Sandpiper Gallery awards four art scholarships

Sandpiper Art Gallery & Gifts recently awarded scholarships ranging from $500 to $3,000 to four Salish Kootenai College students.

Kianna Hensley is currently a major in the Fine Arts Program at SKC. She’s a contemporary artist who specializes in the human form and surrealism and incorporates concepts of art history and mythology while using mediums such as charcoal and acrylic paint. She has been instrumental in starting a campus-wide Tribal Flag Mural Project.

Upon graduation with her associate degree, Hensley plans to enroll in an institution offering both bachelor's and master's degrees in Fine Arts.           

Tina Maughan is also enrolled in Salish Kootenai College, pursuing an associate degree in Tribal Historic Preservation. She also attended the Fashion Design program at Brooks College in California, and has sold jewelry in Bigfork at "Creative and Native."

She has taken many courses in Flathead Reservation arts and her goal is to attend a program in Museum Studies with emphasis on artifact preservation and reconstruction.

Trendon Butterfly is a graduate in Business Management from Blackfeet Community College in Browning and is currently enrolled in the Digital Design/Fine Arts Program at Salish Kootenai College. His artworks range from traditional imagery in ledger art to incorporating contemporary design in digital works. He uses various media, including watercolor, colored pencils and acrylic paint, while practicing photography as well.

His goal is to enroll in the University of Montana's Visual and Media Arts Program with a focus in Online Design.

Katie Medicine Bull will complete her associate degree in Fine Arts at Salish Kootenai College by Spring 2026, after which she intends to apply to the University of Montana School of Visual and Media Arts Department. She is currently employed part-time as an intern/photography assistant.

While a high school sophomore in Ronan, Medicine Bull was recognized with a national award when one of her photographs was shown at the Getty Museum in Los Angeles. In 2024 two of her photographs were shown at the Photoville Expo in New York City.

All scholarship honorees will receive a complementary student membership at Sandpiper Art Gallery & Gifts. They are also invited to display their artwork at the gallery and to participate in the Courthouse Art Show this August.

The Sandpiper hosts two local art festivals to raise funds for scholarships. This year, the Flathead Lake Festival of Art is scheduled for July 19-20 and the Courthouse Art Festival will be held Aug. 9.

The nonprofit gallery has been a mainstay in the Polson community for more than 50 years, and emphasizes making art available to people and promoting art as a career.

For more information on art shows, gallery receptions, workshops, and memberships visit SandpiperArtGalleryandGifts.com.

    Trendon Butterfly
  

    Tina Maughan
  

    Kianna Hensley