Distinctly Montana Magazine

Your collectors include people like Tom Brokaw, Oprah Winfrey and Brent Mus- burger. Are you surprised by the interest in your work, and your own success? I've been very fortunate to have my work collected by amazing people both well known and unknown. It's been a joy for me to get to know the folks that collect my work and develop some wonderful friendships along the way. The level of interest in my work is still surpris- ing and humbling to me. How do you measure success in your art? For me being able to pursue my passion of creating art, and being able to support my family by doing it is my definition of success. One barometer I have is setting and reaching my professional goals. I recently received two phone calls on the same morning inviting me to the 'Prix de West Exhibition' (pretty much the Super Bowl of western art) and the 'Northwest Rendezvous Group' exhibition in Helena. Both are extremely prestigious shows and ones I'd been shooting for since I started painting. That was a morning I won't soon forget. Just where do you believe your artistic impulse is now taking you? It's interesting how my inspirations change as I grow and mature. When I started painting I was drawn to photo-realistic wildlife, and from there I gravitated toward plein-air landscapes of rugged peaks and pristine wilderness. At this point in my career I'm inspired to create moody, timeless, landscapes and sporting art with a spiritual feel. I ultimately see myself moving more into figurative type works where the human element is more prominently featured in the landscape. We'll see. Which deceased artist from any age do you admire the most? (Why?) There are many artists that I admire greatly, but none more than Michelangelo. I don't think it's possible to overstate how important his work has been to the world. Standing in front of the Pieta in St. Peter's Basilica was moving beyond words and still gives me goose bumps thinking about it. In my opinion that is the most beauti- ful piece of art ever created. How do you spend your time when you are not painting? What do you do to relax and enjoy life? Spend time with my lovely wife and kids. We have a four year old daughter and a two year old son. Another of my passions is fly-fishing, and you'll often find me stand- ing in one of the local rivers with a fly rod in my hand or rowing my drift boat. My wife likes to say that I'm a full time fly-fisherman who takes a little time off now and then to paint. I'm also an avid archer and love to hunt with my traditional longbow and wood arrows. I'm truly a blessed man to live, work, and play in the beautiful Bitterroot area. What makes you laugh? My kids—I love to watch their antics and their person- alities develop. I also love to kick back with a good local micro-brew and share a laugh with friends, talking art, fishing, hunting, and life in general. What one sentence best describes Brent Cotton? I'm just an ordinary guy who wakes up every day grateful for the blessings and simple gifts I've been given. Thanks, Brent! - DM www.distinctlymontana.com Downtown Bozeman • 129 west main 406.586.7191 • www.jsjewelrystudio.com 37 Entering His Prime DISTINCTLY MONTANA | DIGITAL Go to www.distinctlymontana.com/brent121 to ask Brent a question.

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