POLSON –

The University of Montana’s Flathead Lake Biological Station and the Flathead Lakers have collaborated with a Missoula-based map making company to create a unique, artistic rendition of Flathead Lake to benefit UM’s FLBS.

Xplorer Maps creates hand-drawn and hand-lettered illustrations of significant natural and historical sites across the world. The limited-edition print of Flathead Lake features an antique style complete with illustrations of regional flora and fauna.

The original artwork was created using pen and ink and multiple water color layers. Three hundred signed and numbered Giclee prints are available for $300 each. Each print measures 20 inches by 28 inches. The original artwork will be on display this summer throughout western Montana and will be auctioned online through Sept. 4.

The artist and co-owner Chris Robitaille is an internationally-acclaimed illustrator and oil painter. He and his brother, Greg Robitaille, already partnered up with multiple national parks, including Yellowstone and Glacier, to create and sell artwork to raise awareness and funding for conservation efforts.

The company will donate a substantial portion of the proceeds from the Flathead Lake map to UM’s biological station and the Flathead Lakers to help fund the long-term protection of Flathead Lake and UM’s water-quality monitoring program. The goal is to raise $20,000, which will be used as a matching contribution to the ongoing Flathead Lake Monitoring Challenge Grant.

To view or purchase the map and find more information about the map and the programs that the proceeds will support, visit http://www.xplorermaps.com, http://www.flatheadlakers.org or http://www.umt.edu/flbs.

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