Saturday, April 30, 2011

Laramie writers read April 30 at Second Story Books

From Laramie writer Julianne Couch:
If you are in Laramie, please join us at Second Story Books Saturday, April 30, at 7 p.m. for a reading by Val Pexton, Paul Bergstrasser, Luke Stricker, Nina McGonigley and me! Food and beverages provided. What more could you ask for?! Second Story Books is located at 105 Ivinson Ave. in downtown Laramie

First summer melodrama volunteer sign-up and orientation May 2 at the Atlas Theatre


From the Cheyenne Little Theatre Players web site:
The Cheyenne Little Theatre Players Melodrama Committee invites you to this season's first volunteer sign-up night and orientation. It will be on Monday, May 2, 7 p.m., at the Atlas Theatre. 
This session is for front-of-house volunteers: box office ticket sellers, house managers, wait staff, bartenders, concessions staff and raffle ticket sellers. There will be signup sheets at the meeting for the melodrama's 19 performance days: July 14-17 (one show); July 21-30 (two shows during CFD); July 31 and Aug. 4-7 (one show). Come on out and sign up early for your favorite job on your favorite night. 
New volunteers are always welcome. Committee members will be there to conduct a short orientation and tour of the historic theatre. 
Reminder: Bartenders must have TIPS training, and it is also recommended for waitstaff. The next session is on Tuesday, May 3, 5 p.m., at the American Legion. We will have info on upcoming TIPS training sessions at Monday's meeting.
Melodrama auditions for "Dirty Deeds at the Depot" will be the week of May 23. Check out the CLTP web site at http://www.cheyennelittletheatre.org for more info.
See you on Monday. Feel free to bring your volunteer-minded friends and family members!

Friday, April 29, 2011

LCCC reading features work by contributors to 2011 High Plains Register

Wyomingarts attended a reading and release party at Laramie County Community College for the 2011 High Plains Register. Congrats to Amanda Fry who won the HPR Prize for her story, "The Ring." She joined other contributors reading from their work: Bob Simkins, Jack Kirk, Nicole McGee, Jeff Eatmon, Eugene Shea, Danielle Sage, Tina O'Toole, Ruth Kannaris, Kristin Abraham, Alicia Padilla and Steve Harrington. Photographers Heidi Gurov and David Larsen showed some of their work and talked about it.

Copies of the issue will be available May 13 at the Wyoming Arts Council offices, the LCCC Bookstore and City News in downtown Cheyenne.

Dubois summer concerts to benefit Chance Phelps Foundation and Needs of Dubois

Suzy Bogguss (shown in photo) and Western Underground will perform in concert in the Dubois Town Park on Friday and Saturday, August 19 & 20. The concerts will benefit two local charities: Chance Phelps Foundation (CPF) and Needs of Dubois (NOD) 

WY SPCR Commission meets May 12-13 in Rock Springs

Members of the Wyoming Department of State Parks and Cultural Resources Commission will meet in Room 1309, Western Wyoming College in Rock Springs, May 12-13.

The Commission will meet from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on May 12; and tour the Piedmont Kilns and Lincoln Highway Bridge on May 13.

During the meeting, the Commission will receive divisional updates and discuss a variety of State Parks and Cultural Resources issues, including a Glendo State Park flood update.

The Commission has advisory responsibility for both divisions of the department – State Parks, Historic Sites & Trails and Cultural Resources -- which involves the planning, acquisition, development and management of all state parks, state trails program, state recreation areas, state historic sites and archaeology sites. The Commission also advises the Wyoming State Museum, Wyoming Arts Council, the official State Records Center and Archives, the Office of the State Archeologist, historical research activities, the State Historic Preservation Office and the management of the Cultural Trust Fund.

Members of the Commission are: President Ernie Over, Pavillion; Dan Barks, Gillette; William Vines, Wheatland; Mary Hawkins, Devils Tower; Dudley Gardner, Ph.D, Rock Springs; Chuck Engebretson, Lost Springs; Carolyn Buff, Casper; Karen Haderlie, Thayne; and Barb Vietti, Thermopolis.

Thursday, April 28, 2011

"Laramie: A Gem City Atlas" at UW Art Museum sees the city from other points-of-view

LuLing Osofsky, Paulius Staniunas, and Shizue Seigel, Wild Wild East, 2011, ink on paper, 22 x 34 inches, courtesy of the MFA in Creative Writing Program.

From the UW Art Museum blog:

Opening this Saturday is the exhibition, Laramie: A Gem City Atlas, which features 16 maps and associated artwork that offer new insights into how we view and could map Laramie. The project originated with the UW MFA in Creative Writing Program who hosted Eminent Writer in Residence Rebecca Solnit earlier this semester. Solnit, who did a similar project of re-mapping San Francisco, worked with students to generate ideas of how the many factors and facets of Laramie could be translated onto a map. The project was then opened up to members of the community, who also provided maps that were a testament to the varied ways in which Laramie could be viewed.

Many students partnered with local and student artists who provided an  artistic interpretation of the data on the maps. The result is 16 very different maps and accompanying art, which outline things from the locations of stray animals or doctors, the influence of Asian culture on Laramie, or the ratio of salons to saloons.

The Art Museum is open on Saturday, 10 am - 5 pm, and admission is free. For more information on this or any other exhibition, please call 307.766.6622.

Aircraft as art

Here's something interesting that came across the blog desk.
Click for larger image
 Mimmo Paladino’s art has in 2011 been interpreted and displayed using the distinctive Piaggio P.180 Avanti II aircraft. This is the first time in the world an aircraft has been painted by a contemporary artist and the Master Paladino was inspired to create this work of art from the Piaggio P.180 Avanti II because of its unique, unmistakable design.

The P.180 Avanti II “Cacciatore di Stelle” (Star Hunter) will be displayed in the breathtaking location of Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan from March 28th to April 28th 2011.

The metamorphosis of the P.180 Avanti into” Cacciatore di Stelle” recalls both the past and the future, through its decoration with ancestral symbols and possible new ways of communicating: constellations of signs, encompass geometrical spaces to create a celestial map.

This extraordinary work of art in the heart of downtown Milan, will be positioned on a white base which, according to the artist, is linked to the “Montagna di Sale” (Salt Mountain) and the Duomo di Milano.

