Dave Rummans, Performance Artist, Lewistown MT

Please enjoy my interview with Dave Rummans, local musician and artist:
If you know Dave Rummans, 48, you know he comes from a very creative family. His aunt Rachel Shea is a well known artist, his brother Patrick Rummans, is the bird man of Aflac Duck fame but Dave has many talents of his own.
Me: So what's your story Dave? You kinda know the questions I ask so tell me about yourself.
D: Well out of high school I went into the Coast Guard and I started playing the guitar b...ecause I was stationed in light house in South Carolina. I had a lot of time on my hands so I decided to teach myself.
Me: So you are self taught? Wow.
D: For the most part. After my Coast Guard gig I went to MSU for Art Education and for the 4 out of the 5 years I was in a band in Bozeman called Chirocco Jones, named after a Science Fiction novel character.
D: After college I stayed in Bozeman and worked at Gibson Guitar building acoustics. I then went to Portland to follow my dream of being a working artist. I did a lot of solo stuff, was in a band and then did solo house concerts across the U.S.
Me: You recorded some albums, tell us about them.
D: Yes, two, so far. First one was called "Be" it wasn't very good. The second one is called "Love is Strongest at Our Weakest Moments." That's the one I did for the house concert tour.
Me: Do you consider yourself a certain kind of artist? I mean, do you think you fit in a genre?
D: Hmm. Not really, I guess I tried to do that for a while but now I just see what I do as organic acoustic music.
Me: You write your own songs, right?
D: Yes, but I have one cover, a Kate Bush tune on my last album. I get a lot of hits on my album on CD Babies online because of that cover. (Dave hands me a copy of his C.D. and says I can have it. Yay me!)
Me: Oh thanks Dave, I wanna hear this right now!
D: Can't, I don't have anything to play it on here. (laughing)
Me: Dang!
Me: So you have a lot of concert and community events in town that center around local musicians, how did that begin?
D: It started in Portland really. We did a gig called "Night of the Singing Dead" around Halloween and it was a huge hit. We did something similar here for a while but now we do Killing Me Softly at Valentines Day, we did Winter Songs, as you know for the Art Center fundraiser and we are doing Relativity for a fundraiser for the local Head Start here in April. It's just a fun way to make some money for some good non profits.
Me: It's really great. It gives the artists around here an opportunity to show their stuff. I am always amazed at the talent in our community.
D: Yes, it gives them experience and it's just fun for everyone so why not.
Me: So why are you here in Central MT? What is it about Lewistown that makes it your home?
D: Well family, first and foremost but I love this place. I love that I can decide to go fishing and be on the creek in ten minutes. Ya, I miss stuff in the cities, like being able to pick the movies I see, some kinds of food, stuff like that. It's a trade off for the beauty of Montana.
Me: Do you miss touring?
D: Well, I would like to do it again. My last tour was pretty great. I toured out of my pick up truck and made two rules for the trip. No fast food and stay off the interstate when possible. It was a great way to find out of the way places and see things most people don't. I had some amazing experiences.
Me: Great idea, that sounds amazing! Would you offer advice to young musicians or touring musicians?
D: Um, I would tell them to be themselves and make music on their own terms. Nowadays, because of the internet, it is not the old "just get signed" thing that musicians did when I was touring and recording. Now you can do all of that and not sign with a record label. It changed the whole process.
Me: Do you think the music you made in the city is different then the music you make as a Rural Artist?
D: Oh yes, it really is. I was young and fearless before when I recorded my first album but as I got older I have become more knit picky. I am constantly trying to make things better. When I was in the band in Bozeman we were just sloppy. We had an opportunity to work with a great musician and he made us drop our entire set list and start from scratch. Learn each piece of music exactly not just how we thought it should sound. It was a great lesson.
Me: Who else influenced you?
D: Well I had the opportunity to help bring Pearl Jam to MT for a concert when they were still up and coming. McCready gave me some advice. And then I had the opportunity to meet John Denver's guitarist in South Carolina. He heard my crappy tape of my demos and simply said, "Play more minor chords." So now I do. (laughs)
Me: Ha, simple and sweet.
D: Ya, but I was surrounded by a lot of great artists in Portland. In fact I was scared to play with them when I asked them to help me record my album. Playing with them, though, it made me want to be better. It made me realize I was a good artist because they wanted to be part of my project. I still surround myself with artists with Songwriter in the round here in town, it helps me to get the feedback of other artists and it's just fun.
Me: Dave, thank you for interviewing with me today. It has been really fun and enlightening.
D: You're welcome. Thank you.
Dave's album is available for sale at Wicks Guitar in Lewistown as well as online. I have been listening to it in my car and it's great. A very talented artist we are lucky to have here in Lewistown.

