In Memoriam: Rod McQueary

We end of the year on a sad note. Rod's poetry enlivened almost every Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Elko. He served on the WAC artist roster for many years. Recluse, Wyoming, won't ever be the same. R.I.P., Rod.

Rod McQueary

July 16, 1951–December 29, 2012

Beloved husband of Sue Wallis; treasured father of Porter, Cecile, Ian, and Justine McQueary, stepfather of Isaac Wallis, Megan Kruse, and Rys Martin; Boppa of Ezra, Cora, and Maddox Kruse; son of Eloise, and brother of Lyle and Neil McQueary; who has touched the lives of so many, many family, friends, compadres, and like-minded souls who appreciated his articulate wit…has followed his father Howard over that Last Great Divide. He was the epitome of kind.

A memorial service will be held at the Western Folklife Center in Elko, Nevada at 10 am on Wednesday, January 2^nd. Instead of flowers, please send generous contributions to the Western Folklife Center for the support of the Cowboy Poetry Gathering, the center of the art and the culture that Rod defined his life by, and the gathering place of his far flung friends. 501 Railroad Street, Elko, Nevada, 89801.

If you can make it to Elko on Wednesday, please come ready to share stories, songs, poems, and especially jokes. After a short service in the G Bar Three, we will have a potluck dinner in the Pioneer Saloon, please bring something to share. Rod’s daughter Ceci is putting together pictures and videos…if you have images of Rod that we can include please send them to cecilem@cashmanpro.com.

Family and friends will gather again on the full moon of July in Ruby Valley, Nevada and Bitter Creek, Wyoming to scatter his ashes over the mountains and ranches that he rode for the majority of his life.

Please feel free to forward and post, call each other and hold each other close…he loved you all so much…

The Department of Education has announced that the Fine and Performing Arts Standards, which have been in revision for the past three years, are now up for public comment. They are accepting comments from any interested person. The Fine and Performing Arts Standards guide instruction in the public schools by

•  providing information on what students should know and be able to do at 4th, 8th and 11th grade; and
• setting performance standards that help teachers know how to assess students knowledge and skills.

There are significant recommended changes. A quick overview of them includes:

• Rewrite of Standard 4, previously Applications to Life, to Artistic Connections
• The development of separate benchmarks for Dance, Music, Theatre and Visual Arts
• New Performance Descriptors

The current and revised Standards are posted on the Department of Education's webpage. Click on the small arrow to the left of Fine and Performing Arts.

To comment, scroll up on the same page, and click on Request for Public Comments regarding Proposed Chapter 10 Rules. Comment is being accepted through January 11, 2013.

In addition to the standards revisions, the following changes are also being proposed:

• Removal of Wyoming Content and Performance Standards from the Chapter 31 Rules and renamed in their own chapter (Chapter 10);

• Including a date of full implementation for each newly adopted standard;

• Renaming Chapter 31 Rules to Wyoming Graduation Requirements;

• Renaming Section 10 of Chapter 31 Rules to “District Assessment System”; and,

• Explicitly stating that the District Assessment System applies to grades nine (9) through twelve (12).

Cynthia Willson Photo Excursion

In honor of the Winter Solstice, two excursions are planned to Vedauwoo hosted by photographer Cynthia Willson on Thursday December 20 at 2 pm and/or December 21at 6 am.

Cynthia will share her secrets of going beyond a simple point, shoot, and click image by introducing you to new ways to approach photography, adding depth and magic to your images. Come learn from her, one another, and the expereince of being out on scared land -- Vedauwoo -- "The Land of the Earthborn Spirit."

Particpants will carpool from Cheyenne, a 30-minute drive.

Cost is $25 per session, or $40 for both.

FMI, contact Cynthia @ 307-286-7708

More details on the recipients of the 2012 Governor’s Arts Awards

More details about the 2012 Governor's Arts Awards recipients:

Advocacy for Visual Arts (AVA) Center in Gillette, musician Jalan Crossland of Ten Sleep and visual artist and educator Lynn Munns of Casper will be honored at the annual Awards Gala Feb. 8, 2013, at Little America in Cheyenne.

                AVA Center opened in 1998, and now offers a slate of classes conducted by professional and volunteer instructors including pottery, mosaics, pine needle weaving, painting, drawing, felting and tile glazing. AVA recently began the “Uncorked” series as an evening for friends, dating couples, and co-workers to get together to create a piece of art while partaking in fellowship and a favorite wine. “Little Tykes” and “Van Gogh Kiddies” are just two of the many classes AVA offers for children. 

Singer/songwriter Jalan Crossland writes music inspired by his Wyoming roots. His prowess on the banjo and guitar and ability to create humorously honest lyrics dazzles audiences from Nashville, Key West and New Orleans, to towns across Wyoming. He performs every August at the NoWoodstock Festival in his home town. Crossland has toured as the opening act with alternative country legend Robert Earl Keen, and has appeared on television and radio shows. He has been profiled in The New York Times, No Depression and Fingerstyle Guitar. His latest solo CD is Portrait of a Fish.

Casper potter and arts educator Lynn Munns began teaching at Casper College in 1971. During his tenure, he expanded the ceramics program to include an array of course offerings, new equipment and increased studio space. Munns served as the chairman of the Visual Arts Department from 1973-1980, then as chairman of the Fine Arts Division until his retirement in 2006. He also directed the Goodstein Visual Arts Gallery. In 1989, he received two outstanding educator awards. He has served as a board member for state and national arts organizations, including the Wyoming Arts Council.

