Friday, January 30, 2009

Arts Advocacy Day luncheon Feb. 13

Arts events next week in Laramie

Friday, Feb. 6, 7 p.m. -- "Spirit of Afghanistan" slide show of Afghan women, Albany Country Public Library. Free.

Saturday, Feb. 7, 7:30 p.m. -- UW Department of Music presents pianist Sun Kyung Lee, Fine Arts Center concert hall. Tickets cost $5 for students and senior citizens, and $7 for others.

Tuesday, Feb. 10-Saturday, Feb. 14, 7:30 p.m. -- UW Department of Theatre and Dance presents HEY O KAH/HOK A HEY, Fine Arts Center Main Stage. Tickets cost $7 for students, $11 for senior citizens and $14 for others.

Thursday, Feb. 12, 7:30 p.m. -- UW Department of Music presents Eighth Blackbird, Fine Arts Center concert hall. Tickets cost $5.50 for students and senior citizens, and $7.50 for others.

For updates on UW events and activities call (307) 766-5000 or go online at www.uwyo.edu/calendar. Visit www.uwyo.edu/finearts for Department of Theatre and Dance and Department of Music event information and tickets.

Gallery Walk Feb. 6 in downtown Laramie

This comes from Terry Reid at Northern Front in Laramie:

Thgere will be a Gallery Walk in downtown Laramie on Friday, Feb. 6, 5:30-9 p.m.


Here are the featured galleries:

Keag Gallery: 414 Grand Avenue, Laramie , WY 82070, (307) 745-3308 an eclectic space next to All Terrain Sports. Featuring Wyoming Landscape painter, Mack Brislawn, through Feb 2009.
http://keaggallery.com/

Big Hollow Food Co-op, will have fine art prints by local artists Ginnie Madsen
and Jim Jereb, and paintings by Ronnie Roo, Dennis Fonfara, Casper artist, Jim Kopp, affordable prints by Terry R. Reid and Ray Jordan. Other fine art and quality crafts for all seasons. Co-sponsored by NorthernFront, 119 S. 1st St. in Laramie, WY -- (307) 745-3586

Natural Balance, brings back artwork by Jeff Hubbell, 220 Ivinson Ave, Laramie, WY--(307) 745-8636

Studio 207 will present works by Justin Attebery & Garth Cossairt, 207 E. Grand Ave, Laramie, WY--(307) 742-6344

While in Laramie, check out these art spaces:

The Copper Kettle Coffee Loft, 209 S 2nd St. Laramie , WY 82070 , (307) 742-1800 [co-sponsored by NorthernFront]: Digital photography by Nicole Lucas & Lindsay Olson

Laramie Art Guild will be displaying members' work Jan & Feb 2009 at Grand Avenue Restaurant.

The Jeweler, 213 S. 3rd, Laramie, WY 82070, (307) 721-3854 features sculptor John Baker, artists Raymond L. Jordan, Ginnie Madsen, Jon Madsen, & Terry R. Reid.

Art in the lobby of the Laramie Reproductive Health Center: Melanie Hoyt, Bruce Allemani, Bianca Allemani, Ronnie Roo and Terry R. Reid.

Stimulus package still has NEA funding

This news release comes from Thomas L. Birch, legislative counsel for the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies:

The House of Representatives on Wednesday, January 28, passed the economic stimulus legislation -- H.R.1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act -- with provisions intact allocating $50 million for the National Endowment for the Arts. All Republican House members, joined by 11 Democrats, voted against the measure.


The bill includes the provision calling for 40% of the NEA funds goes to state arts agencies and the remainder "will be distributed in direct grants to fund arts projects that preserve jobs in the nonprofit arts sector."

The Wyoming Arts Council receives aprproximately 40 percent of its budget from the NEA.

Thursday, January 29, 2009

Nicolaysen reschedules workshop

The Artist-of-the-Month workshop by Lana Perrotti at Casper's Nicolaysen Art Museum that was set for this Friday and Saturday has been rescheduled, according to curator of education Linda Lyman.

The workshop, “Into the Wild: Creating Still Life and Landscapes with Pastel,” will now be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on March 28, Lyman said.

FMI: http://www.thenic.org/

Anderson Ranch Arts Center offers residencies

Anderson Ranch Arts Center offers two- to three-month residencies to emerging and established artists in seven areas: ceramics, digital media, furniture/wood, painting/drawing, photography, printmaking, and sculpture.

The residency is based at the center in Colorado, and includes housing, studio space, meals, and an optional critical study component.

To apply, send the completed application form, statement of purpose, resume or CV, three references, and the $50 application fee. Deadline is Feb. 15.

Full residency guidelines and the application form are available at www.andersonranch.org/residencies/index.php?page=residency-overview.

Artists in The Hole confront bad economy

How are Wyoming's artists reacting to challenges of a strange economy?

By thinking creatively, of course.

Henry Sweets reports in Planet Jackson Hole that local artists are forming collaboratives and making better use of existing local arts resources.

An as-of-yet unnamed think-tank artist collective has already met a couple of times at Lyndsay McCandless to gather and synthesize ideas about progressing creativity in Jackson despite tough economic times. “Everyone is sort of banding together,” McCandless said. “It’s an outcome of everyone feeling the crunch economically and coming together and saying ‘Look, we’re not going to let our creative spirits and creative juices die.’ ”

The first event birthed by the group will be “Art Aloud,” a collaboration between Lyndsay McCandless Contemporary and KHOL. Spearheaded by local DJ and artist Brian “Cutter” James, McCandless and a cadre of other local freethinkers, “Art Aloud” will explore the connection between musical and visual creativity. Artists will make art, DJs will spin music, ideas will change hands and people will have fun, McCandless said.



Meanwhile, over at the Art Association, studio manager Clint Green has opened up the doors to its Borshell drawing studio. The space is free for any artist to use anytime during regular hours, from now until March 15. Three of the prints the artists' create during that studio time must be donated to the Art Association.

A $6,000 Takach press, ink, and etching or wood-cutting tools are available to those who know how to use the press. Beginners need to contact Green to find out about free instruction. E-mail Green at Clint@artassociation.org for more information.

Green also had hoped to bring a nationally renowned printmaker to Jackson for a winter residency -- but funding dried up. So Green asked Travis Walker and his Teton Artlab to step in and take over the project, which will be called “Recession Proof.”


You can read the entire article at http://www.planetjh.com/music_arts_culture/Article.aspx?ArticleID=104712

Everything you need to apply for 2009 Wyoming Arts Council visual arts fellowships

In the spirit of the times, Wyomingarts is trying something a bit different. What follows is a long post featuring the WAC visual arts fellowship guidelines and application form. Paper copies will be mailed next week, and we'll have a pdf version on the WAC web site at wyoarts.state.wy.us. But we've been getting calls from visual artists eager to apply now. So, print out this post (approx. 10 pages) and submit using the application form. This is not an e-form.

Important tip: Before printing, click on the header "Apply now for WAC visual arts fellowships." That takes the post to its own page and only the fellowship info will print (along with the listings on the right sidebar). Only Wyoming residents may apply (see guidelines).

Another idea: Cut and paste the application form into an MS Word document and print that out. You may have to do some reformatting.

Guidelines & Application for the 2009 Wyoming Arts Council Visual Arts Fellowships

The Wyoming Arts Council invites you to apply for its 2009 Visual Arts Fellowships, juried by Lawrence Argent, Gina Ruggeri and Greg Esser. This year, the WAC will award up to three fellowships of $3,000 each to honor the work of Wyoming visual artists that reflects serious and exceptional aesthetic investigation. Painters, sculptors, printmakers, potters, media artists, craftspeople, video, film and others (see guidelines) are invited to apply by submitting images of their work.

Postmark Deadline is March 6, 2009

Artist eligibility

The Wyoming Arts Council fellowship awards and associated programs are designed to nurture an appreciation for the visual arts in Wyoming to benefit the cultural lives of its residents.
You may enter this competition if you meet these requirements:
• You are not a full-time student pursuing high school, college, or university art-related degree.
• You are at least 18 years of age, have been domiciled within the state borders a total of 20 months in the previous 2 years since July 1, 2007, and are a U.S. citizen or have legal resident status (evidence of U.S. citizenship, resident status and state residency may be required).
• You must be registered with the Artist Image Registry (AIR). If you are not a member, please call for an application which can be submitted with the fellowship form. We will retain fellowship images for AIR first time applicants and for all AIR members who have not updated their images in the last 18 months. For a printable AIR form, go to wyoarts.state.wy.us/IndArtist/AIR.asp
• You are not affiliated with the Wyoming Arts Council either as a board member or staff member, including their families, whether full-time, part-time or contractual. You are not an employee of the Department of State Parks and Cultural Resources.
• To receive an award, you must remain a Wyoming resident until June 30, 2010, living within the borders of the state for at least ten months of the year.
• You must not have received a Wyoming Arts Council visual arts fellowship in the last four years, and no one may receive more than two fellowship awards.

