Call for entries: Park County Library Foundation Flash Fiction Contest

Patricia Stuart in Powell announces this: Flash Fiction Contest! Do you have an original short story under 500 words or care to write one? $100 prize is the offer. This is part of the Park County Library Foundation's Winter Gathering Bookfair on Jan. 19, 2013. Get full contest details here. 

Read our latest Five Question Friday Q&A with Powell photographer Wayne Thomas

We interviewed photographer and filmmaker Wayne Thomas of Powell for our latest Five Question Friday feature on Facebook. For the full Q&A go here. 

Wayne sent us links to samples of his work. He wrote the story and shot the photos for an excellent photo-essay in Doubletake Magazine Online marking the 50th anniversary of the Selma Civil Rights March. View it at http://www.waynethomasphotography.com/selma. 

One of his favorite photographers is William Albert Allard of the National Geographic. Wayne likes his work so much that, when they met, he asked the photographer if he could do a short film about him. The trailer for this recently completed film on Allard can be found here: http://www.waynethomasphotography.com/allard.

"Beyond Supplementary: Northwest College Adjunct Faculty Exhibit" opens Nov. 8

Plucked from the Northwest College online calendar: adjunct |ajˈ ungkt: a thing added to something else as a supplementary rather than an essential. Adjunct faculty of the Northwest College Art Department in Powell will be exhibiting recent works.  Participating artists / educators are: Dana Childs -- ceramics  Zak Pullen -- illustration  Steve Schrepferman -- ceramics Rebecca Weed -- painting and drawing An opening reception will be held November 8 from 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm in the lobby of the Cabre Building. Free and open to the public, refreshments provided.

Contact Information: Name: Denise Kelsay Phone: 307.754.6499 Email: Denise.Kelsay@northwestcollege.edu

Tuvan Throat Singers return to Meeteetse

Huun Huur Tu Tuvan Throat Singers

           

                

The Park County Arts Council in Cody 

presents Huun Huur Tu Tuvan Throat

Singers on...

Thursday September 27, 2012

7:00pm

Meeteetse School  Auditorium                                    

2107 Idaho St.

Meeteetse, WY

General admission:   Limited Seating

$15 Adult  $12 Senior/Student/Children

Available on-line at

www.parkcountyartsconcil.org

Or at the Meeteetse Visitors Center

 2005 Warren St. in Meeteetse, 307-868-2454

Or Cody Country Chamber of Commerce,

836 Sheridan Ave. in Cody 307-587-2297

or Powell Valley Chamber of Commerce

111 Day St. in Powell  307-754-3494

Lodging and 2-Ticket Packages starting at $74:  Call 1-800-393-2639

Tuvans return to Meeteetse

Tuva, a central Asian republic nestled between Siberia and Mongolia is the home of the world’s original horsemen.  As musicians, Tuvans not only transform the sounds of the natural world into music through imitation, they make sonic “maps” of physical landscapes which may be expressed in texted songs, throat-singing, whistling, or other types of vocal production.  After more than 20 successful US tours and as veterans of performances in nearly every European country, Huun Huur Tu has emerged as the foremost international representative of Tuva’s remarkable musical culture.  These four talented gentlemen will transport you half way around the world, to another place and time with their incredible music and vocals.  You may notice an incredible similarity in the landscape their music reveals and that we know in Wyoming. 

“The Tuvans will ride into your brain and leave

hoofprints up and down your spine.”

                                                            -San Francisco Bay Guadian

The Park County Arts Council proudly brings the return of Huun Huur Tu to the Meeteetse School Gym for a performance on Thursday September 27^th at 7:00pm.  Tickets are $15 Adult and $12 Senior (65 and up) and Students (children or with valid Student ID).  Tickets are available on-line at www.parkcountyartscouncil.org

or at the visitors Center in Meeteetse or the Chamber of Commerces in Cody and Powell.  Seating is limited.

