Driving through the valley at dawn, the sun’s rays peaking over the range; it’s easy to see the beauty that draws in those seeking a slower pace and outdoor lifestyle. The vast Rocky Mountains line the eastern horizon, the valley envelopes the sleepy towns and businesses that thrive on the recreation industry and a multitude of lakes dot the landscape. These are but a few reasons why Eureka and the Flathead Valley are chosen by the Canadians who wish to play in Montana.

Why is the valley called the Tobacco Valley? In 1808 the first European to explore the area, David Thompson, began his journey down the Kootenai River. As he descended the river into the northern portion of the Tobacco Plains near Fort Steele he noted “the first ground that I have seen that has sufficient moisture to form a Garden for Herbs.”

Art has been a part of Alicja's life since her childhood days in Poland. Her early carefree days included lessons in ballet, piano as well as French and English. Art lessons, however, were her favorite. Her life suddenly and drastically changed in 1940 when she was sixteen. She and her family were interned in a slave labor camp in the Soviet Union where they suffered atrocities for 3 years. Following her family's liberation they moved to a refugee camp in Persia, now Iran.