Distinctly Montana Magazine

W W W. D I S T I N C T LY M O N TA NA . C O M 39 FIRST, TELL US A BIT ABOUT ZACH AND HIS PASSION FOR ART. WHAT WAS HIS DRIVING MOTIVATION FOR PRODUCING HIS WORK? Zach was drawn to the outdoors from early childhood. His first job out of high school was as a fishing guide in the upper Madison River. After a couple summers of guiding in Montana, he decided to head for Alaska where he continued guiding. Flying called and Zach got his pilot's license in 1994. One of his true loves was to fly a Piper Super Cub around Alaska from the Brooks Range to the Alaskan Peninsula. e time he spent outdoors with animals drove him to paint and gave him a unique perspective into their behaviors that most people never get to see. Even though nature can be cruel, it can have a softer funnier side. Zach told many stories about animals behaving in almost childlike ways. In each of his paintings, he tells a story that he witnessed. WHO WERE THE GREATEST INFLUENCES IN HIS LIFE WITH REGARD TO HIS ART? e animals themselves. One of Zach's favorite things was to watch wild animals interact with each other. e animals captivated and inspired Zach. He painted the scenes he witnessed from mem- ory, not pictures. He really differed from most artists in this way; he didn't try to copy a style or imitate another artist. He literally created his own style and told the stories he witnessed. He always wanted to paint the animals' personalities not just the horns, fur, or claws. When Rainbows Attack recreates a scene from one of Zach's first days in Alaska over 25 years ago. To quote Zach, "Where I grew up, trout were little fish that ate bugs; in Alaska I found these same fish to be giant voracious carnivores. Here is a scene where a pod of rainbows chase a school of salmon smolt onto a gravel bar, while defending their lunch against invading birds (Arctic terns) looking for an easy meal. Truly wild life, enjoy." Ed. Note. We spoke to Zach Babat about this feature last August, as he was preparing for his bush pilot season in Alaska. A few weeks later he was killed in an unusual, mid-air crash in remote Russian Mission, Alaska. As his obituary stated "he made the world a better place through his sense of humor, joy of living, his passion for life and through his artwork." Zach was 44. Our interview is with his wife, Kerry. T H R E E ' S A C R O W D

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