For more information, contact Camellia El-Antably at the Wyoming Arts Council, 307-777-5305 or camellia.elantably@wyo.gov.
This post has been updated.

Job opportunity: Executive Director of Colorado Creative Industries

Our sister state arts agency in Colorado is looking for a new director. Here's a synopsis of the job description take from a WESTAF press release:

The Creative Industries Division of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade is looking for a new executive director. The agency’s mission is to promote, support, and expand the nonprofit and for-profit creative industries in order to enhance Colorado’s quality of life, drive Colorado’s economy, and grow jobs. The Division grew out of a long tradition of service as a state arts agency and continues many of those traditional services even as it strives to recast its work in terms of the broader “Creative Industries” charge.

The successful applicant will benefit from the interest of an arts and creative economy governor.  As Governor, John Hickenlooper maintains the pro-active interest in the development of the arts and the creative economy he exercised as Mayor of Denver, and as a successful member of Denver’s business community. In addition, the successful applicant will work intensively with Robert Clasen, the recently retired Chair and CEO of Starz, LLC. Mr. Clasen remains active in the entertainment industry and is a working chair of the policy council that guides the work of the Colorado Creative Industries Division.

The position of the Director of the Creative Industries Division is responsible for working with the Colorado Creative Industries Council to develop and implement the Division’s strategic plan. In addition, the Director is responsible for the direction, management, and evaluation of all agency operations, programs, and services, and for maintaining effective internal and external relations. The holder of this position provides leadership to the nonprofit and for-profit creative industries in Colorado; represents the agency and its advisory body to governmental and legislative bodies, arts organizations, creative industry corporations, private foundations, the media, and the public.  The Director manages the administration of agency operations; and provides leadership to the agency’s personnel and contractors. The Creative Industries Director reports to the Director of the Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT), serves on the OEDIT leadership team, and is responsible for the management of three full-time employees and three contracted professionals.

Applications are due on Friday, January 18, 2013 at 5:00 p.m. Mountain Standard Time.

Please submit a cover letter and resume to: Laurel Sherman, Search Coordinator, WESTAF, 1743 Wazee, Suite 300, Denver, Colorado 80202. Electronic submittals are welcome: Laurel.Sherman@WESTAF.org

"Swing for Life" Jan. 18 features swing dance lessons and music by the UW Jazz Ensembles

This University of Wyoming event popped up on Facebook today:

Friday Night Fever is partnering with the Jazz Advocates of Wyoming, the Swing Dance Club, and ASUW to bring a Swing for Life event on Jan. 18 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. in the Union Ballroom. 

There will be swing dancing lessons provided by the Swing Club and live ‘20s style swing music provided by the University of Wyoming Jazz ensembles. Free food will also be available at the event. The Jazz Advocates of Wyoming and the Swing Dance Club plan to give any optional donations collected at the event to I Love Life and The American Cancer Research Fund organizations.

Read all about it here. 

AVA, Jalan Crossland and Lynn Munns are 2012 Governor's Arts Awards honorees

Announcing the 2012 Wyoming Governor's Arts Awards recipients: Advocacy for Visual Arts (AVA) Center of Gillette, musician Jalan Crossland of Ten Sleep and artist and educator Lynn Munns of Casper. Congratulations! See you all at the awards gala Feb. 8 in Cheyenne. More details soon !

Grants available to develop "tourism assets" in the Lander area

If an arts organization isn't a "tourism asset" we don't know what is:

Lander's Tourism Asset Development (TAD) Program offers assistance through the Lander Area Chamber of Commerce from lodging tax proceeds from the Wind River Visitor’s Council.

All applicants are subject to guidelines for requesting Tourism Asset Development funds from the Lander Area Chamber of Commerce.  All requests require appropriate application materials and recommendation of the TAD committee and approval of the Lander Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.  Eligible candidates include groups that are able to demonstrate that their programming has a direct benefit to the tourism industry specifically in the Lander area.  The purpose of the TAD Grant program is to attract potential visitors from outside of the Lander area.

Those eligible to apply for the TAD program are non-governmental tourist-related organizations, non-profit organization, Civic organizations or tourism related organizations for the purpose of developing tourism assets in the Lander area.  Eligible expenditures include but are not limited to print media, website, radio, television.  Other expenditures may be eligible dependent upon approval of the Lander Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.

TAD grants may be awarded for applications in any amount up to $1,000.

Applications must be submitted to the Lander Area Chamber of Commerce by February 1, 2013 for projects to be completed in 2013.

Call the Lander Area Chamber of Commerce at 307-332-3892.

Poet and labor activist Mark Nowak wants to hear your story about "Working in Wyoming"

Poet, teacher and and labor activist Mark Nowak will serve as eminent writer-in-residence for the University of Wyoming creative writing program in February. He sent this info about the "Working (in Wyoming)" project he'll be conducting when he's in the state. Here it is:

Working (in Wyoming) is a community-building, creative investigation of what it means to labor in Wyoming.

A series of creative writing workshops will be held in southeastern  Wyoming (Laramie and Cheyenne) in February of 2013. These workshops will be facilitated by Wyoming writing instructors and students in the University of Wyoming's MFA program in creative writing. In these workshops, Wyoming workers of diverse backgrounds will have the opportunity to collaborate with others in the Wyoming community to create a short piece of creative writing (a poem, a parable, a short story, a piece of flash fiction/nonfiction, etc.).

