Fish plus bags equals art at AVA

Hip-hop for social justice at UW

Rosa Clemente, hip hop activist, scholar, community organizer, journalist, and 2008 Green Party Vice Presidential Candidate, will give a presentation at 9 p.m. on Wednesday, April 1, in the Wyoming Union ballroom part of the fourth annual Hip Hop Comes Home Social Justice and Hip Hop Event.

A progressive voice for her generation, Clemente has dedicated her academic work to researching national liberation struggles inside the United States. She is co-founder of the R.E.A.C.Hip-Hop, a media justice coalition, and co-host of a weekly talk show, "Where We Live," in New York City.

Local hip hop masters Collected Elements will perform, and three award-winning poets from the Laramie High School Social Justice Slam will also read their poetry.

This free event is part of the Shepard Symposium on Social Justice.

Register now for arts symposium in Laramie

You still have time to register for the symposium this weekend! "Public Art and Community: Inspiration and Reflection" will be held at the new University of Wyoming Conference Center a few blocks from the Art Museum.

UW students. There is still room to attend the conference for free AND get an excused absence for Friday classes. Contact Rachel Miller, interim assistant curator, at 766-6620 or rmiller@uwyo.edu for details and information.

For teachers, PTSB credit is available. Contact Wendy Bredehoft, education curator, at 766-3496 or wbredeho@uwyo.edu for information.

General public. Contact Rachel Miller, interim assistant curator, at 766-6620 or rmiller@uwyo.edu to register.

For the symposium schedule, click here.

For the registration form, click here.

Considering Applying for ARRA Funding?

The Wyoming Arts Council (WAC) will soon be offering a grant using American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) funding. Look for guidelines and an application in mid-April. Projects are limited to:

• Salary support, full or partial, for one or more positions that are critical to an organization's artistic mission and that are in jeopardy or have been eliminated as a result of the current economic climate.

And/or

• Fees for previously engaged artists and/or contractual personnel to maintain or expand the period during which such persons would be engaged.

Organizations wishing to apply for ARRA funds to support either or both of the above MUST have a D-U-N-S number and have registered with the Central Contractor Registry (CCR). This is mandated by the National Endowment for the Arts. If your organization does not have a D-U-N-S number, register now! It is free, but it can take up to 30 days. CCR registration requires a D-U-N-S number, but takes only 72 hours.

To apply for a D-U-N-S number, go to Duns and Bradstreet (D&B). Select "D&B D-U-N-S number" from the menu near the top right hand of the screen. The next screen will request information to search their database. Once they have determined an organization is not in the database, two options will be offered: To establish a credit file or to get a D-U-N-S number. Select Get a D-U-N-S number. It takes "a minimum of 30 business days" (from the D&B FAQs) for them to process registration. D-U-N-S numbers can also be requested by phone at 1-866-705-5711. The following information is required to register for a D-U-N-S number:

• Legal Name


• Tradestyle, Doing Business As (DBA), or other name by which your organization is commonly recognized


• Physical Address, City, State and Zip Code


• Mailing Address (if separate)


• Telephone Number


• Contact Name


• SIC Code (Line of Business)


• Number of Employees at your location


• Headquarters name and address (if there is a reporting relationship to a parent corporate
• entity)


• Is this a home-based business?

Once you have received the D-U-N-S number, go to the Central Contractor Registry. On the left side is a link to "Start a New Registration." It takes about one hour to completed online The CCR requires the following information to register:

• Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) Number provided by Dun and Bradstreet(D&B)


• Tax Identification Number (TIN) and Taxpayer Name used in Federal tax matters


• Statistical Information about your business


• Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) Information for payment of invoices

WAC will allow applications to be made for ARRA funding without a D-U-N-S or CCR number, but must receive those numbers prior to payment of award funds.

WAC encourages all organizations who plan to apply to start the process now. If you have questions, please call the office at 307-777-7742.

Deadline April 20 for Wyoming Writers contest

From Wyoming Writers, Inc.:

Writers throughout the region are encouraged to enter the many categories offered to both members of the Wyoming Writers, Inc. and non-members. The contest closes April 20, 2009.

Categories include adult fiction, fiction for children, novel segments, humor, articles, essays, creative nonfiction, memoir segments, traditional poetry and free verse. The purpose of this contest is to provide a challenge for writers to hone, polish and prepare materials for eventual publication.

Winners will be announced at Wyoming Writers 35th annual conference to be held in Casper June 5-7 where Ted Kooser, U.S. Poet Laureate 2004-2006, will headline. Tina Welling, author of Fairy Tale Blues and Crybaby Ranch, will handle fiction workshops. Steve Huff shares his expertise on nonfiction and Internet research. Writer’s Digest editor and writer Chuck Sambuchino, who is writer himself by night and editor for Writer’s Digest Books by day, particularly two annual resource books: Guide to Literary Agents, and Screenwriter’s & Playwright’s Market. Literary Agent Meredith Kaffel, Charlotte Sheedy Literary Agency, will be looking for edgy commercial and literary young adult fiction, narrative non-fiction, history, human rights stories, food and travel narratives and voice-driven memoir.

Contest rules and more information on the June conference are both available at http://www.wyowriters.org/. For questions regarding rules and to submit entries contact Nancy Heyl Ruskowsky at 331 Road 6RT, Cody, WY 82414 or (307)587-3968; fvhomestead@dishmail.net.

Brad Watson in The New Yorker

Read University of Wyoming's Creative Writing fiction instructor Brad Watson's short story "Visitation" in the New Yorker.
http://www.newyorker.com/fiction/features/2009/04/06/090406fi_fiction_watson

Congrats, Brad. Way to go!

U.S. Senate & House include artists and musicians in National Service Bill

Thomas Birch, legislative counsel for the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies, sent this announcement on March 27:

Legislation approved by both the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives would create a voluntary service corps of artists and musicians to serve in schools in low-income communities and in healthcare, therapeutic and other community settings.

The Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, H.R.1388/S.277, legislation aimed at the overall expansion of national and community service programs, passed the Senate on March 26 by a vote of 79 to 19. Similar legislation was approved, 321-105, in the House of Representatives on March 18. Both bills would triple the number of AmeriCorps service volunteers, from 75,000 to 250,000.

Though the two measures contain provisions to engage artists and musicians in the service corps, the wording of those provisions and other sections of the bill is not completely identical and must first be reconciled before the legislation passes final approval. Congressional leaders hope to finish work on the legislation next week and send the bill to the president for signing.

The artists service corps provision in the House was proposed by Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-NY) during drafting of the legislation by the House Committee on Education and Labor. In the Senate, Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Judd Gregg (R-NH) offered the artists service amendment, which was included by voice vote in the legislation taken to the floor by the bill's manager. The new provision in the House and Senate bills would encourage the use of "skilled musicians and artists to promote greater community unity through the use of music and arts education and engagement through work in low-income communities, and education, health
care, and therapeutic settings, and other work in the public domain with citizens of all ages."

The new authority to include provisions for support of artists in the national service program responds to a campaign pledge made by President Obama to create an "Artists Corps" of young artists trained to work in low-income schools and their communities. A similar program was proposed by NASAA and other arts advocacy organizations in our recommendations to the transition team for the incoming Obama administration. Passage of the national service legislation to support nonprofit organizations in working with community volunteers has been a high priority for the new president.

The measure passed by the Senate includes an amendment offered by Sens. Max Baucus (D-MT) and Charles Grassley (R-IA) to establish a capacity-building program for nonprofit groups in the Corporation for National and Community Service that will expand organizational development assistance to small and midsize nonprofit organizations.

Both the House and the Senate bills would set up a fund to help nonprofit organizations recruit more volunteers and establish a "Summer of Service" program for middle and high school students. The two bills differ in provisions aimed at limiting the legislative advocacy and political organizing activities of service volunteers, differences which must be resolved before final passage.

C.J. Box writes intro for Yellowstone mapguide

The new "Yellowstone and Beyond" mapguide from National Geographic features an introduction by Cheyenne author C.J. Box, nominated this year for an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America. The intro mixes a bit of first-person narrative with history and local color.

Read the intro --and download (or order) a copy of the mapguide -- at http://www.yellowstonegeotourism.org/. The site also features an interactive map of the region.

National Geographic's Center for Sustainable Destinations has published an entire series of these publications devoted to Geotourism: "The kind of travel that sustains or enhances the geographical character of a place — its environment, culture, aesthetics, heritage, and the well-being of its residents."

