Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Big West Arts Festival Aug. 4-5

It’s bound to be another great event at Sheridan College as the second annual Big West Arts Festival sets to turn campus into an art, music and food lover’s paradise on August 4 and 5.

The event runs from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. each day and includes free music, culinary delights and the works of over 50 artists from all over the nation who will display their work for viewing and for sale.

And who can beat free admission to an event that, in its first year, gained the attention of Art Fair Source Book, who billed the event as one of the top 200 art fairs in the nation? In fact, the Big West Arts Festival nabbed the 146th spot ranking.

According to Arts Fair Source Book’s editor, the Big West Arts Festival is an event where, “Artists were treated like royalty by the attentive staff and volunteers.”

For more information, contact Sheridan College at 674-6446.

Bookfest Profile: Lee Alley

Lee Alley is a decorated Vietnam War combat veteran from Wheatland, Wyoming, who now helps veterans of other wars adjust to civilian life and come to terms with their experiences. For more than three decades, Lee endured an emotionally draining silence over his fighting days in Vietnam, but he now speaks proudly, openly and emotionally of his service and helps other soldiers address and share their deeply personal experiences. Lee is the author of Back from War: Finding Hope and Understanding in Life after Combat, an emotional first-hand account of a veteran's difficulty to adjust to civilian life and how, after decades, he overcame his silent suffering to become a major advocate for veterans of all wars.

Lee Alley is one of 40-some authors who will conduct presentations and sign their books during the Wyoming Book Festival Sept. 14-15 in Cheyenne. FMI: http://www.wyomingbookfestival.org/authors.html.

Monday, July 30, 2007

UW celebrates twenty-five years of traveling art

The University of Wyoming Art Museum’s outreach programs, the Ann Simpson Artmobile and the Regional Touring Exhibition Service are celebrating 25 years of service to the State of Wyoming. "The Ann Simpson Artmobile is an art museum on wheels," said Wendy Bredehoft, education curator. It is a key outreach program for the University Art Museum. According to Bredehoft, "Ann Simpson’s vision of bringing original art to every Wyoming community – no matter how remote – is a reality with the Artmobile."

The Ann Simpson Artmobile exhibition, The View from Here: Art by Women Working in the Rocky Mountain West, offers a variety of subjects, media, and creative approaches through artwork by women from Colorado, Montana and Wyoming. It will premier at the 2007 Summer Teacher Institute and be used as the primary resource material for teachers attending in the institute. "Teachers will explore the new artwork and use it as inspiration for developing curricular units for their classroom," said Bredehoft. Teachers will implement the curricular units they develop in their classrooms over the next two years as the Artmobile visits each participant’s school.

The Ann Simpson Artmobile program also launches its 25th year with a new curator. Beth Weztbarger is a University of Wyoming graduate with a BA in fine art/printmaking. Wetzbarger joined the museum staff in late July.

The Regional Touring Exhibition Service brings original art to communities across Wyoming. Scheduled in libraries, community center, galleries, and museums, as many as seven exhibitions are available. Subjects range from western art to contemporary art and are drawn from the University of Wyoming Art Museum’s collection or borrowed from living artists. For more information on the Regional Touring Exhibition Service, please contact EK Kim, collections manager, at (307)-766-6634 or
museumek@uwyo.edu

The Artmobile Program has openings for additional visits to schools and communities. For more information and to schedule a visit, please contact Beth Wetzbarger, Artmobile Curator, at (307) 399-2941 or
artmobile@uwyo.edu

Book TV Bus comes to Wyoming

The Book TV Bus has been touring the nation since 2005, promoting C-SPAN2's unique weekend-long programming of nonfiction books and authors, and collecting interesting literary programming from communities around the country. The Bus is a customized 45-foot long motor coach with a mobile television production studio and media demonstration center on board, giving the crew a perfect venue to conduct author interviews and the public a vivid glimpse into TV production and Book TV's programming. Visit the Book TV Bus on MySpace

The C-Span2 Book TV Bus will be at the Gillette library Tuesday, July 31, from 4-7 p.m., then Sheridan on Wed.

Upcoming Events
Upcoming Book TV Bus events are listed below. Click the Details button for more information on the location and times the Book TV Bus event will be held.
Event Dates
Event Name and Location

July 31
TBAGilette, WY
August 01
TBASheridan, WY
August 02
TBABillings, MT
August 03
TBABillings, MT
August 04
TBAHelena, MT
August 05
TBAMissoula, MT
August 07
TBAMissoula, MT
August 08
TBASpokane, WA
August 08
TBACoeur d'Alene, ID
August 11
TBAYakima , WA

View Complete Schedule

Home Privacy Policy C-SPAN.org Booknotes.orgCopyright © 2007, National Cable Satellite CorporationCreated by Cable. Offered as a Public Service.

Friday, July 27, 2007

WWP play recalls 1885 Chinese Massacre

From a University of Wyoming press release:

The Wyoming Writing Project will present an original play, "The Ghosts of Bitter Creek," during a dinner-theatre performance Friday, Aug. 3, at the Trading Post/Centennial Valley Playhouse in Centennial.

The production is based on the 1885 Chinese Massacre in Rock Springs, a significant event in Wyoming's history. Due to its themes and content, "The Ghosts of Bitter Creek" is not recommended for younger audiences.

The schedule calls for seating in the Trading Post dining area at 6 p.m., dinner service at 6:30 p.m., seating in the Centennial Valley Playhouse at 7:30 p.m., and the play's debut performance at 8 p.m.

Tickets for both dinner and the performance cost $25 per person. Tickets for the play, without dinner, are $5 per person. Occupancy is limited so advance reservations are required. For ticket reservations and dinner menu selections, call Linda Taylor at (307) 742-7731.

Colin Keeney, University of Wyoming Department of English lecturer, says the play will, "develop the issues, attitudes and politics leading up to the Chinese Massacre, dramatically portray the events of September 1885 in Rock Springs, and examine the event's aftermath."

The play will be followed by a dance at the Trading Post that is open to the public. Music will be provided by Keeney, Kate McKeage, Jack Wallace and "Teense" Wilford.

"The Ghosts of Bitter Creek" has been written and will be performed by this year's participants in the Wyoming Writing Project Summer Invitational. Wes Nethercott, Detroit, Mich., is the director.
Particpants are:
Cheyenne -- Ashlie Boltinghouse, Denice Davenport and Roxann Shook
Dixon -- Stephanie Malcolm
Douglas -- Kathy Morsett
Laramie -- Connie Currie, Nancy English, Lori Howe and Leslie Rush
Longmont, Colo. -- Katee Vallad
Medicine Bow -- Wendy Phillips
Mountain View -- Debra Fisher
Oakland, Calif. -- Debby Boller
Rawlins -- Traci Blaize and Travis Moore
Wheatland -- Ann Elder and Linda Hazaleus

The Wyoming Writing Project is funded, in part, by the UW College of Arts and Sciences. Open to all Wyoming teachers from all disciplines and grade levels, the project improves participants' personal and professional writing abilities, teaches the value of a "writing community," and develops successful strategies to effectively incorporate writing in all classes from K-12 and beyond.

