Contribution deadline approaches for Pipeline to Miami

From Sue Sommers in Pinedale:

I have been asked to send a reminder to you all about the deadline for Pipeline to Miami. I should have mentioned this in yesterday's email, so please forgive my cluttering your Inbox.

Today only three days are left in our Pipeline to Miami fundraiser. You have helped us raise $8650, which meets our minimum of $8000 and then some. United States Artists welcomes additional support to our maximum level of $14,300, up to the midnight Dec. 12 deadline.

When you support our project through United States Artists, you are also giving to an approved, innovative nonprofit that invests in accomplished artists all over the United States -- a unique, nationwide effort to grow the arts. Pipeline Art Project therefore feels that continuing to fundraise up to our deadline is (to borrow a phrase from Mary Chapin Carpenter), "too much to expect, but not too much to ask."

Our project page can be found at http://www.usaprojects.org/project/pipeline_to_miami for those who may be interested in supporting this ambitious venture before closing time!

One other reminder: Pipeline Art Project will present information resulting from our Miami trip, as well as a public art exhibit, at "CLICK! A Weekend for Wyoming Visual Artists" in Pinedale, Wyoming, the weekend of March 30 - April 1, 2012. This symposium will be a collaboration between the Wyoming Arts Council, UW Art Museum, Pinedale Fine Arts Council, and Sublette County Library.

Thank you all for spreading the word about Pipeline to Miami, and for believing in us. Because of you, we will keep moving forward with our mission of bringing Wyoming creative energy to the world outside our state!

Star Lane Center students stage war crimes tribunal Dec. 21 with audience members as judges

From today's Casper Star-Tribune:

Please stop by at Star Lane Center, 1400 South Fairdale in Casper, on Wednesday, Dec. 21, at 9 a.m. or 1 p.m., for our final student presentations this semester. All of the Star Lane students will play the roles of witnesses in the defense and prosecution of Harry Truman in a war crimes tribunal focused on the President's decision to drop atom bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Audience members are asked to serve as judges and question the witnesses accordingly. Please check our website at www.starlanecenter.com for more information. Look under the Calendar heading for Dec. 21. We encourage your attendance at one of these one-hour presentations. Questions? 307-253-3100.

"Buffalo Bill" Boycott yodels up a storm (and earns awards) at Western Music Association conference

William "Buffalo Bill" Boycott of Lander won the Western Music Association’s “Yodeler of the Year” award at its conference in Albuquerque Nov. 16-20. Bill and his partner Joanne Orr also won the WMA “Harmony Duo Award" (see photo).

“Buffalo Bill” performs historical, cowboy and original songs about the Wild West, the Oregon Trail and Wyoming, utilizing fiddle, banjo, mandolin, guitar and vocals. He also presents humorous cowboy poetry, tells stories in Traditional Native American Indian Sign Language and yodels up a storm! 

Boycott is on the Wyoming Arts Council's Artist Roster.

For more information visit www.buffalobillboycott.com

Wilcox Gallery featuring new work by Charles Dayton of Cokeville

Cokeville artist Charles Dayton has some new work at Jackson's Wilcox Gallery.
This one is "Lord of the Valley," oil painting, 24x36 inches, $4,200.

Get your affordable art for the holidays at WOW in Laramie

http://www.worksofwyoming.org/

Call for entries: The Poetry Box in Jackson

The Poetry Box, a public art installation in Jackson, welcomes poets of all ages and experiences to submit a poem to be featured in the box.

The Poetry Box is an artist-made wooden and glass box stationed outside Valley Bookstore in Jackson. Each week, a new poem is featured, with preference given to local and regional poets.

“We welcome submissions from everyone,” Poetry Box coordinator Meg Daly said. “The idea is to create a community forum for sharing poems. Some people may write poetry in private but feel shy about sending it out to literary journals. This is a forum where every poem is welcome.”

A project of the Jackson Hole Art Initiative, the Poetry Box was designed by Jackson artist John Frechette. The box features the message, “Free Poem, Take One!” to entice passers-by to reach in the box and take a free poem with them.

Please send all submissions to jhpoetrybox@gmail.com. Include a one-sentence bio about yourself, including your place of residence.

Valley Bookstore is located at 125 North Cache Drive in Gaslight Alley. Phone 307-733-4533.

