Art of the Hills 2012 by Rockin' Dog Studio

Coming of AGe

Art of the Hills Changes its name SPECIAL SECTIONS: FILM & SCULPTURE

The BUSINESS OF ART

THE JOURNEY OF EMERGING ARTISTS featuring THE Kaleidoscope GROUP

Chris Francis: “Taking the Plunge”

FILM FESTIVALS

PRESENTING THE MOVING IMAGE Film FestivalS IN South DAKOTA

The ART OF BUSINESS

Sean Covel & Napolean Dynamite PREVIEW THE Black HillS Film Festival

Sculpture As Public Art Jim Maher—The REal M c Coy

FEATURING THE 5TH ANNUAL Sculpture in The Hills ART SHOW AND SALE With artist catalog

perspective

Q&A with BUSINESS GURU Jeffrey Hayzlett

spring2012

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spring2012

Ride Our Local Legend Check out our website for movie clips! Spielberg’s “Into the West” • BBC • Great American Country Christmas Special • The History Channel • PBS Railroads • nick at nite • scandalous John • oprhan train

John Lopez Studio MONUMENTAL SCULPTURE IN SCRAP IRON & BRONZE www.lopez-ranch.com • 605-209-0954 “DAKOTAH”, a lifesize hybrid metal sculpture To order John’s 2012 Calendar, mail a check for $12.00 to: John Lopez Studio • 11918 215th Ave Keldron, SD 57634

RESERVATIONS RECOMMENDED

Departures from Hill City & Keystone Mid May - Mid October

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Volume 6 Issue 1

Contents

The Emerging Artists Issue

From the Editor Coming of Age Helping to inspire artists to create

The Business of Art—A Thousand Faces Emerging Artists Find Their Voice, by Kristin Donnan Standard A Lakota story provides the key to “putting on your game face”

Kaleidoscope: A Journey Into Wonderland

18 by George Prisbe-Przybysz

Reflections on the process of identifying South Dakota’s emerging talent

Taking the Plunge by Chris Francis An emerging artist “goes to the show”

Cooperative Emergence One Young Man Takes on Bismarck Emerging painter Michael Van Beek thinks big

Coming Of Age Out West

30 Emerging Art at the Dahl Arts Center, by Pepper Massey

Going the Distance

31 Emerging Art at the Washington Pavillion

Red Cloud—Home to Emerging Artists

32 by Peter Strong

Perspective Q&A with Jeffrey Hayzlett The business and marketing guru brings it on home

(Continued on page 4)

spring2012

Film

Film Festivals Presenting the Art of the Moving Image, by Marcia Mitchell Exploring film festivals around the world

South Dakota: Film Festival Central?

38 Where and when to find festivals across the state

The Art of Business—Vote For Pedro

41 (Working Title: Covel Makes Movies), by Kristin Donnan Standard

Napolean Dynamite producer Sean Covel has designs on South Dakota

Black Hills Film Festival

46 More Than Screening Movies, by Janna Emmel

Visual Arts—Sculpture

Sculpture Monumental Art as Inspiration, by Kristin Donnan Standard How sculpture changes the face of a place

Sculpture in the Hills Art Show & Sale Fifth Anniversary Special Section Including the Artist Catalog

Jim Maher—The Real McCoy

60 by Kristin Donnan Standard

Veteran sculptor Jim Maher shows us the ropes

Speaking In Sculpture One Young Man Learns the Language Emerging artist Jesse Horton dives in

On the cover: Girl in the Red Scarf, by Anna Youngers, one of the Kaleidoscope artists covered in the stories on pages 12 and 18. Oil on canvas, 14 inches x 16 inches. “Much of my inspiration is derived from the classical imagery of the Old Masters, and I aspire to create that timeless quality in my own paintings,” she writes. “I want my work to capture the simple, transcendent beauty of what is experienced day to day—whether it be the fascination of familiar objects in a still life, the elegant bone structure or elusive expression of a person, or the distinctive environment of a landscape.” See more of Anna’s work at www.annayoungers.com.

