Joy Williams next Eminent Writer-in-Residence at UW

Joy Williams' first novel, State of Grace, published in 1973, was a finalist for the National Book Award. More recently, her novel The Quick and the Dead (2000) was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. Her 2001 essay collection, Ill Nature, was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award. Her several other books include a recent collection of shortstories, Honored Guest (2004), a guide to the Florida keys, and the novel Breaking and Entering (1988). Her awards include a Guggenheim fellowship,the Harold and Mildred Strauss Living Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, and the Rea Award for the Short Story. She lives in Key West, FL, and Tucson, AZ.

Joy will be in Laramie for the entire academic year, teaching the MFA fiction workshop in the fall and a graduate readings course in the spring.

Free art classes at UW Museum of Art

The University of Wyoming Art Museum will offer free art classes as part of a nationwide celebration of Youth Arts Month during March.

Students between the ages of 4-12 and their parents are invited to the art museum from 1-3 p.m. Saturdays, March 1, 8, 15 and 29, where they will join teachers Sharon Mathiesen and Jeny Stoesz to analyze, explore and create art. These Saturday afternoon classes are free, fun and open to the public. For more information, contact Wendy Bredehoft at or at 766-3496.

Bringing the world of art to Wyoming, the Art Museum is located in the Centennial Complex at 22nd & Willett Drive in Laramie. The Museum and Museum Store are open Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with extended hours until 9 p.m. on Mondays February through April. Admission is free.

Local author hits Denver best-seller lists

Cheyenne writer Pam Nowak joined the likes of John Grisham and Stephen King on the Denver Post’s list of local best-sellers on Feb. 23. I bought a copy of Pam’s novel (her first one) that same day at City News in Cheyenne. I showed up a half hour after the signing started and got the last copy of the book, already in its second printing. In the interest of full disclosure: Pam is in my writing group.

Here’s the entire Denver Post listing:

The Denver area's best-selling books, according to information from the Tattered Cover Book Store, Barnes & Noble in Greenwood Village, Boulder Book Store and Borders Books in Englewood.

FICTION
1. The Appeal, by John Grisham, $27.95
2. The Reserve, by Russell Banks, $24.95
3. A Thousand Splendid Suns, by Khaled Hosseini, $25.95
4. The Invention of Everything Else, by Samantha Hunt, $24
5. Duma Key, by Stephen King, $28
6. People of the Book, by Geraldine Brooks, $25.95
7. Now You See Him, by Eli Gottlieb, $22.95
8. 7th Heaven, by James Patterson, $27.99
9. Chances, by Pamela Nowak, $28.95
10. World Without End, by Ken Follett, $35

"Chances" is set in Colorado in 1876, the same year the territory became a state. Its protagonist is Sarah Donovan, who works as a telegrapher and gets involved in the early years of the women's suffrage movement in the West.

Get more info on Pam and her book at http://www.pamelanowak.com/.

"Snapshot over Lunch" exhibit in Jackson

This comes from Suzanne Morlock in Jackson:

Local artist Suzanne Morlock will host an opening for her art installation at Bon Appe Thai, 245 W. Pearl Street in Jackson on Thursday, March 6, from 4-5:30 p.m. The exhibit will be up through May 18.

Inspired by the textures and flavors of the food at Bon Appe Thai while lunching in early 2006, Morlock approached the restaurant's owner about the idea. While Bon Appe Thai has been a supporter of local art for several years, usually artists request the use of wall space to display art. Morlock’s vision saw the ceiling as a canvas “ripe” for her ideas.

“Much of the work I’ve been doing the last few years considers the space as part of the evolution of the piece,” states Morlock. In 2006, Morlock was invited to participate in a themed group show at the Center for the Arts. Morlock asked if the atrium space in the lobby was a possibility and set to work on a site specific piece.

Similarly, Morlock’s interests in conceptually representing her interpretation of the tastes and textures of the Thai food at this local eatery drew her to think creatively about where to display this work. Using many of her familiar materials, yarn, wire, and paper her main focus was on the textures as she imagined them.

“It’s always exhilarating to exhibit work, the feedback from viewers is an active part of my process and a vital link in the exchange of ideas which is at the core of my purpose in making art," Morlock added. She is not interested in the commerce aspect of the art business but would be open to developing a “Medici” so she could devote more time to studio work.

Morlock will also be exhibit work at a solo exhibition in the Theater Gallery at the Center for the Arts in June 2008.

FMI: Suzanne Morlock at 307-733-0452 or suzanne@suzannemorlock.com

Powwow Association meets

The monthly meeting of the Southwest Wyoming Intertribal Powwow Association, a state approved non-profit organization, will hold its monthly meeting at 6:00 p.m. on Monday, March 3, 2008, in the Pinewood Village Apartments Community Room located at 1005 West 5th Street. Anyone, Native or non-Native, interested in promoting an annual powwow in Cheyenne is invited to attend.

FMI, call (307) 433-0090 or (307) 221-2532;
fax (307) 634-7982; or email them at sewipa@yahoo.com

Chris Amend leads AVA painting classes

Chicago dance troupe at WYO Theater

Deeply Rooted Dance Company will perform on Wednesday, February 27, 7:30 p.m. at the WYO Theater in Sheridan. Tickets are $18 for adults, $16 for seniors and military, $10 for students, and $8 for kids.

Here's a review of the group from the Chicago Sun-Times:

Deeply Rooted Dance Theater embodies the rich traditions of African-American dance theater and music. Performing the work of nationally renowned choreographers, DRDT presents innovative and inspiring expressions of contemporary life. This critically acclaimed ensemble offers work that entertains and ignites emotional responses from diverse audiences.

This Chicago-based company moves in a way that goes way beyond sheer artistry . . . they clearly are propelled by matters both social and spiritual. So when they dance they bring added intensity and meaning to the work.

FMI: http://www.wyotheater.com/ or http://www.deeplyrootedproductions.org/

"Galileo" on stage at Casper College

"Galileo," by Bertolt Brecht (English version by Charles Laughton) will be performed February 29 and March 1, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 on the McMurry Main State in the Gertrude Krampert Theatre at Casper College. All shows at 7:30 p.m.

"Galileo" features Richard Burk in the starrring role and is being directed by Tom Empey.

FMI: http://www.caspercollege.edu/.

Wyoming's Bobby Bridger on PBS special

Bobby Bridger of Cody is the author of "Buffalo Bill and Sitting Bull: Inventing the Wild West," published in 2002 by University of Texas Press in Austin, part of the M.K. Brown Range Life Series. Bobby, also a singer-songwriter, performs "A Ballad of the West" every summer in Cody. This trilogy of one-man shows "form an epic history of the American West."

"Jentel Presents" at Sheridan Library March 4

Press release from the Jentel Artist Residency Program:

East Coast wordsmiths and West Coast artists are gathering together at the Sheridan Public Library Inner Circle for this month’s “Jentel Presents.” The diverse group of creative people from the Jentel Artist Residency Program in Banner will be featured in this free public event on Tuesday, March 4, 5:30-7 p.m. “Jentel Presents” is a community outreach program that features slide presentations and readings by the visual artists and writers at the residency.

Presenters include:

• Liz Ahl, Plymouth, N.H. A poet, Liz’s recent obsessions include, but are not limited to: D.B. Cooper, the Apollo Space Program, poker, setting type and the function of “spectacle” in our culture.
• Sophie McManus, Brooklyn, N.Y. A fiction writer, Sophie has spent her whole life in cities and is excited to be in Wyoming. When not writing, she is most often exploring new places by bicycle.
• Jonathan Marshall, Austin, Texas. A multimedia artist, Jonathan enjoys drawing, traveling, cycling and all adventures, great or small.
• Karmen Polydorou, Buffalo, N.Y. A photographer, Karmen was born in Greece and feels she had had the opportunity to discover different aspects of herself by living in another country.
• Guenevere Schwien, Prunedale, Calif. A painter, Guenevere illustrates motorcycles in a fun, bold, colorful way.

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.

