Shaw's work displayed at Northern Multicultural Center

To start the year, the Montana State University-Northern  Multicultural Center has invited Kris Shaw as the January artist of the month.

She is presenting her piece, "The Wanderer."

"This painting is a collage using paper I made using watercolors and a recycled watercolor painting," Shaw said. "The wanderer in the painting might be a nomadic Native following the seasons, a person traveling through a foreign country and learning new ways, or someone reading about far off lands and traveling in their imagination."

"I have done artwork all my life," she added, "but I started with watercolor in 1995."

Shaw is well-known in the Havre art scene. She not only has a love for painting but also is a familiar musician in the area. She plays violin and mandolin in addition to singing.

"Art is so essential for every human being because it is an activity that acts as a de-stressor," Shaw said about the importance of art in everyday lives. "Many ideas could be expressed without words. The aesthetic value of art enriches everyone's lives. Also, art helps people arrive to conclusions in a variety of ways."

Shaw is member of the Havre Art Association and is one of the founders of the Artitudes Gallery in Havre, an artist cooperative that opened in 1993.