Lily of the Valley

       Our Lady of the Rockies - The fourth largest statue in the United States, sits atop the Continental Divide overlooking Butte, Montana.  She is created in the likeness of Mary, mother of Jesus, dedicated to mothers everywhere, and inspired and designed by Bob O'Bill as a tribute to his thankfulness and gratitude when his wife survived her battle with cancer.  The statue stands 90ft tall at an elevation of 8,500 ft above sea level.  She is lit in the evening year-round and so is able to be seen day and night.  Mainly a huge community funded project, construction began in 1979 and the finished statue was unveiled in 1985.       Of course, controversy has surrounded her since conception - cost and a forced religious aspect on an entire community were/are part of the controversy.  Yet she still stands.  Her stark white contrast to the natural surrounding colors makes her stand out in the "Big Sky Country" of Montana.  The location of the statue also presents an imposing

My name is Lillian.  I am a born and bred Alaskan who calls this home but can't wait to leave come January and February.  Sadly, I do not appreciate the cold and dark.  Summer is my time of year.  The blessing of abundance we have here is unmatched and I try to utilize all that we have by filling the freezer with meat and fish, garden veggies and gallons and gallons of blueberries.  No, I will not tell you where my secret spot is. I believe art surrounds everything we do, from how dinner is served to the clothing we wear to conversations at work.  Art is the expression of how we live and the joy in seeing the beauty in it.  Art is such a large word.  It encorporates setting, feeling, relationship, conversation, structure and vision.  No, I am not a "traditional" artist.  I cannot draw worth beans.  I don't write, definately do not paint and by no means am I any sort of art critic or interpretor or really have any knowledge of art history, structure or style.  But I do