Blizzard poetry

A timely poem for all who have gotten slammed (an will be again, it looks like) with the roar of high plains spring weather. Chris has been writing poetry forever and she also manages the newsletter for WyoPoets.

A Western Non-Spring
This week all springy
Temps above forty
And lilacs show bud

Tuesday next a storm
Will come howling in from the west
Temperatures drop
Tons of wet snow blanket
River, ranch and arroyo

We’ve seen it all before
Can’t protect the trees
Can’t avoid the inevitable power cut
Life without heat
Unable to flush the toilet
TV screen black and blank

Better stock up on tapes
Garrison Keillor
Hitchcock mysteries
Water to flush
And a myriad of canned soup
In the west there is no spring

© C. Valentine 3/19/2009

"Blue Things" and "Green Things" from Green River writer Bo Moore

Green River's Bo Moore sends word that she's just published two photo books with a new publishing system called Blurb. According to Bo: "It's worked so well that I'm publishing two more. Take a look: you can preview the first 15 pages online. It's a book release, and you're invited -- check out my new books at Blurb:
http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/invited/437293/3ba5582f17e0e398bd919d4625b0d8bb or www.blurb.com/user/store/bomoore."

Bo wrote the narrative and took the photographs for the books entitled "Blue Things" and "Green Things." Bo's previous books from her Dexa! Dog Press include "Some People Who Wander Are Lost" and "Sleeping with Dogs."

Bo received a 2002 creative writing fellowship and a 2007 Frank Nelson Doubleday writing award from the Wyoming Arts Council.

Call for entries: Yellowstone Art Contest

Remembering Solomon Foss, WAC volunteer

Wyoming Arts Council Administrative Assistant Evangeline Bratton recruits and supervises volunteers for the agency. One of the WAC's longtime volunteers was Solomon Foss who passed away March 16 in Cheyenne. Here's a remembrance of Sol, written by Evangeline:

Wyoming Arts Council Volunteer Solomon Foss joined the WAC's Volunteer Family with his wife Wanda in 1988.

Sol, as he preferred to be called, enjoyed his time spent with others either in assembling a massive mailing for the Arts Council or to braving the early cold morning hours at Lions Park picking up debris and whatever else he would find to clear the park of trash. As he once mentioned at one of his volunteer visits to the Arts Council, he likes that time of the day when it's very quiet, no one else is around and one's thoughts are not hindered as he would pick up bottles, papers, etc., He found treasures as well as "stuff" at the park for more than 10 years.

During World War II, Sol played in the U.S. Army Band. He loved wearing his signature veteran's cap, a familiar sight that revealed his character. It was his friendly, talkative, amiable, down-to-earth character and his smile we will always remember.

Sol was a witty, sharp, and intelligent guy as he would talk to just about anyone and about any subject. He could speak in a German dialect that he learned from his German immigrant parents. He spoke often of his Army experiences, and liked to give out Hawaiian greetings as well.

The Arts Council was delighted and honored that Sol and Wanda came to the December 2008 WAC Christmas party. They also attended the annual Governor's Arts Awards dinner over the years until health reasons prevented them from coming to the event.

Sol's last stint donating his skills, time and good cheer to the Arts Council was on March 13, 2007, with labeling of the Youth Arts Month Poster mailing. He and Wanda were always happy to take the time to help us out until ill health forced them to curtail their activities and be home bound.

Whenever I would call them for an upcoming project and Sol answered the phone, he would always say: "I'll have you talk to Wanda, the boss." And then Wanda would say that both of them would be at the WAC on the appointed day.

Summer Classes for Art Teachers

WAC is delighted to announce two summer classes for art teachers: Bronze Casting and Fused Glass. The primary focus of the classes is to provide art teachers an opportunity to learn a new art form, or refresh skills in an art form, while exploring how it can be taught in their own classroom. Each class includes large amounts of hands-on creating time.

Non-arts teachers will be accepted as space allows.
For a full syllabus and registration form, please call Camellia at 777-5305 or email celant@state.wy.us.

Bronze Casting
Green River, June 21-23
This class will focus on the basics of bronze casting; primarily centrifugal casting and will cover the basics of gravity casting. Many of the techniques and processes used during this class are derived directly from the lost wax casting process of the ancient Greeks. This process lends itself to almost any sculpting style and level of ability.

At the end of the class you’ll have:
A completed bronze sculpture (small, about 1.5 lbs)
An understanding of basic casting
Information about building a bronze program, or modifying your knowledge for use in your own school

The class will be taught by Shane Steiss, one of the art teachers at Green River High School. He’s been teaching bronze since 2006.


Fused Glass
Riverton, August 2-7
This class is a thorough introduction to fusing and slumping glass. Participants will create at least three pieces of their own art glass; learn a variety of techniques, and how to fire glass. The class will cover a range of topics pertaining to fusing glass, including tools, health concerns, safety concerns, materials, and information about working with glass, including tips for how to make it successful for anyone taking the class. Discussion will be held about the particulars of teaching fused glass in the public school classroom.

At the end of the class you’ll have:
At least three pieces of glass you created
An understanding of fusing and slumping glass
Information about building a glass program, or modifying your knowledge for use in your own school

The class will be taught by Marianne Vinich, one of the art teachers at Riverton High School. She’s been teaching fused and stained glass for close to 20 years.

Scholarships available for 35th annual Wyoming Writers, Inc., conference in Casper

Wyoming Writers, Inc., holds its 35th annual conference June 5-7 in Casper. Featured presenter is Nebraska poet Ted Kooser, who served as U.S. Poet Laureate from 2004-2006.

One little-known aspect of this statewide writers organization is its community outreach. Members mentor other members and youth throughout the state. The organization also offers scholarships to the conference. Here's some background on this scholarship program, taken from the WW Inc. web site:

The Memorial Scholarship fund doesn't get much publicity, but it is an important component of Wyoming Writers, Inc. Emmie Mygatt started the Fund in 1977 with a $500 donation. Emmie was a published author when she moved to Big Horn from the east coast in the late '60s. She taught a creative writing class at Sheridan College that was so popular the members continued meeting after the class ended, a group that evolved into the Sheridan Range Writers. Emmie envisioned a state-wide writers' organization and encouraged her group to start one, which they did in June, 1974—Wyoming Writers, Inc.

Emmie believed writers could live anywhere. She helped fledgling writers to believe it as well, assisted writers in learning their craft, and encouraged writers to help each other. She bestowed the original donation with the admonition it be "joyously" spent for an unusual opportunity approved by all.” With Emmie's blessing, the WW, Inc. board created the Emmie Mygatt Memorial Scholarship Fund. For clarity, the name was shortened in June, 1994.

Each year the number and dollar amounts of the scholarships change depending on donations received and interest rates realized. Donations to the Fund can be made at any time by anyone. Most, but not all, donations are memorials. The principal of the Fund is never touched; the interest accrued is used to give scholarships to writers to attend our annual conference. The scholarship covers conference registration and membership dues for one year to WW, Inc. Although WW, Inc. members receive first preference, non-members may also apply.

If you or someone you know would benefit from a scholarship to the 2009 Wyoming Writer's Inc. Conference, please write:
Nancy D. Wall
78 Fordham
Street
Pocatello, ID 83201
or email:
wallnanc(AT) isu (DOT) edu
Applications much be received by April 20, 2009.

Scholarship recipients will be notified by May 10, before the early bird conference
registration is due.

Tom Chapin sings for the arts

Here's just one artist making the case for the non-chopping of arts funding. If you look to the right, you can click on a number of his songs that have been posted, but you might enjoy his song about the 2008 republican vice-presidential candidate.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orgxcvbHFv4

Johnson, Nesbitt, win Spur Awards

The Western Writers of America have announced the winners of its 2009 Spur Awards. Two Wyoming novelists were named winners. Craig Johnson of Ucross won the Best Western Short Novel category with Another Man’s Moccasins (Viking/Penguin). John D. Nesbitt of Torrington won in the Best Original Mass Market Paperback category for Trouble at the Redstone (Dorchester Publishing). Wyomingarts is not shy about pointing out that both writers are recipients of Wyoming Arts Council creative writing fellowships.

