Mary Burgess exhibit begins December 1 at Sagebrush Gallery, Sheridan

Mary Burgess's retrospective exhibit, "Looking Back," opens December 1st in Sheridan's Sagebrush Gallery, located in the Historic Train Depot at 201 E. 5th Street.

At 90 years old, Mary's exhibit will display a wide array of artistic styles and mediums. Among them: a watercolor Mary painted as a young girl of "Sniffles," her pet rat, and a homestead overlooking Sheridan, with an enormous moon behind it.  "This is what she was painting when Neil Armstrong landed on the moon," said Mary's daughter, Heather Plank  Heather continues: "Mother paints what's going on in the world and in her life.  Her paintings are a reflection of important events…it's a means of communication."

Mary expresses herself through a breadth and depth of mediums and artistic genres.  When asked about her wide-ranging styles, Mary said, "I was free to paint as I wished because I didn't have to worry about selling art for my supper.  That's why I could delve into so many styles.  Bernard Thomas once told me, ‘Mary, you have to settle into one style.’ ‘No, I don't,’” she smiled conspiratorially.

Born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Mary traveled the world with her family as a girl, her ports of call as diverse as the paintings in this retrospective.  Discouraged from studying art or music in college, Mary majored in history at the University of Michigan, during which time she met Henry Burgess.  After WWII, they married and started their family, moving to his hometown of Sheridan when Henry finished law school.  Mary drew landscapes and scenes of ranch life in rare moments of free time.

 When painter Rupert Conrad gave a Saturday workshop, Mary and their young son, Sheridan, attended.  "Sheridan was intrigued, but decided “painting's just for a rainy day,” and he galloped off on his horse."  Mary was more than intrigued; she attended many workshops by Quang Ho and Chen Chi, among others, as well as "every class Dick Martinsen taught at Sheridan College." 

She began painting with local artists, including: Bunny Connell, Margie Newman (who taught the brushstrokes of Sume-i), Alice Fuller, Neltje, and Liz Howell. Mary became a member of the Sheridan Artist's Guild (now SAGE), the Wyoming Artists Association (where she served as president), the National Sume-i Society, which honored Mary with a national award, and the National Pastel Society.  Her work garnered national acclaim when in the sixties, one of Mary's paintings hung in Congressional Office of Agriculture in Washington D.C. 

Paintings in this exhibition correspond to phases in Mary's remarkable life. Mary has also written her autobiography, Both Sides of the Canvas, which will be available at Sheridan Stationary.  Today Mary still paints with local artists, and serves as a role model for young artists, telling them, “Be true to yourself and paint in the way that best communicates and expresses what you feel.”

Approximately 90 of Mary Burgess' works will grace the front and member galleries, lobby and hall of the Sagebrush Community Art Center through the month of December.  The Opening Reception will take place December 1st, from 4-7 pm at the Historic Train Depot. 

E.W. Gollings statue almost ready for the Sheridan County Historical Museum

This photo from Billings, Montana's, Meadowlark Gallery home page shows the new statue of "E. W. Gollings" by Marylee M. Moreland which soon will be installed at the Sheridan County Historical Museum in Sheridan.

"A Sharper View of the West" at the Bradford Brinton though Sept. 5

Allan Mardon painting "Custer Battle II"

Aztec Pattern Carving Set by Ted Larsen

The Bradford Brinton Memorial & Museum in Big Horn presents "A Sharper View of the West," featuring paintings by Allan Mardon and knives by Ted Larsen through September 5 in the Main Gallery. FMI: http://www.bbmandm.org/current-exhibitions-events/

Jentel Presents July 5 at SAGE Space in Sheridan

Jentel Artist Residency Program is pleased to present this month’s residents in an event open to the public.  “Jentel Presents” will take place Tuesday, July 5, 2011 from 5:30 to 7:00 pm at SAGE Space, in the Historic Train Depot on 5^th and Broadway, across from The Sheridan Inn.   This month’s presenters include a sculptor, an installation artist, a painter/performance artist, a fiction writer, a creative non-fiction writer and a printmaker. “Jentel Presents” is a community outreach program that features visual presentations and readings by the visual artists and writers at the residency.