The whole exposition dedicated to Paladino will take place along a 500 meters path, which makes it the longest display dedicated to a contemporary artist.

The “Cacciatore di Stelle” is part of the anthological and personal exhibition of the artist Mimmo Paladino hosted by the Palazzo Reale (including more than 50 artworks from the 70’s to the present day), which will be enhanced by the renowned “Montagna di Sale” ( 37 meters) that will be placed in the Piazza Reale.

According to Mimmo Paladino “Art is not an end in itself, and it doesn’t mean yielding to poetic attitudes: Art always implies investigating language”.

“We are very proud that Master Mimmo Paladino has now been inspired by a Piaggio Aero P.180 aircraft and that he would turn it into a unique work of art.”Alberto Galassi, CEO of Piaggio Aero Industries said: “The P.180 Avanti has been chosen because it can be considered a work of art itself, as an expression of Italian genius in design and engineering, that’s why this creation is an unprecedented event.”

The “Cacciatore di Stelle”, the Palazzo Reale exhibition and the “Montagna di Sale” were made possible by the appreciation for art and culture by Piaggio Aero, Banca Popolare dell’Emilia Romagna and Meliorbanca.

Mimmo Paladino was born in Paduli, Benevento, in 1948. He became interested in art in the late 60’s, fascinated by the cultural and artistic atmosphere of the time. His first personal art exhibition was held in Caserta in 1969. In the 70’s the artist started focusing on figures: colorful geometrical shapes, branches and masks are more and more recurring on his canvases.

In 1980 he participated in the Biennal of Venice with this group: Sandro Chia, Francesco Clemente, Enzo Cucchi and Nicola De Maria. All together they are the co-founders of the Italian Trans-avant-garde movement, which gained momentum during the 80’s and was widely shown in museums and galleries.

During this decade, Mimmo Paladino created the renowned and colorful canvases where he examined the basis of Italian culture as the artist painted unusual animals, hybrids and distorted persons. He created his works using traditional techniques: mosaic, forms in “tondo”, triptych, and wooden sculptures. Paladino focused his art in all that is mysterious, forgotten and secretive and preferred body movements instead of portraits as one never sees facial expressions in his paintings.

From 1982 onwards, he became famous in the United States, in South America, and organized exhibitions all over the world. From 1985 he dedicated himself to huge bronze sculptures and installations. Paladino had a mountain of salt built in Trapani in 1990. Next he made a mountain of salt in Naples at the end of 1995.

On the Piazza Plebiscito, between Palazzo Reale and the Chiesa di San Francesco, Paladino created a mountain of salt on whose slopes he arranged 20 black horses in random disarray surprised in a moment following the end of a violent battle.

In the 90s, the artist progressed to represent hierarchal persons and archaic heads, creating a set of oval paintings in which he included engraved wood, pictograms and figures.

In 2003 Paladino has been chosen to represent Italian Art during Italian Presidency at Brussels: one of his sculptures “Zenith” has been placed in front of the European Commission. His culture and his memories are close to those of the Mediterranean culture. From 1964 till 1969, he studied in Paduli’s Liceo artistico and in the 70s, worked with post abstract photos, a work which he abandoned little by little, in order to turn to more meaningful artistic representations

PIAGGIO AERO INDUSTRIES S.P.A.

Piaggio Aero Industries S.p.A.is active in Aircraft design, manufacturing, maintenance and overhaul. The company also manufactures Aero-Engines parts and maintains repairs and overhauls engines under license. Piaggio Aero has facilities in Genoa, Finale Ligure and Naples, Italy and a subsidiary covering North, Central and South America, in West Palm Beach, FL, U.S.A. (Piaggio America, Inc.). Piaggio Aero’s core product, the P.180 Avanti II, is the fastest and most advanced executive/multi-utility turboprop in the world. The Avanti II offers the speed of a light/mid size jet aircraft, the comfort of a large, whisper quiet full stand-up cabin, with fuel efficiencies that are nearly 40% higher than most business jets. The P.180 Avanti II features fully digital, automatic flight control and utilizes the latest generation “Pro Line 21” avionics system that it is also single pilot certified. The maximum take-off weight (MTOW) of 12,100 lbs gives the P.180 Avanti II greater payload range, and the introduction of the updated engines (P&WC PT6A-66B) provides both higher performance and faster cruise speed. The Piaggio Aero aircraft is able to operate out of smaller peripheral airports with landing and take-off distances that are simply unachievable in a comparably sized jet. The P.180 is able to fly at a maximum cruise speed of 402 kts, 745 km/h (MMO 0.70), and has an endurance of just under 1,500 nautical miles and a maximum altitude of 41,000 feet. Piaggio Aero shareholders structure is composed of Tata Limited, the British Company part of the Indian Tata Group, Mubadala Development Company, the development and investment company driving the economic diversification of Abu Dhabi, the Italian Ferrari and Di Mase families.

“Construyendo Latinidad" exhibit at Wyoming State Museum May 1-June 25

“Construyendo Latinidad,” an exhibit at the Wyoming State Museum, examines the history of Hispanics in Wyoming from the late 17th century to the present. The exhibit opens May 1 and is on display through June 25.

Maps and historic black and white and color photographs demonstrate the effects and changing needs and interests of Hispanics on Wyoming communities. The exhibit consists of 40 16” x 20” panels.
            
The exhibit serves as an example of what American Studies and Anthropology professor, Arlene Davila defines at “Latinidad,” or the ongoing social, economic and political construction of Latino identity by various public and private entities that have portrayed Hispanics as a homogenous racial/ethnic minority.

Undeniably, the sociohistorical Hispanic influence on contemporary Wyoming “Latinidad” from approximately the mid-16th century through the early-19th century has proved indelible and provides substantive legitimacy for the northern New Mexico and southern Colorado Hispano/Manito identity for Wyoming Latinos.

For more information about this exhibit, please contact Manny Vigil at 307-777-7025.

Breaking news: Robots take over Casper College

Poster for a W.P.A. stage performance of R.U.R., circa 1939
Robots take center stage in Casper College’s latest production: “R.U.R. (Rossum’s Universal Robots).” Under the direction of Bill Conte, theatre instructor, the play is described as “a fantastic melodrama in three acts and an epilogue” by playwright Karel Capek.

