Wyoming Arts

"The Morning After" exhibit at WOW features student work NOT selected for annual UW juried show

2012-01-27T16:36:00.001-07:00

From Works of Wyoming in Laramie:

It is time for the 17th Annual Salon Des Refuse hosted by Student Art League. The Salon des Refuse will consist of fabulous artwork created by University of Wyoming art students. It will be located in the Works of Wyoming art gallery in the Laramie Plains Civic Center, Suite 271. The reception will take place the morning of Saturday, January 28 from 10am – noon.

“The Morning After” is the opening event and title for the Salon this year. The annual Salon de Refuse is an event started by the Student Art League and consists of artwork that was not selected for the Juried University of Wyoming Student Exhibition. The Salon de Refuse was one of the first alternative art exhibitions set up by famous artists such as Manet, Cezanne, and Picasso. These artists were not yet famous in the 1800s and their works were not allowed into the traditional galleries. We invite you to come look for your own Cezanne among this fabulous work.

The Salon will be open from January 28 – February 17. Student Art League will present a $100 cash award to one artist and Works of Wyoming has donated a membership for a second artist award.

Cindy George named new executive director of Center for the Arts in Jackson

2012-01-27T16:22:00.000-07:00

From an article by Aaron Wallis in JH Weekly:

After six months without an ED, the Center’s board of directors has finally filled the position with a local candidate. Wilson resident Cindy George has accepted an offer to be the new executive director. George previously served on the Art Association’s board of directors and has been involved with some of the Center’s other resident organizations as a board member, consultant and volunteer.

She was also an integral component of the initial Center for the Arts Capital Campaign. When asked about the possibility of taking over as the Center’s new executive director just a day before the decision was announced, George replied, “I’m excited about this opportunity and I am looking forward to working with all the creative partners housed at the Center as well as the other arts and education organizations in the community.”

The Center’s Board should be congratulated on hiring a local instead of an out-of-town candidate. No matter how much fundraising experience a prospective candidate has, it’s really irrelevant if you don’t know the locals who have an active interest in supporting the arts. George’s deep ties in the community will surely help efforts to chart a new direction for the Center.

Read the rest at http://www.planetjh.com/news/Article.aspx?ArticleID=107989

Oscar Wilde's "The Importance of Being Earnest" on stage March 13 in Cody

2012-01-27T13:56:00.001-07:00

The Aquila Theatre Company presents Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest”

Tuesday March 13, 2012, 7:30 pm , Wynona Thompson Auditorium, 1225 10th Street, Cody, WY

Tickets are $18 Adults $15 Seniors/Students

“The Importance of Being Earnest” is a perennial audience favorite, a play that overflows with razor sharp wit, sublime elegance and dizzy romantic comedy. It is the tale of Jack Worthington and Algernon Moncrieff, both young men who have taken to bending the truth to add a dash of excitement to their lives and secretly escape the social expectations of the English upper class.

Come and see why Oscar Wilde remains one of the best loved and most respected dramatists in the English language and why “The Importance of Being Earnest” is widely considered his finest play.

FMI: http://parkcountyartscouncil.org

Paramount Cafe in Cheyenne holds Open Mic Night on Feb. 3

2012-01-27T12:10:00.001-07:00

Open Mic Night at The Paramount Café, 1607 Capitol Ave., Cheyenne, will be held on Friday, Feb. 3, 6-9 p.m. If you would like a slot that night, call the café at 307-634-2576!

Some info:

“The café lacks a PA system but our acoustics sound great and the sound carries well. We are so excited to hear some local artists! Our only request is no profanity or vulgar language!”

Wyoming Poetry Out Loud competition takes place March 5-6

2012-01-27T11:56:00.000-07:00

Sara Ellingrod, center, Wyoming's 2011
Poetry Out Loud champ.

If you are a teacher of 9th - 12th grades and have students that are interested in competing in Poetry Out Loud, you have until February 20 to hold a school contest. Two competitors make a contest!

The state finals will take place in Cheyenne on March 5th and 6th. The dinner begins at 5:30 p.m. at the Historic Plains Hotel. The competition takes place at the Historic Atlas Theater, across the street from the Plains beginning at 7 p.m.

The following morning, breakfast begins at 7 a.m. Student and teacher workshops begins at 8 a.m.

At 10:30 a.m., everyone goes to the Capitol, where certificates are given to all the participants, and the winner and runner-up are announced.

Invited guests include, Jim Coppoc a performance poet from Iowa; Pat Frolander, Wyomng's Poet Laureate; and Cindy Hill, Superintendant of Public Instruction.

FMI: linda.coatney@wyo.gov or 307-777-6393

Register now for Americans for the Arts 2012 convention in San Antonio

2012-01-27T11:04:00.002-07:00

From Americans for the Arts:

The New Normal—we hear about it every day, but what does it mean to your organization?

The 2012 Americans for the Arts Annual Convention this June 8–10 in San Antonio, TX will bring together more than 1,000 arts and community leaders to focus on how the arts field can function, change, and thrive in The New Normal—a landscape of economic uncertainty and shifting demographics.

Register before the early-bird deadline, April 27, to save up to $175! Plus, register now and receive $50 off a second registration for a colleague. Check out all the Ways to Save and book your hotel room today!

UW Art Museum holds reception this evening for spring exhibitions

2012-01-27T08:27:00.000-07:00

The University of Wyoming Art Museum in Laramie will present its spring exhibitions during a free public reception from 6-8 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 27.

"The 37th Annual Juried UW Student Exhibition" presents the creative work of UW students from all disciplines. This year's juror is Sharon Kennedy, curator of cultural and civic engagement at the University of Nebraska's Sheldon Museum of Art. An awards ceremony for standout work from the Juried UW Student Exhibition will take place at 6:30 p.m.

Canadian photographer Edward Burtynsky's "The Industrial Sublime" presents masterful large-scale color images from around the world that explore the landscape of industry, consumerism and culture.

Brian Dickerson explores the idea of "remembered landscapes" through minimal, three-dimensional paintings on wood through his exhibition, "Constructed Paintings and Drawings." The heavily layered and reworked surfaces contain hidden forms, suggesting deep emotional meaning and a sense of mystery.

"Photography from the Twentieth Century," from the Art Museum Collection, examines the creative vision of early photographers and their place in developing of an American genre. The first show is a two-part exhibition that focuses on pictorial and portrait traditions -- the basis of early photography.

Also from the Art Museum's collection, "Woven Traditions, Native American Basketry of the Southwest," shows baskets that feature traditional and contemporary designs, including turtles, spiders, butterflies and kachinas.

For additional information about the UW Art Museum call (307) 766-6622 or visit the museum's webpage at www.uwyo.edu/artmuseum or blog at www.uwartmuseum.blogspot.com . The museum is located in the Centennial Complex at 2111 Willett Drive in Laramie. Hours are Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m-5 p.m. Admission is free.

Photo: Shelby Lee Adams' photo, "Leddie & Children," will be among the UW Art Museum spring exhibitions.

Digital Media Symposium Feb. 3 at UW

2012-01-27T08:19:00.000-07:00

The University of Wyoming will hold a "Digital Media Symposium" on Friday, Feb. 3, in 506 Coe Library (fully tech-friendly space). Here's the schedule:

9:30 a.m.: Professor of English Craig Dworkin, curator of on-line archives of conceptual writing

10:30 a.m.: Professor of History/Director of Digital Scholarship Lab at U of Richmond Robert K. Nelson

11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.: Lunch

1 p.m.: Associate Professor of New Media Studies Cheryl Ball, rhetorical studies

2 p.m.: Assistant Professor of English Brian Kim Stefans, new media poetry and poetics

3:15 p.m.: Roundtable Discussion with panelists

Given that digital production, research and dissemination permeate all fields of scholarship, creative practice and teaching, the English Department has been planning a one-day digital media symposium as a way to explore how we should integrate our traditional trainings with the transformative impact digital media has had on contemporary culture at large and on current artistic, scholarly and pedagogical practices in particular.

List of speakers:

Assistant Professor of English, Brian Kim Stefans, new media poetry and poetics

--Brian Kim Stefans has published several books of poetry and criticism, is the editor of the /ubu (”slash ubu”) series of e-books, and is the creator of arras.net, devoted to new media poetry and poetics.

Associate Professor of New Media Studies, Cheryl Ball, rhetorical studies

--Cheryl Ball is an influential teacher, editor and scholar invested in exploring contemporary genre(s), technologies, media, and modes.

Professor of English, Craig Dworkin curator of on-line archives of conceptual writing UW

--Craig Dworkin curates two on-line archives of conceptual writing and publishes widely on twentieth and twenty-first century American poetry, avant-garde and conceptual writing and literary theory.

Professor of History, Robert K. Nelson, Director of the Digital Scholarship Lab at U of Richmond

FMI: Mary P. Sheridan, 307-766-6452, msherid1@uwyo.edu

Jackson Hole Music Experience holds first WORD TO THE WISE Rap Battle Jan. 28

2012-01-27T08:05:00.002-07:00

From JH Weekly:

Jackson Hole Music Experience hosts guitar workshops, after-school programs and rock camps for the under-21 music-loving set. This weekend the organization will host its first "Word to the Wise Rap Battle" emceed by Phonetic.

Lisel Spence, JHME’s marketing director, explains it as “a musical boxing match, where instead of throwing punches, the participants throw punchlines … It takes unbelievable wit, timing, knowledge of the language and rhythm, to be the best.”

The crowd votes for its favorite in each round and the winner gets $100. The event is open to all ages and encourages lyrical gangsters, younger and older, to come together in a place without a liquor license, cover charge or age requirement.

Spence anticipates an enthusiastic turnout and encourages registration.

Word to the Wise Rap Battle, 7:30 to 11 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 28, at Teton County Fair Building. Free.

FMI: http://www.jhme.org.

Call for entries: "Across the Divide" at Coconino Center for the Arts in Flagstaff, AZ

2012-01-27T07:39:00.001-07:00

Across the Divide will encompass the vast array of contemporary ceramics in the sculptural and installation genres. This exhibit uses the Continental Divide as a metaphor for the artist working in clay that has separated them from traditional techniques and stereotypes within the medium. Artists are encouraged to submit work that pushes traditional boundaries of the ceramic medium in its treatment of material and subject.

This exhibit is open to all artists, national and international. All forms of ceramic sculpture, installation and new media work are eligible. Works should have some ceramic component and can range in scale from hand held to monumental.

Juror Steven Schaeffer is a ceramic sculptor whose work has been shown nationally as well as internationally including the Florence Biennale and the Ceramic Biennial International Competition in

Korea

. Steve teaches Ceramics at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona.

A prize will be awarded for best of show ($500).

A $35 Entry fee covers the submission of up to 3 works of art. Work will be juried from digital images, two images per work may be submitted. Wall mounted works must not be taller than 127". Sculptural work must fit through a doorway that is 80” high x 85” wide. Weight limit of suspended pieces 15 lbs.

