Renaissance bartender collects life's art in new gallery

By CANDACE CHASE

The Daily Inter Lake

Possibly, Mike Muri's art defies description - much like Muri himself.

But some have tried.

Muri, 60, recalled an astute German friend who studied one of his paintings, then pronounced it "very psycho surreal."

"I said, 'You mean psychological surreal?' He [the friend] said, 'No… psychotic surreal,'" Muri recounted, punctuating his story with laughter.

But that characterization applies to just one of the many artistic faces of the bombastic artist, writer, philosopher and bartender. As with his own life, Muri refuses to pigeon-hole his creativity.

He remembered meeting with a gallery owner in Scottsdale who told him that he needed to narrow his vision to one style that collectors would recognize as "a Muri." While he understood the marketing advantage, he said the suggestion struck him as dishonest.

"That's just not me," he said. "I get bored if I do just one thing."

From psycho-surreal to Westerns, landscapes, cityscapes, seascapes, portraits and florals, Muri has something for every taste. His painting combines the impressionist's love of light with the expressionist's emotional response to his subjects.

In a rare serious moment, Muri pulls together his eclectic collection with a single statement.

"What an artist is doing is expressing the humanism of his life," he said.

He invites the public to experience his life in art at the grand opening Saturday of the Mike Muri Gallery. A reception begins at 5 p.m. at the gallery in the center bay of the Loading Dock on Center Street at the intersection with First Avenue East.

Even those not enamored with art will enjoy meeting Muri, a man bubbling over with stories, laughter and wise quotations ranging from Picasso's to customers' he has served at the Bigfork Inn bar and other establishments.

Readers may recall an Inter Lake review of Muri's book of his favorite bar quotes, "You're Just Like Me: If It Ain't About You, You Don't Care… And If You Didn't Say It, It Ain't Funny." He collected them over 30 years on hundreds of bar napkins.

The effort and book title say a lot about Muri - who displays, and admits to, a huge ego - but maintains a zealous, child-like enthusiasm for the world and people he bumps into in daily life.

"I'm old, but I'm very, very immature," Muri said with a laugh.

He called humor the greatest gift from God. Laughter, along with art and the love of friends, has sustained Muri through some very dark periods in his life.

His collection of about 300 paintings reflects his triumphs in a one-day-at-a-time battle to stay sober. Muri speaks openly about his addiction to alcohol, which he said began in heavy partying in college after returning from serving in the Navy in Vietnam.

Muri managed to graduate with a liberal arts degree but he pursued drinking more seriously than his creative talents. He was not alone in crossing the line into self-destruction.

"I buried 30 friends before I was 30-years-old," he said.

They died from auto accidents, suicide and physical ailments triggered by one common denominator - alcohol abuse. Muri finally heard the message repeated by many friends that he was on the road to joining them.

"I've truly lived two lives," he said.

His second life began in 1983 when he got sober with help from others battling the same demon. Muri said he returned to drawing and painting again during the early days of this struggle.

"It was therapy, really," he said.

He recalled heading down to the basement, lit by a single bulb, to rekindle his natural talent. Muri never stopped producing art over the next 24 years as well as five or six novels and three plays along the way.

He writes every day and paints three or four days a week when not entertaining customers four days a week at the Bigfork Inn. Muri works mainly in oils and a form of opaque watercolor known as gouache.

He explained that his surreal work evolves as his reaction to a cluster of collected images from newspapers, magazines, his own photographs and mind's eye. Muri calls them reminiscent of the collages of the 1960s.

A careful viewer will find the artist's self-portrait somewhere in the mix.

"All of my surreal art is a spiritual quest," he said.

A local young woman, Annie Bork, served as his model in several paintings in his exhibit, including an interesting portrait called "Modern Montana Woman." Another shows Bork in an abstract portrait.

Muri said he learned from another artist the hazards of painting photo-realistic portraits. He still laughs, remembering his comment.

"Every time I do a portrait, I lose a friend."

He added that's what he particularly likes about using flowers rather than people. Muri said he doesn't have to contend with the subject arguing about whether the painting actually looks like a flower.

He has had a few shows over the years, including one in Houston in 1988 with disastrous consequences.

"I got every single piece of work stolen - over 50 paintings," Muri said.

Without making much effort, he has sold several hundred paintings over the years. The artist said he has given away quite a few as gifts.

"Sometimes I even give them nice ones," he said with a laugh.

Muri recently found a patron in developer Mike Iavicoli, who owns the Loading Dock building. He has helped him open the gallery and organize a business.

The artist admits that he has no gift in the area of marketing. He became friends with Iavicoli, a gifted promoter, who was enthusiastic about his work.

"Mikey really appreciates art," Muri said. "I'm too self-centered to appreciate art. I only like my stuff."

His favorite painting? No surprises there. He said his self-portraits rank among his favorites.

Muri loves them all so much that he finds it painful when he sells originals. He plans to survey gallery visitors to find out which paintings they would consider purchasing as prints rendered on canvas.

The artist said he feels gratified to finally have an exhibit and gallery to showcase his many years of work.

"I feel blessed," he said.

People who would like additional information may contact the artist at 755-1184 or mike001@centurytel.net.

Reporter Candace Chase may be reached at 758-4436 or by e-mail at cchase@dailyinterlake.com