“Written by Capek 90 years ago, ‘R.U.R.’ is a fascinating vision of a future that is not too far removed from our present. A landmark in the genre of science fiction, ‘R.U.R.’ is the great-grandfather of every novel, film, or TV show in which robots are important aspects of the plot. In fact, it is because of this play, originally written in Czech, that the word ‘robot’ (meaning ‘worker’) became part of the English language. This far-seeing play is more socially relevant now than it was when it was written,” said Conte.

Despite its social relevance today, Conte noted that two words from Capek’s description of “R.U.R.” – “fantastic” and “melodrama” – “are guiding our interpretation of the work. In the 1920s, the melodrama found a home in the exciting new technology of film. Our production embraces this history and the acting style is a replica of the highly emotive and presentational techniques of the melodrama, a style that carried over into the films of the day.”

In addition to the acting style, Douglas Garland’s costume and make-up designs “were developed from the perspective of how a designer in the 1920s film industry might imagine the future, while Sean McIntosh’s set and lighting design are executed in the stark, unsettling style of the German Expressionist silent filmmakers. Of course, as in all movies of the time, music underscores the action in good melodramatic fashion, and we have some terrific music composed especially for this show by Gary DePaolo,” Conte added.

“R.U.R.” will run April 28 through 30 and May 3 through 7 each evening at 7:30 in the Black Box Theatre located in the Gertrude Krampert Theatre Complex. Tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for students ages 5 to 18.

Tickets can be purchased at the Krampert Theatre Complex box office between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Monday through Friday, by phone at 268-2500, or one hour before each performance, for that performance only.

Delta Sonics perform at Plains Hotel April 29

The Delta Sonics, a blues band from Denver, will perform in the grand ballroom of the Historic Plains Hotel in downtown Cheyenne on Friday, April 29, 8 p.m. Advance tickets $10 at Phoenix Books and Music, 1612 Capitol Ave. Tickets at the door will be $12. FMI: 307-632-3476

Watch Wyoming's Sara Ellingrod in live webcast today for Poetry Out Loud semifinals in D.C.

Sara Ellingrod (center) receives her first-place award for the Wyoming Poetry Out Loud competition  March 1 from Secretary of State Max Maxfield (left) and Wyoming Poet Laureate David Romtvedt.

Sara Ellingrod, a ninth-grader at Arvada-Clearmont High School in Sheridan County, will be representing Wyoming in the national finals today in Washington, D.C. She will be competing against 16 other state champions from the Western states from 5-8 p.m. (EDT) at the historic Lincoln Theater.

Ellingrod will be one of the youngest competitors. She also comes from one of the smallest schools -- there are 23 students in grades 9-12 at Arvada-Clearmont. This is the second straight year that a student from her school has represented Wyoming at the national finals.

Poetry Out Loud is co-sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation. In Wyoming, the Poetry Out Loud program is administered by the Wyoming Arts Council. For more info, contact Linda Coatney at the WAC at 307-777-7742.


Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Stanislas Sextet in concert at UW April 28

The Stanislas Sextet, chamber musicians from France, will perform at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 28, in the University of Wyoming Fine Arts concert hall.

Tickets, $7.50 for general admission and $5.50 for students and senior citizens, are available at the Fine Arts Box Office.

The program will include two blockbuster chamber music masterpieces: Mendelssohn's "String Octet," in collaboration with the UW String Faculty's Summit Chamber Players, and Tchaikovsky's sweeping "Souvenir de Florence."

The Stanislas Sextet brings together members of the French-based string quartet, the Quatuor Stanislas and two American musicians, violinist John Fadial and cellist Beth Vanderborgh, both UW faculty members. Since first performing in 1996, the sextet has enjoyed many fruitful collaborations and has performed regularly on both sides of the Atlantic.

The sextet's other members are: Laurent Causse, violin and viola; Bertrand Menut, violin; Marie Triplet, viola; and Jean de Spengler, cello.

The sextet will be in residence with the UW Department of Music for five days of rehearsals, master classes and discussions.

Photo: The Stanislas Sextet performs April 28 at the University of Wyoming (Stanislas Sextet)

Casper College Chamber Orchestra performs Mozart May 1 at St. Mark's

Mozart’s “Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra in A Major and his composition “Vesperae de Dominica,” will be the highlights of the 2011 Music of the Masters Concert featuring the Casper College choirs, the Casper College Chamber Orchestra and soloists Jerome Fleg, Gary DePaolo, and Douglas Bull on Sunday, May 1 at 2 p.m.

The concert will begin with a performance of Mozart’s “Concerto” featuring Fleg on clarinet, followed by “Concerto for Viola and Orchestra in G Major” by George Phillip Telemann featuring DePaolo on viola, and ending with “Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra” by Johann Nepomuk Hummel featuring Bull on trumpet.

The second half of the concert the Casper College Men’s Choir, Women’s Choir, and Collegiate Chorale will perform Mozart’s “Vesperae.”

The chamber orchestra is under the direction of Jennifer Cowell, Casper College strings and orchestra instructor, while the choirs are under the direction of Patrick Patton, Casper College voice and choir instructor.

The concert, which is free and open to the public, will take place at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church located on the corners of 7th and Wolcott streets in Casper. A free-will offering will be accepted at the door. Proceeds will go to help defray the costs of music-related events.

FMI: Lisa S. Icenogle, Information Coordinator, Casper College, 800-442-2963, ext. 2372

Fifth-grader from Lander wins Arbor Day poster contest

Wyoming Arbor Day Poster winner (and budding artist) Fiachra Rottinghaus, a home-schooled fifth grader from Lander, poses with Gov. Matt Mead at the Arbor Day ceremony April 25 across from the State Capitol. Fiachra holds her winning poster. Photo by Cathy R. Lujan, PIO, Office of State Lands & Investments

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Call for proposals: American Film Showcase

Call for proposals:

The U.S. State Department's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) announces an open competition for a cooperative agreement to administer the American Film Showcase's Contemporary Voices in Documentary and Fiction Film program. Full details may be found at: http://exchanges.state.gov/grants/open2.htmlThe application deadline is May 25, 2011.