Submitting your work

Submission Procedures:
• You may enter this competition, in one category, once only, by March 6, 2009.
• Send the required support materials of your work.
• Complete and enclose a signed entry form with a completed artistic statement, using only the space provided (you may use a photocopy) with your work.
• If you want the Arts Council to acknowledge receipt of your entry, enclose a self-addressed stamped postcard.
After you Submit Your Application:
• If you enclosed a self-addressed stamped postcard, the Council will acknowledge receipt of your work.
• Your name is not available to the jurors; all work is identified by number.
• Entrants not selected for fellowships will be notified in writing after May 1, 2009.
• The Arts Council will return all materials (unless retained for the AIR). Please provide a self-addressed, stamped envelope of appropriate size and postage with the entry. Entries may also be picked up at the Council offices after May 1, 2009.

Your questions answered

What is the Wyoming Arts Council?
Founded in 1967, the Wyoming Arts Council is a state agency which forges collaborations with artists, arts organizations and communities through grants, technical assistance and promotion.

Why does the Arts Council give visual art fellowship awards?
The visual art fellowship awards and associated programs are designed to nurture an appreciation for the visual arts in Wyoming in order to benefit the cultural lives of its residents.

How Are Fellows Selected?
Fellowships are awarded based on the artistic merit of work as demonstrated in the visual support material submitted.

How Many Fellowships are Awarded?
Each year the Wyoming Arts Council awards up to three $3,000 fellowships in the visual arts. In addition to the three recipients, each panel identifies two honorable mentions. The Council encourages artists to complete their applications accurately and carefully select their visual materials. Panelists may choose not to award the number of fellowships available.

How is My Work Reviewed?
Slide images are projected in twos in the sequence specified by the applicant. CD images will be viewed in sequence on a screen.

How are Panels Assembled?
Jurors are from out-of-state and are chosen to represent a wide range of stylistic and aesthetic concerns; a broad understanding of contemporary visual art; and ethnic, gender, and age diversity. Recommendations for jurors come from artists, curators, and former jurors. This year’s judging session will be held in Laramie prior to the UW Art Museum’s Public Art Symposium, April 2-4, 2009, at the UW Conference Center. Fellowship results will be announced there on April 4. The symposium also will feature sessions for individual artists. FMI: UW Art Museum, 307-766-6622.

The Jurors

Lawrence Argent:
Lawrence Argent was born in England and educated in sculpture at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Australia, and has a MFA from the Rinehart School of Sculpture at the Maryland Institute, College of Art in Baltimore. He is the recipient of numerous fellowships including the Pollock-Krasner Foundation; the Colo. Council on the Arts; the Core Fellowship at the Fine Arts Museum, Houston; and has been an artist in residence at the John Michael Kohler Foundation. He is Professor of Art at the University of Denver, and was awarded the Distinguished Scholar award in 2002. He has exhibited internationally and is working on public art projects around the U.S. His art encompasses a breadth of form and materials, enveloping each with a path of consciousness through which the physical promotes the non-physical and the sublime emerges as a vehicle laying a slippery foundation in the gap between stimulus and response. Web site: http://www.lawrenceargent.com/

Greg Esser: Greg Esser is an artist, advocate, and writer living in Phoenix, Arizona. He directed the public art program for the City of Phoenix from 1996 to 2004. In addition to serving as chair of the Public Art Interest Area and a co-founder of the Public Art Network, he served for two years as the Public Art Manager for Americans for the Arts, the nation’s leading arts advocacy organization based in Washington, D.C. He has developed numerous artist studio and exhibition spaces in downtown Phoenix including eye lounge gallery, 515 Arts, Sixth Street Studios and MADE Art Boutique. He is a founding member and the current chairman of the Evans Churchill Community Association and president of the Roosevelt Row Community Development Corporation. Greg speaks internationally on public art and the role of artists in community revitalization. His writing has appeared in publications such as Art Papers, Public Art Review, Java Magazine, and Downtown Phoenix. His artwork is represented in public and private collections. He received a BFA in art and social change at Oberlin College and a MFA in intermedia at Arizona State University. Web site: http://gregesser.com/

Gina Ruggeri: Gina Ruggeri, Brooklyn, N.Y., is a painter and visiting professor in the Vassar College art department in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. She has been featured in solo exhibitions at the Second Street Gallery in Charlottesville, Va., the Kevin Bruk Gallery in Miami, Red Dot in New York City and the Tenri Biennale in Tenri, Japan. Her work has been in a number of group shows, most recently in “Hyper-Nature,” SPACES Gallery, Cleveland, Ohio; “The Outer Space,” curated by Pedro Barbeito, Pluto Gallery, Brooklyn, N.Y.; “Primary,” William Paterson University, Wayne, N.J.; “Running Around the Pool,” Museum of Fine Arts, Tallahassee, Fla.; “Paper Now,” I-Space, Chicago; “The Eclectic Eye,” Contemporary Art Center, New Orleans. She’s received fellowships from the New York Foundation for the Arts, Yaddo, Virginia Center for the Creative Arts and Jentel in Wyoming. Gina received her MFA at the Yale School of Art. She grew up in Milwaukee and got to know Wyoming on summer trips with her father, who performed with the Grand Teton Music Festival. Web site: http://www.ginaruggeri.com/

Fellowship judging will be anonymous. Decisions are based solely on the merit of the work submitted.

Submission Guidelines:

Submit all images comprising your entry in a single format (all slides, all digital or all video).

For submissions in the following categories:
Visual & Design Arts includes experimental (conceptual/new media), graphic (printmaking/book arts), painting, sculpture and installation.
Photography includes experimental, color, black and white, photocopy and computer.
Crafts include clay, fiber, glass, leather, metal, paper, plastic, wood, and mixed media.

Slide format:
• Only 35 mm slides suitable for carousel projection are accepted. Do not use masking tape or thick labels on your images.
• Submit 10 35-mm slides of 10 works completed in the past 4 years. You may choose the option of submitting 8 works plus 2 slides of detail, but may not exceed the maximum of 10 images.
• Slides must be placed, numbered in order 1-10, in a clear 9" x 12" plastic image sheet for safe handling.
• Label each slide with your name and the number of the image to correspond with the image list.
• Mark each slide with a red dot in the BOTTOM LEFT-HAND CORNER of the front. This helps identify Top, Bottom, Front or Back of the image, and allows the projectionist to assure that all images are correctly oriented for viewing.
• You should retain your original slides and send duplicates with your application. Every effort will be made to return slides; however, the Council cannot be responsible for any damage or loss that may occur during shipping.
• No video tapes will be accepted in lieu of slides for above categories, unless the work is an installation work or it includes movement or sound where a video would better interpret a complex work. Video tapes must be cued to a one-minute segment. Jurors are not required to view the entire segment. Your name must not be mentioned or visible in the viewed segment.

Digital format:
• Images accepted on CD must be readable on a PC
• Format: JPG or TIFF (RGB Color)
• Maximum size: 650 pixels (V), 865 pixels (H)
• Orientation: upright on monitor
• Include a printed list of the CD files and number them to correspond with the entry form. Include title of work, media, and dimensions. Include a reference sheet with thumbnail prints of the images on the CD. Beside each thumbnail, write the entry number as indicated on the CD list.
• Each image must be submitted as a separate file; no PowerPoint presentations
• Artist’s name must appear on face of disk in black permanent marker.
• Send CD in paper CD sleeve.
• CDs with an excess of 10 images will not be viewed.

For Media arts (includes film and video):
• Submit two separate works on 1/2" VHS video cassette or DVD.
• Label the cassette/DVD with your name, title, date created, sound credits, and total length of work.
• You may recommend that jurors view segments (no longer than 1-3 minutes) that best represent your work. Indicate on the cassette label, clearly and concisely, sections you wish them to see. Jurors are not required to view the entire segment.

If you want to cut and paste the application form into an MS Word document, begin here.

2009 Visual Arts Fellowship application form

NAME_________________________________________
ADDRESS_______________________________________
CITY ________________ STATE ____ZIP_____________
LEGISLATIVE DISTRICTS: House # ____Senate # ________
PHONE (DAY) ___________ (NIGHT) _________________
E-MAIL________________________________________
WEB SITE/BLOG_________________________________

□ My address on the mailing label was wrong.
□ Check here if you enclosed a self-addressed stamped postcard (optional) so we can acknowledge receipt of work.