FMI: Lynn Reeves, 307-737-2311 jentel@jentelarts.org

Artist's reception today at State Museum

A series of black and white silver gelatin photographic prints of working cowboys are featured in the exhibit, "Cowboys on the Range: Photographs by Adam Jahiel," at the Wyoming State Museum in Cheyenne through March 7.

The public is invited to a free artist's talk by Jahiel from 4-5 p.m. on Thursday, February 21. A reception will follow the talk from 5-7 p.m.

The Wyoming State Museum is located in the Barrett Building, 2301 Central Avenue in Cheyenne, and is open 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturday.

Organist Joanne Clark performs in Casper

The Wyoming chapter of the American Guild of Organists welcomes Dr. Joanne Vollendorf Rickards Clark to Casper for performances and lectures March 5-7 at the First United Methodist Church, 332 E. Second St.

Clark will conduct free lectures at FUMC at 9:30 and 10:30 a.m. Thursday about the hidden meanings in African-American spirituals with regard to the Underground Railroad. She will perform an organ recital on Friday at 7:30 p.m. at the FUMC. Free-will offerings will be accepted.

Clark is the minister of organ and director of the Bach Choir at Hartford Memorial Baptist Church and chair of the music department at Marygrove College in Detroit.

FMI: Carolyn Deuel, ARTCORE, 307-265-1564.

Adler leads writing sessions on Second Life

Jacksonian/New Yorker Warren Adler sent this info about upcoming virtual writing discussions on Second Life:

Author Warren Adler will be coming into Second Life starting tomorrow for a series of interactive events.

A collection of folks at Amazon.com and Cruxy are working together to make this happen. The events will take place at the News Center on Amazon Developers 1, coordinates (118,179,23). Take a direct teleport to that location.

Second Life is a 3-D virtual world where Amazon.com hosts interactive events that connect authors and readers.

Join the Second Life group named Warren Adler Fans for reminders before each event.
The hour-long events will take place on Thursdays at 3 p.m. EST/Noon PST, from Feb. 21-March 20.

Here’s an outline of what will be discussed at each event:

Session One (Feb. 21): Where do story ideas come from? Mr. Adler will discuss a number of short stories that appear in New York Echoes, how they entered his mind and were fashioned into stories. He will discuss three of his stories: “Good Neighbors,” “The Mean Mrs. Dickstein,” and “The Cherry Tree.”

Session Two (Feb. 28): Tragic events and how they resonate -- Mr. Adler will discuss two of his short stories from New York Echoes that deal with the aftermath of 9/11 and how these tragic events linger in memory and trigger ideas for stories. The two stories are “I Can Still Smell It” and “That Horrid Thing.”

Sessions Three and Four (March 6 & 13): Short Story Contest -- Mr. Adler will discuss his short story contest and why he decided to start it. He will also announce the winners and discuss each story and why he chose them. If possible, contest entrants will convey their story lines or read the stories.

Session Five (March 20): How to put “life” into stories! Mr. Adler will talk about his novel Funny Boys and how it took shape. He will describe the era that is described by the term “Borscht Belt”, how it came about, what life was like then (1937) and the brutal gangster era at the time when Murder Inc., a group of Jewish and Italian killers, was in its heyday.

FMI: http://www.warrenadler.com/.

"The Tempest" coming to Cheyenne

Laramie County Community College and The Wyoming Tribune Eagle presents The Acting Company's The Tempest by William Shakespeare at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, February 27, 2008 at the Cheyenne Civic Center. General admission is $12; $5 for students and seniors. Call the Civic Center at (307) 637-6363 or visit LCCC website at http://www.lccc.wy.edu/

The Tempest is the last work thought to be written solely by Shakespeare. The plot involves Prosepro, rightful Duke of Milan, and his daughter, Miranda, stranded on an island for 12 years. Prospero's brother, Antonio, with help from Alonso, the King of Naples, sent Prospero and three-year-old Miranda adrift. There are spirits, a witch and her son, and of course, romance for Miranda, all of sixteenth-century design.

As in many of Shakespeare's plays, the play is itself concerned with its nature. The ending of The Tempest has the audience set Prospero free from his island by their applause.

Kerrie Flanagan leads writing workshop

Writing guru Kerrie Flanagan leads "So…You Want to Be a Writer?," a one-hour workshop to teach you the ins-and-outs of writing professionally and the world of publishing. During the session, Flanagan explores the publishing process, shares tips on catching editors/agents attention, discusses writing resources and examines the biggest hurdle for most writers: attitude.

This workshop takes place at 7 p.m. on Monday, March 3, in the new library’s Sunflower Room, 2200 Pioneer Ave. in Cheyenne. Pre-registration is required for this event, and can be done by calling 634-3561 or by visiting the "Ask Here" desk on the first floor.

Flanagan is a professional writer, a contributing editor for Journey magazine, and the director of Northern Colorado Writers Association. Her articles have appeared in such magazines as FamilyFun, Chicago Tribune, Colorado Homes & Lifestyles and SkyWest. She has a number of stories published in various Chicken Soup for the Soul books and is the author of the children's book, Cornelius Comma Saves the Day.

FMI: http://www.lclsonline.org/.

WAC board meets Feb. 21-22 in Cheyenne

The Wyoming Arts Council will hold its quarterly board meeting on Thursday and Friday, Feb. 21-22, at the Hitching Post Inn, 1700 W. Lincolnway in Cheyenne.

The public is invited to attend the board’s "public comment session" at 1:30 p.m., Feb. 22 at the Hitching Post.

The WAC board’s winter meeting is always conducted in conjunction with the annual Governor’s Arts Awards gala, which will be held Friday beginning at 6 p.m. at the Taco John’s Events Center.

FMI: Contact the Arts Council at 307-777-7742.

Terry Tempest Williams delivers "Weather Reports" in Pinedale March 7-8

From a UW press release:

Terry Tempest Williams, the University of Wyoming's first Eminent Writer-in-Residence in the Master of Fine Arts Program in Creative Writing, will host "Weather Reports" in Pinedale Friday and Saturday, March 7-8.

It is the first of four community reports to, as Williams puts it, "take the pulse of a community." Additional "Weather Reports" will be held in Casper March 28-29, the Wind River Indian Reservation/Riverton April 3-5, and Gillette May 2-3.

The Pinedale event, co-hosted by the Pinedale Fine Arts Council, is free and open to the public. It begins with a Friday night reading and discussion at 7 p.m. in the Lovatt Room of the Pinedale Library. Williams and University of Wyoming MFA students in creative writing will read from their works and engage community members in a discussion about what it means to live in their particular corner of Wyoming.

Community members will then have the opportunity to attend a Saturday writing workshop, from 9 a.m.-11:30 a.m., titled, "The Stories That Sustain Us." The workshop will explore stories and ask participants to write new material.

Author of "Refuge" and other works, Williams is an award-winning writer and wilderness advocate who has written on nature and culture. She has been credited with starting national conversations about the importance of dissent. Williams' latest book, "Mosaic: Finding Beauty in a Broken World," will be released this year.

For more information, call the Pinedale Fine Arts Center at (307) 367-7322 or e-mail pfac@wyoming.com, or call Alan Barstow of UW's MFA program at (307) 766-2867 or e-mail abarstow@uwyo.edu.

"Reno 911!" writer heads conference faculty

Robert Garant heads the faculty list for the annual Wyoming Writers, Inc., conference June 6-8 at the Casper Holiday Inn.

He joins an excellent line-up of presenters that includes poet Ray Gonzales, novelist Masha Hamilton, and New York City-based literary agents Rita Rosenkranz and Katherine Sands.

If Garant (pictured above) looks like one of the sheriff's department deputies in TV's Reno 911, that's because he is. He's also its writer, director, and executive producer.

Garant was born in Cookeville, Tennessee. He spent the early '90s appearing in off-off Broadway theaters (bars) in New York City with the comedy group The State. The State had a three-season run on MTV, which led to a 44-minute run on CBS. He then created, wrote, produced, and occasionally appeared in three seasons of Viva Variety on Comedy Central.