ART CO SPE CIAOF THE HILL MI NG L SEC S TIO NS:CH AN GESOF AG E FILM ITS & SCU NA ME TH E LPT URE JOU BU SIN

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FEATUR RNE Y OF EME ING THE RGI NG KAL EIDO FRA NC SCO ART ISTS IS: “TA PE GRO KIN G UP THE

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PLU NG E” PRE SEN FIL M FILM TIN G THE FE ST FEST MOVIN IVA LS IVAL S IN G IMA SOU TH DAK GE TH OTA SEA E ART OF PRE VIEW N COVEL & NAP BU SIN THE OLE AN BLACK ES DYN AMI S HIL LS SC UL TE FILM PT UR FES TIVA E AS L THE PU BL REA L SCU LPT MC IC URE FEA IN THE TUR ING COY— JIM ART MA HER HILL S THE 5TH ART AN NU SHO W WIT AL H ART AN D Q& A IST CAT SAL E WIT ALO H BUS G INE SS PE GU RU RS PE JEFF REY CT HAY IV E ZLE TT

SPRING

2012 1

www.hillcityarts.org

EDITOR Kristin Donnan Standard

DESIGNER Jessica Simons

DESIGN CONSULTANT Ray Berberich

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Katie Adkins Jessica Simons

PUBLISHER Hill City Area Arts Council Executive Director: Cory Tomovick

SOUTH DAKOTA SCHOOL OF MINES AND TECHNOLOGY 501 EAST ST. JOSEPH ST • CLASSROOM BUILDING ROOM 201 WWW.APEXGALLERY.SDSMT.EDU • 605.394.1688

2012-2013 EXHIBIT SCHEDULE LULU YEE: Childhood Lost and Found. May 4 – July 13, 2012 ELLEN DURKAN: Accessories for an Iron Maiden. July 16 – August 22, 2012

BRIAN CURTIS: Stonehenge. August 27 – September 28 ROBERT VORE: Don’t Try. October 1 – November 3, 2012 GINA GIBSON: Illuminations. November 6 – December 8

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

GREG GEIGER: Spring 2013

K.D. Standard, President Lesta Turchen, Vice President Peg Arnold, Treasurer Erica Welu, Secretary Randy Berger Merlene Broer David Guerre Peter Larson Wally Matush Pat Schulte Ron Walker

DUSTIN HINSON: Spring 2013 PAUL PETERSON: Spring 2013

INQUIRIES For customer service or subscription queries, changes and renewals, contact:

Art of the Hills Magazine Hill City Arts Council P.O. Box 405, Hill City, SD 57745 info@artofthehills.com 605-574-2810 Art of the Hills is currently published annually, with a Spring release. Subscriptions mailed within the U.S. are $12 per year; to Canada & Mexico, $18; to Europe and Australia, $25.

~ Kitchen And Bath Design ~ Space Planning ~ Product Selection ~ Window Treatments ~ Project Management

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spring2012

Coming of Age Who among us is finished emerging? No one interesting, that’s for sure. In the Emerging Artists Issue, we meet artists who are on the earlier legs of their artistic journey, and we meet some “elders,” established artists with stories to share about the process of coming of age as an artist. Our fledgling artists might or might not be young (often they are); they might be accomplished in other professions, or just starting a career path. Many might be looking for training, marketing ideas, or exposure. To launch the subject of Coming of Age, we borrow a traditional Lakota story, which was told to painter Donald Montileaux—and which he portrays in a series of artistic masks in “A Thousand Faces,” page 12. These masks provide our over-arching metaphor, which encourages emerging artists to feel free to explore their various “faces,” to be brave in expressing their creativity. Some young regional artists have shared their perspective of this process, and take their place next to their contemporaries from around the world who are, as of this writing, on exhibit with fresh works at the New Museum in New York City. You’ll meet: photographer Katie Adkins (Rapid City, SD, page 16); painters Chris Francis (Madison, SD, page 22), and Michael Van Beek (Bismarck, ND, page 28); and a selection of artists (page 18) chosen by admired and established painter George Prisbe-Przybysz, who in 2011 curated Kaleidoscope, an exhibition of South Dakota’s emerging artists. In this introductory section, we also profile the activities that feature and support emerging artists at the Dahl Arts Center in Rapid City (page 30), the Washington Pavilion in Sioux Falls (page 31), and The Heritage Center at Red Cloud Indian School on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation (page 32). In our Film section, we celebrate America’s indigenous art form, as well as the emergence of film festivals in our state. Established writer and film maven Marcia Mitchell provides worldwide perspective here—“Film Festivals: Presenting the Art of the Moving Image,” page 34— setting the stage for the fast-paced life of thirtysomething film producer (and now, first-time screenwriter-director) Sean Covel, an Edgemont, South Dakota native, in “Vote for Pedro,” page 41. His association with one of our state’s eight film fests, the Black Hills Film Festival, encouraged us to profile that event, too, which is three years old in 2012 (page 46). In the realm of Visual Arts, we feature sculpture—but not just any sculpture. Big, outdoor, public art, and how it transforms our public spaces, a topic explored by SculptureWalk director Jim Clark, from Sioux Falls (page 50). Next, we rely on the wisdom of sculpting veteran Jim Maher—who changed careers to take the plunge into the art world decades ago, in “The Real McCoy,” page 60. His experience is balanced with that of young Colorado sculptor Jesse Horton, who, while only 30, is already established in several other creative endeavors (page 65). Also, in a special section we profile the participating artists in this year’s Sculpture in the Hills, Hill City’s annual juried art show and sale (page 54). Finally, we hope that our Perspective Q&A will be useful for artists of all ilks, as well as art collectors, business owners and managers, and anyone interested in marketing. On page 68, our expert is Jeffrey Hayzlett, a South Dakota native who consults on business and marketing around the world. Anything but emerging in his field, he never stops thinking of how to do the job better—his and everyone else’s. You’ll also see some “emergence” for this magazine—changes in scope, relationships, and even in our “identity”—making for exciting times ahead. Emergence. Eventually, it becomes a habit.