This group of talented musicians and throat singers performed in Meeteetse in 2007 to a record crowd.  Audience members still talk of this experience and have insisted on a return performance.  If you missed them, this is your chance to hear a music form so familiar and yet so rooted in a culture far away.  Steve Schrepferman, Director of the Park County Arts Council, says “During their stay in 2007, Huun Huur  Tu showed us pictures of Tuva that were so similar to the landscape and lifestyles of Wyoming.  Their horse culture and way of life has so many ties to our cowboy west it is surprising.  It also establishes ties to a distant place, one that you might not expect to find such similarity.”

New book features color photographs of life inside the Heart Mountain Relocation Center

From Sunday's Casper Star-Tribune: “Colors of Confinement: Rare Kodachrome Photographs of Japanese American Incarceration in World War II” was released in July by University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill. It features 65 color images of Japanese Americans incarcerated at Heart Mountain Relocation Center in Northwest Wyoming, captured by internee Bill Manbo. It is edited by Eric L. Muller, a board member of the Heart Mountain Wyoming Foundation and a Dan K. Moore Distinguished Professor in Jurisprudence and Ethics at the University of North Carolina. The book is available at national bookstores, at the Heart Mountain Interpretive Center or at www.uncpress.unc.edu. Cover photo by Bill Manbo. Read the entire Casper Star-Tribune story by Kristy Gray at http://trib.com/news/local/state-and-regional/photo-book-sheds-new-light-on-life-in-wyoming-s/article_5a8deb68-1a35-5d61-b186-575232769c32.html

‘Post 9/11’ film, talk set Aug. 10 in Cody

‘Post 9/11’ film, talk set Friday in Cody - Cody Enterprise:

The Heart Mountain Interpretive Center is hosting a film showing and panel discussion at Wynona Thompson Auditorium on Friday.

The event is part of the two-day Pilgrimage Event for the center. The film begins at 7:30 p.m. and is open to the public “Ken Watanabe’s America: Japanese Americans and Post 9/11 America” will be followed by a panel discussion with former congressman and Transporation Secretary Norman Mineta, retired senator Al Simpson, former head of the Japanese American Citizens League Floyd Mori, board chair of Heart Mountain Wyoming Foundation Shirley Ann Higuchi, and vice-chair Doug Nelson. Board member Eric Muller will moderate the panel discussion.

--clip--

“People will have an opportunity to ask questions and interact with the panel because we’re not here to lecture people – we’re here to have a discussion and learn from one another,” he said.

Mineta was secretary of transportation under George W. Bush during the Sept. 11 attacks. Leger said Mineta’s experience as an internee at the Heart Mountain camp influenced his decisions during the difficult days after the attacks.

“He has many interesting things to say about that time and the pressures,” Leger said.

New York Times reviews "new" Buffalo Bill Museum at the BBHC

Edward Rothstein, museum critic for the New York Times, spent some time in Cody recently and wrote a thorough review of the "reconceived" Buffalo Bill Museum at the Buffalo Bill Historical Center, with side trips to the Dug Up Gun Museum, the Cody Nite Rodeo and the Irma Hotel. Read the entire review here. (Thanks to Gregory Hinton, a BBHC resident fellow in 2011, for alerting me to the article.)

"Esse Quam Videri: Muslim Self-Portraits" exhibit at Heart Mountain Interpretive Center through Sept. 18

From the Heart Mountain Foundation web site:

The Heart Mountain Interpretive Center at the site of a World War II Japanese-American internment camp outside of Cody, Wyo. will present a new exhibit featuring self-portraits that reveal Muslim Americans in everyday life. The exhibit is intended to counteract stereotypes and preconceived notions about Muslims in America at this time in history. Esse Quam Videri: Muslim Self-Portraits will be exhibited in the Ford Foundation Special Exhibition Area through Sept. 18, 2012.

"This exhibit is the first in a series of exhibits at the Interpretive Center that will encourage visitors to think about prejudice, stereotyping and religious, racial and ethnic profiling," said Stevan Leger executive director.

