Posts Tagged ‘Jackson Hole Art Association’
Mix’d Media, a new once-monthly adult arts n’ media n’ mingling event, debuts at the National Museum of Wildlife Art on Tuesday, November 8. The inaugeral party, a “convergence of music, art-making, conversation, and delicious fare,” includes checking out Exquisite Animal: A Community Art Exhibit, an updated version of a Surrealist parlor game, “Exquisite Corpse.” Assistant Curator of Art Bronwyn Minton is the exhibit’s mastermind. Participating artists were given a piece of paper folded in thirds – and each artist drew either a head, body or legs on the top, middle, or bottom of the paper without looking at the parts drawn by other artists. When the paper unfolds, sublime fantasy characters make themselves known. Many local artists lent their talents to the show, on display through February 5, 2012.
“The nature of this game is that it is a surprise and a fast turnaround,” says Minton. “It’s exciting and suspenseful to let chance take a bit of control in this way. The artists don’t know who they are collaborating with, the animal will be imaginary – combining three parts of different animals – and the outcome is certain to be surprising, fantastical and delightful.”
Mix’d Media happens 6-9 pm, at the Museum. A $5 cover charge gets you in to meet the artists, make your own silk-screened artwork “inspired by exhibition artist DJ Vert-One,” enjoy comedy by Jackson’s Laff Staff, and check out a bar and great food from Rising Sage Café.
“Exquisite” artists include Dwayne Harty, Jennifer Hoffman, Jenny Dowd, Sharon Thomas, Kelly Halpin, Greta Gretzinger, Mark Nowlin, Amy Ringholz, and David Klaren. www.wildlifeart.org
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Years ago I had the honor of interviewing the Community Safety Network’s former director, Cathy O’Connor. I was researching a story about the pervasiveness and patterns of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking in Teton County. I also spoke with other CSN staff members, volunteer advocates, counselors and former victims. Meeting these women, learning about their experiences and feeling first hand the dedication and focus of the Community Safety Network is something I’ll never forget. To this day, when I come across any of the women I spoke with, I get goosebumps.
I recently had occasion to call upon Jackson’s Victim Services . I was being stalked, and the man was a “repeater.” Luckily, I never feared for my physical safety, but I was being followed and harassed. The case almost went to court, but at the last hour an agreement was struck that included making a sizeable donation to the Community Safety Network through Old Bill’s Fun Run. A very good resolution to a nasty experience.
Saturday, November 5, 10:00 am – 2:00 pm at the Wort Hotel, check out Handmade for Hope, an art sale benefitting the Community Safety Network. Textiles, wood carvings, jewelry, artwork, glass, pottery, candles and sculpture—made by local artisans—will be for sale. All proceeds benefit CSN. Admission is free, and attendees are eligible for a discounted lunch at the Silver Dollar Grill.
For more information, call CSN at 307.733.3711 www.communitysafetynetwork.org
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The Wyoming Arts Council Biennial Fellowship Exhibition opens in the Art Association’s ArtSpace Main and Loft Galleries on November
4th. An opening reception takes place 5:30-7:30 pm. Vistors can view work by ten Wyoming artists who have received Visual Arts Fellowships in the past two years. Artists will be on hand. The opening reception happens Friday November 4, 5:30 – 7:30.
Thursday, November 3, exhibition curator Nancy Bowen gives a talk at 5:30 pm in the gallery. The public is welcome! Free. For more info: http://www.artassociation.org/exhibitions/future.html
Additionally, the Art Association notes its popular silent auction Out of the Woods takes place at the Center for the Arts Theater Lobby on November 18, 2011, 6-9:00 pm. www.artassociation.org
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The new Jackson Hole Children’s Museum’s Grand Opening is scheduled for 4-8:00 pm on Friday, November 4, 2011. The newly renovated facility is located at 174 North King Street, in Jackson.
“The Jackson Hole Children’s Museum strives to inspire imagination and creativity by encouraging families to examine their world together through interactive exhibits and programming,” says museum Managing Director Paige Byron. “The museum is excited to open the doors to its new facility, which will include a variety of exciting exhibits. Families can play in their very own pretend grocery store, “The Mountain Market,” sponsored by Jackson Whole Grocer; boys and girls alike can play together on our indoor
“Climber,” sponsored by the Community Foundation of Jackson Hole. Families can learn about thermal air currents, simple machines, and light and shadow, returning time and time again to create new mazes and machines to further inquiry. Our youngest residents, under the age of three, will find developmentally appropriate sensory and motor activities in our “Backyard Tot Spot”….We are excited to be partnering with a number of local companies, organizations, and families, to offer the valley’s youngest residents a year-round place to play with their families.”