Big Read features "My Antonia"

From the Wyoming Big Read web site:

Join thousands of people across Wyoming this fall who will read, discuss and fall in love with one book: My Ántonia by Willa Cather. It's all part of The Big Read, a program of the National Endowment for the Arts.

Wyoming's Big Read starts on September 12 when Wyoming Public Television airs the documentary, "Willa Cather: The Road is All" at 7 p.m. It gets its big kickoff with several events at the Wyoming Book Festival in Cheyenne on September 15, including a keynote address by past Wyoming Poet Laureate Robert Roripaugh, a Willa Cather living history performance and a free giveaway of hundreds of "Catch, Read and Release!" books.

From then until November 15, local libraries in 13 counties will have book discussions, living history performances, children's activities, dances, displays and their own book giveaways.

Sen. Mike Enzi and his wife Diana, lifelong supporters of reading and literacy, are serving as honorary co-chairs of Wyoming's Big Read project.

Music in the Mountains

The 5th Annual Happy Jack Music Festival will be at the Curt Gowdy State Park just east of Laramie beginning Friday, August 10, and running until Sunday, August 12. The Wilders, Songs and Brothers, Hed Win, Acoustic Mining Co., The Rawhide Bluegrass Band, and many more will be performing.

FMI go to www.wyoparks.wy.us and search under Happy Jack Music Festival.

Smash Mouth at Sweetwater Fair

Thursday, August 2, Smash Mouth performs at 8 p.m. at the Sweetwater County Fair in Rock Springs. Smash Mouth formed in the mid-nineties in San Jose, California and had their first hit with the '50s-influenced "Walkin' on the Sun." Other big hits from the garage-and-surfin'-influenced group include "All Star" and the 60s group, The Monkees' "I'm A Believer," both made even more popular and recognizable by the Shrek soundtrack.

Admission: Adults - $7; Seniors - $5; Children (6-12) - $5; Children under 6 are free

Beauty and the Beast at Casper College

Friday, July 27 and Saturday, July 28, Casper College's musical Beauty and the Beast is presented at 7:30 p.m. each evening on the McMurry Main Stage in the Gertrude Krampert Theatre. Tickets are $10/children and $12 for adults. Groups of 20 or more receive a $2 discount.

FMI phone (307) 268-2110 or visit www.caspercollege.edu

It's only rock n' roll, but I like it...

Front Row rock and roll classic concert photography by Chris Deutsch is on exhibit from August 3 to August 16 at The Camera Obscura Gallery, 1309 Bannock, in Denver. In "Remember When Rock Was Young," Deutsch waxes nostalgic on the 1980s, his magazine, Front Row, which he published and wrote for in the mid 80s in Denver, and his own fanship. Now, the photos of the famous rockers and many lesser known performers are a part of the hit-story of the MTV generation. "Each of these photographs captures an element of the rock n' roll esthetic with such purity and focus...these are pictures of the performers as you remember them, at their peak, showing a youthful side that in many cases has long since faded away," writes Deutsch. He also describes the equipment he used "back then": a Nikon FE2 with an MD12 motor drive (essential to fire off as many photos as possible), 36-exposure film (hoping that while he was reloading, that perfect shot wasn't happening), and an assortment of lenses (he was particularly fond of the 50mm f1.4).

A reception for the artist will be hosted on Friday, August 3, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the gallery.

FMI call (303) 623-4059; FAX at (303) 893-4195; or visit the website at http://www.cameraobscuragallery.com/ or e-mail to info@cameraovscuragallery.com

Thursday, July 26, 2007

Summer Teacher Institute at UW Art Museum

From Sunday, July 29 to Friday, August 23, teachers throughout Wyoming, Montana and Colorado will converge at the University of Wyoming Art Museum for the 2007 Summer Teacher Institute. Transforming Learning: The 2007 Summer Teacher Institute at the UW Art Museum is a concentrated, week-long workshop for teachers. The institute will engage participants as learners in the process of analyzing original artwork, exploring concepts, context, and techniques, and involve them in the making and critiquing of art. The new Ann Simpson Artmobile exhibition will serve as resource and inspiration. Under the guidance of master teachers and artists, participants will develop curriculum that can be implemented in their classrooms in conjunction with a visit to their school by the Ann Simpson Artmobile over the next two years. Exhibiting artists and master teachers may also be available during the Artmobile visit.
Transforming Learning is recommended for K-12 art teachers and teachers in other disciplines looking for new ways to inspire students to learn. Participants in the course are eligible for 2-3 university graduate credits or 2-3 re-certification credits (pending approval). There is a $50 non-refundable registration fee, and participants wishing to receive graduate credits will be charged $40/credit. Mileage, lodging for five nights and breakfasts and lunches for five days will be provided.
For more information, contact Wendy Bredehoft at 307-766-3496 or at wbredeho@uwyo.edu
or Wendy Fanning at 307-766-5139, wfanning@uwyo.edu. The summer institute was made possible by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Wyoming Arts Council, and the Arts and Sciences Department.

Bringing the world of art to Wyoming, the Art Museum is located in the Centennial Complex at 22nd & Willett Drive in Laramie. The Museum and Museum Store are open Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, 1 to 5 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, please call the Art Museum at 307-766-6622 or visit http://www.uwyo.edu/artmuseum

UW Art Museum initiates Master Teacher program

The University of Wyoming Art Museum has initiated a pilot project that brings a full-time Master Teacher to the museum’s education program this year. Funds for this project were raised at a July 19th event hosted by Richard and Judith Agee in their home in Jackson, Wyoming.

The Master Teacher Pilot Project will provide increased opportunities for K-16 students and teachers statewide to utilize the University Art Museum’s resources in support of their own learning and teaching objectives. It will offer regular teaching opportunities for pre-service students and enriched teaching opportunities for graduate students. It will enable interdisciplinary connections and lessons with support curricular materials and study guides which will be available on the museum’s webpage. It will also establish an on-going relationship between students and the museum, and it will encourage them to regularly participate in museum-sponsored programs.

The Master Teacher for this pilot project is Diane Panozzo, an experienced teacher who brings twenty-eight years of experience in Wyoming schools to the position. Most recently she was an instructor of English 1010 and an instructor in the Synergy program at the University of Wyoming. Before that she spent eighteen years teaching in Laramie County School District at East High School in Cheyenne, and another eleven years at Kelly Walsh High School and Roosevelt Center in Casper, Laramie County Community College in Cheyenne, Central Wyoming College in Riverton, Poudre High School in Fort Collins, Colorado, Durango High School in Las Vegas, Nevada, and Hammond Gavit High School in Hammond, Indiana. Diane taught English, speech and debate, theatre, International Baccalaureate Language A1, AP English, screenwriting, creative writing, and acting I and II. She helped to establish State Standards and Assessments in English, and in speech and drama. She was awarded the Wyoming Arts Council’s Literary Arts Fellowship in 2003 and was nominated for the Governor’s Art Awards in 2005. She is a writer, researcher, and teacher and is most interested in interdisciplinary learning.