An online archive of past Poetry Box poems can be viewed at http://jhpoetrybox.blogspot.com/

For more information about the Jackson Hole Public Art Initiative, please visit www.jhpublicart.org. Learn more about John Frechette at www.strappedglass.com.

Rawlins Winterfest opens Dec. 9 with "Contemporary Art in Wyoming" reception at Carbon County Museum

Rawlins DDA/Main Street presents Winterfest on Saturday, Dec. 10. Fun activities throughout Rawlins, including giveaways at 8 businesses and events at 11 businesses, a free showing of Beethoven's Christmas Adventure, Rotary's Breakfast with Santa, and Family Craft Show at the Rawlins Library. 

Shop in downtown Rawlins all day Saturday at 14 stores, 5 Services and 5 Restaurants to be eligible to win $500 RNB Bucks through Shop Downtown & Win Big! Rules in stores and on our web site.

Kickoff Friday December 9 from 5-8 p.m.: "Contemporary Art in Wyoming" reception at the Carbon County Museum.

Washakie Museum's exhibit of Norman Rockwell Saturday Evening Post covers up through Jan. 5

Norman Rockwell's 323 Saturday Evening Post Covers will be on display through Jan. 5 at the Washakie Museum in Worland. 

This traveling exhibition was organized by the Norman Rockwell Museum, Stockbridge, MA.

In 1977, Rockwell received the nation's highest civilian honor, The Presidential Medal of Freedom, 

for his "vivid and affectionate portraits of our country" in the years 1916-1963. 

Register now for the 2012 American for the Arts national convention in San Antonio

From Americans for the Arts:

Mark your calendars for June 8–10, 2012, to join more than 1,100 arts and community leaders from across the nation! Learn how your organization can adapt to the shifting economic climate and changing demographics and prepare your community for the future. 

Registration for the annual Americans for the Arts convention and the preconferences will open in January 2012. Look for registration details soon!

San Antonio is the ideal backdrop to connect with your peers and see firsthand how arts and culture can shape a community. From the city’s River Walk and historic museums to its embrace of the visual arts and ethnic diversity, you will see how the artistic practices and traditions of the past can merge with—and help redefine—the present and future.

FMI: www.artsusa.org

Mark Junge presents "Charleston to Key West" tonight at Wyoming State Museum

Everyone is invited to “Charleston to Key West,” a Wyoming State
Museum lecture by bicyclist Mark Junge at 7 p.m., tonight in the
Multi-Purpose Room.

Junge, a retiree from the State Historic Preservation Office, has
made numerous bicycle trips across the U.S. He will present a slide
show on his last trip through the southern states.

Junge will highlight his adventures along America’s back roads with
humor and short personal stories.
      
The Wyoming State Museum is located in the Barrett Building, 2301
Central Avenue in Cheyenne. For more information about this and other
Stte Museum programs, please call 777-7022.

Shop locally in downtown Laramie during Mistletoe Mosey

Night Heron Books is one of the Downtown Laramie businesses
 participating in the Mistletoe Mosey through  Dec. 23

From the Wyoming Lifestyle blog:

Have you purchased your Mistletoe Mosey button in Downtown Laramie yet? You can learn more about the program in our upcoming winter issue of Wyoming Lifestyle Magazine, but in the meantime, here’s some information about one of Downtown Laramie’s energetic and successful programs that links the business owners together, as well as with the community!

Primed for an enthusiastic repeat of 2010’s success, the Mistletoe Mosey was launched on Black Friday (Nov. 25) and will run until 6 p.m. on Dec. 23.  The program is simple, and a lot of fun:  purchase a button with your favorite number on it, and search through 50 participating businesses (buttons can be purchased for $5 at any participating business).  Match the number on your button to the number displayed at one of the stores for a chance to win a $50 prize!  You’ll also be entered into a drawing for $1,000 in downtown gift certificates. The Grand Prize Drawing will take place at the First Street Plaza in Downtown Laramie on December 24 at 11 a.m.  Businesses will also be offering extended hours on Tuesdays during December – shop until 7 p.m. on these days for extra time to search for that number! Participating is easy and fun – plus you can take care of your holiday shopping and support the local economy at the same time.