Since relocating to Los Angeles, Garant and his writing partner, Thomas Lennon, have written feature films for Disney, Spyglass, Imagine, Warner Brothers, Columbia, Paramount, New Line, Dimension, and Universal Pictures, and Night at the Museum I & II for Twentieth Century Fox. He has written and directed two feature films, Balls of Fury, for Universal and Spyglass, and Reno 911!: Miami for Fox and Paramount. In his spare time, he writes, directs, executive produces, and stars in Reno 911! -- one of Comedy Central’s highest-rated shows.

The conference includes readings, workshops, and one-on-one critique sessions with faculty members. Get more info at http://www.wyowriters.org/.

From Russian Easter to Scheherazade

The Cheyenne Symphony presents "Legends, Fantasies, and Celebrations" on Saturday, Feb. 23, 7:30 p.m. in Cheyenne.

The selections include:

• RIMSKY-KORSAKOV, Russian Easter Overture
• RAVEL, Pavane for a Dead Princess
• BORODIN, Polovtsian Dances
• RIMSKY-KORSAKOV Scheherazade

According to a press release, "Guest Conductor William Intriligator will introduce us to a thrilling Russian Easter with the opening music and then share the fantasy of a Thousand and One Arabian Nights with Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade. Along the way we spend a little time at a dignified and elegant reception for a young Spanish Princess in the Pavane for a Dead Princess and hear the exotic touches of Boradin's Polovtsian Dances with its memorable Stranger in Paradise tune."

FMI: http://www.cheyennesymphony.org

Richard Turner in concert Feb. 24 in Casper

ARTCORE presents Richard Turner in concert on Sunday, Feb. 24, 4 p.m. at Our Saviour's Lutheran Church in Casper.

Originally from Houston, Richard Turner moved to Casper in 1996. His musical education includes a Bachelor of Music from the University of Houston with additional studies at Peabody Conservatory and Brooklyn College. Mentors have included Paul Rucci, Ben Kamins, Leonard Hindell, and Phillip Kolker, and Richard has taken master classes with David Breidenthal, Bernard Garfield and Frederick Moritz. His performing credits include Texas Opera Theater and Houston Grand Opera, Regina Opera of Brooklyn, and Lynchburg and Roanoke Symphonies in Virginia.

Since 1996, Richard has been principal bassoonist with the Wyoming Symphony Orchestra and has been featured soloist in recitals for the Casper Chamber Music Society, with the WSO, and with the Casper Municipal Band. He enjoys playing the recorder and collaborating with colleagues in the Casper Recorder Consort.

Whether as president of ARTCORE, secretary of the Casper Chamber Music Society, or bassoon teacher, Richard is a strong advocate for education in the performing arts. For his day job, he is an Information Technology professional with the State of Wyoming Department of Employment.

FMI: 307-265-1564.

Call for entries: Jackson Hole 2020

This call for artists was announced in the online version of Planet Jackson Hole:

Get your art on the cover of the Planet! What will our town look like in 12 years? A huge concrete box now sits in the middle of our town and new developments will soon replace the Log Cabin, the Jackson Hole Lodge, and other downtown landmarks. Landowners like Jay Varley have been stalemating with the town council for years, but something will eventually give. As our "urban" space evolves, how will hot development issues play out visually?

Show us what you think Jackson Hole will look like in the year 2020. Realistic rendition, satirical angle, and absurdist editorial, abstract, sci-fi are all acceptable. Submissions can be in any style of two-dimensional artwork -- drawing, painting, photographic composite, architectural rendering, collage, graphic design and quilting.

First prize includes $250 cash, a three-month pass to any studio of the Art Association's ($100 value) and your art on the cover of March 26 edition of Planet Jackson Hole Weekly.

Artwork must be submitted digitally to art@planetjh.com by Friday, March 14.

University of Wyoming arts calendar Feb. 22-28

Friday, Feb. 22, 7:30 p.m. -- UW Fine Arts Outreach presents the Wyoming Jazz Ensemble featuring guests artists Denis DiBlasio and John Fedchock, Arts and Sciences auditorium. Tickets cost $7 for the public and $5 for students and senior citizens.

Friday, Feb. 22, 9 p.m. -- UW Campus Activities Center presents Five Times August live in concert, Wyoming Union ballroom. Doors open at 8:30 p.m. Free.

Saturday, Feb. 23, 3 p.m. -- UW Department of Music presents the Festival of Winds Final Concert, Fine Arts Center concert hall. Free.

Saturday, Feb. 23 and Sunday, Feb. 24, 7 p.m. -- UW Outdoor Adventure Program presents the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour, College of Arts and Sciences auditorium. Free.

Sunday, Feb. 24, 7:30 p.m. -- UW Cultural Programs presents pianist Piotr Anderszewski, Fine Arts Center concert hall. Tickets cost $18 for the public and $15 for students and senior citizens.

Thursday, Feb. 28, 7:30 p.m. -- UW Symphony Orchestra presents "Mozart 1791," Fine Arts Center concert hall. Tickets cost $10 for the public, $7 for senior citizens and $6 for students.

Art exhibitions, Monday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. and Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. -- "Faculty Exhibition"; "Juried Student Art Show"; "American Modernists"; "Hell on Wheels: Union Pacific Railroad Towns in Wyoming"; and "Recently Acquired: New Art in the Collection." Centennial Complex, 2111 Willett Drive, Laramie. Admission is free. For more information, call (307) 766-6622 or visit www.uwyo.edu/artmuseum.

Call 307-766-5000 for updates on UW events and activities or go online at http://www.uwyo.edu/calendar. Visit http://www.uwyo.edu/finearts for Department of Theatre and Dance and Department of Music event information and tickets.

From Ted Kooser

Thirty, forty years ago, there were lots of hitchhikers, college students, bent old men and old women, and none of them seemed fearful of being out there on the highways at the mercy of strangers. All that's changed, and nobody wants to get in a car with a stranger. Here Steven Huff of New York tells us about a memorable ride.

Safe

You used to be able to flag a ride in this country.
Impossible now--everyone is afraid
of strangers. Well, there was fear then too,
and it was mutual: drivers versus hitchhikers.
And we rode without seat belts,
insurance or beliefs. People
would see me far ahead on a hill like a seedling,
watch me grow in the windshield
and not know they were going to stop until
they got right up to me. Maybe they wanted
company or thought I'd give them
some excitement. It was the age
of impulse, of lonesome knee jerks. An old woman
stopped, blew smoke in my face
and after I was already in her car she asked me
if I wanted a ride. I'm telling you.
Late one night a construction boss pulled over.
One of his crew had been hit
by the mob, he said as he drove, distraught
and needing to talk to someone.
We rode around for a long time.
He said, I never wore a gun to a funeral before,but they've gotta be after me too.
Then he looked at me and patted the bulge
in his coat. Don't worry, he said, you're safe.

Visual arts fellowship form now on WAC web

The printable application for the 2008 visual arts fellowships is now on the Wyoming Arts Council web site.

Go to the home page at http://wyoarts.state.wy.us and scroll down to the news section. Click on the link for the visual arts fellowships. This takes you to the page for the visual arts program. There are two separate files: one is for the guidelines; the other is the application. Print out the application, fill it in, and mail it to us with support materials. Postmark deadline: April 30.

YOU CANNOT APPLY ELECTRONICALLY FOR WAC FELLOWSHIPS. Those who try are just asking for heartache.

Next week, we will be mailing out a print version of the application.

For more info, contact Mike Shay at 307-777-5234 or mshay@state.wy.us.

Banff Mountain Film Festival at UW

From a UW press release:

For the ninth year, the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour will stop at the University of Wyoming for two nights of mountain adventure films, Feb. 23-24 at 7 p.m. in the College of Arts and Sciences auditorium.

The event is sponsored by the UW Outdoor Adventure program.

One of the world's largest mountain festivals, the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour includes stops in more than 275 communities across 30 countries. This year's tour features a collection of action, environmental and adventure mountain films. Produced by Mountain Culture at The Banff Centre, the tour features award-winning films and audience favorites from approximately 300 films entered in the annual festival in Banff.

FMI: 307-766-2402 or visit http://www.uwyo.edu/oap.

Week of Feb. 18-23 to be lively in Cheyenne (and not just because of the Legislature)

Next week is a biggie for the Wyoming Arts Council. The annual Governor's Arts Awards gala will be held on Friday, Feb. 22. While in town, visit the WAC Gallery show of "Wyoming Folk Masters." Follow the image above to the WAC web site and further info.

