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.