As a thank you for shopping local, bring your gifts to the Laramie Main Street Alliance office at 207 Grand Ave. for free gift wrapping Dec. 10-23, Monday through Saturday, 2-6 p.m. and Dec. 24, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

Be sure to visit Downtown Laramie on Facebook and if you’re in Laramie, get your button today! Whether you’re in Laramie or not, remember to SHOP LOCALLY and give your friends & neighbors your business whenever you can this holiday season!

Open Window Literary magazine debuts Dec. 20 at Night Heron Books in downtown Laramie

Lori Howe sends this news:

We are excited to announce that the first issue of Open Window literary magazine will debut on Tuesday, Dec. 20. We invite everyone to help us celebrate with a gala opening and reading at Night Heron Books in downtown Laramie. Please join us for appetizers and drinks in the Night Heron Café from 6-7 p.m., and enjoy hearing our authors read their work in the salon upstairs from 7-8:30 p.m. This event is free and open to the public.

Here is the list of readers:

Bret Norwood
Hanz Olson
Thomas Glasco (Poet Laureate)
Aaron Holst
Bridget Hardy
Lindsay Sweley
Michael Basinger
Melissa Lamey
Caleb Bristol
Dylan Robinson
Oscar Lilley
Sunnie Gaylord
Samantha Pratt
Jason Deiss
Kade Hornbuckle


Visit Open Window on Facebook. 

Deadline for WyoFile's "Cold Snap Challenge" is Dec. 16

From WyoFile: With Wyoming’s dramatic transition from fall to winter, the photo opportunities are endless and unpredictable. That’s why WyoFile is excited to announce our 2011 Cold Snap Challenge. WyoFile is seeking compelling photography of wintertime in Wyoming. We’re looking for people, scenery, wildlife or whatever you and your camera come across. The WyoFile staff will pick one photo as our Cold Snap Challenge champion, and the winner will receive a Flickr Pro account and $50! WyoFile will be taking submissions for the Cold Snap Challenge starting today up to midnight on December 16. All photos should be sent to erik@wyofile.com with the “Cold Snap Challenge” in the subject line. Contestants are free to submit as many photos as they like during the two-week contest. By submitting a photo, contestants agree to give WyoFile permission to publish their work in Photo Friday or possibly alongside future articles, where they’ll be credited for their work. Happy snapping!

Cheyenne All-City Children's Chorus presents "Soundscapes I: Winterskol" Dec. 10

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cheyenne-All-City-Childrens-Chorus/32933019537

Happy first birthday, Factory Studios!

Factory Studios First Birthday Party, January 6, 2012., 6-8 p.m. Free. The Factory is turning one!  Explore the maze of creativity that over 20 artists call home. Glassblowing by the Teton Art Glass, clothing sale by AM Renegade, in-studio performances, exhibitions, free food and drink, and more. FMI: http://tetonartlab.businesscatalyst.com

Adventure Film Festival Dec. 10 in Jackson

The Adventure Film Festival World Tour Show Dec. 10 in Jackson.

Climb. Ride. Slide. Fly. Fight For Your Environment. Inspire. Go Higher Than You've Ever Dared To Go. Journey into the imagination.

Behold the idealized beauty, carved by unbridled passion, at the first annual Adventure Film Festival World Tour Show in Jackson Hole hosted by Purple Orange Brand Communications and 307 Live.

The show starts on December 10th, 2011 at the Jackson Hole Playhouse. Doors open at 6 pm and the show starts at 7 pm. Tickets are available here online, at the Jackson Hole Playhouse, and Tavern Liquor Store. Tickets - $10 in advance and $12 at the door.

*Alcohol will be available for purchase

Purchase Tickets Online:
http://www.ticketriver.com/event/2578-adventure-film-world-tour---jackson-hole--wyoming/

December 10th - Evening Film Schedule:

Hour 1:

The Dark Side of the Lens - Directed by: Mickey Smith
Towers of the Ennedi - Directed by Jimmy Chin and Renan Ozturk / Camp 4 Collective
Hectometer - Directed by: Mathew Brown
On Thin Sea Ice - Directed by: Tor Eckhoff
Scraper Town - Directed by: Zack Canepari
COLD - Directed by: Cory Richards

Hour 2:

Chalk & Ski - Directed by: Chalk and an artist that loves skiing
Summer Snapshot - Directed by: Allie Bombach
Real Skifi- Directed by: Juho Killki
Kadoma - Directed by: Ben Stookesberry
Jimmy Chin “On Assignment” - Directed by: Jimmy Chin and Renan Ozturk / Camp 4 Collective
Mr Happy Man - Directed by: Matt Morris

**ATTN Parents** some films involve graphic scenes and language

Surprise twist (and special offer) for Page Lambert’s 2012 River Writing Journeys for Women

Page Lambert is one of those rare Wyoming writers who have won Wyoming Arts Council creative writing fellowships in both poetry and prose. She maintains her affiliation with Bear Lodge Writers (lifetime member!) in Crook County, even though she now lives south of the Wyoming border. She often turns up at the annual conference of Wyoming Writers, Inc.

We could go on and on. Instead, we’ll let you know about a great offer to attend one of Page’s writing workshops (courtesy of the latest WWInc newsletter):

Page Lambert’s River Writing Journeys for Women were featured in Oprah’s O magazine in 2006 as “One of the top six great all-girl getaways of the year!”  

HERE’S THE SURPRISE TWIST FOR 2012: You can come for one day, or for all 5 days!You can bring your MEN on this women-only trip!If you book by December 31, 2011, you’ll get the $150 SCENIC RETURN FLIGHT free!  

WHAT? Well, the guys can come as far as Lathrop Canyon on Day 1 (Tuesday, August 7), then they’ll jet boat back to Moab in the afternoon. Here’s how it works: Every year, we have a few jealous men who want to come on a River Writing Journey with their special lady. And every year we have a few women who want to come, but can’t manage to break free for an entire week. We always have a few women who’ve done a trip before and want to experience it again! So Page has come up with two options for this special Anniversary Celebration! Complete information, including prices for Options 1 & 2 here:http://www.pagelambert.com/15anniversary_river.html  

DATE & LOCATION: August 7, 2012, Colorado River, Lathrop Canyon, Cataract Canyon,Canyonlands National Park, Utah. The adventure starts and ends in Moab.

Lobby sale at UW Art Museum Dec. 12-14

UW's production of "Continuous Momentum: The Works of Bill T. Jones" hits the road

From the University of Wyoming:

The residency of the University of Wyoming's 2011-2012 Eminent Artists-in-Residence, the celebrated Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company, culminates with an evening-length dance concert, "Continuous Momentum: The Works of Bill T. Jones" Dec. 10-13 in Riverton, Gillette, Torrington and Lusk.

Performances all begin at 7 p.m. and are free and open to the public. The schedule:

Riverton -- Saturday, Dec. 10, Central Wyoming College, Robert A Peck Arts Center Stage;

Gillette -- Sunday, Dec. 11, Campbell County High School Auditorium;

Torrington -- Monday, Dec. 12, Eastern Wyoming College;

Lusk -- Tuesday, Dec. 13, Niobrara County High School Auditorium.

Performed by UW students, the concert features four pieces from the BTJ/AZ repertory, including "D-man in the Waters," "Continuous Replay," "Duet," and "Power/Full."

"The student performance of Jones' choreography is the highlight of the semester-long project with the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane dance company Eminent Artist-in-Residence project," says Margaret Wilson, UW dance faculty member who has facilitated the residency. "For the students to have the opportunity to learn about the choreography and perform it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity they will never forget."

The pieces, which were reconstructed this fall at UW by BTJ/AZ teaching artists Catherine Cabeen and Nicole Smith, represent several different phases of the company's work.

"The dancers become a part of living history -- recreating works that were set in the 1970s to early 1990s," Wilson says. "The dance world now is a different place than it was at that time, but the dancers validate those works, and the reasons why they were created, by performing them for 2011 audiences."

The concert opens with "Power/Full" (1995/revised 2002), a piece originally devised as a rigorous formal movement study created by Jones in 1995. The score is in two contrasting parts composed by Canadians John Oswald and Laurel MacDonald.

Following is "Continuous Replay," (1977/revised 1991) a piece originally choreographed by Zane as the solo "Hand Dance" and as a duet by Zane and Jones, and later restaged by Jones as an ensemble work.

"Duet," (1995/revised 2002) explores the ideas of pure movement and abstraction. This unusually stark work takes Jones' most sophisticated movement to task and draws on the tension between, and the elegance inherit in, two people moving together in perfect unison.

