Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Patrick Kikut. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Patrick, appreciate you joining us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

1987 was my artistic birth year. I had always been interested in drawing and painting but in 1987 was when I made the pledge. I was enrolled at CU Boulder and taking painting courses. I spent most of my time in the painting studio working on assignments and side paintings. At night I would dream that I was painting. I woke up a few times with finished paintings in my mind! I thought this was really interesting because when I hit a certain level in my Spanish classes I started to dream in Spanish. I understood that painting is a visual language and took that as a sign that my time in the studio was paying off and finding a place deep inside me.

Before I committed myself to art I was very concerned about what it meant to be a “real” artist.

I was concerned that there would not be a venue for my work. Who knew if a curator or gallery director would be interested in exhibiting my work? But, all the punk and post punk bands that I was following seemed to get gigs and play in non-traditional venues. I thought that I could show work in my own studio needed. It seemed easy enough to turn a studio into a gallery.

I was concerned about sales. I thought to myself that to be a “real” artist I would have to sell paintings. But, then put that aside when I learned that Van Gogh didn’t sell any of his work (except a few pieces to his loving brother).

Also, I was concerned that I might start calling myself an artist and then run out of ideas. What if I got a bad case of “writers block”? Then what? I thought to myself that to remedy this, I could try to stay ahead of it by pursuing an interesting life. For me that meant traveling to places that are interesting to me. Far off places where I could be enveloped, challenged and inspired.

I thought, artists make art and I could always make art. I was sure I could always have a sketch book to work in.

After working through those questions, I made a vow. I was on the floor in my futon bed one morning when I woke up and decided to take the plunge. I said to myself “art I want you in my life and I want to grow old with you.” Then, I started to think of myself as an artist.

Patrick, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I have been painting the less protected landscape in the Western US for 35 years. I gave myself this job description after my understanding that the most spectacular (and now highly protected) Western landscapes had already been painted very well by artist of the 1800s. Thomas Moran, Albert Bierstadt, and many others have dedicated themselves to rendering the landscapes that are now our prized National Parks. Their work played a roll in Western expansion and the development of a nature aesthetic. The idea that nature itself was worthy of appreciation was fairly new to Western thinking.

So, I have focused my attention on the spaces in between the National Parks. The landscapes that I paint are in the tidal zone between a delicate and enduring nature and an ever-encroaching culture. Typically, my work shows a human presence on the land. Often there are no figures in my compositions but the residue of human interaction on the land is evident. I think of my paintings as stage sets at the end of a performance where the actors have moved on but the props lay still on the stage. I hope that this strategy can lead a viewer into asking “what happened here?” and look closely like a detective showing up at a possible crime scene.

My intention with my artwork is to point to the beauty and realities of the vast stretches of land that lay outside of our National Parks and Forests. I hope that my work reflects my love and concern for the land and that viewers will consider the stretches of “fly over country” in a more of a holistic way. I hope that viewers of my work can gain awareness and empathy for the interconnectedness of land, rivers, and the people who have and currently live there.

I have worked in an enormous “artistic neighborhood.” This neighborhood stretches from Great Falls, Montana in the North, South to El Paso/Marfa, Texas, East to Dodge City, Kansas, and West to Reno, Nevada. This is where I roam and seek inspiration and information that feeds my work. I mostly exhibit in this space and make a point to deliver my work to venues via my truck rather than FedEx. This approach allows me to stay engaged and, on the road, where I can check out sites and meet people that are working in remote Western locations. One of my favorite feelings is driving out of town and onto the Prairies and Deserts with a truck full of new paintings to exhibit in a far-off venue. One of my other favorite feelings is driving home from a venue with an empty truck and the potential of the next body of work I will start to explore.

I am proud that my dedication to the Western landscape, decent camping/outdoor skills, and my deep interest in American Art History has prepared me to have served as Lead Artist on the Sesquicentennial Colorado River Exploring Expedition (SCREE). SCREE was an art, science and humanities collaboration that used the 150th anniversary of Major John Westley Powell’s 1869 trip down the Green and Colorado Rives as a narrative structure to think about the future of the basin. Among other things, I was asked to row a raft, engage in dialogue, and create artwork on a 1000-mile river trip that went from Green River, Wyoming and out onto Lake Meade near Las Vegas, Nevada. The field drawings I created in the summer of 2019 reflected my experience with the river, the canyon, and the perspectives that was brought to SCREE by the 60 other collaborators. After 70 days rowing, I got to work in my studio. I translated many of my field drawings into larger oil paintings. These paintings compliment a film called “A River Out of Time” (also created via SCREE) and have helped us engage in public dialogues throughout the region. SCREE was very different for me as I have not engaged in large collaborations like this. Painters are known as loners typically do not have a sense of community like printmakers, ceramicists, or sculptors using casting techniques. This loner stereotype was true for me, so this collaboration was new and has worked surprisingly well. With the increasing aridity in the West making the top of National and International News our work from SCREE has allowed us to engage in many dialogues with the interested public. Collaboration has allowed us to give more in-depth, science driven and nuanced presentations on the current conditions of the Colorado River Basin. A river system that 40 million people are relying on. Participating on this level feels important to me and I am more informed and current on this subject than I have ever been.

