Posts Tagged ‘Wyoming Arts Council’
In neighboring Sublette County, the town of Pinedale has big plans for 2012. According to a recent edition of the Sublette Examiner, “Main Street Pinedale”—a group of Pinedale citizens working to promote its downtown by “capitalizing on its uniqueness and by using historic preservation to generate economic and entrepreneurial growth”— will host a series of conferences that will work to raise Sublette’s cultural profile.
Events surrounding the conferences include “CLICK! A Weekend for Wyoming Visual Artists.” The Sublette Examiner writes:
“The name “CLICK!” suggests that thing that happens when you reconnect with colleagues and get inspired by new ideas, which occurs continually when Wyoming artists congregate,” said Sue Sommers, a local artist who helped organize the event, and is hoping to expand on the visibility and interconnectedness of Wyoming’s art community with those near and far – something she also tackled recently with the Pipeline Art Project….Like Pipeline, CLICK! is working alongside the Wyoming Arts Council (WAC) [sharing] a database of Wyoming artists and helps plan and partially fund the project.”
CLICK! takes place March 30 – April 1, 2012 at the Sublette County Libray, Pinedale. More registration info will be available soon. To read the Examiner’s full article, “click” here.
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In case you live in a cave–and the only peeps I know doin’ that are Bears 399 & 610–you know wildlife painter Amy Ringholz is Jackson’s 2012 Fall Arts Festival (FAF) poster artist. At 34, Ringholz is the youngest FAF artist to date.
Her winning painting, “Dreamers Don’t Sleep,” a 72 x 60″ ink and oil on canvas, will be showcased in the National Museum of Wildlife Art’s lobby January 22 – March 23, 2012. A wonderous portrait of the region’s wildlife, its magnificent Teton Range, a sparkling night sky, the painting also includes 25 painted flowers, to in honor of NMWA’s 25th anniversary. The painting is set to be unveiled at the museum Sunday, January 22, at 3:00 pm
Inspired by Fritz Scholder and Egon Schiele, Ringholz is a contemporary painter—the first contemporary FAF artist in over a decade. As this year’s Festival artist, she joins some of the West’s most notable working artists: Russell Chatham, Bill Schenck, Donna Howell-Sickles and 2011′s Dwayne Harty.
Locally, Ringholz is represented by Altamira Fine Art. Her work has been exhibited at NMWA, the Rockwell Museum of Western Art and Desert Caballeros Museum. She’s been featured in Southwest Art, Western Art & Architecture, and Western Art Collector magazines.
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Altamira Fine Art also represents 2009′s Fall Arts Festival poster artist R. Tom Gilleon. Altamira has confirmed that prices for Gilleon’s works will “increase significantly” as of May 1, 2012.
Gilleon has a major museum exhibition January 28 – May 27, 2012, at the Booth Western Art Museum. He is planning a one man show at Altamira in July. For more information, contact Altamira at 307.739.4700. www.altamiraart.com
My sister went to Maui, and I got these cool pictures!
Sarah & Jeff had their belated wedding honeymoon in the Hawaiian Islands. A few cloudy days sent them exploring. These massive willow sculptures are installed on the grounds of Hui No‘eau Visual Arts Center, in Maui’s Upcountry. If you’ve visited Maui, you know the island’s landscape changes dramatically, depending on where you are on the island. Upcountry reminds me of Scotland’s Highlands, with its rolling mists, farms, livestock and stone walls. Hard to believe you’re on the slopes
of Haleakala volcano.
Hui No’eau’s art studios are the only public art studios on Maui. The facility offers year-round classes to island residents and visitors. It occupies an expansive historic estate, Kaluanui, designed in 1917, ”by the distinguished architect C.W. Dickey for Harry Baldwin and his wife, Ethel, who founded Hui No‘eau in 1934. The late Colin Cameron, grandson of the Baldwins and former president of Maui Land & Pineapple Co., generously granted Hui No‘eau use of Kaluanui as a visual arts center in 1976.” The center’s website says classrooms, studios, exhibiton space and offices are in the main house, while an “in-house dairy serves as Maui’s only public photography darkroom space.” Kaluanui’s former den is a gift shop and gallery. www.huinoeau.com
Have you heard of USA Artists? Or Pipeline to Miami?