Kristin Donnan Standard 8

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E·merge (ĕ-mûrj’)

intr.v. e·merged, e·merg·ing, e·merg·es [Latin ēmergere: ex- +merger, to immerse.] 1. to come into view, become evident 2. to come into existence 3. to rise, as if from water 4. to become manifest, known, or apparent 5. to come forth from obscurity Art of the Hills EMERGES After six years of development, the magazine has identified its voice—one that focuses on one topic per issue, highlighting and informing readers about the arts and culture in our area that pertain to that topic. We have discussed the creative economy, the legacy of our area’s renowned rock sculptures, historic preservation, music, Native art, natural art, architecture, design, and abstract art. And with this issue, we celebrate the future, artists who are coming into view, manifesting in our collective consciousness—and in our economy. To emerge indicates change. And in the spirit of growth, Art of the Hills is ready to grow. It has undertaken several steps in a transition process. Here are the details:

HELP us CHANGE OUR NAME. Entrepreneurs from across the state awarded Art of the Hills a Governor’s Giant Vision Award in 2007; during that process, they stated that the current name celebrates the state’s most prominent geological feature, and therefore represents the whole of our region. However, some readers—and prospective readers—often identify “the Hills” as a Western South Dakota “thing.” Therefore, by next year, we’ll have a new name. We have great ideas brewing, but we won’t muddy your creative contributions. Please submit your ideas to creative@artofthehills.com. In our next issue, we’ll provide a sampling of the suggestions, along with our “New Identity.”

FASTER, STRONGER, BIGGER. Our New Identity isn’t just a new moniker, but also includes an expansion of our content and our reach. More Sections—this time Visual Arts and Film. As our budget expands, so will our sections, with future ideas like Performing Arts, Literature, and Food. More Pages—as many as develop organically, based on resources and content. More Page Partnerships—Take a look at some special ad pages and mini-sections in this issue, where communities or organizations got together to present in-depth information on programs (like the Lead / Deadwood ad, the Black Hills Film Festival, or Sculpture in the Hills). More Contributors—as always, we look forward to meeting new voices in our region who enjoy writing. Write to editor@artofthehills.com if you are interested in sharing your skills. More Distribution—to hundreds of locations in South Dakota and neighboring states. New Topics—if you have great content about future subjects we already have brewing, please let us know. Some sample future ideas: The Art of Spirituality; History: the Depressionera Federal Arts Project; Lowbrow versus Fine Art.

