street, Missoula, MT. All art exhibits can be seen through the end of October by appointment with the Confluence Center.