Are you registered with Artist Image Registry?
□ Please register me for the Artist Image Registry. You must be registered for the AIR to apply for the Visual Arts Fellowships. Your images will be placed in the Council's AIR file after the fellowship process. (Download the application on our website).
□ I am registered for the Artist Image Registry; I have not updated my images in the last 18 months, therefore I understand my images will be retained.
□ I am registered for the Artist Image Registry and have updated my images in the last 18 months. I have provided a stamped, self-addressed envelope for the return of my images.

Enclosure checklist
□ Current resume
□ Signed entry form
□ List of slides/videos/CD with title, size and media
□ Completed artistic statement
□ AIR application, if not a current member
□ Optional acknowledgement postcard
□ Return postage (or provisions for pick-up) for support materials

Please check one box in each category that best describes YOU AND YOUR WORK (some are pre-checked):
(This information is retained for reporting purposes to the National Endowment for the Arts.)
Legal Status: __X__ (01) Individual Institution: __X__ (01) Individual -- Artist
What is your Primary Discipline:
____ (05) Visual Arts ____ (A) Experimental ____ (B) Graphic ____ (D) Painting___ (F) Sculpture
____ (06) Design Arts ____ (A) Architecture ____ (B) Fashion ____(C) Graphic ____(D) Industrial
____ (E) Interior ____ (F) Urban/Metropolitan ____ (G) Landscape architecture
____ (07) Crafts ____ (A) Clay ____ (B) Fiber ____ (C) Glass ____ (D) Leather ____ (E) Metal
____ (F) Paper ____ (G) Plastic ____ (H) Wood ____ (I) Mixed Media
____ (08) Photography
____ (09) Media Arts ____ (A) Film ____ (B) Audio ____ (C) Video
____ (11) Interdisciplinary ____ (12) Folk Arts ____ (14) Multi-Disciplinary ____ (15) Non-arts/Non-Humanities

What is your ethnic representation -- check all that apply (this is for statistical use only):
____ (N) American Indian/Alaska Native ___ (A) Asian ____ (B) Black/African-American
____ (H) Hispanic/Latino ____ (W) White/Caucasian ____ (P) Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander

Please check one box in each category that best describes work in this application (some are pre-checked):
Project Discipline:
___ (05) Visual Arts ___ (A) Experimental ___ (B) Graphic ___ (D) Painting ___ (F) Sculpture
___ (06) Design Arts ___ (A) Architecture ___ (B) Fashion ___(C) Graphic ___(D) Industrial
___ (E) Interior ___ (F) Urban/Metropolitan ___ (G) Landscape architecture
___(07) Crafts ___(A) Clay ___(B) Fiber ___(C) Glass ___(D) Leather ___(E) Metal
___ (F) Paper ___ (G) Plastic ___ (H) Wood ___ (I) Mixed Media
___ (08) Photography
___ (09) Media Arts ___ (A) Film ___ (B) Audio ___(C) Video
___ (11) Interdisciplinary ___ (12) Folk Arts ___ (14) Multi-Disciplinary
___ (15) Non-arts/Non-Humanities

Project Type of Activity: International Activity:
___X__ (03) Award/Fellowships ____ Yes __X__ No
What is the project race (emphasizes traditions and cultures of one particular race) of this project:
____ (N) American Indian/Alaska Native ___ (A) Asian ____ (B) Black/African-American
____ (H) Hispanic/Latino ____ (W) White/Caucasian ____ (P) Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander

All applicants must sign and submit this statement:
I certify that I have been a legal resident of Wyoming for 2 years, since July 1, 2007, and that I am not a full-time student pursuing high school, college or university art-related degrees. In order to receive this award, I understand I must remain a Wyoming resident until June 30, 2010, and live within the state's borders for at least ten months a year. If I am no longer residing in Wyoming in 2010, I will forfeit participation in the Biennial Exhibition.

Signature________________________________
Date ___________________________________

End of application form

Required attachments:

List of images: Each applicant must submit a list of slides or digital images. Please list, on a separate sheet, the following information on the ten images you submit with your applications:
1. Title of Work
2. Medium
3. Year completed
4. Dimensions

Artistic statement: On a separate sheet, using 100 words or less, please provide us with a brief artistic statement on what your goals are and what you hope to accomplish artistically with the work you have submitted for judging. Did you achieve the desired effect, etc.? You may type or write on the space provided, or you may attach a separate sheet.

Materials included with application:
□ Video Tape (1/2" VHS), DVD (title, date created, total length of work). Please also label video tape with your name.
□ 35 mm slides (Please list the slides)
□ CD (Please list all images)

Materials return:
□ I have included a mailing package with sufficient postage for return of materials.
□ I will pick up my support materials at the Council office after May 1, 2009, or I will make other arrangements by contacting the WAC at 777-7742.

Slide format: The importance of top quality slides cannot be over-emphasized. Each slide must be labeled with your name, a corresponding checklist number, and a red dot in the lower left corner. Do not submit glass mounted slides.

CD format: The importance of top quality CD images cannot be over-emphasized. Each CD image must correspond numerically. Attach a reference sheet with thumbnail prints of the images on the CD with the entry number.

Postmark deadline is March 6, 2009

Send required support materials (and provision for their return, if necessary), including a current resume (for promotional use only; resume will not be reviewed by the jurors), one application form (a photocopy of this form is acceptable), plus a stamped, self-addressed postcard (if acknowledgement is desired) by March 6, 2009 to:

Wyoming Arts Council
Attn: 2009 Visual Arts Fellowships
2320 Capitol Avenue
Cheyenne, WY 82002

For more information, contact:
Michael Shay, Wyoming Arts Council
Office: (307) 777-5234; TDD: (307) 777-5964
E-mail: mshay@state.wy.us Web: wyoarts.state.wy.us

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Latest issue of Wyoming Winds online

Wyoming Winds, a monthly e-newsletter from the Wyoming Coalition for the Homeless in Cheyenne, contains lots of info about homelessness in Wyoming and the U.S. It also features art and poetry. Check out the latest issue at http://www.wch.vcn.com/wwfeb09.htm

WCH Director Virginia Sellner encourages wyomingarts readers to check out the org's new page on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=39676562300&ref=mf

Modification to the Hathaway Scholarship to include music

A bill modifying the requirements for the Hathaway Scholarship was recently introduced by Elaine Harvey, a Representative to the House from Lovell. The bill as currently written would allow a student to substitute two years of music education in grades 9-12 instead of foreign languages. The bill does specify music education, not fine and performing arts.

The bill has been assigned the number HB0218 and is entitled Hathaway Success Curriculum. The bill as it currently stands can be accessed here. It has been referred to the House Education Committee. It is scheduled to be heard on Monday, February 2. For updates on the status of the bill, go to: http://legisweb.state.wy.us/2009/Bills.htm. The bill can be searched for by number. The bill at this point could be modified several times. It can be modified in committee, on the floor of the House, or, if passed, by the Senate committee or on the floor of the Senate.

Cindy Schmid and Amy Simpson, another music teacher, met with Rep Elaine Harvey and Rep Joe Barbuto yesterday. They were able to help them organize talking points for the bill, but did not feel they were successful in making the case to modify it to Fine and Performing Arts.


Following are a few reasons to request the modification to Fine and Performing Arts:
1) Wyoming does not have stand-alone standards in music; all of the arts are together under Fine and Performing Arts. Currently, students must gain proficiency in the arts in order to graduate with two of our three diplomas. Keeping it consistent with the current system is simpler for administration purposes, and for districts to advise students.
2) Not all students are good at music. If the purpose is to create successful students, providing as many avenues as possible for success is important. Changing the requirement to the Fine and Performing Arts allows students to select from music, art, dance or theatre.
3) All of the arts provide important benefits to students. A variety of studies has shown correlations between participation in the arts and the likelihood a student will stay in school. All of the develop higher order thinking and creative problem solving skills, which are in high demand in the workforce today.
4) People who participate in the arts are more likely to vote, volunteer and generally participate in public life.

There are many more reasons why arts education is necessary for the development of the whole child. Some links for more information on the importance of arts education are:
Arts Education Partnership
Americans For the Arts
Arts & Learning Toolkit from the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies

The members of the House Education committee are:
Del McOmie (Fremont)
Bob Brechtel (Natrona)
Cathy Connolly (Albany)
Bernadine Craft (Sweetwater)
Ross Diercks (Niobrara/Weston/Converse/Goshen)
Allan Jaggi (Uinta/Sweetwater)
Thomas Lubnau (Campbell)
Robert McKim (Lincoln)
Matt Teeters (Goshen/Platte)

Contact information for legislators can be found at: http://legisweb.state.wy.us/

Colorado Council on the Arts faces 50 percent budget cut, postpones grants deadlines

The economic crisis is taking a toll on the creative economies in our neighboring states. We reported a few days ago about a proposed bill to eliminate the South Dakota Arts Council (see http://wyomingarts.blogspot.com/2009/01/sd-govs-budget-eliminates-state-arts.html).