ABOVE: Adam Schechter, a violinist in the Dakota Academy of Performing Arts programs at the Washington Pavilion (see page 31 for more information). Photo courtesy of the Washington Pavilion.. OPPOSITE PAGE: What’s with the suitcase-drum kit? When it comes to formal education, Ben Johnson is the “inventor” and Melissa Lay is the “artist” of the duo, so we’re guessing that Ben made the thing. But why? “Because music is something we can do together,” Melissa says. “We’re hoping this music thing will elevate us.” We’re sure it will., but at the moment, “Ben and Melissa,” or “Melissa and Ben,” as the case may be, are just starting out—brand new emerging musicians. At ages 22 and 23, right now they perform mostly covers of White Stripes and Dog Fashion Disco, among others— but they’ve started writing their own songs. Meanwhile, “the pink suitcase is my creation,” Ben confirms. After sacrificing his trap set in preparation for college, he started looking for alternatives—something that could haul gear, support cymbals, and stand in as a bass drum in the process.“Suitcases that sound good are Samsonite,” he adds. “But most are brown or grey…boring.” Photo By Katie Adkins of katieadkinsphotography.com.

You ain’t seen nothin’ yet. spring2012

THE BLACK HILLS...

DON JONES I have been painting landscapes for many years, both plein-aire and studio oils. Since moving here in 2006, the Black Hills have captured my imagination and given me peace. To me, the hills are not a place of soaring peaks and grand vistas; rather they provide a continuous unfolding of intimate vignettes. Small streams and pools are surrounded by birch, ponderosa, and aspen enclosed by granite cliffs. These spaces are rich in color, shape, and variety, and never fail to inspire. My latest series of oils is based upon early European altarpieces that I hope will convey the sacredness of the Black Hills for everyone.

HEIDI WATSON I love photographing landscapes filled with color and texture, but I’d never seen a Black Hills site like this before. Capturing the spring morning’s quiet, still mood was not the challenge; instead, I wanted to represent the miles of lupine. My challenge was to draw viewers into a place they may not have visited, while still giving them a sense of being there with me at that very moment. I was particularly drawn to the contrast of the old fence posts and road against the fields of lupine. The forest in the background added to a sense that I had stepped right into a storybook. It was so beautiful and serene. I think I’ve visited this area in other years, too, but nothing has compared to this particular season when the lupine fields bloomed as far as I could see. It was truly one wonderful photo opportunity I’ll never forget.

DENISE DU BROY My first several years in the Black Hills were spent living on our buffalo ranch—a drastic contrast from my previous urban life on both coasts. Inspired by and in constant awe of my surrounding environment, I have wandered, driven through, explored, flown over, and photographed the grasslands, Badlands, meandering creeks, section lines, gravel roads, and tree-lined hills. While painting abstractly, I use my photographs for reference; they reveal intriguing shapes, compositions, contours and lines. It's impossible not to be constantly humbled, amazed, and influenced by this powerful landscape, its quickly changing weather, and its natural light.

W W W . A R T I S T S O F T H E B L A C K H I L L S . O R G

SIGNATURE

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Anna

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Steve

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RTISTS of the

Mick Harrison • Shirley Jane Hobbs • Pete Hopkins • Mary Hunt • Don Jones • Dale Lamphere • Jim Maher • Nicola Meeks • Sandra Newman Bonnie Omang • Tim Peterson • James Pollock • Marshall Raeburn • Sarah Rogers • Rachel Scheffel • Kathy Sigle • Dorothy Snowden • Jan Sohl

10 www.hillcityarts.org BLACK HILLS BJ Stych • Sandy

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The Business of Art

A TH O U SAND FAC ES : BY KRISTIN DONNAN STANDARD

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E merging artists FIND THEIR VOICE spring2012

A long time ago, prior to the Reservation Period, the Lakota people were a warmhearted, familyoriented people who freely roamed the Plains in search of buffalo and lived a happy life…but, there were also times when they were forced to become aggressive, to go against another people and do things they normally wouldn’t do. During these times of aggression, the men—the warriors of the tribe—would come into a sweat lodge and take a ceremony to prepare them for what they had to do. At a certain point in the ceremony, the men would see an elder—a man who had been there for eons, a man who has always been there. With him, he would have a little bag…and when he reached into this bag, he would pull out masks, one for each warrior. These masks were not physical masks, but instead, they were spiritual coverings. When the elder presented a warrior with a mask, he also bestowed upon him the abilities he would need—swiftness, agility, fearlessness, courage, strength—and the men would then go to battle with these gifts. Upon their return, the warriors would again go into the sweat lodge and meet with the elder. Making his presence known, the elder would take each man’s mask and put it back in his bag. In doing this, the elder would rid the warriors of everything they had experienced in battle—all they had seen, all the bad things they were forced to do. He would take all their thoughts and actions and put them back in the bag. When each warrior left the sweat lodge, his experiences in battle were no longer a part of him. He was once again a compassionate, kindhearted man who could love his family and hold his children, without the ghosts of battle lurking behind him.