The American Film Showcase seeks to bring award-winning independent American documentaries and narrative films to audiences around the world to offer contemporary new insights into American life and culture, as well as issues affecting democratic societies. The films and their filmmakers will be showcased at international venues, including U.S. Embassy-organized events and/or international documentary and feature film festivals. This program will provide for travel by documentary and feature filmmakers and film experts in conjunction with public presentation of the films overseas. Participating filmmakers and film experts will be expected to conduct or participate in master classes, workshops, lectures and other outreach activities designed for a variety of audiences, with a focus on younger and underserved audiences. The classes are expected to include filmmaking workshops and training in digital technology, emergent media, and creative use of social media. The Showcase also will provide for follow-up programming that could include return visits overseas by American filmmakers or visits by young foreign filmmakers to the United States.

Through this solicitation, ECA seeks an organization to identify and select a collection of contemporary American documentary and narrative films that offer a broad overview of the best in current American independent filmmaking. The films should demonstrate high artistic quality, illustrate diverse viewpoints, address a variety of social issues, and reflect the creativity inherent in an open, democratic society. Documentaries are the priority focus of the American Film Showcase. They should address important and compelling themes and represent more than half of the films in the Showcase, with the remainder being narrative/fiction films. The Showcase also should include a small collection of animated shorts.

U.S. public and non-profit organizations meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue code section 26 USC 501 (c) (3) may submit proposals for the American Film Showcase. For this competition, all applicants must demonstrate sufficient experience successfully exhibiting, distributing, or otherwise promoting American documentaries and narrative films. They also should demonstrate extensive knowledge of independent filmmaking -- especially the documentary field -- both in the U.S. and overseas.

BBHC Plains Indian Museum Powwow celebrates 30th year June 18-19

From the BBHC in Cody:

The Buffalo Bill Historical Center’s longest-running public program celebrates its thirtieth anniversary this June when the Plains Indian Museum Powwow fills the Robbie Powwow Garden with drumming, competitive dance, and the vibrant cultural traditions of Northern Plains tribes. The event takes place Saturday and Sunday, June 18 and 19, with grand entries at noon and 6 p.m. Saturday and noon Sunday.

The powwow began in 1982 with just a few dancers and one group of singers who stopped to participate on their way to another powwow. It has since grown to include several hundred dancers—men, women, and children ranging in age from “tiny tots” to golden age—representing some thirty tribes from across the Plains, at least a dozen drum groups, about four thousand spectators, and more than forty arts vendors. Dancers compete for more than $30,000 in cash and other prizes.

Grand entries usher the dancers into the arena with a welcome and an opening prayer, flag and victory songs from the host drum, the posting of flags by the color guard, and a pipe invocation. Competitive dance categories include traditional, jingle dress, fancy, grass, team dancing, tiny tots, golden age, and chicken dance. Spectators are invited to watch the competition and can also visit the Powwow Learning Tipi hosted by Lakota educator Gloria Goggles to learn about powwow dances, etiquette, traditions, and songs. Powwow runs until about 9 p.m. on Saturday and 6 p.m. on Sunday.

Tickets for the Plains Indian Museum Powwow must be purchased at the gate and are good for one day of the event only. Admission is $7 for adults 18 and older, $3 for youths 7 to 17, and free for children 6 and younger. Historical Center members receive a one dollar discount with presentation of their membership card. The Robbie Powwow Garden is an outdoor grass amphitheater with limited bleacher seating; visitors may bring their own lawn chairs or blankets. Gates open at 9:30 a.m. each day.

Interested arts vendors and dancers may contact Rebecca West at rebeccaw@bbhc.org or 307.578.4049. For general information visit www.bbhc.org or contact Nancy McClure at nancym@bbhc.org or 307.578.4102. Press passes are available through prior arrangement with McClure in the Center’s public relations office.

Committed to connecting people with the Spirit of the American West, the Buffalo Bill Historical Center weaves the varied threads of the western experience—history and myth, art and Native culture, firearms technology and Yellowstone natural history—into the rich panorama that is the American West. The Center, an Affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, is open 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily through April; on May 1, hours expand to 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. For general information, visit www.bbhc.org, or call 307.587.4771.

Photo: Men’s Fancy Dancer Corey LeClaire, Lakota/Navajo from Durango, Colorado, dances at the 2010 Plains Indian Museum Powwow. Photo by Ken Blackbird.

"Starry Night" -- as seen from a Landsat satellite

The USGS Earth Resources Observation & Science Center offers an image gallery of artsy shots from satellites. Here's an example entitled "Van Gogh from Space."
In the style of Van Gogh's painting "Starry Night," massive congregations of greenish phytoplankton swirl in the dark water around Gotland, a Swedish island in the Baltic Sea. Phytoplankton are microscopic marine plants that form the first link in nearly all ocean food chains. Population explosions, or blooms, of phytoplankton, like the one shown here, occur when deep currents bring nutrients up to sunlit surface waters, fueling the growth and reproduction of these tiny plants. Taken July 13, 2005.

Monday, April 25, 2011

WyoPoets annual workshop in Casper on Hybrid-Genre poetry

WyoPoets gathered on Friday evening and Saturday, April 21 and 22, for their annual open mike readings and all-day poetry workshop. Workshop presenter was Lee Ann Roripaugh.

We gathered on Friday evening at Metro Coffee Company to have our poetry reading. Beginning with Lee Ann, twelve poets read selections of their own work against the buzz of the coffee shop, while two of us, one of them myself, the other Susan Mark, a terrific poet who also lives in Cheyenne and works at the state library, played our instruments, me on the ukelele and Susan on guitar, sang our original songs. Susan also plays the penny whistle really well! This was the first year that WyoPoets has had their reading outside of the venue where the next day's workshop is held. A few of the customers at Metro drifted into the back room and listened. One young man stood off to the side of the stage and began to sing back-up with one of Susan's songs. That's one reason I love the atmosphere of the coffee shop setting for things like this -- there is always an element of spontaneity, kind of like having a party. Metro has been a big supporter of the arts since they opened for business. Visual art is always on display, and there have been many poetry slams held there, thanks to Casper poet and teacher George Vlastos, who organizes many of them.

The next morning Lee Ann introduced us to hybrid-genre poetry by way of asking us to try and define what makes a poem a poem, and what makes a story a story. The lines begin to blur, as what seems to hold true for what makes a poem a poem are also the same devices that make a story a story, with a few exceptions. Here are some of the definitions from the class:

Poems make an immediate emotional connection to the reader; reader allowed more license to interpretation; contains complexity in shorter form, yet large themes emerge; imagery important; condensed, fast; poetry most true of the forms; prevailing trend is to assume that poetry is autobiographical; bigger truths in poetry; poetry a denser onion; microscopic in a sense.