UW art auction benefits juvenile diabetes

From a UW press release:

Cardinal Key, the University of Wyoming junior honorary, will hold its annual banquet and art auction to benefit Juvenile Diabetes Research, "Hearts of Gold." The event will be Saturday, Feb. 23, in the Wyoming Union Yellowstone Ballroom in Laramie.

Doors open at 5 p.m. with a silent auction and dinner served at 6 p.m. All proceeds from the auction will go directly to the Juvenile Research Foundation International. For more information or for tickets, e-mail Kimberly Cranford at kimvc@uwyo.edu or Sandy Smylie at ssmylie@uwyo.edu.

The silent auction will consist of gift certificates and other items from local businesses. Three meal options, all diabetes-friendly, will be provided by French Creek Catering.

A highlight will be a live art auction featuring donated artwork from galleries in Jackson Hole. This includes eight prints and an ironwood bear from Buffalo Trail Galleries. The auction will also include pieces by Robert Summers, Roy Kerswill, Henry Holdsworth, and Jim Wilcox.

The evening will also feature a testimonial from a child with diabetes and entertainment by UW's Happy Jack Singers. Dress is formal.

Promoting Women's History

From the National Women's History Project web site:

March 2008 had been designated as National Women's History Month to ensure that the history of American women will be recognized and celebrated in schools, workplaces, and communities throughout the country. The stories of women's historic achievements present an expanded view of the complexity and contradiction of living a full and purposeful life.

The knowledge of women's histroy provides a more expansive vision of what a woman can do. This perspective can encourage girls and women to think larger and bolder and can give boys and men a fuller understanding of the female experience.

To honor the originality, beauty, imagination, and multiple dimensions of women's lives, we have chosen Women's Art: Women's Vision as the 2008 theme for National Women's History Month.

The history of women and art is quintessential women's history. It is the story of amazing women's accomplishments acclaimed at the time but written out of history. Join us in ensuring that their accomplishments are never forgotten.

This year's theme provides a special opportunity to discover and celebrate women's visual arts in a variety of forms and mediums that help expand our perceptions of ourselves and each other.
FMI about the National Women's History Project, go to http://www.nwhp.org/

Art for the Cure seeks donated artwork

Art for the Cure will be accepting donated artwork until March 26. It will be featured at the Art for the Cure event on April 11, 6:30-9:30 p.m., at the Little America Hotel, 2800 W. Linconway, Cheyenne,

According to its web site, "Art for the Cure is a live and silent art auction open to the community that includes an evening of light fare, friendly company, and incredible artwork donated generously by regional artists. All monies raised at the Art for the Cure event are donated directly to the Wyoming Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

"Art for the Cure owes its origination to two incredible women who had the foresight and inspiration to reach out to the Cheyenne community in a most unique way to advance the fight against breast cancer. Art for the Cure was founded by two-time cancer survivor Sandy Pedersen and Oncology Surgeon, Carrie Thoms, MD in 2001 to bring the love for quality artwork and the passion to find a cure together. Over 70 percent of the funds raised at Art for the Cure stay within the state of Wyoming to fight breast cancer for friends and neighbors within our borders.

"During the last ten years, the Wyoming Komen Affiliate has granted over $1,350,000 across the state of Wyoming for various breast health related grants. In March of 2007, eight organizations were granted a total of $191,957."

FMI: Art for the Cure at 307-432-0606.

Black History Month

Tuesday, February 26, is the final event in the Cheyenne Depot Museum's Downtown Entertainment Program of their literary/historical series with a Black History Presentation.
Free to all, the talk/presentation begins at 6:30 p.m. Takes place in the historic Depot Lobby.

Looking to fill position of Dean of Conservatory of Music at Purchase College

Unique among the sixty-four SUNY campuses in combining professional conservatory programs in the performing and visual arts with rigorous and complementary studies in the liberal arts and sciences, Purchase College has grown to become an academic, intellectual and artistic center for the West Chester county region with highly regarded and increasingly well-known programs. Considered one of the premier public conservatory programs in the country, the Conservatory of Music, within the School of the Arts, offers a comprehensive musical education to gifted students who wish to pursue music at a professional level. To carry out its mission, the Conservatory of Music seeks an innovative and energetic dean who will contribute to positioning the School of the Arts as a vital and dynamic educational and cultural force locally with a national and international reputation.

The Conservatroy of Music in located in Purchase, New York, 20 miles north of NYC. There are approximately 350 undergraduates and 100 graduate students pursuing Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees as well as post-baccalaureate Performer's Certificates and post-master's Artist's Diplomas. Staff consists of 20 full-time and fifty part-time faculty, actively involved in the music field, performing regularly with classical and jazz ensembles in NYC.

The successful candidate will be a strong leader with vision, intellectual breadth, with a deep commitment to the creation of vibrant, diverse academic community.

FMI, please call Kim Morrison or Esty Collet at (410) 745-5191 or email at
SUNY-Purchase.Music@divsearch.com

Pilot program helps Wyoming veterans

From Mike Shay:

The following isn't primarily an arts issue, but it is one that affects us all. Art and art therapy are playing a big part in mental health issues. The Cheyenne V.A. Hospital runs an annual arts competition and exhibition. The National Endowment for the Arts sponsors Operation Homecoming, a program that offers writing workshops for soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. There are similar programs all over the U.S.

I've served on the Governor's Mental Health Planning Council. Writing poetry or painting a picture can't begin to address the many mental health challenges facing the state's citizens, in general, and returning combat veterans, in particular. But it can play a part. See the links on the right sidebar for arts resources in your community.

Larry D. Barttelbort, executive director of the Wyoming Veterans Commission, sent out this press release today:

A joint venture pilot program between the Wyoming Military Department, Wyoming Veterans Commission, and the Wyoming Department of Health will ensure Wyoming Veterans are connected with state and federal resources. This pilot program is based on a recommendation from Wyoming's Veterans Mental Health Task Force. We have combined end-of-biennium funds to hire two contract Veteran's Advocates. They will link our Wyoming Veterans, their families, and their employers directly with state and federal resources. We will use Wyoming Military Department federal resources to assist with scheduling, data collection and reporting.

This program will help Veterans overcome the stigma of seeking help and help them connect with these wonderful resources. The advocates will meet with the Veteran, the family, and the employer to ensure the Veteran is using all the resources available to them.

Wyoming is also blessed with two of the finest VA Medical Centers in the U.S., at Sheridan and Cheyenne. The VA's Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOC) in Casper, Gillette, Green River, Newcastle, Powell, Riverton and Rock Springs provide outstanding care. The Vet Centers in Cheyenne and Casper provide confidential mental health counseling and also provide contract services in some outlying areas.

If you are approached about a Wyoming Veteran experiencing problems with readjustment issues at home, with friends, or at work don't hesitate to call one of our advocates or the VA resources.

Veteran's Advocates:
Leon Chamberlain (307) 359-2430 (Northern Wyoming)
David Hall (307) 631-3736 (Southern Wyoming)
VA Health Information 1-877-222-8387

FMI: Larry D. Barttelbort, 307-772-5016

Poetry Out Loud schools announced

Seven schools from around Wyoming have signed up to participate in the 2008 Poetry Out Loud recitation competition.

Participating schools (with teachers' names):
Buffalo H.S., Buffalo, Kira Wages
Carey J.H.S., Cheyenne, Angel Katen
East H.S., Cheyenne, Michael Starks
Cody H.S., Cody, Michael Riley
Guernsey-Sunrise School, Guernsey, Tess Bandalos
Star Valley H.S., Afton, Robyn Johnson
Wheatland H.S., Wheatland, Scott James

The school competitions will be held through the end of February. Champions and their teachers (or chaperones) from each school travel to Cheyenne March 10-11 for the state finals. The winner of that competition will travel to Washington, D.C., in April for the national finals.

These events are sponsored nationally by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation. The Wyoming Arts Council is in charge of the Wyoming competition. If you're interested in participating next year, call Mike Shay at the WAC and he'll send you more information.

