Explore the narrative worlds in Courtney Blazon’s intricate work

Courtney Blazon is an artist and illustrator living and working in Missoula. She draws intricate narratives that are layered with symbolism and meaning—in particular, issues surrounding women and the complexities of women’s lives throughout history. She’s also the illustrator of images found throughout my website.

Blazon draws influence from the natural world; literature, mythology and fairytales; societal expectations and coming-of-age issues, and leans into humor, irony and symbolism to create involved stories that are woven together and are not always what they appear to be upon first glance.

She’s shown work across Montana, including the Missoula Art Museum, Holter Museum of Art and Paris Gibson Square, but your art has also traveled to Seattle, Portland, New York, Philadelphia, Baton Rouge, San Francisco…to name a few.

The worlds she creates are so intricate – stories within stories, and Blazon describes herself as a narrative painter, and she uses a lot of historical references in her work. In 2011, she was a recipient of a Montana Arts Council Artists Innovation Award.

Hear the full interview, which aired June 28, 2022, at ypradio.org.