Presenters include: Elissa Cox, West Union, IA; A sculptor, Elissa has seen the world and lived in many cities but has decided to live in a small community in Iowa. Where she can create and imagine her sculptures. Rebecca Cummins, Seattle, An optical sculptor/photographer, Rebecca is the oldest of 7, she is from Lehigh, Iowa (pop. 497). She now lives in beautiful, drooly Seattle after 16 years in Australia. She can yodel a little. John Gonzalez, Boston; A painter/performance artist, John believes creativity is the last subjective refuge within a systematic and standardized world. As an artist, it is his job to reframe and repurpose these systems. John Lee, Menlo Park, CA; A fiction writer, John likes outdoor sports, second running cinemas, afternoon ball games, coffee shops with character, Japanese noodles, short stories, long drives, spicy food, chamber music, the novels of William Maxwell and Kazuo Ishiguro, any wearable cotton, English breakfast tea, fresh baked cookies, pale lagers, fall afternoons and girls in hats. Gail Schilling,  Concord, NH; A creative non-fiction writer, Gail, a single mother,  supported her four kids by skinning antelope, singing at funerals, teaching – and writing. As an empty nester, she wandered France alone – still writing. Sarah Smelser, Bloomington, IL; A printmaker, Sarah enjoys picking the yarn more than wearing the sweater, chopping the ingredients more than eating the meal, taking the walk more than reaching the destination.

For anyone looking for a stimulating evening, come join the crowd at the SAGE Space, at the Historic Train Depot, 5^th and Broadway.  There is no admission charge for “Jentel Presents” and refreshments are available.

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

The Jentel Artist Residency Program accepts applications twice a year from visual artists in all media and writers in all genres for a one-month residency. A residency includes a comfortable accommodation; common living, dining and recreation areas; a private workspace and a stipend to help defray expenses during the program.  For more information please visit www.jentelarts.org or call Jentel at (307)737-2311.

Greenhorse and yOya in concert tonight at WYO

National Trust for Historic Preservation names Sheridan one of its Dozen Distinctive Destinations

The National Trust for Historic Preservation just named Sheridan one its Dozen Distinctive Destinations:

Sheridan’s numerous interesting restaurants, entertainment venues and abundant public art installations will have you believing this town is truly “The West at its Best!"

One of Sheridan County's premier destinations, the Bradford Brinton Memorial & Museum, received a 2010 Governor's Arts Award last Friday at a ceremony in Cheyenne. Bradford Brinton is in Big Horn, just a short drive from downtown Sheridan.

Read the entire NTHP article here. You can also vote for your favorite destination. As of today, Sheridan ranks sixth out of twelve, sandwiched between Alexandria, Va., and Chapel Hill, N.C.

Scrooge's trial makes headlines in Sheridan

FMI: http://www.thesheridanpress.com/index.htm

Miss "V" the Gypsy Cowbelle performs at the Carriage House Theater in Sheridan Oct. 22

Concert with Miss "V" the Gypsy Cowbelle will be held on Friday, October 22, 7:30 p.m., in the Carriage House Theater, on the grounds of Trail End State Historic Site, Sheridan.

Cost is $10 for adults, $8 for Seniors and Activie Military, $6 for Museum Members, and $5 for children ages 12 and under.

Tickets available at the Sheridan County Museum, by calling 307.675.1150, or one hour before the show at the Carriage House Theater.

Miss "V" the Gypsy Cowbelle is a member of the Wyoming Art Council artist roster. You can bring her to your community via a WAC Arts Across Wyoming grant. FMI: http://www.wyomingartscouncil.org/

2010 Big West Arts Festival with Jalan Crossland Band -- "High & Lonesome" video

And a good time was had by all last weekend in Sheridan (re-posted from Facebook -- thanks Micah!)

Celebrate the Arts in Sherdian

Celebrate the Arts

Date: June 10, 2010 - June 11, 2010

Time: 12:00 AM - 12:00 AM

Area artists present and produce their wares and talents LIVE in the shops and on the sidewalks of Sheridan’s historic downtown district. Featured artisans present a broad spectrum of artistic medium ranging from wood carving, clay sculpting, oil & watercolor painting, poetry readings, crafts, various genres of live music, and book signings.

Contact: Sheridan County Chamber of Commerce 307-672-2485.

Go to http://www.wyomingtourism.org/overview/Celebrate-the-Arts/312396 for the map for this event.

Schedule announced for remaining WAC town meetings -- next session in Sheridan April 19

The Wyoming Arts Council is holding a series of "Arts in Economy, Education and Everyday Life Town Meetings" around the state. Sessions have already been held in Cheyenne and Lander.

The meetings are free and open to the public.

