Posts Tagged ‘Jackson Hole Center for the Arts’
A new group in town, Global Arts Corps, inaugurates its Jackson Hole annual Summer Institute with an Opening Conference July 8-9, 2011. Perceptual Change: Alternatives for Conflict Resolution is billed as a “conversation between Scientists, Artists, Ex-Combatants, Educators and Activists.” Such a diverse roster of speakers ideally will provide stimulating discussion. Conference events take place at Jackson’s Center for the Arts.
The conference will cover topics ranging from “Empathy, Neurology and Comedy” to “Truth, Uncertainty Principles and Parody” to “Ensemble Phenomena: Unpacking Clichés.” With conflict resolution as its umbrella theme, it will be interesting to see how the conference will attack that theme. Every possible personality and interpretive medium are lined up: ex-combatants representing Northern Ireland’s conflicts, performing artists, journalists, clinical psychologists…the event will be moderated by the BBC’s William Crawley.
Breaking down assumptions that inevitably crop up during conflict is an art form. A key to resolving any issue is to address the “quiet” topics people find most difficult to air. Quell reactivity, and you’ve got a platform for
intimacy. I’m not the problem, and neither are you. The problem is the problem. Most arguments are not about the “surface” subject, they are about other issues between two parties that have not been properly addressed. Resolving conflict is largely about rational comprehension of issues at hand.
What is Global Arts Corps? Babs Case is the creative inspiration behind the new initiative. As Dancers’ Workshop’s executive director, her work ranks amongst Jackson’s most consistent and successful. Few non-profit leaders are more admired, and rightfully so. Global Arts Corps believes that “…the population in Jackson is one with the interests, experiences, and resources to actively participate in our discussion and to affect a significant difference in the world beyond our small valley.”
Lecture topics could provide more specifics about the meat and intent of this conference.
What significant differences might this gathering make to the world? What level of conflict will this workshop address? We are not culturally diverse, and we are relatively comfortable. Many of us have tried living out of the valley, only to return. We are a gated community. Who will 
attend? We have many world leaders in our midst—business, political and academic titans. Will we learn how to move into a larger understanding of the complexities in the Middle East, Afghanistan, Pakistan or South Africa? Will we be trained to lobby for legislation with greater finesse? Generate new ideas on combating poverty and predjudice? Discuss immigration or the tensions that arise when we speak about cultural differences? Get a grip on conflicting global economic forces?
Man, I dislike people who don’t like to resolve conflict! They make me want to punch ‘em out!
This is a free event; it cannot have been free to produce. May it reap great rewards.
For more information about Global Arts Corps’ Summer Institute, visit www.globalartscorps.org/summer-institute.html, or call 307.733.6398.
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The Street ART & Social Justice Workshop takes place July 8 & 9, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm each day, at the Center for the Arts. Attendees can help design and paint a community mural on the walls of the the Garaman underpass. Get your “Street art”
techniques down—techniques will taught and utilized. Cultural diversity is the theme and students can become official ambassadors of the pedestrian corridor. Famed street artists Judy Baca, JR, Bansky and others will be reviewed. Local artists will speak and demonstrate: Ricki Arno, Ryan Heyworth, Mike Tierney and Wendell Field are on the list.
A donation of $20 to cover supplies will be charged; space is limited and registration is required. Jackson Public Art Initiative in charge. Info, details: 307.413.1474
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“John Nieto, universally recognized as an American Master, continually defines himself within the wide parameters of his trademark brand of expressionism. Nieto, and one name says it all, transcends mere representation with sensitivity and sensibility, utilizing an intrepid stature unequaled by any imitator.” - Dean Munn, Altamira Fine Art
What better way to greet Independence Week than by honoring one of America’s great painters, John Nieto? A new Nieto exhibition, American Icon, will be on display July 1-14 at Altamira Fine Art, with an artist’s reception on Saturday, July 2, 2:00-4:00 pm.
Altamira Director Mark D. Tarrant has remarked that “…the gallery is privileged to represent Nieto….Nieto is widely regarded as one of America’s most accomplished, dynamic and exciting contemporary artists.” Tarrant points out that Nieto’s work concentrates on themes that transcend mere representation. The artist’s intense primary colors and bold use of paint “create both dimension and character on the canvas. “He is truly an American master,” Tarrant affirms.
Nieto’s Fauvist style of assembling electric colors reflects deep knowledge and emotion. The artist’s lineage includes Hispanic and American Indian parents, and NIeto’s family tree is documented back
300 years. His potent paintings are their own documentaries. They are commentaries on a people, on animal and Native American spirits, on landscape and history.
“A species of hope resides in the possibility of seeing one thing, one phenomenon or essence, so clearly and fully that the light of its understanding illuminates the rest of life,” writes Santa Fe author and scholar William deBuys. John Nieto’s paintings are, at once, hope and essence. www.altamiraart.com 307.739.4700
Jackson Hole is now the home of the International Film Academy (IFA), a school on a mission to teach professional filmmaking. The valley’s relatively isolated geography makes it an improbable location for such an institution, but its unparalleled natural beauty and proximity to two national parks provide visual inspiration and myriad topics.
