First Alley South and 5th Street Murals

Just behind the Enbar building on the west side of 5th Street South, you will find the Bison mural in the alley, on the north wall created by Cameron Moberg during Arts Fest MONTANA in 2019. Moberg has been the principal artist for many of the murals created from 2018 to the present. Artsfest MONTANA is sponsored by the Great Falls Business Improvement District, with many collaborating property owners and funders. ArtsFest MONTANA celebrates downtown Great Falls history and arts in many ways. On the south wall, across from the "Bison" mural, is the "See Be Build A New City" mural created by New City Church in 2019. Just a few more feet west in the alley is Straight Dancer. Jack “Senta” Wingo, @artworkbySenta, has been creating artwork since he could hold a pencil, but this was his first large scale piece. Senta joined ArtsFest MONTANA from Oklahoma, he is enrolled in the Cherokee nation. 

Then cross 5th Street to the east to find four murals created as part of the Artsfest MONTANA in 2020. Starting at 5th Street headed east, the south side of the alley is the beautiful “Hand of God", a Sistine Chapel-like depiction of energy flowing between two hands, by Cameron Moberg. On the north side of the alley, find a series of murals created by multiple artists as a part of the artist training that is held during ArtsFest MONTANA, led by Cameron Moberg, and sponsored by the Great Falls Business Improvement District and NeighborWorks Great Falls. Cameron Moberg’s “Wolf” was installed during ArtFest in 2019, as a demonstration for the students who then began installation of their practice pieces in what has become known as the “Electric City ArtWalk”. Local Great Falls artist, Sheree Nelson, installed her first solo piece using the spray can method, “Sunshine” was installed during ArtsFest MONTANA 2019. On the north side of the alley, from 5th Street, the artist Wes (@wes7svn) has created a stain glass effect mural, entitled "Ram”, also created during ArtsFest MONTANA in 2020. On the east side of that building you can find another hand, called "Love Sign", created by Tommy (@life_is_layers) during ArtsFest MONTANA in 2020.

The Bison, also known as the American buffalo, is iconic in prehistoric, written history and the present in Montana. The Lewis and Clark Expedition in 1805 was astonished at the number of the majestic animals inhabiting the plains of Montana. The Indigenous people used every part of the bison to fill their everyday 

needs for food, clothing, cooking, and carrying water (stomach), art and shelter. Be sure to visit the CM Russell Museum Bison exhibit before you leave Great Falls. Cameron, a pastor who paints to give hope, is a self-taught artist who fell in love with the trade as a child. His color deficiency, combined with his love of the 80’s, has influenced Cameron’s use of vivid colors as they are the only colors, he can truly see. Now residing in San Francisco, Cameron paints murals on businesses for a government program throughout the city. Ever since he was a teenager, Cameron has been involved in an organization that helps hard-hit families in the community come together. With no formal training, Cameron is hoping his heart, skill and faith will carry him to the finish line. 

These murals were created during the ArtsFest MONTANA 2022. Artsfest MONTANA is a program launched by the Great Falls Business Improvement District in 2019. ArtsFest MONTANA gathers together donors, sponsors, artists and building owners to create beautiful murals to make downtown Great Falls even more attractive. 

Cameron Moberg “Camer1” | (oxygen.com)