Here's the rest of the schedule:

Johnson & Sheridan Counties/Town Meeting
Monday, April 19, 2010 - 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Inner Circle Room - Sheridan County Fulmer Public
Library, 335 W. Alger Street, Sheridan, WY

Crook, Campbell & Weston Counties/Town Meeting
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 - 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Cedar Room/George Amos Building
412 South Gillette Avenue, Gillette, WY

Carbon & Albany Counties/Town Meeting
Monday, May 3, 2010 - 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Historic Depot, 400 W. Front St., West End, Rawlins, WY

Big Horn, Park & Washakie Counties/Town Meeting
Thursday, May 6, 2010 - 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Cody Club Room, 1240 Beck Street, Cody, WY

Albany & Laramie Counties/Town Meeting
Monday, May 24, 2010 – 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Works of Wyoming, Civic Center, 710 East Garfield, Suite 271, Laramie, WY

Lincoln, Sweetwater & Uinta Counties/Town Meeting
Tuesday, May 25, 2010 – 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Burgoon Bldg Media Center 20 Adaville Dr. Diamondville, WY

Converse, Natrona & Niobrara Counties/Town Meeting
Wednesday, June 2, 2010 - 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Natrona County Public Library, Crawford Rm, 307 E 2nd St., Casper, WY

Lincoln, Sublette & Teton Counties/Town Meeting
Monday, June 7, 2010 - 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Teton County Library, Jackson, WY

"Get Your Troop in a Group" book signing

Sheridan Stationery, Books & Gallery, 206 N. Main in downtown Sheridan, will be holding a book signing on Saturday, March 6, 11-1 p.m., for Kari Massie McLaughlin, author of "Get Your Troop in a Group".

"So many groups of animals; now tell me, what's the scoop? What's a group of kangaroos called: a herd, a band, a troop?"

People form a group, but what do animals form when they gather together? With delightful rhyme, this book answers just that. Travel with the animals to "Get Your Troop in a Group!"

The author grew up in Sheridan but now lives in Gillette.

FMI: 1-888-266-5730

Sessions for non-profit boards at CVC

Center for a Vital Community at Sheridan College sent this announcement:

The following sessions will take place at the Sheridan College Main Street campus training room in Sheridan. Lunch will be provided. Registration Fee: $40 (This will cover your cost for the entire series. We encourage you to attend all 4 sessions. If your schedule changes, please notify the CVC as this affects our limited space.)

March 10
Creating Boards that Lead -- 5 key functions for board members, 5:30-7 p.m. Board members are encouraged to attend and dinner will be provided

March 11
Best Practices for you Board -- interactive session with a take home assessment plan- tips, and tools, 10 a.m.-noon. Staff and directors are encouraged to attend.

Keynote Presentation: Terry Profota is a Founding Board member of the Montana Non-profit Association, professor at MSU for 5 years, wrote and teaches the Nonprofit Management courses through MSU Terry Profota's business and nonprofit experience spans over 30 years. Her company Sage Solutions Nonprofit Consulting, LLC has been helping small to mid-sized nonprofits improve their operational, organizational, and fundraising effectiveness for over five years.

April 14
Your Leadership Cycle, noon-1:30 p.m. Keynote: Jenny Craft, CVC

FMI: http://cvc.sheridan.edu

WYO Theater in Sheridan presents "I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change"

The WYO Theatre presents I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change, a rollicking musical comedy about the most basic and still complex constant in everyone's life -- the relationship. It's a story of people desperately trying to make (and often missing) connections.

Shows are Feb. 6-7 and 11-14. Times: Thurs.-Sat., 7:30 p.m. Sun.-2 p.m.

Directed by Erin Butler. Musical Direction, Kathy McNickle. Book and lyrics by Joe DiPietro and music by Jimmy Roberts. See www.loveperfectchange.com

FMI: http://www.wyotheater.com

Puppet Show at WYO Theater in Sheridan

Visit Dreamworld with Roseneath Theatre's Rocket and the Queen of Dreams

Wednesday, February 3, 2010- 7:00 p.m

$15 Adult/ $13 Senior & Military/ $8 Student/ $5 12 and Under

Call the box office at 307-672-9084 for more inofrmation or visit http://www.wyotheater.com/

Part of the children's educational and family series

Rocket is a little boy with a problem: he's afraid of monsters. His father assures him that there are no monsters in his room, in his house or in his neighborhood and that he should turn off his light and go to sleep- but that is the problem, the monsters he's afraid of are in his dreams.

Through a brillant fusion of shadow theatre, traditional puppetry and live perfromance, Rocket and the Queen of Dreams takes us on a magical jouney into the ethereal world of dreamdom. Inspired by real stories of children's dreams, this magical and empowering production will delight, encourage and inspire. Sweet dreams at the WYO Theater.

A Christmas Carol showing in Sheridan!