"Esse Quam Videri" means "to be rather than to seem." The exhibit includes photographs, collaged images and self-drawn portraits of and by Muslim Americans are presented with short essays to add context.

For more information, please contact Steve Leger at 307-754-8000 or by email at sleger@heartmountain.org. The Heart Mountain Interpretive Learning Center hours are 10 to 5 Wednesday through Saturday.

Rockin the Reservoir July 21 at Buffalo Bill State Park

The Second Annual Rockin the Reservoir Outdoor Music Festival, featuring a variety of different bands to satisfy various musical tastes, is scheduled for July 21 from 5:30-11 p.m., at Buffalo Bill State Park in celebration of the 75th Anniversary of the Wyoming Division of State Parks, Historic Sites and Trails.

This family-friendly event is held at the Big Horn Basin Boat Club located at the end of Bartlett Lane, South Fork at Buffalo Bill State Park near Cody.

Sponsored by the Big Horn Basin Boat Club and Buffalo Bill State Park, the evening of music features Soldiers Springs, blues; Del Cannon, country; and Mr. Skinny, classic rock and original songs. Sound is provided by Big Wood Light and Sound and the event is produced by KcDMusic.com.

Cost of the event is $10 per car, paid at the entrance to the Boat Club, and visitors are encouraged to bring beverages and lawn chairs. Pop and water will be available for sale at the event.

Proceeds from this year’s Festival will go towards the Big Horn Basin Boat Club Marina Project.

Please visit http://www.bhbbc.org/ for more details.

Call for entries: Cody Country Art League annual art show

The Cody Country Art League is holding its 47th Annual Art Show. Judge for this year's competition is Lili Francuz, an artist from Fort Collins, Colo., who -- until retirement -- was the Wyoming State Museum curator and visual arts specialist at the Wyoming Arts Council. Submission deadline is May 31 although the Art League will be accepting pieces through June 8. Get complete guidelines at office@codycountryartleague.com or 307-587-3597. Web site: http://www.codycountryartleague.com/

Preston Randolph's "The Summer of '81" named winner of Wyoming Short Film Contest

From the Wyoming Film Office:

“The Summer of ‘81,” a short film produced by Preston Randolph and filmed near Meeteetse, Wyoming is the winner of this year’s Wyoming Short Film Contest. The short tells the unique story of Wyoming man, Bob Taylor and the spirit and struggles of his life's journey. From teaching in the city, to being a Cowboy in Wyoming, to raising his family without electricity in the cabin he built by hand, and of course baseball. Now in its fifth year, the Wyoming Short Film Contest awarded $25,000 to Randolph who will now have the opportunity to produce another film in Wyoming with the proceeds.

Randolph began his film making career at Cody High School, where he remains the only student to have won the statewide Wyoming High School Short Film Festival three years running. Alongside his filmmaking career, Randolph dedicates the remainder of his time in being a political activist for social justice. He has organized an annual charity drive for the people of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, and is currently working on a feature-length documentary, “Wind Chases the Sun.” The film exposes the case of Native American activist Leonard Peltier, and his ongoing 36 years of imprisonment.

According to film contest administrator, Colin Stricklin, "The point of this contest is not just to award one filmmaker $25,000. Rather, it's our goal to provide exposure to the talented filmmakers, to support independent film projects and to encourage filmmakers to consider shooting their projects in Wyoming. There is an exceptional amount of talent on display in this contest, both from in-state and out-of-state filmmakers."

For 2012, the Film Office also offered a Filmmaker’s Choice Award giving contest entrants the opportunity to recognize a fellow filmmaker. The winner of the award, and the associated $5,000, was filmmaker Mark Pedri. His film, “Western Wandering,” follows the filmmaker on a 700-mile mountain bike ride around Wyoming to discover what truly defines the state he was born and raised in.

You can still watch all of this year's entries at http://www.wyomingshortfilmcontest.com/.

Verismo Trio hits the road for spring residency and performance tour

Thrilling audiences throughout the Rocky Mountain region with dynamic performances, the "Verismo Trio," in conjunction with the UW Fine Arts Outreach and the UW Department of Music, will launch its spring residency and performance tour on Wednesday, April 25, at various locations around the state.

