AMY KIRKLAND

Board Member of Artful Astonishment

Amy grew up next to a creek in the woods just outside of Seattle, in an artistic and outdoorsy family. One might have guessed at her future career by seeing her childhood bedroom, which she curated beautifully. She spent part of her young adult life helping her father show his photography at art festivals around the West. After a five year stint in Jackson Hole as a ski bum, she landed in Bozeman twenty years ago. She lives in a house full of art with her husband, jewelry maker Brad, and their dog Ruby. 

Amy opened Altitude Gallery in 2005 and has been representing local and regional artists ever since, along the way earning a wall full of Best of Bozeman awards and other accolades. Random Acts of Silliness speaks to her lifelong ethos that art should be for everybody. She loves that all events are open and free to all, and especially enjoys the ones that take place in the great outdoors.

Rivers were the first place she fell in love with the outdoors, and Amy is still in her element any time she’s in a raft or kayak, enjoying the beautiful surroundings and the thrilling whitewater. She also loves skiing, hiking, travel and live music (especially Pearl Jam). If she had a super power, Amy would love to be able to swim like a fish so she could run every river and never have to come up for air. 



“Seeing people connect with the creativity that the artists have worked hard to bring to life is magical. Without artists, the world would not be as beautiful of a place. The idea that everyone is welcome and there are no barriers to creating and enjoying art is something very special.”