Posts Tagged ‘Jackson Hole’
Plein Air In the Park; Arts Feed Economies
I hope Spring Break is being good to everyone here in Jackson Hole!
As noted in a previous post, this summer Grand Teton National Park (GTNP) plays host to the Rocky Mountain Plein Air Painters (RMPAP); the nationally acclaimed group arrives in the Park to paint July 1 – 12th. July 13-15, a fine art show and sale, benefitting GTNP, will be held at the Craig Thomas Discovery & Visitors Center in Moose, Wyoming. A gala opening reception takes place there on Friday, July 13, at 7:00 pm. Thursday, July 12, artists will participate in a Quick Draw, 4:00 – 6:00 pm. Please note: Quick Draw paintings will be included for sale in the show at the artist’s discretion. There will NOT be a sale or silent auction following the Quick Draw. The show concludes Sunday, July 15th, at 4:00 pm.
Wednesday, March 21, Maine’s retiring Republican Senator Olympia Snowe and New Mexico’s Democratic Senator Jeff Bingaman were interviewed on PBS’s Newshour. They discussed the disappearance of Washington’s political center. It’s a great interview, and the senators agreed that Washington’s polarization reflects the state of our nation; we are polarized to the point that even our media is polarized. If you’re a Republican, you tend to watch certain news channels; if you’re a Democrat, you tend to choose other news channels. It is difficult to move beyond party positions, they agreed. Snowe offered some advice to her successor:
“And, certainly, the advice I would give…to anybody who serves in elective office at any level, and certainly in the United States Senate, which is an institution that was designed by our founding fathers to build those bridges, I would certainly recommend being open and listening and talking to people with whom you disagree, not to just the people with whom you agree, because at the end of the day, you can’t solve a problem if you’re not talking to people that disagree with you. And I say that to my own constituents. And I think the frustration that exists across this country is a legitimate one, from the standpoint whether it’s Occupy Wall Street or Tea Party, is that we have failed to address the key questions at this consequential moment in the life of America.”
Remember the call to artists from the Democratic Party’s crusade to find an artist to design a new poster for the Dem’s 2012 convention in North Carolina? Well, local artists now have the chance to compete to have their art featured on 500 + reusable bags here in Jackson Hole.
Jackson Community Recycling (JCR) is launching its 6th Annual Reduce, Reuse, Recycle (RRR) Campaign, an effort to reduce plastic shopping bag use; a second purpose is served as the bags will become public art…mobile public art.
Happy Equinox!
Watercolorist Kay Stratman, who describes her work as “Asian influenced,” has posted new work on her newly revamped website. In the letter she sent me, Stratman featured one of her new paintings, Monday Morning Breakfast Group, depicting yellow headed and red winged blackbirds gathered for conversation. Perched on some cattails and set against a liquid blue-green background, these are animated, upbeat birds. It must be Spring; as I write this a flash mob of rosy finches is filling the air with chatter and clamoring around in the trees, while several robins look on, keeping their distance.
“The title came first, before the image, inspired by my husband Paul’s Monday morning breakfast group,” says Stratman. “I think it is lots of fun and hope you do too. [This painting] appears a bit more detailed than many of my looser, more spontaneous paintings. Actually the details are only in the beaks, eyes and feet. The rest is very loosely handled with watery color flowing and blending in the background.”
The artist also plans to teach some art classes later this spring; both involve watercolor technique and one incorporates encaustic wax. Classes take place at the Art Association this May and early June, and to find out more, you should visit the Art Associaton’s website –www.artassociation.org–or call 307.733.6379. Stratman will also take part in the National Museum of Wildlife Art’s June 16th Annual Quickdraw event.
Stratman is also represented by Horizon Fine Art, 30 King Street, in Jackson, Wyoming. Her work is part of a group show there, taking place the week of June 16th. www.horizonfineartgallery.com. Stratman’s website: www.kaystratman.com.
