Johne Richardson at the Hilton Garden Inn

June 3rd, 2023

Back in October of 2022, the new owners of the Hilton Garden Inn south of downtown Kalispell contacted us to discuss the installation of artwork in their newly renovated hotel! After an initial meeting, we created a collection that met three criteria:

Artists that the Hilton owners personally respond to

Artwork that coordinates with the new hotel aesthetic

Subjects that are connected to Montana themes

After an initial meeting, the FoR Fine Art team visited the Hilton Garden Inn to view the spaces and plan for the artwork placement—not an easy task without the walls painted or furniture in place! The proposal included work from Amy Brakeman Livezey, Johne Richardson, Nancy Seiler, Robert Spannring, and JC Spock.

A triptych of oil paintings featuring mountains above a lake during a golden sunset hung above a small table made of wood in a hotel lobby.

Johne Richardson's work was chosen for two walls in the lobby, the space first experienced by a guest. The paintings bring vibrant color and visual interest to an area where all guests pass through.

Growing up on the prairie and finding inspiration from the nearby Flint Hills, Johne's artwork translates the grandeur of the West into dynamic compositions that leap from the canvas. Yet, he is equally attentive to the fleeting moment — fading light upon a cloud, the soft wrinkle of a brow, a tired horse shifting their weight.

Through a strong, intuitive quality of light, a distinct palette of bold colors, and masterful use of textured brushwork, he conveys character and nuance in his paintings. “I try to capture on canvas that which moves me when I see it,” Richardson says. “I’m attempting to paint an intensely personal moment or mood. To me, landscapes are portraits.”

A view of the sitting room of a hotel lobby fireplace with a Johne Richardson oil painting on the mantel depicting a sunset above a lake.

We truly enjoyed this project and love to see original art with local themes at businesses in the Flathead Valley! Want to learn more about the artwork at the Hilton Garden Inn? We have posts highlighting each artist!