Traveling the Unknown Highway with Rocky Hawkins

Now a fine art dealer in her own right, as proprietor of Visions West Galleries in three locations — Bozeman and Livingston, Mont., and Denver, Colo. — that first painting still
hangs in the living room of her old ranch house and is one of 30 works by Hawkins in her eclectic and extensive collection of contemporary artists. The paintings hang in her house and range in subject matter from a jaunty Indian brave depicted in autumnal yellows and reds, to sultry female burlesque forms, to the goofy profile of a wolf painted with human feet smoking a cigar. She has watched his work progress over the last
two decades and considers Hawkins to be one of the premier painters in the American West.

“His work has gotten a lot more energetic and there is more texture to it now,” she says thoughtfully. “He reaches beyond the typical historic representation of Western art and
finds inspiration from different genres, and there’s a braveness to his painting that no one else can copy. The thing about great art is that the artist is creating something new,
something that’s never been done — Rocky does that — he’s a groundbreaker.”

In Todd’s galleries, Hawkins is one of the most soughtafter artists and his paintings rightfully dominate a substantial amount of wall space in all three locations. Rocky and Kat are selective about where they show his work, careful to build relationships with gallerists who appreciate his style. Visions West is one of the few places that represent his paintings. The only other location is Mountain Trails Gallery in Jackson, Wyo., where the artist has developed a longstanding relationship with art dealer and collector Mark Tarrant.

Tarrant is a longtime collector of Hawkins’ work and anticipates the artist will be showcased in prestigious museums sooner rather than later. He uses adjectives like daring, prophetic and passionate in regard to Hawkins’ painting.

“I see Rocky Hawkins’ artwork as somewhere between Gauguin and de Kooning,” Tarrant says. “He is interested in the primitivism that Gauguin sought, and pays little attention to the classical use of perspective and color. He ignores everything that is artificial and conventional. In my opinion he surpasses Gauguin in the ability to connect with the pure and primitive spirit.”