Jamestown Buffalo Art Hunt

Jamestown Buffalo Art Hunt is happening now in North Dakota. You can find all the clues to find hidden artwork at Jamestown Art Center blog. Winner get to keep the original miniature paintings by William Hessian and win additional prizes.

The art hunt is a celebration of White Cloud's birthday, one of the only albino buffalo in the world.

Announcement: Jamestown, North Dakota Art Hunt 2012

The Miniature Buffalo Art Hunt
In Jamestown, North Dakota
Starting Friday May 18th, 2012


can you find the hidden miniature art?

Artist William Hessian creates hand painted miniature buffalo paintings and hides them in the public spaces of Jamestown. This is the seventh annual miniature art hunt that William has performed during the past seven years. The art hunt is a free event open to everyone! The residents of the town are invited to study visual clues, released throughout the week on the internet and the Jamestown Sun in order to help you find the hidden art. Winners get to keep the original work of art and also claim an additional prize to be awarded at the art center.

There will be a special meet and greet event, informational booth, draw with the artist event and information available during the art hunt. All of "Mr. Billy's" past students and anyone else interested are welcome to come draw with the artist at an art in the park get together/picnic. William Hessian has performed over 20 miniature art hunts all across the united states, from the East Coast to the West Coast and all around the Midwest.

To see last years events photo gallery and stay up to date with the 2012 art hunt you can bookmark this site (the 2012 information will appear on the blog when the date is closer): http://www.williamhessian.com/jamestown.html

Do not forget to subscribe to this blog to see exclusive pictures of the miniature artworks being made, special art hunt clues, and other announcements and projects from the artist.

Which one is your favorite?

Here are the twelve hidden buffalo for the 6th annual Jamestown Art Hunt, as seen in the Jamestown Sun newspaper. You will notice there are 12 instead of the traditional 10 works of art. I wrote on my facebook page asking people to pick thier favorite buffalo and I wanted to ask my blog readers as well.

If you were in Jamestown this weekend, which buffalo would you search for first?

Leave me a comment and let me know!

6th Annual Buffalo Art Hunt

What: Buffalo Art Hunt
Who: Free to the Public
Where: Public Parks of Jamestown, North Dakota
When: Starts July 2nd, 8am Saturday and ends Sunday July 3rd when all artwork has been found (ONLY TWO DAYS!)

The Arts Center is having its sixth summer Buffalo Hunt with artist William Hessian. The Buffalo Art Hunt challenges the people of Jamestown to spend their weekend searching for original miniature works of art hidden in the public parks. This is the 20th art hunt William has performed since 2006. Northville, Michigan, St. Louis Park, Minnesota and Portland, Maine were other locations for Hessian's art hunts this summer. This year’s Buffalo Hunt features the Faces of Community Arts Partners who work with the Arts Center to bring a rich array of arts experiences to the community. This year’s hunt can be a search for a Face or for the buffalo – either way, you end up with an original piece of art! These paintings will be “hidden in plain sight” around the community with photograph hints posted every few hours on www.williamhessian.com

Two submissions in the JFAA annual show

I decided to frame up two linoleum buffalo prints with embellished illustrations to enter into the JFAA annual show here in Jamestown, North Dakota. The show itself is amazing, with around 150 artworks from over 60 different artists living in North Dakota. I commend Sally Jeppson for her curatorial and hanging efforts, as the show overflowed out of the gallery and into the hallway. Not only where their a lot of works to deal with, but there was also a number of paintings and sculptures that were HUGE. Gigantic sculptures, 8 foot X 8 foot paintings and all kind of awkward things to put on display. The opening was a blast. Everyone at the art center is amazing at organizing great parties, and this one was well attended and the food was excellent (and vegetarian).

Before the show I took these two pictures of my submissions. I should probably take a picture of the actual display in the show. The other two pictures show how well attended the show was. Kelsey and I had such a good time meeting some really fun artists, that we hope to stay in contact with during future residencies in Jamestown.

New Clues!

