by: Dustin Heron Urban

You may not have heard of Jim Butler, owner of Millstream Metal Works, but if you have been to Buena Vista, you have almost certainly seen his work. He brings a unique flare to such establishments as the Rooster’s Crow, High Country Bank and the South Main office. Jim’s style is unlike any other, and this is no mistake. He prides himself on creating a look that is totally unique. Melding traditional materials and design elements with more modern fabrication techniques, Butler’s work brings a level of character and beauty to a space that is not available anywhere else.

But Jim is interested in creating more than just beautiful individual pieces. He wants to create a look for Buena Vista that will help make it the kind of vibrant artistic community that Breckenridge and Ouray have become. In Butler’s view, the success of these towns is largely a function of their ability to embrace their mountain town identity in the type of public art they choose. These towns have a look which is distinctive, incorporating as their primary materials metal, wood and stone. Work of this type has “a great, warm, hand built feel to it,” says Jim. Part of what makes this look so unique to the high mountain environment is the fact that the type of metal installations which Jim creates would not do well in a more humid climate. The dry mountain air characteristic of the Arkansas Valley, however, is ideal for such materials which weather well here.

As a result, Jim’s installations are characterized by metals with natural “living” finishes. In other words, Jim uses no coatings on his metals, only waxes. His installations, therefore, evolve over time and develop a natural patina which reflects the particular elements of the environment in which they are found. He uses hot rolled black carbon steel as his primary ingredient and then incorporates materials like brass, copper and stainless steel as accents and finishes. All of these metals are then hand-distressed to create the desired finish, which can range from shiny modern to a more weathered, rustic feel.

Beyond the unique quality of his materials, Jim’s work is made distinctive by two other factors: the design and fabrication processes. According to Jim, the unique look of his work would not be possible were it not for the artistic skills of his designer and wife Judith Blythe. Judy works with a traditional mountain west style known as ‘western scroll.’ She draws her inspiration from the type of designs characteristic of old leather saddles, for example. Judy is her husband’s primary design subcontractor, and her experience with CAD meshes perfectly with Jim’s preferred fabrication method: laser cutting.

Laser cutting is a relatively recent innovation which allows for the precise translation of intricate designs from computer screen to metal. At that point assembly becomes as easy as piecing together a puzzle. This enables Jim to, for example, inlay a precisely cut piece of copper into a steel countertop. Executing such designs so precisely was not possible until the advent of laser cutting.

Jim and Judy bring invaluable artistic energy and inspiration to Buena Vista. They promise to play an essential role in enhancing and taking to the next level Buena Vista’s beautiful mountain town identity. If you are interested in learning more about Millstream Metal Works, contact the South Main Office at 719-395-4714.

Each month South Main sends out an eUpdate which features new articles for and about the local Buena Vista community. To subscribe, please visit our contact us page.