In 2021, the Lewistown Art Center celebrated 50 years of bringing arts and culture to Central Montana.

The vibrant mural you see on our building at the corner of 4th & Main was created to honor this historic milestone.

CLICK to see muralist Leaf Argotti’s process, from sketch to reality…

About the Artist

Leaf Argotti, a former resident of Lewistown, has traveled the far reaches of the globe pursuing her passions. Fly fishing, canoeing, camping, hiking…sometimes narrowly escaping hungry bears on the shores of rugged rivers in distant lands, and recording it all with her unique perspective on canvas. She is the original owner of The Rising Trout Cafe on Lewistown’s Main Street, where you can still see one of her beautiful murals. Leaf’s artwork depicts her love of nature, and shares her view of the world in vivid colors and shapes that inspire the imagination. She is a master of showing us the familiar in a new way. Leaf now lives in California with her husband Erik and their two boys, where she continues to create art that conveys her passion for the wide open spaces of Montana.

“I lived in Lewistown for ten years, fishing, hiking and bird watching. The Blue Heron reminds me of those quiet evenings I spent walking the banks of Spring Creek. I would occasionally get a glimpse of a heron stalking its prey in shallow waters, before it silently gave flight and flew into the evening sunset. And of all the places to watch a sunset in the Big Sky country, Lewistown is my favorite. The silhouetted children represent all of the families and kids I would see floating, playing, or fishing on the water. When my first son was old enough, we would venture down to the creek to swim or fish. It was a wonderful way to get him excited about nature. This mural is about the connection to the land and water that is so important to me.”

~Leaf Argotti, Mural Artist