Recently the Journeys School campus served as base camp for the IFA’s week-long pilot course. Film director Danny Ledonne, aided by Jackson media expert and instructor Carl Shuptrine, led the class. Ledonne is a third-year MFA candidate at Washington D.C.’s American University. The week’s course, geared for adults, included former JH Film Institute staff, Teton County Library employees, college students and broadcast media grads looking to improve skills. Students got hands-on experience with cool, high-end Panasonic P2 tapeless HD cameras 
and Final Cut Pro editing systems. With only a week to plan, shoot and edit, the class began shooting on Day 2, spending the first day considering possible topics, viewing documentary film clips and discussing story lines and emerging trends.
What is the definition of a documentary? Ledonne says that as long as a film’s topic is non-fictional, it’s a documentary. “There are as many possibilities for documentary topics as there are topics in a library’s non-fiction section. Biographies, auto-bios, opinions, history, nature, it’s endless.”
For instance, March of the Penguins is more about people than it is about penguins,” notes Ledonne. “The film’s nuzzling penguins suggest they’re romancing each other. In fact, they might just be cold.”
The class discussed Blue Vinyl, a story told by a daughter trying to convince her parents not to vinyl-side their home, a large issue observed as personal experience. Michael Moore, on the other hand, is a great example of an essay-style filmmaker, with one over-arching voice: his own. By contrast, director Alex Gibney’s Taxi to the Dark Side portrays the life of an Afghanistan taxi driver we know almost nothing about. But the film tells the story of his fate at the hands of U.S. government policies.
Jackson’s IFA class filmed and edited three short films: Paragliding the Tetons, Jackson Hole Rodeo Princesses and Yurt Simplicity, films touching upon three Jackson Hole lifestyle anchors: adrenaline pumping adventure, historic cowboy culture and sustainable lifestyle. The films artfully encapsulate each topic; all have potential for extensive story lines. And, the short films spotlight places and people many Jackson Hole residents experience less often than we like to admit. Rodeo is alive, thriving–and women aren’t rodeo window dressing; they’re competitors and expert riders. Yurt life appears serene, beautiful and communal. Paragliding presents as a bit terrifying, but in the hands of experts leaping off Rendezvous Mountain, paragliding is an “uplifting,” mystical experience.
Voice and perspective affect story tone. Point of view is the point of a documentary. Considering a film’s plot and direction, a filmmaker intuits audience.
Danny Ledonne emphasizes knowledge of material. “Ask yourself large questions about your topic’s appeal. What are the big unknowns? Who are you speaking to? What’s compelling? Above all, know your story.”
For information, contact the Film Academy of Jackson Hole via info@internationalfilmacademy.com or phone 914.774.1323.
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The University of Wyoming Art Museum has posted the date for its next 20:20 event: Wednesday, September 23, 7-9 pm, at Cheyenne’s Little America. This event is open to all Wyoming artists, arts organizations and educators. 20:20 is held in conjunction with the Wyoming Arts Council’s Arts Summit.
The program provides a super speedy platform for arts practitioners to alert the state to their own projects and ideas. Presenters use Powerpoint, showing images for 20 seconds. As the University notes, this is a great networking opportunity. Sign up is first come, first serve and is open to all writers and performing artists as well as those in the visual arts.
Deadline for submissions is Wednesday, September 9. For more information or to sign up, please contact Art Museum Assistant Curator Rachel Miller at 307-766-6621 or rmiller@uwyo.edu.
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(The following is reproduced from Cayuse’s release! Time is/was of the essence.)
Event Info: The show will be on view until August 15th.
Public Art and Placemaking are, as many of us in the arts community have been saying, inextricable from contemporary, smart, even green, urban growth. Right now, the Teton County Comprehensive Plan is available to for the public to review. This is our chance to comment on the way we will grow, not only quantitatively, but qualitatively. Quality urban growth must include public urban spaces and public art.
If Jackson Hole’s citizens do not make reviewing this plan a priority, we essentially determine not to vote. And those of us determining not to vote lose a lot of “street cred.” Writing letters to the editor is a crucial public right; writing them when you’ve opted not to be a part of the process by showing up at town meetings or workshops is a bit fraudulent. The Comprehensive Planning process has been activated for many, many months.
YOU are the Plan.
I know it’s hard; but make this a priority. Here’s a way to start.
TUESDAY, MAY 12, beginning at 5:30 p.m., attend a public meeting at the CENTER FOR THE ARTS. The meeting takes place on the Center’s third floor, in Teton Art Lab’s new space. The Art Association’s digital photography studio will be available for those wanting to contribute comments electronically. Members of our arts community will ask questions and submit comments on the inclusion of public art and placemaking in Teton County’s Comprehensive Plan. Please try and make time to study Themes 3 and 7, in particular.