Postmark Deadline for submissions: April 6, 2012
Notification of acceptance: April 19, 2012
Delivery of artwork: May 14-17, 2012
Exhibit opens: June 2, 2012
Exhibit closes: July 28, 2012

Download the Call for Entries Application (.pdf)

Questions can be directed to:
Robin Cadigan
Gallery Director
Coconino Center for the Arts &
Flagstaff Cultural Partners
(928) 779-2300 x 104
rcadigan@culturalpartners.org

Photos: top Christine Golden, bottom Steven Schaeffer

Sotto Voce Tuba Quartet -- from Brazilian syncopation to Frank Zappa songs

2012-01-26T15:36:00.002-07:00

The Sotto Voce Tuba Quartet performs on Tuesday, Jan. 31, 7 p.m., at the WYO Theater in downtown Sheridan.

As adept at Brazilian syncopation as arrangements of Frank Zappa's music, the Sotto Voce Tuba Quartet gets around as nimbly in their repertoire as their oversized instruments. This highly acclaimed, internationally recognized quartet enthusiastically challenges preconceived notions about what tubas can do by composing, arranging, and commissioning virtuosic new works that highlight the diversity of their ensemble. Oh... did we mention they sing too?

Tickets are $15 Adults/$13 Seniors & Military/$8 Students/$5 12 & Under.

FMI: www.tubaquartet.com/about.html

Last weekend for "Messiah on the Frigidaire"

2012-01-26T15:14:00.000-07:00

The small town of Elroy, South Carolina, is thrust into the middle of a media frenzy when the face of Jesus appears on a refrigerator in a trailer park. When Lou Ann, her husband Dwayne and best friend Betsy become the center of the evangelical spotlight, their relationships are put to the test, proving God moves in truly mysterious ways.

Run dates for Cheyenne Little Theatre Players' "Messiah on the Frigidaire" are January 26-28. Play begins at 7:30 p.m.; Jan 29 @ 2 p.m. FMI: 638-6543.

Cat Urbigkit presents "Yellowstone Wolves" at Sheridan County Fulmer Public Library Jan. 29

2012-01-26T08:56:00.001-07:00

From a library press release:

The Sheridan County Fulmer Public Library will host author Cat Urbigkit for a free presentation about changing public attitudes about wolves. The program, presented by the Wyoming Humanities Council as part of its Humanities Forum, will be held at the Sheridan County Fulmer Public Library on Sunday, Jan. 29, 1:30 p.m. in the library’s Inner Circle.

Drawing heavily on the first few chapters of her book, Yellowstone Wolves: A Chronicle of the Animal, the People, and the Politics, Cat will lead the audience through an examination of public attitudes about wolves relying on published literature, debunking the myth of Little Red Riding Hood’s influence by demonstrating how human interactions with wolves determine public attitudes. The author will review historic accounts from different eras of western development and look at the views expressed in those accounts.

Copies of Yellowstone Wolves and other titles by the author will be available for purchase and signing after the discussion. Cat Urbigkit is an award-winning author and photographer based on a sheep ranch near Pinedale. She writes a news blog about wolves in the northern Rocky Mountains.

For more information about this news release, contact Debbie Iverson at 307-674-8585 ext. 29.

Latest issue of Jackson Hole Review now online

2012-01-25T12:56:00.000-07:00

AddThe fall 2011 issue of the Jackson Hole Review is now online. It features two poems by Wyoming Poet Laureate Emeritus David Romtvedt, along with an interview by Editor Matthew Irwin. Also is this issue are art, stories and poems, including one by Rick Kempa of Rock Springs. Go here to read the issue online.

Results announced for 2012 Blanchan & Doubleday creative writing competition

2012-01-25T10:12:00.000-07:00

The Wyoming Arts Council is pleased to announce the winners and honorable mentions in the 2012 Blanchan & Doubleday writing competition.

The winner of the Neltje Blanchan award for nature writing goes to George J. Vlastos of Casper. His submission was entitled "Out There -- 9 Poems." George teaches language arts at Star Lane Academy in Casper. He stresses performance poetry in the classroom and every year brings his students to the Poetry Out Loud competition in Cheyenne. He serves as emcee for poetry slams held at the Equality State Book Festival and the Casper College Literary Conference.

Winner of the Frank Nelson Doubleday award for women writers is Mary Beth Baptiste of Laramie. Her creative nonfiction manuscript was entitled “Singing Horses.” She worked for a number of years as a wildlife biologist in Grand Teton National Park. Her work has been published in Newsweek, Vermont Literary Review, Copper Nickel and Wyoming Wildlife magazine. She also works part-time as a technical writer.

Each of the winners will receive a $1,000 prize.

Judge for the competition was Susan Tweit, a nature writer from Salida, Colo.

Honorable mentions in the Blanchan category go to poet Matt Daly of Jackson and fiction writer Rosemarie London of Laramie. Doubleday honorable mentions go to creative nonfiction writer Patricia Stuart of Powell and creative nonfiction writer Lynn Carlson of Cheyenne.

The Blanchan/Doubleday awards were established in 1989 with an endowment from Neltje, an artist and arts patron in Banner, Wyo.

They are designed to bring attention to writers who have not yet received wide recognition for their work, and to support emerging writers at crucial times in their careers. Poets, fiction writers, essayists, and script writers who have published no more than one book in each genre and who are not students or faculty members are invited to apply.

Applications are available each fall from the Wyoming Arts Council.

FMI: Contact Michael Shay, WAC individual artist program specialist, 307-777-5234 or mike.shay@wyo.gov

Lander Art Center and Lander Pet Connection join forces for Jan. 27 fund-raiser

2012-01-24T14:10:00.000-07:00

The Lander Art Center and the Lander Pet Connection are holding a joint fund-raiser in the form of an exhibition from January 27 through February 25. The show opens Friday, January 27, 6-8 pm. The opening is free and open to the public, appetizers and drinks are served.

The exhibition is of artwork inspired by pets and pet ownership created and donated by members of our community. All artwork will be priced between $50 and $250 and proceeds will be split 50/50 between the Lander Art Center and the Lander Pet Connection.

Although the details of our missions are different, the Lander Art Center and the Lander Pet Connection are both working hard to make Lander an even better place to live. Expressing one’s self through the creation of art soothes one’s soul similar to spending time with your pet.

Cheyenne native Daniel Junge gets Oscar nomination for documentary "Saving Face"

2012-01-24T13:39:00.002-07:00

Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy is co-director of a documentary film entitled “Saving Face” with Daniel Junge (second from left in photo) for HBO. The film was nominated today for an Oscar in the "best documentary short" category.

The Denver Post reports today that Denver filmmaker (and Cheyenne native) Daniel Junge's documentary, "Saving Face," has been nominated for for an Academy Award for best documentary short. The film's co-director is Pakistani native Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy. It was produced and edited by Denver's Davis Coombe. The film chronicles the struggles of Pakistani women who are the victims of acid attacks by their abusive husbands.

Daniel's work was the focus of the first-ever Cheyenne International Film Festival in May 2010.

Read the story on The Denver Post web site.

Author Abbie Johnson Taylor featured at three events in Sheridan

2012-01-24T11:46:00.000-07:00

Sheridan author Abbie Johnson Taylor will sign copies of her new collection of poems, How to Build a Better Mousetrap: Recollections and Reflections of a Family Caregiver, at Sheridan Stationery Books & Gallery on Saturday, January 28 from 1-3 p.m. and in the lobby of the Sheridan Senior Center on Tuesday, February 14, from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. She will read from her book at the Sheridan County Fulmer Public Library’s Inner Circle on Sunday, February 12 at 2 p.m. Books will be available for purchase at all events which are open to the public. FMI: http://www.abbiejohnsontaylor.com

South Dakota novelist Kent Myers speaks at WWCC in Rock Springs Feb. 3

2012-01-23T07:08:00.001-07:00

AVA Center holds 10th annual Dinner & Art Gala Jan. 28 at CAM-PLEX in Gillette

2012-01-21T12:44:00.000-07:00

AVA Center in Gillette holds Art at the Louvre -- its 10th annual Dinner and Art Gala!

Free Public Exhibition: Through January 27

Free Public Art Reception: January 27

Black Tie Event: January 28 at 6PM

Admission Fee: $125

CAM-PLEX Energy Hall

Please call with any questions: 307-682-9133

Click here to BUY YOUR TICKETS online! Raffle tickets for the Vespa and Eiffel Tower items are available.

Pianist Diane Gifford in concert Feb. 4 in Casper

2012-01-21T12:33:00.000-07:00

Pianist Dianne Gifford performs Feb. 4, 7:30 p.m., in Durham Hall in the Aley Fine Arts Center, Casper College in Casper. FMI: http://www.artcorewy.com/event.php?id=249

Buffalo will hold Feb. 6 public meeting to select artist for downtown murals

2012-01-20T17:00:00.002-07:00

The City of Buffalo’s Vision Buffalo Commission will hold a public meeting on Monday, Feb. 6, 5 p.m., in the Buffalo City Council Chambers at 46 N. Main St. The meeting will explain the design parameters of the two murals to be painted on walls in the downtown business district for the Crazy Woman Square Redevelopment Project. Interested artists will be given a deadline to submit their sketches for approval by the commission. The winning sketches will be awarded the contract to paint both murals. Experience in painting public murals is preferred and will be a consideration for final approval. FMI: Zach Montgomery, City Planner at (307) 684-5566, Ext. 4, or tlawrence@fnb-buffalo.com

"Damn Yankees" on stage Feb. 9-11 in Worland

2012-01-20T16:13:00.000-07:00

Artists named for 37th Annual Juried UW Student Exhibition

2012-01-19T16:30:00.001-07:00

Felicia Follum is one of the student artists accepted into the annual juried show at University of Wyoming. This poster of Malcolm X is entitled "Who Taught You to Hate Yourself?"

From the UW Art Museum blog:

Congratulations to those students whose work has been accepted into the 37th Annual Juried UW Student Exhibition! The list of students and the title of the work that has been accepted is listed on the blog (go to link above). FMI: Rachel Miller at 307.766.6621 or rmiller@uwyo.edu.

Call for entries: ArtSpot in Jackson

2012-01-19T11:13:00.002-07:00

Located on Hwy 89 in Jackson, the ArtSpot is seen by an average of 30,000 people per day. The ArtSpot is a kinetic sign structure that was designed and built by the Center of Wonder's Public Art Ambassador Bland Hoke. It was created from a repurposed chairlift tower donated by the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort.

Deadline to submit: February 1, 2012 for Spring Equinox

Stipend: $1000

Exposure: HUGE!