For more information, contact Byron at 307.733.3996 or 615.335.0283. email: Paige@jhchildrensmuseum.org www.jhchildrensmuseum.org
Shattering news for the Art Association that its most recent executive director, Nick Van Hevelingen, has walked. When an organization of the size and complexity of the Art Association—still the Center for the Arts’ most significant tenant in terms of square footage—loses two new executive directors in such short order, it’s safe to assume internal conflict exists. Unfortunately, the Art Association isn’t the only local non-profit grappling with leadership and staffing issues.
My first impression of Van Hevelingen was that he was a natty dresser. Pressed and sharp, his business experience and pedigrees surely impressed board members. I was impressed. My first conversation with Van Hevelingen was surprising, because he openly discussed his frustrations. Pacing the room, he fiddled with connections and hook-ups on his computer. He produced a folder thick as a New York City phone book; that folder was full of research and plans to restore Glenwood Street’s Western Motel. The idea was to renovate the hotel’s single floor annex, clean up the hotel rooms and facilities and turn the building into artists
studios. I and a friend had come to talk about the Art Association becoming the anchor group for a public-art-in-store-windows initiative. He liked the idea, and said that insuring such a project would be relatively easy, but that he and staff would not be able to do the footwork of canvassing Town Square commercial real estate owners. Fair enough.
Travis Walker compiled the research in that folder. The Western Hotel project never happened, for the reason most projects-in-waiting don’t happen. No money. It seems Van Hevelingen hoped funding would come from a source other than the Art Association; the emperor had no clothes. Walker’s group backed off. Too bad, because reviving that space and bringing artists back downtown would help connect the Center for the Arts to Jackson’s Town Center. Visitors would be able to see artists as they worked. And those visitors would walk across the street to the Center and experience the Art Association’s superb gallery space and exhibitions.
It’s curious that despite strong suggestions from Jackson’s most prominent industry consultants that local non-profits consider consolidating, almost nobody has done it. Why?
The answer can only be ego. And it’s so past time to get over that.
Until our economy improves, non-profits should actively look for ways to hook up to solve common issues. Walker’s Factory Studios now provides affordable space for a large number of Jackson’s contemporary artists. But there is high demand for more space. Wouldn’t the ideal be to have those artists back downtown, making art that could be displayed in town? We should think of Jackson’s cultural health as a whole, not as individual entities fighting for dominance. The Art Association has traditionally been Jackson’s power contemporary arts hub. Many young artists got their start there. That’s changing, much as the world’s economic balance has changed.
Let’s think globally, locally. Our non-profits are countries whose fortunes are changing; creative groups barely on the map a few years ago now provide sustainable solutions and venues. Until recently, Germany‘s economy was troubled. Now the country is an economic model and much of the world would love to use its credit cards.
At September’s United Nations General Assembly, driven by national political agendas, the United States attempted to block a Palestine bid to gain U.N. membership. President Nicolas Sarkozy of France, an underdog on the world stage, forcefully broke with the Obama administration and proposed a compromise: enhance Palestine’s status to that of an observer state.
“This would be an important step forward,” Sarkozy said. “Most important, it would mean emerging from a state of immobility that favors only the extremists.”
It’s not the size of your sign anymore; it’s innovation that counts. You may be an activist non-profit; you may be a “get it on the ground” organization. If you share a “big picture” cause with other groups, don’t isolate; seek strength by finding ways to come together.
The National Museum of Wildlife Art’s (NMWA) 2011 “Western Visions” event was a success, bringing the Museum at least $600,000, funds that will benefit its education programs. This year, Tucker Smith’s oil painting East Fork Rams was the top-seller, going for $40,000 at the Museum’s September 16th’s finale sale. Awards were distributed to many notable and deserving Western artists; perhaps the highest honor went to painter Mark Eberhard, whose oil on board painting Snowy Owl won the Museum’s Trustee Purchase Award, making it part of the Museum’s permanent collection.
