Beau Simmons American, b. 1990

Artist Journal Entry:
"Montana. A place where American heritage is woven throughout the fabric that makes this state such an iconic symbol of the western lifestyle. One of the most famous places is a small town called Livingston. A town full of western history and the gateway to Yellowstone National Park. Within it lies an old gem called the Murray Hotel. It's been around for over 120 years bringing people from all over the world to rest their heads for a night or two and enjoy a drink at the bar. I myself have stayed here and have always enjoyed the feeling this place brings. The brick architecture, classic marble staircase, neon hotel sign lighting up the night, and of course the old hand-cranked elevator. For this artwork, I wanted to create a concept that not only honors this historic hotel but also the energy surrounding the Montana lifestyle. Cowboys, greasy pickup trucks, quarter horses, and of course beautiful women. All things that define this incredible state. We chose to photograph this scene on a Saturday morning in the summer season. It was chaos to navigate this composition but with a bit of patience and luck, we finally nailed it. The biggest hurdle was waiting for the traffic to die down in between green lights at the intersection and the pedestrians walking up and down the sidewalk. After setting up the two pickup trucks, we got everyone in place, signaled the cowboys on horseback to cross the street, and we had our moment for just a few minutes. Even though we worked very quickly to nail this concept by the time we wrapped we had a crowd of people taking photos on their phones and stopping by to say hello. Montana always has a special place in my heart and I am happy to finally share a bit of that with those who also appreciate all of its glory."