Mindi Brown, Fiber Artist (Paper), Lewistown MT

Please enjoy my interview with local paper artisan, Mindi Brown of Butterfly Papercrafts.
Me: Thanks for having me out to your cool little shop.
M: You’re welcome, thanks for coming.
Me: Tell me how this all came to be?
M: Well, when Mike and I were looking to buy a place we wanted a place with a garage for him and a studio for me. And then when we found this place it just evolved into a little s...hop since we figured I would be in my studio all day anyway, I might as well carry some of the products that we need locally for everyone.
Me: I love this shop, it’s off the beaten path which makes it even more fun to shop here.
M: Thanks, it’s been a fun project.
Me: How did you start using paper as your main medium?
M: My friend, Corrine, got me interested, or should I say hooked, on scrapbooking in um, 2006ish and it just took off from there.
Me: I love the things you are making, the clutch you made for adult prom is amazing. (see photos)
M: Thank you, I started looking through my purses for something that would go with my dress and I just didn’t find anything I liked so a lot of paper, glue, tape and rhinestones later...
Me: Is this something you would custom make for people?
M: Sure, it’s just something I would have to really make sure they understood the time involved would be reflected in the price.
Me: You bring up a good point. It is hard to value your work in the hours it takes to make something beautiful that other people will enjoy.
M: It is. If I can’t get out of it what I put into it, I just keep it. (laughs)
Me: So you started out scrap booking and now you can make some amazing and funky things with paper. Where do you find your inspiration?
M: Well sometimes it’s simply because I can’t find what I want or need and so I make it. Other times I find inspiration in things I have seen on Pinterest and then add my own flare. (She then shows me a couple of really cool plastic canvas contraptions she has made to cleverly store her markers and pens.)
Me: Do you find that people try to pigeonhole your work into crafts?
M: Um, no not really. I think people see that I bring color theory, patterns and embellishment into my work that has it’s own artform. Plus I am not an easy person to pigeonhole with my burgundy hair and metallic silver fingernails. (we both laugh) As far as what I make being art, well, there has been some fails but that’s all part of the process.
Me: I think you have an amazing eye. Everytime I see your stuff I see something I missed before. There are many layers to your craft.
M: Thanks. I am very critical of my work, I guess I am mildly OCD so I work hard at creating what I want.
Me: You have been published in a Better Homes and Gardens magazine on scrapbooking so I guess people are noticing!
M: Yes, I was really happy they liked what I contributed.
Me: Is that something they do a lot of?
M: No, I was very lucky, they published me after just that submission where a lot of my peers say they have sent in hundreds before being published.
Me: What’s your favorite parts of what you do?
M: Well it is ideal for me to have my studio and shop here. Kids come home and I am here and my husband is very supportive of me doing this and that is wonderful. It is kind of the perfect scenerio for me because there is a lot of risk opening a shop like this downtown.
Me: What’s your favorite thing in the store?
M: Ah, the stacks of paper are pretty great. When I get a new batch in, it’s like heaven.
Me: What would you tell others who are considering being a full time working artist and making it their income?
M: I say, go for it, if it is financially feasible for you and your family. I think also it is important to have a support system. People who believe in what you do, at least this has been a great thing for me with my husband Mike and kids.
Me: You are showing your work at a lot of shows locally.
M: Yes, I do several shows a year. People come and see what I am doing and then they can come up to the store and pick out their own paper or what have you and I can make something really special for them or for their gift giving.
Me: Lewistown is lucky to have such a cool and funky resource for all things papercrafts and it’s cool that you are so forthcoming with your advice and expertise.
M: Thank you, I am really enjoying it and hope to do more in the community. Tonight I have some gals coming out to the shop for wine, scrapbooking and chatting. That is the sort of thing I really love.
Me: Oh that sounds great! I can see myself bringing out some gal pals and doing that with you.