On October 6, 2011, award winning photographer John Weller will visit Jackson to present The Last Ocean: Antartica’s Ross Sea Photographs by John Weller. After reading research
and articles on enviromental threats to the Ross Sea, Weller took up his camera to document those waters, “one of the last pristine open ocean ecosystems on Earth.” Weller’s photographs will be on display at NMWA October 1, 2011 – January 29, 2012. An opening reception takes place at NMWA on October 6, 5:30 pm. Weller will speak at 7 pm, in Cook Auditorium.
“Through his remarkable images, award-winning photographer Weller takes viewers on a journey that celebrates the Ross Sea as one of Earth’s last healthy marine environments,” says the Museum. “Dramatic photos offer a glimpse into the lives of wildlife from Emperor penguins to silverfish inhabiting the remote region both above and below the Antarctic ocean’s surface.”
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Cool news from the Art Association’s Jenny Dowd: NMWA is looking for artists to collaborate in its upcoming (Bronwyn Minton inspired) exhibition Exquisite Animal: A Community Art Exhibit. Curated by Minton, the artist “game” is played by several people asked to draw a part of an animal; head, front legs, tail, fins, etc. on a “huge sheet of paper,” creating giant animal composites. Each figure presents unlikely combinations, juxtaposed into fantastical creatures. Contact Minton at bminton@wildlifeart.org for more info!
More from Jenny: She has been in contact with Bonnie Laing-Malcolmson, Curator at the Portland Art Museum. In conjunction with Laing-Malcolmson’s interest in Northwest art, she is working to build a library of art by artists in this region. Artists are invited to submit packets of work examples to be considered for future exhibitions—accepted works will not only be on display at Portland, but have the chance to travel to other museums in the area.
Very, very nice. Here’s what you do to apply: Mail a disk with up to 20 images of your work, a resume and artist statement to:
Bonnie Laing-Malcolmson, Portland Art Museum, 1219 SW Park Avenue, Portland, OR 97205.
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From the Teton County Library:
Friday, October 7, from 5:30-6:30 pm, join the Library in the Center for the Arts Lobby for reception celebrating Renewal: Altered Book
Exhibition. “Local artists have spun new creations from discarded books and library-inspired words for this exhibit, celebrating the library’s renewal through the addition and renovation now underway,” says the Library. “The opening reception will feature book art; appetizers provided by the Teton County Library Friends; and an opportunity to see our building model! Architects and library staff will be available to answer questions about our building project.”
You can also make origami! And it’s free!
Through October 28, at the Center. Contact Adult Humanities Coordinator, Oona Doherty, 733-2164 ext. 135, odoherty@tclib.org. To learn more about library programs or construction, visit www.tclib.org.
Native New Yorker and artist Jane Rosen’s exhibition Two Natures opens at the Tayloe Piggott Gallery this month. On exhibition through August 23, 2011, the show opens with a reception on Thursday, July 14th, 5-8 pm at the gallery.
Visiting any great museum’s ancient collections of Egyptian, Greek, or Native American artifacts, I’m cloaked in hushed reverence. I expect Two Natures elicits similar response. Winds of time have worn these sculptures down to their souls. What’s left is an exquisite silent truth.
Though born on the East Coast, Rosen “found herself captivated by the accessibility of nature on a visit to the West Coast.” Rosen’s work channels ancient world cultures; she has said that 
Eskimo, Native American and Egyptian art histories inspire her. She’s also influenced by daVinci and Michelangelo. A chapel, a graveyard. Rosen’s sculptures stand like Stonehenge’s rock pillars, full of mystery and great powers. These animal forms are not sex specific; but they recall the Acropolis Caryatid Porch of the Erechtheion.
“Rosen’s drawings act as her journal where she studies and understands the form before chiseling a limestone sculpture or hand blowing a glass bird,” the gallery says. She relishes process,
the “alchemy.” Works reach their final form after Rosen scratches away and adds layers of sumi-e ink, paint, coffee, beeswax, Korean water color and marble mix.
Gallery owner Tayloe Piggott likens seeing Rosen’s studio to “witnessing the flash of spirit that Brancusi sought to capture.”
“With this perspective framing my vision I capture the profound essence of nature and art seen through the animal life. It was our reciprocal vision of the life force that instinctually and immediately connected me to Jane’s work. Her art, whether bird, fish or fowl, resonates with the fundamentality of the being’s spirit. The word “essence” is defined as “the permanent as contrasted with the temporary element of being.” Her sculpture is essence,” Piggott says.
The gallery has also collected several stunning Dale Chihuly glass vessels. Transluscent and fluid, they provide sparkling juxtaposition to Rosen’s avian sculptures.