Bringing the world of art to Wyoming, the Art Museum is located in the Centennial Complex at 22nd & Willett Drive in Laramie. The Museum and Museum Store are open through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, 1 to 5 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, please call the Art Museum at 307-766-6622 or visit http://www.uwyo.edu/artmuseum

Special Guests bring sizzle to August storytimes at Teton County Library

Although the library's 2007 free Summer Reading Program "Get a Clue @Your Library" winds up on August 3, free weekly Storytime presentations will continue to sizzle throughout the month of August. Children's librarians will keep reading magic rolling during August with a puppet show and guest presentations about everything from mystery puppets to animal scat to birds of prey. Studies show that reading even a few books during the summer can help kids maintain the literacy skills they learn in school. The library invites kids ages 3 to 8 to join in the fun every Thursday from 10:30 to 11 a.m. in the Ordway Auditorium. Featured themes are:

2 August, Thursday
Mystery Puppet Show Storytime. Celebrate the end of children's Summer Reading: "Get a Clue @Your Library" with children's librarians, who will present Detective Jiggs Takes the Case.

9 August, Thursday
Wildfire Series: Children's Storytime. A guest storytime presentation for Smokey the Bear's 63rd birthday. Leslie Williams presents Fire Safety with the Forest Service.

16 August, Thursday
Guest Storytime: Newly's Honey Trail Tale. Animal lover and educator, Newly Schwartzman brings surprise animals to show and tells his story about the Honey Trail.

23 August, Thursday
Guest Storytime: Fascinating Birds of Prey. Discover the fascinating world of birds of prey with guest Storytime presenter Amy Goicoechea from the National Museum of Wildlife Art.

30 August, Thursday
Guest Storytime: Who Left That? Naturalist Kim Springer teaches kids about scat - who left it and what clues it may hold about animal habits.


These free Storytime presentations have been made possible through generous support from the Teton County Library Foundation. For information about Storytime or other children's services at the library, contact Youth Services, 733-2164 ext. 103, or go online to www.TCLib.org/youth.

Teton County Library offers open and equal access to information, literature and ideas.to encourage a lifetime of learning, to strengthen our evolving community, to inspire us all.

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Margie Newman exhibit at Sheridan Public Library

Margie Newman exhibit Summer Mountains, sumi and watercolor paintings, runs from August 1 through August 31. An artist reception will be held August 2nd, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Sheridan County Fulmer Public Library.

Bev Doolittle at Big Horn Print Gallery

The Greenwich Workshop presents Bev Doolittle's first limited edition release in eight years and first ever limited edition fine art canvas, Beyond Negotiations. Bev will answer questions and personalize her artwork on Thursday, August 9, from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Big Horn Print Gallery at 1355 Sheridan Avenue in Cody, Wyoming.

Beyond Negotiations is not only Bev's first ever acrylic-on-canvas painting, but her largest ever. The piece began its life as a stone lithograph, but when Bev saw her sketch enlarged, she knew these warriors were destined to become a big painting.
Museum edition fine art giclee canvas is limited to 350 (72"w x 26" h) unstretched for $2950.
Masterwork edition fine art ficlee canvas limited to 3750 (44"w x 16" h) unstretched for $795.
FMI go to www.bighornprints.com or phone (307) 587-7033

Simon Kogan at Muse


Simon Kogan new sculptures show from July 23 through July 31. Meet the artist on Thursday, July 26, from 5-9 pm. The work of Simon Kogan embraces the heart and soul of classic art and exudes his very distinctive style, vision, and power.

FMI go to http://www.jhmusegallery.com/ or phone
(307) 733-0555. Write to P.O. Box 1435, Jackson, WY 83001. Muse is located at 62 S. Glenwood St. in Jackson, WY.

Learn Cajun Two Step at Oyster Ridge

Members of the Louisiana dance band L'Angelus --- Paige, Katie, and Steve Rees -- will conduct a free Cajun dance class at the Oyster Ridge Music Festival July 27-29 in Kemmerer. The class will be held at the stage from 11:30 a.m.-noon. Here's a description:

Cajun two step, Jig and Waltz steps are among the many moves that you will need to have down before you can fully take advantage of the music of the authentic cajun dance band, L'Angelus. This workshop is a gift from L'Angelus to you. They will present from the stage on Saturday morning, free to all who wish to attend, all the instruction you need to send you whirling like a "Cocodrie". Join us at the" Fais do do" for the best of "Bon temps".

"Jentel Presents" at Sheridan Library

"Jentel Presents," readings and slide presentations by current writers and visual artists at the Jentel Artist Residency Program (shown in photo at right). This month, the presenters include a fiction writer, sculptor, photographer, painter, printmaker, and a filmmaker. It will be held at the Sheridan County Fulmer Public Library Inner Circle on Tuesday, August 7, 5:30-7 p.m. Refreshments will be provided.

FMI: Lynn Reeves, program manager, Jentel Foundation, 130 Lower Piney Creek Rd., Banner WY 82832; 307-737-2311.

Monday, July 23, 2007

Tips on getting that coveted free publicity

Taken from the Casper Star-Tribune's May 20 edition, here are some great tips from Lisa Icenogle, Casper College public relations, if you or your organization have an upcoming event and would like to get the word out effectively before the event takes place.

* Think about coverage as soon as you begin organizing the event. If you want publicity, assign someone to inform the media early on.
* Give plenty of warning. If you're inviting the public to your event, give the media three weeks's lead time.
* When sending information to the media, remember the traditional five W's: who, what, where, when, and why.
* Just the facts, ma'am. Reporters will pare down any profusion of words.
* Quotes from an appropriate spokesperson can add punch.
* Deliver your news by e-mail. The reporter can cut and paste hunks of useful text, (I can attest to this) and there's less chance of your hard copy document being lost in the shuffle.
* Have somebody proofread your work. Are the names spelled right? Dates and times accurate? Entities publishing your news are assuming that these details are correct.
* Provide a direct phone number for a knowledgeable spokesperson. The easier it is to get in touch with key personnel, the easier the news can get out there. Your event is not the only one happening that day.
* If you frequently need publicity, establish a relationship with a reporter or editor.
* Don't send posed photos after the event is over. The honesty and spontaneity of the event is lost.
* If your event wasn't covered, why not? Was your information late? Did bigger news break? Whatever the reason don't take it personally. Establish that relationship with the delivering medium for the next event coming up.
* Treat the people you want to spread the information the same way you would like to be treated. Common courtesy goes a long way.

Pinedale Fine Arts Council 07-08 season

Friday, September 28 -- Los Llaneros brings the energetic and haunting melodies of the Colombian/Venezuelan Llanos (plains that surround the vast basin of the Orinoco River in South America).

Thursday, Octover 11 -- Hubbard Street 2 is a vibrant company of six dancers performing a repertoire that mirrors the variety and vitality of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago's (HSDC) main company.