Working (in Wyoming) will culminate in a large-scale yet intimate evening event in Laramie on February 28. Here working people from across the state will have the opportunity to share what it means to work in Wyoming with a presentation of pieces created in workshops.

FMI: Kay Northrop at knorthrop@uwyo.edu or Brie Fleming at briennafleming5@gmail.com

Read more on the project's Facebook page. 

Cheyenne Artists Guild features work by Donna Person and Dee James for Art Design and Dine

Donna Person and Dee James invite you to come by the Cheyenne Artists Guild in Holliday Park and visit with them during the December 13 Art Design and Dine. Both Dee and Donna are active in supporting the Guild.  Both serve on the board, Dee as 2012 President and Donna as Secretary. This December 13 from 5-8 pm, they will be showing some of their favorite pieces of art for this last Art Design and Dine of the 2012 season. Be sure to come by to say hello to Donna and Dee and view their beautiful works of art!

BYU Chamber Orchestra in concert Jan. 11 at SLTEC in Kemmerer

At the South Lincoln Training and Event Center in Kemmerer. Go here for tickets.

Beth McIntosh and Friends in concert Dec. 22 in Jackson

At the Center for the Arts In Jackson. Get tickets here. 

2Shot Art Show in Torrington offers close encounters with work by 21 regional artists

From Laramie's Joy Keown: This watercolor painting, "Close Encounter," was done from a photo that I took during our 2009 visit to the Serengeti in Tanzania.  I will be showing several Africa paintings as well as landscapes, western and wildlife paintings at the 2Shot Goose Hunt Art show this Friday and Saturday in Torrington.

View work by 21 artists from around the region at the annual 2Shot Goose Hunt Art Show at the Goshen County Fairgrounds Rendezvous Center in Torrington. Hours are noon-4 p.m. today with a quick draw from 6:30-7:30 p.m. with an auction to follow. Hours on Saturday, Dec. 8, are 9 a.m.-4 p.m., followed by a banquet and art auction from 7-10 p.m. FMI: Toby Lewis at 307-532-7364.

UUCC WinterMart Dec. 14-15 offers local handmade wares for the holidays

Gifts made by artists, crafts people and other vendors of handmade wares can be found at the annual Unitarian Universalist Church of Cheyenne WinterMart, 3005 Thomes Avenue, December 14-15, Friday 4:30-6:30 pm, Saturday 9:00 am-4:00 pm. Lunch and baked goods will be available. Proceeds benefit programs supported by UUCC. For information, call Terry at (307) 214-3932, UUCC at (307) 638-4554 or go to www.uucheyenne.org.

Community Fine Arts Center celebrates the beauty of Wyoming's Red Desert

From the Community Fine Arts Center in Rock Springs:

Please join us for a variety of art-related events in January at the Community Fine Arts Center in Rock Springs and help celebrate the beauty of the Wyoming's Red Desert 

Wednesday January 2, 2013: 

Free Public Lecture and Discussion by Joan Hoffmann 

"History of American Landscape Painting and Public Lands"
7 pm - 8 pm

Thursday January 3, 2013:

Art Class by Joan Hoffmann
For more details call:307-362-6212

Free Exhibition Critique
4:30 pm -5:30 pm

Free Exhibition Opening Reception
Free refreshments!
5:30 pm– 7:30 pm

Exhibition Duration:
January 3-28, 2013

Art and Landscapes the Red Desert is is a professional-level juried art exhibition that includes photography and fine art pieces by local and national artists. The intent of Art and Landscapes of the Red Desert is to create a dialogue about public lands in the Red Desert and communicate how these lands are used and their significance to those who live, work, play in, and otherwise value this area. The BLM is currently revising its 20-year management plan for large portions of public lands in the Red Desert and it is our hope that a visual dialogue will encourage community engagement with this public land planning process.

Supported in part by a grant by the Wyoming Arts Council, through funding from the Wyoming State Legislature and the National Endowment for the Arts

Artful Hand's Japanese Design show puts the "D" in Dec. 13 Art, Design & Dine

The Dec. 13 Art Design and Dine art walk in Cheyenne features this show at Artful Hand Studio & Gallery. This is the final AD&D of the season. Stay tuned for the spring 2013 schedule. 

Latest Alexander Payne film "Nebraska" on location near Buffalo

Alexander Payne's ("The Descendants," "About Schmidt") latest film "Nebraska" is shooting at the Lake Stop near Buffalo. The film is about "an aging, booze-addled father who makes the trip from Montana to Nebraska with his estranged son in order to claim a million dollar Publisher's Clearing House sweepstakes prize." And we know that all roads from MT to NE go through WY. Shots are production stills taken off of the Wyoming Film Office's Facebook page.

Made in Wyoming Chamber Music announces composition contest

Made in Wyoming Chamber Music is pleased to announce a composition contest for residents of Cheyenne and Laramie County. The contest has two divisions: student and adult. The student category includes junior and senior high students. The adult division includes college students and other adults.

There will be two winners in each division, and a fifty dollar prize will be awarded to each of the four winning composers. The winning compositions will be performed at the open rehearsal for the Made in Wyoming concert, Saturday, May 11, 2013 as well as the concert on Sunday, May 12, 2013.

