For forty-five years, Mimi Grant has filled a room at the prestigious Heritage Art Show, with the past fifteen years showcasing her works alongside her husband, Don. What began as Don’s foray into bronzes after retiring from the Air Guard has blossomed into a life devoted to art for both of them. While Don initially focused on miniature wagons, he later took up bronze sculpture. Mimi, meanwhile, has created stunning paintings of animals and landscapes, a passion that continues to evolve.
Mimi’s art journey started in Longmont, Colorado, where she grew up without formal art education. Despite this, she always had a knack for crafts and even painted a mural on her living room wall as a child. It wasn’t until moving to Montana that she realized she could turn her love for painting into a career while balancing life’s other demands and raising her children. Today, she’s a self-taught artist who continually refines her craft through workshops and collaboration with other artists.
In addition to her personal artwork, Mimi has played an active role in the Montana arts community. Since 2014, she has been involved with the Out West Show, serving on its board. She also runs a juried student art show each March, known as the Young Masters Program. Through this initiative, they offer scholarships: both micro-scholarships for students eager to try out new materials, and college scholarships for those pursuing a deeper education in the arts. Her goal is to not only support the next generation of artists but provide students with the opportunities she missed.
Mimi’s work is inspired by the beauty of Montana, often captured during trips to iconic locations like Glacier and Yellowstone National Parks. She’s a proud member of the Montana Painters Alliance, which travels to different locations each year to participate in open-air painting sessions.
Though Mimi never had a formal art education, she values the personal growth that comes from constructive criticism. Both she and Don act as each other’s creative critics, offering feedback to help improve their works, always with the aim to push one another toward greater achievements.
To explore the couple’s work visit mimi-dongrant.com. Or see them at the Out West Art Show in Great Falls in March.