Jacqueline Mercenier, Water Color/Oil Painting, Lewistown MT

Since moving back to Lewistown I have had the pleasure of meeting so many wonderful people who love the arts and see how it makes an impact locally. However, I am not sure I have met anyone who is making that impact a reality to so many as our next featured artist Jacqueline Mercenier. Jacqueline is featured, above, in the profile image with Melody Lark (she is on the right, if you don't know Melody). She is teeny tiny and has a spritely voice with a beautiful French accent a...nd, I swear, a twinkle in her eye. Please enjoy our interview!
Me: Jacqueline I think people would love to hear about how you came to be part of the community?
J: Ah yes, well, I was born in Brussels Belgium and came to the U.S. in 1977.
Me: Wow, you have been here for 36 years.
J: Yes, and it is home. I knew it was home the first time I saw it. When I was growing up in Belgium there was a lovely chocolate that you could get that had wrappers with birds and landscapes of the Rocky Mountains. That is how I fell in love with this area before ever seeing it. So, when I was finally able to, I took a boat to Canada and then did a 3 day bus ride through Canada. When I saw the Rockies I literally said out loud, "I am home". That might sound odd to some people, but that is how it felt.
Me: That's beautiful.
J:I lived in southern Idaho for 8 years. And then shared my heart between New Mexico and Montana. Finally I decided on MT in 1985 when I moved to Helena. That is when I became really serious about art. I met my husband, David, there in 87. We discovered Lewistown together really. I guess I was drawn to it because it is such an unlikely landscape. You have so many landscapes in MT to choose from but nothing comes together quite the way it does here.
Me: Did you start out as a painter?
J: Actually I started weaving but decided to sell my loom for a painting table and that was sort of that. I began working at the Art Center, here in Lewistown as an assistant, teaching art to children. That is my true heart, I love it very much. I have been doing that for the last 14 years.
Me: Do you miss Belgium?
J: No, not really, I love the West, it is still enchanting, I love the people, the ruggedness of them, their openness and their directness. They are a certain quality of people you cannot find elsewhere. And of course there are these landscapes. I can paint them for eternity.
Me: What is your favorite thing about them?
J: The vastness. Coming from a small crowded country I literally feel "spirit" in their vastness. As if you are something very tiny in something very huge, the spirituality of that dynamic, is quite intriguing to me.
Me: Oh I love that description.
Me: You mainly use water colors?
J: Yes, water colors and oil paints. I love the butteriness of the oils.
Me: You are the chair of the MT Water Color Society, right?
J: Yes, that has been great. The gallery showing is here in Lewistown so I help with that since 94.
Me: What is your training?
J: I go to a lot of workshops all over MT but I actually have a Masters Degree in Biology/Zoology from the University of Brussels.
Me: Oh wow, no wonder your animals are so well done. You are an expert.
J: (Laughing) Well, had I listened to my spirit rather then my head and the people who told me I could not make a living as an artist I would have went for an art degree. It's OK though, I was able to rectify that by an entire lifetime of only following my heart from then on.
Me: Wow, I hear this a lot from the artists I interview. There is such a struggle between following ones passions and following one's responsibilities. What made you decide to do that?
J: Well I watched my Mom, who was directly affected by the Holocaust and I knew I had to do what would nourish spirit, life, and heart through creativity to honor that pain and suffering.
Me: Wow, Jacqueline. I am speechless.
J: (Smiling broadly) Well, it's all a part of life. I just had to make the choice to follow that path. It's all a choice for happiness and health. Not following it has consequences to the soul. If you don't nourish your intuition you are missing an entire dimension to your soul. I like to teach that to the children I work with. When you allow them their creativity you allow them to learn how to solve problems?
Me: How do you mean?
J: Well, for example I had a young girl come up to me and say, "Miss Jacqueline, you forgot to give us black and brown." I told her, "Oh no, I did not forget, you have black and brown hidden within all of the primary colors." She looked at me puzzled, went back to her chair and I watched as she experimented with the colors and finally created brown. She came running up to me and said, "Oh Miss Jacqueline, I did it, I made brown!".
Me: That's wonderful! Do you worry about the trend that art is being removed from public education?
J: I do. I think art is an important component in shaping thinking and can even be used to re-shape thinking on a deep spiritual level.
It helps when they make mistakes and I can show them that the mistakes were necessary to create the whole. That we might call them mistakes and that has a negative connotation, but really they are as big a part of the art as the intentional. In that way students learn that the solution is within the problems themselves.
Me: I had not thought of that. I often just think of art as a way out of reality, but it is very much part of it. I see that now. You are a teacher! (laughing)
J: Ah yes, art, as a process, it can be a lonely thing but to share it with another is to create a communion. We must be careful then, not to educate the creativity out of our children. With creativity and art they will be better equipped to handle the problems of our world. I believe art could and does make society healthier and happier.
Me: Jacqueline you have inspired me and I am sure your interview will inspire others. Thank you for your time and your friendship. I feel blessed knowing you.

David Wharton, Print Artist, Lewistown MT

David lives here in Lewistown and we are lucky to have an artist, of his caliber residing in our community. Throughout the interview David showed me many prints and pieces that I will share here. Please enjoy my interview with him:

Me: Thanks for having me in your home and studio David, it feels like a gallery.
D: You’re welcome, thanks for coming.
Me: So, the main question I think, is why are you here? (laughing) Here in Lewist...own I mean.
D: Well in 74 I was in the Core of Engineers up in Flathead after I got my Bachelors and we were on a bus coming through Montana on our way up there and the bus broke down. We were here for 2 days and I guess I always wanted to come back someday.
Me: I looked up your website and also found you on Montana Artist Directory, you have an impressive resume.
D: Thank you. I have done a lot in a lot of places.
Me: Where are you originally from?
D: I was born in Tulsa Oklahoma. I received my Bachelors of Fine Arts from The University of Oklahoma. I had a full ride scholarship there.
Me: Wow, but you taught at University level so you have an advanced degree as well?
D: Yes, I received my Masters of Fine Arts from Cranbrook Academy of Art in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. I then taught printmaking and Art. You can see my resume on Montana Artist.
Me: I did see it and I am going to post it to the interview I think people will love to see the work you have been doing. (Here are his TEACHING AND UNIVERSITY AFFILIATIONS:
Adjunct Professor of Digital Media, University of Central Oklahoma-Edmond, Oklahoma 2006
Visiting Assistant Professor of Art, Whitman College-Walla Walla, Washington 1999-2003
Visiting Assistant Professor of Humanities, Colorado College-Colorado Springs, Colorado 2001
Visiting Assistant Professor of Art, University of Washington-Seattle, Washington 1982
Visiting Assistant Professor of Art, Humboldt State University-Arcata, California 1981
D: I have done a considerable amount of work with nonprofits as well. Along with being a traveling lecturer and Museum Director. I am glad I am no longer doing any of that. (laughingly) I had to raise my own salary and fundraise and work with boards.

(Here is David’s PROFESSIONAL NON-PROFIT EXPERIENCE:
Executive Director, Florida Keys Council for the Arts - Key West, Florida 2007
Executive Director, Museum of Alaska Transportation & Industry - Wasilla, Alaska 2004-05
Freelance Designer, Artist, & Non-Profit Consultant - Sun Valley, Idaho & Westport, Connecticut 1988-1998
Founding Director of Fine Arts, The Sun Valley Center for the Arts and Humanities - Sun Valley, Idaho 1978-1987)

Me: Ah yes, that. (laughs)
D: I took a fall and sustained a serious injury and that redirected my life. I guess it made me believe in God. I found my faith and it changed the need to focus on careers as much as the things that were really important.
Me: Is that what brought you back to Lewistown?
D: Not really. I was working at Whitman College and met up with Carol Popenga. She told me she was building a studio up here and it reminded me how much I loved my layover here. I decided to give it a go.
Me: What year did you move here?
D: In 2007. I have been working here out of my house since then.
Me: What sort of work have you been doing?
D: Well I come from a printmaking background and was a Master Printer, so that always influences my work. I work mostly in watercolors now.
Me: I love the natural element of your work, lots of animals.
D: Yes, bears and fish... (showing me his prints of a bear painted in the pattern of a woven hopi basket) I have also just finished an E book called Rain Babies. It is a childrens book. (showing me the prints from the book)
Me: Amazing. Very imaginative. Here is Rain Baby with a radio flyer wagon. Love this.
D: Yes, I got to know the owner of Radio Flyer and he gave me permission to use it anytime I wanted.
Me: What other celebs do you know through your work?
D: When I ran the Sun Valley Art Center there were some major names on the board. At the end of the year they would make up deficiencies by writing a check. (laughing)
Me: That’ll work!
D: Yes, that worked out OK.
Me: I see you are also a musician.
D: Yes, I like jazz guitar.
Me: Oh, I hate that about you. (kidding of course)
D: (Smiling broadly) I have enjoyed some great guitars. (We had further discussion about brands of guitars that I won’t post here but he has good taste. ha!)
Me: You mentioned you have daughters and a granddaughter, are they artistic?
D: Of my daughters one is and one is not. Unfortunately the one with my granddaughter is just like me. Severe OCD.
Me: Well, yes, this is the cleanest house I have ever been in. (We both laugh.)
D: Ya, when I am talking to my daughter on the phone and I hear my grand daughter say, “Mommy, why are you on your hands and knees scrubbing the floor?” well I feel somewhat responsible. (we both laugh)
Me: It might be a blessing and a curse. There is a level of precision that comes through in your work.
D: You have to be really clean when you do print work, you can’t lay your hand down on it and smear it.
Me: I would be terrible at it.
D: Some students were and I just wouldn't encourage them or work with them. (laughing)
Me: What would you tell up and coming artists?
D: Don’t do it. (laughs) No, really, not unless they are prepared for the toughest thing you can do to make a living.
Me: So you better be doing it for another reason other than money, you are saying?
D: Yes. Of course there are ways to make money at art but it’s not a given.
Me: David, thank you so much for your time. This has been a blast.
D: Thank you.
(Additional notes)
David and I discussed a lot of things that I did not include in the interview for the sake of brevity but I have copied and pasted in his many accomplishments from the website, Montana Artists and I hope that is enough to give you a sense of this great artist. Here is a bit more:
FINE ART PUBLISHING:
Director & Master Printer - Littleton Glass Studio, Spruce Pine, North Carolina 1987- 1989
Indian Self-Rule Portfolio: Darin Vigil, Randy-Lee White,
Juan Quick-to-see Smith, David Bradley, N. Scott Momday
The Potters and Prints Portfolio: Kirk Mangus, Richard Shaw,
James Romberg, Jenny Lind, Robert Sperry, Akio Takamora.
Printed and Published Fine Art Prints for:
William Wiley, Terry Allen, John Buck, Don Nice, Harvey Littleton, Margaret Neilson, Jenny Lind,
Roy Deforest, Viola Fey, Robert Nelson, William Wegman, Walter Darby Bannard, Herb Jackson,
Irwin Eisch, Connor Everts Dale Chihuly, Sheila Gardner, Hollis Seigler, Fred Wessel, Glen Alps,
Shiro Ikegewa, Thomas Buechner, Robin Winters, William Allen, William Henderson.

