Casper photographer selected as new Artist-in-Residence at Zion National Park

Photographers shooting at Zion's West Temple in winter.

Zion National Park is pleased to announce Chuck Kimmerle as the new Artist-in-Residence. Chuck, a photographer from Casper,will spend a month in the park creating art that is relevant both to his style and the surroundings.

Chuck Kimmerle is best known for his quiet and unassuming photographs of the northern plains, which have been published in numerous magazines and catalogs as well as exhibited nationally. His most recent exhibition, “The Unapologetic Landscape,” has been touring for more than year.

The Artist-in-Residence program offers professional artists the opportunity to live and work in the majestic splendor of Zion National Park. The works completed under this program will contribute to the public understanding and appreciation of Zion National Park.  It is the park’s hope that works produced during this time will characterize Zion for present and future generations and offer park visitors and the general public the opportunity to see America’s heritage through the creative vision of contributing artists.

On Monday, November 7 at 8:00 p.m., Chuck will present a lecture at the Zion Lodge about his experience as Artist-in-Residence in Zion National Park. He will also give a presentation for Art Insights, the Southern Utah University Department of Art and Design’s weekly lecture series, on Thursday, November 3 at 7:00 p.m.

More information can be found at www.nps.gov/zion, and interested artists can contact the Artist in Residence Coordinator at Zion_Artist_in_Residence@nps.gov.

Plein air painting demo Sept. 10 at String Lake in Grand Teton National Park

String Lake (courtesy GTNP)

From Tammy Christel at Jackson Hole Art Tours:
Jackson Hole artist Erin C. O’Connor will give a free plein air painting demonstration at String Lake, Grand Teton National Park, on Saturday, September 10, 2011, 2:00-5:00 pm. O'Connor's appearance winds up the Grand Teton Association’s 2011 "Artists in the Environment" plein air series, and coincides with the opening days of 2011’s Jackson Hole Fall Arts Festival.

O'Connor finds her greatest inspiration by painting directly within the environment. Noted for her participation in many prestigious plein air events, she is represented in collections and exhibits throughout the country. Since being awarded the 2009 Joshua Tree National Park “Artist-in-Residency” post, she has taken part in numerous Rocky Mountain Plein Air Painters (RMPAP) events, most recently being awarded "Artists' Choice, Best Body of Work" by her peers at RMPAP's Pagosa Springs, Colorado competition. Plein Air Magazine’s Spring 2011 issue named the artist one of "Today's Masters."

"To gain the endorsements of your fellow artists--there's no higher accolade," O'Connor says.

O'Connor came to Jackson 25 years ago, and stays because it's a place where she and so many others are free to "follow their bliss." As an artist, you can never paint as much as you'd like, she says. O'Connor sees the world around her afresh daily. It's a point of ecstasy or a point of madness--but for her, wanting to paint everything you see--and seeing everything as a painting--is a gift.

O'Connor drew and painted from the time she was little.

"When I first started painting en plein air I'd say I strove more to capture details and "true" colors than I do now," she notes. "Now, I don't get as wrapped up in those details. It's the essence behind the details I want to capture. That was never a conscious decision--you're not going to change the way you paint, it's as unique as your signature. My style is not really contemporary, not really traditional. The “Taos Ten” greatly influenced me, and the California Impressionists--the people in the U.S. who were painting outside. It was their clarity of light and brilliant color."

Describing herself as essentially a "solitary individual," O'Connor has lately been painting hay bales--"round bales, square bales, hay loaves, hay laying on the ground, in stripes and in piles!" Painting alone allows her to stay in her "zone," frees her to get into her signature style. Summers, O'Connor works as a landscaper. The job gets her outside, and she can think about how to access certain scenes.

"I'm not above stopping on the Wilson Bridge and placing orange cones around me so I can paint!  But there's usually an easier way," says a smiling O'Connor.
A few years ago, while painting at String Lake, a Western Tanager flew down to perch on the artist's easel.

