Are you reader enough for "Five Question Friday?"

Get over to Facebook and enter our drawing for a free novel and a chance to be interviewed for "Five Question Friday." Go to http://www.facebook.com/wyomingartscouncil

WAC announces plans to go to online application process for artist roster

WAC roster artist Bob Berky, a theatrical clown, actor, director and educator from Jackson

Attention all new applicants to the 2013-2014 Wyoming Arts Council Artist Roster!

Attention all new applicants to the 2013-2014 Wyoming Arts Council Artist Roster!

We are excited to announce that the WAC has decided to move from a paper application to an online application process for the 2013-2014 Artist Roster. The online application will completed via CAFÉ (Call for Entry), a program provided by WESTAF (Western States Arts Federation) in Denver. CAFE also provides information about other opportunities for artists.

The online application process will be available soon!

Because of this change to CAFE, we are extending the deadline date for new applications from December 1 to December 14, 2012.

In the meantime, we would encourage all interested roster applicants to explore the CAFE site at http://www.callforentry.org. You can register for free, read CAFE's guidelines and start preparing your supporting material (audio/visual clips, art images, resumes, etc) NOW, so you will be ready to complete the new roster application as soon as it is available. The new online application will be similar to the  2012-2013 Artist Roster application at http://wyoarts.state.wy.us/Roster/HowToApply.aspx. Take a look at it to see what information you should be compiling.

Look for more information soon on the WAC web site and the blog!

Entrepreneur magazine looking for artrepreneurs who make unique holiday gifts under $50

Entrepreneur magazine is looking for artrepreneurs who make distinctive holiday gifts priced $50 or less. Here are the details:

With the holiday season just around the corner, we want to hear from the artists, craftspeople, designers and other independent merchants who make one-of-kind gifts. 

From now until Nov. 1, we invite all eligible businesses to tell us about ONE item that you sell that is the perfect gift for someone special this holiday season. 

Please tell us in 250 words or less the story behind the item: the reason you decided to create it; why it's absolutely unique; why it's different than anything you'd find in a mass-market space; whom it's suitable for; and what customers say when they buy it. The item must be priced at $50 or less. (Read all entry rules in our FAQ section.) 

On Nov. 26, we'll begin unveiling the items that editors at Entrepreneur.com have selected for inclusion in our “Indie Merchant Gift Guide.” Editors will look at both the originality and creativity of the business owner's story, and take into consideration the gift idea's value, functionality and uniqueness, as well as variety. This year, we'll reveal our favorites in 10 categories: Pets, Jewelry, Kids, Unusual/Quirky, Food/Beverage, Eco-Friendly, Beauty, Practical, Apparel, Sports. 

The deadline for entry is Nov. 1 at 6 p.m. EST. Good luck and we look forward to hearing your story. 

Questions? Consult our FAQ 

View Sample Entry

Arts Incubator of the Rockies web site goes live

Beet Street in Fort Collins has announced that its new Arts Incubator of the Rockies (AIR) web site is up and running. The Wyoming Arts Council has been involved in the planning stages for AIR and invite you to check out the web site -- and to become a part of this innovative effort to "bring the Intermountain West creative community together in an exciting new way." Check out www.airArtsIncubator.org. 

To get the most out of the AIR web site, become a member today! Free and paid memberships give you access to: 

• The Knowledge Center - home to the newest, best, and coolest resources available to help you in your creative endeavors. You can search by topic, discipline, file type, or just type in keywords. You can also help out the entire AIR community by uploading the articles, videos, podcasts, and blogs that you love too

• The Opportunity Center - where you'll find job listings and internships, calls for artists, details on auditions, funding, and much more. This is also the place to find or post a great opportunity in the Intermountain West. There are powerful search filters for you to locate specific opportunity types, disciplines, state specific information, and application due dates. Paid members get access to more details about each opportunity and reduced rates to feature a listing

