Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-10-23

It's an i'll wind that blows nobody
good. 40 said il sage of long ago, and
Olaf Setter Il willing to concede the
noint. for had it not been for the shut
down ILL The Great Northern car shops
two wears ago. he feels that he wouid
stil be q machine foreman instead of
an artist Of growing reputation. Hav-
ing painted in his spare time since boy
hood. he turned seriously to painting
for a livelihood when he found himself
Temporarily out of employment. Though
he can return 10 the employ OF the
railway at any time. the artist a be-
come so absorbed in his now full time
occupation Of putting Montana and the
spirit of the west on canvas that he
does not consider q resumption OF his
former work.
During the last two years Settlers
paintings have attracted much attention.
He has at the present time q large can
vas on display at the Jewelry shop or
FL. w. Benton. who handles all his
paintings. The canvas is a special or
der and is a scene familiar to Great
Falls residents. 1t is THE Missouri
River Brakes'' and is a c~olorful picture
of two Indian riders. The Indians
have passed from the picture IN real
ity. but Settler. who has long been a
student of Indians and their customs.
goes back in fancy to the days, when as
a boy. they were a familiar sight to
him.
Has Two Speeiaities.
Settler specialized in two kinds Of art
western pictures and colonial
sketches. Many of his paintings por-
traying the c~olorful scenery of Mon
tana. particularly in the vicinity OF
Great Falls. have been purchased by
tourists who passed through the city
in the summer. Vivid in coloring and
with great regard for detail, the pic
lures have the grip of western atInos-
phere and into his ~sagebrush and hills,
the artist has put all the beauty that
they hold for the true lover OF the west.
Charles Russell. conceded to be the
worlds greatest portrayer OF Inc ota
time west. is a close friend OF Settler
and a great admirer of his work, &C
cording to Benton. During the last
summer he spent a number of weeks
with him in Glacier park. While there
Setter made a large number OF
sketches, which he will use in making
his paintings this winter. A canvas of
Lake Mcdonald is n that he contem-
plates with enthusiasm.
A man Of youthful appearance, Self
ger admits 43 years, all Of which with
execution of 10. he has spent in Great
Falls. He is a native of Denmark and
the little training that he had had in
art and the technique of drawing. he
had while a schoolboy in Copenhagen.
He feels .hat he owes much to his slight
training at that time. After coming to
Great Falls. he worked around the city
on ranches and later for the railway.
There was much of the old-time west
existent in the 90's and in his remem-
brance of those picturesque days, he
finds the inspiration for many OF his
pictures. Until two years ago., the art
ist painted only in his leisure moments
and had never considered making II a
profession.
Gets Material From Books.
Asked where he got material for
his colonial paintings, Settler smiled
bovishly and explained that he read
much. Romantic novels and history
he enjoys to the utmost and IN the
pictures that his fancy calls up as he
reads he finds the ideas for his
sketches. O. Henry is Americas
greatest writer without a doubt, in
the opinion of the artist, who has
read everything ever written BY him
and laments there is ne more. Mary
Johnston and Thomas Hardy also
stand high in his estimation. For
western writer's, Settler has little adj
miration. He thinks they are guilty
Of exaggeration and picture the west
as it never was.
Settlers home and his studio are
at TIA Eleventh avenue north. When
he is not working he enjoys the society
of his family, which consists of Mrs.
Settler and two boys, Carl and Wal
ter. IS and II years, respectively.
Neither of his sons shows a particular
penchant for drawing, the artist says,
but he believes that Walter has con-
siderable talent. He talked enthusi-
astically of his collie dog, which is
his constant companion. He is very
fond of all kinds of animals.
Brown and Bigelow, O well known
art concern, has made Settler an Of
fer for a series of pictures and many
canvases have been sold both in Great
EaIIe apH thraughouf fha country.