Rodeo artist brings passions to Whitefish

Wherever Bradley Chance Hays’ rodeo career leads him, his art follows.

As a tie-down roper on the Pro Rodeo circuit, Hays roams near and far in search of the next competition, and the places he lands inspire his art.

Hays says to be the best, he’s got to be different.

“I realized if you want to make it in the hall of fame for rodeo or painting, you have to go about it a little differently. I wanted to try having the rodeoing and the art take me places,” he said.

Hays most recently took first in tie-down roping at the Bigfork Summer Pro Rodeo in early July and is ranked in the top 10 standings for the Montana Pro Rodeo Circuit. He’ll compete around the state this summer, including at the Northwest Montana Fair and PRCA Rodeo in Kalispell from Aug. 16-18.

His paintings will also be on display in Whitefish at Going-to-the-Sun Gallery on Central Avenue from Aug. 20-25.

Originally from Tulsa, Oklahoma, Hays studied art at Oklahoma State University and received his Masters of Fine Arts degree from West Texas A&M University.

Art and rodeos have always been his passions, and his work these days combines a modern style with Western scenes.

For the last eight years he’s combined those passions, moving about from place to place to compete and show his art at various galleries and private exhibitions.

“Every year I’ve been going to a new pro circuit, rodeoing, and showing with an art gallery. So I’ve been in New York, Florida, Australia, all over the world,” he says.

Hays could be seen outside Going-to-the-Sun Gallery on Central Avenue recently, working away at a pair of five-by-four foot murals that run for $15,000 apiece.

The art is always reflective of the place he’s in, he says. His buyers always get originals, and his art is always connected to where it was conceived.

“I don’t do any prints. So where I’m at is where the art’s at,” he said.

Hays says his work is similar stylistically to that of Leroy Neiman, an American artist known for his vibrant, expressionistic works depicting athletes and sporting events.

Like Neiman, Hays uses a wild variety of colors and tones with harsh brush strokes and sometimes minimal detail to convey a mood or scene. Many of his paintings feature typical western scenes, like a cowboy, buffalo or horse, but with unique uses of color and texture to create something less than traditional.

It’s a little different, he says, and maybe not for everyone.

“[Neiman’s] art was real wild and spontaneous,” he said. “A lot of people are kind of blown away at first. They’re expecting to see [something else], but this is what you get, more of a modern take on the western world. There’s a lot of art shows I didn’t get in because I’m pretty modern.”

While finding a balance between always creating art and constantly competing in rodeos seems like a challenge, Hays said the nature of his two passions helps even things out in his life.

“I don’t get quite as burned out,” he said. “I get that break, so during the week I paint and then on the weekends I’ll go to the pro rodeos and I’ll compete. I think by getting away from it and coming back to it, that’s the medium balance.”

Besides, he sees his unique career as the best use of his master’s degree in art.

“I don’t think I’d be a good professor,” he says with a laugh.

Hays’ exhibition at Going-to-the-Sun Gallery will run from Aug. 20-25.

For information on the showing, call the gallery at 862-2751. More information on Hays is available at www.chancehays.com.