Submit concepts to: homeranchart@gmail.com

Spring Equinox Sponsored by: the Center of Wonder

In addition to the Center of Wonder the ArtSpot has received support and funding from: First Interstate Bank, First Interstate BancSystem Foundation, The Wyoming Arts Council, National Endowment for the Arts, Community Foundation of Jackson Hole, Cultural Council, and Farmers Market, the Karns Family, the Art Association of Jackson Hole, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, JH Whitewater, Custom Iron Design, Evans Construction, G&S Engineering, The Teton Group & amazing volunteers.

Suzanne Morlock's "Sweater" was a 2011 ArtSpot exhibit

State museum sponsors reception Jan. 19 for "Coffee: The World in Your Cup"

2012-01-19T10:30:00.003-07:00

A public reception for the Wyoming State Museum’s temporary exhibit, “Coffee: The World in Your Cup,” will be held from 5-7 p.m., Thursday, January 19.

Coffee from City News and Pipe Shop, and the treats, will be served in the Multi-Purpose Room of the museum in Cheyenne.

“Coffee: The World in Your Cup” is a nationally touring exhibit currently on display at the Wyoming State Museum. The exhibit provides a broad overview of the powerful influence of coffee on environments, human cultures, and economies worldwide.

The exhibit features color photographs of farms from South America to Africa to the Pacific Islands that tell the global story of coffee cultivation and trade, four short videos featuring different aspects of the coffee industry, including a look at migratory birds in shade grown coffee regions and interpretive displays of traditional Turkish and Ethiopian coffee sets, picking baskets, and more than 40 coffee sacks from around the world.

Looking to become a responsible sipper? “Coffee” explores the environmental and social impacts of the coffee industry and recommends ways for consumers to make socially and environmentally responsible coffee purchases at the grocery store or in a coffee shop.

Concerned about how coffee affects human health? Learn about the impacts of caffeine, the world’s most commonly-used drug, on your body.

Curious about how coffee became so popular? Discover its early controversial reputation as a “revolutionary drink,” and consider the culture that surrounds coffee in the twenty-first century.

“Coffee: The World in Your Cup” has been organized by the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, University of Washington, Seattle. Major sponsorship has been provided by The Boeing Company, Microsoft Corporation, Starbucks Coffee Company, and the University of Washington.

FMI: 307-777-7022.

Country music legend Merle Haggard to perform at Cheyenne Frontier Days

2012-01-19T09:18:00.000-07:00

This just in (from the Casper Star-Tribune):

Country music legend Merle Haggard plans to play Cheyenne Frontier Days this summer.

Event organizers said Haggard would play July 22 with Chancey Williams and the Younger Brothers Band, of Wyoming, as the opening act.

It will be the second time Haggard has played at Frontier Days. The first was in 1979.

Tickets go on sale on Friday.

Frontier Days runs from July 20-29. Other performers who are set to appear include Hank Williams Jr., Reba McEntire and the Zac Brown Band.

On Wednesday, Haggard's publicist announced the singer is being treated for pneumonia in a Georgia hospital and has had to cancel the rest of his January concert dates.

Laurie Thal's glass art featured in three Florida shows

2012-01-19T08:57:00.001-07:00

Get more info about Wilson artist Laurie Thal at www.thalglass.com

Call for proposals: Jackson's Rolling Gallery project

2012-01-18T14:59:00.001-07:00

The Jackson Hole Public Art Initiative is pleased to announce ROLLING GALLERY, an opportunity for artists and scientists to collaborate on artwork for the Jackson Hole Community Pathways that highlights endangered and at risk species.

Project Budget: $2,500.
(Up to $10,000 of projects may be funded.)

QUALIFICATIONS DEADLINE: February 29th at 5PM.
Email Submissions: homeranchart@gmail.com
Request for Qualifications Packet: jhPublicArt.org
Contact Carrie Geraci with questions: 307-413-1474

This public art opportunity is supported in part with awards from: 1% for the Tetons, the Wyoming Arts Council, the National Endowment for the Arts and private donations.

Rolling Galery is presented in collaboration with Friends of Pathways and Jackson Hole Community Pathways.

UW Art Museum seeks new Ann Simpson Artmobile curator

2012-01-18T11:47:00.000-07:00

From the UW Art Museum:

The University of Wyoming Art Museum (UAM) is looking for a new Ann Simpson Artmobile Curator. As a key outreach program for the art museum, the artmobile curator travels with an exhibition of original artwork to every corner of Wyoming. As an important member of the UAM’s education team, the artmobile curator achieves the museum’s mission by implementing field programs that align with in-house education programs supporting inquiry-based learning.

We are looking for an energetic, creative and organized individual who enjoys meeting and working with people all across Wyoming in diverse settings. An art and/or art education background with printmaking knowledge is required. The curator regularly works with Wyoming’s K-12 teachers to develop programs that support their classroom goals and standards, as well as with community organizations, senior citizens groups, pre-schools and more.

Excellent driving skills are a must since the curator drives many miles in the artmobile van each year to some of Wyoming’s most remote communities. The position is 30 hrs. per week and is benefited.

A full job description can be found online. It is an academic position listed under the UW Human Resources Employment site, titled “Assistant Research Scientist, Ann Simpson Artmobile Curator, position # 6082. Or click on the following url to go directly to the listing: http://www.uwyo.edu/hr/hremployment/showjob.asp?jobid=13172.

For more information contact Wendy Bredehoft, Education Curator, 307.766.3496 or wbredeho@uwyo.edu.

Smithsonian's lead design consultant to work with UW on new American Indian Center

2012-01-18T11:09:00.001-07:00

Johnpaul Jones

From a UW press release:

Johnpaul Jones, lead design consultant for the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian, has contracted to work with the University of Wyoming American Indian Studies Program to develop a project profile for a proposed American Indian center on the UW campus.

Jones' work with UW is partially supported by a grant from the Wyoming Cultural Trust Fund.

Jones will visit UW Feb. 21-24 to meet with project stakeholders and begin gathering information for the project profile.

"We are pleased to have an internationally known Native American architect working with us on this project," says Judith Antell, director of the American Indian Studies Program. Jones' tribal affiliation is Cherokee-Choctaw.

The proposed center would house the American Indian Studies Program as well as provide space for cultural events and a research institute.

Jones is a founding partner of Jones & Jones, an architectural firm in Seattle. Some of his other notable projects include the Southern Ute Museum and Cultural Center in Ignacio, Colo., which opened in 2010; and the Institute of American Indian Art in Santa Fe, N.M.

For more information, call the American Indian Studies Program at (307) 766-6520.

"Family Ties and Little White Lies" opens Jan. 20 at Stage III Theatre in Casper

2012-01-18T10:21:00.000-07:00

From Stage III Community Theatre in Casper:

FAMILY TIES AND LITTLE WHITE LIES, Jan 20-Feb 4

By Gary Ray Stapp

Directed by Susan Terry.

This zany comedy revolves around the struggles of a playwright and stay-at-home dad, amidst the chaos of triplets, a teenage daughter, a loopy mother-in-law, a nosy neighbor, a nanny who spends a lot of time tied to a chair, and of course, his wife, who may do more than serving burgers all day. Add in a couple of mobsters, the FBI agents chasing them, and piles of laundry, and life in this suburban home is anything but ordinary.

January 20, 21, 27, 28, February 2, 3, and 4, 2012, At 7:30 p.m. Matinee January 29th, 2012 at 2:00 p.m.

Adults $12, Seniors and Students $8 Tickets are available in advance at Grant Street Grocery, Cadillac Cowgirl, and Sonic Rainbow, or one hour prior to curtain time at the Stage III box office. Season ticket holders may call 307-234-0946 for reservations.

Family Ties and Little White Lies is produced by special arrangement with Eldridge Plays and Musicals, and with the support of the Wyoming Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Unveiling of 2012 Jackson Fall Arts Festival poster painting by Amy Ringholz at National Museum of Wildlife Art on Jan. 22

2012-01-17T15:36:00.002-07:00

This comes from Tammy Christel’s Jackson Hole Art Blog (thanks Tammy):

Amy Ringholz is Jackson’s 2012 Fall Arts Festival (FAF) poster artist. At 34, Ringholz is the youngest FAF artist to date. Her winning painting, “Dreamers Don’t Sleep,” a 72 x 60″ ink and oil on canvas, will be showcased in the National Museum of Wildlife Art’s lobby Jan. 22–March 23. A wondrous portrait of the region’s wildlife, its magnificent Teton Range, a sparkling night sky, the painting also includes 25 painted flowers, to in honor of NMWA’s 25th anniversary. The painting is set to be unveiled at the museum Sunday, Jan. 22, 3 p.m. Inspired by Fritz Scholder and Egon Schiele, Ringholz is a contemporary painter—the first contemporary FAF artist in over a decade. FMI: www.amyringholz.com

UW's African-American and Diaspora Studies launches new speaker series named for Liz Byrd

2012-01-17T14:53:00.002-07:00

Wyoming State Sen. Harriet Elizabeth "Liz" Byrd (left) looks on as Gov. Mike Sullivan signs the legislation establishing the Martin Luther King, Jr./Equality Day holiday in 1990. Sen. Byrd worked for almost a decade to get the legislation enacted.

From a University of Wyoming press release:

To recognize her many contributions to Wyoming, both as an educator and legislator, UW African American and Diaspora Studies (AADS) recently created the Harriet Elizabeth "Liz" Byrd Speaker Series. AADS is working to raise $25,000 to endow the series, which will bring minority educators and speakers to UW and serve to honor the woman who sponsored legislation that, in 1990, established Martin Luther King, Jr./Wyoming Equality Day as a state holiday.

Liz Byrd in the classroom

"I can't think of a better person to represent the University of Wyoming," says AADS Director Tracey O. Patton. "She's emblematic of what we all hope to accomplish in life. I think every person on this planet would like to affect positive change for the world. Very few of us get to do that but she did. She has made lives better in the state of Wyoming."

http://www.uwyo.edu/profiles/extras/liz-byrd.html

Gov. Matt Mead announces winners of Governor's Arts Awards

2012-01-17T11:23:00.000-07:00

Governor Matt Mead has announced the recipients of the Wyoming Arts Council’s 2011 Governor’s Arts Awards.

The winners are: the Eagle Bronze Foundry, an arts organization/business from Lander; Michael C. Poulsen, artist/painter from Cody; Promoting Arts in Lander Schools – PALS, a non-profit arts organization from Lander; and Dr. Seymour Thickman, an arts patron from Sheridan.

Established in 1982, the Governor’s Arts Awards winners are selected based on their substantial contributions made in Wyoming that exemplify a long-term commitment to the arts, with special consideration given to nominees whose arts service is statewide.

There are many nominations submitted for the Governor’s Arts Awards each year, and the selection process is quite competitive. Nominations are submitted to the Wyoming Arts Council in October, and reviewed in November by the Wyoming Arts Council Board, which sends recommendations to the Governor, who makes the final decisions on which recipients are honored.