Compositions submitted are to be between four and six minutes in length, and are to be for woodwind quintet (flute, clarinet, oboe, bassoon, French horn). Compositions must have been never performed, recorded, or distributed in public. Made in Wyoming reserves the right for first public performance, but copyright remains with the composers. Decisions of the judges will be final.

Compositions must be typeset with a program such as Finale or Sibelius. Submissions include a copy of the score and parts identified by title only, and without the name of the composer appearing on any of the music, as well as an mp3 digital recording of the composition identified only by the title of the composition.

Composers should include the following information on a separate piece of paper: their name, the title of their composition and its length, which division they are entering (and where they attend school, with their music teacher’s name if they are entering the student division), and contact information (address, contact telephone, email address).

Submissions may be mailed to: P.O. Box 15776, Cheyenne WY 82003, or emailed to: WyomingChamberMusic@yahoo.com. For more information, please write to the email address.

Deadline for receipt of entries is Thursday, Feb. 28, 2013. In the case of mailed entries, this is a postmark deadline.

Call for applications: Rosemary Kennedy Internship Initiative

The 2013 Rosemary Kennedy Internship Initiative is now open and accepting applications from qualified organizations. This initiative provides funding of up to $25,000 to arts organizations, from across the country, to initiate internship and apprenticeship programs for youth with disabilities that provide pre-professional skill development in the fields of arts, arts management and arts education.

Application deadline is January 7, 2013.

FMI:  Sonja Cendak, Assistant Manager, Artist Services, VSA / Accessibility Department, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, (202) 416-8823 or http://www.kennedy-center.org/accessibility/career.cfm

Lone Wyoming audition for Troopers Drum & Bugle Corps this weekend in Cheyenne

From the Casper Star-Tribune:

The only Wyoming audition for the 2013 Troopers Drum & Bugle Corps — brass, percussion and color guard — will be held Friday evening through Sunday at Cheyenne’s Storey Gym.

“Anyone interested still has time to register on our website,” corps director Fred Morris said. Other camps are being held this month in Texas, Las Vegas and Daytona Beach, Fla.

The elite 150 people chosen will represent Wyoming’s 55-year tradition of participation in the world class drum and bugle corps activity.

Selection at audition camps is based on musical ability, positive attitude, time commitment and the ability to meet financial requirements.

Even if summer participation is uncertain at this point, students who are interested are encouraged to attend a camp. Each member receives an evaluation at the end of the weekend with suggestions for improvement and an assessment of placement within the corps.

The nonrefundable fee to audition is $75, and the camp fee is $50 for meals, facilities and miscellaneous expenses. Tuition for the 2013 season is $2,550, payable on a monthly schedule January through August.

For information, visit troopersdrumcorps.org.

Cowboy Christmas Poetry Gathering Dec. 15 at Buffalo High School

Wyoming Arts Council artist roster application is now available online

The Wyoming Arts Council accepts applications annually for its artist roster. Artists and arts groups in the literary, performing and visual arts can now apply online via the CaFÉ (Call for Entry) program of the Western States Arts Federation. Folk artists may apply in any of these categories.

The WAC has extended the application deadline to Jan. 7, 2013.

Wyoming residents can register for CaFÉ for free at http://www.callforentry.org. Once registered, look up the call name of “Wyoming Arts Council Artist Roster” to begin the process.

The WAC roster seeks to value artistic excellence through the selected artists, and to engage the public as patrons and advocates for the arts. Roster artists not only represent artistic excellence, but also become ambassadors for the WAC, and are a form of dynamic public art. Organizations, schools and festival presenters can write Artists Across Wyoming grants to bring these artists to their communities.

A roster directory is printed annually, distributed statewide, and posted online on the WAC web page at http://www.wyomingartscouncil.org

For more information, contact Karen Merklin at the WAC, Karen.Merklin@wyo.gov or 307-777-7743.

Crazy Woman Fine Art Gallery in Buffalo holds open house Dec. 8

New co-op gallery in Laramie holds artists' reception Dec. 2

Sean Hart is holding an artists’ reception at his new co-op gallery in Laramie, 404 S. Second St. It’s on Sunday, Dec. 2, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mimosas and coffee cake will be served, along with artwork by Bruce Amimanni, Patrick Kelly, Allison Wagg, and Sean Gote, photography by Jennifer Faulkner and Ryan Parker and jewelry by Dolores De Harte. Sean invites everyone to slide on by and see what these artists have to offer. See you there.

Wyoming Office of Tourism announces co-op advertising project for 2013

Alan Dubberley, Deputy Director Wyoming Office of Tourism, shared this letter with the Wyoming Arts Council. We thought we'd pass it along in case there are any arts organizations or artists (or groups of artists) interested in placing a co-op ad for the national Family Motorcoach Association rally in June at CAM-PLEX in Gillette. Here's the info:  

 

Hello Tourism Partners,

 

The Wyoming Office of Tourism (WOT) is providing a new co-op opportunity for 2013 that will reach the RV audience.

 

The Family Motorcoach Association (FMCA) will be hosting their annual membership rally at the Cam-Plex in Gillette June 19-22, 2013. This is the association's 50th anniversary celebration and they are expecting a great turnout with over 2,200 RVs in attendance. These travelers will not only be spending their days in Gillette, they will be exploring all over the state and region. A great opportunity for us to give them plenty of reason to explore Wyoming.