PREVIOUS PAGE: WE THE PEOPLE, a replica of a section of the Statue of Liberty by Danh Võ, hammered copper over steel. Photo by Benoit Pailey, courtesy of the New Museum, New York. OPPOSITE PAGE, TOP LEFT: Owl, one of the mask series by Donald Montileaux, mixed media on canvas, 16x20”. The masks are part of Montileaux’s show, “Nothings for Sale,” at the Dahl Arts Center, through May 19, 2012. Photo by Katie Adkins. RIGHT: Montileaux working on a piece of ledger art in his studio at Prairie Edge Trading Co. & Galleries, a creative venue in Rapid City that focuses on contemporary Native American art. Photo by Katie Adkins. BOTTOM: Storyteller Dakotah Hollow Horn Bear, shown in traditional Lakota dress in a photo on display at Prairie Edge, where he was a “much loved employee,” according to Montileaux. The two men met there; it was in Montileaux’s Prairie Edge studio where the mask story was shared. Photo courtesy of Prairie Edge.

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This traditional Lakota story inspired renowned South Dakota artist Donald Montileaux, who has recently expressed it visually in a new series of artwork. “When my friend Dakotah Hollow Horn Bear first told me this story, I was captivated with the idea of ridding yourself of the bad by letting your ‘mask’ take the experience,” he says. “Once the mask is taken off, you’re free of the ghosts.” In the series, Montileaux attaches plastic masks to canvas, textures them with modeling paste, and adds several washes of paint—the result is a haunting composition balanced between chaos and order. The masks are scarred with the marks of the tumultuous process, yet they see from emotionless eyes, their expression, untouched. “I’m never quite sure what will happen when I’m working on my masks or how they’ll turn out,” he says of the process, “but then each mask begins to talk to me and gives me direction—‘I want beads, I want feathers, I want shells’—and I think, ‘Oh, that’s cool…they’re so cooperative, yet so demanding at the same time.’” It is easy to see the distinct personalities in Montileaux’s masks, and to hear their voices. Once heard, they invite a short metaphorical journey, asking us to apply their message to many of life’s challenges—or even simple shifts we undergo each day. Consider the difference between a warrior in the story preparing for an attack two hundred years ago, versus someone today, attending an important business meeting—or going to the gym. Consider our tone of voice, our language of touch, when helping a child who has fallen from a bicycle, as compared with facing a desperate person stealing a bicycle. We all have different “faces,” different “selves.” Masks for our daily lives, for navigating among our various obligations, relationships, and feelings. And consider the shifts a young artist faces when set loose, alone in the workspace, painting or writing or dancing with abandon, flush with inspiration—and then challenged with facing the audience or the show jury or even one potential patron. The journey through life is one of gaining experience, and with time our masks change. Throughout these pages, we explore how the emerging and the established are charting their paths, considering their options, evaluating their gifts, and choosing which of their masks to wear today…and tomorrow. This is a subject writer and lecturer Joseph Campbell would have loved; his life’s passion lay in collecting stories from around the world and comparing their roots, comparing the

ways in which people have shared ideas and experiences. In 1949, he published a book called The Hero with a Thousand Faces, which explored a theory about the typical journey of an archetypal hero, a hero who has starred in stories across the globe. Here we celebrate how each artist—each hero—on a journey might require his or her own set of faces. Perhaps two, perhaps 1,000. After more than 40 years of expressing himself through his art, Montileaux knows his creative journey. He says that this particular mask story stuck with him, and the pieces that resulted from it have made an indelible impact. “As an artist, each piece I create is individual and special…but these talk more to me than anything else I’ve ever done.” For storyteller Dakotah Hollow Horn Bear, this was one of countless stories that made up the oral history of the Lakota people. “Dakotah was a dedicated follower of Lakota tradition and a very good friend of mine,” Montileaux says. “He was known for his love of Lakota culture, wonderful stories, and being a wealth of information—about buffalo robes and elder shirts, or how to make bows and arrows, or tanning hides—and also for his willingness to share these things with others. He passed away in 2008 at the young age of 29.”