Jackie Olsen Fiber Artist, Moore MT

Driving out to Jackie and Bobby Olsen's ranch this time of year was an absolute pleasure. They own and run the Montana Bunkhouse where you can rent cabins on their property and I cannot wait to get the opportunity to do so after seeing the land it is nestled in. Please enjoy my interview with fiber artist, Jackie Olsen: (please also see the images I have already posted to the page)

J: Where should we start? Want to see what I am dyeing right now?
Me: Yes, that'd be great.
J...: (Showing me wool on a low boil in pinkish water, she lifts it out and shows me how the dye is coloring the once white wool.) I will take this out, dry it and spin it into yarn.
Me: Wow, that is so impressive.
J: I used to have sheep and I would start with them. Clip them, clean it and start the process from there.
Me: Did you grow up ranching?
J: Yes, my family had this property and all over this area. This area is called Paradise Valley.
Me: I can see why. I took a lot of pictures on my way out. Really beautiful country. I imagine it inspires you.
Me: But you are no longer keeping sheep?
J: No, we retired in 2000. I had sheep since I was 9 years old though. It was a big part of my life. I was even the first women on the State Wool Growers Association Board.
Me: Really? Wow! Way to represent!
Me: Did you say you went to High School in Winifred?
J: Yes, we lived here but my Mom was a teacher out there so we just joined her out there.
Me: Aw, I see.
Me: How far out are we from Lewistown?
J: It's exactly 20 miles from Albertsons.
Me: Oh! (laughing)
Me: So you grew up here and then raised your family here?
J: Yes, we have 3 girls and 1 boy. My son and grandson took over the ranching when we retired.
Me: I love the apron you showed me; your very first project.
J: Yes, I was just 9 when I made that.
Me: Who knew it would be the start of all of this!?
J: (Smiling) Yes, I have done just about everything fiber related, knitting, crocheting, spinning, dyeing, hook latch, quilting, even paper arts.
Me: I first met you at Winter Fair. You are involved in a lot of Fiber Arts activities, right?
J: Yes, I have done the newsletter for 17 years for the Arts Guild in town.
Me: Wow! Where do you guys meet now?
J: At the Civic Center. We are in our 24th year.
Me: Neat! I'm going to come to your next meeting!
J: (laughs) Yes, please do. We are actually meeting here on June 15th at 9 a.m. we are going to be doing some dyeing outside.
Me: Oh cool. I will put that on my calendar.
J: (laughing again) Great!
Me: What do you guys normally do at your Guild meetings?
J: We talk about all things fiber, which included wood carving, paper arts, whatever! We show eachother our projects and really enjoy learning about new ideas and seeing what everyone is working on.
Me: Right, all things fiber. Easy to forget wood and paper when you are thinking about all the things you can do with yarn alone.
J: Yes, right.
Me: Do your children follow in your path?
J: My daughters do some knitting, sewing and quilting when they have the time.
Me: You have a lot of variety to your projects.
J: Yes, I like to create my own designs. It's nice when nothing is the same, everything is an original.
Me: Are you doing things for Summer Fair now?
J: Yes. I used to do some educational things with fiber, like showing how much dirt and lanolin comes out of the wool when you to clean it. I like doing that. They are called "Living Demonstrations."
Me: Oh cool. How about doing that for Winter Fair?
J: Yes, I'd love to.
Me: You showed me your families old spinning wheel that was handed down to you. I love that your art is inspired by generations before you.
J: I love that too!
Me: Jackie, thank you. What a pleasure!

Gordon Russell (Interview by guest, James Russell-his son)

