Distinctly Montana Magazine

First Light " I feel I can mold a scene to suit my own artistic vision of my work, but art has opened a lot of doors for me. With the opportunity to travel more I hope I can paint anywhere and appeal to a large audience. The more Tracy and I travel, visiting new cities and countries, the more we re- alize the importance of the arts in society. The beauty of art seems to transcend scene. I don't have a formula for painting, it's more of an intuitive process for me, and so as I con- tinue to learn and am influenced by life's experiences, I'm sure the paintings will reflect that. Evening in St. Petersburg the boundaries of geography and politics. What are you working on right now and how did you choose the subject? Ideas for new paintings can be found most anywhere, but a recent example is First Light, which was inspired by a backpacking trip into the Taylor-Hilgard wilderness section of the Madison Range. How has your painting technique and style changed over the last ten years? My technique continues to evolve; I may be getting more creative in how I compose a 34 What are you thinking about for your next work? I'm continually getting ideas for new paintings, and I'm also trying to spend more time improving my drawing ability. I've never had training in classical drawing, but feel it's an important foundation for good art. I would like to see more opportunities for that type of art education here in Montana. Who are your personal icons in the art world and why? There are plenty of artists, past and present, whose work I admire and have been influenced by. To those that have helped me out along the way, thanks. Ditto the collectors whose appre- ciation for art makes it possible for those like myself to continue to do what we do. I've gradually acquired a pretty good library of art books which I refer to quite often, but there DISTINCTLY MONTANA • FALL 2012

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