YOUNG TURKS Dakotah Hollow Horn Bear was just a young man at the end of his journey on this earth, but he touched countless others with his storytelling and his passion for tradition. The mask story explored one particular tradition that helped to relieve the burdens of war—burdens that remain fresh and often unrelieved in today’s world. Regardless of our country of origin, “ghosts” can remain in those who fight for what they believe in, what they know, or for their very survival. And our world’s artists tell the stories of what they see, what they experience, and what they dream. For generations, thanks to their youthful perspective, emerging artists have redefined our collective view of the human experience, and they have redefined the ways in which this experience is portrayed. Just since the mid-1900s, the younger set has crosspollinated artistic styles, explored the theory of art, performed art live, and gained us all permission to abandon boundaries. Our masks firmly in place, we have shed our inhibitions, our expectations, and our protective “skin,” thanks to the young creative minds among us. This energized, boundary-challenging global view has been exhibited in an ongoing series at the New Museum in New York City, which features only contemporary art. “The

Generational Triennial,” which premiered in 2009 and opened again in February, 2012, is New York’s only recurring international exhibition of emerging artists. It is slated to recur every three years. Each New Museum participating artist was born between the mid-1970s and mid1980s, and many of them have never before exhibited in the United States. The Spring 2012 installation is titled “The Ungovernables,” and represents the sensibilities of a generation who came of age after the revolutionary movement of the 1960s and 1970s. “In many ways this generation was formed by the instability of a period marked by military dictatorships, the IMF crises of the 1980s and 1990s, the spread of global capitalism and the rise of fundamentalism,” curator Eungie Joo says, after visiting more than 20 countries and hundreds of artists in spring2012

ABOVE: Photos from an emerging artist project featured in the New Museum’s “Ungovernables” exhibition: Invisible Borders Trans-African Photography Project, an artist-led initiative with a drive to: effect change in society; symbolize networking and transborder associations within the arts in Africa; and become a stepping stone for emerging talents in the continent. Invisible Borders wants young African artists to think beyond borders at the beginning stage of their creative quest, and to tell Africa’s stories through photography and inspiring artistic interventions. For more information, see newmuseum.org and invisibleborders.com. Photo by Benoit Pailey, courtesy of the New Museum, New York. OPPOSITE PAGE, LEFT: Reflection #13, by Katie Adkins. Digital photography. Photo by the artist. RIGHT: Teapot by Travis Hinton. Wheel-thrown, saltfired stoneware, 7x9x6”. Photo courtesy of the artist.

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an effort to select the show’s 50 participants. The work displayed by the New Museum depicts impermanence, and an exploration of the present and future—in a variety of media, including traditional works like painting and sketches, as well as performance art and installations. Their work is telling the story of what is happening politically and socially in our world today—place by place, environment by environment, through each artist’s point of view. The representation might be a monumental political comparison, like WE THE PEOPLE. This replica of a section of the Statue of Liberty, created in the same way the original was made, was conceived by Danh Võ, 37, a Vietnamese native who lives in Germany. Another piece might explore more intimate relationships, such as Ressaca Tropical (“Tropical Hangover”), which was created by 30-year-old Brazilian Jonathas de Andrade. This installation links more

than one hundred photographs to pages of a romantic diary that was rescued from the garbage, and is intended to represent how the past can remain alive. “The Ungovernables” title is intended to honor organized resistance that comes as part of civil disobedience, while also recognizing, like a sardonic parent, that the Young Turks of this generation—like many thinkers before them—follow their own hearts and minds. If the emerging artists throughout the world could hear Dakotah Hollow Horn Bear’s story, likely they would relate to the protection inherent in putting on a selection of masks, “game faces” that would help them to protest, document, express, and even risk their lives. Montileaux says that these artistic warriors of today—along with soldiers and philosophers and social commentators— sometimes cannot remove their “war masks” for long periods, even years or decades. They struggle with the presence of what they have

seen, feared, and experienced; and in the fast pace of many cultures, there is no ceremony, no spirit, to remove the mask. “Sometimes you can hear these people, eagle-screaming or bear-growling,” he says. “They still have the pain in them.”