I am challenging the residents of Jamestown North Dakota to find my artwork hidden in public buildings. The visual clues are being released on my website, as well as in the Jamestown Sun newspaper daily. Already 6 of the 10 have been found by the talented hunters in Jamestown.

See other clues, photos of the hunt, learn about the hunt, and more at the official Buffalo Hunt website.

The clues are up!

The 2009 buffalo art hunt has begun!

I am challenging the residents of Jamestown North Dakota to find my artwork hidden in public buildings. The three photographs shown here are the first of 30 clues to accompany the art hunt, and assist those who are searching for art.

See other clues, photos of the hunt, learn about the hunt, and more at the official Buffalo Hunt website. Good luck.

The 10 miniature buffalo

All 10 of these original artworks, measuring less than 2 inches per side, have been effectively hidden in the public buildings of Jamestown, North Dakota. This is my 4th miniature buffalo hunt here in Jamestown, and my 12th art hunt overall. This summer I created art hunts all across the country, including Salt Lake City, California, Montana and Oregon.

This is the first hunt that is taking place indoors, which create a new experience altogether. The other 11 hunts have taken place in public parks outdoors. The visual clues (photographs) begin being published on my website starting at 5pm tomorrow night. The clues continue to appear (from hard to easy) until all 10 buffalo are reported found. The clues will appear on www.williamhessian.com.

I am also working on trying to find new states, towns, cities and events to perform miniature art hunts. Please read about my miniature hunts, and contact me if you have an idea or location you think my art hunt would be a good fit.

Mysterious Future Product: I'm not sure what it even does

The odd writing and odd images seem to be as confusing as the object itself. I figured I needed to post the picture of this crazy item for everyone to see. I am hoping to post pictures of more as I get the chance.

Right now, I've got to hide some buffalo for my art hunt.

the buffalo hunt is back!

The Jamestown Miniature Buffalo Hunt is back for the fourth time. This year, 2009, the buffalo hunt takes place during the frigid winter North Dakota temperatures, challenging the residents to search for hidden buffalo indoors, inside of public buildings. Like past hunts, artist William Hessian, will provide visual clues on his personal website once the hunt begins. The photographs will provide clues to the location of each hidden buffalo, and will be more revealing as the hunt proceeds.

The art hunt is open to everyone! Keep in mind only one buffalo can be found per family, and that all buffalo are hidden in plain sight; meaning you do not need to climb, dig or move anything to find them.

The first 10 clues will appear on www.williamhessian.com on Friday February 6th, 2009 and continue until all 10 buffalos are found. The art hunt is a part of Cabin Fever Days, and supported by the Jamestown Art Center.



The photo displays the 'white buffalo'. The winner that finds the white buffalo gets to keep the original artwork, AND will be awarded the grand prize donating by the art center.

All other buffalo hidden finders will be rewarded with keeping the original art, AND awarded with a bearded bunny art print hand-signed and numbered by the artist, William Hessian. Prizes can be claimed at the Jamestown Art Center.

Make sure to check out and bookmark the official 2009 Jamestown Miniature Buffalo Hunt page and return on February 6th for the first 10 clues and go find yourself a buffalo!

Miniature Buffalo Hunt Video

Learn more at: Art as Treasure

the art tour has begun

kelsey and myself are currently in Jamestown, North Dakota hiding miniature artwork all over town. This hunt happens to take place during the 125th Anniversary celebration of Jamestown. This includes a parade, a beard growing contest, street dances, air show, grand opening of a new super walmart (right behind the old non-super walmart).

the reason i am forced to blog with words, instead of with a sexy video is because my laptop has all of a sudden lost its ability to pick up wireless. It has never done this before. My computer tells me that my WLAN is disabled. So here i sit on a borrowed computer typing away my adventures instead of showing you.

however, once my computer is up and working again the videos will appear. (hopefully soon)

meanwhile, i've got more buffalo to hide in the public parks of Jamestown for the art as treasure art tour.

Stay Tuned....