Jackson Hole Art Blog

As this is the Jackson Hole Art Blog, and not the Irish Artists Look at America Blog, I should probably begin this post with my “Art for Dummies” discovery that Thomas Moran, famed portraitist of Yellowstone, was not the only artist in his family.   In fact, most of his immediate family were noted artists, a bit of art history I recently discovered.

Instead I’m opening by turning you on to Irish painter Tom Molloy’s exhibit at the Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art.  Located in Ridgefield, Connecticut, the Aldrich is a gem, an “approachable” museum with great appeal.  A friend cautioned that the Aldrich was, at the time of our visit, “between exhibits.”  It was.  Most galleries were closed, but the exhibition we viewed was so powerful it was worth the time invested and more.

The show’s title, Tom Molloy, is as spare as this exhibit first appears. It is unusual because Molloy is an Irishman living in Ireland whose work is largely about American events and issues.  Akin to Pop Art, Molloy’s art utilizes real money, maps, other found objects and wordplay.  His “surgically precise” drawings and scale are magnetic.  Zoomed in, Molloy’s scathing opinions on global events, new world order and America’s role in global affairs reveal themselves.  Messages are punch-you-in-the-heart clear.

A self portrait depicts Molloy holding a newspaper featuring a photo of an Abu Ghraib detainee holding a photo depicting one of the detention facility’s nefarious prisoner abuses.  Map, one of Molloy’s best known works, is a cut dollar bill map of the world; not much larger than a dollar bill, we initially mistook the work for a wall doodle. Positioned at eye level, it is in fact a “….double-edged metaphor of American might and hegemony.”

Dead Texans, a series of fifty stamp sized portraits of death row prison inmates executed in that state during George W. Bush’s tenure as governor, captures each prisoner’s likeness, even providing glimpses of personality and fractured spirits. From a slight distance the portraits resemble inky thumbprints.  These men are simultaneously stripped of personal identity and confirmed as unique, individual beings. Each regards the viewer straight on.  Faintly visible penciled drawing grids further connote incarceration and the reality of fifty doomed destinies.

Standing in the gallery’s center, we realize that an exhibition as politically charged as this has yet to turn up in Jackson. With time, I believe we can open ourselves to exhibiting work with equal depth and commentary.

Tom Molloy remains on exhibit at the Aldrich until June 13 2010. Phone: 203.438.4519.

Item #2:

Went to dinner at my cousin’s house.  She’s a master artist in her own right, she needs to exhibit and show, show, show.

As we talked, she pointed out a substantially sized etching hanging over the sofa.  The work depicts a Pennsylvania open field, ringed by forest, and inhabited- Peaceable Kingdom style–by cows and other animals.  She pointed to the artist’s name:  Peter Moran (1841-1914).

My cousin found the etching at a flea market. She cleaned it up, and instantly spotted Moran’s signature.

Peter Moran, brother of Thomas Moran, favored Pennsylvania’s farmlands as subjects, but in 1890 he participated in the U.S. Indian census, and ventured into Yellowstone.  “Grand Tetons View” was, according to Grand Teton National Park, most likely painted while he was on that expedition.  A watercolor, this view captures the Tetons as they appeared from Idaho.  It is part of the permanent collection of the Roswell Museum and Art Center.

Peter Moran, the youngest brother in the Moran family, is said to have become his brother’s best art student.

Peter was three when his family arrived in America.  At age fifteen, he became a lithographer’s apprentice.  His interest in portraying animals was life long.  Moran’s efforts in this area are obvious;  the Teton painting seems an exercise compared to his animal scenes, which are rich in detailed devotion.

I don’t have many answers, but I do have lots of questions. Jackson’s sustainable and artistic efforts should fuse. But how? What models are out there in the world that we can study, even emulate?

Jackson’s future, in many ways, depends on the questions we ask. We should be asking more “baby step” questions and the larger ideals will naturally evolve. Just the other day, the Grand Teton Music Festival announced some news: Anonymous pledges (signaling that donors  don’t wish to be placed on pedestals for their contributions) totaling $3.5 million will establish a Housing Fund that will support its participating artists and stabilize “the largest line item in the Festival’s budget.”