Nominations are open to any Wyoming citizen, business or community member. Award criteria includes: length of commitment to the arts, outstanding contribution or impact, breadth of support, involvement in special initiatives supporting the arts, artistic excellence/level of standards.

The Governor’s Arts Awards were first made possible by an endowment from the Union Pacific Foundation in honor of Mrs. John U. Loomis, a life-long patron of the arts. Over the years, individuals and organizations from more than 20 Wyoming communities and state-wide organizations have been honored for their dedication to the arts in Wyoming.

For reservations to the February 24 dinner and awards ceremony, or for more information on this event, contact the Wyoming Arts Council at 307-777-7742, or visit wyomingartscouncil.org to download the registration form.

Bar J Wranglers bring buckaroo culture to Sheridan's WYO Theater Jan. 21-22

2012-01-13T13:04:00.002-07:00

The Bar J Wranglers bring buckaroo culture to the WYO Theater in Sheridan.

Shows are 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 21 and 2 p.m. on Jan. 22.

Tickets are $24 Adult/$22 Senior & Military/$15 Student/$10 12 and under

Some folks call it a western music show; some call it a stand-up comedy show with masterful cowboy music; others call it the best musical experience in the west. Call it what you want to -- the fact remains; The Bar J Wranglers from Jackson Hole, Wyoming, deliver some of the purest harmony, best musicianship and funniest ranch humor ever seen on stage. As soon as the Bar J Wranglers take to the stage, listeners leave behind their busy life and settle into a time long ago - a time of the singing cowboy.

www.barjchuckwagon.com

Updated list of sponsors for CLICK! conference

2012-01-13T12:45:00.000-07:00

We now have an updated list of sponsors for the 2012 CLICK! conference (in alphabetical order, with links):

Pinedale Fine Arts Council

Pipeline Art Project

University of Wyoming Art Museum

Works of Wyoming

Wyoming Arts Council

Wyoming Cultural Trust Fund

More may be added later...

Call for proposals: Fort Collins Linden Street Pocket Park Public Art Project

2012-01-13T11:10:00.002-07:00

Old Town Fort Collins

The City of Fort Collins, Colorado, Art in Public Places Program is seeking to commission an artist/team to work on the Linden Street Pocket Park Project. The artist will collaborate with the project team in developing the overall park design and to develop a site-specific art component(s) incorporated into the pocket park which will engage the community, complement the existing Linden St. Streetscape Project, integrate into the planned urban design of the River District area, and have an educational component. The Linden Street Pocket Park is near the historic site of Camp Collins in Fort Collins, Colorado.

This project is open to all professional Colorado, Wyoming, and New Mexico artists/artist teams, legally residing in and authorized to work in the

United States

. Artist must be able to work effectively and collaboratively with the project’s design team selected by the City of Fort Collins. The total contract amount for all applicable expenses, which includes all fees for consulting with the design team, the design, execution, transportation, site preparation, and installation of all artwork selected as well as a project plaque, shall be an approximate amount up to $125,000. This figure will also include any travel expenses.

Submissions must be received by January 31, 2012. Artists may download the Request for Qualifications (RFQ) #7322 from the City’s Purchasing website at http://www.fcgov.com/purchasing/

For questions regarding the Art in Public Places Program, please contact Ellen Martin at (970)416-2789. Questions regarding proposal submittal or process should be directed to James B. O’Neill II, CPPO, FNIGP, Director of Purchasing and Risk Management, (970)221-6775.

Jan. 13 University of Wyoming MFA Program reading features Adam Boucher and Irina Zhorov

2012-01-13T10:47:00.000-07:00

The University of Wyoming MFA program presents Graduate Student Reading Series #28.

At Riflemaker’s Showroom, 201 S. 2nd St., Laramie, on Friday, Jan. 13, 7-9 p.m.

This event is free and open to the public.

Readers will include Adam Boucher and Irina Zhorov, music by Trash Canyon and the Honey Bees.

FMI: Gwynn Lemler, cw@uwyo.edu, 307-766-6453

"Local to Global" photo exhibit highlights University of Wyoming service trips

2012-01-13T10:32:00.000-07:00

"Local to Global," a photography exhibition depicting University of Wyoming service trips, can be seen from Tuesday, Jan. 17, through Wednesday, Jan. 25, in Gallery 234, Room 004 in the lower level of the Wyoming Union.

A reception for the exhibition is scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 18, from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. This event is free and open to the public.

"The exhibition will showcase photographs taken on service trips in which University of Wyoming community members have donated their time and efforts," says Sarah Brown, the gallery's coordinator. "The gallery exhibition and reception will celebrate the efforts of members from our own community who are giving back on a global scale."

Gallery 234 and The Martin Luther King Jr. March and Days of Dialogue committee host the exhibition.

Photo: Photographs depicting University of Wyoming service projects will be on display in the Wyoming Union's Gallery 234 Jan. 17-25. (MLK-DoD Committee)

As seen on Studio Wyoming: Jill Hartley's "Winter Blues Study"

2012-01-13T10:08:00.000-07:00

"Winter Blues Study," Jill Hartley, oil painting, 6x6 inches

Many artists have been posting new work on the Studio Wyoming Facebook page. This painting by Jill Conner Hartley of Sweetwater County, appeared on this morning on Studio Wyoming. It's a pretty good representation of Wyoming's great outdoors at this time of year. So, if you're an artist in Wyoming and haven't already joined Studio Wyoming (an open group), go to http://www.facebook.com/groups/125312021021/. You'll be glad you did.

Jill received an honorable mention in the 2009 Wyoming Arts Council visual arts fellowship competition.

From Jill Hartley's web site:

JILL HARTLEY lives and paints in the high desert country of Southwest Wyoming near Rock Springs. Her rich, painting-knife landscape paintings reflect the bright light of the West.

Jill was born in Colorado Springs, Colo., to artist parents. She attended college in Colorado, and moved with her husband to Wyoming in 1976.

They purchased a small ranch on the Wyoming-Colorado border. Jill's studio, built by her husband and son, was completed in March 2008.

Jill’s work has been widely exhibited and awarded regionally. She is a member of Oil Painters of America, American Plains Artists and the American Impressionist Society.

"Beats of the Heart" exhibit opens Jan. 17 at Casper College Goodstein Gallery

2012-01-12T13:25:00.000-07:00

The next show at the Casper College Goodstein Gallery will be “Beats of the Heart,” featuring video art and photography by artist E.K. Wimmer. The show will run from Tuesday, Jan. 17 through Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012, with an artist’s talk held that same day.

“There is a fascinating moment between life and death; a brief second where one is both alive and dead in equal parts,” said Wimmer. “’Beats of the Heart’ captures the transition from life to death through the use of video art and photography. The idea is further expressed through the Japanese art form known as Butoh,” he noted.

Wimmer, who was born in New York but spent his early years in New Mexico, moved to Casper in 2009 with multi-media artist wife, Maria Rose. Wimmer’s work is no stranger to Casper art audiences with his work exhibited at The Corridor Gallery both as a solo artist and in a duel show with his wife. In addition he has exhibited at the Nicolaysen Art Gallery, and was part of the 2011 Holiday Home Tour with his work “Ghost of Christmas Past.”

Wimmer will present an artist’s talk at the Goodstein Visual Arts Center beginning at noon on February 2 in Room 102. Both the talk and exhibit are free and open to the public. The Goodstein Gallery is open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Wyoming Arts Council holds its artist roster selection panel Jan. 20 in Cheyenne

2012-01-12T10:32:00.000-07:00

The Wyoming Arts Council will hold its annual artist roster selection panel on Friday, Jan. 20, 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m., in the Arts Council Gallery, 2320 Capitol Ave., Cheyenne.

The meeting is open to the public.

Every year, the WAC invites applications for its roster. A panel of artists and arts professionals then convenes to review the applicants and select those that meet the established criteria.

Last year, the panel selected 29 new artists and arts groups, raising the number of talented Wyoming roster artists to 69. Wyoming arts organizations, schools or communities can bring in any of these artists through an Arts Across Wyoming grant.

To view the current artist roster, or to get more information about grants, go to the WAC web site.

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

Align Nonprofit Leadership Institute offers classes for nonprofit arts organizations

2012-01-12T09:53:00.000-07:00

Managers and staffers of arts nonprofit orgs may want to look at Align’s classes. Wyoming Department of Workforce Services offers grant funds to defray costs:

Align’s Nonprofit Leadership Institute (NLI) is the region’s leading training series for non-profit management. This series of hands-on classes builds leadership and management skills for the current and future generation of nonprofit leaders. Core topics range from financial and personnel management to high level leadership skills. Participants earn a certificate for each class and gain practical experience to strengthen their organization. Bring any or all of the NLI classes to your community or organization. Call us for details on scheduling and pricing.

Grant funds for tuition may be available to Wyoming organizations from the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services. For more information, call 307–772-9100 or email info@TheAlignTeam.org

New University of Wyoming visual arts facility will be dedicated Jan. 20

2012-01-12T09:21:00.000-07:00

The University of Wyoming's new visual arts facility will be dedicated Friday, Jan. 20, at 10:45 a.m. Refreshments and tours of the facility will be offered following the ribbon-cutting program.

Located at 22nd Street and Willett Drive east of the Centennial Complex that houses the UW Art Museum, the 79,000-square foot Visual Arts Center expands teaching space and provides additional rooms for student projects.

The facility offers teaching studios and spaces for art history, ceramics, drawing, foundations of art, graphics, painting, printmaking, sculpture and small metals. It also provides administrative offices, a large student commons area, a gallery to exhibit students' work and to support the Visiting Artists Program, and a large lecture room for art classes and other programs.

Photo: The University of Wyoming's new Visual Arts Center as seen from the southwest. (UW Photo)

"College Dating Coaches" tour arrives at the University of Wyoming on Jan. 13

2012-01-12T09:13:00.001-07:00

A night of comedy and expert dating advice kicks off the new semester with the "College Dating Coaches" tour at 9 p.m. Friday, Jan. 13, at the University of Wyoming.

Dave Ahdoot and Ethan Fixell will perform their brand of comedy as part of Friday Night Fever in the Wyoming Union Ballroom. The show is free and open to UW students and the public.

The duo started in 2008 when they posted advertisements on Craigslist inviting girls to double date them. This led the lifelong friends on a series of more than 200 double dates, which they posted on YouTube as a comedy series. Their crash-course education has made them into dating experts who now employ horror-date reenactments, songs of love, interactive exercises and instructive demonstrations as valuable lessons on how to attain the perfect evening.

As their popularity grew, they were soon on the stages of New York making appearances with mainstream comedians like Jim Gaffin and Amy Schumer. They have performed in venues such as Gotham Comedy, Upright Citizens Brigade Theater and sold out monthly shows at the People's Improv Theater. Ahdoot and Fixell have been featured on the Colbert Report, the Millionaire Match Maker and Comedy Central.com.

