OTHELLO — It starts with a sketch. Then two sheets of metal are sandwiched together and cut out with precision to bring the sketch to life.

For Mike Kuest, a Ritzville area farmer, creating metal art and silhouettes is a pastime he has enjoyed for 16 years.

Kuest is one of two local “Artist(s) of the Month” featured in December at The Old Hotel and Art Gallery.

“He is our biggest seller year round,” said Jenn Stevenson, director of The Old Hotel.

Kuest’s work can be found along the walls of The Old Hotel for sale throughout the year.

Kuest has been farming for close to 25 years and also works snowplowing roads in the winter time. So it is during his downtime that he picks up with his art work.

Kuest’s wife also participates in the creation of his art. She helps by sketching out his pieces first.

Kuest’s first piece of metal art came about while he was part of the Odessa Riders Club. Someone asked if him to replicate the painting of a cowboy drinking coffee beside a campfire as an auction item.

“It was just a spur-of-the-moment thing,” he said.

Not only was he able to recreate it into a metal “welcome” sign, but that piece sold for $250 at auction.

After the success of his first piece, other friends and neighbors began asking Kuest to create pieces for them on smaller scales, such as signs and even a set of quail birds for a neighbor’s yard.

Kuest also created a 12-foot-tall rearing horse with waterfall for the Bronco Inn at Ritzville That same artwork is also on a billboard in the Tri-Cities area, and is still his favorite piece to date.