For more info about Poetry Out Loud, go to http://www.poetryoutloud.org/

Young Musicians Fest March 7-8 in Evanston

The Young Musicians Festival will take place March 7-8 at Davis Middle School in Evanston. Registration deadline is Feb. 22. Register online here.

Schedule of events (all included with festival registration):

Friday, March 7, 7 p.m. Molly's Revenge in concert -- Super high-energy Celtic style band, featuring Irish flutes, Scottish bagpipes and more. This concert will especially appeal to teenagers and young adults. In addition to the Series concert, the group will also do seven pre-concert educational performances in Evanston and Bridger Valley schools.

Saturday, March 8, Achievement Day, 8 a.m.-noon -- Students of all ages and ability levels perform in 4 rooms simultaneously. All participants receive an evaluation of their performance, a certificate, and a ribbon. Students must register in advance to perform. From 11 a.m.-6 p.m., there will be a series of educational workshops, including a variety of classes for all ages. The Honors Concert will be held at 7 p.m. Outstanding students from Achievement Day are invited to perform in a formal concert for the community.

FMI: http://www.youngmusicians.net/festival2008.htm

Chul Hee Yoon in concert at UW

Korean pianist Chul Hee Yoon will perform a guest artist recital Sunday, Feb. 17, at 7:30 p.m. in the University of Wyoming Fine Arts Center concert hall in Laramie.

Tickets cost $7 for adults and $5 for students and seniors. Tickets can be purchased at the Fine Arts Box Office or through its Web site at http://www.uwyo.edu/finearts.

A native of Ulsan, Korea, Yoon made his public concert debut at the age of 10 with the Pusan Philharmonic Orchestra. He later earned his concert diploma in Germany and then his master's and performer's certificates at the Trossingen School of Music.

Yoon gained public recognition in 1994 by winning both the Ibla Grand International Competition with the Ginastera Prize and the Le Muse International Competition in Italy. He now appears as a soloist at more than 50 concerts a year across the world, playing solo recitals, chamber music concerts and with major orchestras. Yoon recorded a CD of Chopin Etudes, which was widely praised by reviewers.

FMI: 307-766-6666

Chamber music enlivens winter nights

Grand Teton Music Festival winter concerts:

CHAMBER MUSIC FOR BRASS QUINTET
Friday, February 15, 2008
7:30 p.m., Walk Festival Hall

Featuring Festival Musicians from the Houston Symphony:
Mark Hughes, trumpet
Theresa Hanebury, trumpet
Nancy Goodearl, horn
Mark McConnell, trombone
David Kirk, tuba

HOLST Suite No. 2 in F
EWAZEN Frostfire
BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 9 (excerpts)
BERNSTEIN West Side Story Suite
COPLAND Simple Gifts

SINGLE TICKETS
$25 Adults, $5 Students (ages 6-18 or with college ID)

Don't miss our other winter chamber music concerts!
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Chamber Music for Woodwind Quintet
7:30 p.m., Walk Festival Hall
Featuring Festival Musicians from the Atlanta and Houston Symphonies

Thursday, March 20, 2008
Chamber Music for Percussion
7:30 p.m., Walk Festival Hall
Featuring the Festival's beloved Percussion Section

FMI: Amanda Flosbach, GTMF, 307.733.3050 x107 or amanda@gtmf.org

Mortenson reschedules Jackson apperance

Here's an update from the Teton County Public Library about a schedule change:

New, free tickets to Greg Mortenson's "Three Cups of Tea" presentation will be available for pick up (first-come, first served) beginning at 9 a.m., Thursday, February 21 at Valley Book Store in Jackson.

Mortenson will discuss his best-selling book, "Three Cups of Tea," at 7 p.m., Wednesday, April 2 in the Grand Room at Snow King Resort. His originally scheduled visit to Jackson was canceled due to weather. Individuals holding tickets to the previously-scheduled event will need to pick up new tickets for the April presentation. (Old tickets will not be valid for the rescheduled event.) Tickets are free and limited to two per person.

Tickets may be picked up at Valley Book Store, open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. For ticket information, contact Valley Book Store at 733-4533.

"Three Cups of Tea" recounts Mortenson's unlikely endeavor to promote education and peace in the Middle East. The "New York Times" bestseller was written by Mortenson and author David Oliver Relin. Mortenson's school-building mission began after he drifted into an impoverished Pakistan village in the Karakoram mountains in 1993 after a failed attempt to climb
K2. Mortenson wanted to thank the villagers for their hospitality and experienced a "eureka moment" when he saw 84 children writing with sticks in the dirt. So far, his Central Asia
Institute has built more than 60 schools, especially for girls, in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

To discover more about the Central Asia Institute, visit www.threecupsoftea.com.

UW art students receive purchase awards

The University of Wyoming Art Museum has announced the awards for the 33rd Annual Juried University of Wyoming Student Exhibition. More than $19,000 in prize money was awarded during an award ceremony on Feb. 1. The exhibition was selected by juror Linny Frickman, director of the Hatton Gallery at Colorado State University.

The annual exhibition, on view until March 1, recognizes and celebrates the creative work of students at UW. The Student Art League organizes the Salon des Refusés, ensuring that every student’s work submitted to the museum exhibition is placed on public view. The Salon remains on view in the Fine Arts Building through Feb. 9.

An Art Talk by the award-winning students is scheduled for Monday, Feb. 25, at 5 p.m. A selection from the exhibition will be on view until April 19 in the Centennial Complex Gallery.

Above: Jeff Hubbell, Laramie, with a painting purchased by the College of Health Sciences, titled At the Market.

The students who received awards are listed by hometown, award and title of work:

Casper -- Rebecca Wessman, Law School purchase award, One Way or Another;

Leighton White, Office of Academic Affairs purchase award, Untitled, UW Libraries purchase award, Untitled,

Joe C. Tull Jr. Memorial purchase award, First Interstate Bank award, and UW Art Museum National Advisory Board award, School Is In.

Cheyenne -- Molly Box, College of Health Sciences purchase award and Juror’s award, Anniversaire.

Cody -- Clint Mulbay, College of Health Sciences purchase award and Ann Simpson and Family award, Rolling Thunder.

Colorado Springs, Colo. -- Michelle Winchell, Margaret Arth Award for Excellence, Book of Beasts.

Crow Agency, Mont. -- Judd Thompson, UW Libraries purchase award, One long trip.

Dayton -- Betsy Rae Mock, Law School purchase award, "Old Town” Market Life and Kibokoni; Seth Schwaiger, College of Health Sciences purchase award, Smithing.
Encampment -- Sammy Basinger, Office of Academic Affairs purchase award, Fruit.
Gillette -- Danielle Alvarado, Jacque Buchanan graphic arts award, Pangea.
Kimball, Neb. -- Andrew Flores, UW Division of Administration purchase award, Different Point of View.
Lakewood, Colo. -- Hannah Benigno, Jacque Buchanan graphic arts award, Pangea.
Laramie -- Kathy Buckardt, College of Health Sciences purchase award, Sanctity?

Heather Duncan, Office of Academic Affairs purchase award, Lonesome Tree and Solitude;

Jeff Hubbell, College of Health Sciences purchase award, At the Market;

Travis Ivey, Student Art League honorable mention, BLANKO;

Tina McCarty, Outreach School purchase award, Sleeping Elephant;

Alanna Reid, Office of Academic Affairs purchase award, Almost Home, Staff Senate purchase award and Student Art League honorable mention, Victorian Head;

David Sircin, College of Health Sciences purchase award, Boat on the Water.

New Castle -- Sarah Hayman, Office of Student Affairs purchase award, FMC honors award, and Lisa Lewis Dubois student exhibition award, Elephant Ear; UW Division of Administration purchase award, Connected.

Ocean Springs, Miss. -- Courtney Googe, UW Division of Administration purchase award, Her Blanket and Gretchen and Bean; A&S Dean’s award, Reeve’s Vase.
Omaha, Neb. -- Hollie Engdahl, President’s Office purchase award, My Grandpa’s Ageless Beauty; John Paul Militti, Staff Senate purchase award, Self Portrait.
Rapid City, S.D. -- Luke Gorder, President’s Office purchase award, Untitled.
Spearfish, S.D. --Mike Hurley, President’s Office purchase award and Student Art League cash award, Across the Earth.
Thermopolis -- Everett Woodward, President’s Office purchase award, Black Teapot and Black

Pot.

