When Max Baucus’ term as ambassador to the People’s Republic of China ended in 2017, he and his wife, Melodee Hanes, had a decision to make — though it really wasn’t much of a conversation. “We wanted to live in Montana. We knew we wanted...
Richard and Vanessa Smith’s sleek and modern home overlooking Breckenridge Ski Resort in Colorado is an unusual sight among the log cabin estates in the mountain community. There’s not a rounded corner throughout the 6,962-square-foot structure that nestles into Bald Mountain ridge. With its flat...
Architect Chris Moulder has always been fascinated with old farm structures and ranch compounds. A Connecticut native, he grew up surrounded by old buildings, spending his summers working construction on historic restoration projects. One of the more memorable jobs, he recalls, was working as a...
In the early 1980s, James Lavadour was painting landscapes in an empty schoolhouse. The building dated to the 1930s, but the Catholic Mission it belonged to had stood on the land that became the Umatilla Reservation for more than 150 years. Lavadour lived in the...
On the second day of working on a still life painting not long ago, Sherrie McGraw found herself in a familiar and frustrating situation. The first day, propelled by a strong sense of the visual idea she wanted to convey, the painting had gone well,...
C.W. Mundy knows that a high level of proficiency and his ability to control paint can get in the way of creating an excellent work of art. When he sees this happening, he deliberately starts a “dog fight” with his own work. He forces himself...
Montana architect Greg Matthews is on a roll. Less than two years after opening the doors to his five-person firm in Bozeman, Greg Matthews Studio, he has much to be thankful for. Leaving Pearson Design Group, an established company with a well-regarded reputation, wasn’t an...
Louis Escobedo refuses to limit his creative expression to any one theme. “I like to paint still lifes, people, and landscapes. Even after all this time, I’m happy to paint each one, and I still get excited when I start a new one; it’s like...
The dazzling lights of the Las Vegas Strip beckon less than a 30-minute drive to the southeast. Within the exclusive residential resort community called The Summit, however, a recently completed residence on a 5-acre double parcel gazes primarily in the other direction. Unhindered northwesterly panoramas...
Glen Ernst wanted his last project to scare him. The Arizona-based home builder and operator of Peak Ventures knew he had a swan song on his hands. Believing this to be his final major construction project, Ernst initiated the venture in 2017 after purchasing a lot...