 

The FMCA membership is over 100,000 strong and the WOT is providing a co-op opportunity in their March edition of Family Motorcoaching magazine. This co-op will not only reach the audience planning to attend the Wyoming event, but their entire membership.

 

WOT will purchase a full page ad and 1/6 page ads will be made available to all interested parties at $1,000 each. All ads will be placed in a Wyoming section to create a great presence for the state. The WOT is also supporting this buy with banners on the FMCA website and ads in the FMCA e-newsletter. The web banners and e-newsletter ads are not part of the co-op, but if you are interested in purchasing web advertising from FMCA, feel free to discuss that with the contact below.

 

If you are interested in participating in the co-op, you can contact:

Ranita Jones - FMCA sales manager

1-800-543-3622 ext. 214

rjones@fmca.com

 

Space reservation deadline: January 13, 2013

Materials deadline: January 20, 2013

If you have any questions, please feel free to email me back or call me at one of the numbers listed below.

 

Warmest Regards,

Alan Dubberley, Deputy Director

Wyoming Office of Tourism

5611 High Plains Road

Cheyenne, WY 82007

O: 307-777-8561

M: 307-214-1530

alan.dubberley@wyo.gov

www.wyomingtourism.org

www.wyomingofficeoftourism.gov

"The Art of Storyelling" this weekend at Casper's Corridor Gallery and Wind City Books

"Glitch" by Karla Oceanak with illustrations by Kendra Spanjer. Spanjer's work will be featured in "The Art Of Storytelling"
art show and book sale in Casper Nov. 30-Dec. 1.

From the Nov. 23 Casper Star-Tribune Weekender section:

The Corridor Gallery and Wind City Books in downtown Casper present an art show and book signing celebrating “The Art of Storytelling.”

The gallery show features original artworks used in illustrated books by artists Bruce MacPherson, Aumi K. Perry, Zachary Pullen and Kendra Spanjer. In conjunction, Wind City Books will host these illustrators and many Wyoming authors in an all-day book signing.

MacPherson, of Vienna, Va., has illustrated for magazines, newspapers, games, books and national advertising campaigns. His clients include Mattel, National Geographic Society, New York Times, Texas Roadhouse Restaurants, Radio Shack, Red Robin Restaurants and many more.

Perry, of Casper, earned her fine arts degree from the University of Wyoming in 2001. She then studied drawing and painting under Hans-Peter Szameit and Sanna Tomac for three years. She has also studied with noted painters John Michael Carter and David Leffel. Aumi’s paintings have been featured in shows, galleries and private collections across the U.S.

Pullen’s character-oriented illustrations have been seen in The New York Times Book Review, Sports Illustrated, Esquire, GolfWorld, The Wall Street Journal and many other publications. His first picture book, “The Toughest Cowboy or How the Wild West was Tamed,” garnered a starred review from the School Library Journal and was placed on the Texas Blue Bonnet Master List for 2006-2007. His second book, “The Greatest Game Ever Played,” also received a starred review from Publishers Weekly. He lives in Casper.

Spanjer divides her time between being “a writer who illustrates” and “an illustrator who writes.” She and Karla Oceanak are the co-creators of an alphabetically-inspired graphic novel for middle grade readers: the Aldo Zelnick Comic Novel Series, published by Bailiwick Press. Titles so far include “Artsy-Fartsy” (December 2009), “Bogus” (June 2010), “Cahoots” (May 2011), "Dumbstruck” (August 2011), “Egghead” (May 2012), “Finicky” (September 2012) and “Glitch” (November 2012). She lives in Fort Collins, Colo.

Details:

Gallery show: Opening reception is 7 p.m. NOV. 30 at the Corridor Gallery, 120 E. Second St. The show will continue from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. DEC. 1. It is free.

Book signing: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. DEC. 1 at Wind City Books, 152 S. Center St. The art show illustrators will be joined by authors Craig Johnson, Gayle Irwin, Cat Urbigkit, Walter Jones, Curt Wendleboe, Kendra Spanjer, Bill Sniffin, Margo Bean and Gene Gagliano.

Info: www.windcitybooks.com, www.thecorridorgallery.com

Drama students from throughout Wyoming compete in Riverton Nov. 29-Dec. 1

Our Wyoming Arts Council colleague Camellia El-Antably is heading off to Riverton tomorrow for the Wyoming State Drama Competition. Here's her description of the event:

The Wyoming State Drama Competition is put on by the Wyoming Educators of Secondary Theatre (WEST) each year. It rotates between college campuses across the state. This year it is at Central Wyoming College in Riverton Nov. 29-Dec. 1.

It is one of the most complex theatre competitions nationally, because schools/students may compete in all areas of performance and tech, including:

Proscenium, Arena, Reader's Theatre, Original Scripts (3 kinds), Duets & Monologues (humorous or dramatic), Makeup, Scenic Design, Lighting Design, Publicity, Costume. The tech areas (makeup, scene, lights, publicity, costume) offer four levels with stronger criteria as the student gains experience.

 

All high schools are eligible to participate, another departure from competitions in other states, as there are no district-level competitions.

Approximately 35 high schools participate. CWC's Fine Arts Building will be overrun with students putting on makeup, rehearsing, watching performances or viewing technical entries. Students participate in critiques with professional judges. Judges are drawn from colleges and professional theatre groups in Wyoming and neighboring states.

