Renowned Bozeman sculptor Gary Bates will give an old-fashioned slide show and talk on his sculptures, his creative process, and his community involvement at the Bozeman Public Library on Monday, December 9, 7pm. A longtime creator of environmentally driven kinetic sculpture, Gary builds his pieces to demonstrate the connection between the elements and humanity using graceful curvature and industrial strength.
Creator of Red Whirly, installed on Main Street at the Bozeman Public Library, Gary has achieved numerous awards and scholarships for his sculptures in over 40 collections and five universities. Gary will describe and outline these achievements focusing on the human reaction to elemental mobility displayed through his art. Several of Gary’s pieces are on display on and around main street Bozeman as part of the Gallatin Art Crossing installation. More information and photos can be found at www.Gallatinartcrossing.com.
Born in Bozeman in 1946, Gary began his sculpting career on his father’s ranch, where his earliest creations began to climb skyward at mile intervals across his family’s fields. The scale of most Bates sculptures is grand and resonates with an interesting and passive focus. Gary sees his art as a medium for others to understand the elements in a new light. Large and simple, most of his sculptures are kinetic, each reacting differently to their medium of locomotion.
Gary’s lecture is the second in an on-going monthly series co-sponsored by the Bozeman Library Foundation. The Art Crossing’s exhibit hosts over 50 sculptures, introducing viewers to many artistic approaches in the free public gallery. The goal is to add one piece annually to the permanent collection of sculptures, which can be found from the Emerson Cultural Center down to the Bozeman Public Library.