The money is out there. Affordable housing, one of our biggest crises, will be available where the Festival is, in Teton Village. Where the artists actually work. In theory, not a lot of additional traffic. Green.

If we’re not going to create better mass transit opportunities, we’d better put housing where workers work.

I did not attend Jackson’s recent Energy Summit. No doubt I missed a lot of cool interaction, scintillating discussion, theory, science, inspiring vision, good networking and even a photo op or two.

The questions that formed in my mind, that weren’t answered to my satisfaction prior to the Summit, are these:

What was its cost?  Will Summit organizers offer up a financial report of this and any subsequent summits, as it is “for-profit” and not “non-profit?”

Who receives any fees the community pays out to the Summit? Why should the community contribute to it now, rather than to established initiatives? Perhaps it’s simply a choice, but am I the only one feeling stretched?  And kind of guilty just for sometimes having to say “no?”   In this economy, I’d love a time line for practical Summit results related to Jackson.

How big was this summit’s carbon footprint?

Are our new, empty buildings green? Are they going to be made green before or after they’re occupied?  What is the plan to fill all these empty spaces?  Is anyone considering reducing rents in exchange for tax credits, in order to attract new businesses that would provide good jobs?

How do such summits aid or detract from efforts to resolve, in a financially prudent way, our Comprehensive Plan?  Do they address land use? What is the interface with the planning process?

Will we price out middle class families looking for memorable, but affordable experiences here? If we can’t offer lodging under $400 a night, “regular” people can’t visit. And if they don’t visit, they won’t know the valley, or feel any impetus to protect it. How can we move forward with being green and ensure keeping it “real?”

Many less sexy communities without real estate hyper-spikes haven’t crashed as hard as Jackson.  How will we address that?

A tunnel running under Teton Pass would provide safer and faster commutes, run beneath habitat, and balance real estate values. On this side of the Pass, values would come down a bit.  Over in Idaho, they’d go up a bit because Jackson Hole would be more accessible. We’d give the mountain back to wildlife.  Mass transit would operate more efficiently.  That road is treacherous.  Avalanche emergencies and related deaths would be reduced.

Ted Kerasote once suggested a tunnel, in lieu of a bridge, for GTNP. How about a tunnel to go under that freakin’ Pass?

Enzi, Barrasso Embarrass Wyoming in Vote Against Matthew Shepard Act

The following is a full press release from the Wyoming Democratic Party.

Casper, WY - The Wyoming Democratic Party today expressed disappointment in Senator Mike Enzi and Senator John Barrasso for their votes against the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Hate Crimes Prevention Act.

Representative Cynthia Lummis also voted against the act when it passed the House. We had hoped that Rep Lummis vote was an anomaly. This is a monumental day for anyone who has lived in fear of being persecuted, and we are disappointed our members of Congress refused to help combat crimes based on hatred and fear, said Brianna Jones, communications director for the Wyoming Democratic Party.

The act, which was approved by the Senate in a vote of 68-29 on Thursday, incorporates sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and disability into existing federal law prohibiting crimes motivated by bias against citizens belonging to a minority. The legislation will now be sent to President Obama. President Obama has already signaled his support.

The Wyoming Democratic Party applauds longtime Wyoming residents and parents of Matthew Shepard, Dennis and Judy, for their tireless campaign to pass this legislation.

Contact: Brianna Jones -
brianna@wyomingdemocrats.com
(307) 752-5288 (cell)

First Lady Michelle Obama’s remarks at ribbon cutting ceremony for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s American Wing are stirring indeed.  The Jackson Hole Art Blog takes this opportunity to remind its readers of art’s crucial role in our education, cultural life and economy by reprinting her speech here.  The “…intersection of creativity and commerce…” The text of Mrs. Obama’s speech is supplied by the White House Press Office.   The ceremony took place at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 18, 2009.