Thursday, November 1 -- Alison Brown Quartet is led by Grammy-nominated banjoist Alison Brown. They offer up an astonishingly original instrumental sound that blends jazz, bluegrass, latin and folk music and takes the banjo far from its stereotyped hillbilly roots.

Friday, January 11 -- Second City was founded in Chicago in 1959 and has become the premier training ground for the comedy world's best and brightest. John Belushi, Dan Aydroyd, Bill Murray, Gilda Radner, Martin Short and John Candy are just a few famous alumni.

Friday, February 8 -- Utah Symphony was founded in 1940 and has become a vital presence on the American music scene through its distinctive performances worldwide and its well-known recording legacy.

FMI go to www.pinedalefinearts.com or phone (307) 367-7322. Ticket prices per event are $12/adults and $7/students.

Cellist Lynn Harrell at Grand Teton Music Festival

For four weeks, Lynn Harrell is Artist-in-Residence at the Grand Teton Music Festival. During that time, he will perform in several events including a performance of Strauss' Don Quixote (July 27-28) as featured soloist with the Grand Teton Music Festival Orchestra; a special recital as part of the Festival's Spotlight Series, An evening with Lynn Harrell (July 26); and Chamber Classics with our resident musicians. For the all-Wagner Orchestra performances (August 17-18) the audience is invited to watch and listen as Lynn sits Principal cello in the Orchestra, a very unusual treat.

For these concerts and more call (307) 733-1128 or go to www.gtmf.org

Sunday, July 22, 2007

Proulx stories yield taste treats

This item about Wyoming writer Annie Proulx comes from Jenny Shank, New West book editor:

Rocky Mountain News Book Editor Patti Thorn and Food Editor Marty Meitus team up on occasion to offer a book club suggestion complete with menu and questions for discussion. Yesterday they featured Annie Proulx's Close Range: Wyoming Stories. For the menu, they consulted with the chef at The Fort, who offered recipes for "Triple-Cherry Cast Iron Cobbler" and "Buffalo Drive Burgers" to go with Proulx's fiction. Thorn noted a few of the food-based passages from Proulx's stories. I don't remember Proulx often depicting what her characters eat; a passage like this one from her story "The Half-Skinned Steer" springs more quickly to mind: "So what then, Rollo said, picking at the horse manure under his boot heel."

I don't remember too many food scenes from Close Range. Lot of drinking going on, so maybe a few drink recipes are needed to accompany "Buffalo Drive Burgers."

Friday, July 20, 2007

Tuesday Night Book Club at Laramie County Library

Celebrate the joys of reading by joining the Tuesday Night Book Club. Sponsored by the Laramie County Library and Starbucks, this group meets at 7 p.m. on the third Tuesday monthly at Starbucks, 3610 Dell Range.

Members of the community are welcome to join any or all of the monthly sessions. The library has some copies of the book available for checkout. If none are available, participants should place a request on the book at the library or locate a copy elsewhere.

Upcoming sessions include:
● Aug. 21: "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri
● Sep.18: "Eat Pray Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert
● Oct. 16: "My Antonia" by Willa Cather


The Tuesday Night Book Club began in 2002 as collaboration between the two organizations. A self-directed book club, the group has received national recognition for its work in creating community partnerships. For more information, call 635-1032, ext. 123, or visit
www.LCLSonline.org

Call for proposals

Wayne State College announces a Request for Proposals (RFP) for an interior wall artwork project to be installed within the remodeled Rice Auditorium on the WSC campus.
Wayne State College Logo colors are white, black and yellow.
ABOUT THE PROJECT: This request for proposals project competition is open to all professional public artists or artist teams from throughout the United States, including those who are new to the field of public art. Rice auditorium is the Wayne State College campus facility for Health, Human Performance, and Sport activities. This multi-use building includes study areas, classrooms, faculty offices, labs and performance venues. The artwork project calls for the design of an interior wall in conjunction with the architect/contractor's plan. A partial wall to define the open study lounge is also a possibility for the project.
BUDGET: $35,000

PROJECT CONTACT: To learn more about this project, contact:
JD Hutton, Nebraska Arts Council, Artist Services and Communications Manager, at (800) 341-4067 or within Omaha area at (402) 595-2142, or email at jhutton@nebraskaartscouncil.org or email to: jhutton@nebraskaartscouncil.org

For more information on this RFP; or to download the prospectus and supporting materials for this project, visit the Wayne State College website at:
http://www.wsc.edu/news_events/art_rice/ or http://nebraskaartscouncil.pmailus.com

APPLICATION DEADLINE: AUGUST 30TH, 2007

Casper Artcore Music and Poetry Series

Monday, July 23 -- reading will be Tom Rea, a freelance writer and editor living in Casper. He received an MFA in creative writing from the University of Montana and served as Writer-in-Residence for the Wyoming Arts Council, before working as a reporter and editor on the Casper Star-Tribune. He is the author of several books about Wyoming, including Bone Wars: The Excavation and Celebrity of Andrew Carnegie's Dinosaur and Devil's Gate: Owning the Land, Owning the Story, a hostory of Independence Rock, Devil's Gate and Marin's Cove, published last year by the University of Oklahoma Press. Musical performance by the Todd Scott Trio --members Todd Scott, Larry Neeff, and Amy Gieske.

Monday, July 30 -- Reading will be by the Dusty Daisies,five female poets --Ella Cvancara, Cathy Bailey, Arnetta Baugh, Ginny Jack Palumbo, Ellen Vayo -- who wax poetic on a make-believe roundup, and harass the male trail boss, Alan Cvancara, Ella's husband. Poetry ranges from sad to funny to soulful, interspersed with trail music. Musical performance by One Wild Onion.

Wyoming writers read in Colorado

Come on down:
Our own Mike Shay joins Laramie writers Julianne Marie Couch, Jeffe Kennedy, and RoseMarie London for "Seeking Wyoming, Speaking Wyoming" on Friday, July 20, 7-10 p.m., at Everyday Joe's Coffee House, 144 S. Mason St., on the corner of Oak and Mason in Fort Collins, Colo. We'll start the evening with a reading, and then sign our books, eat, and drink. We'll offer some free munchies and sell books while the good folks at Everyday Joe's sell you caffeinated beverages of one kind or another.

All writers of collections, Julianne's non-fiction book, finished after years of exhaustive hands-on research, is "Jukeboxes and Jackelopes: A Wyoming Bar Journey." It's set for a June release from Greybull's Pronghorn Press. Jeffe's essay collection is "Wyoming, Trucks, True Love, and the Weather Channel" from University of New Mexico Press. RoseMarie's story collection is "The Search for an Inappropriate Man" and Mike's is "The Weight of a Body" from Ghost Road Press. All of the work is inspired and set (for the most part) in Wyoming. That's obvious in Jeffe's and Julianne's books, as "Wyoming" is right in the title. At least one of Mike's stories is set in Colorado, and he ranged all the way to Florida for another. For her part, RoseMarie searched high and low for inappropriate men.

Get your literary fix on in Fort Collins July 20.