Preserving environment and quality of place, managing growth, and creating a 
more viable, broad-based economy are Jackson’s great challenges. Most crucial is ensuring we promote and protect our wildlife, its habitat and other environmentally sensitive areas. In our region, the arts are a keystone in preserving place. Although our Town Square’s monument, various land art and myriad creative educational projects provide continual reminders of our inherent love for the arts, we’ve so far not included researching and moving towards making the arts a part of our “constitution,” as it were. We can remind ourselves and all visitors of this history by including beautiful and lasting public place making in our Comprehensive Plan. Such planning aids in building tourism and strong market values. Think logo.
Art captures the essence of the places dear to our hearts. Successful public art resonates on a national level. Our traditional themes may be translated traditionally; they may also be translated using contemporary aesthetics and materials.
We must not only include the words. We must decide upon a logical process of implementation. Without implementation any plan is simply an exercise.
For information, contact Don Kushner at don@jhcenterforthearts.org or Carrie Geracie at carrie@centerofwonder.org.
The information below was written last Wednesday—but I was subsequently asked to push back the release of the post; hence all the references to events last week. Bottom line: Teton Art Lab is back in Jackson Town.
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Briefly: You might have seen Travis Walker walking around, and he’s walking around because Teton Art Lab will end up moving into a studio space at Jackson Hole Center for the Arts. This happens soon. No details yet.
Walker plans to attend Rocky Vertone’s Friday night opening of his new gallery space, located at Full Circle Frameworks, North Glenwood. 5:30 start time. Come and get your scoop! Rocky has not responded to my fears that the Associated Press may come raid the party; the news service ‘retained’ a certain HOPE artist behind bars, just yesterday.
More publicity! All publicity is good. It all makes for good chat material tomorrow evening, and beyond. Welcome back, Travis! Kudos to the Center for incorporating new tenants, and strengthening our arts community resources. One for all!
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Dear Galleries and Artists:
Please consider donating to 2009′s Jackson Hole “V-Day,” a benefit to support women whose lives are in jeopardy because of domestic violence. The event will be festive and fun, but the cause is serious. Here in Teton County we have one of the highest per-capita percentages of domestic violence in the nation.
I realize we are short on time, and I apologize—our donation deadline is FEB. 4. YIKES! Less time to think, better to act! :-)
I am soliciting for three kinds of donations:
#1.
February 19th’s Opening Gala wants to include a womens’ artist QuickDraw, with the resulting works to be auctioned via silent auction. Our goal is to have six artists participate in creating a work around the theme of “Woman.” You may use any medium. The event takes place in the lobby of the Performing Arts Theater at the Center for the Arts, and the gala will be going on as you work, so you’ll have a big audience. The QuickDraw will begin at 6:00, and will be 60 minutes long. QuickDraw artists will work on the upstairs landing overlooking the main lobby.
As a participating artist you will receive:
* A 1/8th page program advertisement; the ad is business-card sized.
* A ticket to the opening night Gala for a guest and two tickets to the Opening Night’s Performance.
* Your works will remain on display all three days of the benefit.
* You will be recognized as a donor in all advertising materials.
#2:
I am soliciting all galleries to donate an item of at least $50 in value, as a Silent Auction item. Lots of you have great jewelry! Arts, crafts, jewelry…all are welcome; we are aiming to auction items that appeal to women. As a personal request, I ask that you donate something you, yourself would like to have. :-) This will make the silent auction much more successful, and raise lots more dollars for women suffering at the hands of domestic violence. It’s also great p.r. for you! Your gift is tax-deductible as the law allows. I hope you will find it in your heart to make an in-kind donation to this very worthy cause. A donation with a value of $300 or more will also receive a 1/8 page program ad.
#3: I am asking for artists to donate individual works for our silent auction. Your donation will be tax deductible as the law allows, and you will have made a very important contribution to a cause we can all relate to. You will also receive some publicity as your item will be out for all to view, and of course you can have your own p.r. materials on hand for folks to peruse.
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February 19, 20 and 21, 2009, V-Day Jackson will present a three-night benefit for local organizations who work to stop violence against women and girls. The benefit will include a gala with Silent Auction, Thursday, February 19th beginning at 6pm followed by a very special production of “A Memory, A Monologue, A Rant and A Prayer.”
February 20th and 21st will feature productions of Eve Ensler’s award winning play, “The Vagina Monologues.”
All three evenings will be held in the Theatre in the Center for the Arts. Tickets will be available beginning January 30th at the Center for the Arts Box Office. Tickets for the Gala Evening are $50. Tickets for The Vagina Monologues are $30. Two night event tickets are also available for a discount; ask your ticket agent.
To learn more about V Day Jackson 2009 e-mail the organization at VDAYJH2009@live.com. To learn more about V Day and its campaigns visit www.vday.org.
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