It also bears mentioning that several finalists are former Wyoming residents. Win Blevins' book Dreams Beneath Your Feet (Forge Books/Tom Doherty) was a finalist in the short-novel category. A few years ago, Win moved from the Jackson area to Utah. Finalist in the Best Western Long Novel category was Joseph M. Marshall III, formerly of Casper and Sheridan, for The Long Knives are Crying (Fulcrum Publishing).

Craig Johnson, always the storyteller, related in his latest e-mail newsletter how he heard about the award. Let him tell it:

I had to hand dig my way through six-foot drifts down to the shop to get out my tractor so I could clear the ranch road yesterday-then I had to do it again today. I've got one of those old 8N tractors from 1948 when they thought that a front dump able to hold twice as much as a handheld snow shovel was quite the achievement.

I'd like to talk to those guys.

I struggled up to the house and collapsed on the porch, my furry Russian hat pushing down over my eyes in a dramatic interpretation of 'portrait of the artist as dead rancher'. My wife came out and asked if I wanted a cup of coffee, and I replied that I preferred to die de-caffeinated.

It's been a long winter, and to use the terms of the local paper The Buffalo Bulletin, the current storm "all but shut down the town and made life miserable for everyone". My romance with the American West, and life in general was creeping toward ebb. I stumbled in the house, tacking against the wind, peeled off my Carhartt, my wool muffler, my Sorels, and slumped down in front of the computer to answer emails.

I hit the send/receive button and the first thing that popped up was a missive from The Western Writers of America, one of the only two writer's organizations that will accept me. I figured it was something about membership elections, dues or something, but the header was from C.K. Crigger congratulating me on winning The Western Writer's of America's Spur Award for novel of the year, Another Man's Moccasins.

I figured it was a joke.

As far as I could tell, C.K. wasn't formally informing me of the award but just saying congrats. The Spur has had such prestigious winners as Larry McMurtry, Louis L'Amour, Elmer Kelton and my recently departed buddy Tony Hillerman. Not very many books from a series win the award, but it would be some pretty wonderful moccasins to walk in.

This evening, I got a phone call inviting me to Oklahoma City for the convention and ceremony.

So, I guess I did win. Doesn't it figure that the cowboys and Indians would be the ones that came through?

Thank you all.

Guitarist Mike Dowling hits the road

Dubois guitarist Mike Dowling has announced at least part of his spring-summer touring schedule. For more info on Mike, go to http://www.mikedowling.com/. Here's the schedule so far:

April 4: Blackfoot, ID, house concert, info mailto:murdochma@onewest.net
April 24: Richland Center, WI, Treasure Music, w/ Randy Sabien, richlandchamber.com
April 25: Fort Atkinson, WI, Cafe Carpe, w/Randy Sabien, cafecarpe.com
April 26: Skokie, IL, Skokie Theatre, w/ Randy Sabien,
June 4-6: International Peace Garden Fiddle Week, guitar instructor
June 7-12: Monarch, MT, guitar instructor, Montana Fiddle Camp
June 13: Virginia City, MT, concert, Elling House Arts & Humanities Center
July 5: Dubois, WY, concert, Headwaters Arts Center
July 20-24: Millwood, VA, private guitar camp
July 26-31: Asheville, NC, Swannanoa Gathering, Guitar Week instructor, http://www.swangathering.com/
Aug 1: Christianberg, VA, house concert, info TBA
Aug 9-14: Bar Harbor, ME, Guitar Intensives, information http://www.guitarintensives.com/
Aug 16: Boothbay Harbor, ME, Boothbay Opera House w/ Ernie Hawkins, Del Rey
Aug 29-30: Stockholm, Sweden, Guitar Workshop, information mailto:per.norstrom1@comhem.se

Looking for revised arts symposium schedule?

The Denver Post carried this photo today of the snow-covered Big Blue Bear ("I See What You Mean") sculpture in front of the Colorado Convention Center. The bear's sculptor, Lawrence Argent, is one of the featured speakers at the "Public Arts & Community" symposium April 2-4 at the UW Conference Center in Laramie.

The newly-revised schedule for the "Public Art & Community" symposium April 2-4 in Laramie is up on the Wyoming Arts Council web site. Times have been adjusted slightly to allow time after each presentation for some Q&A.

Questions? Call the WAC at 307-777-5234.

"Reflections" exhibit at Depot Plaza

From a press release:

What do a President’s rider-less horse saddle, Rosa Park’s quiet act of defiance, and Abraham Lincoln’s casket have in common? They’re all part of an exhibit that is drawing crowds and comments with its unique collection of funeral objects and exploration of funeral customs in a touring mobile museum.

From the cross-country funeral procession for Abraham Lincoln to the national outpouring of grief for Elvis Presley, America has a rich history of mourning the dead. "Reflections: The American Funeral" explores these traditions, beginning with Native American burial mounds and ending with the diverse rituals practiced across the country today. Produced by Michigan-based MRA, it’s earning high praise from visitors who sign the Guest Book: "Awesome!" "Great educational tool!" "Amazing! Brings out a lot of things we don’t think about." "Very, very moving."

The Cheyenne Depot Museum will host the "Reflections" exhibit on Saturday and Sunday, March 28-29, at the Depot Plaza, located at 121 West 15th St., Cheyenne. The exhibit is open to the public, free and accessible for people with disabilities. Hours are 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. on Saturday, March 28 and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on Sunday, March 29. This stop is partially sponsored by The Plains Hotel

"Jentel Presents" April 7 in Sheridan

March-April Jentel residents (left to right): Rebecca Hall, Kelly Luce, Emma Tapley, Robert Yoder, Laura Scandrett, Megan Biddle (snow man’s name is Oscar)


From the Jentel Artists Residency Program:

Jentel is proud to present this month’s residents in an event open to the public. "Jentel Presents" will take place Tuesday, from 5:30-7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 7, at Sheridan Stationery, 206 North Main, Sheridan. This month’s presenters include an installation artist, a short story writer, a charcoal artist, a collage artist, an oil painter 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: Megan Biddle, Croton-on-Hudson, NY; a sculptor and installation artist, Megan weaves her work through the field of glass. She traveled extensively in India recently; Rebecca Hall, Austin, TX; a novelist, Rebecca has degrees in creative writing, architecture and psychology. She is currently on work on a novel set in Macedonia; Kelly Luce, Woodside, CA; a fiction writer, Kelly’s collection of stories set in Japan merges the fantastical with the literary in the same way that Japan’s modernity is indelibly linked to its traditional past. She keeps a hula hoop in her car; Laura Scandrett, Santa Fe, NM; using charcoal on paper, Laura makes large scale drawings. Many years ago she lived as a vagabond for a year to raise her two puppies full time. It became an art project; Emma Tapley, NYC; a painter using oils on clay panels, Emma is also a photographer. She is a native New Yorker, runs a high-end decorative painting business and is an avid runner; Robert Yoder, Seattle, WA; A collage artist, Robert grew up in Virginia, has lived in normal and interesting places and hopes to travel to Denmark.

For anyone looking for a stimulating evening, come join the crowd at the Sheridan Stationery on North Main. There is no admission charge for "Jentel Presents" and refreshments are available.

The Jentel Foundation offers dedicated individuals a supportive environment in which to further their creative development. While at Jentel, visual artists and writers have the opportunity to experience unfettered time to allow for thoughtful reflection and meditation on the creative process in a setting that preserves the agricultural and historical integrity of the land.

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. For more information please visit
http://www.jentelarts.org/ or call Jentel at (307)737-2311.

"Awaken/Shift" runs April 1, 2 & 4 at UW

From a UW press release:

Vertical dance joins ballet, modern and jazz dance and live music on the University of Wyoming stage in "Awaken/Shift," the Department of Theatre and Dance's final dance concert of the 2008-2009 season.

Showcasing the department's finest dancers and featuring original works by dance faculty Marsha Knight, Margaret Wilson, Lawrence Jackson and former faculty member Vincent Brosseau, "Awaken/Shift" runs April 1, 2 and 4 at 7:30 p.m. in the Arts and Sciences auditorium. Tickets cost $14 for the public, $11 for senior citizens and $7 for students. To get tickets, stop by the Fine Arts Box Office, call 766-6666, or go online at www.uwyo.edu/finearts.

The concert also features the musical stylings of the Wyoming Jazz Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble II and pianists Rubia Santos and Theresa Bogard.

The Wyoming Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Ensemble II will switch off performing jazz selections. Jazz Ensemble II is featured for the April 1 concert and the Wyoming Jazz Ensemble for the April 2 and 4 performances.