"I don't know if it was attracted to the colors of the paint or if it was a mooch! It was a great experience," recalls O'Connor. "There's so much going on at String Lake. There are the mountains, so dramatic. There's the lake itself, quiet and serene. It's shallow enough to see logs beneath the water's surface, everything is so interesting, there's so much to choose from. And it's an honor to be asked back to "Artists in the Environment."

About the Series: “Artists in the Environment” is funded by the Grand Teton Association, an organization whose purpose is to promote appreciation, understanding and enjoyment of Grand Teton National Park and the Greater Yellowstone Area. Free to all, with Park entry fee or pass. Viewers are invited to bring a chair, a snack, and those who would like to are welcome to paint alongside the artist.  Look for the big, bright "Artist's Demonstration" banner!

For artist contact information, email Tammy Christel at tammy@jacksonholearttours.com; www.grandtetonpark.org

Scott Christensen conducts free plein-air painting demo Aug. 13 at Grand Teton NP

The Grand Teton Association invites the public to join world-renowned artist Scott Christensen on Saturday, August 13, 2011, 2-5 pm, for a live plein air painting demonstration at Grand Teton National Park's Cathedral Group. The event is free and open to the public. 

Largely self-taught, Christensen became an artist via a circuitous route. Born in Lander, Christensen quickly developed his aesthetic. It was not until college, however, that he would recognize nature as his muse. While attending Nebraska’s Chadron State on a football scholarship, Christensen sustained a severe neck injury that left him unable to compete.  Christensen sought solace in fly fishing, and he visited his grandfather, a wheelchair-bound amateur oil painter. The scent of oils stirred Christensen’s imagination, and he took a leap of faith, enrolling in art classes. In 2007, he moved from Jackson, Wyoming, to Victor, Idaho, and built a studio. That studio has become a salon of sorts, a gathering place for peers.  

Christensen is influenced by such masters as Isaac Levitan, Alphonse Mucha, Joaquin Sorolla and Anders Zorn. The latter’s luminous work inspired Christensen’s limited palette. Equally present in Christensen’s paintings are the effects of literature, music and football.

Christensen’s paintings are included in significant venues, such as the National Academy of Western Art; Prix de West Invitational at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum  in Oklahoma City, OK;  the Gilcrease Museum in Tulsa, OK; National Museum of Wildlife Art in Jackson, WY; Denver Art Museum; Kimbal Museum; Salmagundi Club in New York; Autry Museum; the Salon d' Arts at the Colorado History Museum; and GTNP's Craig Thomas Visitors' Center. 

About the Series: “Artists in the Environment” is funded by the Grand Teton Association, an organization whose purpose is to promote appreciation, understanding and enjoyment of the Grand Teton National Park and the Greater Yellowstone Area. Free to all, viewers are invited to bring a chair, a snack, and those who would like to are welcome to paint alongside the artist.  Look for the big, bright "Artist's Demonstration" banner!   

Contact for Scott Christensen: Rick Jamison   rick@christensenstudio.com   707.494.7649

http://www.grandtetonpark.org/

Call for applications: Zion National Park artist residency program

Zion National Park in Utah is now accepting applications for four-week residencies during its upcoming residency season. Applicants can indicate which of the four designated sessions they would prefer: October 17-November 13, 2011; February 6-March 4, 2012; April 2-April 29, 2012; and October 15-November 11, 2012. While in residence, artists live in the park, either in a house or on a campsite, and are encouraged to create artwork that responds to the park’s natural beauty and furthers the cause of conservation. Upon completion of the residency, artists must donate, at the park’s choosing, one original work from, and representative of, their residency. Click here for more information on the program, and here for the application, which includes complete guidelines.

Murie Center hosts nature photography workshop June 15-18 with Henry H. Holdsworth

Teton Spring Awakening Nature Photography Workshop with Henry H. Holdsworth

Dates: June 15-18, 2011
Location: The Murie Ranch – A National Historic Landmark in Grand Teton National Park
Description: Join the Murie Center and nationally renowned local photographer Henry H. Holdsworth for a long weekend learning how to capture the essence of beauty in the valley.
Price: $1,345 includes lodging for 3 nights in a Murie Ranch cabin, all meals and tuition; $995 includes all meals and tuition only.

