Dustin Green Design

thecrowandthewolfproject:

The Cottonwood Club. A public art space for everyone.

Bozeman for sure is an artistic mecca in Montana. There’s Western art galore, contemporary art sprinkled amongst, and then there in The Cottonwood Club.

After exploring one of the most amazing farmer’s markets either of us had been to, at Bogert Park, indulging in massages and ice cream, we met up with Dalton Brink, artist and founder of The Cottonwood Club. He lead us into a dark basement….

And surprise! A fantastic gritty cement world of bold murals, art in progress (Dalton’s own studio resides here as well as a ceramicist and wood worker in the adjoining rooms), and a refreshing collaborative energy. The space, Dalton explained, is for everyone, fellow 20-something artists, 5 year old children, 60 year old professors, everyone is welcome to the events and they come and share the art and the experience together. There is rarely a cover charge, no percentage is taken from sold artwork by showing artists, and any money brought in is put into sustaining the space. “This is my responsibility to give it back to the community,” expressed Dalton, while we discussed our mutual concern and belief that artists of our generation have a responsibility.

“As an artist it is our responsibility to take abstract concepts and make those into perceptual images for the public to grasp a hold of. Cuz if not, who are the revolutionaries, but the artists?….If you are gonna say you are an artist, and you live in this day and age when resources are precious and things are getting really dismal, if you are gonna say you are an artist, and you aren’t doing shit? you’re not saying anything? you’re a parasite to the world. and I’m trying my best to fight that. The Cottonwood Club, well this is me justifying my existence. “

Ditto. :)

After fully exploring the space and having the privilege of viewing Dalton’s bad-ass paintings and prints, his hospitality was extended further by him and his wife, Mel. Beers and pulled pork. Perfect :)

What a pleasure it is to find kindred spirits on this journey. One of the most important elements of this documentary is meeting people like Dalton and being able to extend the invitation to participate in this movement with us. We look forward to collaborating with Dalton in the future :)

If you are in the Bozeman area you can find The Cottonwood Club at:

215 S. Wallace/ Bozeman, Montana

And if you are in town this Saturday, July 30th ! Please do yourself a favor and check out their festivities: These Machines Kill Fascists BYOA Show

7pm-10pm

This July, in recognition of the significance of the month’s revolutionary history, The Cottonwood Club invites you to participate in a Bring Your Own Art show featuring the work of disenfranchised citizens…please bring your work as a show of resistance to the ever-growing shit show at the highest rungs of your nation’s declining governing powers…what’s that sound?…street artists, film artists, clay tossers, performance ner…ds, painters, everyone invited and all mediums highly encouraged…bring your work ready to hang or display…resistance to the overgrown capitalist monopolies could be pretty much anything you make yourself…one more cup thrown on the wheel is one less walmart is peddling, one more handmade bag is one less children in third world countries cut their fingers on…hell, even homemade food is an individual protest…make something! educate yourself! resist! resist! sweet sounds from Royal 7 and The Young Squires…Recommended Admission: at LEAST one piece of original work OR a donation to The Cottonwood Club.