WEST is a membership group of teachers and coaches and other interested parties from across the state. The competition is run entirely by them, with no paid staff. Anyone supportive of theatre in the schools can be a member of WEST. Find out more about WEST at: http://www.wyoest.net/

Focus is on Rocky Mountain Foodways Dec. 2 at Jackson Hole Historical Society and Museum

Foodways! One of our favorite topics here at the Arts Council. Found this on Tammy Christel's excellent Jackson Hole Art Blog:

The Jackson Hole Historical Society and Museum opens “Key Ingredients: Jackson Hole Flavors,” on Sunday, December 2, from 1-5 p.m. Emphasis is on “local.” The exhibit explores Jackson Hole food culture and is associated with Key Ingredients: America by Food, a Smithsonian Institution traveling exhibition. Artifacts from the museum collection, including select recipes that have been interpreted, give museum visitors a sense of Jackson’s the evolving food culture.

At 2 p.m. Andrea Graham, Folklife Specialist, delivers a program entitled Foodways in the Intermountain West, says the museum. During the program attendees will learn about the importance of our food traditions. Graham studied food culture in the American Studies Program at the University of Wyoming, where she conducts fieldwork statewide and produces public programs.

Beverages and favorite cookies from Jackson Hole cooks will be served during Sunday’s afternoon opening celebration. Free! www.jacksonholehistory.org/

Trail End Historic Site Holiday Open House Dec. 7-9 in Sheridan

Our State Parks and Cultural Resources colleagues at Trail End Historic Site in Sheridan sent us this announcement:

 

Kick off the holiday season right this year and make plans to attend the Trail End Holiday Open House in Sheridan. This three-day event celebrates the season with live music and tasty treats served up in a historically elegant atmosphere complete with all the traditional trappings of the holidays.

An annual tradition for over twenty-five years, the Open House is scheduled for December 7-9, at the Trail End State Historic Site. Sponsored by the Trail End Guilds, Inc., the event features live entertainment and holiday decorations throughout the spectacular 1913 mansion. Open House hours are 4-7 p.m. each day. Admission is $2 for adults. Children are admitted at no charge, but must be accompanied by an adult.

Trail End – a 14,000 square foot brick mansion overlooking Sheridan’s Kendrick Park – is decorated from Thanksgiving through mid-December (open daily from 1-4 p.m. for self-guided tours). Seven ornately decorated trees stand throughout the house, from the Drawing Room to the Ballroom. Windows and staircases are draped with garlands and ribbons, while potted poinsettias enhance nearly every horizontal surface.

 

One major attraction of the Open House is the live music, with a different act featured each hour. This year’s schedule is as follows (subject to last-minute changes):

Friday, December 7

4:00 p.m. – Barbara Campbell (piano)

5:00 p.m. – Cathy Storm (pump organ)

6:00 p.m. – Micah & Julie (guitar & vocal duet)

Saturday, December 8

4:00 p.m. – Canary Joe (jazz vocal/instrumental)

5:00 p.m. – Juliet’s Muse (instrumental ensemble)

6:00 p.m. – Methodist Handbell Choir (instrumental ensemble)

Sunday, December 9

4:00 p.m. – Sheridanaires (vocal ensemble)

5:00 p.m. – Patchwork Singers (vocal ensemble)

6:00 p.m. – Just Harmony (vocal ensemble)

 

Guided tours of the mansion, home of former Wyoming Governor and United States Senator John B. Kendrick, are also offered during the Open House. Conducted by Trail End staff and volunteers, the tours feature the history of the house and grounds, plus a look at what the holidays were like earlier in the Twentieth Century.

In the mansion’s historic kitchen, Trail End staff and volunteers will serve up tasty seasonal treats. This year, hot, spiced cider is paired with delicious homemade Figgy Pudding – a holiday tradition at Trail End.

In addition to Trail End’s regularly displayed furnishings – nearly all original to the house – many additional Kendrick family items are included in the annual holiday exhibit. Visitors have an opportunity to see toys, sleds, skates, dishes, and Christmas cards from the 1910s, 20s and 30s, as well as a nativity scene made in Germany prior to World War Two, and an old-fashioned “feather” tree.

This year’s focus exhibit is “The Ad Made Me Buy It: The Power of Advertising in the Early Twentieth Century.” The whole-house panel exhibit explores the art and science of advertising, and how potential consumers were influenced by the ads placed in their reading material.

The Holiday Open House is nearly the last opportunity for visitors to enjoy the historic site this year. Trail End is closed during the winter months, from December 15, through March 31.

Over the winter, staff will be busy updating the site’s interpretive panels. The current exhibit will be replaced by a special exhibit celebrating the hundredth anniversary of Trail End’s occupation by the Kendrick family (John, Eula, Manville and Rosa-Maye Kendrick moved into the house on July 27, 1913). Keep an eye open for more information on upcoming centennial activities.

The Trail End State Historic Site is located at 400 Clarendon Avenue in Sheridan (exit 23 off Interstate 90; turn onto Fifth Street; then left onto Clarendon). Parking for the Open House is available on Delphi, Clarendon and Victoria Streets. Limited handicapped parking is available in the circular drive between the Kendrick Mansion and the Carriage House Theater. An elevator provides access to the upper and lower floors for the mobility challenged.

Trail End is operated by the State Parks, Historic Sites and Trails Division of the Wyoming Department of State Parks and Cultural Resources. For more information on the Trail End State Historic Site, the Holiday Open House or the Trail End Guilds, phone307-674-4589, or visit their website at www.trailend.org.