MRS. OBAMA: Thank you.  (Applause.)  Thank you so much.  Please, rest.  (Laughter.)  Good afternoon and thank you, Emily, for that introduction, and thank you for reminding me.  You know, after 20-some-odd years of knowing a guy, you forget that your first date was at a museum.  (Laughter.)   But it was, and it was obviously wonderful; it worked.

So I am delighted to be here with you to celebrate American history through the arts.  From the beginning of our nation, the inspired works of our artists and artisans have reflected the ingenuity, creativity, independence and beauty of this nation.  It is the painter, the potter, the weaver, the silver smith, the architect, the designer whose work continues to create an identity for America that is respected and recognized around the world as distinctive and new.

The American Wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art captures this spirit in presenting a variety of American art forms and providing a link to history for us to learn from, appreciate and be inspired by.

Our future as an innovative country depends on ensuring that everyone has access to the arts and to cultural opportunity.  Nearly 6 million people make their living in the non-profit arts industry, and arts and cultural activities contribute more than $160 billion to our economy every year.  And trust me, I tried to do my part to add to that number.

The President included an additional $50 million in funding to the NEA in the stimulus package to preserve jobs in state arts agencies and regional arts organizations in order to keep them up and running during the economic downturn.  (Applause.)

But the intersection of creativity and commerce is about more than economic stimulus, it’s also about who we are as people.  The President and I want to ensure that all children have access to great works of art at museums like the one here.  We want them to have access to great poets and musicians in theaters around the country, to arts education in their schools and community workshops.

We want all children who believe in their talent to see a way to create a future for themselves in the arts community, be it as a hobby or as a profession.

The arts are not just a nice thing to have or to do if there is free time or if one can afford it.  Rather, paintings and poetry, music and fashion, design and dialogue, they all define who we are as a people and provide an account of our history for the next generation.

The President recently nominated renowned theater producer Rocco Landesman to chair the National Endowment for the Arts.  Rocco’s entrepreneurial spirit and his commitment to being a bridge between the philanthropic, non-profit and commercial arts community will ensure that all types of art and creative expression are provided fertile ground to live and to grow.

And that’s what we hope to do at the White House, that’s what we’ve been trying to do at the White House.  We’ve been trying to break down barriers that too often exist between major cultural establishments and the people in their immediate communities; to invite kids who are living inches away from the power and prestige and fortune and fame, we want to let those kids know that they belong here, too.

I want to applaud the Metropolitan Museum of Art for all the outreach that you do, for having kids like these here today to be involved in this and to experience this and to share this with us, because this is your place, too.  So we’re very proud of the Met for the work that they’ve done.

So we are excited.  Thank you for including me.  And now we can get to the — we’re going to cut the ribbon now.  (Laughter.)  Thank you so much.  (Applause.)

END
3:21 P.M. EDT

A Wyoming Arts Council (WAC) release has announced that applications are available for the new “Art Works for Wyoming” grant program.  The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is providing this one-time opportunity, and is able to offer the program as a result of its recently secured federal stimulus funding package.  Any and all Wyoming arts organizations may apply, which, of course, includes Jackson arts entities.  Grants are available to all qualifying arts venues.

WAC manager Rita Bascom says, “We are fortunate to live in a time when the arts are recognized for the impact they have on our economy.  The fact that the NEA was included in our nation’s Stimulus Funding Plan is a credit to all of the artists, arts businesses, and nonprofit arts organizations who make their living through the arts, or hire artists to paint, dance, act, write, sculpt, design, etc. – not just at this point in time, but throughout our nation’s history.”

Throughout world history.

The program offers up to $25,000 in grants monies for projects meeting one of the following two criteria:

Salary support, full or partial, for one or more positions that are critical to an organization’s artistic mission and that are in jeopardy or have been eliminated as a result of the current economic collapse.

Fees for previously engaged artists and/or contractual personnel to maintain or expand the period during which such persons would be engaged.

