Tippet Rise is a Working Ranch

By Ben Wynthein with Peter and Cathy Halstead

Tippet Rise comprises 10,260 acres. We lease sections of it in the summer to Ben and Jamie Lehfeldt and their parents Marie and Bob, who bring in 1,200 head of Rambouillet sheep and 300 calf-cow pairs to graze the lush grasses that grow here. The sheep help eradicate the noxious weed, leafy spurge. And we have our own cattle program, which will eventually produce enough cattle to provide for our guests on the ranch, as well as help regenerate healthy native grasses and reduce wildfire hazards…

The Pianos of Tippet Rise

Steinway grand pianos are crafted by hand, which is why it takes 11 months or more and countless hours of fine-tuned labor to make one. The process—a feat of engineering, a magical alchemy, or both—involves hundreds of skilled cabinetmakers, craftspeople and gifted tuners. Tippet Rise is home to a treasure trove of Steinways: a dozen of them, each extraordinary and each with its own nuances and attributes. These essays, written by the Art Center’s co-founder, Peter Halstead, explore them.

Solstice

This film, also named “Solstice,” was produced by Ensamble Studio, the architects behind three sculptural structures cast from the land at Tippet Rise, and dedicated to our founders, Peter and Cathy Halstead.

White Out

Filmmaker Djuna Zupancic captured Mark di Suvero’s sculpture, Beethoven’s Quartet, on film during a snowstorm at Tippet Rise. Inspired by the film, Tippet Rise co-founder Peter Halstead wrote the poem, “Storm.” It is here along with e-mail correspondences between filmmaker and poet.

Shakespeare and Tippet Rise

The year 2016 marked the 400th anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare, considered by most to be the greatest playwright in the English language. To commemorate the event, people around the world celebrated his life and legacy through performances, exhibitions and festivals. Tippet Rise celebrated too, thanks in part to our partnerships with two extraordinary organizations that work to share the Bard’s legacy far and wide.

Design Series #2: Olivier Music Barn

Silhouetted against the Beartooth Mountains, the rusted exterior of the Olivier Barn comes into view as a pleasant surprise, like the ocher moss that covers the rocks in the region. Its monochromatic exterior composes with the uniform tone.

Design Series #1: Planning Architecture and Art at Tippet Rise

The lake at the end of East Rosebud is abruptly bordered by mountains with contours intertwined like the legs of tango dancers.

The Tuning of the Sky

Tippet Rise evolved from the organic relationship humans have to the land, and the sights and sounds we encounter in the world.

Isabelle and the Land

Isabelle Johnson is intimately tied to the Tippet Rise spirit