Call for entries: Wyofile Cold Snap Challenge photo contest

From Wyofile:

Attention Wyoming photographers: It’s time again to don your winter clothing, go outside and capture the beauty of Wyoming for the glory of winning WyoFile’s annual Cold Snap Challenge!

This year, we’re looking for shots of Wyoming that include the state’s many incarnations of energy and energy development. You can shoot drilling derricks, pipe-yard workers, transmission wires, coal trains, geologists alone in the field or cattle grazing under a wind turbine — anything that says Wyoming and energy. WyoFile staff will pick one photo as our WyoFile Winter Snap champion, and the winner will receive a Flickr Pro account and $50!

WyoFile will accept submissions for the Winter Snap Challenge through midnight on Tuesday, December 18. All photos should be sent to erik@wyofile.com with “Focus on Energy” in the subject line. Contestants are free to submit as many photos as they like during the three-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 each artist will be gratefully credited for his or her work. Happy snapping!

Deadline is Jan. 15 for Historic Architecture Assistance Fund

This info comes to us from the November issue of the Wyoming Cultural Trust Fund newsletter:

The Wyoming Cultural Trust Fund is pleased to help the Historic Architecture Assistance Fund (HAAF). HAAF will provide the services of architects and engineers to the owners of historic buildings to address issues involved with the rehabilitation and use of such properties. The next deadline for applications is January 15, 2013.

The fund cannot support the entire architectural or engineering services needed for a complete rehabilitation project. Typical projects that can be funded include a building assessment, structural analysis, analysis of building code and ADA requirements, and façade and signage schematic design.

The HAAF is available to a variety of property owners. The fund is meant to support private and not-for-profit property owners, who are not eligible for many grant programs. Government entities can also apply for the funds. The HAAF was established to provide assistance to properties that are historic, which is generally understood to be over 50 years of age. Any proposed work that the HAAF would contribute to with assessment and design work must maintain or restore the historic integrity of the property. The fund is not intended to provide assistance with remodeling projects that would change the character of the historic building or address common utility system questions. The HAAF is best used to address conditions and materials that provide challenges for rehabilitation projects, such as potentially compromised structural systems, exterior wall materials, windows, ADA and code compliance, and the loss of historic components.

It should be understood that all properties will be treated as historic; that is, eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places, and proposed work will meet the Secretary of Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation. Applications may be submitted to either the Wyoming Main Street Program, the Alliance for Historic Wyoming, or the Wyoming State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO).

For application forms, visit SHPO’s website. Contact information:

Wyoming Main Street
Britta Fuller
214 West 15th Street
Cheyenne, WY 82002
307-777-2934
Britta.fuller@wyo.gov

Alliance for Historic Wyoming
Hilery Lindmier
P.O. Box 51201
Casper, WY 82605
307-333-3508
execdirector@historicwyoming.org

State Historic Preservation Office
Brian Beadles
2301 Central Avenue
Cheyenne, WY 82002
307-777-8594
Brian.beadles@wyo.gov

Call for entries: 2013 Cheyenne International Film Festival

The Cheyenne International Film Festival now is seeking entries for 2013 via Withoutabox. The event will be held in Cheyenne May 16-19. Go to http://cheyenneinternationalfilmfestival.com/blog/film/1850/

Call for entries: Railway Art Show & Sale

Happy Thanksgiving spoofing

So, it's the day before Thanksgiving and you still haven't gotten your turkey or finished those pesky pine cone turkey place card holders. And the napkins you've been trying to fold to look like a beautiful, just-blooming rose turn out looking more like something you pulled out of your ironing basket. Don't forget that after you scare grandma with the dancing turky on your hand, to lace up it up tight so the dressing won't explode all over your oven. So destress and have a chuckle. Or get busy!

Boycott Christmas in Thermopolis, yes really!

Thermopolis kicks of the Christmas season with "Buffalo Bill" Boycott performing his "Rocky Mountain Christmas" show on Thursday, Novemeber 29 at 7 p.m. in the Hot Springs County School District Auditorium.

"Buffalo Bill", also known as William Frederick Boycott, lives in Lander and performs throughout the country playing fiddle, banjo, mandolin and guitar. His Christmas program includes holiday stories, skits, songs, poems and instrumentals with a decidedly Western flair. One of his popular renditions is a “cowboy” version of “Twelve Days of Christmas.”

“Buffalo Bill” Boycott was a member of the Grammy Award-winning “New Christy Minstrels” from 2005 to 2008 and has performed in concert with Nitty Gritty Dirt Band as well as Waddie Mitchell and Riders in the Sky.

In 2011, Boycott was named "Best Male Yodeller " by the Western Music Association. He and sidekick "Dr. Jo" (Flower of the Prairie) also won the 2011 Harmony Duo Award.

Boycott is a popular presenter in the schools, teaching history of the American West and demonstrating Native American sign language.

A long-time Wyoming Arts Council roster artist, Boycott has produced two programs on the history of the West and Wyoming in cooperation with Wyoming Public Television. He has also released five audio recordings, including "Rocky Mountain Christmas." That CD won the Wyoming Historical Society's Honorable Mention Award.

While in Thermopolis, Boycott will also present a short afternoon program for residents of the Pioneer Home. He will also work with fourth grade students on Wyoming history.