This press release comes from the Colorado Council on the Arts:


The current proposal for the State’s budget balancing plan includes a 50% reduction for the Colorado Council on the Arts. Such a cut would seriously impact the agency’s ability to continue to provide the grants and services for artists, community organizations, schools, creative businesses, and government agencies at its current level. The agency has scheduled a Listening Tour Jan. 30-Feb. 10 to gather important public feedback regarding the critical areas in which state investment is essential to support our state’s creative economy.

Public feedback is vital as the agency determines its future budget priorities.

Due to the budget uncertainty, the Council has also decided to postpone its March 12 grant deadline for the 2009-10 Grants to Artists and Organizations (GAO) and Success through Art (StART Schools) grants.

Artists, community groups, creative businesses, educators and municipal leaders are encouraged to attend a Listening Tour session and to invite their colleagues. The Listening Tour schedule is listed below and posted on the Council’s web site at www.coloarts.org. Additional sessions may be added. If you have questions about the tour, email coloarts@state.co.us.

The Council has also posted an online survey on the web site. This will only take a few minutes and will provide important input regarding the role of state funding for arts activities and creative enterprises in communities around the state.

The “Listening Tour” will travel to several Colorado cities close to Wyoming, including Fort Collins on Jan. 30, and both Craig and Steamboats Springs on Feb. 7.

The Wyoming Arts Council has worked on several projects with our sister agencies in Colorado and South Dakota. Colorado was a partner with Wyoming on the Tumblewords Audience Development Project, when we exchanged writers across borders for programs in schools, libraries and museums. South Dakota was a partner in the Arts Across Art Beyond Boundaries program. WAC also worked with S.D. on its Prairie Winds project.

Artists and arts organizations that have been nurtured by these state arts agencies have brought their talents to Wyoming. Denver's Cleo Parker Robinson dance troupe has conducted residencies in Sheridan and Gillette, among other places. Wonderful Colorado writers such as Laura Pritchett, Mary Crow and Bob Greer have traveled to Wyoming to judge fellowships and teach workshops.

We're all separate states out here in the Great Wide Open. Yet not one of us is an island.

To our colleagues in the region -- wyomingarts wishes you well.

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Wyoming Arts Advocacy Day is Feb. 13

This notice coimes from Phyllis Colpitts of the Wyoming Arts Alliance:

Arts Advocacy Day 2009 will be Friday, Feb. 13, at the Wyoming Capitol Building in Cheyenne. Wyoming singer/songwriter Bryan Ragsdale of Green River (a Wyoming Arts Council roster artist) will be performing for our Legislators at 10 a.m. that day. At the close of the session at noon, Wyoming Arts Alliance is providing a box lunch for the Legislators in the Herschler Tunnel. For those of you not familiar with the Capitol, there is a tunnel that links the Capitol Building and the Herschler Building to the immediate north. This underground passage is heavily used by legislators as it is also a direct route to the parking garage. On display in the Tunnel will be visual arts, performing artists and information about the state of the arts in Wyoming and any pertinent Legislative bills pending.

If you can arrange your schedules to be a part of this event; please do so. This is your opportunity to talk with your Senator or Representative about what the arts mean to you. If you are unable to attend, email your legislator with your comments.

Note: Due to the Presidents' Day holiday, the legislative session will close at noon Friday and will not convene on Monday, Feb. 16.

"Musings on Shakespeare by a Teenage Girl"

Off Square Theatre and Dancers' Workshop presents "Musings on Shakespeare by a Teenage Girl" on Friday, Jan. 30, 6:30 p.m. and 8 p.m., in the Dancers' Workshop Studio 1, Center for the Arts, 240 S. Glenwood, Jackson.

Suggested donation are $5 adults, $3 students.

Here's a description of the event from the Center for the Arts web site:

The junior companies of Dancers' Workshop and the Off Square Theatre Company present an evening of acting, movement and music in a collaborative performance.The Junior Repertory Company and The Off Square Players have been rehearsing together and will perform in DW's Studio 1 on the second floor of the Center for the Arts. Seating is limited and on a first come first serve basis.

This collaborative student performance is the first in what we hope will become a tradition for these two student performing groups. These two junior companies study their art forms and gain experience by working with professional teachers, directors and choreographers in class and in performance. The JRC students study all forms of dance and recently performed in DW's holiday show "If the Shoe Fits." The Off Square Players study various styles of acting and performed most recently in Off Square's productions of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and "Scrooge!"

FMI: Call Dancers' Workshop at 307-733-6398.

Andy Calder plays music inspired by fine art

If you're up in Jackson next week, drop into the National Museum of Wildlife Art for this event (thanks to the museum's Zeenie Scholz for the info):

For the National Museum of Wildlife Art’s upcoming "Art After Hours," Jackson Hole electric bassist, Andy Calder, is facing a challenge: write a piece, or multiple pieces, of original music inspired by the Museum’s collection of fine art. Calder will perform his original music inspired by American painters, such as William Merritt Chase and Alexander Pope, during the "Art After Hours" program on Tuesday, Feb. 3, at 7 p.m. in the museum’s JKM Gallery.

Andy Calder is an accomplished professional musician who since the early 1990s has been performing and recording with scores of different artists including Rick Danko (The Band), legendary jazz guitarist Larry Coryell, The Motet, DJ Logic, Ray White (Frank Zappa), Grammy-nominated acid-jazz ensemble Liquid Soul, and others.

Calder moved to Jackson Hole in 1992 and quickly established himself regionally as a talented and adaptable bassist. Local stalwarts that have relied on Calder’s groove include the Soul Impressions, One Ton Pig, The Monkey Wrench Gang, Funk Missile, Phil Round, Fat Albert, Bob Greenspan, Mandatory Air, Isaac Hayden, and more.

In 2007, Calder began to tour with several improvisational/performance art ensembles, searching for an outlet for feelings and emotions that seemed to be impossible to verbalize. The most successful of these bands, Banyan, is led by Jane’s Addiction drummer Stephen Perkins. The lineup is deliberately fluid, but the two tours Calder did in 2008 placed him on stage with Perkins, guitarist Brian Jordan (Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, Lauryn Hill), trumpet ace Willie Waldman (Snoop Dogg) and acclaimed cutting-edge painter Norton Wisdom. Wisdom actually creates artwork onstage as the band performs, functioning as a member of the improvisational group.

Currently, Andy Calder’s artistic focus is on solo material. The music reflects his impressions of life, love, death, family, friends, the tragic state of the world, hope, and the beauty of the place he calls home. Songs travel through the spectrum of emotions, from fear and frustration to optimism and hope. Calder uses fretted and fretless electric basses along with numerous electronic devices to create his messages. The music has an original sound, but contains strong elements of rock, jazz, and bluegrass.

Please join us at the National Museum of Wildlife Art for an inspiring evening.

FMI: Zeenie Scholz at zscholz@wildlifeart.org or 307-732-5437

KEAG Gallery features Brett Deacon

Sarah Ramsey-Walters at the KEAG Gallery in Laramie sends this:

Don't miss the work of nature photographer Brett Deacon in an exhibit at KEAG Gallery, 414 Grand Avenue, Laramie. His exhibit, "Wyoming Landscape," will show through Feb. 3. Brett's reverence for the natural world is evident through his vibrant prints capturing the beauty of Wyoming's landscape.

Brett moved to Laramie in 2004. His work documents his exploration from the granite rock formations of Vedauwoo to the meadows of Grand Teton National Park. Brett hopes to impart one with a sense of wonder, respect, and stewardship for our country's wild places.

KEAG Gallery is open Thursday-Saturday, noon-5:30 p.m. Please call for appointment (307) 745-3308.

Student exhibit opens 1/30 at UW Art Museum

From a UW press release:

The University of Wyoming Art Museum will present the 34th annual Juried UW Student Exhibition beginning with the opening reception at 6 p.m. and announcement of awards at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 30.

The exhibition will be on view at the UW Art Museum through Feb. 14. Jennifer Garner, assistant professor, director, and curator of the Center for Visual Arts, Metropolitan State College of Denver, is the juror.

"This exhibition is a highlight of the museum's exhibition program every year," says Susan Moldenhauer, UW Art Museum director and chief curator. "In addition to providing a professional art exhibition experience, the exhibition celebrates the creative expression of UW's students."

The exhibition is open to anyone enrolled during the 2008-2009 academic year. Students whose artwork is selected are eligible for cash and purchase awards.

A gallery walk-through of the award-winning works is scheduled for Monday, Feb. 9, at 6:30 p.m.

Artwork that was not selected is on view in the Fine Arts Building UP Gallery in the annual Salon de Refuses. Organized by the Student Art League, the UP Gallery exhibition continues through Jan. 31.

The museum is located in the Centennial Complex at 2111 Willett Drive. The museum and store are open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission is free.