Bringing the world of art to Wyoming, the Art Museum is located in the Centennial Complex at 22nd & Willett Drive in Laramie. The Museum and Museum Store are open Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with extended hours until 9 p.m. on Mondays Feb. through April. Admission is free.

"Cats" in Casper for one show March 10

Broadway in Casper presents "Cats" at the Casper Events Center on March 10, 7:30 p.m.

Based on T.S. Eliot’s "Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats," and with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, "Cats" won seven 1983 Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, Best Lighting and Best Costumes.

In October of 1991, "Cats" became the longest continuously touring show in American theatre history. Five continents, 26 countries, over eight and a half million audience members and 25 years later, it is still America’s most loved family musical.

Tickets are on sale now and are $30.50, $35.50, and $40.50.

For tickets or more information, call the Casper Events Center Box Office at (307) 577-3030 or (800) 442-2256 or at www.caspereventscenter.com.

Learn how to slab, coil, and pinch at AVA

Winners of Warren Adler writing competition announced

The winning short stories have been announced in the Warren Adler on-line writing competition. The theme this year was New York. You can read the outstanding stories at
http://www.warrenadler.com/contest07.shtml and vote on which one you like the best. It will be awarded the People's Choice.

Part of what Warren had to say to those whose stories were rejected:
I had to choose only one winner and four runner ups. It will be interesting to see how other readers will judge these stories in our People's Choice contest. Until our new contest is announced shortly, I wish all contestants the best of luck in their writing. In my view there is no more fulfilling calling than the life of the creative writer and no more skillful exercise in craft and talent than the short story. It is my fervent hope that this medium will once again attain the heights and interest it deserves. And remember: What seems like a rejection is merely one person's opinion and it is often a poor indication of future success.

UW Libraries add AP digital images

From a UW press release:

The University of Wyoming Libraries has added Associated Press images to its digital collections.

UW students, faculty and staff members will have access to AP material, including photographs, images, graphics, historical photographs and audio clips.

"This resource is useful for any discipline," says Nancy Marlatt, marketing coordinator for the UW Libraries.

Materials can be located at the library Web site, http://www-lib.uwyo.edu/. The database can be found under the link "Articles and Databases," and select "A" to access the AP Images database. Users can conduct a basic or advanced search, and pop-up blockers may need to be disabled in order to download and save images to your desktop.

Content from AP Images may be used for educational purposes only, including lesson plans, tests, research papers, homework, book reports, school Web sites, webquests, education Web sites constructed by students and/or faculty, projects, and school newspapers that do not compete with any community or town publication.

Content from AP Images may not be used for commercial purposes, yearbooks, or any use for monetary gain or promotion.

AP Images, a division of The Associated Press, is one of the world's largest collections of historical and contemporary imagery. Serving as an essential source of photographs and graphics for professionals, AP Images provides superior image quality, selection and service.

For additional information, call the reference department at (307) 766-2070 or e-mail coeref@uwyo.edu. Assistance is also available at the information desk in Coe Library.

New arts classes at AVA in February

Coming Soon at AVA in Gillette:

For kids: Early Release Day Art Class. Looking for something fun to do on Early Release Day? Join Becky Thompson for art projects, fun, and games. For grades 1-6. February 13, 2-5 p.m. Fee is $15 (includes all supplies!) Click Here to Register!

For teens and adults: Beginning Pottery Classes. Join local potter, John Werbelow, and learn how to use the potter’s wheel. Use the slab-roller and the extruder for hand-building. Six classes, February 19 - March 6, 6:30-9 p.m. every Tuesday and Thursday. Class fee is $90 (includes clay & firing). Pre-registration Required. Click Here to Register!

VISIT www.avacenter.org/events to find more classes.

Mike Shay and the Arts Council receive recognition

From Assistant Editor Linda C.:

WyoPoets has selected the Wyoming Arts Council, and Mike Shay, to receive one of their Excellence Awards. He will recieve their undying gratitude and a certificate suitable for framing.

He was nominated, then approved by two committee members. Myra Peak will be in Cheyenne on February 19 to present the certificate. She will give a short speech and photos will be taken. Myra will also send press releases to local newspapers.

WyoPoets recognizes individuals and organizations who have excelled in poetry, have mentored members of WyoPoets, served WyoPoets, or supported WyoPoets in some fashion. Receiving, and giving the certificate, provides recognition to recipients of the Excellence Awards and to WyoPoets.

Mike Shay has been an instrumental part of the literary scene at the Arts Council and in Wyoming and the Rocky Mountain region for many, many years, and his expertise and enthusiasm for Wyoming authors, and artists in general, are legend!
Congratulations, Mike, for a well deserved recognition.

Collecting and displaying Wyoming artwork

A new program is working to acquire a collection of Wyoming artwork for display in the State Capitol Building.

Through the Wyoming Legislative Artwork Donation Program, Wyoming artists can donate or loan pieces to be included in a collection for exclusive display in the Capitol. Senator Jayne Mockler, a member of the Legislative Facilities Committee, is a longtime advocate of the Capitol acquiring its own collection for exhibit in the Wyoming Senate and House of Representatives chambers and the respective lobbies and galleries.

Artwork donations may be made by, or on behalf of, a current or former member of the Wyoming Legislature, or any private citizen. Artwork can also be bequeathed to the program in a will or trust.

A Legislative Artwork Donation Committee comprised of legislators, State Museum staff and an Arts Council representative will meet annually to review and select artwork into the collection.

The preferred mediums for artwork are oil or acrylic, although other two-dimensional mediums will be considered. Artwork must relate to Wyoming or the Rocky Mountains West with Wyoming landscapes the preferred content. Other themes that represent the natural, social, cultural, political or economic history of Wyoming may also be considered.

Due to the large size of the Senate and House of Representative Chambers and lobbies, only larger two-dimensional work will be considered.

Guidelines are available at www.artsparkshistory.com or www.wyomuseum.state.wy.us, or by contacting Lili Francuz, Wyoming State Museum art curator, at lfranc@state.wy.us, or 777-7677.

Glass Art Show opens today in Cheyenne

"The Glass Art Celebration!" Wyoming's largest glass art show is returning for its sixteenth season. The show runs for ten days from Friday, February 8 through Sunday, February 17, at the Cheyenne Botanic Gardens in Lions Park. The show is open to both amateur and professional glass artists.

Glass at the Gardens is professionally judged with ribbons and a cash awards for both amateurs and professionals. The show is not limited to stained glass but also features painted, melted, 3-d and fused glass along with glass bead work.

The Cheyenne Botanic Gardens provides a unique setting for the artistic creations in the natural light of the conservatory. According to Botanic Garden Director, Shane Smith, "A greenhouse conservatory provides the absolute perfect setting because of the natural bright light and beautiful combinations of iridescent glass colors, flowers and plants. The glass pieces come alive when they are illuminated in a greenhouse."

The Garden is free and open to the public during the show. Special show hours will be from 8:00-5:00 on weekdays and from 10:00-4:00 on Saturday and Sunday (Feb. 9th and 10th and 16th and 17th).

Clifton mixed-media exhibit at NW College

"Vignettes," a mixed-media exhibition by Jeanju Clifton, will be on display at Northwest College's SinClair Gallery through Feb. 22 in Powell. Gallery hours are 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday.

Here's a statement from the artist:

My work is based upon Victorian die-cut chromolithographs, or “scraps,” which the Victorians used to decorate just about everything in their lives, from greeting cards to home furnishings. I am especially inspired by Valentine and Easter images, which often include colorful flowers, glistening fruits, and anthropomorphized animals whimsically clothed. My interest in these scrapes sprouted from the fact that so many of them remind me of the symbolism found within Christian art. I am attracted to this process because it allows for a sweet-and-sour layering of symbolism, melancholia, prettiness, and silliness. Perhaps the Victorians would not have approved, but they did not approve of much anyway.