• AIR Share - accessible to paid members - allows you to receive feedback on your work in progress, help someone solve a problem, and get to know your AIR community. You can also comment, recommend, bookmark, and upload as many files as you want. This is truly a collaborative tool. Just imagine the possibilities it will open up for you in creating new markets for your work, networking opportunities for collaboration, and so much more           

• The Member Directory - use your membership page as a new marketing tool to tell your story and share your creative prowess. You can find other creatives throughout the Intermountain West, connect with new people and places, be inspired by other's work, and display your own. Paid members can upload unlimited audio, video, and files of work           

• The regional calendar - find a workshop, performance, or community event in your town or throughout the Intermountain West region. You can search by event category, date, state, or keyword. Paid members get discounted rates to feature events, but all members can submit events. The regional calendar can be your guide to all things art in the Intermountain West region. You can also market your amazing arts and culture events throughout the region by using the calendar. 

Western & Jahiel team up for Wyofile profile of custom bridle and bit craftsman Tom Balding

Tom Balding in his shop. Photo by Adam Jahiel.

Two Wyoming Arts Council fellowship winners teamed up to profile custom bridle and bit craftsman Tom Balding in the latest issue of WyoFile.

The story was written by Sheridan’s Sam Western, a 2012 creative writing fellowship recipient in fiction and author of Pushed off the Mountain and Sold Down the River: Wyoming’s Search for its Soul. The excellent photos were shot by Adam Jahiel of Story. Adam has received two WAC visual arts fellowships and his “Cowboys on the Range” exhibit was seen in 2008 at the Wyoming State Museum in Cheyenne.

Sam explores Tom Balding’s intriguing life and delves into the details of his craft:

His passion for the last 28 years… has been horses and what riders use to influence their behavior: bits and spurs. Some of the world’s top riders use his custom-crafted products.

Balding’s snaffle bits, many made with gleaming bits of stainless steel, have a stark, sleek look. They feature mouthpieces of copper inlaid sweet iron, a cold-rolled carbon steel preferred by horses because the rusting tastes sweet.

His shanks, western-style bits connected together by a metal bar, range from bare-bones pieces of modern art to the more ornate, decorated with silver plate or initialed in bronze. They go by the name of Switchback, Steamboat, and Diamond Cross.

That's just a sample. Read the entire story at http://wyofile.com/2012/06/tom-balding-custom-bridle-bit-craftsman-was-inspired-when-bucked-off-a-horse/

Help get Katherine Palochak's jewelry on the cover of The Crafts Report -- vote today only!

"Moon Risng"

From WAC roster artist Katherine Palochak in Carbon County:

One of my necklaces was selected for consideration to be featured on the cover of The Crafts Report. I’ve made the first draft of the submissions that have been narrowed down to 64 entries, selected by the staff of Crafts Report. I’m really excited that there’s someone in Wyoming made it this far, especially when you consider our low populace. The contestants have been divided into groups of 4. Each group will have a popular vote on Facebook to decide which of the four will advance to the next round. My voting round is today, June 11th! Will you take a few minutes and help me get to the next round? All you have to do is go to the link at http://www.facebook.com/CraftsReport#!/CraftsReport and “like” my piece and that will get me a vote. There is only this one day, Monday, that you can vote for my necklace. Invite your friends and family to vote too! Thanks for your support, everyone!

Katherine Palochak
Website: http://metalsandgems.com/
Etsy: http://jazznjewelry.etsy.com/
Blog: http://jazznjewelry.wordpress.com/

Epiphany Magazine publishes new story by Lori Van Pelt

Lori Van Pelt sends this good news:

My short story, "Slivers," is now online at http://www.epiphmag.com/ in Issue 14 of Epiphany Magazine. You can find the story by scrolling down to "Contributors" and clicking on my name, Lori Van Pelt. This story is included in my short fiction collection, ACCELERATION, which I've just completed and am in the process of submitting to book publishers.

So your arts business is on Facebook -- now what?

