Posts Tagged ‘Artists in the Environment’
Image by Taylor Glenn
Happy Mother’s Day, Mom!
On Sunday, May 12th, National Geographic photographer Wade Davis makes an appearance at Jackson’s first annual Mountain Story Festival, courtesy of the Murie Center. There’s no getting away from the fact that climbing treacherous, challenging peaks here—and anywhere in the world—is a huge part of our culture. Climbers take in the outdoors in a mind-bending way. The closest I’ve come to being that high, with a few thousand feet between me and flat ground is the year I skydived, on a dare, at college. I’d do that again before I’d climb the Grand or any other giant, jagged, craggy mountain!
Others have infinitely more guts. These extreme personalities can’t keep themselves from climbing; they climb in their sleep. Which is why Davis’ talk on his new book “Into the Silence: The Great War, Mallory, and the Conquest of Everest” should be packed. Mothers, be warned! Content may be nerve racking! 7:00 pm start, Pink Garter Theater, downtown Jackson.
Wednesday, May 15th, the Murie Center’s Mardy’s Conservation Collection Book Club meets to discuss the Murie’s book, Wapiti Wilderness.
“In this autobiographical tale…Olaus and Mardy describe their life together, raising a family in the mountainous wilderness of the Tetons, while Olaus worked for the U.S. Bureau of Biological Survey,” says the Center. The gathering takes place at the the Murie’s original home, Murie Ranch, in Moose, WY, at 6:30 pm. Lively discussion, reflection and inspiration are a promise. www.muriecenter.org.
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The Grand Teton Association (GTA) has announced its line-up of plein air artists for this summer’s “Artists in the Environment” (AIE) series, taking place the second Saturday of every month, June – September, in Grand Teton National Park(GTNP). Each of those weekends, regional plein air painters provide free painting demonstrations at locations throughout GTNP. Founded by the late, great plein air artists Greg McHuron and Conrad Schwiering, the program has offered countless visitors and art lovers a free chance to see artists capturing the beauty surrounding us.
I have a personal passion for this program~~I believe the history of plein air painting in this valley, and in the Greater Yellowstone Region, is one of America’s most important art history stories. Its tradition is unbreakable; the artists’ bonds are like steel.
For fifty years, the GTA has celebrated GTNP via the arts. All proceeds realized by the GTA serve to broaden education, research and interpretation of GTNP.
Times and locations are TBA, but participating artists for 2013 are: Dwayne Harty – June 15th; Rocky Mountain Plein Air Painters & Co., – July 13th; Wendell Field - August 10th; and Fred Kingwill - September 14th. More on all these artists as summer progresses!
Cross my heart and can’t wait to do it again, one of the great highlights of my 2012 arts summer was the culmination of the Rocky Mountain Plein Air Painters’ (RMPAP) “Plein Air for the Park” National Paint-Out & Show. Last July, approximately 40 plein air artists converged in Grand Teton National Park (GTNP) and the Jackson Hole area, painting their hearts out for two weeks. All paintings completed were exhibited and sold in a three-day event at GTNP’s Craig Thomas Discovery Center (CTDC), in Moose, Wyoming.
The place was PACKED. And there are those who missed last year’s event still notifying me they wish they’d been there. Recently, a senior Park employee confided to me that the Park, as a collective, loved the event. It all went off so beautifully that RMPAP is returning this summer, July 8 – 21st, 2013. The event benefits GTNP and is hosted by the Park and the Grand Teton Association (GTA). This year’s opening reception, at the CTDC, takes place Thursday, July 18th, beginning at 7pm. Awards will be presented at 7:45 by this year’s Judge, Chris Moran.
A Quick Draw takes place Saturday, July 20th, beginning at 9:00am, at Menor’s Ferry in GTNP. The public can watch paintings being created from start to finish; they then may purchase paintings right off the easel at the fixed-price sale immediately following, 11am – 12 noon. Approximately 44 professional, recognized artists will participate in this, RMPAP’s 12th Annual National Show.