Artist interested in carpooling to symposium

An artist from Cheyenne has registered for the "Public Art & Community" symposium April 2-4 in Laramie. She would like to carpool with other Cheyenne artists headed to the event. If you're interested, contact Mike Shay at the WAC at 307-777-5234 or mshay@state.wy.us. I'll pass the information on to her.

YUPO back at AVA Center April 1-2

Colcannon performs April 15 in Casper

Irish-American band Colcannon performs on Wednesday, April 15, 7:30 p.m., at Natrona County High School in Casper.

Here's more info from the ARTCORE web site:

In their long history, the beloved band Colcannon has charmed audiences all over the country in settings as diverse as the sunburnt crowds at Merlefest to the genteel patrons of a symphony concert. Along the way they have performed for television specials, done school residencies and garnered numerous awards, including an Emmy, a Parent’s Choice Award, a Western Heritage Award and an Audiofile magazine Earphone Award. Their seven CDs on Oxford Road Records have received enthusiastic reviews and have aired across America and Europe. Colcannon’s performances have been described as “fresh and exciting... a mix of polish and passion packed with subtle touches and fluid interplay...” “playing as sprightly as it is deeply felt, with poignant vocals that are as mighty as a spring storm” We think you’ll agree.Always a favorite with Casper audiences, Colcannon will include programs for elementary students this spring. The members of Colcannon all have extensive teaching experience and enjoy sharing with students at all levels. They have worked with elementary school children, graduate students, and all points in between, in settings from a 45 minute school assembly to a multi-day college artist -in-residence program.

FMI: http://www.artcorewy.com/

Apply by April 4 for "Reading Wyoming"

From the Wyoming Humanities Council:

"Reading Wyoming," the book discussion program of the Wyoming Humanities Council, brings together community members and a humanities discussion leader to read and discuss a series of four books. Sponsoring organizations choose from the 17 book series available in "Reading Wyoming" and recruit participants. Nonprofit organizations or government agencies are eligible to apply.

For discussion groups meeting between August 1 and December 5, applications must be postmarked by April 4. Program guidelines and application forms are available on the Wyoming Humanities Council's web site at http://www.uwyo.edu/humanities

FMI: Contact Jenny Ingram at (307) 721-9247 or jingram@uwyo.edu.

"Night & Day" shows for "Cole" in Sheridan

The WYO Theater and the Sheridan Civic Theatre have teamed up for this production:

“Cole,” devised by Benny Green and Alan Strachan and directed by Kathy McNickle and Rebecca Leibinger, will be on stage at the WYO Theater in Sheridan Thursday-Sunday, April 16-19. Show times are 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday.

“Cole” is described as “a fresh musical about the King of Musicals, Cole Porter. Green and Strachan have cleverly put together most of Cole's hit tunes with a narration that tells the story of his life, from Yale to Paris to Broadway and Hollywood. Includes such Porter standards as Anything Goes, I Love Paris, De-Lovely, Love for Sale, Night and Day and I Get a Kick Out of You."

For tickets, go to http://www.wyotheater.com/tickets.html

WAC sponsors artists' roundtables at "Public Art & Community" symposium

The Wyoming Arts Council is holding a series of roundtable discussions at the “Public Art & Community” Symposium April 3-4 at the Hilton Garden Inn (and other local venues) in Laramie. Goal of these sessions is to share information about WAC programs and to hear from the state's individual artists. The sessions are open to anyone who registers for the symposium. Better hurry though, as we need a final count by Tuesday, March 31. Find a printable registration form at http://www.uwyo.edu/artmuseumimages/educationimages/SclprSymp-Reg-NoIndicia.pdf.


Here is the line-up of the roundtrable discussions:

Friday, April 3, 7 a.m., Coal Creek Coffee adjacent to the Hilton Garden Inn
Topics: General discussion of Wyoming Arts Council programs for individual artists
Staff present: Mike Shay and Rita Basom
Type: No host
No sign-up required

Friday, April 3, noon, Hilton Garden Inn luncheon roundtable
Type: Lunch part of registration fee
Need to sign-up at registration table
Topics (and moderator):
1. Folk Arts and Visual Arts (Annie Hatch)
2. Fellowship application/guidelines and biennial exhibit AIR (Mike Shay)
3. AIR going online Arts teachers (Camellia El-Antably and Wendy Bredehoft))
4. Artist Roster (Marirose Morris)
5. Individual Artist Professional Development (IAPD) grants (Rita Basom)
6. Art in Public Buildings (APB) and Governor’s Capitol Art Exhibit (Ann Larson)
7. Individual Artists’ Survey (Randy Oestman)
8. Western States Arts Federation (WESTAF) programs (Anthony Radich)

Friday, April 3, 5:30 p.m. (meet in lobby at 5:15 p.m. for transportation), dinner at Laramie restaurants
Topics: General discussions
Type: No host
Need to sign up at registration table
Locations/staff:
Anong Thai/Camellia
Jeffrey’s/Mike
Hilton Garden Inn Restaurant/Marirose
Corona Village/Rita

Saturday, April 4, 7 a.m., Coal Creek Coffee adjacent to the Hilton Garden Inn
Topics: General discussion of Wyoming Arts Council programs for individual artists
Staff present: Mike and Rita Camellia
Type: No host
No sign-up required

Saturday, April 4, noon Hilton Garden Inn luncheon roundtable
Type: Lunch part of registration fee
Need to sign-up at registration table
Topics (and moderator):
1. Opportunities for visual artists other than WAC -- WESTAF, NEA, etc. (Marirose)
2. Current economy and impact on artists; stimulus bill and arts impact (Camellia)
3. Future gatherings of visual artists (Rita)
4. Connectivity, newsletter, blog and listservs (Mike)

FMI: Call the WAC at 307-777-7742.

Garnett & Co. perform at UW March 26

The University of Wyoming faculty string quartet and flutist Rod Garnett will present a recital Thursday, March 26, in the Fine Arts Center concert hall at 7:30 p.m. in Laramie. The event is free and open to the public.

Musicians will perform a richly diverse program of music by Boismortier, Piazzolla, Beethoven, Mozart and Schubert.

"The performance of the Beethoven Serenade will feature a rare performance of the piece in its original form for flute, violin and viola," says Garnett, UW professor of music and recipient of a 2003 Wyoming Governor's Arts Award.

"No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" author visits Jackson April 23-24

Just in time for the debut of the HBO Series "The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency" based on his books, author Alexander McCall Smith will be at the Teton County Public Library in Jackson in April. Here's more info from the library's web site:

The Teton County Library & Library Foundation present "Page to the Podium: Alexander McCall Smith" on Thursday, April 23 at 7 p.m. at the Center Theater, Center for the Arts. Free tickets are required and can be picked up with the presentation of a Teton County library card or card number at the Teton County Library and Alta Bookmobile.

Tickets will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. One ticket per card will be given, and you may bring a family member’s or friend’s card to claim tickets for additional attendees. Underwriters for this event include Title Sponsors: First Interstate Bank, Mary K. Weiss Foundation; Sponsors: Jackson Hole Jewish Community; and with support from: Four Seasons Resort Jackson Hole, Berte and Alan Hirschfield.

Local book groups and bookworms are also being invited to read books by McCall Smith and then join the author for a Bookworm Social at 6 p.m. on Friday, April 24. This event requires reservations and space is limited. To reserve a space for your book group or for an individual bookworm, call the library’s Adult Humanities Coordinator at 733-2164 ext. 135 or email odoherty@tclib.org

PHOTO CREDIT: Tara Murphy

Wyoming Fiddle contest set for May 30-31

The 2009 Wyoming Old Time Fiddle Association (WOTFA) State Contest will be held in Thermopolis at the Hot Springs County High School on Saturday and Sunday, May 30-31. For more information about the annual competition, contact Contest Director Ed Capen at 307-921-8120 or ed_capen@yahoo.com or WOTFA President Dick Enders at aec@bresnan.net.