I hadn’t, until I stumbled upon Pipeline’s home page. Pipeline is a Wyoming arts philanthropy project, the first of its kind in our Big Square State, and a sub-project of USA Artists. Pipeline’s goal is to send three Wyoming artists—David Klarén, Sue Sommers and JB Bond—to Florida’s Red Dot Art Fair. Red Dot, a Miami Art Week venue, takes place early December. Rather than paraphrase Pipeline’s mission, I’ll provide an excerpt:
“The Pipeline Art Project started with a handful of Wyoming contemporary visual artists realizing they all wanted the same thing: to live in the place they love, and to have viable art careers. But art opportunities are usually found in higher-population areas. We knew that to market our work outside the state, we needed to pool our ideas and resources. So we created the Pipeline Art Project: “Pumping Art from the Energy State of Wyoming.” Wyoming is better known for exporting coal, oil and gas than for its dedicated and talented contemporary artists. It’s the perfect place to make art, but a very tough place to build an art career. Pipeline wants to change that. We are trying to create a conduit to an international audience and better opportunities for ourselves and others.”
Providing techniques that move artists’ work to larger U.S. art market venues takes Wyoming arts support to new levels. It gets us thinking beyond sharing our great talents with each other. Intramural art missions will always be essential, but most Wyoming artists don’t have the means to get to art show venues outside the state. I hope Pipeline’s model earns its wings. Pipeline’s web page gets updated; at this writing the project has raised $3,750 of its $8,000 goal. Forty days left to help out! http://www.unitedstatesartists.org/project/pipeline_to_miami
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Jackson artists Jennifer Hoffman and Kathryn Mapes Turner entered an elite juried art show—the 12th Annual American Impressionist Society Exhibition in Carmel, California— and came back with big ribbons. Turner’s winning, “Best of Show” oil painting Siena
depicts a Italian church courtyard in Tuscany. Hoffman’s pastel, Allegory, won Plein Air Magazine’s “Award of Excellence.” Both artists are represented locally by Trio Fine Art.
Hoffman’s award includes ad placement in Plein Air Magazine. “I loved meeting so many incredible artists whose work I really admire,” says Hoffman. “I also was able to participate in the AIS paint-out the following day on Fisherman’s Wharf in Monterey, surrounded by beautiful scenery, talented AIS artists from all over the country, and enthusiastic tourists who seemed to really enjoy the event. All in all, the whole trip was energizing, inspiring, and really, really special.”
“I felt honored just to be accepted into such an important exhibition” says Turner. “Once I saw the high level of talent displayed, I was humbled and thrilled to receive their highest honor.” Turner says she was intrigued by the scale of human figures as set against massive marble church walls. Monochromatic colors lent a sense of harmony, and the setting was a great chance to explore composition and reflecting light.
“It’s an honor just to get into the American Impressionist Society show, one of the best juried shows I’ve taken part in,” adds Hoffman.
Scott L. Christensen was this year’s exhibition judge; he bestowed both awards. “Knowledge is a catalyst to completing a painting,” says Christensen. “But it must have a force behind it, a certain ‘seeing’ that is distinctly your own and developed through time.” www.americanimpressionsitsociety.org
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Ralph Mossman and Mary Mullaney—known collectively as Heron Glass—are happy to say they’re back in the creative, glass-blowing mode. The shop has announced two holiday bazaars: Saturday, December 3, 2011 visit Heron Glass at the Art Association’s 2011 Christmas Bazaar. Saturday, December 10, visit Heron Glass at their Driggs, Idaho studio from 10 am – 5pm. Address: 240 Nth 5th Street, Driggs. 208-354-2759 www.heronglass.com
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Etcetera—-Mountain Trails Gallery has renamed itself. The gallery will now be known as Mountain Trails Gallery Jackson Hole…..Cayuse Western Americana has a great new website!……David Brookover has a great new website!
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
February 7-9 and Feb. 11-13 2011, getting-famous glass blower Charlotte Potter will hold two glass blowing workshops at The Factory/Teton Art Lab in Jackson.
As far as Potter knows, these are Jackson’s first glass blowing workshops. Material properties of molten glass, basic techniques and some “non-traditional” practices will be examined. Students will work in teams, doing “couples skill-based drills with material exploration to conclude in a series of glass objects.” Hands-on practice is supported with lectures and demonstrations.
