A hand raised to meet yours and it did quickly, softly, coolly; a steady hand that wore no rings, a smooth hand that had laid lovingly on the shoulder of a legend in his last moments, as he slipped away.

It belonged to Darla Miller.

You stood in front of several works created by her late husband, Gary P. Miller, as well-known an artist to come out of Bismarck-Mandan as anyone.

Honored.

That's the word she used. The Mandan Art Association dedicated this weekend's show - its 46th annual - to Gary Miller. And his family was honored.

An area was set up in the Mandan Community Center especially for some of Miller's works. There are the bull boats, St. Joseph's Church and "Wash Day." And others.

There's also a wall dedicated to Lewis and Clark-themed pieces. One of them, an oil painting by Esther Bauer, shows whitetail deer looking nervous as a keelboat makes its way up river. It's got that look to it - the brown, grassy buttes, vast skies and deep clouds - that is so North Dakota, a North Dakota often captured by Miller.

For "real" pieces like that, you can't beat the Mandan Art Show. The town doesn't do pretentiousness.

The show features 277 entries from 84 artists in the adult division, and 205 entries from 159 artists in the student division. Many of the pieces will be for sale.

Admission to the show is free.

Doors will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. Demonstrations and hands-on exhibitions will be held both days.

A reception and a chance to meet the artists will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. today.

For more information, look inside today's Weekend Life section.

(Reach Tony Spilde at 250-8260 or tspilde@ndonline.com.)