Artists may be interested in these Fremont County seminars:

Pitch Engine is presenting two seminars tailored to help Wyoming businesses build their online presence and digital marketing in June. These seminars have been very popular in Fremont and Teton Counties. Please view the attachment for more information and registration details.

Session One
My Business is on Facebook. Now what?
Wednesday, June 6
9 AM-4 PM
Central Wyoming College, Riverton
Session Two
Practical, Relevant Ways to Grow Your Business in the Digital Era
Thursday, June 14
9 AM-4 PM
Pitch Engine, Lander

Contact:
Anne Even
Workforce Training Coordinator
Central Wyoming College - Lander Outreach Center
427 Main Street
Lander, WY 82520
Phone (307) 332-3394
Direct Line (307) 855-2335

Carbon County Library System: "Don't tell us what you're reading -- show us!"

We see Judd Grossman (and his band's ads) in all the best places

Saw this tall-and-skinny Judd Grossman Band display add on the Planet JH Weekly home page. We thought it would be worthwhile to reprint it on the blog. Judd Grossman is a long-time WAC roster artist. He is a singer/songwriter/guitarist who has performed his original contemporary folk music in concerts throughout the country. Judd was a winner of the Wyoming Arts Council Performing Arts Fellowship in 2003. He performs either solo or with members of his band, and he provides workshops for adults or students on songwriting, voice, folk guitar, and the business of music. Judd also works with younger kids on basic music skills, improvisation and spontaneous musical production. Bring Judd to your community through a WAC Arts Across Wyoming grant. Info at www.wyomingartscouncil.org. Click on the "grants" link on the left sidebar. 

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

"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.

Dan Hayward launches "Crow Tribal Photographs, Then and Now" project on KickStarter

From photographer Dan Hayward in Laramie:

I’ve embarked on a large fund raising campaign to raise the initial funds for a project called “Crow Tribal Photographs, Then and Now.” Through the project I’ll create of a current photographic and narrative record of life on the Crow Reservation during the next year, which will then be combined and juxtaposed with Crow photographs taken by Richard Throssel 100 years ago.

The funding campaign is through the web site KickStarter, the world’s leading funding platform for creative projects. I launched the project’s funding today, Dec. 15, and, although the campaign extends into January, I hope to reach my $28,000 goal by New Years Day!!! That way, as people continue contributing, the project will gain the funding to grow into a more comprehensive body of work to be presented in more and more mediums. (The full project budget is well over $100K…..)
This is a huge undertaking, but with everyone helping out by sharing this message with their families and friends, by posting it on their FaceBook, Twitter and other social media networks, and by asking everyone else to share the message with their families, friends and other contacts, it’s a doable thing!!! Donations begin at $1 and rise from there… (Can’t really go down from there….). And EVERY contributor of $5 and above will receive rewards directly from the project for their assistance.

Simply click http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1171655471/crow-tribal-photographs-then-and-now to go to my KickStarter page and you’ll find the short video I produced to introduce and explain the project to everyone. Additionally, you’ll find more project and fund raising information on the page, as well as descriptions of the rewards each person will receive for their pledge. I’ll update the site as things proceed and as new information becomes available…. And as new video and still photographs are shot. (I received a small $500 grant from the Wyoming Arts Council for the project so I can make a trip to the reservation in the next few days to meet with elders and others on the res, and to photograph and edit the first still and video images taken specifically for the project itself).

Your pledge is just that: a pledge that will be debited to your credit card account in the days immediately following the end of the campaign, but ONLY IF the funding goal is reached. The kicker about KickStarter is that their funding campaigns are all-or-nothing propositions. When we reach and exceed my $28K goal, all of the funds pledged will then go to the project. However, if we don’t reach the goal by the campaign’s end, the project receives none of your pledges. Zero. Bupkis. Zilch. Nada…..

That’s why it’s so important that you become part of the project and help me spread the word by sharing this message and the link to my KickStarter page. It’s less about large donations and more about large numbers of people spreading the message and giving smaller amounts. People don’t have to know me to become involved, so please share and help it viral.