For more information, contact Friday Night Fever at 766-6340 or fnf@uwyo.edu .

Photo: College Dating Coaches Dave Ahdoot and Ethan Fixell will perform their brand of comedy as part of Friday Night Fever at 9 p.m. Friday, Jan. 13, in the Wyoming Union Ballroom.

Riot Act Theatre hosts movie & '80s wedding reception Jan. 21 in Jackson

2012-01-12T08:47:00.002-07:00

From Abbie Miller in Jackson:

Riot Act Theatre will be hosting The Wedding Singer, the movie event and 80s wedding reception, Saturday, January 21, at The Elks Lodge in Jackson from 7:00pm-12am.

Need a break from your winter blues? Join us for the hilarity of The Wedding Singer, the movie, followed by a fun '80s wedding reception. Dress in your finest 1980s wedding gear. Enjoy drinks at the bar. Spend just $5 more for a cheesy wedding buffet. Sing your favorite '80s tunes with Brian Lenz hosted karaoke. Purchase a $2 raffle ticket and win a chance to choose a wedding gift of your choice from the gift table.

Doors open at 7 pm. Movie starts at 8 pm. Reception to follow until midnight.

RSVP cards available in advance at Shades Café for $10 or at the door for $15. $5 buffet tickets and $2 gift table raffle tickets available at the door.

Hope to see you there!

Sign up now for University of Wyoming's first poetry slam of the semester

2012-01-11T16:47:00.000-07:00

University of Wyoming Poetry Slam
Wednesday, January 25, 8:00 pm
UW Union Gardens

Those wishing to compete can sign up starting Jan. 11 at either the Student Activities Council event table on Wednesdays in the Union Breezeway, or in the Campus Activities Center in the basement of the Union. Limited to 25 contestants, so competition spots will be given on a first-come, first-served basis.

Hole Dance Films trailer promotes Jan. 14 performance & fund-raiser at Dancer's Workshop

2012-01-11T16:27:00.002-07:00

"Sylvester and the Magic Pebble" Jan. 27 in Casper

2012-01-11T15:22:00.000-07:00

ENCHANTMENT THEATRE COMPANY PRESENTS SYLVESTER AND THE MAGIC PEBBLE
January 27, 2012 • 7:30 p.m.
John F. Welsh Auditorium, Natrona County High School, Casper
Stage adaptation based on the book by William Steig, author of Shrek

When Sylvester, a winsome young donkey, picks up a shiny red pebble, its magic spins a heart-warming story that reveals to him the true importance of family and friends. With life-size puppets, masked actors, magical illusions, innovative sets and costumes, and original musical score, Enchantment Theatre transforms this Caldecott Medal-winning book into a delightful adaptation for the stage. Who will love Sylvester? Everyone from young children all the way up to their grandparents – anyone who believes in happy endings and that there is no place like home. The last production Enchantment Theatre brought to Casper was HAROLD AND THE PURPLE CRAYON.

Enchantment Theatre Company has produced original theater for school groups and families since 2000, when it was established as a non-profit arts organization in Philadelphia. The company presents only original work based on classic stories from children's literature. Building on the more than 30 years of theatrical experience of its artistic directors, Enchantment has quickly become known for high quality imaginative productions, not only in its home city but throughout the United States and the Far East.

Enchantment has toured its original productions all over the world, appearing each year in more than 30-40 states. It has performed in such sophisticated urban arts venues as Lincoln Center in New York and the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington, as well as in small town high school auditoriums and even performance tents. In Philadelphia, Enchantment has appeared at the Kimmel Center and the Annenberg Center. The company has also toured Asia six times.

Tickets: http://www.artcorewy.com/tickets.php

Tune in to YouTube for Laughing Bird videos

2012-01-11T15:08:00.000-07:00

From Story's Laughing Bird (Tupelo and Janey Wing Kenyon), Wyoming Arts Council roster artists:

There are now 27 music performance videos you can watch FREE on YouTube. Here's the link to our YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=MusicToFeelBetter

You'll see a list of all the videos available, so you can see whichever ones you choose.

Quick favor request . . .

If you like what you see, please click the "LIKE" button (thumbs up), and also subscribe to our YouTube channel so we can let you know whenever we upload new videos.

This link will take you to a YouTube page where you'll see a list of all the videos we have available: http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=MusicToFeelBetter

If you'd like to go directly to a particular song, click one of the links below. The direct link is under the song title. Under the link is a description of the song video, plus lyric excerpts.

Call for proposals: Rapid City Main Street Square On-site Sculpture Commission

2012-01-11T14:31:00.000-07:00

The Rapid City Arts Council (RCAC) along with Destination Rapid City (DRC) announce an international call for artists interested in an on-site commission to sculpt the 21 granite boulders at Main Street Square in downtown Rapid City, S.D.

Mary Maxon, Curator for the Rapid City Arts Council announced the call on January 10, 2012 stating that “this is an incredible opportunity for an artist, or team of artists, to create an important work of art which adds to the cultural and natural history of the region. Rapid City is uniquely located between the northern Great Plains, Badlands, and Black Hills. Our area is home to some of the most beautiful and inspiring sculptures. We are surrounded by natural works of art like Cathedral Spires, Jewel Cave, Harney Peak, Bear Butte and Devils Tower. We are also the home of infamous and monumental, manmade sculptures at Mt. Rushmore National Memorial and Crazy Horse Memorial.”

The sculpture project is expected to be completed on-site by the artist(s) during the next 3-5 years.

Patrick Wyss of Wyss Associates, the local firm selected to manage the sculpture project, expects interest from a wide range of talented artists for this large public art project. “Up to two million dollars in private donations is already in place to attract the right sculptor or team to complete this major work of art which will become a centerpiece for our community and the region.”

Notice of this Call for Artists has been issued today in numerous local, national and international publications. The selection process will take place over the next nine months. Interested artists are asked to submit their letters of interest, general background and experience information by April 17, 2012. Semifinalists will be invited to submit more detailed proposals by July 15, 2012. Finalists will be invited and reimbursed for two on-site visits and a detailed presentation of their vision for the Main Street Square Sculptures. This will occur from August 1 through November 1, 2012. The RCAC will recommend the preferred artist to Destination Rapid City in November, 2012.

Interested artists for the Main Street Square project should apply on-line at www.callforentry.org.

Questions should be directed to Patrick Wyss through the company email: admin@wyssassociates.com

Give opera for Valentine's Day with "The Marriage of Figaro"

2012-01-11T13:50:00.000-07:00

Mozart's comic Valentine of matrimony and mistaken identity

opens one month from today at

The Ellie Caulkins Opera House

Do you have your tickets?

Four performances only:

Saturday, February 11 at 7:30 pm

Tuesday, February 14 at 7:30 pm

Friday, February 17 at 7:30 pm

Sunday, February 19 at 2:00 pm

Figaro and the beautiful Susanna are about to be married, but the lecherous Count Almaviva stands in their way. As the Countess grows suspicious of her philandering husband's motives, a scheming rival, a lovesick teen, a drunken gardener, and a silly young girl find themselves in a dizzying mess of blunders, follies and mistaken identities that lead servants to outwit their master and love to triumph in the end. They say the course of true love never did run smoothly, but in Mozart's brilliant and perfect opera, the trials of amore are as moving as they are entertaining.

Get tickets online at OperaColorado.org/Figaro

or call 303.468.2030

The Marriage of Figaro is sponsored by Ellie Caulkins and The Oxford Hotel.

Opera Colorado's 2012 Season is sponsored by Boettcher Foundation.

Jan. 13 at The Bananza: Foreverlin, Fireworks in a Snowglobe, Abroad and Manon Ward

2012-01-10T15:17:00.000-07:00

Concert at The Bananza, 600 E. Carlson, Unit H, Cheyenne. FMI: http://www.thebananza.com/events.html

Gregory Hinton discusses preliminary findings of BBHC research fellowship

2012-01-10T14:33:00.014-07:00

"Colonel William F. Cody, 1889," by French painter Rosa Bonheur.
Courtesy of the BBHC.

This news comes from Gregory Hinton and describes the first phase of his research fellowship at the Buffalo Bill Historical Center in Cody:

I would like you to be the first to know the preliminary results of my recent research at the Buffalo Bill Historical Center as a 2011-2012 Resident Fellow. The title of my talk was Out West with Buffalo Bill.

The primary objective of my research was to analyze the art, artifacts and papers of the BBHC for evidence of LGBT history and culture in the American West, particularly as it related to Buffalo Bill's Wild West.

For a month, the museum was at my disposal. I roamed the galleries, interviewed BBHC curators, scholars and educators, and most importantly, was privileged to read The Buffalo Bill Papers in the McCracken Library.

My primary advisers were Jeremy Johnston, Director of the Buffalo Bill Papers, Mary Robinson, Director of the McCracken Library, John Rumm, Curator of the Buffalo Bill Museum and Emma Hansen, Curator of the Plains Indian Museum. World renowned Buffalo Bill scholar Paul Fees also offered me key guidance.

On December 16, I gave an informal talk on my preliminary findings at the monthly "Wellness of Mind" BBHC lunch meeting. The entire staff of the museum attended. The audience included Senator and Mrs. Alan Simpson and BBHC President Bruce Eldredge and his wife Jan. The talk was, I believe, historical, educational, humorous and emotional.

To read an excerpt of Hinton's BBHC presentation, go to Out West with Buffalo Bill.

CLICK! gathering kicks off an exciting series of conferences this year in Pinedale

2012-01-10T11:26:00.003-07:00

http://wyomingarts.blogspot.com/p/click-conference-details.html

Sam Luvisi writes in the Sublette Examiner about a series of conferences coming to Pinedale this year. One of them is “CLICK! A Weeked for Wyoming Visual Artists.” It will be held March 30-April 1 at the Sublette County Library and several other venues. Co-sponsors are the Wyoming Arts Council, Pinedale Fine Arts Council and the UW Art Museum. Sue Sommers, Pinedale artist and member of the Pipeline Art Project, was interviewed for the story. Here’s an excerpt:

“The name “CLICK!” suggests that thing that happens when you reconnect with colleagues and get inspired by new ideas, which occurs continually when Wyoming artists congregate,” said Sue Sommers, a local artist who helped organize the event, and is hoping to expand on the visibility and interconnectedness of Wyoming’s art community with those near and far – something she also tackled recently with the Pipeline Art Project.

In a showcase of real ability for local artists to survive a large-scale project, large amounts of both local and faraway support (through a competitive process the group was selected by U.S. Artists for the USA Projects “crowd funding” website) helped send local artists (including Sommers, metal sculptor JB Bond and painter David Klarén) across the country to showcase at the Red Dot Art Fair through “Pipeline to Miami.”

