STEEL COWBOY GALLERY

STEEL COWBOY GALLERY
TX
steelcowboygallery@yahoo.com

Billy Rotter

Interview with Billy

What started your interest in art?

"Well, out of need. The house had bare walls and my bank account had no money. So I created my own art.

I never had any real art training, expect when I was in second grade. I was living in Fredericksberg, Texas. My father picked me up from school. I guess I was in a bilingual class room, German-English. So we went down town up the back stairs behind Dooley's Dime Store. I had no clue what was going on. Went into this little room with an apple on the table. This women came out and handed me a big piece of paper and a piece of coal and told me to draw the thing. I hated it. However, I did draw my first BOOT there with charcoal. I still have the drawing. "

How do you feel when your work is chosen in a juried competition event?

"It's a great feeling to receive the acceptance notification. Kinda like getting picked to star in a movie. It's great validation. Art is very subjective. What is of artistic value and talent to one, will be crap to another. One juried art event I entered had 1,400 submissions only 30 picked..I was one of the 30. But, I have learned to maintain focus by keeping my feet on the ground. "

What inspires your work?

"Iam not an "artsy" person and feel out of place in an art store. I like very bold and strong images such as vintage Marlboro adds. Western and cowboy gear are very strikinig in their simple design. I am a 6th generation Texan and lived in many parts of the state. The landscape has always affected me. It is not the big impressive things, its the simple cotton and corns fields. Up in the high plains around Dalhart, one can look for miles and only see earth and sky. Big, bold, and simple. It is very easy to fill space with many detailed images. My goal is to use what I need in order to get my message across."

What's Next?

"I am too old to become a professional bull rider, but I am thinking about it. Besides, entertaining that crazy idea; just continue the path I am on. Garth Brook's song,"The River" is kinda like a theme song to me; I'll ride the river where it takes me. I want to just do what I love; design some outstanding Western and Cowboy pieces, develop my talent, and create good art. "