What makes a story: linear; facts and details move the narrative; usually has more characters; plot; craft feature technical talents of the fiction writer; fiction allowed to wear mask of fiction; different field of vision; wide-angled; moments where the close-up lens is used.

Lee Ann handed out some examples of some terrific work by Robert Hass, Julia Alvarez, Yusef Komunyakaa, Kimiko Hahn, Li-Young Lee, Erin Noteboom and a sample of a prose poem experiment of Lee Ann's, modeled in the form of e-mail spam.

Publishing houses and presses still want to categorize works of creative writing -- prose poem, flash fiction, novel, braided essay -- and want authors to name them, too, but it does sometimes become problematic in identifying a piece of creative writing that doesn't necessarily fit neatly into a category.

Here is short prose poem by Robert Hass, "A Story About the Body"
The young composer, working that summer at an artist's colony, had watched her for a week. She was Japanese, a painter, almost sixty, and he thought he was in love with her. He loved her work, and her work was like the way she moved her body, used her hands, looked at him directly when she made amused or considered answers to his questions. One night, walking back from a concert, they came to her door and she turned to him and said, "I think you would like to have me. I would like that too, but I must tell you I have had a double mastectomy," and when he didn't understand, "I've lost both my breasts." The radiance that he had carried around in his belly and chest cavity--like music--withered, very quickly, and he made himself look at her when he said, "I'm sorry. I don't think I could." He walked back to his own cabin through the pines, and in the morning he found a small blue bowl on the porch outside his door. It looked to be full of rose petals, but he found when he picked it up that the rose petals were on top; the rest of the bowl--she must have swept them from the corners of her studio--was full of dead bees.
In the afternoon session, we talked about Haibun, (also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haibun), a combination of prose and haiku poetry. Here's one I did.

"Ain't No Small Thing"
What else can be said, what else can I tell you about love? How it must start from a new place every day? That it is best to forget everything about yesterday? I once saw three horses roll over onto their backs in a mostly bare-dirt, mushroom-colored, field, patchy with scruffy sagebrush bushes. The horses, one black, one paint, one appaloosa, squirmed about, their heads and hindquarters arcing one way, then the other, then just lying still, twelve hooves running on the sky. But I would never see this again. One horse was sold. Another died. The last one stood at the fence and listened for all of us to return. 
A cloud of red dust
Hangs in the air questioning
Why are you going back
Other links to read about Lee Ann:

Lander Art Center sponsors Jenny Dowd workshop

"Shelf 1 and 2," Jenny Dowd, Porcelain, mixed media, 23 x 20 x 4, 2008
The Lander Art Center is sponsoring the following workshop:

Non-Traditional Surface Design on Clay
Two-Day Workshop
with Jenny Dowd

Explore non-glaze related surfaces and finishing techniques for bisqueware with a goal of exploring surface options for non-utilitarian sculpture. Using a variety of non-traditional materials such as tea, graphite, gesso, and wax, a surface will be built up then layered and rubbed through to create atmospheric painterly surfaces. Painting and drawing techniques will be used as well as wax transfer and other transfer methods. These unique and varied surfaces will be able to find their way into a variety of work.

Instructor: Jenny Dowd (WAC roster artist)
Fee: $60 (supplies included)
Date: May 14-15, 2011
Time: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

WAC offers summer professional development courses

The Wyoming Arts Council is offering several professional development opportunities in the arts this summer. All of these classes offer opportunities to learn and hone arts skills, and get credit towards re-certification or lane changes! Classes are open to anyone interested. Please click on the links to learn more about them:

Reception tonight at UW's Gallery 234 for "Installation Experimentation"

UW Art Professor Ashley Hope Carlisle and her ART 3320 Mixed Media: Installation class will host an exhibition titled "Installation Experimentation" Monday through Friday, April 25-29, in Gallery 234, Room 004 of the University of Wyoming Union in Laramie.

A public reception for the artists is scheduled for Monday, April 25, from 6-8 p.m.

Throughout the semester, 13 students within this installation course have created three works each, exploring the many facets of working with installation as an art form. The exhibition includes documentation and aspects of each installation created during the semester.

Photo: Green Belt Connection is among the site specific installations in "Installation Experimentation" on display from Monday, April 25 through Friday, April 29, in Gallery 234 of the University of Wyoming Union. (Dakotah Konicek Photo)

Friday, April 22, 2011

WhatFest fund-raiser April 23 in Laramie

This is a fund-raiser event for WhatFest this summer! Come down Front Street Tavern (Sweet Melissa's) in Laramie for good times, good people, and good music with John Kirlin and the High Plains Drifters, J. Shogren and Guests, Jeff Duloz and Niles Mischke, Shotgun Shogun, and Patrick Harrington.

Inda Eaton returns to Casper May 7

May 7, 2011 • 7:30 p.m.
Kelly Walsh High School Auditorium

Acoustic rock artist Inda Eaton receives nationwide critical acclaim for her innovative songwriting – often compared to a fusion of John Mellencamp and Melissa Etheridge.

Inda and her band have opened for names such as Hootie and the Blowfish, LeAnn Rimes, Smashmouth, Chicago and John Hiatt.

Performing original work and featuring guests from the Casper and New York neighborhoods, she will debut music from the upcoming, sixth independent album.

“... Inda Eaton, a uniquely talented singer/songwriter who played to a full house. Eaton writes songs that are a little Indigo Girls, a little Springsteen, but largely-her. I was struck by how accessible the tunes were without being trite or simplistic. These were perfectly structured songs with good lyrics that led the first-time listener easily from section to section. Eaton’s vocals and stage presence are confident and highly likable.” –TalkHouse

Schedule announced for May 21 professional development workshops for visual artists at WOW in Laramie

"Six quarter moons" by Mark Klett, 3/12/05, from the series Time Studies
Since 2009, the Wyoming Arts Council has sponsored annual forums for the state’s visual artists.