For more information, call (307) 766-6622 or visit www.uwyo.edu/artmuseum or the museum's new blog, www.uwartmuseum.blogspot.com.

Call for entries: Albuquerque Fiber Arts Fiesta

The deadline is March 1 for the Albuquerque, N.M., Fiber Arts Fiesta Expo set for May 21-23, 2009. This is the seventh biennial show dedicated to fiber arts education and to the display of fiber-related artwork.

Hosted by the Albuquerque Fiber Arts Council, Inc. (AFAC), the Fiesta includes both juried and judged works organized by 16 co-sponsoring New Mexico fiber arts guilds. Over 500 juried and judged exhibits will be displayed in this show.

The Council accepts submissions in all fiber media and mixed media. A maximum of six works may be entered but no more than three within one division. Each area is a separate exhibit at the fiesta, hosted by one or more fiber guilds. All submissions are juried. Fee: $5 per entry.

FMI: http://fiberartcalls.blogspot.com/2008/11/albuquerque-fiber-arts-fiesta.html

Reminder: Send in those applications for the Governor's Capitol Art Exhibition

Wyoming artists interested in applying for inclusion in the 9th Annual Governor’s Capitol Art Exhibition are reminded the deadline for entries is February 13 .

All artists living and working in Wyoming are invited to enter this juried competition. Selected pieces will be on display in the Wyoming State Museum in Cheyenne from April 20 through June 6. Additionally, all work submitted must be for sale with a maximum price of $5,000. Gov. Dave Freudenthal will present more than $10,000 in anticipated purchase awards at a public reception on May 1. Juror’s Choice and People’s Choice awards will also be presented.

The Governor’s Capitol Art Exhibition is a joint effort between the Governor’s Office, the Wyoming Arts Council, the State Museum and the Office of Travel and Tourism. The show was initiated to recognize and promote Wyoming artists.

All artistic interpretations from traditional to contemporary are encouraged in all mediums except video and installation. Applicants must be members of the Wyoming Arts Council Artist Image Registry.

Works may be two or three-dimensional and must be original and completed within the last three years. This year’s juror is Ivar Zeile, owner and director of the Plus Gallery in Denver.
Applicants will be notified in mid-March if they are accepted into this year ’s show.

Persons wishing to apply for the exhibit and/or Artist Image Registry can download applications from http://wyoarts.state.wy.us/ or call 307-777-7742. Neither application requires an entry fee.

Monday, January 26, 2009

Sue Sommers' paintings at LCCC gallery

Paintings by Pinedale artist Sue Sommers will be featured Feb. 2-20 at the exhibit "A Certain Altitude: Unbound Landscapes from the Wind River Range" in the Esther and John Clay Fine Arts Gallery at Laramie County Community College in Cheyenne. An artist reception will be held on Monday, Feb. 2, at noon in the gallery. It's free and open to the public.

For gallery hours and more information, go to
http://www.lccc.wy.edu/ or call 307-432-1603.

Image: "Elbow Lake from Lost Eagle Peak" (2008), 36"x24," Acrylic and collage on canvas

Jewelry making at Lander Art Center

Join the Lander Art Center when they host Jewelry night on Wednesday, January 28th, from 7-9 p.m. Stacy Wells will teach how to repair beaded jewelry (no soldering, sorry), materials will be available and a $5 fee will help pay for Stacy's time and Art Center overhead. Lennie Poitras will give a short tutorial on the new Bronze Clay and volunteers can help make wine charms for the upcoming Valentine's Wine and Chocolate Tasting. Everyone who comes to help with the charms will receive a charm to take home for themselves. Beverages and snacks will be served.

Stimulus package includes $50M for NEA

From a release on the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (NASAA) web site:

On Jan. 15, the U.S. House Democratic leadership released details of an $825 billion economic stimulus package with $275 billion in tax breaks and $550 billion in spending. The proposal includes a $50 million allocation for the National Endowment for the Arts, with the stipulation that 40 percent of such funding be distributed through state and regional arts agencies, the balance to go out in direct grants from the NEA. The proposal further stipulates that all funds must be awarded by September 30, 2010, using existing grant-making procedures.
The Wyoming Arts Council, a NASAA member, receives about 40 percent of its funding from the National Endowment for the Arts. The rest is provided by the Wyoming State Legislature. Some special projects are funded by corporate and private donations. See the WAC web site for more details.

The specifics of the proposal announced by the Democratic leaders include an unusual statement of accountability attached to the measure, referred to as "an historic level of transparency." Among the safeguards, the measure states: "Public notification of funding must include a description of the investment funded, the purpose, the total cost and why the activity should be funded with recovery dollars. Governors, mayors or others making funding decisions must personally certify that the investment has been fully vetted and is an appropriate use of taxpayer dollars. This will also be placed on the recovery website....There are no earmarks in this package."

Friday, January 23, 2009

WAC fellowship judge tackles ice sculpture

As noted yesterday in a wyomingarts post, Denver artist and sculptor Lawrence Argent has agreed to serve as one of the judges for the 2009 Wyoming Arts Council's visual arts fellowships. Argent has a new project (shown in drawing above), as reported in a Denver Post article by Claire Martin:


Colorado sculptor Lawrence Argent's latest project is far more ephemeral than "I See What You Mean," his installation of the big blue bear peering into the Denver Convention Center.

Argent and ice sculptor Scott Rella are finalizing plans to begin constructing "Conduit" on Jan. 12, where it will stand on the Gore Creek Promenade as part of Vail's upcoming Winterfest.

"Conduit" will be a spiral shaped from blocks of ice and illuminated with energy-efficient LED lights. A seashell will cling to the whorl inside the spiral's summit.

The midwinter seashell "might otherwise seem out of context," Argent acknowledges.

It's meant to invoke the ancient shallow sea that flooded a prehistoric, flat Colorado. In Vail's neighbor, Minturn, evidence of that seaway remains in the fossil sea life embedded in the Minturn Foundation geological layer.

"What's interesting is that when you go for hikes around Minturn, people always are finding fossils and things," Argent said. He has not found one of those fossils, but his son, a dinosaur enthusiast, has.

Partners in Performance calls for presenting organizations

Violinist Midori
Partners in Performance is now accepting applications for the program cycle beginning in the 2010/2011 season. Application forms and full eligibility guidelines can be downloaded from www.pipmusic.org. Interested, qualifying presenting organizations are invited to fill out and return the application by April 1, 2009.

Partners in Performance aims to stimulate interest in recitals and chamber music, specifically in smaller communities outside the radius and without the financial resources of major urban centers. The local co-presenter keeps all proceeds of ticket sales, which are to be used in ways consistent with the goals of PiP. Through Partners in Performance, high profile artists can donate their services for concerts to galvanize community attention and offer support to smaller-scale arts presenters.

Partners in Performance provides two (2) concerts for the benefit of the selected presenting organization, whose financial obligation consists of a token administrative fee paid to PiP—drastically less than an artist's usual fee. The two concerts will take place within consecutive concert seasons: the first, a recital by a high-profile artist such as Midori and Jonathan Biss; the second concert to be a solo or duo recital by a rising young artist with a local connection. The presenter keeps all proceeds from ticket sales, to be used at its discretion to fund future classical music projects or programs. An essential element of Partners in Performance is the opportunity for the artists to engage with the audience after the performance and with interested parties in the community.

Author Talk: "Climb to Conquer"

On Tuesday, Feb. 17, 6 p.m., the Teton County Public Library in Jackson presents "Sport Imitates War: Author Talk with Peter Shelton."

Author Peter Shelton’s slideshow presentation offers a captivating overview of the 10th Mountain Division based on his book “Climb to Conquer.” The 10th Mountain is the only U.S. Army division ever created out of a sport, in this case the symbiotic sports of skiing and climbing.

While the original division existed for just four years, from 1941 to 1945, its veterans have become some of American skiing and mountaineering’s earliest and most colorful heroes.

Presented with the exhibit, "Soldiers on Skis," on view in the library’s Exhibit Gallery through Feb. 28. Cost: Free. Location: Ordway Auditorium.

Contact: Adult Humanities Coordinator, 733-2164 ext. 135.

"Jentel Presents" Feb. 3 at Davis Gallery

Lynn Reeves keeps us posted about events at Wyoming's Jentel Foundation:

Welcome in a new year of talented artists and writers sharing your time with the Jentel artists-in-residence. Jentel is proud to present this month’s residents in an event open to the public. "Jentel Presents" will take place Tuesday, Feb. 3, 5:30-7 p.m. at Davis Gallery’s new location, 117 North Main. This month’s presenters shall include a collage artist, a poet, a videographer, a mixed media artist, a sculptor and a novelist. "Jentel Presents" is a community outreach program that features slide presentations and readings by the visual artists and writers at the residency.