Deadline for WyoFile's "Cold Snap Challenge" is Dec. 16

From WyoFile: With Wyoming’s dramatic transition from fall to winter, the photo opportunities are endless and unpredictable. That’s why WyoFile is excited to announce our 2011 Cold Snap Challenge. WyoFile is seeking compelling photography of wintertime in Wyoming. We’re looking for people, scenery, wildlife or whatever you and your camera come across. The WyoFile staff will pick one photo as our Cold Snap Challenge champion, and the winner will receive a Flickr Pro account and $50! WyoFile will be taking submissions for the Cold Snap Challenge starting today up to midnight on December 16. All photos should be sent to erik@wyofile.com with the “Cold Snap Challenge” in the subject line. Contestants are free to submit as many photos as they like during the two-week contest. By submitting a photo, contestants agree to give WyoFile permission to publish their work in Photo Friday or possibly alongside future articles, where they’ll be credited for their work. Happy snapping!

In memoriam: Richard Olveda, photographer and graphic artist, Wyoming Arts Council board member

Fermin “Richard” Olveda was born July 23, 1939 in Powell, Wyoming. He was the youngest of Jesus and Aurelia Olveda’s eight children. After attending school in Powell and graduating in 1958, Richard enlisted in the U.S. Army. During his service he spent 14 months overseas attached to Company C 385th MP Bn.

Richard met the love of his life in Edcouch, Texas, in 1970. Linda Rodriguez had been a teacher’s aide at the Migrants Organization where he was the Center Director. They were married April 11, 1971, started a family and settled in Powell, Wyoming, in 1977.

While living in Powell, Richard focused on art during his free time. His artistic skill was diverse and included; painting, sculpting, photography, literature and poetry. Richard’s first opportunity to display his work in Wyoming came in 1986 at Northwest Community College. His passion for art led him to open the Black Cat Gallery. As director he worked to make the gallery a centerpiece location for exhibiting work from not only accomplished artists, but the emerging and underserved creative minds throughout the region. The gallery was recognized in 1994, being nominated for the Governor’s Art Award thanks in large part to the tireless effort of Mr. Olveda. After his retirement, being inspired by Picasso, he began work in digital photography. He created over 60,000 digital works, spending up to 10 hours daily. This persevering attitude and a resolute belief that art should be shared compelled him to serve two terms as a board member on the Wyoming Arts Council. His exhibits have been shown throughout the state over the years, the last one having been on display from May 23-June 30, 2011, in Laramie.

Relaxation for Richard came in several forms. Spending time with his six grandchildren would of course top the list. Right behind that would be satisfying his craving for fresh trout, the North Fork River in Cody being his preferred testing grounds for his own flies.

Exercise for Richard typically came in the form of a heated debate. Anyone looking to get their blood pumping could read through his political blogging and find something to get riled about. Whether it be savoring a slice of sweet, cold watermelon, listening to Bob Dylan on the radio, perusing a bookstore or haggling at a flea market, Richard was always smiling. With his trusty camera slung over a shoulder, Richard was always ready for an adventure. “I may forget to put my pants on in the morning, but I never forget my camera.”

Richard passed away on July 11, 2011. He is survived by his three children, Melissa Wilson and her husband Jeremy, Roxanne Fish and her husband Jason, Adolfo Olveda and his wife Jennifer; 6 grandchildren -- Andrew and Justin Wilson, William, Nathan, and Urijah Fish, and Isabel Olveda.

At his request no services will be held.

Arts Alliance of Cheyenne has gone mobile

From Anne Dramko at the Arts Alliance of Cheyenne:

The ARTS ALLIANCE HAS GONE MOBILE!!!!   

Owners of all modern smartphones (iPhone, Android, Windows phone, WebOS, etc)  will now have a quick way to browse the Arts Alliance calendar!

Simply go to go to the Arts Alliance website on a supported phone, and you will get the mobile version automatically.

www.ArtsAllianceCheyenne.com

To whom do we owe this FANTASTIC and PLATINUM ADDITION TO OUR WEB CAPABILITIES??!!