In 2009, the WAC teamed up with the University of Wyoming Art Museum for the "Public Art and Community Symposium" at the Hilton Garden Inn in Laramie. One WAC fellowship juror, well-known public artists Lawrence Argent, spoke about protecting intellectual property rights. All three jurors participated in the 20:20 event and the closing reception which included the announcement of visual arts fellowship winners for that year.

In 2010, the WAC traveled to Casper April 23-25 for a 20:20 event co-sponsored by the UW Art Museum. The three fellowship jurors conducted multimedia presentations of their work and an awards reception closed out the festivities. The WAC also gathered “focus groups” of visual artists and roster artists to get their input for the WAC’s next five-year plan. These sessions were held in conjunction with the High School Arts Symposium and the annual conference of WyoPoets.

This year, the WAC has teamed up with Works of Wyoming in Laramie for a series of professional development workshops on May 21. There is no fee for the workshops (lunch included) but you do have to register in advance. E-mail me at mshay@state.wys.us.

Here is the schedule for the May 21 workshops at Works of Wyoming (WOW) in the Laramie Civic Center, Laramie:

"Symbiosis" by Joshua Wiener
9-10:30 a.m.: Joshua Wiener, sculptor, Louisville, Colo.: “Everything you wanted to know about successful public art proposals.”

10:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m.: Mark Klett, photographer, Tempe, Ariz.: "Rethinking landscape photography (and all photographic practice) in the digital age"

12:30-1:30 p.m.: Lunch and announcement of visual arts fellowship winners

1:45-3:15 p.m.: Nancy Bowen, mixed-media artist, Brooklyn, N.Y.: “How to prepare and organize your work for visual arts competitions.”

3:30-4:30 p.m.: Wyoming Arts Council debuts online Artist Image Registry, Annie Wood (not confirmed) speaks about Wyoming Made, and Panelist Q&A

From Nancy Bowen's mixed-media exhibit "Sculptures & Drawings"
View Nancy Bowen's most recent exhibition at https://www.purchase.edu/Departments/AcademicPrograms/Arts/artdesign/richardanddollymaassgallery.aspx

View Mark Klett's work at www.artnet.com/artist/9580/mark-klett.html

Joshua Wiener's web site is at http://www.joshuawiener.com 

Poet Jane Wohl reads from her work April 28 in Sheridan

Jane Wohl, Sheridan College professor and winner of a 2007 WAC creative writing fellowship in poetry, will read from her work on Thursday, April 28, 7 p.m., at the Sheridan County Fulmer Public Library in Sheridan. This event celebrates National Poetry Month. FMI: www.sheridanwyolibrary.org

Noted actor Wilford Brimley will be the featured guest at the Cheyenne International Film Festival

Wilford Brimley in "The China Syndrome"
Actor Wilford Brimley and his wife Beverly will appear at the Cheyenne International Film Festival on Saturday, May 21. The evening will be co-presented by the Historic Plains Hotel, the CFD Old West Museum and Hands Across the Saddle. The ticket price is $30.

Doors open at 6 p.m. at the Historic Atlas Theatre and appetizers by the Plains Hotel and wine by the Table Mountain Vineyards.

Wilford Brimley most recently appeared in Did You Hear About the Morgans? The film was set in Wyoming and starred Hugh Grant and Sarah Jessica Parker. He is known for his roles in Seinfeld, The Firm, The China Syndrome, The Natural, Cocoon, The Hotel New Hampshire and Absence of Malice. He and his wife Beverly are founders of Hands Across the Saddle based in Greybull, Wyoming.

The audience will also be treated to a demonstration of traditional Northern Arapaho dancing and singing by members of the Wind River Dancers and the Wind River Tribal College language classes. The Plains Hotel has a long history with the Northern Arapaho, as a painting of Chief Little Shield hangs prominently in the lobby of the hotel.

The feature film on Saturday is a never-been-seen-before black and white silent film found in the archives of the Oregon State Historical Office. The silent film will have an original and spontaneous live piano score performed by Rattlesnake Jake Martin.

JH Weekly interviews Robert Pinsky in lead-up to May 14 Teton County Library event

Robert Pinsky photo by Scott Davidson
Great interview with former U.S. Poet Laureate and "civic poet" Robert Pinsky in the 4/20 JH Weekly. On May 14, the Teton County Library Foundation will present a "Page to the Podium" reading and lecture with Pinsky. Tickets are free and available today at the library. Pinsky now is a professor at Boston University and the poetry editor for the online magazine Slate. He also is founder of the Favorite Poem Project. To read the entire interview, go to Planet News Article -- American music, American voices

Call for entries: Northeast Wyoming Visitor Welcome Center's 1 Percent for Art Project

A call for entries for a sculpture for the Northeast Wyoming Visitor Welcome Center in Beulah has been issued by the Wyoming Arts Council. The deadline for submissions is May 13.

The Art in Public Building’s Committee for the project is requesting an existing sculpture by a Wyoming artist. An exterior island between the parking lot and main facility is the preferred site for the sculpture.

The Visitor Welcome Center, which opened in July 2010, is a state-of-the-art green facility blending both traditional western and contemporary eco-friendly design elements. The facility is integrated into a promontory site offering sweeping vistas of the surrounding landscape.

During the groundbreaking ceremony for the Visitor Welcome Center, a number of fresh mountain lion prints were observed around the site, and an adult mountain lion was observed in the vicinity. A full-size sculpture of a mountain lion, as well as indigenous wildlife such as elk, deer antelope, bear; or bucking horse and rider, the Sundance Kid or western outlaw, are subjects the committee finds appealing.

Information about the project is available through the WAC website at http://wyoarts.state.wy.us.

The WAC is responsible for the implementation of the 1% Art in Public Buildings legislation.

For more information, contact David L. Newell, curator of Art, Wyoming State Museum, 307-777-7677.

Postmark deadline April 25 for performing arts fellowships

Monday, April 25, is the postmark deadline for the Wyoming Arts Council performing arts fellowships in music composition.

This competition is open to Wyoming performing artists only.

Find a printable application at http://wyoarts.state.wy.us/Artists/Performing.aspx

Call Michael Shay at the WAC at 307-777-5234 if you have any questions.

Call for artists: Texas Tech University public art project

Texas Tech University Public Art Committee has issued a call for artists.

Deadline: May 25, 2011.