The concert closes with one of the company's signature pieces, "D-Man in the Waters" (1989), an exhaustive pursuit of water as a metaphor, choreographed to the first movement of Felix Mendelssohn's spirited "Octet in E-flat Major." It is described as "an uplifting and accessible celebration of the resiliency of the human spirit."

"Watching the dancers learn, rehearse and prepare these works for performance has been very satisfying for the UW dance faculty," Wilson says. "Our students are well prepared to do this work with the training that they receive here, and the opportunity to perform the work of a master choreographer like Jones is a validation of all our efforts."

Photo: University of Wyoming dancers will perform "Continuous Momentum: The Works of Bill T. Jones."

Young Musicians, Inc., in Evanston awarded grant from the National Endowment for the Arts

The National Endowment for the Arts announced today that Young Musicians, Inc., of Evanston is the recipient of a $10,000 Challenge America Fast-Track grant. The funding will “support the Music, Arts & Technology Camp. In addition to leading classes for youth and adults, professional camp staff will perform a concert for the community. Proposed artists include saxophonist Michael Giles, violinist Jeremy Starr, bassoonist Michele Hustedt, and tubist Joe Jensen.”

As National Endowment for the Arts Chairman Rocco Landesman has noted, "Art works everywhere," which is why the agency's Challenge America Fast-Track (CAFT) program supports projects from primarily small and mid-sized arts organizations that extend the reach of the arts to underserved audiences-those whose opportunities to experience the arts are limited by geography, ethnicity, economics, or disability. Chairman Landesman announced today that 162 Challenge America grants totaling $1,620,000 will be awarded to organizations in 46 states, plus the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

"Taken together, these Challenge America Fast-Track grants provide an extraordinary sampling of the work that arts organizations do to reach underserved communities," said Chairman Landesman. "With these grants, we are helping to ensure that art works for all Americans."

Along with not-for-profit arts organizations, grantees in this announcement include a community housing authority, municipal tourism department, state mining and technology institute, and social service agency-all using the arts to engage audiences and make their communities more livable. In addition, among the 162 grantees, 47 or about 30 percent are first-time grantees to the NEA, a significant number that demonstrates the program's important gateway role.

Please see the complete listing of CAFT projects: http://www.arts.gov/grants/recent/12grants/12cham.php?disc=Challenge%20America

The National Endowment for the Arts was established by Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government. To date, the NEA has awarded more than $4 billion to support artistic excellence, creativity, and innovation for the benefit of individuals and communities. The NEA extends its work through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies, and the philanthropic sector. To join the discussion on how art works, visit the NEA at www.arts.gov

Auditions Dec. 10, 12 and 13 for "The Bad Seed"

The dramatization of William March’s Novel THE BAD SEED by Maxwell Anderson.

Presented by the Cheyenne Little Theatre Players through special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service.

Directed by Toni Tomei

Auditions at Mary Godfrey Playhouse, 2706 E. Pershing Blvd., Cheyenne

  

Saturday, December 10, from 1-4 pm auditions for Rhoda and Christine 

Mon. & Tues., Dec. 12 & 13, from 6:30-9 pm, auditions for all adult roles.

Callbacks – Wednesday, December 14, starting at 6:30 pm

                       

Please bring a conflict calendar, head shot (any photo will do) and resume.  Please prepare and memorize a dramatic monologue, preferably from a play of the same time period, no more than 2 min. in length for adults and no more than one minute in length for children. If you do not have a monologue prepared, the director will furnish a monologue to be read cold at the audition. Monologues will be presented one at a time in order of sign in.  Plan on block of time to allow director and staff the opportunity to spend time with each individual.  We will make every effort to be mindful of your time.  Those being considered for Callbacks will be notified no later than Wednesday day for Callbacks that evening. Cold readings from script for all parts provided at the Callbacks.  Final cast list will be posted no later than Friday, December 16 by noon.

FMI: www.cheyennelittletheatre.org

Use that new Kindle or Nook to order ebooks by Wyoming writers

Cheyenne writer Mary Gillgannon is converting her earlier published novels to ebooks. Other writers are doing the same thing, once the rights revert to them from their publishers. Are you a Wyoming writer who’s doing this? We’d like to hear your stories about the process, good or bad or indifferent.