NATHAN FITZSIMMONS, OF COURSE!

Mike Corso recreates the past

Nice article in Sunday's Wyoming Tribune-Eagle about Mike Corso, our colleague in the Department of State Parks and Cultural Resources. By day, Mike manages all of our web sites and is building the WAC's new Online Artists Image Registry. In his free time, he dons the guises of Doc Holliday, Bat Masterson or Wyoming Territorial Governor John A. Campbell. Mike will play the part of Gov. Campbell today from 1-4 p.m. at the Wyoming History celebration at the Historic Governor's Mansion in Cheyenne. Read the article: Becoming part of the past - Wyoming Tribune Eagle Online

AIR brochures winging their way to you

New Artist Image Registry brochures are in the mail!

The AIR is an online database of Wyoming visual artists, a program of the Wyoming Arts Council.

There is no registration. All WY artists are eligible. Just fill out and sign the AIR form and return it to the WAC with a CD of up to five images of your work.

AIR is in the testing stage but will go public later this summer. Check out the test site at http://wyomingartscouncil.org/artists/airsearch.aspx

Attention artists and artisans -- check out the Wyoming Made program

You may have seen Annie Wood of the Wyoming Business Council on Channel 5's early morning show. She promotes the Wyoming Made program. Her office annually issues a spiffy full-color Wyoming Made Product Catalog. In it, you'll find well-known homegrown companies such as Chugwater Chili Corp., Coal Creek Coffee in Laramie, High Plains Press in Glendo and Roy Pilcher's Bears and Company in Devils Tower. There are makers of soy candles, bison jerky, natural soaps, furniture, clothes, etc. Many of those featured in the catalog are artists and artisans.

Here's some background info:

The Wyoming First Program is a way to identify and showcase great products made in Wyoming. All of the companies call Wyoming home and are proud of the quality they represent. All of the Wyoming First products are unique and made in Wyoming.

The Wyoming First Program is designed to assist Wyoming companies with the identification and promotion of their Wyoming Made products or substantially enhanced products and services. Membership allows Wyoming First participants to use the familiar "Bucking Horse and Rider" design stickers and hang tags on their products.

Wyoming First is a program of the Wyoming Business Council. The opportunities for Wyoming First Members include: the ability to use the Wyoming First Bucking Horse and Rider stickers and tags, notification of marketing opportunities, listing on this Web site, one free roll of 250 stickers with the option to purchase additional rolls, eligibility for Trade Show Incentive Grants, Wyoming First posters, and more!

FMI: Annie Wood, Senior Marketing & Attraction Specialist, Wyoming First Program Manager, Wyoming Business Council. Direct: 307.777.2844  Cell: 307.275.5298

On the web at http://www.wyomingbusiness.org/ or http://www.wyomingfirst.org/

Wyomingarts encourages the state's artists to contact Annie about becoming a member. There is a small fee but you get a lot for your money.

Wyomingarts met with Annie from Wyoming First and Anne Dramko of the Arts Alliance of Cheyenne on Wednesday morning. We talked about ways we can work together to promote creative work by Wyoming residents. The Arts Alliance of Cheyenne works with arts organizations and individual artists in Laramie County. The Arts Alliance's user-friendly web site features a calendar of events and a directory of links to local arts and cultural resources.

Anne is interested in working with the Wyoming Arts Council in promoting artists. The WAC is in the process of putting its Artist Image Registry on its web site. It's been a long process but we at the WAC plan to have the AIR up and running in June. It will be a database searchable by artist's name, medium(s) and location. The AIR will show up to five images from each visual artist along with web site and/or blog addresses and other contact info. This will be one more way that the WAC supports the state's individual artists.

Anne at the Arts Alliance of Cheyenne already is planning to link up with the AIR. Down the road, the WAC will encourage its arts partners around Wyoming to provide links to AIR and encourage their local artists to register with it.

