June/July 2014 Page 48
From his workshop in Stevensville, Montana, Mike Roths of Bear Paw Designs creates handcrafted cabinetry and furniture inspired by the cowboy culture of yesteryear. As a woodworker since 1979, Roths is influenced by the art and mystery of the historic West, with an appreciation for the ghost towns, gunfighters, and trappers that first defined its wild aesthetic. When Roths discovered that painter Brent Cotton was his neighbor, the pair collaborated to create this impressive fishing-themed cabinet. Built of sturdy walnut and African bloodwood, its design incorporates vintage wooden fishing lures from the 1920s through the 1950s. The center panel displays original artwork by Cotton, whose imagery and Plein air painting has garnered national awards and collectors including Oprah Winfrey and Tom Brokaw, among others. Old-world craftsmanship, such as mortise-and-tenon joinery, and the incorporation of fantastic fine art makes