Two of Mary’s books have been reformatted and have new covers. Take a look at one of them at
http://www.amazon.com/Storm-Maiden-ebook/dp/B006GCQ2IA/ref=sr_1_1_title_1_kin?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1322836944&sr=1-1

Mary reports that she has four more books to go (at least for now). Two are being formatted while the other two she’s in the process of getting ready to send to my formatter. She has covers for them all. “I’m excited,” she says.

Good luck, Mary!

"Bare Questions" reception Dec. 8 at UW Art Department's UP Gallery

Artist Alanna Catherine Reed's senior exhibition, "Bare Questions," can be seen through Dec. 16 in the University of Wyoming Department of Art's UP Gallery in the Fine Arts Building. An opening reception is set for Thursday, Dec. 8, from 6-8 p.m.

Reid's work focuses on the issues that surround the nude body in American culture. She works mainly with abrasive media such as charcoal and pastels. Her work is life scale or larger than life.

This will be the final exhibition in the UP Gallery. For more information, email Diana Baumbach,dbaumbac@uwyo.edu , or Reid, alannac@uwyo.edu .

WYDOT FTA Team auctions framed picture puzzles to benefit Friday Brown Bag Program

Another great holiday fund-raiser by our state government colleagues. The money raised goes to a good cause:

To support the need being filled by the Friday Brown Bag Foundation, the WYDOT Fuel Tax Administration Team is conducting a Silent Auction Fun-draiser of 22 professionally framed and matted picture puzzles from November 28 to December 7. The framing for the puzzles has been generously donated by Michaels and the FTA Team. The large variety of framed picture puzzles can be viewed and bids offered at either www.fridayfoodbag.org or http://www.wix.com/wyofta/communityservice

While the students receive nutritional meals during the week through free or reduced fee breakfasts and lunches, many still do not have consistent access to nutritious food (or any food at all) on the weekends. Wyoming Department of Education data indicates, for the 2010-2011 school year, 45.8% of all students in LCSD #1, and 36.4% of all students in LCSD #2, qualified for free or reduced fee meals.

The Friday Food Bag Foundation works with educators and social workers from both LCSD #1 and LCSD #2 to deliver bags of nutritious, non-perishable food each Friday while school is in session to children who otherwise might not eat well, or at all, during the weekends.

To participate in this fundraiser for the Friday Brown Bag Program, please view the pieces offered for auction at one of the two above websites and bid on the puzzle(s) of your choice. The winning bidders will be contacted on December 8, and the pieces will be available for pickup on December 9.

In addition to individual bidding, the Fuel Tax Team hopes that teams throughout WYDOT will consider purchasing a puzzle as a team to display in their office.

For more information about the fundraiser, please call (307) 777-4826. For more information about how you can help the Friday Food Bag Foundation, please call (307) 778-4254.

Saratoga Community Choir performs annual Christmas concert on Dec. 18

From Lori Van Pelt in Saratoga:

Traditional holiday favorites, tropical island rhythms and swinging rock melodies are among the musical numbers to be performed by the Saratoga Community Choir during the group’s annual Christmas concert this month.

 

The concert will be held on Sunday, Dec. 18, at 4 p.m. at the Platte Valley Community Center Theater in Saratoga.  Admission is free, but donations are welcomed.

 

Choir Director Valerie Larscheid says, “I’ve heard people say they look forward to the concert all year and it ‘makes’ their Christmas.”  As the choir hosts an “after concert reception,” she says, “It’s a wonderful time for people to socialize, too.”

 

Ten numbers, ranging from the more traditional “Silver Bells” and “Hallelujah Chorus” from Handel’s “Messiah” to the swinging sounds of “Calypso Lullaby” and “Santa’s Rockin’ Round the Clock Tonight!,” will be performed by the “strong and mighty” 20-member group.   

 

Pianist Carol Blake accompanies the choir.  Local violinist Angela Tourney will join the musicians for a special rendition of “A Celtic Silent Night.” One unique aspect of this year’s group is the tenor section.  Three of the four tenors are women.

 

Several choir members will perform solos and duets.  Alto Erin Easter will be a soloist, Gene Smith and John Johnson will sing a duet and trombonist Robby Follum and flutist Lori Van Pelt will play a duet. 