REFLECTIONS Montileaux’s masks talk to many people, to gallery attendees, to visitors at his office, and to those who have purchased them for their own walls. The pieces also speak to Katie Adkins, an emerging fine art and documentary photographer who moved in 2011 to South Dakota from Georgia. She says the camera acts as her mask. “I want to be behind the camera; I don’t want people to see me,” Adkins says. “I think that as artists, we try to represent our Selves— we try to be open—but there are things we might not share in our art. An artist’s mask helps us choose what to show in our work, what to create, where it’s shown, and whether it’s shown at all.” “Every day we have masks, we all wear different ones—artists or not,” Montileaux says. “With our friends and family, or with business people. We’ve all felt the change, like when you take off a protective mask when you’re alone, or with your spouse.” Adkins is inspired by the work of Jacques Derrida, a French philosopher, and especially by his theory that “the world is made up of signs—words, images, symbols—and that these signs only point us to other signs, which point us to even more signs, and on and on,” she explains. “I think of a mask in these terms, and that a mask only leads to another mask.” This concept has inspired one of her current series of photographs, called “Reflections: Looking through the Looking Glass.” This digital project replicates the effect of double-exposing film with layers upon layers of images, creating “ambiguous and fantastical images” that obscure the viewer’s ability to discover what is real and what is reflected. “This blending of layers serves as a metaphor for my own artificial versions of self,” Adkins says. It is difficult, but sometimes possible, to see a glimpse of her image in the photographs.

The give-and-take of this exchange, between established artist and emerging artist, underscores some of the experiences—and challenges—shared by artists of all ages. They are all inspired by what they see and hear and feel; they all balance their own lives with their work, its needs, its demands—its voice. But still, Adkins, new to our area, is eager to meet others of her own ilk, those who grew up making art and texting it to friends. Those who speak her own dialect of youth. Lucky for her, someone compiled a list.

KALEIDOSCOPE In 2011, South Dakotans for the Arts honored this state’s own Young Turks during the Governor’s Awards in the Arts, a biennial event in South Dakota. The work of dozens of artists under the age of 40 was reviewed, and a cross-section of 30 individuals was selected by painter and event curator George PrisbePrzybysz. “It was a pleasure to examine and become acquainted with so many young, talented individuals,” Prisbe-Przybysz wrote in his curatorial statement. “These are young people with tremendous enthusiasm, innovative ideas, optimistic passion—and they are well connected. I was made aware of the serious level of their engagement with each other, art, and the world in which we live. Still, through all of this, I sensed a measure of doubt—a healthy degree of skepticism. They are open

to new ideas and ready to be challenged, for they recognize the speed with which contemporary reality changes.” Prisbe-Przybysz concluded that, to his delight, “the future of the visual arts in South Dakota is in fine and capable hands.” With Prisbe-Przybysz’s own capable hands, he quietly exited his comfort zone— most resonant in his studio, where he works with his dogs napping nearby—and composed an artistic expression about the experience. Part poem, part reflection, part rejection of traditional punctuation, the piece depicts Kaleidoscope from the perspective of longevity. It was this elder’s experience with South Dakota’s Young Turks that inspired this magazine issue, dedicated to the emerging artists of our time.

spring2012

South Dakota Kaleidoscope Artists

Kaleidoscope:

Diana Behl Brookings

By George Prisbe-PRZYBYSZ

A Journey into Wonderland

Fatih Benzer, Brookings Keith Brave Heart, Rapid City Natalie DeJong Schad, Sioux Falls Tim Donovan, Sioux Falls Stacey Evangelista Sioux Falls

“Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?”

“That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,” said the Cheshire Cat. “I don’t much care where—” said Alice.

“Then it doesn’t matter which way you go,” said the Cat. “—so long as I get somewhere,” Alice added.

“Oh, you’re sure to do that,” said the Cat, “if you only walk long enough.”