Interview by guest curator: James Russell

Hi there friends and neighbors, this is James Russell. This week I have interviewed my dad, Gordon Russell. I thought it would be great that those of us who were his students could get to know a little more about what makes him tick.
Son: Dad how did you first become interested in Art?
Dad: He said very excitedly, “I couldn't do anything else!”
Son: Did you show any special skills at an early age?
Dad: Ya, carving, mostly wood work... in school.
He goes on to say, “I had an aunt who did real good at art, she did watercolors and I thought her work was great. Then I saw the work of Walter Hill and he did oils. He was one of my grandma’s sisters sons and he would come out to the cabin to paint. He was also a trumpet player and a ventriloquist, he had a band and nightclub in Minneapolis with his wife. He was a good artist, I liked him and I liked his work.”
Son: So you were inspired by their work, did you start painting then?
Dad: No, my first art class was not until the first year in college at the University of Minnesota, everything before then was done in pastels because they were cheap in the schools. My teacher picked up my very first pastel and said, “Now this is how a pastel is supposed to look. (And then he shook his head) Ya, pastel was always my favorite. I probably shouldn't tell you this, I was in college for Industrial Arts and had a minor in Fine Arts, but then I thought it might be fun to teach art. School was a lot of work drawing houses, buildings and general architecture. Somewhere there is a Jr. High there is a file cabinet full of my work, I wonder where that is, 37 years worth. I taught Industrial Arts in 1960 until the Mill Levy failed after a couple of years and I had to fill the position of Art Teacher.
Son: Cool, Dad, what was your art like, or what were you in to back in the 60’s?
Dad: We had a very active art program back then. We traveled all over the state to Museums and to raise money we had art shows with clowns, students selling their art work and doing caricatures, which we sold to make money. I would do the scenery for operettas with the students. I must have done 30 of them. You know I met your mother doing the scenery for a local theater group called The Curtain Callers. She loved to do skits. One time she disappeared while we were working on a set and returned dressed as a man with a mustache and did an impromptu drivers ed skit in front of about 30 people and floored them. I made an oil painting of some trees that was 60 ft long and 16 ft high with some help from some of the more talented kids. I made the HMS Pinafore 3 times for the Pirates of Penzance. And one of them was two stories tall and you could stand on top of the wheel house. For Little Abner I made a huge cabin and a cave 30 ft. long, it was so big you could not get it off the stage, we had to take it apart-they couldn't use the gym for months. (Looking off into the distance) That was the biggest art adventure I had ever done. Kids today they don’t know what hard work is, we worked for our art.
Son: Dad you probably have warehouses and warehouses full of your stuff?
Dad: Ya, the basement of the Jr. High is full of my stuff.
Son: Where do you draw your subject matter?
Dad: By looking at things. I would take my motor bikes out in the Snowy's and the Judith's and make sketches and then bring them home and improve them. (Very proudly) I have never bought a card in my life I have always made them by hand with pastels.
Son: Dad, thanks, people in the community are going to love learning more about you.See More

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rural-Artist-of-Montana/208978135914951

Recently I interviewed my friend James Russell. Well actually, he is my friend by proxy because really he is my brother Scotty's best friend and so more like another brother to me. What I can remember growing up with Scotty as an older brother was having MANY creative experiences. Most of which, included his friend James. When I told Scotty that I was interviewing his best friend from childhood he gave me a wonderful soundbite. He said "It's not so much about the art that Jam...es creates it is about the fact that James is art; a living piece of it." Ah, well said bro and what a wonderful tribute to your buddy of 30 plus years. Please enjoy!
Me: James you and Scotty were drawing and writing comic books when we were just kids. I didn't even know until college that you guys were actually creating graphic novels. In retrospect, it was a little weird that while most kids your age were into dinosaurs you guys were creating publishable works of art.
J: Ah, yes, we did do that. We always were working on something a little ahead of our time.
Me: A lot of people know your Dad, of course, as the Art Teacher that they had at the Lewistown Junior High. I know I had him as a teacher. One would assume that a lot of your talent comes from him?
J: Yes, that side of the family but my Mom too, She painted china, wrote light verse, was a well-known conversationalist and overall very creative person. My sisters also sang beautifully. In fact my sister Renee’ gave me her guitar before she passed away, and she encouraged me a lot musically.
We all have oil paint in the blood.
Me: Are you passing on your gift to your daughter?
J: Well Leah is a wonderful writer of lyrics and short stories; she definitely has talent but she is very shy. She also took banjo from Elliot Smith when she was 14.
Me: Darn, no interview with her huh?
J: Unlikely. (laughing)
Me: You draw, paint, sing, play instruments; which ones?
J: I play the guitar, bass and some banjo.
Me: You and I have talked about performance art before. You would like to act?
J: Yes, I would like to do some one man plays something like that. I used to be involved in a lot of the stuff that Dave Rummans is doing in town, played with him and Wicks (Brian Wicks) and Ferd (Scott Ferdinand) on stage. Would like to do that again. I am actually working on some music with Will (my nephew William Gumeson). We pulled together a small group called Jimmy and the Gingers.
Me: Ha! Is the other band mate a red head?
J: yes!
Me: Ah, cool. Can’t wait to hear you guys. What kind of music are you working on together?
J: We are pulling together a Ferd (Scott Ferdinand) tribute. Doing some of his favorites like the Butthole Surfers, some post punk and psychedelic stuff.
Me: You and your cousin Vince have a band, Morbid Public and a couple of cd’s?
J: Yes, they are entitled, Choose Your Own Adventure and Paper Rose. (I will post the links to some songs you can listen to.)
Me: You guys have done some pretty creative stuff together besides music too, right?
J: Yes we once took a camera made in 1910 down to main street and took pictures of random people and things with it.
Me: I’d like to see how those came out. Neat. You said you are doing a lot of art with the kids you work with.
J: Yes, pretty much daily.
Me: Tell me about that.
J: Well, we do a lot of one man plays, improv, talent shows even break dancing. I give them a topic and have them do improv commercials. I teach them basic drawing skills with consistency, like Dad taught all of us and we use crayons, colored pencils and dry erase marker. We do story boards. I’ve taught them how to do comic book cells. Most of them have one of my drawings in their rooms.
Me: You have a very nice creative outlet at work.
J: Yes, I teach them some music too, iambic pentameter, rhyming…
Me: Do you consider yourself an artist?
J: Mmm. No, I guess not. I just feel like I have to be creative.
Me: You and Scotty were always exploring the dark side of stuff to. You and your ghost pictures scared the poop out of me.
J: (laughing) Yes, we explored and I continue to be interested in the macabre. I do a ghost tour of Lewistown or rather, a macabre tour.
Me: Really? Like what?
J: I researched all of the places in town where lynching’s and things like that, took place in our little towns history. It’s pretty extensive.
Me: I could see where that would be pretty interesting. People love the supernatural stuff. What for example, is on your tour?
J: In WW2 the community tried to lynch the principal of Fergus High School because he refused to stop having the school teach German.
Me: Really! Wow, that’s a bit overkill.
J: Ya, he gave a rally speech on his knees in front of the flag and that saved his life. But that was the first Fergus High School. It burned down in 1906 and 1917 and so the one that is now there was actually the third one.
Me: I did not know that. Very interesting! I am definitely thinking we should set those up around Halloween. Those tours would be a blast.
J: Sure. I have some other ones I do also.
Me: Well we have talked about what you do in the arts already, what’s next?
J: Hmm. Eventually I would like to write some screenplays and do some more acting.
Me: I am sure you will. I would love to see more of that locally.
J: Great, I'm in.
Me: Well, thanks so much for your time James. It was great seeing you and interviewing you.
J: You are most welcome.