The GTA began collecting works of art on behalf of the Park over 50 years ago; the collection has become a valuable part of GTNP’s legacy. Last year, two works were purchased by GTA for the Park’s permanent collection; two more were purchased by patrons and donated to the Park. AND, last year’s event raised close to $21,000 for GTA!
“It is a thrill and a pleasure to be back in GTNP and working with Grand Teton Association again this year,” says RMPAP President (and participating artist) Stephen C. Datz. “We welcome the opportunity to continue the artistic tradition at the Park, expand public awareness and appreciation of plein-air painting, and in so doing benefit the exceptional efforts of the GTA on behalf of the Park.”
“I am a different sort of landscape painter,” says Jackson painter Sharon Thomas. “I notice what’s going on, what’s alive, around my feet—these days I observe what’s happening from eye-to-ground level. There is so much life happening there. Our tiny creatures are foraging, preparing for changes of seasons, reproducing, just as larger species do. We have these huge vistas, but we also have an infinity of tiny landscapes to observe.”
The Grand Teton Association’s “Artists in the Environment” series presents this summer’s final program artist, Sharon Thomas. Thomas will be on location Saturday, September 8, 2012, at historic Menor’s Ferry in Grand Teton National Park, 9:00 am – 12:00 pm. As always, this plein air painting demonstration is free and open
to the public, and a wonderful way to celebrate our own art history during Jackson Hole Fall Arts Festival week! Menor’s Ferry, built in the early 1900′s, was the site of the first mechanized river crossing and had a general store. The store is in operation today, and visitors may browse vingtage-style Western goods, similar to what would have been sold in the original store. The white washed log buildings sit just next to the Snake River, close to the Chapel of the Transfiguration.
Born and raised in California, Thomas gained her art degree at California State University at Long Beach. For many years she has painted the wildlife, Snake River scenes and national forest just outside her door in the Hoback area, south of Jackson, Wyoming. Wyoming’s nature, its life cycles and the region’s vivid light and colors influence the artist.
Pecking Bird - Jill Auerbach
Lately, I’ve talked quite a bit about “showing up.” I’ve been a no-show for recent scheduled events—though I have been out interviewing and working. Sometimes an event like the passing of Greg McHuron can just take over. You know it’s comin’ but finality is a new reality. While I’m thinking about it, I’ll mention that the NEXT “Artist in the Environment” is Tammy Callens, that jumping sprite of a painter–she is a delight! Callens will be painting at Sawmill Pond, GTNP, on August 11th, 2:00-5:00 pm.
Summer is busy; summer is compressed; summer is full of possibility!
Today I looked on Facebook and spotted John Frechette’s post about having artist Jill Auerbach and her bird paintings alight at MADE. Bird art speaks to our tribal selves—not in
a drum-thumping way, but definitely in a spiritual, “reminding” way. In cultural “medicines,” most bird species represent some kind of human state of being or emotion. Auerbach relates her paintings of birds and other critters to petroglyphs. That word is derived from the Greek words “petro-,” a variation of the word “petra,” which means “stone.” And the back part of the word, “glyphein,” means “to carve.” The original French word was “pétroglyphe.”
“Everywhere I’ve ever been, my art has been about that place,” says Walker. “I remember most powerfully the places I’ve painted and drawn. The act of recording them makes me remember.” ~ Travis Walker
Hip, happening Jackson Hole artist and entrepreneur Travis Walker will give a free plein air painting demonstration on Saturday, July 14th, 2012, 9:00 am – Noon, at Grand Teton National Park’s Willow Flats Turnout, overlooking Mt. Moran and the Oxbow Bend vista. Get up early and catch Walker where we rarely get to see him: painting those glowing, transluscent landscapes. Here in Jackson, the arts community has come to know Walker’s work so well. His paintings are unmistakable, and his profile as an artist continues to grow. For his demonstration Walker has chosen one of the Park’s most scenic spots—the vista overlooking Mount Moran is recognized around the world. Moran’s peak is reflected in the Snake River, winding through the area. Oxbow Bend is also a very good place to view wildlife~~the earlier you arrive, the more likely you are to see blue herons, bears, moose, eagles, ospreys….you get the picture. In fact, take LOTS of pictures.