The Murie Center is pleased to welcome back Henry H. Holdsworth for a spring workshop that will focus on wildflowers and wildlife, with baby animals being one of the primary focal points. Enjoy a long weekend stay at the Murie Ranch while learning to photograph the wildness and wildlife of the surrounding valley under the direction of such an accomplished photographer. Register Online »

Summer's coming (eventually) to northwest Wyoming

From "Yellowstone to Yukon: Freedom to Roam" exhibit at the BBHC

Despite the continuing snow, Wyomingites in know that summer is drawing near when the roads open in Yellowstone National Park and the Buffalo Bill Historical Center in Cody expands its hours. Here's info about the latter::

On Sunday, May 1, the Buffalo Bill Historical Center shifts into its summer season schedule -- open daily 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. The summer schedule remains in effect through September 15.

The busy season brings four special exhibitions to the Center. On tap for this year are:
• Yellowstone to Yukon: Freedom to Roam, a photography exhibition, April 15-Aug.7.
• Arapaho Journeys: Photographs and Stories from the Wind River Reservation, April 29-October 2.
• Beauty Behind Barbed Wire: Arts and Crafts from the Heart Mountain Internment Camp, June 1-Sept. 6.
• Dressed Just Right: An Evolution of Western Style from Function to Flamboyance, June 3-Oct. 2.

Other activities this summer include:
• Plains Indian Museum Powwow, June 18 – 19.
• National Day of the American Cowboy celebration, July 23.
• Buffalo Bill Invitational Shootout, August 11 – 13.

Committed to connecting people with the Spirit of the American West, the Buffalo Bill Historical Center weaves the varied threads of the western experience—history and myth, art and Native culture, firearms technology and natural history—into the rich panorama that is the American West. The Center, an Affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, operating its spring schedule of 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. through April 30, moves to summer hours of 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. May 1. For general information, call 307.587.4771 or visit www.bbhc.org.

"Artists in the Environment" Plein Air Summer Series announced by Grand Teton Assn.

The Grand Teton Association presents the 2011 “Artists in the Environment” Plein Air Summer Series schedule:

Greg McHuron

Date: June 11, 2011

Location: Chapel of Transfiguration

Time: 4:00 - 7:00 pm

Plein air painter Greg McHuron (shown in photo) co-founded “Artists in the Environment” with landscape artist Conrad Schwiering, and has been painting in the Western United States for over 35 years.  Represented in galleries and museums throughout the West, he is a signature member of the Rocky Mountain Plein Air Painter Association and Artists for Conservation.

Greta Gretzinger

Date:  July 9, 2011

Location:  Mormon Row

Time:  2:00-5:00 pm

Greta Gretzinger is known for her large scale murals depicting wilderness landscapes and wildlife.  Based in Idaho and the Jackson Hole area, Gretzinger’s lively and illustrative portraits of Western life appear in public spaces and local parks throughout the region.  

Scott Christensen

Date: August 13, 2011

Location: Cathedral Group

Time: 2:00-5:00 pm

One of the country’s most distinguished plein air artists, Scott Christensen's work is part of Grand Teton National Park’s Craig Thomas Visitors’ Center prestigious permanent collection. Christensen’s paintings are included in significant national venues, such as the National Academy of Western Art, Prix de West Invitational at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum  in Oklahoma City, OK,  the Gilcrease Museum in Tulsa, OK, National Museum of Wildlife Art in Jackson, WY, Denver Art Museum, Kimbal Museum, Salmagundi Club in New York, Autry Museum, and the Salon d' Arts at the  Colorado History Museum.

Erin C. O’Connor

Date:  September 10, 2011

Location:  String Lake

Time:  2:00-5:00 pm

Artist Erin C. O'Connor finds her greatest inspiration by painting directly within the environment. Noted for her participation in many prestigious Plein Air events, she is represented in collections and exhibits throughout the country. O’Connor was awarded the 2009 Joshua Tree National Park “Artist-in-Residency” post. 