Many locals know of artist, Dave Zackus, even if they don't know him personally. Dave's mural work was in the basement of the now, Art Center, when it was the funky store, Center of the Universe. Sadly, when the store was purchased and became a dollar store the murals were painted over but you might recall the motif; a ultra retro man in space.
Please enjoy my most recent interview with local artist, Dave Zackus, 45 and our visit about his art:
Me: Let's see, I guess first o...ff how do you do what you do?
D: (smiling shyly) Um, I just do what I like to do.
Me: Are you self taught?
D: Yes, somewhat. I do have a degree in Graphic Arts from the Denver Business College, it used to be in Billings. They taught everything old school like type set and how to do hand lettering for signs etc. Now computers do all of that work.
Me: You grew up here though, right?
D: Yes, I am the oldest of 4.
Me: I recall your brother Ty is talented as well, anyone else in your family?
D: Yes, my Grandfather carved. He carved the heart and I then carved in the angels and made it into a cribbage board.
Me: (looking at the carving he had brought with him) Wow, that's really cool. Two generations of carvings in one piece.
D: My daughter is in Jr. High and she is really talented. She has stopped asking me technical art questions like, how to get a reflection in an eye, so I try not to offer her my opinion. Sometimes it's hard but I want her to do what is her art, not mine. I can only offer other people an opinion, I try not to offer advice. It changes how they see things, it changes their interpretation.
Me: People that know you think of you as a performance artist, did you know that?
D: (laughs) No, I didn't know that. I guess I just like to play guitar, and make music.
Me: You paint, you carve, you play instruments. That's a lot!
D: (Still smiling) Yes, I guess I am into improv when it comes to music. I like to get some friends together in my basement and play free flow, free consciousness kind of music. I don't like all the confines of gigging. It's just for fun and enjoyment this way. Plus I figure with all art, once it's been done, it's done. I like originality I guess.
Me: What instruments do you play?
D: Electric guitar, some bass and accordian. (grinning)
Me: What is your favorite medium?
D: I guess, right now, it is air brush acrylic.
Me: I see you are very influenced by retro, possibly 50's moon landing artwork?
D: Yes, and Sci Fi. I liked Star Trek a lot growing up. (laughs) The first things I remember drawing were helicopters, lots and lots of helicopters.
Me: (Looking at a piece with a beautifully air brushed moon and spaceship) This is amazing.
D: I did that one around Christmas time. I am really working on texture and shadows both light and dark. I just figured out how to do that with the air brush.
Me: You captured it perfectly.
D: It's all about trial and error.
Me: Tell me about your carving, the one you did on the rocks above the springs of the lady.
D: Well I carved it directly out of the rock there. I like carving because you can't erase your mistakes. It's a challenge, you can't turn back.
Me: I will be sure to post the picture so people can see her, she is amazing.
Me: Would you like to do more mural work? Because I am really trying to make that a reality around town.
D: Yes, for sure. I loved to do something with big shapes, very colorful.
Me: You're hired! (laughing) I also love the work you are doing with 3-D film. It is amazing. (note: I got to flip through an entire photo album of this work with those killer 3-D glasses on)
D: It's fun, for sure.
Me: You said you have to take a shot, move a little and take another to capture it?
D: Yes, click, move a little and shoot again.
Me: Wow, I would love to see this in a gallery and when people come in they have to put on the retro 3-D glasses and then they can walk through. I love to laugh at people when they reach out to grab at stuff. It makes me giggle.
D: I'd like that. I have some of those glasses too.
Me: Who inspires you? Where are you going next with your Art?
D: I am really into Nemo Gould, he does kinetic sculpture. I will send you some of his Youtube links. He makes little robots inside robots, the one's inside moving and appearing to be the reason the bigger one is moving.
Me: Wow, cool. Yes, I want to see that.
D: I am just bummed he though of it first. I collect all kinds of retro stuff and will be making some kinetic art pieces with it.
Me: I always wondered about your 'stuff'. (laughing) Where do you think of your ideas?
D: I dream it sometimes. (pointing to a very retro color and shape piece) I dreamed that.
Me: Wow, thanks for sharing with me Dave. Totally awesome.