“We learned so much, and gained exposure and some solid ideas for showing our work outside Wyoming over the next couple of years,” she said, adding they do not expect to be “crowd funding” anytime soon – as local supporters “have done more than their share.”

Like Pipeline, CLICK! is working alongside the Wyoming Arts Council (WAC), who shares a database of Wyoming artists and helps plan and partially fund the project. The Pipeline Art Project was awarded funding by the Wyoming Cultural Trust Fund to help expand the WAC’s annual 2012 Fellowship Awards reception with a variety of speakers and topics; there Pipeline artists will share lessons from Miami.

During CLICK! the Pinedale Library will exhibit artwork by the five Pipeline members, with a re-created Red Dot booth on display in the Labyrinth Room.

CLICK!, which also is organized and contributed to by University of Wyoming (UW) Art Museum and the Pinedale Fine Arts Council (PFAC), will likely host a free public “kick-off” reception on its Friday evening, as a way to give back to the community. Light food, beverages and discussion will be a part of the night where the art exhibit will be open and the UW Art Museum will host a “20/20” slide presentation featuring artists from all over the state.

Sommers is excited, not only for the possible impact to downtown Pinedale, but for the discussions and connections to be had by local artists.

“That dialogue and sharing is as essential for success as having the right paintbrushes,” she said.

Read the entire article at http://www.subletteexaminer.com/v2_news_articles.php?heading=0&page=72&story_id=1937

The winter sky is lively this morning in Teton County

2012-01-10T11:07:00.000-07:00

Lyndsay McCandless, director of the Wyoming Arts Alliance, shot this photo outside of her house this morning in Teton County. We thought it was worth sharing.

P.L.A.Y.E.R.S. Club steppers step up Jan. 18 at UW to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy

2012-01-10T10:19:00.002-07:00

From a UW press release:

In celebration of the Martin Luther King Jr. Days of Dialogue, the P.L.A.Y.E.R.S. Club steppers will perform a free show at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 18, in the University of Wyoming College of Arts and Sciences auditorium.

Meaning "Participating in the Lives Among Youth to Educate and Restore Society," the P.L.A.Y.E.R.S. Club Steppers (PCS) perform shows using dance as inspiration. Having begun in 1996 in the Bronx, the P.L.A.Y.E.R.S. Club steppers perform to entertain but also to educate. Much of their dancing originates from slavery; when slaves were unable to speak while working they would use stepping to communicate with each other.

"We discussed quite a few different options for this year's SAC event during MLK Days of Dialogue, and wanted to have some sort of performance, whether that would mean music, dance, or some other more artistically focused presentation," says Stephanie Long, SAC graduate assistant. "We wanted to offer a performance that still kept with the theme of the week, but offered a chance for the university community to take a breath from the heavy and important subject matter and just have some fun."

Not only have the P.L.A.Y.E.R.S. Club steppers performed in the White House, they have also gone on tour with popular musicians such as Alicia Keys, Usher and Ja Rule and have even been cast in the movie "Stomp the Yard." They also perform at colleges and universities.

For more information about the P.L.A.Y.E.R.S. Club steppers, visithttp://www.gernyc.com/theplayersclubsteppers.html .

The show is sponsored by the Student Activities Council and Friday Night Fever. Individuals needing assistance to attend this event should call (307) 766-6340. For more information, visit www.uwyo.edu/sac .

Photo: The P.L.A.Y.E.R.S. Club steppers will perform a free show at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 18, in the Arts and Sciences auditorium.

Add the culinary arts to Cheyenne's arts listings

2012-01-10T10:03:00.000-07:00

Local arts meet local foods at http://artsalliancecheyenne.com/culinary-artists-in-greater-cheyenne-2/

Teton County Library begins year with two new discussion series (and cool new logo)

2012-01-09T16:14:00.001-07:00

From the Teton County Public Library in Jackson:

Kick start the new year with one of Teton County Library’s two discussion series, ranging from the historical to the contemporary. Both are free and open to the community with support from the Teton County Library Foundation.

Let's Talk About It: Making Sense of the American Civil War
Sign up now for this new, five-part series commemorating the 150th anniversaries of the Civil War and Emancipation. The library's Max Ludington leads the conversations, from 6-7:30 p.m., Mondays, Feb. 13 & 27, March 12 & 26 and April 9 at St. John's Episcopal Church, 170 N. Glenwood St. Ludington holds a bachelor’s degree in history, with a Civil War focus, and studied under Edward L. Ayers. Ayers is the national project scholar, who edited the anthology of historical fiction, speeches, diaries, memories, biography and short stories that serves as a cornerstone for this program. To sign up, contact Adult Humanities Coordinator, Oona Doherty, 733-2164 ext. 135, odoherty@tclib.org.

Teton County Library is one of more than 150 sites nationwide to host this series, developed by the American Library Association and National Endowment for the Humanities, with support from the Wyoming Humanities Council. Participants will meet a large cast of characters, explore a range of perspectives and gain a deeper understanding of America's Civil War. Readings will include March by Geraldine Brooks; Crossroads of Freedom: Antietam by James McPherson; and America’s War: Talking About the Civil War and Emancipation on Their 150th Anniversaries, a new anthology edited by Ayers. Materials will be provided.

Teton County Library Foreign Policy Series

Join millions of Americans, who are gathering in communities, classrooms and workplaces across the country, to discover, discuss and decide their opinions on foreign policy issues from the Middle East's Arab Spring to Mexico's relations with its neighbors. Presented by the Foreign Policy Association, Great Decisions is one of the longest-running, largest national grassroots world affairs educational programs of its kind.

Beginning January 18, this group will meet every Wednesday through March 7, from 6-7:30 p.m., at the Teton County Commissioners Chambers, 200 S. Willow St.Participants will watch a short video on the week's topic and then join a conversation led by co-facilitators John Hebberger Jr. and David Wendt. No preparation or sign-up is required. Attend as many discussions as you like. For a list of upcoming topics, visit www.tclib.org. Snacks will be provided.

Teton County Library programs are free and open to the community thanks to support from donations, large and small, to the Teton County Library Foundation. For more information on library programs for adults, visit www.tclib.org and check out “Featured Events” or contact Adult Humanities Coordinator, Oona Doherty, 733-2164 ext. 135, odoherty@tclib.org.

Get caffeinated and peruse the art at Cheyenne's Paramount Cafe

2012-01-09T15:06:00.000-07:00

Cheyenne artist Forrest King reports that five of his paintings featuring historic Wyoming people are hanging in the new Paramount Cafe, 1607 Capitol Ave. Sip some coffee, peruse the art. FMI: Read more about Forrest and his work at http://www.facebook.com/AlternativeArt

John D. Nesbitt and his horse Pal introduce John's latest western novel

2012-01-09T14:37:00.001-07:00

Torrington, Wyoming, writer John D. Nesbitt and his horse Pal introduce John's latest western novel, Gather My Horses. John is a long-time member of Wyoming Writers, Inc.

CIAO Gallery's Rocky Mountain Art Book Collection exhibit opens Jan. 13 in Jackson

2012-01-09T11:51:00.000-07:00

From the CIAO Gallery (and thanks for the plug, CIAO):

CIAO Gallery is proud to announce the exhibition opening for The Rocky Mountain Art Book Collection. The exhibition will take place January 13, 5-8 p.m., in the lobby of the Center for the Arts in Jackson. The Art Association of Jackson was kind enough to host the event in their space. This exhibition is sponsored in part by the Wyoming Arts Council.

The Rocky Mountain Art Book Collection is an exhibition project where the participants received a blank art book (8.5x5.5, 20 pgs) to do whatever they please artistically over the last four months. All forms of mediums were welcomed and encouraged and there were no eligibility requirements. This project was not a juried competition (similar to events CIAO has hosted in the past) and it’s not just for artists, it’s for anyone. This project was intended be localized to communities but was also open to applicants internationally.

We received local, national and international entries, including entries from France and Argentina. It has been like Christmas as the books slowly trickle in. Each book thus far is completely unique and inspiring. So far there is a collection of 60 books that will remain on display in the lobby of the Center for the Arts for approximately 3 weeks .

We aspire to keep the exhibition moving to other venues throughout the Rocky Mountain Region. Next stop for this event will be Merlo Gallery in downtown Driggs. In fact, participants can still purchase artbooks from CIAO to participate in the exhibition in Merlo to take place in February. (Please see our website for more information).

CIAO received a grant from the Wyoming Arts Council to host this awesome event.

We currently have 1000, 8.5x5.5, 20 page notebooks available for purchase @ $25 per. Artists (or whomever) have until January 3rd to do whatever they want with these books (literally, anything you want in any medium). After completion, artists send the books back to us to be exhibited at the Center for the Arts. You can fill out a form online here: http://www.ciaogallery.com/RMAC_Application.php

Facebook invitation: http://www.facebook.com/events/154655894630269/

Call for entries: Woody Guthrie Folk Festival Songwriting Competition

2012-01-09T07:11:00.001-07:00

From a press release:

The Oklahoma Songwriters & Composers Association, in association with the Woody Guthrie Coalition, is proud to present the Annual Woody Guthrie Folk Festival Songwriting Competition.

This international, folk-oriented songwriting contest is held in conjunction with the annual Woody Guthrie Folk Festival, held in Woody's hometown of Okemah, Oklahoma, each July. This year's Festival dates are July 11-15, 2012. Okemah, the county seat of Okfuskee County, is located on Interstate 40 in east-central Oklahoma, and is 70 miles equidistant from Oklahoma City and Tulsa.

Songs should represent the spirit of Woody Guthrie's music and may fall into one or more of these general areas: topical songs about current events, songs containing political or social commentary, folk ballads, songs relative to Americana and related topics, and songs for children and/or pertaining to family life. Both traditional and newer styles of folk are encouraged. Songs must be original and should be copyrighted at time of entry.

Entry deadline: March 30.

FMI: http://www.woodyguthrie.com/2012_Songwriting_Competition.htm

Christi Mitchell workshop on "Creating One-Person Shows" begins Jan. 28 in Cheyenne

2012-01-06T16:05:00.001-07:00

CHRISTI MITCHELL PRESENTS A NEW ROCKIN’ WORKSHOP, CREATING ONE-PERSON SHOWS, BEGINNING ON SATURDAYS, JANUARY 28, AND CONTINUING TO MARCH 10, FROM 10 A.M. TO 12 NOON AT THE HYNDS BUILDING IN DOWNTOWN CHEYENNE!

ONLY $100 PER PERSON.

THIS WORKSHOP WILL BE OFFERED THROUGH LARAMIE COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE’S LIFE ENRICHMENT PROGRAM.

ALL AGES ARE WELCOME!