 

Larscheid says she’s grateful and honored to be able perform in the state-of-the-art Platte Valley Community Center Theater.  “I also appreciate the members who come out to sing, and the volunteers who help to make the program possible,” she says. Donations received at the concert enable the group to purchase new music and are used also for advertising.

 

Larscheid has led the choir since 2006, with the exception of 2009, when she underwent successful surgery and treatment for breast cancer. Previous directors have included Bill Rathbun and Leslie Springsteen.  For more information about the concert, contact Larscheid at (307) 326-8603 or by email at valley_girl1781@yahoo.com.

Give the gift of the Wyoming outdoors this holiday season

From the WAC's sister agency within State Parks and Cultural Resources:

Gift certificates that can be used toward the purchase of Wyoming State Parks annual daily use and overnight camping permits are currently available in Cheyenne at Wyoming State Parks, Historic Sites & Trails Headquarters located on the fourth floor of the Barrett Building, 2301 Central Avene.

Gift Certificates can be purchased through December 31, and would make a great Christmas gift for the outdoors person on your list. Gift certificates can only be redeemed at Wyoming State Parks, Historic Sites & Trails Headquarters.

Also, annual daily use permits bought between January 1, and February 15, will be $6 cheaper for Wyoming residents and $7 cheaper for non-residents via the department’s early bird discount.

Resident annual daily use permits are $33 ($27 with early bird discount), annual overnight camping permits are $40 and additional vehicle permits are $7. Non-resident annual daily use permits are $53 ($46 with early bird discount) and additional vehicle permits are $7.

The additional permits for second vehicles can be purchased for vehicles registered in the same household.

For more information about State Park permits and gift certificates, please call 777-6323. Wyoming State Park headquarters is located in the Barrett Building, 2301 Central Avenue, and the fourth floor in Cheyenne.

"Children of Haiti" exhibition features "portrait days," puppet show and reception

From Clay Paper Scissors Gallery & Studios in Cheyenne:

Clay Paper Scissors has a lot going on this December, and we hope to see you come by at some point this month. We'll be open during Art Design & Dine from 5-8 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 8, and also on Dec. 10 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and Dec. 17 from 3-5 p.m. We are also open by appointment -- just call 307-631-6039 to set up a time.

We are featuring a show of portraits by Cheyenne artist Paula Egan-Wright called Children of Haiti. These wistful and winsome portraits are being sold as a fundraiser for the new Kay Lesli school for orphans in Haiti. Clay Paper Scissors is donating part of the commission on every piece sold from this show to the project. Additionally, we will be offering some items by local artists that will make great gifts for yourself or someone on your list! We have bright and useful tote bags, beautiful functional pottery, lovely seasonal cards and jewelry for yourself or that special someone. All these items are by Wyoming artists -- most local here in Cheyenne! Support your local artists for Christmas!

Paula Egan-Wright is offering a couple of opportunities to have your portrait -- or that of someone you love--done! Portraits are by donation with proceeds supporting the Kay Lesli school in Haiti. Paula will be available on a first come, first serve basis on Dec. 10 from 11:15-1 p.m. and on Dec. 17 from 3-5 p.m. These portraits make unique gifts for grandparents or a special someone. Bring your children or grandchildren down to sit!

On Dec. 10, Paula Egan-Wright and students will present a puppet show called "The Magic Orange Tree." This short show is a Haitain folktale that paints a portrait of life in Haiti, all the while  touching on several contemporary issues—superstition, the oppression of children, and the public responsibility for meeting the needs of children. The play features several Caribbean melodies and will be performed with puppets by seven dedicated students. It will take place at 10:30 a.m. on Dec. 10 and is open to the public. Donations benefiting the Kay Lesli school for orphans in Haiti will be gratefully accepted. 

On Dec. 17, 3-5 p.m., there will be an artist reception for Children of Haiti. Paula Egan-Wright will be there doing portraits for donations. These quick portraits make wonderful gifts -- anyone can sit, and all donations benefit the Kay Lesli school. In addition, the vocal trio Just Friends will sing a few syncopated melodies from the islands and some Christmas tunes to add to the ambiance. 

