Buffalo Roam Art Project – Detail

Visitors to, and most certainly the residents of, West Yellowstone have frequently seen buffalo roaming the streets of this small Montana town. During the winter and springtime in particular, the buffalo are all over the place. Most residents have become used to seeing them while most visitors are wonderfully surprised and happy to see these huge and majestic animals right up close and right in town.

Though still a very new organization in the summer of 2006, YSCF's directors and supporters had an artistic epiphany. Why not use these majestic animals as the subject for a public art project? Thus was born the Buffalo Roam art project. It involved near life-sized buffalo cow statues made from fiberglass, and one year later life-sized buffalo calf statues, painted by local and regional artists. The artistic theme of the project was to depict Yellowstone National Park, Historic West Yellowstone, or the Native Americans of the region using the bare fiberglass buffalo statue as the artistic canvas.

The late Joe Halko, a Montana artist and sculptor from Chouteau, was contracted to create the buffalo cow model from which a mold was developed by Fiberstock Inc. of Buffalo, Minnesota. A public call out to artists resulted in artists from four neighboring states submitting bids to compete for right to paint one of the 26 buffalo and one year later one of the 10 calves. This project could not have happened without community support. Numerous sponsors donated $3,000 per buffalo to cover project costs which included artist fees. Some sponsors donated $10,000 to the project.

The grand unveiling for the buffalo cows was on June 2nd and 3rd in 2007. The grand unveiling for the calves was one year later in June of 2008. For more than two years, millions of visitors looked at, touched, walked under, walked around, probably climbed on (though they were not supposed to) and otherwise marveled at these incredibly beautiful buffalo sculptures. The project was written up by media across the Western United States. Literally millions of photos were taken of the 26 cows and 10 calves that graced the streets of West Yellowstone since the summer of 2007.

This three-year project culminated on the beautiful summer night of August 29, 2009. With more than 200 people in attendance, every single cow and calf was auctioned off to an enthusiastic crowd of art lovers, community supporters, and those who greatly appreciate the beauty of the Greater Yellowstone Region. Phone bids into the live auction were received from as far away as Georgia, California, and Nevada. It was a magical night and the auction raised $161,500 for WYED and its community projects including funding a local grants program (see Auction Guide).

By 2013, all grant funding had been dispersed.

Though most of the sculptures have been taken elsewhere, there are still over a dozen that remain in West Yellowstone. Take a look and be sure to find each one on your next trip into West Yellowstone.

Buffalo Roam could not have been a success without the hundreds and hundreds of volunteer hours dedicated to the project by dozens and dozens of people.

"Four Winds"

"Now and Then"

"IINII"

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Artist:
Cameron Blagg

Hometown: Noxon, Montana

Description: This is an attempt to portray
part of the North Plains Indian belief in the legend of
the Sacred White Buffalo Calf Woman, who came down from
the heavens long ago to show the people the way to the
sacred path.

Winning Bid: $3,100.00
Kenosha, WI

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Artist:
Jan Johansen

Hometown: Anoka, Minnesota

Description: My Buffalo celebrates
America's love of nature and the outdoors. With the
invention of the automobile, camping boomed. Nowhere was
this more evident than in Yellowstone National Park.

Winning Bid: $2,500.00
West Yellowstone, MT

The Linde Family
Yellowstone Campgrounds, Inc.
3305 Targhee Pass

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Artist:
Traci Jo Nichols

Hometown: Potomac, Montana

Description: Iinii represents "Nitsitapiisinni"
- Our Way of Life (Blackfoot). She depicts the
journey between the Native American people and the
buffalo. The buffalo blessed the Native Americans with
everything they need to survive.

Winning Bid: $2,700.00
Ogden, UT

"Refuge"

"Celebrate Dreamers"

"Sage"

"Crocus-Bluebird's Daughter"	"Lulubelle"	"Sweet Spring"


Click Here For A Detailed View Artist: Pam Houston Hometown: Ulm, Montana Description: Comes from a Native American story about how bluebirds represented a clear, bright and serene way of being, and people who were attended by them enjoyed those same benefits. Winning Bid: $2,900.00 West Yellowstone, MT Three Bear Lodge	Click Here For A Detailed View Artist: Robin Berry Hometown: Houston, Texas Description: Lulubelle is a flower lover and enjoys the beautiful hummingbirds, butterflies and dragonflies of Yellowstone National Park. This calf was raffled. Winner: Dan Larson of Boise, ID.	Click Here For A Detailed View Artist: Joe Halko Hometown: Choteau, Montana Description: Spring is sweet with the fresh green, the rustling of the hatchlings and the warm rays of the sun. Winning Bid: $4,900.00 Bozeman, MT

"Snowflake"	"Buffalo Spring-Field"	"Blossom"


Click Here For A Detailed View Hometown: Fairfield, Montana Description: Snowflake, Penelope's calf, portrays the tourist enjoying the park in the winter season. Artist: Diane Hausmann Winning Bid: $7,250.00 Menlo Park, CA	Click Here For A Detailed View Artist: Asha Murthy MacDonald Hometown: Virginia City, Montana Description: This calf depicts aspects of Yellowstone National Park under the light of a full moon. Winning Bid: $3,100.00 West Yellowstone, MT	Click Here For A Detailed View Artist: Jim Utsler Hometown: Choteau, Montana Description: For the blossoming life of spring. Winning Bid: $3,500.00 Las Vegas, NV

"Forever Montana"	"Buddie"	"We Remember our Land"


Click Here For A Detailed View Artist: Michael D. Meissner Hometown: Glendive, Montana Description: From the majestic mountains in the west to the forbidding badlands of the east, Montana captures the memories and souls of all who visit her. Winning Bid: $2,900.00 West Yellowstone, MT	Click Here For A Detailed View Artist: Diane Anderson Hometown: Power, Montana Description: Wildflowers on the buffalo calf represent spring and the continuing cycle of life in Yellowstone. Winning Bid: $3,200.00 Macks Inn, ID	Click Here For A Detailed View Artist: DG House Hometown: Bozeman, Montana Description: A tribute to the individual birds of Yellowstone and their incredible view of this magnificent land. Winning Bid: $2,000.00 West Yellowstone, MT Patrick Brennan and Leslie Campbell