Applications are due at the WAC by May 15, 2009. Applications will be forwarded to the Western States Arts Federation on June 1.   June 3-5, applications will be considered and winning grants will be notified by mail on July 1.   NO PAPER APPLICATIONS will be accepted.

For full application information on this program, log on to WAC’s online granting site here.

“We are excited to be a part of this national effort to save arts jobs.  And we encourage all qualified Wyoming organizations to apply for funding,” Bascom said.

The envelope, please.

Several spring seasons ago, the Teton County Library hosted a most memorable show.  That spring, one could visit the library’s gallery and get lost in a Smithsonian Institution traveling exhibit, “Graceful Envelope.” It’s impossible for me, a person who values tradition (I feel about printed newspapers the way Charlton Heston did about guns; you’ll have to take it from my cold, dead hand!) to refrain from gushing over that show.

The contest’s website says  “…Calligraphers and artists from around the world are invited to participate in the 15th annual Graceful Envelope Contest, conducted by the Washington (DC) Calligraphers Guild under the sponsorship of the National Association of Letter Carriers. The contest is open to all ages, with two separate categories for children.” This year’s theme is “Address the Environment.” Log on here to view the site.

You can still enter 2009’s Graceful Envelope Contest; entries must be postmarked by April 30.

A old friend recently asked for my mailing address, as she likes sending letters in lieu of email.  She loves her writing paper.  That request prompts this re-running of my original article on Graceful Envelope, below.    Happy Easter!

“More than kisses, letters mingle souls; for, thus friends absent speak”.

John Dunne’s poetry embraces the tone of “Graceful Envelope”, a Smithsonian Institution traveling exhibit now on display at Teton County Library.  If you haven’t been to see these illuminating, exquisite envelopes, go.  The artwork evokes longing sighs, remembrance, and a feeling that you’ve tripped along a mossy, hidden path to discover a secret garden.

A hundred painted envelopes are included in the Smithsonian exhibit, that originated in 1995.  Artists create envelopes for the competition, their subject matter based on a stamp or a theme chosen by the National Association of Letter Carriers.  Ah, if every letter were thus conceived!  The show is heartrending in its beauty.  It is nectar.  Step softly along the library’s walls to find artwork that seems rendered by fairies; elegant, wispy, fables for a 4 x 6 inch tablet.  You will choose your own favorites, but I mention a few of mine here: Cathy Chilton, of New Mexico, fancied “Water, Earth, Niagara Falls, Grand Canyon”, an envelope inspired by stamps portraying those locations.  The envelope is creased like an accordion, with alternating slices of bottle green, baked canyon orange, and an indigenous lizard.  This Crafts-styled piece stands in sturdy comparison to envelopes weighted with laced grapevines and golden pears hanging heavy on the branch.  Humorous takes on the funny papers include a work picturing Popeye knocking the stuffing out of the mail, and a careening “Blondie and Dagwood” sketch.   “Celebrating Nature” bears a regal butterfly, emerald on its envelope, wings and antennae dipping into lacey calligraphy addressing the work.

Rhapsodic, I realize, but this exhibit unleashed such images and memory.  Days of Easter Egg hunts, overgrown gardens choked with wild roses, sprawling hillsides and ladies with parasols looking down from the top of sunny hillsides to a picnic in the meadow.  And I remember writing on thick paper, pages and pages of summer letters sent and received as a child.

Save your letters and envelopes.  As exhibition curator Ester Washington notes, “Letters were once precious possessions, tied in bundles with silk ribbon, and kept safe in scented drawer.” We can recreate that time.   Let’s try.

The Buffalo Bill Historical Center (BBHC ) in Cody will receive $190,000 to study and digitize William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody’s personal papers.   The earmark, part of the 2009 Federal Budget Bill, also known as the Omnibus Bill, was introduced by then Representative Barbara Cubin.   Cubin left office in January.

Lee Haines, BBHC’s Director of Public Relations, says it will most likely take several months to receive the funds.  Once received, the money will be used to create three new jobs: an editorial assistant and two researchers.