Call for entries: 10-minute play contest

Theatre Oxford’s Ten-Minute Play Contest awards $1,000 and production of the winning script to the author of a 10-minute play that is no longer than 10 pages. Submitted plays must be original and never-before produced. There is a $10 application fee. For full information on how to apply, visit www.10minuteplays.com.

Call for entries: Summer Arts & Crafts Show

Wyoming and Front Range artists and crafts persons are invited to participate in the Wyoming State Museum Volunteers’ 31st Annual Outdoor Arts and Crafts Show, August 16, on the grounds of the Barrett Building in Cheyenne.

One of the largest and longest-running arts-and-crafts shows in the area, crafts persons from throughout the Rocky Mountain region participate each year. The festival runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and features music, food and a variety of crafts.

Vendors wishing to participate in this year’s event can do so by sending an application and a $40 registration fee to the Wyoming State Museum Volunteers. Registration forms may be downloaded at http://wyomuseum.state.wy.us.

For participant info, please contact Carolyn Turbiville at 307-632-8244, addiet_3@msn.com; or Sarah Ligocki at 307-777-7021, sligoc@state.wy.us.

Information about State Museum programs is available by calling 777-7022.

Grants to Composer-led Jazz Ensembles

Chamber Music America is pleased to request applications for its jazz commissioning program—New Works: Creation and Presentation—which is now entering its ninth year.

Grant range: up to $15,000
Deadline: February 28, 2008

The program supports the creation and performance of new compositions in the jazz idiom. Funding is available to professional jazz ensembles that are led by or include a composer/performer.

Ensembles must consist of a core of musicians who perform original music that includes jazz improvisation, have a demonstrated history of performing together as a jazz ensemble, and range in size from two to ten members. Works may represent the wide range of styles associated with jazz, from traditional to non-traditional.

For further information, visit www.chamber-music.org or email Susan Dadian at sdadian@chamber-music.org.

The Chamber Music America New Works: Creation and Presentation Program is supported through the generosity of the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.

Remembering the blizzard of '49

Local historian Jim Ehrenberger relives one of Wyoming’s harshest winters with his presentation, "The Blizzard of the Century," this month’s Wyoming State Museum lecture, Feb. 14, at 7 p.m., in the Multi-Purpose Room.

Remembered by many as the "Blizzard of ’49," Ehrenberger examines the winter season beginning in November 1948. The famous blizzard that happened several months later left thousands of livestock dead and people stranded throughout the state. President Harry S. Truman called the storm a "national emergency." Using historic photographs, Ehrenberger vividly describes the extent of the storm and the relief efforts that followed.

The Wyoming State Museum is located in the Barrett Building 2301 Central Avenue in Cheyenne. For more information about this and other State Museum programs, please call 777-7022.

Children's dance, from A to Z

Dancers' Workshop and pARTners present "Dancing Alphabet" which showcases the work of about 200 Jackson Elementary School kindergarten students who dance their way through the alphabet in DW's Studio 1 at the Jackson Hole Center for the Arts.

Events will be held Monday, Feb. 11, through Thursday, Feb. 14, 10:30-11:30 a.m.

More details here

By Jove -- it's "By Jeeves" at CLTP

The Cheyenne Little Theatre Players present "By Jeeves," with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics by Alan Ayckbourn, and directed by Craig Schulz.

Performances will be Feb. 8-10, 14-17, and 21-24 at the Historic Atlas Theatre in downtown Cheyenne, Thursday-Saturday, 7:30 p.m.; Sundays, 2 p.m.

For ticket info, call 307-638-6543.

Wyoming poets win in national contest

Congratulations to the following members
who placed in the WyoPoets national Contest:

Linda Ruhle - 4th Honorable Mention
for her poem "Word Rancher"

Lee Ann Siebken - 5th Honorable Mention
for her poem "Artist in Residence"

Many thanks to our Contest Chairman
Eugene Shea of Hanna, WY for doing
all the work involved with the contest.

The judge was Betty Heidelberger of Sherwood AK
she was assisted by Annetta Beauchamp because
of the large number of entries this year.

In Lander, chocolate is an art form

On Saturday, February 9, 6-9 p.m., the Lander Art Center will be hosting a chocolate extravaganza.

Lander's best will be providing various forms of chocolate delights for tasting and for judging, both on a professional and amateur basis. Professional entries will be featured from Cooking Crow, The Summit and Tony's, to name a few.

Amateur chocolate chefs can compete for a $5 entry fee. Cash prizes of $50, $25 and $10 will be awarded on the amateur level, so sign up now with your best recipe. Entry forms are available at Lander Art Center, or download the entry form from the LAC web site at http://www.landerartcenter.com/ and drop it off at the Art Center, 224 Main St., along with your entry fee.

Tickets for the event are $25 per person and are available at Lander Art Center, Valley Printing, The Book Basket and the Fremont County Public Library.

FMI: LAC at 307-332-5772 or Deborah Britt at 332-9771.

Ian Tyson celebrates five decades on stage

Internationally acclaimed singer-songwriter Ian Tyson is celebrating five decades of performance in 2008 with a full schedule of concerts, a television special, and final preparations for release of a children's book based on his song "La Primera."

He will perform at the WYO Theater in Sheridan on Friday and Saturday, feb. 8-9, 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $37 apiece. Call the WYO box office at 307-672-9084.

With shows planned from coast to coast in both Canada and the United States, Tyson continues to keep his loyal fans in awe with songs that range from his classics such as "Four Strong Winds," "Someday Soon," and "Navajo Rug" to his newest works which he continues to write with inspired vigor. At age 75, Tyson maintains a performance and work schedule on his Alberta ranch, nestled in the foothills of the Rockies, that would rival men and women who are generations his junior.

FMI: http://www.iantyson.com/pages/home.asp

Call for entries: Creative Capital grants

If you are working on an exciting emerging fields, literature, or performing arts project we encourage you to apply by March 4 in our current grant round. For general information and guidelines, please visit: http://creative-capital.org/application/. To apply for a Creative Capital grant, you must first submit an Inquiry Form regarding your project. Tell us about your project and how, in conjunction with a Creative Capital grant, it will be catalytic for your artistic and professional growth. In addition, you will need to describe the influences that inform your work and how your work takes an inventive and original approach to form and content. Be prepared to present a basic budget and to identify the audience(s) for your project and any possible presenting venues.

Reception Feb. 15 for Kay Meeks' exhibit

The Community Fine Arts Center, 400 C Street in Rock Springs, will host a closing reception for artist Kay Meeks on Friday, Feb. 15, 4-6 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

Meeks' exhibit, "Images on the Ranch," will be exhibited at the Arts Center througth Feb. 15. It includes recent work in oils and pastels on subjects ranging from landscapes to ranch scenes.

FMI: http://www.cfac4art.com.

“English Patient" author to visit Laramie

Michael Ondaatje, author of The English Patient, will visit the University of Wyoming next month, as a guest of the English Department L. L. Smith Lectureship and the International Studies Scholar Lecture Series.

The renowned Canadian writer will speak at 5:00 p.m. on Monday, Mar. 3 in the UW Union Ballroom, reading from his work and taking questions from the audience. Afterward, he will sign books at a short reception in the Family Room. The event is free and open to the public. Parking is free on campus after 5:00 p.m.

On Tuesday, Mar. 4, Ondaatje will join a lunchtime conversation about his writing at the Albany County Public Library, 310 South 8th Street, from 12:00 to 1:30 p.m. Attendance is free and open to the public, but seating is limited. Please call 721-2580 ext. 5456 or email albypr@will.state.wy.us to reserve a place.

Other events planned for Ondaatje’s visit will include book discussions of The English Patient and a screening of the Academy Award-winning film.

Michael Ondaatje is one of the world’s foremost writers – his artistry and aesthetic have influenced an entire generation of writers and readers. “Each of [Ondaatje’s] books is filled with passages of such finesse and vividness that they become part of us,” writes The New Yorker. “He is a writer whose best paragraphs hover just over the page, then fly into the mind.”

The English Patient won the coveted Booker Prize, the British Commonwealth’s highest literary honor. The 1996 movie version, directed by Anthony Minghella and starring Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche, won the Academy Award for Best Picture.

