BILL MONTHAN:  I was born in California, but have also lived in Nevada, Washington and Arizona.  New Mexico has been my home for the past 32 years.  I was involved and exposed to art as a young boy under the tutelage of my parents, Guy and Doris Monthan, an artist, designer, and writer team, who collaborated on books and publications about Native American Art.  In 1968, I travelled to museums and architecture sites throughout Western Europe in preparation for entry into the Fine Arts program at Northern Arizona University in 1970, where I studied all mediums offered until 1977.  In 1978, I won first place in drawing at a national art show in Las Vegas Nevada. However, as many artists experience, it can be difficult to raise a family relying only on art sales so I entered the Healthcare field in 1977. In early 1980 I worked as a Respiratory Therapist on a Trauma team in a Phoenix Trauma Center. During this time I completed my Bachelor Degree in Healthcare Administration. In 1986 I landed a Job as a Director Cardiopulmonary Services in a healthcare system in Albuquerque. While holding that position, I returned to school to complete my Masters in Business Administration. In 1996, I accepted a Job with another statewide Healthcare system that led to a series of Administrator/Director leadership positions ranging from a Heart Program, to a Surgery Program, and wrapping up my healthcare career in a network of Primary Care & Urgent Care Centers. In 2005, I lost the vision in one eye due to a series of retinal detachments. This life changing event changed my perspective and drove my focus on getting the most out of the vision I had left in my other eye. When I retired from healthcare in 2012 I focused on restarting my artistic interests/career. While this impairment/challenge has slowed down the pace at which I can produce art, it has made the journey of making art an even more rewarding endeavor.  My passion and excitement for the arts also comes from a personal mission of continuous learning and experiencing how other artists view and graphically depict the world in which we live.  Having lived in the Southwest for most of my life, I have developed a passion for the lighting, beautiful skies and the cultural sites that make this part of the country so unique. My current mediums of interest are oil painting and pastels, focusing on the design, composition and the lighting of my subject. Since my return to the art field I have been accepted into a number of juried shows and tours such as Alameda Studio Tour, Corrales Art Studio Tour, Art Corrales Fine Arts Show, Encantada Painting Exhibition, and the Old Church Fine Arts Show.