D: Thanks, I had a good time too.

 

We are on facebook. Yes, we are.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rural-Artist-of-Montana/208978135914951

Featured Artist: Joe Ziolkowski of Lewistown Montana

 Me: So when were you born, our friends might want to... know since you look like you are 17.
Joe: Ha, I was born on March 12, 1975
Me: I am not good at math, how old does that make you?
Joe: 38
Me: When did you know you loved to paint?
Joe: Probably at age 6. I can remember my brother Peter working on art on the kitchen table and I was always in the middle of that.
Me: So there are other artists in your family?
Joe: Yes. My grandpa Mac, my Mom's Dad, used to carve diamond willow. There is still a piece of his above the bar at the Cascade Bar. Mom was an artist at heart, she was active in choir, loved to cook, and was very "crafty" with cross stitching. Dad loves music/jazz, and would use his hands a lot making birdhouses and planters.
Me: You are the youngest of how many?
Joe: 6
Me: Me too!
Joe: My grandma on my Mom's side was also a poet and a singer and played piano.
Me: Wow, there are a lot of artists in your lineage. When did you know you wanted to be an Artist?
Joe: Always, since I was 4 probably.
Me: Sophie (Joes' daughter) seems to be an up and coming.
Joe: Oh yes, for sure.
Me: What advice would you give her?
Joe: I would tell her to involve technology and don't quit your day job. (laughs) I had some really good advice from passed mentors that I would pass on: Learn how to do three things really well.
Me: Great advice. You went to the Art Institute in Seattle?
Joe: Yes, the technology centrifuge was just beginning then so I missed out on the computer animation.
Me: What do you define yourself as?
Joe: Look this up on Wiki: photo impressionist.
Me: Wow OK.
Joe: (laughs) It's about painting what you see. Taking a photo of something you want to capture and painting that. It means defining proportions, tones, shadow, contrast, "painting what you see".
Me: What advice do you give to up and coming artists?
Joe: Involve technology, learn, solidify and perfect your drawing skills. Animation all the way.
Me: Where can people see and buy your paintings?
Joe: The Lewistown Art Center, Caye Gallery, 618 Coffee, Coffee Cup, Moccasin Mtn Gallery, Lewistown Insurance, Baldy View Realty and on my website: orginalz.net
Me: Wow, thanks Joe. You kinda rock.
Joe: Well thanks.See More

How Rural Artist Montana came to be.

This is a rural area. Montana. Even the cities that boast populations over a hundred thousand are rural. The beauty here is undeniable but the lifestyle can also be very difficult. Winters can be ceaseless, bone biting cold. Add in darkness and the soul can go mad. The Spring, Summer and Fall provide landscapes that are the balm for this madness. The lifestyle here can be feast or famine. Poverty is more likely then not but for many this is still the best choice. Life is, simply put, less noisy, less conflagrated.

With simplicity comes the ability to see more, hear more, feel more. What I have found in my home State is the room, the expansive sky, the vastness of prairie allow the spirit to be moved. Maybe even awakened. And with this awakening comes the need to create.

I hope you enjoy the interviews and art pieces of the folks I have and will interview. This is as much an opportunity to promote them as it is to simply be part of something higher reaching.

A pair of Sandhill Cranes outside Lewistown MT, graze along with the cattle on the Duffy ranch.