TO REGISTER, CALL (307) 778-1236

Judges announced for 2012 Wyoming Arts Council visual arts fellowship competition

2012-01-06T14:59:00.005-07:00

Judges have been announced for the Wyoming Arts Council visual arts fellowships:

NAPOLEON JONES-HENDERSON describes himself as an “Artist, Educator, Activist, and Citizen of the Universe.” He works with a variety of materials to create large sculptures that reflect the African-American experience. He attended the Sorbonne in Paris, received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the Art Institute of Chicago and completed his graduate studies at Northern Illinois University. He is a founding member of Africobra, one of the most important visual arts collectives to come out of the Chicago Black Arts Movement. He is founder of the Napoleon Jones-Henderson Research Institute of African and African Diaspora Arts in Roxbury, Mass. He has received the Mayor of Boston Award of Recognition for Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit, the Massachusetts State Senate Citation for Cultural Excellence, and an Award of Excellence from the National Conference of Artists. He has taught in the art departments of several American institutions, including Malcolm X College in Chicago, Massachusetts College of Art, Emerson College in Boston and Benedict College in Columbia, S.C. “My work in its essence is spiritual; meaning-full,” Jones-Henderson says. “We must be about the business of expressing what is beautiful -- ourselves.”

LEANNE GOEBEL is a Colorado-based arts writer. “Writing about visual art is my passion,” Goebel says. “My goal is to reflect the myriad ways creativity is expressed and to convey the soul of the artist in a way that is accessible to the reader, yet challenges them. Writing about art completes the artistic process by providing an intelligent viewer reaction. I strive to write informed observation and make judgments that are more than just opinion.” She is an award-winning arts journalist and was selected as one of twelve U.S. Journalists to participate in the 2009 National Endowment for the Arts International Arts Journalism Institute in the Visual Arts. She is a 2007 Creative Capital/Andy Warhol Foundation Arts Writers Grant recipient, a member of the International Art Critics Association (AICA/USA), the National Arts Journalism Program, and the Society of Professional Journalists. Goebel has a B.A. Degree in English Literature/Creative Writing/Art from the University of Texas, San Antonio. She has been a writer and editor for more than 25 years. She blogs at http://leannegoebel.com and http://adobeairstream.com

KAREN ROGERS has been a resident of Santa Fe, N.M., for twenty-three years. A former gallery owner representing the Wyeth and Hurd family of artists for fifteen years, she has also held positions in prestigious art galleries including Gerald Peters Gallery, Allan Houser Inc., Chiaroscuro Contemporary Art, and Zane Bennett Contemporary Art. Ms. Rogers founded Karen Rogers Visual Artist Advisory in 2010. Visual Artist Advisory results from over two decades of Ms. Rogers work in the contemporary art market. Offering administrative support and career development services for artists, the mission of VAA is to cultivate and promote the careers of visual artists in the greater art world. Services range from funding research to placement in residency programs, corporate collections, museums and commercial venues. Rogers provides expertise, contacts, and excellence she has gained as a professional in the arts.

Applications will be mailed on Monday, Jan. 9, to the WAC visual arts mailing lists. The application will also be posted on the WAC web site and on the blog (see sidebar).

FMI: Michael Shay, mike.shay@wyo.gov, 307-777-5234

Accentrix Horsehair Pottery featured in Wyoming Business Council newsletter

2012-01-06T10:37:00.001-07:00

Accentrix Horsehair Pottery is this month's featured Wyoming business by the Wyoming First program (as featured in WBC's January newsletter):

Located at the foot of the Rocky Mountains in Glenrock, Wyo., Accentrix Horsehair Pottery is owned by Adele Young who creates one-of-a-kind pottery from a small studio in her home.

She mixes her own clay and uses a unique firing process. Each hand cast piece is pulled from the kiln while glowing red hot. Horse hair and other organic materials are placed on the surface and spontaneously ignite. The black designs are the carbon that is left behind. No two patterns are ever alike. Her work includes vases, pots and lamps, as well as statues depicting wildlife, horses and rodeo themes. She also creates lovely hand-loomed knitted items and custom pet memorial pendants.

Visit Adele's website for more information.

Food, arts, crafts and music at Cheyenne Winter Farmers' Market Jan. 7

2012-01-06T09:16:00.001-07:00

What: Cheyenne Winter Farmers’ Market

Where: Inside the Cheyenne Downtown Depot

When: Saturday, Jan. 7, 10 a.m.–2 p.m

Details: The Winter Farmers’ Market offers products grown, raised or crafted within 150 miles of Cheyenne. It will provide an opportunity to purchase locally grown all-natural beef, lamb, turkey, bison, farm fresh eggs, honey, along with locally crafted artisan breads, jams, jellies, tamales, empanadas, tortillas, soup and chili, jewelry, natural skin care, handmade wreaths, baskets and much more. Come and stay for lunch, for more information call 307.649.2430.

L.A.’s Artist Bailout: Like bringing Kickstarter to life for one night, plus pie

2012-01-05T14:57:00.001-07:00

Cool new way to fund small, innovative community-based arts organization:

Last summer, Nina Becker (above, right) converted her van into a "gigantic pinhole camera." Now she needs $1,000 to use the "VanCam" for five photography workshops with students in Los Angeles. "We wanted to teach kids about photography on a scale that related to their own bodies," she explained to a crowd of 100 potential micro-investors gathered at Human Resources, a gallery in L.A.'s Chinatown, to consider her pitch over slices of sweet potato-bacon and coconut cream pies.

Becker's organization, The Mobile Pinhole Project, was one of seven local arts groups seeking funding at the third installment of an event series called Artist Bailout, which looks to "democratically fund new work by emerging artists." Attendees donated $10, or more if they were willing, in exchange for dinner and a ballot (GOOD matched donations with a $1,000 check). At the end of the night, participants cast votes for their two favorite organizations.

When all the votes were tallied, The Mobile Pinhole Project came out on top, along with Knowledges, a curatorial collective that's planning a weekend-long exhibition in June at Mount Wilson Observatory, a neglected telescope in the San Gabriel Mountains. The winning groups received $1,000 each, with $100 going to each of five runners-up.

With funding for local arts and community programs drying up because of the economic downturn, the Artist Bailout provides an alternative for artists whose work lies outside traditional funding mechanisms, and gets art lovers invested in their communities. Think of it as bringing Kickstarter to life for a night, plus pie. Elana Mann, one of the event's organizers, said she thought Saturday "went amazingly well... We were hoping to at least make $1,000, so we're thrilled," she said, while handing rolls of 20-dollar bills to presenters claiming their prizes. Past Artist Bailouts have funded projects like Stair Street Ghosts, a walking tour of L.A.'s historic Mt. Angelus neighborhood, known for its staircase sidewalks that typically remain closed to the public.

With $1,000 in the bank after Saturday night's success, Knowledges cofounders Christina Ondrus and Elleni Sclavenitis only need about $500 more to realize their event. They plan to host installations and film screenings by 40 artists whose work or aesthetic is inspired by astronomy. Ondrus and Sclavenitis hope the event will be the first of many site-specific exhibitions around Los Angeles. "Art doesn't happen in a vacuum," said Ondrus. "It happens somewhere. Not just in a gallery or a closed space."

From GOOD Magazine. Photo by Zak Stone

Missoula Children's Theatre holds auditions Jan. 9 for Riverton production of "Snow White"

2012-01-05T14:44:00.000-07:00

K-12 students are invited to audition for the local production of “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” by the Missoula Children’s Theatre.

MCT is auditioning K-12 students on Monday, Jan. 9 beginning at 3:30 p.m. at Ashgrove School for the 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 14 performance at the Robert A. Peck Arts Center at Central Wyoming College.

Any student wishing to act in this performance or assist in its direction must stay at the audition for its entirety, which will take approximately two hours. There is no preparation required for the audition and there is no fee to participate.

MCT’s residency at CWC is co-sponsored by Arts in Action and Riverton School District 25.

Wyomingarts picked up this listing from County 10 in Fremont County.

Call for entries: Cheyenne International Film Festival

2012-01-04T15:15:00.001-07:00

From Alan O'Hashi at the Cheyenne International Film Festival:

The Cheyenne International Film Festival (CIFF) is now accepting entries. This year CIFF has partnered with Withoutabox for outreach and processing of film festival entries. We’re big on good stories, in fact, good stories trump production value.

As usual, CIFF prefers to receive online screeners to cut down on the number of tapes, DVDs cut, plastic boxes, sleeves, envelopes that are wasted as a result of film festival entries. You can upload for free through Withoutabox. Go to https://www.withoutabox.com/03film/03t_fin/03t_fin_fest_01over.php?festival_id=8784

A great benefit of entering CIFF via Withoutabox is, your film gets an imDb page, which is the gold standard with regards to film cred! CIFF fees are pretty low compared to many festivals. We generally don’t give out fee waivers. There are lots of things you can do to raise the $30 pittance – sell something, have a rummage sale, ask your friends and families for $30, cut back on the number of beers or coffees you drink this month.

I know there are a bunch of broke filmmakers out there, but as you’ll note, we are soft on first time filmmakers. CIFF also has the Wyoming Showcase category. If you have a movie about Wyoming, set in Wyoming, or if you’re a filmmaker, director, writer, photographer involved with a movie with or without a Wyoming connection, that increases your chances for CIFF selection.

CIFF also has a Call2ACTion category. We seek films having to do with women’s issues – domestic / dating violence; Native American issues; service veteran issues; films about life and death; and uplifting stories about people moving themselves out of poverty.

The movies are screened by a group of judges consisting of movie fans, producers, writers. Like all film festivals we make no apologies for the films that get selected for screening.

Dan Hayward's Kickstarter project raises funds for "Crow Tribal Photographs, Then and Now"

2012-01-04T14:36:00.000-07:00

Call for entries: Open Window literary magazine, issue two

2012-01-04T12:48:00.002-07:00

Lori Howe posted this on Facebook:

Open Window is now calling for submissions for Issue 2, which is due out in late April/early May. Our call for this issue is longer than on Issue 1, thankfully. Please send:
up to three poems, unless they are epic-length;
up to 10 pages of fiction or non-fiction;
attachments of original artwork and photography;
a complete bio (if you are uncertain how to structure your bio, please see the bios page on the first Issue of Open Window) with a photograph of yourself as an additional attachment.

We charge NO reading or submissions fees at Open Window. We do not accept:
rhyming poetry;
children's literature;
erotica;
hate-related writing of any kind;
previously published work of any kind.

Please submit your work to openwindow.howe78@gmail.com by March 12, 2012. If you have any questions, please send a query email to Lori Howe, EIC, Open Window, at the same address.

Call for proposals: Teton County Library public art project

2012-01-04T11:18:00.001-07:00

The Board of the Teton County Library announces a request for qualifications for the fabrication and installation of a site-specific work for the library lobby. Qualifications are due on Feb. 152012. Three artists will be selected to visit the site, interview with the Selection Panel and receive a stipend to prepare a conceptual design. From the group of finalists, one artist will be awarded $65,000 to create and install a new work in November 2012, depending on the construction schedule and available funds.