The Texas Tech University System Public Art Committee is seeking proposals from artists to create large-scale artwork for the new Rawls College of Business Administration building at the Lubbock campus. The final product will contribute significantly to the public art collection at Texas Tech and enhance and compliment the newly constructed 149,000-square-foot facility.

FMI: www.fpc.ttu.edu/fpcweb/publicart/opportunities.jsf

Ozy Theater makes promises it can't keep for April 30 improv show at the Atlas in Cheyenne

Found this announcement on Facebook. Since the event is coming us soon, and it involves comedy and raises funds for the local community theatre, we're sharing it. Please come out to the Atlas and give these poor souls some appreciation:

Hello Ozy-maniacs!

Your friends at Ozymandian Theater are back with a ONE NIGHT ONLY improv show that is promised to change your entire life! By simply attending our improv show you will become a brand new person.

Here is a small list of just a few of the positive side effects you will benefit from by just coming to the show:

**Become better looking!

Earn the respect of your peers!

Have a very healthy bank account!

Be able to run faster than a train!

Understand the mysteries of the universe! (like Charlie Sheen and Unicorns)

Speak Russian!

Have a new appreciation for ballet!

Levitation!

Be able to explain why people are so excited about Motley Crue!

Suddenly be well versed in the language of love!

And Much Much More!**

**(Our lawyers have advised us to let you know that none of these side-effects will happen by attending our show. you would probably have to be bitten by a radioactive spider and attend LCCC to make these happen)

Become the incredible person you were born to become! Come to our show! Here are the details:

Ozymandian Theater's Spring Improv Show Of Doom and/or Destruction. April 30th @ The Historic Atlas Theatre (211 w 16th st). Show Starts @ 7:30 (doors open @ 7:00). Tickets cost $8 for adults and $5 for students. As always our show is rated PG-13!! For more info please visit www.ozytheater.com/

Ozymandian Theatre is excited to announce that we will be welcoming the East High Improv Group on stage with us during the show! This is the second year we will have performed with them and it is going to be awesome to see the "new talent" here in <

Bring your friends!! The proceeds benefit The Cheyenne Little Theatre!

UW Mulloy Lecture: "Late Capitalism, Gen X & Global Impact of the End of the American Dream"

From a UW press release:

Sherry B. Ortner, distinguished professor of anthropology at UCLA, will present the University of Wyoming's 15th annual Mulloy Lecture at 3 p.m. Thursday, April 28, in Room 306 of the Classroom Building.

Ortner's presentation, "Late Capitalism, ‘Generation X,' and the Global Impact of the End of the American Dream," will focus on how the American independent film scene emerged as a recognizable cultural movement in the late 1980s. Ortner argues that "the end of the American Dream," an idea associated with so-called Generation X also had a global impact, which she explores through the lens of recent independent films made by and/or about immigrants to the United States. A reception in the Anthropology Building follows Ortner's presentation.

Ortner received her A.B. from Bryn Mawr College and her M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Chicago.  Before going to UCLA in 2004, Ortner taught at Sarah Lawrence College, the University of Michigan, the University of California at Berkeley and Columbia University.

The annual Mulloy Lecture is sponsored by the UW Department of Anthropology in memory of the university's first professional anthropologist, William Mulloy. Starting in 1948 he fostered at UW what is usually called the "four field approach," integrating archaeology, biological anthropology, cultural anthropology and linguistic anthropology into a unified program.

For more information call Keith Kanbe at (307) 766-5136.

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Cheyenne Artists Guild presents workshop by Pattie Andre May 21-22

This workshop is for portrait and landscape painters as well as still life artists. Using a still life set up gives the challenge of all kinds of edges – hard, soft, lost, transitional, value, temperature and much more. If you can paint a still life you can paint anything. Edges are a crucial element to a great painting.  Participants may use their chosen medium in oil, pastel or acrylic. 

Pattie has studied under many celebrated artists such as Richard Schmid, Kim English, Scott Christensen, Ralph Olberg, and Jim Wilcox. She is a Signature member of the Pastel Society of America and The National Oil and Acrylic Painters Society.  She is also an associate member of Oil Painters of America, Allied Artist, Rocky Mountain Plein Air Painters, and Tucson Plein Air Painters Society. Not only has Pattie won many awards nationally, she has been featured in American Artists, The Artist Magazine and the International Artist.   
                                                                     
Cost is $100 for members and $125 for non-members

Call 307 632-2263 to register
Visit the Cheyenne Artists Guild
 noon to 4:30 Tuesday – Friday

Georgie Sicking at Buffalo Theater

UW alum Sarah Garlick presents multimedia "Climbing the Unclimbed" April 27

"Wild Stone: Climbing the Unclimbed, from the Arctic to Arabia," a multimedia presentation by renowned climber and University of Wyoming alumna Sarah Garlick, will be presented Wednesday, April 27, at 7 p.m. in Room 222 of the Classroom Building.
With professional photography, audio clips and short videos, Garlick tells stories from her latest two expeditions: A journey to the granite big walls of south Greenland and an exploration of the Wadi Rum desert in Jordan.
Garlick's presentation focuses on the common core of both expeditions: A quest to find -- and climb -- untouched cliffs in some of the world's wildest locations.
"Wild Stone" shares stories and images of Garlick's 2010 expedition to Greenland, where she and her three teammates established a new, 2,000-foot free route up a remote granite wall. This expedition was supported by the prestigious Copp-Dash Inspire Award. 
The presentation also premieres new photography and video footage from an expedition to the Wadi Rum desert in Jordan this winter, where Garlick and fellow climber Caroline George established a new sandstone adventure route called Uprising.
An avid rock, ice, and alpine climber from the White Mountains of New Hampshire, Garlick received an M.S. degree in geology from UW in 2007 and is now a science writer and educator. She is the author of an award-winning book, "Flakes, Jugs and Splitters: A Rock Climber's Guide to Geology," and her climbing adventures are supported by Outdoor Research and La Sportiva.
Photo: Sarah Garlick

Pinedale LocalFest features food, jazz and a movie

Painted Sage Farm presents a gala reception for the 2011 Spring Into Summer LocalFest. Featuring locally grown food, drink and the compelling food film "FRESH, The Movie." Gourmet tapas prepared by Wyoming culinary artist Christine Wylde. Accompanied by favorite local musical talents, Johnson & Stowe. Sponsored by the Sublette Local Food Alliance and UW Cooperative Extension. Thursday, April 28, 6-9 p.m. at Sublette County Public Library, 155 S. Tyler, Pinedale.