FMI: http://www.wyomingfiddle.org

Jackie Allen in "Starry, Starry Night"

The CAM-PLEX Events Center in Gillette presents "Starry, Starry Night," a concert with Blue Note recording artist Jackie Allen with Hans Sturm and friends on Saturday, April 18, 7:30 p.m. CAM-PLEX invites you to "a romantic evening of your favorite jazz classics." Read more here>

"Big Blue Bear" sculptor addresses copyright issues at "Public Art & Community" Symposium

Sue Castaneda, recording expert at Wyoming State Parks and Cultural Resources (a.k.a. "The Voice of SPCR"), has produced public service announcements with our three visual arts fellowship judges -- Greg Esser, Gina Ruggeri and Lawrence Argent. These short spots are sent to radio stations for announcement segments and to fill in gaps in programming.

Sue just sent out the following about Lawrence Argent:

IMAGINE CREATING ONE OF THE MOST HIGHLY PHOTOGRAPHED SCULPTURES IN DENVER, BELIEVING YOUR WORK TO BE DONE AND THEN FINDING YOURSELF HAVING TO SPEND AN INORDINATE AMOUNT OF TIME PROTECTING YOUR OWN COPYRIGHT.

THIS WILL BE THE TOPIC DISCUSSED BY ARTIST LAWRENCE ARGENT AT the UPCOMING VISUAL ARTS SYMPOSIUM TITLED "PUBLIC ART AND COMMUNITY." TO BE HELD April 2ND THROUGH THE 4TH AT THE UW CONFERENCE CENTER IN LARAMIE.

ARGENT IS THE CREATOR OF THE SCULPTURE "I SEE WHAT YOU MEAN" -- OTHERWISE KNOWN AS "THE BIG BLUE BEAR" WHICH IS FEATURED OUTSIDE OF AND PEERING INTO THE COLORADO CONVENTION CENTER. HE SAYS ANY ARTIST WHO CREATES WORK FOR A PUBLIC ENTITY MUST UNDERSTAND THE LEGALITIES OF COPYRIGHT --SOMETHING THEY DON'T GENERALLY TEACH IN ART SCHOOL.

"So that t-shirts don't get printed with an image of mine that's on them without my permission. Normally people don't necessarily have to deal with it but because of the high profile of this particular piece, its popularity has made it an exciting task for people to misuse and misappropriate without going through the correct channels." (23-second podcast).

Listen for Sue's spots on your favorite radio station.

To view some of Lawrence's work, go to http://www.lawrenceargent.com.

Mass. artist animates public art projects

Wyomingarts came across an article on CNN Online about an artist in Massachusetts that's perfected a way to design "moving murals" on walls of museums and other buildings. Here's an excerpt:

Artist Rufus B. Seder calls these "movies for a wall" Lifetiles. The Massachusetts artist invented the Lifetiles medium and is the only artist in the world using it. He has more than 30 Lifetiles installations around the globe. Watch a magic mural in action »

At the Taiwan Aquarium, dolphins swim on the wall alongside awestruck children. Bucking broncos line the halls of the the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame in Fort Worth, Texas. Dancers spin and twirl along with passengers on luxury cruise ships in the south of France. And Seder calls the the South San Francisco, California, BART station his "own personal gallery," with more than 16 installations.

Lifetiles don't use electricity, moving parts or tricky lighting -- just an elaborate and painstaking process done out of Seder's Eye Think Inc. studio near Boston.

"What I'm after is trying to create an experience which totally takes you by surprise," he said.

Go here for entire story: http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/03/20/lifetiles.optical.illusion.murals/index.html

All links lead to UW Art Symposium

Public Art and Community: Inspiration and Reflection, April 2-4, 2009, University of Wyoming Conference Center, Laramie

"Public Art and Community: Inspiration and Reflection" is a symposium designed to expand the conversation and dialogue about the importance of public art in Wyoming's communities and campuses.

Building upon the success of "Sculpture: A Wyoming Invitational," this symposium will bring together artists, community leaders, college and university administrators, faculty and teachers, students, and more to provide insight and share information on public art in Wyoming today.

For more information contact the University of Wyoming Art Museum at 307-766-6622 or visit the Museum Blog

Click here for the Registration Form

Click here for the Symposium Schedule

Ugandan musician performs at UW March 27

Samite, a world-renowned musician, composer and recording artist from the East African country of Uganda, will visit the University of Wyoming in Laeramie this month as part of African Awareness Week.

Samite will conduct a workshop at 4:30 p.m. Friday, March 27, in the Wyoming Union Gardens and perform in concert at 4:30 p.m. Saturday, March 28, in the Wyoming Union ballroom. Both events are free and open to the public.

Born and raised in Uganda, Samite delivers his mellifluous vocals in his mother tongue, Luganda, and plays the kalimba (finger-piano), marimba (wooden xylophone), litungu (a seven-stringed Kenyan instrument) and various flutes. He immigrated to the United States in 1987 and now lives in Ithaca, N.Y.

For more information on Samite's visit to UW, contact Kigen Arap Limo at klimo@uwyo.edu or Rod Garnett at rgarnett@uwyo.edu.

Triumph High's Z-Club sells handmade mugs for COMEA House fund-raiser

From a press release:

A student club at Triumph High School that focuses on advancing the status of women is sponsoring a fundraiser for the COMEA House homeless shelter, urging contributors to get "mugged" for women’s rights.

The "mugged" part of the event comes from the student-made ceramic mugs that will be sold for $25. Cheyenne area artists also have donated mugs for the cause. The Z-Club, the student version of Zonta Club International, will hold the event 5-7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 31, at Triumph’s new school, 1250 W. College Dr., Cheyenne.

Z-Club members also will sell its yellow rose pins and T-shirts.

Zonta is a global organization of executives and professionals working together to advance the status of women through service and advocacy. Zonta members volunteer talent and money to local and international service projects aimed at women’s education, leadership and youth development.

Triumph High School is the alternative high school in Laramie County School District One. Students must apply to attend, and they accept a shared responsibility agreement with faculty and staff. The curriculum features an advisor/advisee program, multi-age grouping, classes that are open to most students in grades 9-12, traditional and nontraditional pathways to graduation and an evening open-entry, open-exit program.

COMEA House provides meals and safe and secure emergency shelter to homeless adults and families 365 days a year. Funds raised through the Z-Club’s "mugged" project will help to cover the shelter’s operations and services, which provide more than 16,000 nights of shelter to some 1,600 men, women and families annually. In addition, COMEA House serves thousands of meals every month to people staying at the shelter and others in the community. Supportive services are provided through a case manager, connecting the clients to community services that identify steps to self-sufficiency.

For more information about COMEA House and how to help the homeless in our community, contact Executive Director Teresa Garrido at 632-3174.

Apply now for artist residencies in Klondike

The Klondike Institute of Art and Culture (KIAC) is now accepting applications from visual artists, media artists, and interdisciplinary artists for its 2010 Artist in Residence Program.

The residence accommodates up to 2 artists concurrently - for research, development and production of ongoing or new bodies of work.Artists may also have the opportunity to facilitate outreach programs such as talks, workshops and exhibitions, intended to promote interaction and professional development, and provide exposure and access to a diverse range of contemporary arts practices and theories within the community.

Residencies are from 4-12 weeks duration starting from January 1, 2010 through December 31, 2010. Participants are responsible for all travel and personal expenses including food and materials related to their work.

The Artist in Residence Program is located in the Macaulay Residence (shown above). Built in 1901, the home is now owned by Parks Canada as part of the Dawson Historical Complex National Historic Site of Canada.

FMI: http://www.kiac.org/programs/residence.html

Wyoming premiere of "Straightlaced" April 1 at Shepard Symposium on Social Justice

New Studio/Gallery to Open in Cheyenne

Two artists in Cheyenne are opening a collaborative studio space and gallery in April. Called ClayPaperScissors, it will offer space to work for 8-10 resident artists, a gallery with changing shows, classes and art sales at various times of the year.

ClayPaperScissors is currently looking for people interested in being resident artists. Interested artists may email claypaperscissors@gmail.com. We're happy to give you a tour and explain the concept in more detail. Artists must apply to participate.

For artists interested in displaying work, participating in the sales, or teaching classes, an associate membership will be offered. The details are still be determined, but if you are interested, please email or leave a message with contact information and we will get back to you.

Bar J Wranglers perform in Lyman, Cokeville

Teton County's Bar J Wranglers will perform at Lyman High School in Lyman on Thursday, March 19. For tickets: Daggett County Courthouse, Bridger Valley Electric's Office, and town offices of Lyman and Mountain View in Uinta County.