Presenters include: Laurie Frick, Austin, TX; Laurie is a collage artist who has made a switch from hi-technology executive to successful artist. Her work focuses on the question…can art reach into the mind and fire neurons that feel familiar of another place and time. Pilar Gomez-Ibanez, Madison, WI; Pilar is a poet whose work is influenced by the natural world. Though she admits she is happy to be in Wyoming while the rattlesnakes are hibernating. Fred Muram, Seattle; Fred is a photographer and videographer who has a severe addiction to cheese and has opposable thumbs, but no opposable toes. He is also one rubber band away from completing his collection. Chauney Peck, Seattle; Chauney works as mixed media artist whose recent travels to Central America have lead to her current work with garbage. Steve Roden, Pasadena, CA; Steve is a sound and sculpture artist. He was the lead singer of an L.A. punk band and lives in a dome-shaped house made of solid concrete. Ann Weisgarber, Sugar Land, TX; Ann is a novelist who grew up in Ohio, a place she considered boring. That wasn’t true. There was a library and that became her airport out of ‘Dullsville’.

There is no admission charge for "Jentel Presents" and refreshments are available.

The Jentel Artist Residency Program accepts applications twice a year from visual artists in all media and writers in all genres for a one-month residency. A residency includes a comfortable accommodation; common living, dining and recreation areas; a private workspace and a stipend to help defray expenses during the program.

FMI: www.jentelarts.org.

Creativity through chocolate recipes

This cordial invitation comes from the Lander Art Center:

It is time once again for our annual Valentine Wine and Chocolate Tasting Event. The party begins at 6 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 13, at the Art Center, 224 Main St., and will feature chocolate desserts from Lander's professional chefs as well as your own creations!

The Art Center would like to invite you to participate with your favorite chocolate recipe! We were delighted with the efforts of our entries last year, and as a result of the fabulous response, we are adding a new category--Most Creative!

Prizes are $50, $25 and $10 for Best Taste and $25 for Most Creative. There is a $5 entry fee. All entries on the amateur level will receive a special hand-made gift and a Lander Art Center Logo pin!

If you'd like to participate, please fill out an entry form and drop it by or mail it to the Art Center at 224 Main, Lander, WY 82520 with your entry fee. You can access the entry form at our website www.landerartcenter.com.

Also featured will be wines from One Stop Market. The One Stop has generously offered to donate 15% of any wine sales to your Art Center, so taste away and stock up on your favorite wines!

Don't forget—there will also be a silent auction of local artwork and other treasures, just in time to find the perfect gift for that special valentine!

Tickets are $25 per person and can be purchased at The Lander Art Center, Valley Printing or from your Board Members.

Last year's even was a sellout and great fun for everyone! Get your tickets today!

S.D. Gov's budget eliminates state arts agency

One of our neighboring states is experiencing an arts funding crisis. Peter Harriman at the Sioux Falls (S.D.) Argus Leader reports this sobering news:

Gov. Mike Rounds on Thursday outlined $46.2 million in proposed budget cuts in the next two years that would span almost 40 programs and cut 76 full-time jobs within the state. The cuts are necessary to help cover projected shortfalls of $58.7 million in fiscal 2009 and $83.8 million the following year. The deficits come in the middle of a national recession. Rounds said economists predict will be both deep and long. But Rounds also said the state, which has had a structural deficit five out of the past six years since 2003, must stop spending more than it makes.

Arts and educational programs are being hit hard.

Public higher education institutions also would have to pass out $500,000 in program cuts to the six campuses. Cooperative Extension, headquartered at South Dakota State University, would see a $1 million cut. Perry worries such cuts will force South Dakota to lose ground against regional peers. North Dakota and Wyoming have surplus budgets, and we know they are investing in higher education. ... I've got a lot of concern about that," he said.

Rounds also suggested cutting money to the South Dakota Arts Council by $668,000, which also means the loss of National Endowment for the Arts money. The cuts would affect a variety of programs in Sioux Falls, including the Sioux Falls Jazz & Blues Society, Washington Pavilion of Art and Science, South Dakota Symphony Orchestra and the Sioux Empire Community Theatre.

AVA Center offers full line-up of art classes


Thursday, January 22, 2009

Line-up announced for JH Writers Conference

Tim Sandlin announces the line-up for the 17th annual Jackson Hole Writers Conference June 25-28 in Jackson:

  • Featuring Jill Conner Browne (pictured)
  • Fiction: Tony Earley; Julia Glass; Craig Johnson
  • Nonfiction: William Powers; Ted Kerasote
  • Magazine & Travel Writing: Chuck Sambuchino, Writer's Digest; Allison Adato, Editor at People
  • Young Adult: Terry Davis, Chris Crutcher, Roz Monette
  • Poetry: Ravi Shankar; Katharine Coles; Laurie Kutchins
  • Editors: Todd Stocke, Sourcebooks; Philip Rappaport, Bantam; Tina Pohlman, Speigel and Grau
  • Agents: Neeti Madan, Sterling Lord Literistic; Susanna Einstein, LJK Literary

Register now to secure the early bird special of $355, including welcome cocktail party, BBQ with esteemed faculty and new friends, and conference goodie bag.

New York Times bestsellers and award-winning authors will lead you on an inspired weekend as they share their expertise and love of the written word.

Manuscript Critiques have always been an important part of the Jackson Hole Writers Conference. For the first time, this year, we will accept manuscripts as Word document attachments. Receive one-on-one feedback about your work from three different faculty members. This will enhance your conference experience and give you the rare opportunity to receive professional evaluation of your work. Don't miss the deadline.

FMI: 307-413-3332

Public Information Office promotes Poetry Out Loud and earns WPA award

Milward Simpson, director of the Wyoming Department of State Parks and Cultural Resources, sends this news:

Please join me in congratulating Gary Schoene and our Public Information Office staff on the recognition they received during the recent Wyoming Press Association convention at the Plains Hotel here in Cheyenne.

The SPCR PIO was presented with a second place news writing award in the "three releases on a single topic" category for a series of press releases on last year's Poetry Out Loud competition.

In presenting the awards, the judges commented that the Poetry Out Loud competition was "an interesting story which was covered by many local newspapers. This is just what the news release is for in helping local newspapers get the word out about unique events."

The Wyoming Arts Council sponsors the state's Poetry Out Loud competition. [sentence deleted by editor.] Wyomingarts thanks Gary Schoene and his staff for helping us publicize this poetry recitation project for high school students.

Renowned comedy troupe visits UW

From a UW press release:

Chicago's legendary comedy theatre, The Second City, will perform at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 4, in the University of Wyoming Union ballroom in Laramie. The free performance will feature some of the best sketches, songs and improvisations from The Second City's 45-plus year history.

Founded in Chicago in 1959, The Second City has become the premier training ground for the comedy world's best and brightest. Their alumni list reads like a who's who of American comedy as it includes: Mike Nichols, Elaine May, Alan Arkin, Joan Rivers, Robert Klein, Peter Boyle, John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, Gilda Radner, George Wendt, Martin Short, John Candy, Chris Farley, Mike Myers, Tina Fey, Steve Carell, Stephen Colbert, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Horatio Sanz, Ryan Stiles and countless others.

Not only will an evening with The Second City provide audiences with the chance to see comedy stars in the making, but they will also have the opportunity to see absolutely hilarious satire and cutting-edge improvisation. No topic or subject matter is off limits for The Second City.

The ASUW Student Activities Council sponsors the free program. Individuals with disabilities needing accommodations can contact Mike Lange at (307) 766-2752 or mlange@uwyo.edu.

In Memoriam: Jean Healy of Worland

One-time Wyoming Arts Council board member Jean Elizabeth Bailey Healy of Worland died Monday, Jan. 19, at Worland Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center after a long-term battle with the side effects of radiation treatment for a brain tumor in 1991. She was 63.

A Minnesota native, Jean was instrumental in the establishment of the Washakie Museum. Jean, Georgia St Clair, Dorothy Froyd, Carol McCormac, Celia Davis, Dan Healy, the Worland Artists and the Washakie County Historical Society formed the Friends of the Museum group and raised private funds to buy the present museum building for Washakie County. Jean served as the first president of the board of directors of the museum after the commissioners released it to the private sector. Jean stayed active with the museum in its day-to-day operations. She also wrote a column for the Daily News called “At the Museum.”

Jean loved horses, skiing, reading, cooking and entertaining, and to be with her family. She wrote a small book about her experience with brain cancer titled “Hope for a Miracle.”

Jean is survived by her husband Mike Healy of Worland, a former state legislator, and her sons Daniel J. “DJ” Healy serving in the Peace Corps in the Ukraine and Brian Healy who is a law student at the University of Wyoming.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, Jan. 24 at noon at St. Alban’s Episcopal Church in Worland with the Rev. Joe E. Galligan officiating. A reception will follow the service. Cremation has taken place and the ashes will be scattered near Jackson Hole at a later date.