Miss "V" on WPR's "Morning Music"

Miss "V" the Gypsy Cowbelle, member of the Wyoming Arts Council artist roster, is being interviewed right now on Wyoming Public Radio. Get the live feed at http://www.wyomingpublicradio.net/. She's performing at the Platte Valley Community Center in Saratoga tonight at 7 p.m.

Call for entries: ArtSpot in Jackson

Located on Hwy 89 in Jackson, the ArtSpot is seen by an average of 30,000 people per day. The ArtSpot v2.0 is the only venue in Wyoming dedicated to the public display of temporary art projects. The ArtSpot is a kinetic sign structure created from a repurposed chairlift tower donated by the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. Designs reflective of Jackson’s natural environment are torch-cut into the steel. The ArtSpot program appeals to the average viewer who might not be personally invested in arts and culture, yet can be impacted by artwork that inspires a sense of community by depicting shared themes, values and experiences.

Here is the link to this call for entries: http://www.artassociation.org/exhibitions/ArtSpot.html

ArtSpot It is open to artists and/or artist groups living in Wyoming, Idaho, Utah and Montana. New applications are due June 1, 2011 for the fall and winter time slots.

FMI: Sam Dowd, Ceramics, YARD Art & ArtSpot, Art Association of Jackson Hole, 307-733-6379

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

April 29 fashion show of "epic theatrical proportions" to benefit CLTP

Clay Day May 12 with Barbara Wolf at the Cheyenne Artists Guild

Clay Day at the Cheyenne Artists Guild
Thursday, May 12
$50 for Guild members; $60 non-members
plus $10 material fee

If you have always wondered how it would feel to have clay between your fingers and see the miraculous transformation from a clump of clay into a recognizable human shape, this is the class for you. The May class will focus on creating a face in 3D You will have the opportunity to experiment with different modeling techniques, usage of various sculpting tools using a self-drying clay, which hardens without firing. No prior experience is necessary, so why not give it a try? The class is small so you will receive plenty of one on one attention and leave with your own sculpture.

Barbara Wolf is a graduate of Central Michigan University, with masters from Aquinas College. With a background in dance as a performer, teacher and choreographer, she always had a passion for sculpting. Her first experience with sculpting clay began in high school and her bust of a man won her a state award of a blue ribbon. Her more recent work is a study in a series of women figures that she sculpted and in addition, wrote a book based on these figures. Barbara enjoys teaching sculpting of the human body and finds that it is expressive, complex, challenging and rewarding. She feels working with the human form affords the artist the ability to express feelings, purpose and emotions that may be hard to verbalize.

Take a day to come play with clay!
Sign up at the Cheyenne Artists Guild

Open Noon to 4:30 Tuesday through Friday.
Call 307 632-2263 for info
http://cheyenneartistsguild.org

"A Diamond in the Rough" theme for annual Wyoming Artists Association conference


The upcoming Wyoming Artists Association Annual Convention will be held at the Sublette County Ice Arena in Pinedale April 29-May 1. This convention features an art exhibit at the Pinedale Ice Arena and a quick draw at the Museum of the Mountain Man. Both are open to the public.

The theme for this year’s convention is "A Diamond in the Rough". Workshops and demonstrations on the creative process and different art media are available to WAA members. These will also be held at the Ice Arena. Memberships are available at the door for only $20. A luncheon and banquet with entertainment are also available with pre-registration by April 15. For more information about the Wyoming Artists Association or to pre-register, call Ron Gregory, WAA Treasurer, at 307-856-7574.

The Quick draw is always fun to watch, and will be held from 6:30-7:30 PM ON Friday night at the Museum of the Mountain Man. Artists will have one hour to complete their work, which is a subject and medium of the artist’s choice. Subject matter might be still lift, model, sketches or reference photos. After completing their piece, they have 15 minutes to sign and frame it. Quick Draw pieces will then be taken to the auction area, which starts at 7:45 pm. Proceeds from the Quick Draw auction are split 50-50 with the Wyoming Artists Association and the artist.

WAA Annual Art Show and Competition Schedule
WAA Annual Art Show and Competition on display Friday through Sunday. There will be a wide variety of media, themes and awards.

Friday, April 29: Quick Draw and Art Auction At the Museum of the Mountain Man. Everyone welcome!
5:30 pm Quick Draw setup
6:30–7:30 pm Artists work
7:45 pm Auction
There will be wine, cheese, hors d'ouevres provided by the Museum. Proceeds benefit WAA and the artists.

Saturday, April 30 1-5 pm
Sunday, May 1 8 am-Noon

Message of "love, kindness and peace" behind Cheyenne downtown mural project

Artist's depiction of proposed downtown Cheyenne mural
Reporter Becky Orr wrote about "Downtown getting giant cherub mural" in this morning's Wyoming Tribune-Eagle:
The building at the southwest corner of 17th Street and Warren Avenue is a tidy brick structure with white shutters near the windows.

Owner Ed Murray wants to expand its purpose. He said he wants to provide an artistically beautiful mural on its south wall for people to enjoy.

The mural will depict a cherub created by 16th-century Renaissance artist Raphael. Murray, a business and property owners in Cheyenne, said he wants the art to help revitalize downtown and become a catalyst for more such works. 
Gillette artist Harvey Jackson will paint the mural on the south wall. It will be about 47 feet tall and 60 feet wide. “It’s nice to convey a message of love and peace and understanding,” Jackson said, especially given the turmoil in the world. 
Currently, a painting of a green martini glass covers part of the south wall’s red surface. The glass is part of the state’s message against underage drinking. 
Murray considered a western theme for the new mural, but nothing “embraced or beckoned” him, he said. 
During their deliberations, Jackson asked Murray what was in his heart that he wanted to project, Murray said. Murray started soul-searching and concluded that he wanted to project a message of love, kindness and peace. An angel is the best way to accomplish that, he said. 
Murray looked at dozens of angel images before he selected the cherub. The image is a departure from a typical western theme. Even so, cherubs have a western connection with their presence in paintings in many Old West saloons, Murray said. 
Jackson expects to start painting in late summer or early fall. It should take 30 to 60 days to complete.
Read the complete article here.