KRTV

Posted: Mar 15, 2010 3:24 PM
Updated: Mar 15, 2010 4:25 PM

He's a high school drop out from New York City - but area residents know him better as the newest Mayor of Great Falls.

When he's not behind the gavel at City Commission meetings, Mayor Michael Winters escapes to his studio where he runs a stained glass business with his wife.

Katie Stukey spoke to Winters about finding a balance between the two roles, and how being an artist has made him a better politician.

The prospect of slowing down isn't on the horizon for the 72-year old mayor; he noted, "I always went on the philosophy (that) I'm going to work until I die."

Winters was already a military veteran, full-time postal service employee, husband, and father when he and his wife Barbara started "Winters Stained Glass" back in the 70s.

Their homegrown business would eventually stretch to homes and churches across the state, but 35 years ago, Winters wouldn't have guessed that his time in the studio would be prepping him for a future spot as they Mayor of one of Montana's largest towns.

As he works on a stained glass project, he reflects, "I'm not necessarily a patient critter, but this requires patience and requires concentration."

And that focus isn't the only lesson he's taken from the glass into his life as a politician.
  
He observed, "The grain of the glass has to flow. Everything has to flow nicely, so that could very well work in the mayor's office - keeping things going and flowing smoothly."

He'll admit the stained glass has taken a back seat to his new mayoral duties, but ideally, Winters will one day look back on his term as he already reflects on his art: "I look up and go 'Wow'. What we do will last longer than our lifetime and I think that says a lot."

Winters' most recent project is the stained glass windows for the chapel inside the new patient tower at Benefis hospital.