Also catch Mike Shay on August 13 for Casper Artcore's Music and Poetry series along with musical performance by Tyler Enders.

NATIONAL PRINT competition and exhibition

The Janet Turner 7th National Print Competition and Exhibition 2008 is taking entries. Open to artists residing in the U.S., prints must be original and done within the past two years. Previously exhibited works, crafts, photographs, and sculpture are ineligible. All prints must be traditionally printed -- no machine prints accepted. Combination techniques must include traditional press printing as a significant component. Images will only be accepted on CD in .jpg format, 4 x 6 inches, 150 DPI. Entry fee is $25 for three images, $10 for each additional image, no limit on total. Three purchase awards and other cash and merit awards will be presented.

FMI contact Janet Turner, Print Museum, CSU Chico, 400 W. 1st Street, Chico, CA 95929-0820; phone (530) 898-4476 or email csullivan@exchange.csuchico.edu for deadlines, results and exhibition dates.

Juror for the show is Karen Breuer, Curator of Contemporary Graphic Art, Auchenbach foundation for graphic arts, Fine Art Museum of San Francisco.

Muse exhibits John Felsing

John Felsing's intriguing exhibit "Dammerung" (Twilight) will be on exhibit from July 19 to August 7, 2007. You can meet the artist on Thursday, July 19, from 5-9 p.m. A preview of the exhibit is available at www.jhmusegallery.com

Muse Gallery is located at 62 S. Glenwood St. in Jackson, Wyoming 83001. Mailing is P. O. Box 1435, or phone is (307) 733-0555.

Thursday, July 19, 2007

ARTCORE's "New Music Competition"

ARTCORE in Casper announces its "New Music Competition" for composers in Wyoming.

Applicants must submit a manuscript of a work of no more than 20 minutes in length. It must be new work that has not been performed previously.

Winning manuscript will be performed during the 2008-2009 season.

Entry fee is $15. Make checks out to ARTCORE and mail to ARTCORE, PO Box 874, Casper, WY 82602. Postmark deadline is Jan. 15, 2008.

Carmina burana at Teton Music Festival

On Friday, July 20, Saturday, July 21, and on Sunday, July 22, 2007 (a special matinee performance), the songs of "Carmina burana," based on 24 medieval poems and tales, will be performed. The work takes you on a journey through the fickleness of fortune and wealth, the fleeting nature of life, the joy of the return of spring, and the pleasures and perils of drinking, gluttony, gambling and lust. Opening this performance is violinist William Preucil, bringing to life Stephen Paulus's gorgeous, moving, and uniquely American violin concerto -- the work itself is dedicated to Preucil. Tickets are available on line or by calling (307) 733-1128.

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Wyo. SHPO gets preservation grant

The Wyoming State Historic Preservation Office in Cheyenne received a $25,500 Preserve America grant to educate communities about historic preservation and heritage tourism.

US Senator Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., received the grant on behalf of Wyoming SHPO from First Lady Laura Bush and Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne at a ceremony in Washington, D.C.

The grant will be used to provide one-day training sessions around the state that will focus on basic preservation education. For example, local preservation committee members will learn how to complete a National Register nomination, how to file for federal tax incentives and how to educate their city/county leaders. These training sessions will involve the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Wyoming Main Street Program, and other organizations with knowledge of preservation issues in the West.

Preserve America provides matching grants to assist communities with marketing, planning and educational efforts that strengthen regional identities and local pride, increase local participation in preserving cultural and natural heritage assets, and support economic vitality.

FMI: Mary Hopkins, SHPO, 307-777-6311.

Wildfire Series at Teton Co. Library

From a press release:

Wilson photographer Karen Wattenmaker has felt the heat of 150-foot-high pines exploding into flames twice as tall as the trees around her. She has felt the rush of hot winds as firefighters torched the ground to create a safety zone while escaping a fast-approaching wildfire. With a "red card" certifying her qualifications as a firefighter, Wattenmaker has had access to the frontlines of wildfires across the American West. Joining fire crews with a camera as her tool, she has documented the hot, dirty work of managing wildland fires.

Teton County Library in Jackson invites the community to experience the heat with a Wildfire Series featuring Wattenmaker's exhibit of color photographs and a series of lectures offering a variety of views from the fireline. The exhibit and lectures are free and open to the public.

The series ignites Thursday, August 2 with an opening reception at 7 p.m. for the exhibit, "Wildfire," in the library's Exhibit Gallery followed by Wattenmaker's slideshow lecture, "Cycle of Fire," in the Ordway Auditorium. She will share a 15-year history of fires in the West while discussing forest conditions, human developments at risk along the forest fringe, suppressing fires and the role of fire in the natural regeneration of forests.

The Wildfire exhibit will be on view in the library's Exhibit Gallery through September 22.

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Case study: Jackson Arts Center

From a press release:

A successful community collaboration benefiting Teton County's arts community will be the focus of a lunchtime roundtable at the sixth annual Snowy Range Nonprofit Institute, scheduled for Aug. 5-7 at the University of Wyoming College of Law in Laramie. Karen Stewart, executive director of the Jackson Hole Art Association, will share insights learned in the multi-organization effort during the session. Stewart will describe the process of building a coalition of arts groups and elaborate on the steps the group went through to create and construct the Center for the Arts. She'll talk about what the group learned, in the hope that those lessons might smooth bumps in the road for other communities.

The Center for the Arts is a permanent home for 20 arts and education organizations. The center, which opened its doors in 2005, is a testament to the effectiveness of collaborations. Having these organizations now housed in the same building has enhanced the collaborative relationships among the residents. Since assuming the executive directorship, Stewart has guided the Jackson Hole Art Association through dramatic growth, more than tripling its educational scope, and the relocation to the Center for the Arts. She led the development of its community outreach programs serving adults and youth in a variety of settings and in the public schools. Stewart oversees the financial and management of the organization and is responsible for curating exhibitions and promoting the Art Association on a community and state level.

For more information on the Center for the Arts, visit its website: http://www.jhcenterforthearts.org/. For information on the Jackson Hole Art Association, visit its website: http://www.artassociation.org/.

For more information on SRNI 2007 or to register online, visit the institute website: http://www.srni.org.

LeDoux exhibit extended through September

The Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum has extended its Chris LeDoux exhibition, "Horsepower," through September.

The Ledoux exhibit features memorabilia, personal letters, recordings, photographs and original art showcasing the life of this world-class rodeo and country music legend and his ties to Cheyenne and Wyoming. It includes footage of a Chris LeDoux concert at Cheyenne Frontier Days and explores his Cowboy State connections. The CFD Old West Museum is located at 4610 Carey Avenue in Cheyenne, adjacent to the Frontier Days' facilities. Admission is free for museum members and $6 for non-members. Hours during CFD week, July 21-29, are 8 a.m.-8 p.m. FMI: 307-778-7290.

