I’m a painter, performance artist and community art activist in Bozeman, MT. I was raised in a rural area south of Bozeman, where my early influences included artists Bob and Gennie DeWeese and Dorothy Newton Semple. I graduated from MSU’s School of Art in the late 80s with a degree in painting, but opted to remain on the fringes of the art community. I especially enjoy experimenting with new media and bringing art to non-traditional venues. Some people call my art quirky. My figural paintings often juxtapose quaint images with unexpected or ominous visitors. My photos, dioramas and paintings sometimes incorporate dolls, which I describe as “existentially troubled.” In other works I study vernacular photos and personal iconography.In addition to painting, I promote nonprofits, organize art outreach exhibits, teach art and music workshops and I’m very closely connected with the performer, “Polly Vinyl, Art Thereminist.”