Memorials may be made to the Washakie Museum, 1115 Obie Sue, Worland, Wyo. 82401.

Roster panel completes deliberations

WAC staff and panelists just wrapped up deliberations to decide new additions to the artists' roster.

The panel's selections now go to the next quarterly meeting of the WAC board Feb. 12-13 in Cheyenne. Once the board gives its approval, the list of new roster artists will be announced on this blog and elsewhere.

WAC moved up the roster schedule by three months to allow more time for artists to promote themselves before the new roster is released. Until 2008, new roster artists weren't approved until the June board meeting, leaving little time to get the word out before the beginning of the new fiscal year on July 1.

For more info on the roster, contact Mike Shay, Annie Hatch or Karen Merklin at the WAC, 307-777-7742.

Judges announced for visual arts fellowships

Judges for the Wyoming Arts Council’s 2009 visual arts fellowships are:

Lawrence Argent, Denver, artist, sculptor and arts professor at University of Denver
Gina Ruggeri, Brooklyn, N.Y., painter and visiting professor in the Vassar College art department
Greg Esser, Phoenix, artist, arts advocate and director of the Roosevelt Row Artists' District in downtown Phoenix

Fellowship applications will be mailed next week to everyone on the WAC visual arts mailing list. By Feb. 2, it will be available as a printable file on the WAC web site at wyoarts.state.wy.us.

Postmark deadline is March 6, 2009. The judging session will be held in conjunction with the Public Art Symposium April 2-4 at the UW Conference Center in Laramie. The fellowship winners will be announced at the symposium, which is co-sponsored by the University of Wyoming Art Museum and the Wyoming Arts Council.

More info available later on this site. Stay tuned…

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

WAC announces performing arts fellowships

The Wyoming Arts Council is pleased to announce the winners of its 2009 performing arts fellowships in music performance.

The two recipients are Theresa Bogard, a pianist from Laramie, and Anne Sibley, a singer and musician from Jackson. Each of the performers will receive a $3,000 stipend.

An honorable mention was given to Michael Hurwitz, a singer/songwriter from Alta.

Judges for this year’s competition were vocalist and musician Ruth Lara Vichules of Phoenix, Ariz., and Brad Richter, a guitarist and composer from Tucson, Ariz.

Bogard is a professor in the University of Wyoming Music Department and teaches piano and keyboard studies. She has performed all over Wyoming and throughout the U.S. She has given recitals in Mexico, Bolivia, China, Korea and Indonesia.

Sibley is the vocalist for the husband-wife folk and bluegrass duo of Anne and Pete Sibley. They have performed all over Wyoming, and will be featured this summer at the Beartrap Festival on Casper Mountain and the Big Horn Mountain Festival in Buffalo. They also will perform in April at the MerleFest in Wilkesboro, North Carolina, an event co-founded by bluegrass legend Doc Watson in memory of his son, Merle.

For more information on Wyoming Arts Council programs for individual artists, contact Michael Shay at the WAC, 307-777-5234.

Kids and nature: a natural

The Fire and Ice Festival, an event hosted by the Wyoming Division of State Parks, Historic Sites and Trails, will provide local children with an opportunity to experience a variety of winter, outdoor activities at the Barrett Building, 2301 Central Avenue in Cheyenne, January 23-24.
Held as part of the national Children in Nature program and the Wyoming Kids Xtreme campaign, Fire and Ice is committed to reconnecting children and families with nature and the outdoors.

The event will kickoff at 10 a.m., January 23, when a group of students from Pioneer Park School will address the Wyoming State Legislature, personally inviting the governing body to a reception scheduled from 4 to 6 p.m. The students will then trek from the Capitol to the Barrett Building where they will watch professional ice sculptors work their magic on blocks of ice. The students will also try their hand at snow sculpting before heading to Starbucks for hot chocolate.

Fire and Ice continues from 9 a.m. until noon, January 24 with a variety of activities and demonstrations such as igloo building, a snowshoe demonstration, dummy rescue, toboggan run, cross country skiing demonstration, a stamp mill, military cannon, a snowmobile simulator and snow games. These activities are free and open to the public. Weather forecaster Don Day will also be on hand to show how satellite images are read and conduct weather equipment demonstrations.

Fire and Ice is made possible through the generous donations or participation of Dazzling Ice Sculptures, Starbucks Coffee, the Wyoming Arts Council, Office of Homeland Security and Search and Rescue, Don Day – Day Weather, Mechanical Systems, Inc., Rock on Wheels, WP Rentals, Senator Bruce Burns, GSD Facilities Management – Grounds, USA Fireworks, Sierra Trading Post and the Steamboat Springs Ski and Resort Corporation. For more information about the Fire and Ice Festival, please call the Wyoming Department of State Parks and Cultural Resources at 777-6323.

President's Committee on the Arts & the Humanities

The President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities (PCAH), National Park Service (NPS), National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), and Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) jointly announced the awarding of $10.52 million in federal Save America's Treasures (SAT) grants.

With these funds 40 organizations and agencies will act to conserve some of America's most significant cultural treasures, which illustrate, interpret, and embody the great events, ideas, and individuals that contribute to our nation's history and culture. Through the congressionally-appropriated SAT program, awards were made to 23 historic properties and sites and 17 nationally significant collections of artifacts, documents and artistic works.

Among this year's awardees is The Paul Dyck Plains Indian Buffalo Culture Collection in Wyoming. This collection is the most comprehensive privately-held assemblage of Plains
Indian arts and related historical materials documenting the lives and cultures of the Native people of the Great Plains. The Buffalo Bill Historical Center will use SAT funds to conserve and exhibit this collection, and its location in northwestern Wyoming will be a resource for current and future generations of Native Americans from the nearby Northern Plains reservations and non-Native scholars and others.

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Arts in the Land of the Sun

Here is your trusty Wyoming Arts Council correspondent shown outside of the Heard Museum in Phoenix. My son and I visited the museum for a few hours on Saturday to view its extensive Native-American collections, which includes both traditional and contemporary galleries. We could have spent days at the museum. During our visit, we sat in on a day-long session of Navajo elders recounting traditional winter stories. We ate a lunch of burritos made of Navajo frybread.

On Friday, I was at the Arizona Arts Commission conducting the WAC's peer panel for performing arts fellowships in music performance. Deliberations were conducted by our two fine Arizona judges: Brad Richter and Ruth Lara Vichules. I have the panel results in sealed envelopes. They can't be released until I phone the two winners and one honorable mention when I return to the office on Wednesday. Watch this space for more on the fellowship results.

Friday, January 16, 2009

UCross hosts reception

Join the Ucross Foundation Art Gallery Friday, January 23, from 5 to 7 p.m. for the opening reception of The Force of Attention, paintings and prints by Jessica Dunne.

Ucross Foundation Art Gallery, 30 Big Red Lane, Ucross, WY
for further information, contact UCross at (307) 737-2291 or by email at info@ucross.org or
www.ucrossfoundation

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Blanchan/Doubleday winners announced

The Wyoming Arts Council is pleased to announce the winners of the 2009 Blanchan/Doubleday writing awards.

Recipient of the Neltje Blanchan Memorial Writing Award for nature writing is Lou O. Madison of Cheyenne. He will receive a $1,000 prize for his fiction entry, “Winter Sun.” Honorable mentions in this category go to Mary Budd Flitner of Greybull for “A Detailed Map of the Trail” and Kelly Blikre of Gillette for “Running Naked.”

Recipient of the Frank Nelson Doubleday Memorial Writing Award for women writers is Christine B. Nelson of Story. She will receive a $1,000 prize for an excerpt from her novel, “The Church of Last Resort.” Honorable mentions go to Jane Dominick of Laramie for “A Stone’s Throw” and Beverly Leys of Moran for “The Changers.”

Judge for this year's competition was Laurel Blossom, a prize-winning poet and essayist from South Carolina.

The competition is sponsored by the Wyoming Arts Council and funded by artist and arts patron Neltje.

For more information about the Wyoming Arts Council’s programs for individual artists, contact Michael Shay at 307-777-5234 or mshay@state.wy.us.

WAC artists' roster panel to meet Jan. 22

The Wyoming Arts Council will hold its annual artist roster selection panel on Thursday, Jan. 22, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., in the Arts Council Gallery, 2320 Capitol Ave., Cheyenne.

The meeting is open to the public.

Every year, the WAC invites applications for its roster. A panel of artists and arts professionals then convenes to review the applicants and select those that meet the criteria of “artistic merit of the artist” and “ability of the artist to successfully interact with an audience or in a public setting.”

Last year, the panel selected eight new artists and arts groups, raising the number of talented Wyoming roster artists to 57. Any Wyoming arts organization, school or community can bring in any of these artists through an Arts Across Wyoming grant.