Bar J Wranglers will be in Cokeville on Friday, March 20, 7 p.m., for a concert in the Cokeville High School Auditorium. $15 per ticket. Contact http://cokeville.blogspot.com/

For tickets: Cokeville Senior Citizens Center, (307) 279-3226; Cokeville Chamber of Commerce, (307) 279-3200 (Carol Reed); Hideout Motel, (307) 279-3281; Studebaker's Pizza, (208) 847-3020; and Prows Enterprise, (208) 270-8030

Teachers attending symposium earn credits

Wyoming's K-12 teachers will be able to attend "Public Art and Community: Inspiration and Reflection" for PTSB credit.


In addition to the more than 30 presenters who are scheduled for the symposium, round-table sessions for teachers are scheduled over the lunch hours on Friday and Saturday, April 3-4. Conversations will focus on ways to utilize art and other original resources as inspiration for teaching and learning, based on the Art Museum's model of observe, question, explore, create, and reflect.


Participating teachers will develop ideas on how they can use original art in their own communities to achieve teaching and learning across disciplines and meet academic standards. They will also begin to build a resource portfolio of ideas that can be implemented when they return to their classrooms.


For more information, contact Wendy Bredehoft, education curator, at 307-766-3496 or wbredeho@uwyo.edu.For symposium information, registration form, and schedule of presenters, click here.


For information on "Sculpture: A Wyoming Invitational," visit the Art Museum webpage.

New roster artist Roy Pilcher

Roy lives in Devil's Tower, Wyoming. A former rancher, sheep shearer and logger, Roy Pilcher began his full-time chainsaw art career just a few years ago. His artistic expertise has grown from carving simple bears to a recent work: a montage of an elk, eagle, owl, squirrel, bear and peacock carved into the large stump of a giant beetle-killed pine. He demonstrates his craft throughout the region and to a variety of interested groups, from children to adults. During the summer, Roy can be found at his carving studio near Devil’s Tower, where tourists and locals alike stop to watch Roy at work. Contact: (605) 641-0227; horspwr@rtconnect.net; http://www.chainsawartwork.com/.

Update: Recently, Roy was here in Cheyenne at Hobbs Elementary doing a few segments for an "artist" night. He also did their Wildcat logo for them. He said, "I met some really nice people and look forward to working with some of them. That all came about because of the television "spot' that you guys did."

"Arts Mean Business" (and economic stimulus)

On March 17, the Casper Star-Tribune, The Casper Journal, Wyoming Tribune-Eagle and other papers around the state featured an Associated Press story by reporter Mead Gruver. The CST story came with the header “Wyo Arts Council seeks stimulus funds.” Gruver interviewed Wyoming Arts Council Manager Rita Basom, Cheyenne Symphony Director Chloe Illoway and a spokesman for the National Endowment for the Arts in Washington, D.C. Here’s an excerpt:

CHEYENNE -- The job of preserving jobs has fallen in part to a small state agency that normally specializes in promoting the arts: The Wyoming Arts Council.

The council has applied for 290,000 in National Endowment for the Arts funding through the federal stimulus act. The money will be part of 50 million the NEA plans to dole out nationwide to preserve arts-related jobs while the nation struggles through recession.

For more of this story, go to http://www.casperstartribune.net/articles/2009/03/18/news/wyoming/b2359321f2aef4ac8725757d000025b8.txt

Concerned that Wyomingites might not know how much the arts contribute to the state’s economic well-being, WAC Board Chair Bruce Richardson wrote the following response:

Arts Mean Business
By Bruce Richardson

I am here to talk about the ordinariness of arts and why include them in job bills and economic development. Simply put, arts are business and the arts business, both for-profit and non-profit, is a substantial part of the Wyoming economy.

People tend to think of art as odd and special, a separate, realm of elevated, difficult and unusual activities done by talented, but eccentric, flaky people. People remember Beethoven’s genius and bad temper, Vincent Van Gogh’s ear-chopping, and think of starving writers not paying the rent (as in the musical Rent).

In fact, most art workers are pretty regular people. They take and sell photos, repair instruments, plan buildings, design websites, make and sell jewelry, build hand-crafted furniture, teach guitar, fiddle, oboe, make and market sculpting tools, sculpt antlers into beautiful objects and sell them over the web, frame pictures, paint portraits, play Mexican dance music at your wedding, do entertaining and uplifting
concerts, make fine pottery, do leathercraft, sell paintings in a downtown gallery and design your building.

All of these are businesses in Wyoming. The owners rent or own property, buy supplies, pay insurance and taxes, pay salaries, buy groceries and furniture and participate in the local economy just as do the owners and employees of manufacturing companies or coal companies.

So the arts portion of the stimulus bill makes good sense. The grants that will go out in Wyoming must be used to preserve significant jobs in non-profit arts organizations facing cutbacks. As reported in The Casper Journal, arts organizations such as the Symphony and Nicolaysen Art Museum have suffered from decreases in their endowments, donations and fund-raising.

The Arts are taking an especially big hit as philanthropy moves their diminished resources to others areas. Layoffs and canceled programs are a likely result that can hit small towns as well as large. We want to see the robust Oyster Ridge Music Festival in Kemmerer or the Basin Art Center continue to thrive. In the performing arts, a cancelled concert is similar to a layoff. Musicians lose work and money, the audience loses a program, and the organization loses the ticket and sponsorship income.

The small stimulus allotments contemplated by the Wyoming Arts Council will be out there fast and function as a short-term bridge to preserve jobs in the arts. The program will not remove all the threats to jobs, but it is timely, targeted and temporary.

Some may be surprised how many people in Wyoming make their living from the arts. In Sheridan there are 1,123 people (5.8% of the labor force) working in the creative, arts-based economy according to a recent, very careful study, “Tradition, Expression and Recognition: Creative Opportunities in the New West.” Stuart Rosenfeld, the author, gets his data from on-the-ground counts that find the self-employed and others not listed on the standard sources. He also found a cluster of leather and saddle artisans.

The study (available from the Center for Vital Communities in Sheridan) is of significance to the whole state and our efforts to increase economic diversity and attract top creative talent. There is much here already that we can nurture.

For example, the arts economy in Jackson, according to a recent study by Americans for the Arts (Arts and Prosperity III), is one of the largest in the nation. While the study, using Dunn and Bradstreet lists, misses much of the activity, it does allow comparisons and they are staggering. Jackson has ten times more arts spending per-capita than Boulder, Colorado, and twenty times more than Boise, Idaho, both places that promote themselves as arts centers. Cody, not included in the study, is probably not far behind Jackson, and clusters of activity can be found in many Wyoming communities, including Casper.

This matches national trends. Rosenfeld found that the arts economy in Arkansas was the state’s third largest employer and that in Montana, astoundingly, there were more people working in the arts than in the energy industry. It’s no surprise then that arts councils are often part of state offices of economic development, as is the case in Louisiana and Connecticut and that many towns actively recruit artists and promote themselves as arts destinations. Winston-Salem, North Carolina, a decaying manufacturing city has made a huge comeback by stressing music, pottery and food. Each night the downtown swarms with young shoppers and music lovers having a good time and spending money.

We know that appealing towns have lots of arts and that arts draw people and businesses. We also know that arts are fun, that they give pleasure and meaning, that strong art lifts the soul and unclutters the mind. We also know they stimulate creativity and train excellent workers. See The National Governors’ Association report “The Impact of Arts on Workforce Preparation” and their recent, timely and very well-written “Arts and the Economy” Go to http://(nga.org/Files/pdf/090/ARTSANDECONOMY.PDF).

We know that art museums and concert halls are key parts of attractive communities that draw businesses. So we can keep at the Casper Civic Auditorium project, but let’s not forget that the arts are already diversifying Wyoming’s economy.

Bruce Richardson is Chair of the Wyoming Arts Council and a board Member of the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies. You can reach him at brichard@uwyo.edu and 307-268-2393.

Wyoming writing/ranching duo at UW 3/25/09

Kathleen O'Neal Gear and Michael Gear of Thermopolis, best-selling authors, archaeologists and buffalo ranchers, will talk about their work on Wednesday, March 25, 3 p.m. in Classroom Building #302 at the University of Wyoming in Laramie. FMI: Rachel M. Ferrell,
307-766-2867.

