If you have been paying attention over the last few summers in and around the streets of Bozeman, you may have noticed some mysterious paintings appearing randomly throughout the city. You may even be the proud owner of one of these masterpieces. Seemingly out of nowhere, these fascinating works of art crop up indiscriminately; framed by sides of buildings or trunks of trees. So, what is this phenomenon? Are aliens planting water colors of beautiful long necked people in our city? Around the globe? Who is behind this? Have no fear, Bozeman Magazine uncovered the breaking story and got to the bottom of this enigma.
Mike Becker, local Bozeman artist, is the brain (and the talent) behind a project that he calls the ‘Public Display Project’. The premise is simple, though the hours he spends creating a piece may not be so. Mike paints these incredible works of art and donates them to willing participants to hang in their city/state/country, in any location of their choosing. He even pays for shipping to send the art! The only thing he asks is that the art be displayed publicly and let go willingly, and that a picture be taken of yourself with your framed piece, and you send that picture to him so that he can include you with his growing list of “public displayers” on his website. Currently, Mike has about 30 paintings that are out and anxiously awaiting the photos to return. He even has one that has gone all the way to Sweden! Bozeman Magazine was lucky enough to get to know the artist better, and bring you the scoop.

 

Bozeman Magazine: Where are you from originally?

Mike Becker: Stratford, OK. But I came to Bozeman and fell in love with the area. Montana and Oklahoma have that similar feel, agricultural and rural. It really slows down here to a pace that I enjoy in the winter months.

BM:   Do you always use water color as your primary medium?

MB: I do, but I also use pastels. In the past I have used oil as well.

BM: What is your background in art?

MB: I received my Fine Art degree at Arizona State University and I have been painting for about 25 to 30 years. I consider myself a figurative artist. I had a great professor in college that helped me see painting differently; to construct it like architecture. Since I have always liked architecture, it really resonated with me and I began to explore ways of seeing painting in ways that aren’t necessarily photo real. While I was at Northern Arizona in Flagstaff, I spent a lot of time drawing others and doing self portraits to perfect my technique. It took me some time to take it to the next level of figurative abstract, and my current series of the long necked women takes my appreciation of features that are attractive in women and bringing that forward.

BM: Tell us what prompted you to do this project and a little more about it.

MB: It all began on a Sunday morning, usually before sunrise and the stores opened; I headed downtown with an original piece of artwork, chose a suitable location, secured it to a wall, took a quick photograph and left the scene. Driving away I wondered how long it would remain without being taken down. Curious, after a couple of hours I drove back downtown and parked across the street from the picture. After about ten minutes a woman pulled her car up to the curb and looked at the picture. She got out, removed the picture, got back in her car, and drove away.  This was the first and only time that I was present when someone took a picture, but it was at this moment that the purpose became clear. Like releasing a paper boat on a fast moving stream, each picture now had a life of its own, and a future that would be unknown to me.  I fell in love with this idea and this is why I continue the project today.’ (Excerpt from Mike’s web site.) I really like the idea of giving art another life. I want people to see art less formal than they tend to see it now. It feels really good to let my art go, it is very freeing. Learning how to let go is a process that is hard to grasp, but when you do it, it is a very nice feeling. Many artists cannot formally show their art, and do not want to part with their work, because they are attached to the piece, but participating in a project of this sort can really take an artist to the next level in understanding their art. I encourage artists to participate in my project with their own pieces; whoever wants to experience this should do so! If you are interested in participating with my art pieces, all you have to do is contact me via my website, www.nakedtowngallery.com, and request a piece of work to hang in your city or town. I donate it to you, and pay to ship it. I am very excited for this to really catch on and hope to get hundreds more involved.

BM: Do you have any advice for new artists who are just starting their careers?

MB: You have to keep painting, keep creating. Get the basics, establish a nice portfolio. Don’t get discouraged. Do it because you love it, don’t worry about the money aspect. Art has life because it is original and you can extend it to others. Let whatever comes, come.

Mike states that as long as there is interest in this project that he will keep it going. He has four more pieces to hang up before Thanksgiving, or perhaps earlier, as it is not good for the art to hang it when it starts to snow or precipitate, as one can imagine. This is a man to watch; doing great things as an artist and for his community!

Stacey Faldetta is a freelance writer currently living in MT with her four children. She is working on her first book of compiled poetry called ‘A Thousand Little Sparks’ and enjoys travelling extensively around our breath taking state enjoying all that the Big Sky Country has to offer. She can be reached at mtcinnamon73@gmail.com