Elisa Monte Dance in Jackson Aug. 11

Monday, July 16, 2007

"The Laramie Project" opens July 19

"The Laramie Project," presented by the No Fog West Theatre Company, will take the stage at the Carriage House Theater, 419 Delphi Ave. in Sheridan, on July 19, 20, 21, 26, 27, and 28 at 8 p.m. and July 22 at 3 p.m. Tickets are $8 and are available in advance at The Book Shop and Tumbleweed. You may also purchase tickets at the door.

Sequence your oils at AVA Center

Sheehan's novel out in paperback

The blog likes to keep track of those artists and writers who -- for one reason or another -- have taken leave of Wyoming. Aurelie Sheehan is a one-time Sheridan resident who, in the mid-1990s, had one book of funky stories to her credit -- Jack Kerouac is Pregnant from Dalkey Archive Press. She now has two published novels. The most recent, History Lesson for Girls, has just been released in paperback from Penguin. Gillian Engberg at Booklist called the book "a tender, unflinching, and distinctive view of how girls grow up." When not writing, Aurelie teaches at the University of Arizona creative writing program in Tucson.

Art under the stars in Gillette

The Gillette College Cultural Series features these summer events:

"Shakespeare on the Creek" presents the Wyoming Shakespeare Festival's "Macbeth" on Thursday, July 26, 6:30 p.m.

"Donkey Creek Jazz Concert," will feature Dr. Scott Turpen and his jazz quintet, and Big Horn Band, a 17-piece jazz ensemble, on Friday, Aug. 24, 7:30 p.m.

Hub Whitt, cowboy poet, singer, songwriter, and musician, takes the stage on Thursday, Sept. 13, 7 p.m.

All events will be presented outside at the Northern Wyoming Community College District, 300 W. Sinclair, Gillette. Bring your lawn chairs and blankets and make yourselves comfortable for these free events.

Sponsored in part by The City of Gillette.

FMI: 307-686-0254.

Hagy reads "Snow, Ashes" in Cody

Fiction writer and UW writing prof Alyson Hagy from Laramie will be reading from her new novel, Snow, Ashes on Tuesday, July 24 at 5 p.m. at The Thistle, 1243 Rumsey Ave., Cody. A book signing will follow the reading. Refreshments will be served.

Here's what Publisher's Weekly said about the book:

Hagy crafts first-rate prose -- unsparingly raw and visceral with flashes of high lyricism -- that carries the reader from the napalmed mountains of Korea to the vast pastures of the west. The inevitable but surprising conclusion will yank tears from hard hearts.

Alyson won a 2006 creative writing fellowship from the Wyoming Arts Council.

FMI: Carol Bell, 307-587-6635.

Boise Museum wants artists

Beaux Arts Société 41st Annual Holiday Sale, November-11,2007, in Boise, Idaho, is an outstanding fine arts and crafts sale featuring artists from across the country. The event is held at the Boise Art Museum. This is your opportunity to display your artwork while being relieved of any sales effort. We provide an enthusiastic and experienced sales staff, as well as an extensive advertising campaign to promote the event. We also have a comprehensive customer base, and your work will receive maximum exposure during the Sale. All items must be handmade. Applications are due by July 28. FMI: 208-345-8330 ext. 26 or visit http://www.boiseartmuseum.org/

UW's Museum Store is open

The University of Wyoming Art Museum is pleased to announce that the Art Museum Store is open for business. A Grand Reopening Celebration was scheduled for Saturday, July 14th from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Located in the Centennial Complex on 22nd Street and Willett Drive, the Art Museum Store was closed due to flood damage. "We invite the public to visit during the grand reopening of the store. With new merchandise and a new look, we are excited to open for business again," said Rosanne Chapp, store manager.

The Art Museum Store offers fine art reproduction prints and postcards from the Art Museum's permanent collection, the museum’s collectible summer poster, exhibition catalogs, specialty gift items, and a children's store. With free on-campus parking, free gift wrapping, and regular 10% discounts to museum members, the Art Museum Store offers a great shopping experience.

Bringing the world of art to Wyoming, the University of Wyoming Art Museum and Museum Store are located in the Centennial Complex at 22nd & Willet Drive in Laramie. Hours are Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, 1 to 5 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, please call the Museum Store at 307-766-3982. For information on current exhibitions and education programs, call 307-766-6622 or visit http://www.uwyo.edu/artmuseum.

Thursday, July 12, 2007

Technique, form, ballet d'action, at UW's Snowy Range Dance Festival

More than 80 of the nation's dance instructors and students will come to the University of Wyoming July 18-29 for the 13th Annual Snowy Range Summer Dance Festival. The festival offers intensive study with professional dance faculty and performers. In addition to daily ballet, modern, jazz, and tap technique classes at various levels, festival activities include repertoire classes with guest faculty, student showcase performances, guest faculty lectures, discussion groups, and special performances and concerts featuring Alonzo King's LINES Ballet, the festival's visiting resident company. The 2007 festival once again will include instruction for dancers and choreographers ages 13 and above, including college students and teachers. Classes will be taught by returning guest faculty members Yoav Kaddar, Peter Pucci, Keith Saunders, Gail Benedict, Susan Israel Massey and Lawrence Jackson. Former festival director and UW professor Marsha Knight says the guest artists offer an enriching experience for the festival dancers -- especially since many of them come from modest studios with one mentor teacher.

The Student Showcase will be at 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 25, in the College of Arts and Sciences auditorium. Admission is free. The Dance Festival Gala Concert at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, July 28, in the College of Arts and Sciences auditorium, will include Alonzo King's LINES Ballet and student repertory pieces choreographed by guest faculty. Alonzo King's LINES Ballet also will present a solo performance Friday, July 27, at 7:30 p.m. on the Fine Arts Center main stage.

Tickets cost $10.50 in advance and $12.50 at the door for the July 27 and July 28 concerts. Call The Fine Arts Center box office at (307) 766-6666 or visit www.uwyo.edu/finearts for ticket information.

Since 1995, the festival has provided training, educational support and professional encouragement for Wyoming and regional dance students, teachers, composers, accompanists and choreographers. Professional dancers, dancers-in-training, and teachers come together to learn, explore and perform the many facets of dance. Past festival participants have come from Wyoming, Nebraska, Colorado, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, South Dakota, North Dakota, Kansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Montana, Pennsylvania, Nevada, Utah and California.

For additional information contact Margaret Wilson at mawilson@uwyo.edu or (307) 766-5138.

Regional authors signing, reading

Regional authors Jamie Lee, Jim Bowers, Renee Carrier, and Jeanne Rogers will present and autograph their new books at an open house Friday, July 20, 5-7 p.m. at the Spearfish Arts Center Gallery, 614 1/2 Main Street, Spearfish. SD. The open house is co-hosted by the Spearfish Arts Council Bearlodge Writers. Refreshments will be served.

Lee, of Rapid City, recently received the prestigious Ben Franklin Award for Best New Voice in Fiction from the Publisher's Marketing Association for Washaka-the Bear Dreamer. Based on the dream of Leon Hale, a Lakota man from Cheyenne River Reservation, this young adult novel was also a finalist in the Foreword Magazine Book of the Year Award (Young Adult) and has been named to the Scholastic Reading Program and the Accelerated Reader Program for schools. Lee, who has authored several books, also manages Many Kites Press, a small publishing house in Rapid City.