Ondaatje is himself an interesting intersection of cultures. Born in Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) of Indian/Dutch ancestry, he went to school in England—a period he relates in the memoir of his childhood, Running in the Family (1982). Later he moved to Canada, where he is now a citizen.

Although he is best known as a novelist, Ondaatje’s work also encompasses poetry and film, and reveals a passion for defying conventional form. One of his earliest books, The Collected Works of Billy the Kid (1970), interweaves prose and poetry to tell the story of the infamous outlaw. He has won acclaim for his thirteen collections of poetry, which include The Cinnamon Peeler (1991) and most recently, Handwriting (1998).

Ondaatje’s fiction often reveals a poet’s talent for observation and description. His first novel, Coming Through Slaughter (1976), introduced a distinctive non-linear storytelling style, which creates a narrative by exploring many interconnected snapshots in great detail. He develops that style further with In the Skin of a Lion (1987), the prequel to The English Patient.

For his award-winning novel Anil's Ghost (2000), Ondaatje returns to Sri Lanka, where he “contemplates the dreadful toll that the civil war…. has taken on his native land,” according to Janet Maslin, who praises the book’s “profound sense of outrage, the shimmering intensity of its descriptive language and the mysterious beauty of its geography” (The New York Times).

Ondaatje’s most recent novel Divisadero (2007) is set in the 1970s in Northern California, near Gold Rush country. It tells the story of a makeshift family—a father, his teenage daughters, and an enigmatic young man who makes his home with them—and of a violent incident that sets fire to the rest of their lives. Pico Iyer calls Divisadero “ravishing and intricate… it’s hard, on finishing, not to turn back to the opening page and start all over” (New York Review of Books). The novel was also awarded the Governor General's Literary Award for Fiction.

Ondaatje lives in Toronto with his wife, the novelist Linda Spaulding. They have two children.

Ondaatje’s visit is made possible by the generous support of the UW Office of the President, Albany County Public Library, the College of Arts and Sciences, UW Libraries, Academic Affairs, and the MFA Visiting Writer Series.

For more information, visit the English Department’s website at http://www.uwyo.edu/english.

National awards for "investing in the arts"

The Business Committee for the Arts, inc., and Forbes Magazine are looking for "a company, large or small, that has made an exceptional investment in the arts" for the annual BCA Ten Awards.

Deadline for nominations is March 31.

FMI: http://www.bcainc.org.

Auditions for CLTP "Readers' Theatre"

Open auditions will be held at the Historic Atlas Theatre in downtown Cheyenne on Tuesday, Feb. 12, 7-9 p.m., for a "readers' theatre" of "The City that Cried Wolf."

This is a film noir-style crime story based upon nursery rhyme characters -- and performed with a comic flair. It was written by Brooks Reeves and will be directed by Pat Lauber. She will be looking for a cast that includes three women and five men, all 18 and older. The readers' theatre will be performed the evening of Friday, Feb. 29.

To get an copy of the script or more information, call the Cheyenne Little Theatre Players at 307-638-6543.

"New Frontiers" of music at UW Feb. 11-18

From a University of Wyoming press release:

A concert and event series, "New Frontiers: The Laramie Contemporary Music Project," will be held Feb. 11-18 in the University of Wyoming Fine Arts Center concert hall in Laramie.

The performances will feature a variety of guest performers and new music in addition to performances and compositions by UW music department faculty members.

Tickets cost $7 for the public and $5 for students and senior citizens. One ticket will allow entrance to all New Frontiers events. For a complete schedule of events, visit http://www.uwyo.edu/music. For tickets, call the Fine Arts box office at 307-766-6666.

For more information about the festival, call director Anne Guzzo, (307) 766-5109, or e-mail guzzo@uwyo.edu.

The schedule for all events is:
Monday, Feb. 11, 7:30 p.m. -- Duo Braziliana concert: Melanie Ohm (mezzosoprano) and Rubia Santos (piano) with guest soprano, Maureen Sorensson.
Wednesday, Feb. 13, 7:30 p.m. -- Barbara Thiem (cello) and Theresa Bogard (piano) recital featuring 20th century music.
Thursday, Feb. 14, 1 p.m. -- New Music Panel Convocation with Gregory Oakes and other guests plus an "Ask the Artists" dialogue; and 7:30 p.m. -- Faculty Composers' concert featuring UW faculty and guest artists.
Friday, Feb. 15, 7:30 p.m. -- Michael Kirkendoll piano recital.
Saturday, Feb. 16, 3 p.m. -- Gregory Oakes clarinet recital; and 7:30 p.m. -- Americas Concert featuring composer-in-residence, Pablo Ortiz.
Monday, Feb. 18, 7:30 p.m. -- Winds of Change concert, SPANK music ensemble and guests.

Metaphors on exhibit at Lander Art Center

The Heap, The Pile, The Layer, The Metaphor: layering of meaning and media
will be exhibited Feb. 4–29 at the Lander Art Center in Lander. A free public reception will be held from 6-8 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 8.

This is an exhibit "that shows artists layering of meaning and media to make their art and their statements. As this show follows the 'Journals Exhibit,' it is also like the logical progression of the art conjured up in the journal and then constructed in the art form."

This show will include encaustic, collage, sculpture, printmaking, ceramics, and metalsmithing.

FMI: http://www.landerartcenter.com/.

Shown above: "In Your Dreams," by Melissa Strickler

Judging panel chosen for visual arts fellowships

Judges have been selected for the 2008 Wyoming Arts Council visual arts fellowships. They are Lawrence Argent, Mary K. Connelly and Patty Ortiz.

Lawrence Argent was born in England and educated in sculpture at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Australia, and has a M.F.A. from the Rinehart School of Sculpture at the Maryland Institute, College of Art in Baltimore, Md. He is the recipient of numerous fellowships including the Pollock-Krasner Foundation; the Colo. Council on the Arts: the Core Fellowship at the Fine Arts Museum, Houston, and has been an artist in residence at the John Michael Kohler Foundation. He is professor of art at the University of Denver, and was awarded the Distinguished Scholar award in 2002. He has exhibited internationally and is working on public art projects around the U.S. His art “encompasses a breadth of form and materials, enveloping each with a path of consciousness through which the physical promotes the non-physical and the sublime emerges as a vehicle laying a slippery foundation in the gap between stimulus and response.” Web site: www.lawrenceargent.com

Born in 1961, Mary K. Connelly was raised in Belleville, N.J. She earned her B.F.A. in painting at Washington University in St. Louis and received an M.F.A. in painting at Indiana University in Bloomington. Recently awarded “First Place” in the 10th International Open 2007 at the Woman Made Gallery in Chicago, Connelly was awarded a solo show at the gallery in 2008. Shows in 2007 included a solo exhibition at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, and a three-person show at Stanford University. Her work was featured in the 2007 edition of The William and Mary Review. The artist’s work is now featured in a four-person show at the SFMOMA Artist¹s Gallery at Fort Mason in San Francisco. Connelly resides in Denver and is an assistant professor of painting and drawing at the University of Colorado Denver. Web site: www.maryconnelly.com

Patty Ortiz has been the executive director of Museo de las Americas since 2005. Located in Denver’s revitalized Santa Fe district, the Museo strives to educate the community about the diversity of Latin American art and culture, from ancient to contemporary. Patty earned her B.F.A. at the University of Texas at Austin and her M.F.A. at the University of Texas at San Antonio. She is known for her distinctive works of public art, such as the 140 floating steel airplanes on display at Denver International Airport. She recently received a Livingston Fellowship from the Bonfils-Stanton Foundation to study fundraising models and create one appropriate for the Museo; research the management styles of model leaders in business as well as the nonprofit sector; and develop mentorships with several directors/curators of museums in the U.S. and Latin America. Find more at the Museo web site: www.museo.org

Application forms will be mailed by Feb. 15. They also will be available by that date on the WAC web site at http://wyoarts.state.wy.us.

Postmark deadline will be April 30.

For more information, contact Michael Shay, individual artist program specialist, at 307-777-5234 or mshay@state.wy.us.

Artists at AVA "Out on a Whim"