For some time now, the Victor, Idaho showroom of partners Rush Jenkins and Klaus Baer’s company, WRJ Design Associates and WRJ Home, has quietly turned heads.
Quietly around here, that is. In the most sophisticated arts, furnishings and estate auction circles, WRJ’s dynamic work is not only well-known, it’s in demand. This spring, Jenkins and Baer will open a flagship store in Jackson. Their 2,800 sq. ft. showroom at 30 King Street is across from the Snake River Grill. Plans are to open May 2012.
WRJ, (featured in the latest issue of Homestead Magazine) provides interior design, estate curatorial, exhibition and event design services; and are in the midst of designing a Hollywood Memorabilia Auction exhibition in Beverly Hills. Working with Los Angeles’ celebrity auction house Julien’s, they will produce an “auction of epic Hollywood proportions,” offering up remarkable items for sale—items like Charlie Chaplin’s cane and suit, Clark Gable’s “Gone with the Wind” riding jacket, Marilyn Monroe’s “pantaloons,” worn in the film “River of No Return,” and a vintage Christian Dior gown
worn by Princess Diana.
WRJ has confirmed it will design the exhibit around the sale of Edvard Munch’s “The Scream.” Pictured above left, in its original frame, it is among art history’s most significant works. “The Scream” is being sold at Sotheby’s New York in May. One of only four privately owned images of Munch’s work, it is expected to sell for at least $80,000,000.
“We are thrilled to have the pleasure of working with Sotheby’s,” says Jenkins. “It is a great honor to be involved with such an historic auction.”
Jenkins and I recently toured WRJ’s new space. “We’re working on five exhibits for Sotheby’s so far this year,” he said. “One is for Brooke Astor’s collection. Another is the Saperstein house, L.A.’s second largest home; the contents of which are being sold by Sotheby’s in April, among several other exciting collections this Spring and Fall. “We are also happy to already be working on several local interior design projects,” he reports.
Jenkins, an Idaho native, and Baer, from Georgia, are putting down roots in Jackson. Their new interior design showroom is about lifestyle. A series of partitioned rooms will evoke being in a real home, with spaces designed as dining, living and bedrooms. WRJ wants to provide visitors memorable experiences, and will carry a selection of fine furnishings and fabrics, including Ralph Lauren and Loro Piana. The store will be accentuated with a variety of objects from around the world.
Art and furnishings made by locals, that tie into the look WRJ wants to achieve, will be featured. The showroom’s atmosphere will be achieved through combining a careful a mix of Contemporary Western elements with Classic flair, with a nod to Rustic ambience.
“We love the concept of layers; it makes what we do interesting,” says Jenkins. “If you have a mix of things from contemporary to traditional, and it’s done in a vetted, beautiful way, it can be successful. We want to do that with our lighting, our furnishings, our objects and rugs. We’re trying to find the best that’s out there, and that doesn’t mean the most expensive; it just means really great design.”
Jenkins and Baer believe in the importance of community.
“The Victor store has been a great success; we were pleasantly surprised that a lot of people from Jackson came over and asked us, ‘When are you opening in Jackson? We can’t wait to
see it!’ We are excited to keep our Victor store next to Sun Dog Café, but Jackson will be our WRJ Flagship store, as well as our WRJ design office headquarters,” Jenkins emphasizes. ” We plan to bring in highlights from some of the auctions and exhibitions we have designed, as well as host events throughout the year, with book signings, lectures on art, design and interiors.”
Most importantly, Jenkins and Baer want their new showroom to beckon visitors. As Jenkins describes it, “The space is meant to feel like someone’s residence…as if you are walking through a private home. As you pass through the store, you move from room to room, and will see a beautiful collection of antiques, art and decorative objects. We want you to feel like you want to live there…amongst luxurious wonderful things!”
Visit WRJ’s website, www.wrjassociates.com for a look at some of their projects; the new www.wrjhome.com website is scheduled to launch this spring; or phone 307.200.4881. Email: info@wrjassociates.com.
