Finding HeART: New sculpture unveiled May 23 in Polson

After fits and starts and a COVID delay, a long-awaited Native American sculpture will be unveiled in downtown Polson at 6 p.m. Thursday evening, May 23, at the corner of Third Street and Main.

Artist Cameron Decker presents his large-scale sculpture incorporating a trout, a stone, an arrowhead and a log. “honors the heritage of the Salish and Kootenai Tribes and their deep connection to the lake. This piece reflects the region’s history and relation to the natural landscape. We invite the community to join us for this significant event as we celebrate art, history, and the ongoing efforts to preserve our natural environment.”

The sculpture is created from Pal Tiya, a concrete-like weatherproof sculpting medium for permanent outdoor art. The artwork was commissioned by the Polson Community Development Agency for their final beautification project.

Decker was formerly the chair of the Art Department at Salish Kootenai College. This is not his first public art project in Polson. With the help of Polson High School art teacher Matt Holmes, countless youth from the community, and generous funding from the Greater Polson Community Foundation, he led a project that created the mosaic on the restroom building at Riverside Park which depicts Morning, Afternoon and Evening. Look left when crossing north on the Polson bridge.

The artist holds an Art History degree from the University of New Mexico and earned a master’s degree of Integrated Art in Education from the University of Montana. Formerly he worked as Educator and Outreach Coordinator at the Missoula Art Museum. Now he works with his wife, Aspen Decker, as owners of Xwlxwilt, which translates to ‘alive and well’. They focus on Indigenous education, art and culture.