Both the WAC and Wyoming First have a statewide mission but both know that arts happen at the local level. More and more communities are forging local partnerships among artists, arts organizations, arts councils, retail businesses, farmers' markets, local governments, civic and church organizations, etc. The WAC even has Community Arts Partnership (CAP) grants that provides funding and technical assistance for these community-based arts initiatives. Get more info from the WAC's Randy Oestman at 307-777-7742.

Wyomingarts will keep you posted on the progress of the AIR project. Meanwhile, we'll see you at your local arts events this summer.

Kennedy Center's ARTSEDGE offers arts education resources for educators and families

ARTSEDGE is the online arts education by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

Since the Kennedy Center’s opening in 1971, schoolchildren, parents and educators have turned to us as the nation’s premiere cultural resource.  Embracing this responsibility, the Kennedy Center instituted ARTSEDGE in 1996 as its educational media arm, reaching out to schools, communities, individuals and families with printed materials, classroom support and Internet technologies.

The full impact of ARTSEDGE might be measured by considering that of the eleven million people who participate in Kennedy Center Education Department programming each year, four million do it through ARTSEDGE resources.

The site is visited each day by more than can be held if every theater in the Kennedy Center complex was filled to capacity.

In an education landscape that is evolving with new ideas of how, when and where we teach, learn and create, the ARTSEDGE team has revisited every part of what— and how—we offer resources.

We are expanding our content to serve a new definition of educators, encompassing classroom and out-of-school teachers, with the single-minded goal to support arts-based student learning, whether in the classroom or an informal learning environment, like the home.

We’re focused on ways to support innovative teaching with the arts, and meet changing trends in education and to accommodate the ever-evolving impact of technology in our lives. Our collection of free digital resources—including lesson plans, audio stories, video clips, and interactive online modules—has been streamlined for easier browsing and upgraded to leverage best practices in educational media and multimedia-supported instruction.

“The redesign is a wonderful extension of the original ARTSEDGE mission, set over 15 years ago,” says Darrell M. Ayers, Vice President for Education at the Kennedy Center, “to connect people to people, to provide arts-centered learning experiences, and to lead the way in digitally-supported arts learning for all citizens.”

Cheyenne artist donates to Handmade for Japan for earthquake and tsunami relief

Cheyenne artist and teacher Connie Norman sends this:

I’ve been asked to donate to Handmade for Japan at http://connienorman.com/blog/  I have more  info on my blog with images. It is a international fund raiser. The sale of donated items will go on sale March 18 – 20, on eBay. 

I will send you the link when the site is live, but in the meantime items up for auction can be seen at

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/handmadeforjapanauction?sk=wall .

This is their Facebook site announcing updates and donated artworks. 

I copied and pasted Handmade For Japan’s mission statement below. 

Handmade For Japan

eBay auction March 18-20 to help the victims of the Japanese earthquake and tsunami

Description Mission:
Handmade For Japan's mission is to raise money through an online auction on March 18-20 for relief efforts to assist the victims of Japan's catastrophic earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear emissions.

Handmade for Japan is an online auction of unique, handmade art donated by concerned, invited artists. One hundred percent of all net proceeds collected via the auction will be donated to the relief efforts in Japan.

Because of the urgency of the situation, the auction will begin on eBay on Friday, March 18th and end on Sunday, March 20th. The auction items will be listed under the "Handmade for Japan" seller ID.

Previews of the auction items will be available in English and Japanese through Facebook pages and Twitter updates. All inquiries in either language should be sent to handmadeforjapan@gmail.com.

Who We Are:
Handmade For Japan was borne out of concern for Japan's residents by Japanese-American ceramic artist Ayumi Horie http://www.ayumihorie.com. She, Ai Kanazawa Cheung, and Kathryn Pombriant Manzella have mobilized to solicit, promote, and auction handmade pieces of art generously donated by talented artists throughout North America and Japan.

FMI: http://www.connienorman.com