Boycott's appearances in Thermopolis are sponsored by Hot Springs Greater Learning Foundation, in conjunction with Wyoming Arts Council, Wyoming State Legislature and the National Endowment for the Arts with additional support from Broadway Bygones.

Tickets are $8 for adults, $6 for seniors. Students are free. Advanced tickets are available with a $1 discount at Broadway Bygones until Nov. 28. For more information: 307-864-4070.

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. 

Sign up now for Wyoming Poetry Out Loud

Wyoming Poetry Out Loud champion Sara Ellingrod of Arvada-Clearmont presents "Chicago" by Carl Sandburg at the POL national finals in Washington, D.C., in May. Photo © James Kegley

The Wyoming Arts Council invites interested language arts, speech/debate and drama teachers to take part in Poetry Out Loud (POL), the national recitation and memorization contest sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation. Designed specifically for students in grades 9-12, the program is a fun way to teach and reinforce language arts standards about poetry.

The sign-up deadline for Wyoming Poetry Out Loud is January 11.

The program materials are available now from the Wyoming Arts Council. The school contests will take place through mid-February, 2013. The state finals will take place in Cheyenne March 4-5. Many of the program materials are also available on the web site at http://www.poetryoutloud.org/.

POL builds on the resurgence of poetry as an oral art form, encouraging the nation’s youth to learn about great poetry through memorization and performance. Students can work on mastering comprehension, public speaking, acting, performance, drama and English skills while building self-confidence and internalizing our rich literary heritage.

Last year, 11 schools from across Wyoming participated in the program. Sara Ellingrod of Arvada-Clearmont, a second-time school winner, won the state finals and represented Wyoming at the national finals in Washington, D.C. She became one of only 53 students in a competition that involved 1,500 high schools and 365,000 students nationwide.

If a school is interested in participating in Wyoming’s Poetry Out Loud competition, or needs further information, please contact Linda Coatney at the WAC, 307-777-6393 or Linda.coatney@wyo.gov. 

Reception Nov. 16 for the “Arts In Parks” calendar artwork display in the State Museum

Artwork featured in the 2013 “Arts in Parks” calendar will be on display at the Wyoming State Museum from November 8 through December 30.  An opening reception for the exhibit will be held on Friday, November 16, State Museum in downtown Cheyenne, 5-6 p.m.

As part of Wyoming State Parks, Historic Sites and Trails 75^th Anniversary, sponsored by Cameco and in partnership with the Wyoming Arts Council, which also provided logistics and funding as part of our Arts in the Parks programming, the calendar features 13 artistic pieces depicting different State Parks and Historic Sites. The artistic pieces include oils, photography, mixed media, acrylics and watercolors.

In conjunction with the Wyoming Arts Council and the Wyoming State Museum, the Division of State Parks, Historic Sites and Trails invited artists from throughout the state to render artistic depictions of any of Wyoming’s State Parks and Historic Sites.

Some of the sites included in the artistic pieces are Ames Monument, Buffalo Bill State Park, Edness Kimball Wilkins State Park, Fort Phil Kearny State Historic Site, Glendo State Park, Guernsey State Park, Hot Springs State Park, Keyhole State Park, Medicine Lodge State Archaeological Site and Sinks Canyon State Park.

Artists included in the calendar are Glenda L. Heimbuck-Haley, Anthony James and Tim Haley of Cheyenne; Alissa Hartmann and Christine Meytras of Jackson;  Joyce Keown and Mack Brislawn of Laramie; Virginia Butcher of Evansville; Mike Conaway of Evanston; Marie Elena Bramson of Frannie; Pat Schermerhorn of Cody; Nancy Brown of Gillette; and Sally La Bore of Sheridan.

Calendars will be available through the Wyoming State Museum Store and from the Wyoming Division of State Parks, Historic Sites and Trails.

Wyoming State Museum is open Mon.-Fri., 9:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Sat. 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. Closed Sundays and State and Federal Holidays.

Journal of American Veterinary Medical Association features work by Lander artist Susan Grinels

Lander's Susan Grinels sent us this info:

The Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association Dec. 15, 2012, issue will feature a pastel portrait of the beloved basset hound “Polly” (shown above) by Lander-based artist Susan Grinels.

Grinels was asked by Polly’s owner, Dr. Lisa Dawson of the Lander Valley Animal Hospital, to create the portrait of her aging basset hound Polly, now 15, who came into the clinic as a stray puppy in a snowstorm and grew up to have her toenails painted bright colors by Lisa’s daughters..

Grinels has gained a following and reputation for her animal portraits and paintings, a path that combines her love of animals and need to paint and draw. After being a vet tech for many years, and never quite managing to leave that career behind, Grinels decided to follow her dream of becoming an artist. She studied at the Corcoran School of Art and graduated with a BFA in graphic design.

Even after that accomplishment, Grinels still finds herself helping out at local vet clinics, while focusing on her artistic path to convey a sense of presence and personality in her animal artwork. Her delving into understanding the importance of human and animal relationships has led to notable achievements, including the Pastel Journal’s “Creative Spark,” and numerous awards in local, regional and international art shows such as Art Show at the Dog Show, Pastel Society of the West Coast, Art Association of Jackson Hole.

She is a member of the Lander Art Center and the Pastel Society of the Northern Rockies, and this summer will accept a medal as a member of the International Association of Pastel Societies’ Master Circle.

To see more of Susan Grinels’ artwork, visit www.CapturedinPastels.com.