For more information, email art@tayloepiggottgallery.com.
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Wyoming Gallery, upstairs at Jack Dennis Sports, welcomes artists Meredith Campbell, Ruth Rawhouser, and Teri Billingham at an opening reception Friday, July 15, 4-7:30 pm.
Campbell paints wildlife scenes on wood; she began painting functional pieces, but her work evolved into the fine art arena. Not long ago she began creating oil-on-canvas animal portraits. Rawhouser paints en plein air, relishing the
world as it is in any given moment. Interestlingly, she never paints in fences or other signs of humananity’s presence in the Wyoming landscapes she loves. Jackson native Teri Billingham’s stained glass panels reflect the artist’s love of the Tetons and surrounding landscapes, its wildlife and inspiring childhood memories.
For information, contact Mindy at jdwyominggallery.com. www.jdwyominggallery.com
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Here it comes again….the Art Fair Rap!
Dude, it’s July, so it’s time to share
‘Bout that annual gig, the Jackson Hole Art Fair!
Or, “Art Fair Jackson Hole” as it prefers to be called;
Nobody asked me. I’m not involved.
Hey man, don’t be bored!
Sometimes Harrison Ford
Comes to check out the art, and he brings Flockhart.
Buy ceramics, toys, fibers – this poem’s the town crier
For an Art Fair Weekend, come rain or come shine-er.
Paintings, baskets, jewels, tents
Sunscreen, beer & fivers
All make for a day art lovers could die for!
See the Fair! Have Fun! This rap is all done.
The Jackson Hole Art Association Art Fair 2011 dates are July 15 – 17 & August 19 – 21. The fun happens at Miller Park, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Daily entrance fee is $3. www.artassociation.org
“Here is the new Bison Bromoil, another first for the Jackson art scene.” - David Brookover
For the past five years Jackson, Wyoming based photographer David Brookover has been immersed in platinum palladium prints, gorgeous minimalist images of landscapes, southwest architecture, and a subject new for Brookover, Yellowstone’s wildlife. Brookover continues to explore that photographic medium.
At this writing,(April 25, 2011) platinum is trading at $1,836.75 US an ounce, while palladium is at $775 US an ounce.
Those prices may be a little stiff, even for Brookover! Whether they are or not, the photographer will soon introduce his new Bison bromoil print to the Jackson arts community, as well as to the world at large. Brookover’s works are part of private collections around the world. Brookover is often at his gallery, on the corner of Gaslight Alley in downtown Jackson. An unusually accessible photographer, he loves to talk about his printing processes and tell the stories behind his hallmark photographic prints. The practice has helped win Brookover a devoted following.
“I am very pleased with the bromoil prints we have done and will be introducing a few more this year,” says Brookover. “The printing process has been around for over a 100 years and has (like the platinum palladium prints we showcase) a proven archival track record that our collectors appreciate. This new bison image will be framed by the world renown Randolph Laub. Randolph is famous for his one-of-a-kind profiles and finishes, handcrafted individually to fit each image. I am honored to be amongst his client list ; that list includes Irving Penn, Edward Steichen, Albert Watson and Herb Ritts. We look forward to showcasing photography as we feel it is meant to be.”
The new bromoil print will be in the gallery June, 2011. Brookover has also switched up his downstairs gallery space and invites the public to stop by to take a look.
Want to learn more about bromoils? Brookover suggests this site: http://www.saelon.com/bromoils/bromoils.html
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The Jackson Hole Art Association is changing up its Studio Tours format. Long before Jackson’s Fall Arts Festival 2011 gets underway artists will be able to showcase their work at the Center for the Arts Lobby beginning August 5 and continuing through September 30, 2011. The tour, turned show, is entitled “Artists’ Open Studio.”
“It will be a little more informal,” says the Art Association’s Jenny Dowd. “We will showcase art by artists involved in the Studio Tour.”
Artists will display their art (at the Center for the Arts) and have opportunity to show their work. They will also be able to schedule individual appointments to their own working studios. If an artist has an open weekend, they may provide scheduling details alongside the art.
A partial list of participating artists includes: Natalie Goss, Huntley Baldwin, Terry Chambers, Dee Parker, Susan Thulin and Laurie Thal.
Travis Walker may be designing this year’s promotional card; not confirmed. At this writing, no formal opening reception is planned, but stay tuned! For more information contact Jenny Dowd: jenny@artassociation.org.
