Distinctly Montana Magazine

D I S T I N C T LY M O N TA N A • W I N T E R 2 0 1 6 48 It is starkly apparent that nearly every large wild species on earth is experiencing a decline in pop- ulation. Wildlife one day will only be experienced in captivity, on film and on canvas. I feel a great responsibility to document how humans feel about our time on earth, living beside "Big ings with Big Teeth." MONTANA IS OFTEN DESCRIBED AS THE "AMERICAN SERENGETI," YET YOUR ARTISTIC PASSION MOST OF- TEN TAKES YOU TO AFRICA AND ITS WILDLIFE. WHAT IS THE INTERPLAY BETWEEN THE TWO? I grew up in Butte and have spent nearly half my life roam- ing the mountains and valleys of the Northwest. e other half of my life has been spent roaming the Savannahs and Bushveld of Sub-Saharan Africa. ere are many similarities between Montana and Africa. Both have tremendous wildlife with large numbers of herbivores and carnivores roaming the landscape. For me the most notable aspect of both places is their ability to capture your soul. WHAT WAS YOUR MOST DIFFICULT WORK TO COMPLETE AND WHY? ere are two that stand out. One is a commission for the Yellowstone Club's Warren Miller Lodge. It depicts a herd of Bison plowing through the deep snow called Cold Air-Deep Powder. e research for this was on Ted Turner's Flying D Ranch; it was very challenging to 'inspire" these shaggy beasts to run through the snow when there were no wolves chasing them. e other challenging work was a commission called Bad Day for part-time Montana resident and founder of the Montana Meth Project and Siebel Systems, Mr. Tom Siebel. Tom commis- sioned one of the most thrilling and powerful works I have ever created, memorializing the elephant attack he barely survived. In August of 2009, Siebel was on safari in Tanzania with his family, when he was attacked by a cow elephant. In the wrong place at the wrong time, he sustained extensive injuries. e background shows John Banovich talks about his painting, especially the bison running in deep powder: www.distinctlymontana.com/banovich161 DISTINCTLY MONTANA | DIGITAL Game of Lions Echoes of Yellowstone

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