“Artwork for the entryway will be intellectually stimulating -- like a good book -- and invite various levels of understanding on the part of the many different patrons. The artwork will suggest that you discover something new every time you visit the library.”

Information & Request for Qualifications Packet

Artists interested in submitting proposals can visit the Western States Arts Federation CAFÉ site www.callforentry.org.

Contact:

Carrie Geraci

307-413-1474

homeranchart@gmail.com

For general information about the library’s public art project, visit www.tclib.org/addition. Or visit jhpublicart.org.

Young Riverton man with autism creates Autisticks, the city's latest arts-based business

2012-01-03T14:52:00.003-07:00

Leonard Williams colors a walking stick in his Riverton bedroom. Williams, who was diagnosed with autism as an infant, started creating walking sticks as a hobby. As people began to request his creations, he opened a business called Autisticks. Each stick he creates is different. Photo by Kelsey Dayton, Casper Star-Tribune. Read the entire article here. Listen to Riverton Radio interview here.

Face of Jesus appears on trailer park refrigerator; hilarity ensues in CLTP's first play of 2012

2012-01-03T14:21:00.000-07:00

Book your seats now for CLTP's hilarious production of

Messiah on the Frigidaire
Directed by Dave Gaer

The small town of Elroy, South Carolina is thrust into the middle of a media frenzy when the face of Jesus appears on a refrigerator in a trailer park. When Lou Ann, her husband Dwayne and best friend Betsy become the center of the evangelical spotlight, their relationships are put to the test, proving God moves in truly mysterious ways.

Performance Dates: January 20 & 21 and 26-28, 2012 @ 7:30 p.m.; January 22 & 29, 2012 @ 2:00 pm, at the Historic Atlas Theatre in downtown Cheyenne. Special Thursday night $10 discount performance on January 26, 2012 @ 7:30 pm.

Call 307-638-6543 or book online at www.cheyennelittletheatre.org

NPR's Health blog: Singing therapy is proving effective for stroke patients

2012-01-03T09:23:00.001-07:00

Laurel Fontaine, 16, (left) and her twin sister Heather. When Laurel was 11 years old, she suffered a stroke that destroyed 80 percent of the left side of her brain. The singing therapy helped her regain the ability to speak.

From "Shots," NPR's Health blog:

Debra Meyerson was hiking near Lake Tahoe 15 months ago when a stroke destroyed part of the left side of her brain, leaving her literally speechless. It happens to more than 150,000 Americans a year.

But now Meyerson is learning to talk again through an approach that trains the undamaged right side of her brain to "speak." Specifically, it's a region that controls singing.For more than 100 years, it's been known that people who can't speak after injury to the speech centers on the left side of the brain can sing.

In the 1970s, Boston researchers started to use a sort of "singing therapy" to help stroke survivors speak again.

However, it never caught on much – perhaps because a lot of therapists, not to mention patients, weren't comfortable singing what they wanted to say. And back then, the science wasn't advanced enough to show the actual changes in the brain that result from the therapy.

That's changing fast.

Call for auditions: Bas Bleu Theatre, Ft. Collins, CO

2011-12-30T16:42:00.000-07:00

Bas Bleu Theatre, Ft. Collins, CO
Spring 2012 Productions

Rabbit Hole, by David Lindsay-Abaire, directed by Robert Reid

Yes, Rabbit Hole is about a bereaved family, but that does not mean they go through the day glazed over, on the verge of tears, morose or inconsolable.... The characters are, instead, highly functional, unsentimental, spirited and often funny people who are trying to maneuver their way through their grief and around each other as best they can. Rehearsals begin: 2/27/12. Opening Performance: 3/31/12. Closing Performance 5/6/12

Buffalo Gal, by A.R. Gurney
Directed by guest artist Rebecca Hilliker. Rebecca has received 11 Meritorious Achievement Awards in directing from the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, Region 7-and one on the national level. She is currently the National Chair for KCACF. She helped Moises Kaufman develop the internationally acclaimed play The Laramie Project.

Art imitates life in this comedy about an actress who has fallen on hard times and returns home to Buffalo, N.Y., to rekindle her career on the local stage. She embraces the role of Madame Ranevskaya in Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard; finding the character's plight tied to her own. Rehearsals begin: 4/23/12. Opening Performance: 6/2/12, Closing Performance: 7/8/12

AUDITIONS
Saturday, January 7th, 2012
9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.--General auditions for both plays
Sunday, January 8th, 2012
5:30 - 7:30 p.m. - Buffalo Gal Callbacks; 7:30 - 9:30 p.m. - Rabbit Hole Callbacks

What to Prepare: a brief monologue is encouraged, but not mandatory. Cold readings are available. Scripts are available at the box office for a 48 hour check out. Bring a resume and headshot (if available.) Be prepared to provide schedule conflicts.

Make a Reservation: call (970) 498-8949 or email the boxoffice@basbleu.org to reserve a 5-minute audition time slot.

Bas Bleu is also seeking technical personnel:
Designers: Sets, Costumes, Lights, Props, Sound, and Make-up/Hair
Crew: Asst. Director, Stage Manager, Sound Operators, Stagehand, House Manager; volunteer positions include set construction, light hang, docents, poster distribution, etc.

Carbon County Library in Rawlins begins new year with "Punking The Bard"

2011-12-30T14:36:00.000-07:00

Mike Hurwitz and Andy Nelson featured at Colorado Cowboy Poetry Gathering Jan. 20-22

2011-12-30T11:37:00.000-07:00

Mike Hurwitz of Alta joins fellow Wyoming performer Andy Nelson of Pinedale at the 22nd annual Colorado Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Denver. Get tix at http://www.coloradocowboygathering.com/ .

Get tix now for Sundance Film Festival Jan. 19-29 in Park City

2011-12-30T11:20:00.000-07:00

Just over our western border in Park City, Utah, Jan. 19-29. Get tickets here.

Palumbo, Diamant, Mull and Nye headliners at 2012 Jackson Hole Writers Conference

2011-12-30T10:39:00.001-07:00

2012 Jackson Hole Writers Conference

June 28-30, 2012 — Entering its 20th year!

Featuring:

Naomi Shihab Nye

Brandon Mull

Anita Diamant

Dennis Palumbo

Taking place at the Jackson Hole Center for the Arts.

Every summer, passion for the written word brings writers together in Grand Teton National Park's backyard. Jackson Hole Writers Conference attendees are young and old, veterans and tenderfoots with one common denominator: they all love writing.

Each year distinguished speakers, editors and agents join our resident faculty to deliver a weekend of active and engaging dialogue, collaboration and the opportunity for all of us to raise the stakes on our work.

Manuscript critiques are an important part of our conference, providing a way for you to discuss your work one-on-one with experienced writers, editors and agents.

Jackson Hole’s writing community began with the likes of Struthers Burt and Owen Wister who came out West to enliven their spirits with open spaces and nature’s untainted wonders. Over the years, many writers have passed through this area and many more have stayed. Since the 1970s a noticeable literary undercurrent feeds the intellectual and arts community.

We’re reading each other here! Strong regional writers, and those from California to Maine, feel at home. And we like it that way. Serious writers pour into Jackson Hole to push the envelope on their creative work. The collective story of the Writers Conference grows alongside the achievements of our guests. This year, that could be you.

First BBHC Family Fun Friday of 2012 on Jan. 13

2011-12-30T10:29:00.000-07:00

2012 at the BBHC in Cody promises to be a great year for families—starting off with the first Family Fun Friday of the New Year on January 13, 3-7 p.m.

“Many of us may want to hunker down and hibernate through the winter,” observes Emily Buckles, the Center’s interpretive specialist and natural science educator. “Instead, we’re encouraging families to venture out to the Historical Center for some winter fun on Friday the 13th!”

On tap for the “Winter World” event are games, crafts, and lots of surprises to “keep your creative juices from freezing up by uncovering the mysteries of winter,” says the Center’s Education Department. “As a special treat, we are hosting singer/songwriter Bryan Ragsdale to perform for our family audience at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. He engages young and old alike to help sing and compose songs, too.” Ragsdale’s appearance is supported by the Wyoming Arts Council.

“All our Fun Friday activities are designed to help families do three things,” Buckles explains. “First, we want them to feel comfortable in a museum setting. Next, we encourage learning about the amazing natural and cultural resources we have to offer. Finally, we like to see families interacting with each other in an enjoyable, healthy environment.”

Families are encouraged to come as a group and participate in the activities together. The cost is $15/family and $10/family for museum patrons. A family-friendly—and budget-friendly—dinner will also be available for purchase. For more information, contact Buckles at emilyb@bbhc.org or 307.578.4110.

To keep abreast of all the activities of the Center’s education department, as well as, what it has to offer, visit http://www.bbhc.org/learn.

Lander Photo Group exhibit up through Feb. 11 at CWC Peck Arts Center Gallery

2011-12-30T09:29:00.001-07:00

"Succulent" by Ken Kidder

Members of the Lander Photo Group are exhibiting selected works in the Robert A. Peck Arts Center Gallery at Central Wyoming College in Riverton through Feb. 11.

Photographs are by Mary Allen, Neelon Crawford, Brad Christensen, Tony Henry, Ken Kidder, Aaron Schuster, David Schuster and Sara Wiles and include documentary, landscapes, portraits, architectural and abstract forms. The photographers use color and black-and-white film and digital formats, experimenting with a variety of techniques.

The Lander Photo Group began meeting informally in 2005 and eventually attracted more photographers, including commercial and fine art photographers who work both full and part-time at their art.

Some have traveled extensively while others have mostly stayed home taking images in their own backyards. As a group, the artists share ideas, technical knowledge, and personal "decisive moments."

Happy New Year from the Wyoming Arts Council staff

2011-12-30T08:58:00.001-07:00

UW Art Department faculty and staff moving in to new energy-efficient building

2011-12-29T16:09:00.001-07:00

According to a story in ENR Mountain States newsletter, the $25-million University of Wyoming arts center is completed and ready for occupancy. The building currently is tracking LEED Platinum status due to a variety of energy-efficient features, including a solar-thermal heating system that produces hot water for in-slab radiant heating. Read the entire story here.

Lander Art Center offers full slate of spring classes

2011-12-29T11:49:00.000-07:00

Are you looking for something to do while you wait for the sun to return?

The Lander Art Center has some fabulous classes scheduled this Spring beginning January 18.

Punch cards and drop-in rates available for some classes

Jewelry Guild, Drawing and Painting Guild, Precious Metal Clay, Decorative Paving Tiles, and two professional artist development classes taught by Chuck Egnaczak of Works of Wyoming in Laramie.

Click on the link below for details.

http://www.pitchengine.com/landerartcenter/lander-art-center-spring-class-schedule

Call or stop by to register. Sign-up early to reserve your spot and help us meet our minimum enrollment.