Information: Tammy Christel. Email:  tammy@jacksonholearttours.com   Phone:  307.690.1983

Andrea Two Bulls will demonstrate beadwork and painting at Colter Bay Center

Colter Bay Visitor Center & Indian Art Museum on Jackson Lake

From Monday, September 27, through Sunday, October 4, Ogalala Sioux member Andrea Two Bulls will demonstrate beadwork and painting as part of the visiting American Indian artists program. Begins at 9 a.m.,  Colter Bay Indian Arts Museum, Moose. Info: 739-3393, http://gtnpnews.blogspot.com/2010/05/american-indian-guest-artists-program.html. Free, but national park admission required. This will wrap up the 2010 series of programs.

Open house at Fossil Butte National Monument

National Parks Service photo of Finney Specimen

Tour the six new exhibits at Fossil Butte National Monument featuring more than 200 new fossils such as mammals, birds, turtles, insects, flowers, seeds and leaves and trace fossils of swimming fish. See fossil preparation demonstrations, too. Other exhibits will also be on display and include geology and prehistoric road trip timeline. Refreshments will be served. Fossil Butte is one of the richest fossil sites in the world.
 
Where: Fossil Butte National Monument visitors' center, nine miles west of Kemmerer on U.S. Highway 30.
 
When: 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Friday, July 9
 
FMI: 307-877-4455, http://www.nps.gov/fobu/index.htm

NHTIC celebrates anniversity with "A Day at the Rock"

The National Historic Trails Interpretive Center in Casper is celebrating its tenth anniversary with some special summer activities:

July 11, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Guided Hike: A Day at the Rock

Independence Rock was the beacon in the desert for adventurers, explorers, fur traders and emigrants. This granite monolith is one of the most famous landmarks along the historic pioneer trails.

BLM interpreter Jason Vlcan will present a program that includes the sharing of pioneer diary and journal entries. He will discuss the experiences of the pioneers when they passed this landmark over 150 years ago. Vlcan will also lead a guided hike as the group searches for names of emigrants who carved their names and dates into rock.

This family-friendly hike is part of the BLM’s “Take it Outside” initiative, which encourages families and youth to explore the great outdoors.

Participants will leave the Trails Center in their own personal vehicles at 9 a.m. and return back to Casper by 2 p.m. The program is free, but space is limited. To make reservations, contact Vlcan at 307-261-7783 or 307-261-7780.

July 11, 3 p.m., NHTIC program: Taking the Path Less Traveled: A Modern Day Pioneer on our Historic Trails

April Whitten can relate to the experiences of emigrants on our historic trails like few others. In 1999, she joined a wagon train and traveled from Nebraska to California, walking most of the way.

Her responsibilities included gathering terrain, location, weather and environmental data, and documenting her journey through journals and photographs. Her journey was funded by the National Park Service.

During her travels, she maintained detailed journals and took thousands of photographs. Whitten will present a one-hour program about her journey. She will also discuss the importance of protecting and preserving the remaining traces of our historic trails. Following a break, participants will be encouraged to ask a modern-day pioneer questions about her adventure.

Whitten, of Applegate, Ore., is a geoarcheologist, and her research focuses on migratory routes and historic trails. She is author of, “Are We There? And Lessons Learned Along the Way."

FMI: Lesley A. Collins, 307-261-7603

"Humans, Bison and Elk: The Archaeology of Jackson Hole" presentation July 8 in Grand Teton N.P.

From a University of Wyoming press release:

Jackson Hole's rich archaeology history is the topic for the summer seminar series Thursday, July 8, at the University of Wyoming-National Park Service (UW-NPS) Research Center. The center is located at the AMK Ranch in Grand Teton National Park.

Ken Cannon, Utah State University Archeological Services director, will discuss "Humans, Bison and Elk: The Archaeology of Jackson Hole" at 6:30 p.m. at the AMK Ranch, north of Leeks Marina. A barbecue will be held at 5:30 p.m. with a $5 per person fee; reservations are not required. For more information, call the UW-NPS Center at (307) 543-2463.