Boycott & LeClair team up in Kemmerer

Willie LaClair (left) and Bill Boycott present program at Kemmerer Elementary School (Little Chicago Review photo)

Diana Mackinen wrote a detailed story in the Little Chicago Review about a presentation by two of the WAC's roster artists:

With matching funds from the Wyoming Arts Council, Buffalo Bill Boycott and Willie LeClair, a Western Shoshoni, presented a wonderful program on the American West and the American Indian at the Kemmerer Elementary School on Thursday, March 12, 2009. The program started at 1:00 in the afternoon.

Boycott presented his musical interpretation of life on the Oregon Trail using tunes from the period. Mr. Boycott performs on the fiddle, mandolin, banjo and guitar, and brings to life through music the “Wild West.”

For the rest of the story, go to http://tinyurl.com/d7bzer

Humanities Festival begins today

The 24th Annual Humanities Festival takes place March 18-21 at Casper College. Sponsors include the Gertrude Krampert Theatre, Goodstein Foundation Library, Durham Hall/Aley Fine Arts Center and ARTCORE.

This year’s festival explores mountain as metaphor.

FMI: http://www.caspercollege.edu/events/humanities/index.html

Student rates reduced for UW symposium

The University of Wyoming Art Museum has announced this:

In an effort to encourage students to attend the symposium, Public Art and Community: Inspiration and Reflection, rates have been reduced to $25/single day (includes lunch and opening or closing reception) or $40/both days (includes 2 lunches and both receptions).

This is a great rate for students to meet artists of national and international prominence, learn about public art programs and how they work, gain insight on issues of public policy and copyright, and be involved in a great event with colleagues and art world professionals.

If you need a registration form, visit the UW Art Museum web page or if you have questions, please call Rachel Miller, interim assistant curator, at 307-766-6621. You may also email her at rmiller@uwyo.edu.

Ingrid Fliter performs April 2

From a UW press release:

Ingrid Fliter (shown in photo) is following in the footsteps of Piotr Anderszewski, again.

One season after Anderszewski performed in the University of Wyoming Cultural Programs' concert series, Fliter will do the same Tuesday, April 2, in the third of four spring concerts.

Tickets from Fliter's 7:30 p.m. recital in the Fine Arts Center concert hall cost $18 for adults and $15 for students and senior citizens. Tickets are available by calling the Fine Arts Center box office at (307) 766-6666 or at the Web site www.uwyo.edu/finearts.

Fliter is the latest winner of the $300,000 Gilmore Artist Award, which is presented every four years to an international pianist deemed worthy of a global career. In 2002, Anderszewski won the prestigious award, the pianist's equivalent of the MacArthur "Genius" award.

"We couldn't wait to book her, not only because she's a wonderful pianist but also because her name is much easier to spell (than Anderszewski)," says UW Cultural Programs Director Cedric Reverand. "We know a Gilmore judge and he told us that when the panel met after reviewing dozens of performers, they all agreed without debate that Fliter was head and shoulders above any other pianist. That award launched her career."

Recently, the Los Angeles Times wrote, "Fliter appears to be a pianistic force of nature. Stay tuned: A wonderful pianist has arrived."

To learn more about Fliter, go to her official Web site at http://www.ingridfliter.com/.

Photo: Pianist Ingrid Fliter performs at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 2, in the Fine Arts Center concert hall.

Get your YAYAs out at KEAG Gallery

Announcement from the KEAG Gallery, 414 Grand Avenue, Laramie:

"The YAYA Box ~ An Evening Class for Ladies"

What is a YAYA Box?

YAYA boxes are art vessels of dreams. Images on the inside tell the story of experiences that build our dreams, and on the outside, images of dreams made manifest.

We'll employ collage and other embellishment techniques, discuss color, composition, and imagery. More importantly we'll have a lovely evening enjoying each others' company and stories in a creative environment. No particular skill required, just a sense of adventure and desire to express your creativity.

EVERY BOX WILL BE GORGEOUS!!

Join us the evening of Thursday, March 26, 6-8 p.m. Class size is limited to 6. Fee is $30 plus $5 for materials. Registration closes March 24. No refunds for cancellations after March 24

This rollicking, good-fun class is taught by Dona Fleming, fiber and mixed media artist. Nearly 20 years of teaching fiber art and related classes, Dona's goal is to nurture the creative flame in each student.

For information, please contact KEAG Gallery at 307-745-3308 or 307-277-3298. http://keaggallery.blogspot.com

Selections announced for 2009 Governor's Capitol Art Exhibition

Works by 26 of Wyoming’s best artists have been selected for inclusion in the ninth annual Governor’s Capitol Art Exhibition, and will be on display at the State Museum from April 20 through June 6.

This year’s show features 30 pieces from 111 applicants.

An opening reception, sponsored by Wal-Mart, will be held at the Wyoming State Museum on Friday, May 1, 5-7 p.m. Governor Dave Freudenthal will be on hand to award this year’s purchase awards. The Bobby Hathaway Juror’s Choice and People’s Choice awards will also be presented. The reception is free and open to the public.

Overall, this year’s show features 30 artistic pieces selected by juror Ivar Zeile, owner and director of Plus Gallery, one of the most acclaimed and reputable galleries in Denver.

The Governor’s Capitol Art Exhibition is produced through the cooperative efforts of the offices of the five elected officials, the Department of State Parks and Cultural Resources, the Wyoming Arts Council and the Division of Travel and Tourism.

The exhibition promotes and encourages Wyoming artists while building an art collection available for public officials to exhibit state talent in their offices. To date, the collection has over 70 pieces loaned out for one year, then rotated. Purchase awards have averaged more than $8,000 each year; in addition, the public makes purchases from the exhibit.

Artists selected this year are Jerry Glass, Ronald Hansen, Daniel Hayward, Kip Hert, Travis Ivey and Jon and Virginia Madsen of Laramie; Helen Hoff, Jeremy Jones, Aumi Perry and Steven Wheat of Casper; Todd Kosharek and Bronwyn Minton of Jackson; Brian Dion and Markus Urbanik of Riverton; Elizabeth Holloway and Paul Ng of Rock Springs; Jenny Dowd of Alpine; Tom Shaffer of Cheyenne; Steve Schrepferman of Cody; Joan Sowada of Gillette; Shane Steiss of Green River; Denton Lund of Newcastle; Sue Sommers of Pinedale; Bunny Connell of Sheridan; and Eileen Nistler of Upton.

FMI: Sue Castaneda, 307-777-5810

Summer Classes for Art Teachers

The Wyoming Arts Council will offer two classes this summer for art teachers:

Bronze Casting, June 21-23 in Green River WY by Shane Steiss
Fused Glass, August 2-7 in Riverton WY by Marianne Vinich

Taught by experienced educators, these classes will provide hands-on experience in both of these art forms, as well as information on building programs and teaching them in other schools. The classes are intesives, intended to provide an immersion in all aspects of the craft. Both classes will offer graduate and Professional Teaching Standards Board credits.

The Fused Glass class is an extended repeat of the highly successful class run last summer. Participants made 4+ pieces of art glass of their own design, learned about the properties of glass, safety issues, firing and much more. Bronze Casting, new this year, will offer participants the opportunity to cast a small sculpture, about 1.5 lbs, in the lost wax method. Lost wax has been used since ancient times as a method for casting bronze.

Preference is given to public school art teachers for both classes, but others will be taken on a first-come, first served basis to fill the class. Syllabi and registration forms will be available soon.

Call for entries: fast & furious 20:20 programs

We invite you to participate in…

20:20

20:20 is a new program in conjunction with the WAC and UWAM symposium, "Public Art and Community, Inspiration and Reflection." Scheduled for Thursday, April 2, 10 p.m.-midnight, it follows the opening reception and Art Slam with artists Jesús Morales, Ursula von Rydingsvard and John Henry.

20:20 is a fast-paced presentation format whereby presenters are allotted 20 images (either in slide format or a PowerPoint), which are shown for 20 seconds each. The total presentation time is therefore only 6 minutes and 40 seconds. 20:20 is open to any registered conference attendee and is on a first-come, first-served basis. Advance sign-up is required. Presentations by individual artists, community organizations, art groups and educators are welcome. 20:20 is an opportunity to share new work and new ideas from across the state and the region.

The format of 20:20 is borrowed from a program first developed in Japan by two architects who were looking for a new way to present design ideas in an upbeat and exciting way. And to prevent presenters from droning on and on.

Events like 20:20 now occur internationally as specially organized evening events where the focus is on sharing information and community participation.