Since finishing translating my field drawings to oils, I have made many trips to Lake Mead and Powell. Here I have been visiting boat ramps and docks that we used in 2019. The results are shocking as the water level is so low that the ramps and docks are unusable. In 4 years, the water level has dropped to a point where we would not have been able to do the trip like we did. My experience revisiting our landing sites creates a big bag of mixed-up emotions. It is heavy to see all the infrastructure going to waste and think of all the collective changes and sacrifices we will have to make to survive in the West. But it is beautiful and curious that with the lack of water the river is returning to its more natural self! In the bottom of Lake Powell new Cottonwood Trees and willows are growing, canyon walls are, and ancient kivas are exposed after being flooded for 60 years. It is hard for me to comprehend that conditions have changed so quickly in my lifetime that I am able to see and document this transformed landscape. I think back to Moran sitting on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon creating field drawings 150 years ago. Now I am doing my best to describe the harsh impacts and hopeful rejuvenation I see on this landscape and canyons. It is wild to think that the Grand Canyon bears some of the oldest rocks on the earth while upstream this sedimentary landscape is just months old. It is wild that I am positioned here now to record it with my sketchbook.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

Last year I stepped away from an Extended Term position at the University of Wyoming, where I had taught for 17 years. Here is how I got to this decision. In January of 2022 my wife Tracey and I took a trip to Florida. I hadn’t spent much time in that state so it was all new to me. After settling in to my seat on a flight from Houston to Ft. Myers, I said to Tracey, “there are a lot of old people on this flight.” After a few days in Florida, I said, “there are a lot of old people in Florida.” Then, a few days later as we were driving a golf cart into town we looked at each other and understood that we were not that much younger than many of the people we were seeing. For the rest of that trip we talked about how precious life is and the changes we would like to see in our lives. After the trip to Florida we went back to our home in Laramie, Wyoming. The next morning we hugged and kissed and said good bye. I watched and waived as Tracey started down the icy road on her way back to Ucross. We were not sure when the next time we would see each other but would look at our calendars and find a weekend (weather permitting). I came back inside and looked at the wood floor. As I stared at the warn wood I could imagine the upcoming Spring semester, my Summer class, summer break where I would try to balance research trips and family time, the busy Fall semester and then back to Winter break. I could imagine exactly how it would play out. I saw my train tracks going in a circle and another year clicking by. I knew it was time for me to change directions and set out new train tracks for myself and Tracey.

We looked at our reality and thought of ways to make changes. We had been married for 9 years and have not yet spent a whole year living together. Tracey works at the Ucross Foundation in the northern part of Wyoming and I taught at UW in Laramie. In ideal weather conditions we were 4 hours apart from each other. We had made this situation work as we both loved traveling the state and having friends and connections in both locations. But, we started to dream about coming together and creating a new chapter in our lives that would allow me to finish some building and remodel projects and have more time to create art work and pursue opportunities and venues to exhibit my work.

After looking at it from a distance we saw that we could do a few things to help make this plan happen. We were fortunate to have a house and studio in Santa Fe, New Mexico and a home in the Tree Area in Laramie. We thought, Iif I stepped away from my position at UW and we sold the house in Laramie we could pay off the house in Santa Fe and make a new life mortgage free. Things changed at Ucross and Tracey was allowed to work remotely so we set to make a move. I stepped away from a great position at UW and we sold our house in Laramie about a week before interest rates started to increase. We were betting on ourselves. We chose to be proactive and create a new chapter in our lives now rather than waiting another 10 years for retirement.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

Yes, a book that I have found very helpful is “Art and Fear: The Perils (and Rewards) of Art Making.” by David Bales and Ted Orland. It is a short, stoic and straight forward read. I had all of my Painting I students read it. It addresses many of the problems that come up for creative individuals and gives some examples of real life solutions and ways that individuals have over come their limitations.

Contact Info:

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