Bowers, of Spearfish, taught English at Black Hills State University and has since his retirement compiled over thirty of his short stories into the collection, Voices from the Underground, published by Many Kites Press. According to a reviewer, readers will find his tales "disturbing and uplifting-sometimes together" as he "explores with courage and honesty the nature of the human heart." His stories "challenge us to be as daring in subjecting our own innermost thoughts and fears to the crucible of honest attention-"they speak to the soul."

Carrier, of Hulett, Wyoming "writes elegantly of both the natural and spiritual realms" in A Singular Notion, published by Pronghorn Press. Winner of Wyoming Writers' 2007 Western Horizon Award, reviewers say this collection chronicles the author's "journey from a magical childhood through adulthood by relying on her 'antidotes,' music and spiritual longing. A remembered encounter inspires a philosophy of living, loving, and learning, whether from stones, kindred spirits, or through her parents' deaths and joy returns through listening, noticing, and acknowledging connections."

Rogers, of Sundance, Wyoming has written a commemorative history of our nation's first national monument. Standing Witness: Devils Tower National Monument, A History, published by the National Park Service, is based on the notes of past superintendents, monument archives, historical publications, and personal interviews. This book includes a nice selection of photographs, is well-indexed, and boasts an extensive bibliography. In the Shadow of the Bear Lodge, Writings for the Black Hills, the popular anthology produced in 2006 by Bearlodge Writers, will also be available. This volume includes book excerpts, short stories, poetry, and
essays.

Casper's ArtCore Music and Poetry summer series

Every Monday evening, beginning July 16, ArtCore's Music and Poetry series will be presenting readers and musicians together at the Nicolaysen Art Museum, at 7:30 pm.
July 16 -- Nina McConigley and the Kye Stanley Band
July 23 -- Wyoming Fiddler's Association #4 and Dusty Daisies
July 30 -- Todd Scott Trio and Tom Rea

July 18 -- 7:30 pm - The Eagle Spirit Dancers in powwow in the John F. Welsh Auditorium at Natrona County High School
July 27 -- 7:30 pm - Wyoming Shakespeare Company presents MacBeth in the John F. Welsh Auditorium at Natrona County High School

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

Author Showcase at CWC Sept. 7

Coralina Daly at the Central Wyoming College Library sent this inquiry:

Do you have a book in print and live in Wyoming?

Central Wyoming College Library, 2660 Peck Ave. in Riverton, would like to invite you to participate in our Wyoming Author Showcase on Friday, Sept. 7 from 5-7 p.m.

The showcase will bring Wyoming writers from several genres together with librarians and the public for a "meet and greet" program.

All authors are welcome to bring their books to sell at this widely publicized event. We ask for 10 percent of all proceeds to be donated to the college library endowment so we may continue to feature writers at future events. Sorry, no travel expense reimbursement funds are available for the showcase.

Please contact us for more information. We look forward to meeting you.

RSVPs are requested by July 31 so we may begin publicity as soon as possible. Call Coralina Daly at 800-735-8418, ext. 2332.

Cody celebrates the visual arts

A Celebration of the Arts begins with the Buffalo Bill Art Show and Sale, August 23-September 22. A reception will be held Thursday, August 23 at 5 pm at the Buffalo Bill Historical Center John Bunker Sands Photography Gallery. More than 100 of the nation's leading western painters and sculptors will be featured.

Clyde Aspevig will be signing posters of Wind River High Country Friday, September 21 from 3-5 pm at Cody Country Chamber of Commerce, Museum Selections. A beautifully detailed landscape, posters are $30 each plus $8.95 shipping and handling. No signed posters are sold after September 22.

A full week of activities begins on Tuesday, September 18 with the Cody High Style Southfork Studio Tour from 9 am to 4:30 pm. The tour takes participants to the atelier and home of Kendall Siggins and Triangle Z Ranch Furniture, and the lodge at the historic Double L Bar Ranch. Throughout the day on September 19, there are artist exhibits and receptions, discussions on metal working and wood working, lectures by Manuel, one of the last practitioners of distinctly American tradition of costume design; Gene Waddell, owner/operator of Waddell Trading Company; and join in a conversation discussing the craft, life and legacy of Thomas Molesworth.

Patrons Ball is September 22, a black-tie affair of fine dining and dancing. One of the premier events in the Rocky Mountain region.

FMI please go to www.rendezvousroyale.org or info@buffalobillartshow.com or call (307) 587-5002, (888) 598-8119. Fax at (307) 527-6228.

For travel information call (800) 221-1212 or visit www.yellowstonecountry.travel

Campbell County presents...

Construction continues on the new event center at Cam-Plex continues. Opening of the Wyoming Center at Cam-Plex is slated for mid-summer of 2008. The center will have a total of 70,000 square feet for events, and can also be broken up into three smaller spaces.

The 2007 Campbell County Fair takes place July 30th -- August 5th. The fair kicks off with Neal McCoy in concert at the Heritage Center Theater at Cam-Plex on July 30th at 8:00 pm. Also on the fair program -- Everything Fitz; Dance Heads; Balloon Buffoon; Perondi's Extreme Canines Show; Pet Stop; Lars Elkin; Standards; Miss Campbell County Pageant; Fair Youth Talent Show; Fair Trade Show; Schoeppner Shows Carnival; Energy Town Pro Rodeo; Neighborhood Barbecue; Mutton Bustin; Tough Enough To Wear Pink; Demolition Derby; and the ever popular Fiddle Contest. FMI go to http://www.campbellcountyfair.com/ or call (307) 687-0200; (307) 682-8802 or (877) 422-6759.

The Wyoming Dairy Goat Association is hosting the National Dairy Goat Show at Cam-Plex. 2000 goats will be competing July 9-13. These national shows are judged and showcased to collect, record and preserve the pedigree of dairy goats.

Tickets are on sale now for Moscow Ballet's Nutcracker, December 17, at 7:30 pm. in the Cam-Plex Heritage Theater.

Works by Moorcroft portraitist Karen Barton will be exhibited July 27-August 17 in the Heritage Theater Gallery. Working in prinarily in pastel and oil, Karen's portrait owners can be found across the country. Meet Karen at the reception on July 30 from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm in the Heritage Center. The reception is free and open to the public.

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Quilt project at Trail End site

From a press release:

The Trail End State Historic Site is proud to present "Sheridan: Then and Now," a storytelling project in fabric, completed earlier this year by eighth grade students at the Sheridan Junior High School. Masterminded by SJHS history teacher David Peterson, the project brings together the past and present through the traditional American folk art of quilting.

On exhibit through the rest of the summer, the "Then and Now" quilt incorporates historic and recreated photos, printed on fabric, and stitched together to show how the buildings and landscapes of Sheridan have changed over the years. According to Peterson, the class tried to recreate the historic photographs, some dating from the late 1800s, as accurately as possible. For example, if the students chose to recreate a photo that was taken of five people in front of a certain building, the students would get five people to stand in the same positions in front of the very same building. The original and recreated photos were then printed side by side onto special photosensitive fabric, then sewed together in to a quilt block by the students. Peterson himself then sewed the blocks into one very large quilt.