For more information on 20:20, or to sign up, please contact Rachel Miller at 307.766.6621 or rmiller@uwyo.edu.


For more information on the Symposium, review previous blog entries or go to the UW Art Museum web site.

N. Scott Momaday visits Riverton and Wind River Reservation April 2-3

Carol Deering from the Central Wyoming College Library sends this update:

N. Scott Momaday, the first Native American Pulitzer Prize-winning author (for his first novel, House Made of Dawn), will be in Fremont County April 2-3.

Here are the details. (Note: if you have already received information, there has been a change in location for Friday night).

On Thursday April 2, Dr. Momaday will visit with students (CWC and any high schools that want to bring their students here) from 2:30-3:50 p.m. in CWC’s RAP Theatre, for an informal Q&A. That night at 7:30 he will give his public presentation, "Establishing Good Relations: Recognizing What We Have in Common," in the RAP Theatre. Afterwards, he’ll sign books (CWC Bookstore will have some for sale that night, for cash or check; credit cards need to be used ahead of time: call the bookstore at 855-2201 or 855-2148), and the Friends of CWC Library will sell beverages and homemade cookies.

Friday April 3 from 9:30-11 a.m., he will meet informally for a Q&A with students from several high schools at St. Stephen’s High School, and then from 1:30-3:30 p.m., he’ll meet informally for a Q&A with students from several high schools at Wyoming Indian H.S. That night he’ll be celebrated at a community honoring feast at Ft. Washakie School, from 6-9 p.m.

All these events are free and open to the public. We are hoping people will attend as many events as possible. (We are telling travelers, "Come for the presentation, stay for the celebration.")

Nominations due March 27 for 2009 High Plains Book Awards

This press release comes from Wyomingarts' old pal, Corby Skinner in Billings:

Nominations are now open for the 2009 Parmly Billings Library High Plains Book Awards.

Nominated books must have been published for the first time in 2008 and written by a regional author or writing team, and/or be a literary work which examines and reflects life on the High Plains. A new award has been added this year honoring the poetry of the region.Nominations are also being accepted for the Emeritus Award which recognizes a body of work by a living regional author and/or writing team which has made a significant contribution to the literature of the High Plains region.

Nominations must be received at the Library no later than Friday March 27, at 5 p.m., MDT. The Awards Banquet will be held on Friday, October 2, 2009 in Billings.

For deadlines and criteria information on how to nominate a book or a writer for the Billings Library High Plains Book Awards go to http://ci.billings.mt.us/index.asp?nid=1180.

Nominations are encouraged from book sellers, educators, librarians, library associations, writers, publishers and individuals.

The six categories for consideration are: the Emeritus Award; Best Novel; Best Nonfiction; Best Poetry; Best First Book and the Zonta Best Woman Writer Award.

Last year’s winners ’08 include: Gary Ferguson, Emeritus; Gary Schanbacher, Best First Book; Sarah Klassen, Best Fiction; Sarah Klassen; Best Nonfiction, Byron Price; and the Zonta Award to Wyoming's Alyson Hagy.

The Awards Banquet is the launch event for the month-long celebration of the arts in Billings, and is held in conjunction with the Billings Cultural Partners and the YMCA Writer’ s Voice seventh annual High Plains Book Fest.

The YMCA Writer’s Voice has applied for a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, for the Big Read, an initiative to encourage reading for pleasure and enlightenment. If awarded, the book selected for the Big Read in Billings is Love Medicine, by Louise Erdrich.

For more information on the Big Read and the High Plains BookFest, contact Corby Skinner at
corby@skinnerbenoit.com

Dates & venues for Wyoming Piatigorsky Tour

Wyoming Piatigorsky Foundation Concert Tour, featuring Igor Begelman, clarinet, and Anna Vinnitsky, piano:

March 30, 7 p.m., Evanston Middle School, Evanston, Concert details...
March 30, 10:35 a.m., workshop, Evanston Middle School, Evanston, Details...
March 31, 7 p.m., South Lincoln Training & Events Center, Kemmerer, Concert details...
March 31, 1:30 p.m., Kemmerer Elementary School, Kemmerer, Concert details...
April 1, 6 p.m., Sweetwater County Library, Green River Branch, Green River, Concert details...
April 3, 7 p.m., Headwaters Arts & Conference Center, Dubois Concert details...
April 4, 7 p.m., Lander Valley High School Auditorium, Lander, Concert details...
April 5, 3 p.m., Thermopolis High School Auditorium, Thermopolis, Concert details...
April 6, 7 p.m., Greybull High School Auditorium, Greybull, Concert details...
April 7, 7 p.m., Buffalo High School Auditorium, Buffalo, Concert details...

All concerts are free and open to the public.

FMI: Wyoming Arts Council, 307-777-7742.

Cheyenne's C.J. Box (and spirit of Dashiell Hammett) featured at Colorado library benefit

2008 Edgar-Award nominated book "Blue Heaven" by C.J. Box


Amelia “Amy” Shelley used to be the “do-it-all” staffer at the Laramie County Library in Cheyenne. Wyomingarts served with her on the Cheyenne YMCA Writer’s Voice advisory committee, which brought in great writers such as best-selling mystery novelist Michael Connelly.

Amy left Cheyenne a few years ago to become the executive director of the Garfield County Public Libraries in Glenwood Springs, Colo. A check of the library web site shows that Amy has put together some cool events, including The Big Read Project. The NEA-sponsored series promotes reading. Now, everyone (a lot of people anyway) are reading “The Maltese Falcon” by Dashiell Hammett. Culmination of this event is the Big Read Black & White Gala on Saturday, March 21, 7 p.m., at the Hotel Colorado in Glenwood Springs. The gala will feature best-selling mystery author C.J. Box of Cheyenne. Also, live jazz with the Walt Smith Trio, screenings of the winning short films from The Big Read film contest, dancing, delicious food, and a cash bar. Tickets are available now at any of the six Garfield County libraries for $35 per person or $60 per couple. The gala is a fundraiser for the Garfield County Public Library Foundation.

FMI: Amelia Shelley, ashelley@marmot.org, 970-625-4270.

C.J. Box is up for the Mystery Writers of America’s 2008 Edgar Award for his novel “Blue Heaven.” His latest Joe Pickett mystery, “Below Zero,” will be out June 23. For tour info, go to his web site at http://www.cjbox.net/.

C.J. received a 1992 Wyoming Arts Council creative writing fellowship.

Carlson's latest novel set in Wind Rivers

Utah native Ron Carlson, who's served as a WAC fellowship judge and conducted a number of readings and workshops in Wyoming, has a new novel coming out in June. "The Signal" is set in the Wyoming's Wind River Mountains. It received a starred review in the latest issue of Publishers Weekly. Here's the PW review:

The dense Wind River Mountains of western Wyoming is where Carlson (Five Skies) sets his brooding latest, a tale of expired love and desperate measures. Mack, son of a longtime rancher, has made many missteps in life, culminating in a recent stint in jail where “he'd rusted like an old post when the weather turned.” While he's in jail, his recently ex-wife Vonnie agrees to join him one last time on their annual ritual of backpacking through the Wyoming wilderness to fish, camp and rediscover each other. Mack, though, has a hidden motive: a friend/technical genius has hired him to retrieve a valuable drone that's crash-landed in the forest. Carlson describes the couple's six days wandering the wooded terrain in delicate, measured prose, careful to miss neither the lush scenery nor the incrementally amplified tension as Mack edges closer to his prize and shady characters from the past appear. Carlson has produced a work of masterful fiction, combining the sad inevitability of a doomed relationship with sheer nail-biting suspense.

"The Signal," Ron Carlson. Viking, $25.95 (184p) ISBN 978-0-670-02100-0

St. Patrick's Day concert to benefit Cheyenne Little Theatre

Harpist Dave Shaul (in photo), a recent addition to the Wyoming Arts Council artist roster, will present a St. Patrick’s Day Concert on Tuesday, March 17, 7:30 p.m. at the Historic Atlas Theatre in downtown Cheyenne. This is a benefit concert in support of the Cheyenne Little Theatre Players. Tickets are $15 (general admission/general seating). Concessions include green beer (of course), shamrock cookies, pretzels, and more. Featuring: Dave Shaul, harpist (Irish/Celtic music), along with Amy Lenell on fiddle. Jeff Bowell will be a special guest. FMI: 307-638-6543.