Past research work along the Wilson-Fall Creek Road on the National Elk Refuge, and in southern Teton County, have revealed insights about the valley's original occupants. Cannon will discuss some of the key sites that have contributed to the current state of understanding about the inhabitants and how they made a living in one of the most beautiful valleys in the world.

Work by visiting Native-American artists on display at Colter Bay Indian Arts Museum

Check this out on your travels through GTNP:

Grand Teton National Park sponsors a program for visiting American Indian artists at the Colter Bay Visitor Center and Indian Arts Museum. Artists participating in the program represent tribes from across the U.S. Guest artists exhibit daily. Monday-Sunday from 9 a.m.-7 p.m. in the lower level of the Colter Bay Indian Arts Museum. Artists also offer their finished work for purchase.

Through May 30 -- Willie and Debbie LaMere, Shoshone, knapping, beadwork and flint

Admission to GTNP will be free on the weekend of June 5-6.

FMI: 3070-739-3393 and http://www.nps.gov/grte/index.htm

Join Sept. 17 camera safari to the Tetons

From a press release:

Wildlife artists Lindsay Scott and Leo E. Osborne will accompany a unique ‘Mini Safari’ into Grand Teton National Park on Thursday, September 17. The early morning camera safari – led by Wildlife Expeditions, a division of non-profit Teton Science Schools – is part of the National Museum of Wildlife Art’s Western Visions fundraiser, for which Scott and Osborne are 2009 Featured Artists. Guests will enjoy firsthand advice and commentary from the artists as they travel by customized safari-style vehicles through the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, experiencing a variety of native birds and animals during prime early morning viewing hours.

The Mini Safari takes place from 6:30-11 a.m. on September 17, departing from the museum, 2.5 miles north of Jackson. Tickets for the event are $125 for museum members, $150 for non-members; call 307.732.5412 to register. A discounted lunch will be available in the Rising Sage Café at the museum following the trip. Western Visions is the National Museum of Wildlife Art’s largest annual fundraiser. Signature Western Visions events including the 22nd Annual Wild West Artist Party, also on September 17, and the 22nd Annual Miniatures and More Show & Sale, September 18, coincide with the popular Jackson Hole Fall Arts Festival.

In addition to their Mini Safari participation, New Zealand-based painter and conservationist Lindsay Scott and U.S. sculptor Leo E. Osborne will present live demonstrations, participate in a Featured Artists Panel Discussion, and have specially created pieces sold at live auction during the Miniatures and More Show & Sale, September 18. For a full schedule of Western Visions events, visit http://www.westernvisions.org/WesternVisions/CalendarEvents/.

A member of Museums West and accredited by the American Association of Museums, the National Museum of Wildlife Art of the United States provides an exciting calendar of exhibitions from its permanent collection and changing exhibitions from around the globe and has been featured in media including the L.A. Times and New York Times. A complete schedule of exhibitions and events are available online at http://www.wildlifeart.org/.

Media Contacts: Darla Worden, WordenGroup Strategic Public Relations, 307.734.5335, darla@wordenpr.com; Zeenie Scholz, National Museum of Wildlife Art, 307.732.5437, zscholz@wildlifeart.org

Mark Spragg leads Yellowstone writing course

Wyoming novelist Mark Spragg will lead a Yellowstone Association field course, "Writing Inspired by Landscape," August 31-Sept. 3, at Lamar Buffalo Ranch in YNP. Rates: $325 (member's fee $315).

Description from web site:

Immerse your writing in the inspiration of Yellowstone’s mountains and valleys. Explore how this wild landscape can determine pacing, dialogue, tone and action. You’ll pay special attention to maintaining a balance between description and narrative pacing. Develop these effects through outdoor writing exercises and sharing your writing with other participants. Whether you write fiction or nonfiction, you’ll come away with an understanding of the landscape of character.

Lodging at the Lamar Valley Buffalo Ranch is recommended for this course. You can book your cabin when you register.

