Libby artist's drawing survives severe fire

When The Shed Restaurant and Bar burned down last fall, it was devastating for many locals who enjoyed its food and fellowship.

For long-time Libby resident and artist Ivan Hagen, he shared similar feelings and wondered about the fate of a framed illustration he drew and gave to owner Cora Gilmore for display in the restaurant.

“It was something I drew when I was 19 or 20 years old, so it’s been around a few years,” Hagen said. “I only recently gave it to her and I’d drive by there and wonder how it made it through the fire.”

Hagen said the inspiration for his drawing of the “oldtimer” was from a book written by Fritz Perls and titled, “In and Out of the Garbage Pail.” It was published in 1969.

According to goodreads.com, Perls was a noted German-born psychiatrist and psychotherapist.

“I was really into pen and ink sketches at the time and his photo really grabbed me,” Hagen said.

Hagen, who had run into tough times a few years ago, wanted the drawing to hang in the restaurant because he said he wanted to be remembered for something other than his troubled times.

Hagen was accused of stealing gas, cigarettes and alcohol from a number of area stores in 2021. He pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor counts of theft, received a six-month suspended sentence, was fined and ordered to pay a fine and restitution to the businesses.

“In 2019, I had been evicted from your house and I was driving up the Fisher River Road to find a place to camp when I hit some black ice. A tow truck driver learned about some of what I was going through,” Hagen said. “He knew an older woman who was living up Granite Creek Road who needed someone to take care of her."

Before Hagen ended up being the woman's caretaker, the theft incidents occurred and Hagen spent some time in the county jail before the legal process was completed.

“God certainly is very mysterious and I am thankful for where he has put me today,” Hagen said.

After things had settled at The Shed, Hagen was driving past the charred building once again when he saw some people outside doing cleanup work. He stopped, explained what was going on and got permission to go inside.

“I crawled into the building through a broken window and there it was,” Hagen said. “It was pretty smoked up, but not ruined. It was a relief to see.”

Hagen, who has lived 60 of his 64 years in Libby, said he graduated Libby High School in 1977, worked in the mill until 1993 when downsizing occurred. He lives with asbestosis today because of his work in the mill 30 years ago.

As a displaced worker, he had the opportunity to attend the Flathead Valley Community College in Libby for a few years, then went to work at Twinkle Welding before two rotator cuff injuries disabled him in 2009.

“I’ve been doing art most of my life of various mediums, including scrimshaw, wood and leather work,” Hagen said.

Hagen has been a judge at Ron Adamson’s The Libby Chainsaw Event and created the viking carving from a section of tree after a microburst heavily damaged the area in July 1997. It now graces Fireman Memorial Park in Libby.

“There’s no doubt, despite everything that’s happened, I’m blessed,” he said.