"Verismo Trio" is composed of UW Music Department faculty members Theresa Bogard (piano), Nicole Riner (flute) and Scott Turpen (saxophone). The group performs regularly throughout the state. Verismo also is featured on the Wyoming Arts Council artist roster.

The spring tour will take the trio to Buffalo High School, Cody middle and high schools, and Northwest College in Powell for residency activities where the UW musicians will work with students in master classes.

The group will perform a free public concert at 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 27, in the Northwest College auditorium.

For more information, contact Janelle Fletcher-Kilmer, fine arts outreach director, at (307) 766-5139, or email Janelle@uwyo.edu .

Photo: "Verismo Trio," in conjunction with the University of Wyoming Fine Arts Outreach and the UW Department of Music, will launch its spring residency and performance tour Wednesday, April 25, in various locations around the state.

Plaza Diane's namesake would be thrilled to see downtown Powell these days

Andrew Michler, a writer who writes about sustainable building practices, has profiled Plaza Diane, in Powell, on his website. Take a gander at the slide show of how this old corner gas station was updated and made into a contemporary art space, both inside and out.  

The image is not great, but the photos of this arts center on the Andrew's website are sharp and show several views of the outside and inside of the remarkable transformation.

Master printer and WAC roster artist Mike Parker conducts residency for Park County students

Wyoming Arts Council roster artist Mike Parker was featured in a story in the Billings Gazette (reprinted today in the Casper Star-Tribune). Reporter Martin Kidston chronicled Mike's two-day residency at the BBHC for Park County students. He instructed them on traditional printing methods. For more about Mike, go to http://wyoarts.state.wy.us/Roster/Artist.aspx?ID=92. Photo by Martin Kidston.

At "Out West at the Autry" in L.A. on Feb. 27, Sen. Al talks about new book and his longtime support of LGBT rights

Wyoming Sen. Al Simpson of Cody will be featured at "Out West at the Autry" Feb. 27 at the Autry in Griffith Park in Los Angeles. How did Sen. Al wind up at an event that in L.A. that celebrates Western art and writing and LGBT issues? It goes beyond the fact that he is the subject of a new biography, "Shooting from the Lip: The Life of Senator Al Simpson." In a Feb. 7 post, writer Gregory Hinton, who grew up in Cody and just finished a research fellowship at the BBHC, muses on how he found common ground with Sen. Al on the issue of being gay in Wyoming. Read the Autry blog post here.

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

 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 

Gregory Hinton discusses preliminary findings of BBHC research fellowship

"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.

First BBHC Family Fun Friday of 2012 on Jan. 13

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.

BBHC in Cody honored by NTA as one of America's "favorite museums for group travelers"

One reason you see so many buses in the BBHC parking lot on summer days:

The Buffalo Bill Historical Center has been honored as one of America’s “favorite museums for group travelers” by the National Tour Association (NTA). The Center won the NTA’s Bronze Award in the category, tied with New York’s American Museum of Natural History. Other winners include the Gold Award presented to the Smithsonian Institution and the Silver Award to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

“We definitely have cause to celebrate at being included in the distinguished company of the Smithsonian, MOMA, and the American Museum of Natural History,” says Bruce Eldredge, the Center’s executive director and CEO. “Our numbers of group tours have increased significantly in the last few years, and we couldn’t be more thrilled with this prestigious award from NTA. This honor acknowledges how engaging our group travelers find our galleries and is sure to draw even more attention and visitors to the Center and to Cody.”

Last August, NTA tour operators completed a survey in which they named their favorite NTA supplier partners or destinations in 12 different categories. In the January 2012 edition of Courier, the organization’s member magazine, NTA introduces its “Distinguished Dozen” winners in a feature that celebrates these member favorites. Award winners were officially acknowledged at NTA’s Annual Convention on December 8 in Las Vegas.