“We anticipate that the entire project will be completed within three years,” says Haines.  “That said, we don’t plan to wait three years before we begin to share what we have found and make information available online.”

What shape the information will take as it is presented to the public is unclear, but Haines says it will probably be organized much like chapters in a book.

Why is a bill sponsored by an out-of-office representative still alive?

Federal budgets are planned two years in advance.  Budgets are combed over and passed on to the Administration, which then submits it to Congress.   The idea is to get it ironed out before the fiscal year the money is to be spent.  It all bounces around, is adjusted, and moves from agency to Congress to the Administration and back before being signed.

“Museums everywhere are trying to realize such projects so that people can have access to information,” says National Museum of Wildlife Art CEO Jim McNutt.  “We have our collection online, and any such project is worthy no matter where the funding comes from. I can’t comment on the BBHC’s process, but I’m very much in favor of such projects.”

The earmark has been widely questioned.  “Taxpayers for Common Sense,” a watchdog group, singled out the BBHC funding, gaining the project national attention.   Critics, including Republican Senator John McCain, tagged it as typical wasteful pork barrel spending.  Proponents argue Bill Cody’s papers are a national treasure and should be preserved via federal funding.

In other fundraising efforts, the BBHC has secured $310,000 from private donors and $300,000 from the Wyoming State Legislature.

In a February 25 statement, House Representative Cynthia Lummis said, “Congressional leaders are turning a blind eye to the plight of millions of Americans by passing this bloated pork-laden spending bill.”

The BBHC takes issue.  “This funding request is a normal part of the process that museums and many other institutions go through to secure funding, not only for particular projects, but for general operating support,” Bruce Eldredge, Buffalo Bill Historical Center Executive Director and CEO, said. “This request will provide additional support for what we consider to be important scholarly work. It’s unfortunate that some people appear to regard scholarship as unnecessary.”

End.

The Wyoming Arts Council, a state agency promoting and supporting the arts in our state, says it will receive $290,000 in funds.  Those funds will be sliced from the $50 million the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is distributing to arts entities around the country.

The NEA is a standout amongst the countless arts concerns struggling to survive.  The Wyoming Arts Council receives more dollars per capita than any other arts agencies; Wyoming is also the country’s least populous state.

Americans for the Arts post these numbers relating to the important role arts play in our lives, our livelihoods:

5.7 million — jobs

100,000 — nonprofit arts organizations

612,000 — arts-centric businesses

4.3 percent — of all American businesses

$29.6 billion — in tax revenue

$166.2 billion — total economic impact

The Art of Finding Funds: Utah Arts Organizations Retool for Leaner Times,a Salt Lake Tribune article on how that state’s art organizations are coping, provides some interesting perspective.  Here’s an excerpt:

“And in trying economic times, many in the nonprofit world have rallied around the time-honored advice of nonprofit arts guru Michael M. Kaiser. Maintain the strongest programming possible, advises Kaiser, president of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., and look to diversify funding sources….For Utah arts organizations, that means considering offerings with a fresh set of eyes, looking to staff for more talent and resources, and, yes, scaling back fundraising events while searching for additional funds with renewed determination.”

The University of Wyoming Art Museum and the Wyoming Arts Council are taking up the matter of public art placemaking, hosting “Public Art and Community: Inspiration and Reflection.” The conference takes place April 2-4.

The focus is public art and its role in shaping community–in this case, participants will discuss public art’s role in civic matters and it’s place on campus.  All are invited to attend.  Those working in arts-related fields are especially encouraged, and we assume public planning and government officials on all levels would be welcomed.  Public art planning does not happen in a vacuum; it takes a special effort by artists willing to engage in public process.

Participants may opt to attend one day of meetings or the entire conference.   Presenters will speak on topics such as “Sculpture: A Wyoming Invitational,” Wyoming public arts programs, public policy and other related subjects.

Discounts are available for early registration–which ends Sunday, March 15. For tickets and more information, log onto the University of Wyoming Art Museum’s website, or phone the Wyoming Arts Council at 307-777-7742.