Insight into the West

Mike Roths (pronounced Roats) and his wife, Jo, owners of Bear Paw Designs, live in the heart of the scenic Bitterroot Valley of Western Montana near Stevensville, Montana’s oldest community. Bear Paw operates out of a 4500 square foot shop at the base of the mountains, shadowed by St. Mary’s Peak.

His love for art and the mystery behind the historic west have influenced Mike to apply his artistic abilities into truly unique pieces of furniture. He has a genuine love and appreciation for the history of ghost towns, gunfighters, trappers, and the best of the Old West.

Attention to detail, old-world craftsmanship with dovetail, and mortise and tenon joinery insure that Roths’ designs will be around for future generations to enjoy. Using all sorts of hardwoods including oak, walnut, and antique barn-wood, cherry is still Mike’s favorite. With 40+ years of woodworking experience behind him, Roths is quick to point out that the success of Bear Paw Designs is due to God’s blessings. 

Each piece of furniture starts as a drawing and careful attention is given to detail and functionality. Mike’s work has been exhibited at the Western Design Conference in Wyoming since 2003. In 2006 Mike was honored to receive the “Switchback Ranch Purchase Award.” His winning piece is now on permanent display in the Buffalo Bill Museum in Cody, Wyoming (www.bbhc.org). 

Roths was raised on a farm in central Iowa. Always having been intrigued by bears, he decided while a junior in high school to carve out bear tracks from basswood and have a little fun. Fastening the bear tracks to his boots and with the help of his later-to-be wife Jo, they set out to create tracks in a wooded area north of Vinton, Iowa, where fishermen commonly frequented. Wanting to just get a reaction from the local fishermen with the bear tracks in the sand, they found their tracks on TV, radio, and the front page of the local paper. “Experts” were called in to study the tracks and to create plaster castings. Bears are not found in Iowa and created quite a stir.  Hence, the Bear Paw name was founded. To this day, Mike is known as “Bear Paw” in his hometown.