Potter, who last year received her MFA from the Rhode Island School of Design (considered by many to be the country’s most prestigious arts university), says she is thrilled to pioneer a new arts program. Her time at RISD 
has been transforming. If you are a Jackson chick, you probably have a pair of Potter’s earrings. I took my blue ones right out of her ears back in the day, when Potter was a SRB wait person. If you frequented Teton Art Lab’s earliest exhibitions, you remember Potter’s cutting edge, wickedly imaginitive glass wildlife wall trophies.
She is in awe of glass. “Glass has binary qualities cloaked with competing characteristics: liquid and solid, elastic and brittle, captivating and humbling,” says Potter. Before she embarked on her graduate studies she wasn’t really “clear” about why she was into glass, compelled as she was to work with her medium. Gradually, she became deeply focused on traditional glass-making; she now understands glass as an experience that culminates in a tangible object.
“Graduate studies at RISD required self-analysis and alert questioning of why I remain…inspired by hot glass as an artistic medium. Integral to the glass blowing process is [one's] body, and working with an assistant. Perhaps for this reason much of my work is concerned with the way people relate to one another, and being grounded in the body….I am curious about the ways in which humans relate to one another and…I court the allure and illusion of fusion.”
Potter believes that blowing glass immediately locates a person in their body, and quickly reveals dexterity’s importance. The process requires developing muscle memory crucial to creating an object.
“In my own studio practice, I am not wedded to glass or glassblowing, however I remain inspired by my native material, returning to glass studies when mystified [by] an idea. I believe I will always dip back into the well of glass for stimulation.”
Tuition for Potter’s class is $300. To register, call 307.699.0863 or email info@tetonartlab.com. To learn more about Potter’s impressive achievements, awards and exhibitions, and her art, log onto her website at www.charlottepotter.com.
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Before he left office former Wyoming Governor Dave Freudenthal announced the recipients of the 2010′s Governor’s Arts Award. Jackson’s own arts education non-profit pARTners is a recipient, and the group will accept that prize on February 11, 2011, in a celebratory event at Cheyenne’s Little America. The Wyoming Arts Council (WAC) award recognizes arts groups and individuals providing outstanding arts services to Wyoming.
“I think pARTners is a great fit for the award because we have such a strong, sixteen-year track record of bringing the arts into local classrooms to improve learning,” says the organization’s Matt Daly. “Each year we help students at every grade level participate in the creative process. I think the fact that Governor Freudenthal recognized pARTners for the award indicates the important place the arts have in our local schools. The arts can be integrated into every academic discipline, offering new challenges to all students. PARTners could not do our work if there weren’t teachers and administrators, artists and arts organizations who are all willing and eager to collaborate to bring the arts into the classroom. For us, receiving the award confirms the value Teton County places on the arts in the education of our young people.”
Congratulations, pARTners! To learn more about this arts non-profit and its award, log onto www.edu-partners.org/
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Jackson based photographer John Richter, who opened his shop on King Street last summer, has a new image, “Thanksgiving.” An edition of 250, the shot pictures Jackson Hole’s iconic Mormon Row barn. And though he’s seen lots of sunrises in his photographic career, Richter says this shot takes in one of the most beautiful sunrises he’s ever seen over the Teton Range.
“It was 20° below zero Thanksgiving morning, and I was struggling to record the beauty being presented to me as the biting cold literally sunk its teeth into my hands,” says Richter. “I could only imagine the hardships endured by the settlers who built this homestead a century ago!”
Stop into John Richter’s gallery, say hello to our new neighbors, and check out this and other images on display. It’s a riot of color in there, and the space transformed, now a den-like venue, dramatically lit. www.johnrichterphoto.com
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An artsy party benefitting theater in Jackson takes place February 5, 2011. The Madame X “Le Cabaret Artistique” cuts loose 6-9:00 pm at the Center for the Arts in Jackson. $100
buys you a festive evening enjoying the great music and talents of headliners Nicole Madison and Pam Drew Phillips, dinner, wine & dessert. Over 40 talented Jackson artists will take the stage. Proceeds benefit Off Square Theatre Company.
For information and to purchase tickets phone 307.733.3021. www.offsquare.org