To view the current artists’ roster, or to get more information about grants, go to http://wyoarts.state.wy.us.


For more information about the panel meeting, please call the WAC at 307-777-7742.

"Woven Painting" at the State Museum

An exhibit of 15 tapestries by Wilson artist Mary-Alice Huemoeller will be on display at the Wyoming State Museum, January 26 through March 7.

A reception and program by Huemoeller will be held Feb. 12, from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., in the State Museum’s Multi-Purpose Room.

Huemoeller’s weaving reflects her personal vision of life. Her ideas and messages are conveyed through a vocabulary of symbols, both standard and individually invented, which are integral to her designs.

Huemoeller’s works recall Native-American imagery and cave paintings by ancient peoples, both made with a similar intent. Her woven compositions speak to the sacred and are a sharing of the artist’s spirit and that of mankind.

Her art intends to celebrate life’s experiences and to evoke a response in those who come into contact with it. As a nurse, Huemoeller is interested in the healing process and how she can express this regeneration and nurturing of one’s self and the unity of people.

Huemoeller has studied weaving at Penland School in North Carolina, Haystack Mountain School of Crafts in Maine and the Mendocino Art Center in California. She has drawn upon the weaving traditions of the Guatemalan, Thai, Laotian and Native American peoples to give her inspiration for her own work, particularly the notion of weaving symbols into their clothing to inform others of their identity.

The Southeast Asian technique ikat, in which the thread is partially painted before woven to create a distinctive pattern, is incorporated into Huemoeller’s woven art . She utilizes warp painting, embroidery and brocade to create diverse visual and textural experiences for the viewer.

The Wyoming State Museum is located in the Barrett Building, 2301 Central Avenue in Cheyenne. For information about this exhibit or State Museum programs, please call 777-7022.

Thursday events resume at Phoenix Books

Michael Riversong notified us that he'll be performing on Thursday, Jan. 22, 6 p.m., at Phoenix Books on Capitol Avenue, just north of Lincolnway in Cheyenne. He promises "music, stories and interactive fun! Celtic harp, guitar and flutes!"

Sounds great to us.

Michael performed at Phoenix Books on Dec. 4. "We had a lot of fun. It was actually amazing, considering how incredibly cold it was that night. So this time, pretty much the same thing, maybe a few other people, very social, warm and fuzzy as it alway is there. Looking forward to seeing you again!"

The performance space at Phoenix is small, "warm and fuzzy" as Michael says. Sometimes the music spills out into the street, so bring your coat. And peruse the bookshelves while you're there. Great selection of Wyoming and regional books, as well as fiction, (esp. mystery). A clean, well-lighted place, full of books.

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

The Muses are coming to Casper


The Celtic band The Muses will be in Casper January 16, playing at two venues. From 2-3 p.m., catch them at the Casper Public Library, 307 E. 2nd St. Then, from 7:30-9:00 p.m., they will play a concert at Our Saviour's Lutheran Church, 318 E. 6th St.

Tanya Brody, Matthew Gurnsey, and Lindsay Jensen each play a plethora of exotic instruments ranging from bohdran and concertina to harp and hammered dulcimer; psaltery, pennywhistles, and fiddle to name just a few.

The Muses add new life to old songs as well as adding original material to the Celtic repertoire. Since the moment they chose to blend their voices in song they began captivating the hearts of every audience from Hawaii to Maine, Vancouver to Florida, weddings and pubs to concerts and main-stages at Scottish Games and Celtic Festivals. The Muses perform with a ferocity and a strength of heart that embodies the music they all love so dearly.

Family/Treasure exhibit at the Lander Arts Center

Hannah (l) and Magdalena by Dannine Donaho

Exhibit runs January 2- February 13, 2009. This show is about collections. Some of us prefer precious objects, works of art. For many of us the most important one is the collection of people that surround us. Local portrait painter, Dannine Donaho, along with other artists will represent the family in art.
Also featured, will be the collections of Jim Jereb. Jim is a Professor of Art at Truman State University in Kirksville, MO. He will send an exhibition of historical printmaking artworks ranging from 1493 to 2000, including works by Andy Warhol, Thomas Hart Benton, Grant Wood, Honore’ Daumier, Francisco Goyo, Kathe Kollwitz and George Bellows. Print techniques represented will include etchings, lithographs, woodcuts and screenprints.For more information call 307-332-5772, or email: landerartcenter@bresnan.net

Monday, January 12, 2009

Dawn Turner Trice and "The 'R' Word"

From a University of Wyoming press release:

A march, panel discussions, music and keynote addresses from a prominent newspaper columnist and the former American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) president highlight the annual Martin Luther King Jr./March and Days of Dialogue (MLK/DOD) celebration next week at the University of Wyoming.

"Social Justice Through Your Lens" is the theme of the event that runs Jan. 19-23. MLK/DOD renews UW's commitment to making campus a more welcoming and empowering place for people from different backgrounds, heritages, orientations or abilities. Events celebrate the continuing impact of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s life and ideals.

Most events are free and all are open to the public. For more details, visit the MLK/DOD Web site at www.uwyo.edu/MLK/.

Highlights of the week are keynote addresses from Chicago Tribune columnist Dawn Turner Trice (shown in above photo from Chicago Tribune) and Nadine Strossen, former ACLU president. Turner Trice's presentation, "The ‘R' Word: Using Journalism to Open a Civic Dialogue on Race and Culture," is Thursday, Jan. 22, at 5 p.m. in the Wyoming Union Family Room. Strossen's talk, "Social Justice Through Advocacy and Activism; Conversations about Current Civil Liberties, Challenges and Controversies," is the following day, also at 5 p.m. in the Wyoming Union Ballroom.

Turner Trice is a regular commentator for WTTW's "Chicago Tonight" show and has written commentary that was heard on National Public Radio's "Morning Edition" program.

She has written two novels; "Only Twice I've Wished for Heaven" (Random House, 1997), which will be made into a movie, and "An Eighth of August" (Random House, 2000).

Turner Trice received the 2008 Studs Terkel Media award, two Illinois Arts Council awards, an American Library Association Alex award and a 2006 National Endowment for the Arts fellowship.

Strossen discusses the challenges to American civil liberties today and elaborates on issues that are particularly relevant: the war on terror and government's efforts to enact potentially intrusive legislation, growing demographic diversity, technological advances and a conservative political climate.

She was the first woman and the youngest person to ever serve as ACLU president. A professor of law at New York Law School, Strossen has written, lectured, and practiced extensively in the areas of constitutional law, civil liberties and international human rights. She also has written two books "Defending Pornography" and "Speaking of Race, Speaking of Sex: Hate Speech, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties."

For more information, contact Gracie Lawson-Borders, UW African American Studies director and MLK/DOD co-chairman, at (307) 766-2482 or e-mail glawsonb@uwyo.edu.

My kingdom for a functional, great-looking, easy-to-find-something-in, cool, stylish...

An interesting exhibit at the Wyoming State Museum right now is pocketbook anthropology, a collection of 50 handbags by artists, artisan and designers from around the world. Leila Hadley Luce's words, writer and former cartoon editor for the Saturday Evening Post, open the dialogue about this exhibit: "One's handbag is an extension of self, persona and personality."

A woman's purse is one of the most valuable possessions she has. Remember the man purse on Friends? Rachel convinced Joey that he'd get the part he was trying out for because he would exude charisma and confidence. Whether or not all the females out there who carry purses feel that amount of confidence in this seemingly necessary wardrobe accompaniment, the museum exhibit features a diverse selection of collectible, nostalgic, interpretive and iconic examples of that leading fashion accessory that would lend a distinctive finish to any chic girl's (or guy's) outfit.










































Purses from left to right, top to bottom:
1. Artist: Mary Francis, Fairy Dance, 2005; satin, glass beads, stones, sequins, metal and leather; Courtesy of the artist.
2. Artist unknown: possible example of prison art; Cigarette Pack Purse; Folded American cigarette packs. (blog editor's note: remember when you used to fold gum wrappers into this shape and make chains with them? Same principle here.)
3. Plyones Design Lucas, Pink Watering Can, ca. 2000; plastic; private collection.
4. Artist unknown: Decopauged Train Case, ca. 1955; wood, paper, metal and plastic; courtesy Elizabeth Boggs.
5. Artist unknown: Alligator Purse, ca. 1940s; Alligator skin, alligator claws, leather and metal; Courtesy Leslie Pelzer.
6. Artist: Janet Cooper, 1990s; Fabric, vintage bottle caps, and bead chain; private collection.
7. Pansy-design, glass beaded purse; artist unknown, ca. 1920s; from the private collection of Cada McCoy.
8. Floral design, glass beaded purse; artist unknown; ca. 1900s; from the private collection of Dora Appel Handel.