A Christmas Carol

Dec.10-13
Thur.-Sat. 7:30 pm; Sun. 2 pm

42 N Main

Sheridan, Wyoming

307.672.9084

$20 Adult/$18 Senior & Military/$11 Student/$9 12 and under

The WYO Theater will once again produce the annual holiday classic A Christmas Carol. Scrooge and the ghosts of past, present and future and all the rest of the colorful characters from Charles Dickens's classic are brought to life by an all local cast and crew. Mary Jo Johnson returns as director of A Christmas Carol working from the stage adaptation by local writer/playwright Craig Johnson. Beautiful costumes, elaborate set, and special effects continue to make the production exciting for all audiences.

www.stormfax.com/dickens.htm

Dainis Hazners' "Bridge" airs on Wisconsin Public Radio Nov. 22

Wyomingarts readers may know Dainis Hazners from Story as a two-time WAC fellowship winner, recipient of an NEA creative writing fellowship in poetry and mentor to a generation of young poets through Wyoming's Young Writers Camp. Dainis also has an interest in music, tubas in particular:

Dear All:

Most of you already know that my brother and I commissioned a "litttle requiem" in memory of our mother Brigita Hazners. The world premier of "Bridge" was performed two years ago at the Wyo Theater in Sheridan.

This coming Sunday, November 22, it will be performed again, live on Wisconsin Public Radio at 12:30 p.m. (CST). "Sunday Afternoon at the Chatzen" is the program series name. You can tune in via the Internet by going to http://wpr.org and clicking on the button at top that says "Listen Live." It will put the broadcast into some sort of media player on the computer... Try this out now and have a listen to Wisconsin Public Radio.
　
"Bridge" is a fantastic piece of music composed by Michael Forbes, contemporary composer extraordinaire. Besides his many compositions he is also highly regarded as a performer, and is professor of music at the University of Wisconsin. "Bridge" is a piece written for tuba quartet and counter tenor. A very exciting piece of music (and substantial -- about 20 minutes long, in 3 movements), it is very contemporary in its various musical concerns, but also possesses lush harmonies and beautiful, memorable melodies. It is a challenging and rewarding piece in many ways. The brief text sung by the counter tenor is in Latvian, words that my mother wrote on the back of her last will and testament and also a couplet from a short Latvian folk song.

Sotto Voce Quartet, and counter tenor Lon Ellenberger, will be performing the piece.

An outstanding chamber ensemble, Sotto Voce Quartet plays a wide variety of music from Elizabethan Consort to Cutting Edge Contemporary (this Sunday!). They have played throughout the United States, have toured internationally, and have recorded several critically acclaimed CDs; several of its members have solo CDs as well (check the website below for more info). Its members include Demondrae Thurman and Mark Carlson on euphoniums; and Nat McIntosh and Michael Forbes on tubas. They are amazing! For more info about the group go to
www.tubaquartet.com .

Besides "Bridge," Sotto Voce Quartet will be premiering a new work by American trumpet player/composer Anthony Plog (now living in Germany) a piece titled "Fantasy Movements" written for tuba quartet.

Performance of these two works on the radio will be great exposure. In the audience there will be some 300 or so, then the radio audience will probably be in the 10's of thousands!!

Hope you can tune in,

Dainis

P.S.: For those unfamiliar with tubas... It's not what you might expect. The last 50 years have seen a great surge of interest in, and promotion of, the instrument. It is no longer relegated to oompahpahs from the back row, but has proven to be as capable of musical expession and virtuoso playing as the most accomplished violin or trumpet. Much new literature has been composed, and "Bridge" is considered an important addition.

The Marquee: What's at the WYO Theater?

Cornerstone Church Presents Bill Dallas

Sunday, September 20, 7 p.m.

Real-estate entrepreneur Bill Dallas's charmed life changed dramatically when he was charged, convicted, and sentenced to five years in prison for grand-theft embezzlement. Lessons from San Quentin tells the true story of how one man's life was changed for the better due to the hardships encountered at the legendary maximum-security prison.

Sundowner Lions Benefit : The Emperor's New Clothes By Lamb Caravan Theatre Co.

Friday, September 25, 7 p.m.

The EMPEROR'S NEW CLOTHES is one of the all-time favorite fairy tales by Hans Christian Andersen. Adapted to the stage by Kathryn Schultz Miller, this fast-paced, funny and clever play has something for everyone: Lots of action, laughs, magic tricks and great audience participation! Come and join the LAMB Caravan Theatre Company as they energetically recreate this fabulous fairy tale in their own sort of hip, jazzy, irreverent style. You will be enthralled! Sundowner Lions will be using their portion of the proceeds to give eye exams, eye glasses and eye surgery for low income children, high school students and adults here in Sheridan. Call the Sundowner Lions at 866-358-9234 for more information

http://www.wyotheater.com/