ROUNDUP — It was a moment of disbelief for 18-year-old Roundup teen Julianne Landgren after she learned she won first place in the teen division for the statewide 'Paint the State' competition for the Montana Meth Project.
Now, she plans on using her prize money to fund her education.
“I was actually looking at the site almost every couple of minutes. When I finally refreshed the page and saw something different, I was like, ‘Oh my God.' I was shaking a little bit," Landgren told MTN News on Tuesday. "I was in shock, really. Once I saw that I got first place, it was just surreal. It really was."
The young artist spent almost a week on this mural, created with her own money.
But it all paid off. Landgren earned first place in the teen division and fourth place in the people's choice category for the public art contest.
“The people’s choice, it helped raise $1,000. And then for getting first in the state for teen division, it was a $10,000 prize. It was insane. I’ve never gotten a prize of that amount,” Landgren said. “It warmed my heart, especially with this community. Everyone, they helped get the word out."
It's a prize that she’s using to fund her future.
“It’s actually all going into a savings account for college because college can get pretty costly," Landgren said. "It’ll all go towards my college fund when I go to MSU Bozeman."
Landgren has long aspired to someday become an art teacher and is heading to Montana State University-Bozeman in January. She will be studying art education and graphic design.
"I want to be an art teacher, just to maybe be able to impact just one student like many of my teachers have for me," Landgren said. "It would give me much more than just a purpose."
Her art is already making an impact on the Roundup community, stopping some in their tracks.
“They’re beautiful. The meth one has an important message. Don’t do it,” said Lynn Lipps, a Roundup resident, on Tuesday. "It made me look."
Residents are about to see a lot more of Landgren's art. Her work can currently be found inside of The Backporch, Roundup’s barbeque hotspot. She's already been asked to do two more murals, which is why she isn't starting school until January.
"In the next couple of days I’m going to get the primer on and I’m going to get started on it, which I’m pretty excited about,” Landgren said about a mural she has planned on the same building her meth mural is located on. “I’m actually planning another mural at the Van Dykes Supermarket. I’m going to do a pretty scenery with some elk on there."
For now, she's simply grateful for the chance to continue creating art.
“I hope that this inspires anyone with anything they create to create it for a purpose. At the end of the day, just to create something for a good cause is much more fulfilling than the actual final piece," Landgren said. "I’m just so grateful for this opportunity."
If you would like to view Landgren's mural in person, visit 308 1st St. W. in Roundup.
To view more of Landgren's art, click here.