Haiku makes it to NYC traffic signs

New York City Department of Transportation announced a new traffic safety campaign called “Curbside Haiku.
The department is installing 216 signs featuring colorful artwork and haiku poems at high-crash locations near cultural institutions and schools citywide.
“We’re putting poetry into motion with public art to make New York City’s streets even safer,” said department commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan. “These signs complement our engineering and education efforts to create a steady rhythm for safer streets in all five boroughs.”

These poetic signs will deliver safety messages for motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists.

For example, a sign featuring the silhouette of walking man is paired with the following haiku to remind pedestrians to follow and respect traffic safety rules when crossing the street: “Too averse to risk / To chance the lottery, yet / Steps into traffic.”
Another poem asks bicyclists to beware of open car doors: “A sudden car door/ Cyclist’s story rewritten/ Fractured narrative.”

“Curbside Haiku seeks to merge public art with public awareness to infuse a bit of beauty and joy into the public sphere with the images while underscoring the realities of the message with poetry,” said John Morse, the artist who designed these safety signs.
The signs are being installed in all five city boroughs, including near Brooklyn’s Transit Museum, the Brooklyn Museum, the Bronx Museum/Grand Concourse, New York Botanical Garden and Manhattan’s Studio Museum of Harlem.

Casper College Concert Band performs Dec. 10

From Casper College:

The Casper College Concert Band will present its annual Winter Concert on Saturday, Dec. 10 at 3 p.m. in Durham Recital Hall.

According to Douglas Bull, brass instructor and band director, selections this year have been taken from the “many requests that we have had from the community and students.”

“Selections include Leroy Anderson's ‘Christmas Festival,’ a fanciful setting of ‘Jingle Bells’ by Jay Dawson, a moving arrangement of ‘Silent Night,’ and ‘March Of The Toy Soldiers’ from Victor Herbert's ‘Toyland.’ It should an afternoon of seasonal enjoyment culminating in the audience being filled with the spirit if the season,” said Bull.

Several other Casper College groups will also provide seasonal music during the Winter Concert, including the brass, flute, jazz, and percussion ensembles.

The Winter Concert is free and open to the public. Durham Recital Hall is located in the Aley Fine Arts Center.

Casper College is proud to have been listed at #25 in the 2011 rankings of U.S. community colleges by www.StateUniversity.com.

Christmas chocolates in hand-painted box

"Art is Healing" new community outreach for Cheyenne Regional Medical Center

This inaugural exhibit in this new community outreach art program is "Through the Eyes of a Chaplain," showcases mixed media by Kathleen Jacobson, as associate chaplain at Cheyenne Regional Medical Center.

From the brochure accompanying this exhibit, the artist shares her inspiration:

My paintings are based on interactions I had with patients in 2010 through 2011. They are intriguing stories that weave together patients' medical conditions and spirituality. The narratives range from spiritual awakenings to end-of-life and near-death visions. I purposely left the door open for interpretation by each viewer--so did not include the stories with the paintings. Every person sees life through the filter of his or her own unique life skills.

The exhibit will be on display in the north hallway of the medical center from December 2011-February 2012. An artist's reception will be held on December 8, from 5-8 pm, in conjunction with Cheyenne's monthly art walk, Art Design and Dine.

Call for artists for 8th Annual Custer Stampede Buffalo Art Auction

Buffalo by Custer High School Art Club students

The Custer Stampede Buffalo Art Auction committee is seeking artists for the 8th Annual Custer Stampede Buffalo Art Auction, an exciting community visual arts event held in Custer City, SD and the surrounding Black Hills. As in years past, this event draws thousands of people to Custer City and the Black Hills as they peruse the area in search of buffalo art. This is a great opportunity for an artist to connect with the public.

The event involves a variety of bison artwork that can be embellished in any medium for interior or exterior display. Artists will supply all of their own materials and be responsible for any exterior coating process to make their piece weatherproof.

The committee selects ten (10) table top artists. The cost for the fiberglass forms will not exceed $200. Cost of the forms will be deducted from the sale price of your artwork after the commission is calculated, so there is no upfront form cost to the artist.

Please click on the link above for all the specifications and other details.

Dec 8th! Last Art Tour of the 2011 Season in Cheyenne

That's right! You don't want to miss the last art tour of the season. December 8th is shaping up to be a great tour!

The 2012 season will start up again in April and there will be plenty of excitement on tap!

FMI: Art Design and Dine blog