“We’ve created a number of programs to enhance the group tour experience,” adds Debra Elwood, group sales coordinator. “This award tells us our efforts are paying off!”

The National Tour Association is the leading association for professionals serving travelers to, from, and within North America. Founded in 1951, NTA membership represents more than 40 countries, 1,500 tour operators, 600 destinations, and 1,500 tour suppliers.

Other recent accolades for the Historical Center include a listing in Cowgirl Magazine’s 2012 Ten Favorite Western Art Museums, and a No. 2 ranking by the travel Web site Go Nomad.com in its list of The Ten Best Family Destinations for Learning Vacations.

At the top of the Nomad list is the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, with the High Desert Museum in Bend, Oregon, coming in third. Other entities on the list include International Folk Art Museum, Santa Fe, New Mexico; Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, Halifax, Nova Scotia; Mystic Seaport: Museum of America and the Sea, Mystic, Connecticut; National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, Cincinnati, Ohio; Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Cleveland; Ohio; and Royal Canadian Mounted Police Heritage Center, Regina, Saskatchewan.

For more information about group sales, contact Elwood at debrae@bbhc.org,307.578.4114, or explore http://www.bbhc.org/visit/group-sales.

Start planning now to attend the 30th annual Plains Indian Museum Powwow in Cody

30th Annual Plains Indian Museum Powwow
High Energy, History, and Fun!

June 16 – 17, 2012

Joe Robbie Powwow Garden
Grand Entries: Saturday, Noon & 6 p.m. and Sunday, Noon

Take part in the dancing, music, and energy of the Plains Indian Museum Powwow. Dancers, drum groups, and artists gather from across the Northern Plains to celebrate the vibrant cultural traditions and histories of the people of the Plains that are still present today. Our Powwow is not a demonstration but a competitive event that brings in talented dancers and drum groups who will show you what a Powwow is all about.

A popular educational program is the Powwow Learning Tipi. Gloria Goggles, a Lakota educator from Ethete, Wyoming, invites visitors to discover the traditions of powwow. Young visitors have the opportunity to try on different types of powwow clothing. The tipi provides a relaxed atmosphere to explore different powwow dance styles and their origins.

Over forty Native artists will have booths on the Powwow grounds, along with fry bread vendors and a grill menu and beverages in the concession stand.

Curious about the history of powwows and powwow dance styles? Our website is just the beginning to your powwow experience...

Admission Prices and Schedule

Gate opens to the public at 9:30 a.m. Admission is good for one day of the event, please check the event schedule, which is a general guide and subject to change due to weather and number of participants.

·                   $7 for adults (18 and older)

·                   $3 for youths (7 – 17)

·                   Children 6 and under are free

·                   Tickets may be purchased at the gates only

·                   No senior or group discounts

·                   Press passes are available with prior arrangements

·                   BBHC Members receive $1 discount on admission price each day with a valid membership card

Visitors are welcome to bring chairs or blankets for our outdoor, grass ampitheater. Please—no pets. For travel and lodging information contact the Cody Chamber of Commerce. For questions about visiting the Buffalo Bill Historical Center contact Nancy McClure at 307.578.4102, email nancym@bbhc.org.

For Our Dancers

2012 officials and invited drums will be announed in the spring. Dancers and their families recieve a free pass to the Buffalo Bill Historical Center exhibits at dancer registration. Registration 8 a.m. – noon Saturday; late registration or for specials on stage both days. Contact: Rebecca at 307.578.4049, email rebeccaw@bbhc.org.

Dance Categories and Schedule of Events

Competitive dance categories include men's and women's traditional and fancy, women's jingle, men's grass, and men's and women's golden age. Several special are yet to be announced.

·                   Adults (18 – 54) & Golden Age

·                   Teens (13 – 17)

·                   Boys & Girls (7 – 12)

·                   Team Dancing Special

Vendor Information

The Powwow welcomes vendors who are selling arts and crafts made by enrolled members of North American Indian tribes and Nations. No food booths please. For more information on vendor spaces, e-mail Rebecca West or call 307.578.4049.