Kurt Palmquist grew up in Helena, Montana in a creative home surrounded by architects, teachers, entrepreneurs, skiers and airplane pilots. This exposure fostered his ‘out of the box’ thinking…after all, developing a skateboard and surfer culture in the 80’s, in Montana, took some big thinking. This was the foundation that led Kurt to explore Architecture as a career and then propelled him towards Graphic Design and Fine Art. You’ll see the not-so-subtle influences of Architecture and Graphic Design throughout all of Kurt’s work, his art expressing freedom and movement, while always maintaining a sense of order.
Graduating from Montana State University-Bozeman with a BFA in Graphic Design, Kurt started his corporate design career in Seattle, Washington in the late 1980’s. However, the mountains called him back in 1990. He and his wife Denise moved back to Montana, settling in Bozeman to be near family and raise their two sons. They began establishing themselves as up and coming designers and did what most designers did at that time…started their own firm. Then the journey began, co-founding and managing their own graphic design and marketing firms. Their work ranged from corporate identity and branding to packaging and comprehensive marketing campaigns for a wide variety of companies. Kurt’s design work has been published in Communication Arts, Print Magazine, HOW and included in several design annuals and books from Rockport Publisher.
After spending 30 years in the business of graphic design and marketing, he decided it was time to dust off the sketch book and began sketching. He was somewhat skeptical that after such a long hiatus from doing his own art that he’d be able to get back into it. Starting an art career in your 50’s is going to be challenging, but he knew that he was done renting his creativity to clients. It was time to see what he could do with no parameters, budgets, or timelines.
His artwork explores his fascination of the three-dimensional geometric form inspired by his lifelong passion for architecture and light. Through experimentation, he discovers a constant evolution of space defined by simple shapes, color, and composition. Architectural environments provide space and light to create compositions of depth and interest.
In the thick of it, he experiences both frustration and freedom. So many years of striving and searching, observing and waiting, seeking that elusive creative inspiration. And now, he finds an incredible release and an overwhelming flow of ideas, concepts and creations, all seeking their voice. Everything is an evolution that flows from his sculptures.
Striving to find harmony through the forms he creates, he develops a visual language, that extends beyond any one piece and translates that language into a variety of mediums. Sometimes it sings, sometimes it mumbles. The shapes and forms combine to create spaces he can imagine walking through as if they were actual structures.
As much as he loves creating art for himself, he really enjoys hearing and watching a viewer experiencing his work. Uncovering intricacies that are not evident at first, being surprised or struck by what they are seeing is a huge reward. He’s excited to continue to develop his craft, it is all part of his constant evolution.
He has lived in Bozeman Montana, for over thirty years, a special place where he’s raised his family and is able to pursue all of his outdoor interests in a heartbeat. In the winter he pursues his love for skiing where he’s been a ski instructor at Bridger Bowl, a local non-profit community ski area, for over ten years. In the Summer you can find him floating local rivers, fly fishing and river camping with his wife Denise and their two dogs.
Currently, Kurt serves as Chair of the Montana State University School of Art Advisory Council and has previously taught as an adjunct instructor of Graphic Design. He is also a PSIA (Professional Ski Instructors of America) Certified Level 2 Ski Instructor, and a past USSA (United States Soccer Association) Grade 8 soccer referee and a soccer fanatic.
For inquiries on pieces available and commissions please contact me at:
kurtpalmquistART@gmail.com
