The Blaine County Journal News-Opinion - We've Got The County Covered

The Montana Meth Project has launched its 2023 Paint the State art campaign. The statewide event seeks to educate Montanans about the dangers of using meth. Statistics show that often the first use of meth leads to addiction. The campaign encourages children above age 13 and adults, 19 and over, to create monument-sized works of art that show "what a drug free life might look like in Montana." The Meth Project was is supported through a not-for-profit organization created by Thomas Siebel, a wealthy software developer and businessman who is concerned about the fallout of meth addictions. He started Montana's first anti-Meth themed art competition in 2006. The event has is still held roughly at five year intervals.

Artists creating the monumental art pieces are challenged to inspire Montana teens to live vibrant, drug-free lives. Works can be created by individuals or groups and must focus on the Meth Project's "not even once" message. Prizes totaling $100,000 in cash will be given including three $10,000 grand prizes for the most effective work of art by a person 13 or under, a piece by an adult and a work chosen by popular vote. Prizes will be awarded based on choices by 'celebrity judges with connections to Montana' and by popular vote. There will be regional prizes as well as the statewide grand prizes.

During the inauguration of this year's anti-meth art campaign Governor Greg Gianforte noted, "No community in Montana is untouched by the problems caused by meth use." Statistics from the Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area show meth as law enforcement's number one problem with a "1,300% increase since 2020 in Montana." Meth leaves a wide swath of misery in its wake from increases in the prison population to the breakup of families and children being removed from homes because of parental drug abuse.

"Bank on This: Meth not even once" monument still standing in Harlem

Alert readers may recall a story in the "Journal" about a monumental piece of art for the Meth Project's contest that Chinook high school student Elizabeth Hodgson created in 2015. Elizabeth got interested in the Montana Meth Project's art competition when her brother Matthew entered the contest in 2010. She learned from his experience the importance of the right location for her art. She chose the old bank building that sits at the intersection of Main Street and Central Avenue in Harlem adjacent to the crossing at the railroad tracks.

First Elizabeth chose the location for her art piece then created a theme that followed the idea of banking. Helped by brainstorming sessions with her family she used the door on the old bank building to proclaim "Invest Wisely" and "Meth will leave you empty, loan-ly and cents-less." The art piece is still standing, getting attention from locals going north, south, east or west at the intersection where the bank stands. Travelers on Amtrak can also see art piece on the old bank.

Elizabeth's motivation to participate in the project was her concern that, "We tend to think that drugs are a problem of the big cities but not a problem in our small towns and communities. We want to sweep the problem under the rug. I wanted to raise awareness that meth is a local problem in our communities." Of this year's judging format Elizabeth said, "The year I competed all voting to select the winning pieces was online and because of that the bigger communities could muster the votes to declare the winners. This year it seems the judging will be a bit more even with the winners selected by a combination of popular vote and the 'celebrity' judges."

How to participate in the "Paint the State" anti-meth campaign

Time is of the essence if you plan to enter an art piece in the "Paint the State" competition this year. Online registration (there is no charge to enter the competition) must be completed by June 23. Art has to be installed by June 30. Choices by the celebrity judges and the popular vote will be concluded by July 23 and final regional and statewide winners will be announced in August.

To enter the best place to begin is online at the Montana Meth Project's website:paintthestate.org. There you will find details about the competition, ideas for possible artistic approaches, help for ways to select an appropriate location for your art and how to register your entry or entries (multiple entries are encouraged). Good luck.