The quilt consists of 41 then-and-now quilt blocks featuring dozens of junior high school students. Locations range from Trail End to the Courthouse, Main Street to the City Park. Where locations were unidentifiable in the original photo, students used their imaginations to recreate the settings.

The essays students wrote about their experiences working on the project are on display alongside the quilt, accompanied by a log on which visitors can record their reactions. Since the quilt was hung in early June, reaction has been uniformly positive. One visitor, Jane Johnson of Tampa, Florida, noted: "As a professor of English, I can say that this is an excellent project. It is apparent that the students learned from the project. Congratulations on a good job!" Several visitors wrote that they were going to take the idea back home and suggest it to their own schools.

Following its summer on public display in the Trail End ballroom, the quilt will find a permanent home in the halls of Sheridan Junior High School. The quilt can be seen daily from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., seven days a week. Trail End is located at 400 Clarendon Avenue in Sheridan, just two blocks south of the junior high. FMI: 307-674-4589.

Blanchan/Doubleday deadline Sept. 17

Despite what you might have read in the latest issue of Poets & Writers magazine, the deadline for the Wyoming Arts Council Blanchan/Doubleday writing awards is Sept. 17, 2007, and not Aug. 17. And please disregard the application info now on our web site. We suspect that hackers have infiltrated the system and changed the information to foment unrest in the Wyoming writing community.

Printed applications will be mailed next week.

Judge for this year's Blanchan/Doubleday competition is poet and translator Shaun T. Griffin of Nevada. Here's his bio:

Shaun T. Griffin's latest book of poems was Winter in Pediatrics, included in The Harvest of Lesser Burdens, Art in the Fields of Medicine series, published by the Nevada Museum of Art Press, 2006. Bathing in the River of Ashes was published by the University of Nevada Press in 1999, and Death to Silence (translations from the Chilean poet, Emma Sepúlveda) was released by Arte Público Press in 1997. In 1995 he received the Governor's Award for Excellence in the Arts. For many years he has taught a poetry workshop at Northern Nevada Correctional Center and published an annual journal of their work, Razor Wire. He regularly contributes poetry, essays, and translations to literary journals in the west, and was editor-at-large at Calapooya and contributing editor at Weber Studies. He just finished a memoir about a long journey with his family from Tokyo to Patagonia — The House of a Thousand Arms. In 2006, he received the Rosemary McMillan Lifetime Achievement in Art Award from Sierra Arts Foundation.

He has lived in Nevada since 1978, except for the four years when his wife was in graduate school in the San Francisco Bay Area. He and his family live in Virginia City, at the western-most edge of the Great Basin.

He is the co-founder and director of Community Chest, a non-profit agency serving children and families in northwestern Nevada since 1991, and the former founding director of the state’s homeless education office. Shaun has spent a lifetime trying to build bridges where there were none for all members of the human community. During the mid-1980s he worked in Stanford University’s foremost community outreach program, starting several disability initiatives on that campus. He later founded a minority youth outreach program for four universities in the San Francisco Bay Area. In 2004, he received the Mike O’Callaghan Humanitarian Award, named after the former Nevada Governor. He serves on the board of the Nevada Arts Council.

Fresh produce and fresh art

On Friday, July 13, the UW Art Museum will participate in the Laramie Farmer’s Market. Stop by the museum booth and learn about upcoming Art Museum events and make your own western belt buckle or pin just in time for the Laramie Jubilee Days.
"Last year, the Art Museum was present at the market, but we only had flyers and information about the exhibits," Education Curator Wendy Bredehoft said. "This year, we hope the interaction between the patrons and the docents will be more lively." Materials will be provided by the Art Museum. There will be a limit of one piece per participant.


The Laramie Farmer’s Market takes place from 3-7 p.m., Fridays throughout the summer. Located on Grand Avenue between 1st and 3rd Streets, the market offers a wide variety of fresh produce, baked goods and meats. The market is organized by the Downtown Laramie Business Association and the downtown merchants are also open.

Bringing the world of art to Wyoming, the Art Museum is located in the Centennial Complex at 22nd & Willett Drive in Laramie. The Museum and Museum Store are open Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, 1 to 5 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, please call the Art Museum at 307-766-6622 or visit
http://www.uwyo.edu/artmuseum.

It's a 'Gritty' Exhibit

The Washakie Museum is holding a reception for the exhibit of the early years of Worland's hometown newspaper, the Worland Grit. The newspapers, dating from 1905-1939 were recently donated to the museum by the Northern Wyoming Daily News, Worland's current daily newspaper. On display are Grit papers that feature such stories as -- when a competing paper came to town, the merger of these two papers under the Worland Grit name, and the feature story of when the Grit became the town's current publication. Other feature stories: Chautauqua, a big event that was held every year; bootlegging; the railroad coming to town; a governor's contentious race; and ads that advertise house aprons and the first ever auto show. There is also a period room with the Worland Grit's printing press from this era, along with a pot belly stove, turtle, pig, and composing table. Photographs of the newsroom from this era have been blown up to mural size and placed on the walls. A display case features cameras and other small items used during the era. The exhibit runs through November 9th. The gallery was repainted in red and black specifically for this exhibit. Museum Director Cheryl Reichelt says, "the history contained within the pages of this publication is fascinating and phenomenal. They represent a different kind of writing style, and a very different kind of life."

Washakie Museum hours are 9-5, Monday through Friday, and 10-4, Saturday. FMI call (307) 347-4784 or visit the website at
www.washakiemuseum.com

Monday, July 9, 2007

Alter your own book at AVA in Gillette


The Big Read gets even bigger


THE BIG READ BECOMES THE LARGEST FEDERAL LITERATURE PROGRAM SINCE THE W.P.A.

National Endowment for the Arts closes in on 200 cities reading great literature with latest round of more than $1.5 million in grants.
Institute of Museum and Library Services partnership helps program continue to grow.

June 25, 2007–Washington, DC–The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) today more than doubled the number of communities taking part in its nationwide reading program, the Big Read. One hundred seventeen cities were awarded grants to produce celebrations of American literature from September through December 2007. The Big Read, launched nationally in October 2006 by the NEA, in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and Arts Midwest, encourages literary reading by asking communities to come together to read and discuss one book. Mrs. Laura Bush is the honorary chair of the Big Read. "By joining the Big Read, these cities and towns are showing that reading is necessary to the cultural, civic, even economic fabric of their communities. They understand the benefit of having people from different generations and walks of life reading and discussing a great book," said NEA Chairman Dana Gioia. "Yes, this is about reading, but it’s also about getting people to leave their homes and offices, unplug themselves for a few hours, and enjoy the pleasures of literature with their neighbors."
For the entire release, please visit http://www.arts.gov/news/news07/bigreadCycle2.html