Start: August 31 at 7 p.m. End: September 3 at 4 p.m.

FMI: http://www.yellowstoneassociation.org/institute/

Gary Ladd: 40 years exploring Grand Canyon

From a Teton County Public Library press release:

Teton County Public Library hosts large-format photographer Gary Ladd for a slideshow talk "Forty Years of Exploring and Photographing the Grand Canyon" on Thursday, July 9 at 7 p.m. in the library's Ordway Auditorium in Jackson. The program is free and open to the community with support from donations, large and small, to the Teton County Library Foundation.

Ladd specializes in photographing the wilderness interior of the Grand Canyon, the pristine sandstone landscapes surrounding Lake Powell, and the slick rock terrains of Vermilion Cliffs National Monument. His photos are included in the library's current exhibition "Lasting Light: 125 Years of Grand Canyon Photography" from the Smithsonian's traveling program. The
exhibition is on view at the library through Thursday, July 16.

National magazines such as "Life," "Newsweek," "National Geographic Adventure" and many more have published and showcased Ladd's photographs. Ladd has contributed to numerous book projects including "Grand Canyon, Time Below the Rim," "Canyon Light," and "Along the Rim," winning awards for several of the publications.

His most recent book project, "Grand Canyon, Views Beyond the Beauty," was published in July 2008 by Grand Canyon Association. He is currently at work on a self-published booklet guide to Grand Canyon geology (available in the summer of 2009) and a new Lake Powell book with Arizona Highways (scheduled for release in the spring of 2010).

Ladd has lived in Page, Arizona, along the Colorado River (just upstream from Grand Canyon, just downstream from Lake Powell) for 28 years. He is a Museum of Northern Arizona Ventures trip leader, former Sierra Club wilderness backpack trip leader, Arizona Highways photo workshop instructor,Grand Circle Field School and Grand Canyon Field Institute instructor and
Elderhostel geology/photography instructor.

You can view one of Ladd's photos from the Smithsonian's "Lasting Light" exhibition at http://tiny.cc/TYpJ7.

FMI: Education and Program Manager Dimmie Zeigler, 733-2164 ext. 229. Visit the library online at www.TCLib.org.

Murie Center hosts natural soundscape workshop

The Murie Center in Moose invites you to a four-day natural soundscape workshop, from 6 p.m. Wednesday, June 24, to noon Sunday, June 28, in Jackson Hole.

Led by bio-acousticians Bernie Krause, Martyn Stewart, and Kevin Colver, the focus will be the soundscape from many perspectives. These include the biophony — the non-human critter voices in given habitats, geophony — the non-biological sources of sound and what they reveal, and anthrophony — the noise that humans interject into the world and its direct affect on critter life and human experience. Attendees will explore the benefits of the voice of the natural world as it relates to human health and culture, including creative sound arts.

The workshop includes both field and classroom activities and is spread over a larger number of days and nights so that participants have several opportunities to record sounds. As part of the program, The Murie Center will provide accommodations in comfortable (but rustic) cabins and food service on site.

FMI: kkrause@wildsanctuary.com or call Kat at 707/996-6677.

Tips on selling work to national parks

Wyoming authors, artists and crafters might find this conference helpful:

Attend the Annual GRO-Biz Procurement Conference to learn about the procurement process from experts such as Jeff Sneddon who currently serves as the Northern Rockies Major Acquisition Buying Office (MABO) Lead Contracting Officer, located in Yellowstone National Park. The Northern Rockies MABO consists of twelve National Park Service locations in Wyoming, Montana, and Northern Utah. Jeff has a procurement certification at the FAC-C Level III with a $20,000,000 level Certificate of Appointment (Warrant).

Jeff is the keynote speaker for lunch on Feb. 19. Don't miss a chance to speak with him about your small business.

The GRO-Biz Annual Conference will be held Feb. 18-19 at the Holiday Inn in Cody. Pre-conference workshops will be held on Feb. 17.

For more information or to register for this event, visit www.gro-biz.com