Nick Fischer, Aberdeen Nicole Fischer, Aberdeen Chris Francis, Madison Tani Gordon, Mission Liz Heeren, Sioux Falls Charles Her Many Horses, Rosebud Travis Hinton, Sioux Falls Lori Jones, Hill City Amy Kasten, Brandon Denton Lafferty, Kyle John Lopez, Lemmon Erica Merchant, Spearfish Eyob Mergia, Sioux Falls Chad Nelson, Souix Falls Elissa Nesheim, Rapid City Reina Okawa, Sioux Falls Jessie Palczewski, Dupree Eli Show , Sioux Falls Grant Standard, Hill City James Star Comes Out, Pine Ridge Altman Studeny, Plankinton Andres Torres, Sioux Falls Benjamin Victor, Aberdeen Anna Youngers, Sioux Falls 18

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looking back on the experience of curating kaleidoscope . . . . a virtual exhibit featuring the

next generation of artists in south dakota . . . . it was easy to relate to alice . . . . mine too, was

a fantastic journey full of wonder . . . . and interesting characters . . . . like alice, i was not sure where to begin, what i would find . . . . or where it would end.

every other year . . . . the statewide arts advocacy organization . . . . south dakotans for the

arts . . . hosts a wonderful event . . . . which celebrates the arts while honoring those who make

it real . . . . the visual art component of this event has always been an exhibition . . . . often with a theme . . . . and my role has been to make that happen. . . . the title . . . . kaleidoscope . . . . was prophetic, for the collection came to represent a broad spectrum of subject, style, and concept.

truth be told . . . . there was no clear destination . . . . nevermind a clear starting point . . . .

i was no more familiar with the next generation of south dakota artists than my peers . . . . a

bunch of now old, but once young turks ourselves . . . . the only thing obvious was that there needed to be some measure by which to define . . . . not only what is young . . . . but the criteria by which these artists would be judged.

the parameters were set . . . . their age should be thirty-five (later amended to forty) or less

. . . . they must be current residents of south dakota . . . . they must not be currently enrolled students . . . . and the work must demonstrate maturity and consistency.

walking the streets, looking under rocks, asking the cheshire cat . . . . none of these seemed

a good approach to actually finding this next generation . . . . i did, however, know two young

artists . . . . liz hereen and anna youngers . . . . exceptionally talented and responsible people . . . . so, i asked them to name the five artists . . . . following the criteria . . . . that they most admired and respected . . . . a simple question, which was repeated to each new nominee . . . . the list of

young talent grew quickly, eventually reaching a total of one hundred and twenty-two . . . . and still, i knew that many would be missed . . . . and some would chose to not participate.

with this, my journey was really just beginning . . . . the next several weeks were spent visit-

ing websites, facebook pages, flickr accounts and requesting digital images . . . . eventually this cast of characters would be pared down to thirty . . . . it could have been more.

i was amazed at what my journey revealed . . . . the future of the visual arts in south dakota

is indeed a wonderland . . . . the imagery of our present and future is finer than i could have

imagined . . . . and the individuals creating it even better . . . . i feel honored to have peered into the looking glass and experienced their “golden gleam.” the end . . . . the beginning.

BEAUTY. HISTORY. ARTS. Visit beautiful Lead!

LEAD, SOUTH DAKOTA is nestled in the heart of the beautiful Black Hills, just 3 miles from historic Deadwood. Bring your friends and family and spend a day on Main Street, Lead! The LEAD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE & HOMESTAKE VISITOR CENTER is located on the edge of the historic site of the original 1876 gold strike. This 1,250-ft.-deep, half-mile wide, manmade wonder is nicknamed ‘The Open Cut.’ Take a guided trolley tour and visit the surface workings of the Homestake Gold Mine. 605-584-1100 - LeadMeThere.org The BLACK HILLS MINING MUSEUM features a realistic walk through time in the timbered passages of a simulated underground gold mine, which was masterfully constructed by more than 130 actual Homestake Gold Mine workers. You can even pan for ‘gold.’ See historic mining artifacts, archival photographs and local history exhibits. 605-584-1605

Mining-Museum.BlackHills.com

The 1914 HISTORIC HOMESTAKE OPERA HOUSE was nicknamed “Jewel of the Black Hills” for its grandeur and ﬁne plasterwork. This beloved building survived a devastating ﬁre in 1984, and although the theatre is partially restored, the building is host to tours, concerts, weddings, and receptions as well as year-round community theatre and performing arts events.

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The LEAD-DEADWOOD ARTS CENTER AND GALLERY promotes educational and cultural activities through the arts, including monthly exhibits, quilt shows, classes, photography and art contests and several free kids’ craft projects. Custom framing available. Signature gallery of the Artists of the Black Hills. 605-584-1461

DeadwoodLeadArtsCouncil.com

LEAD is the ideal headquarters for an outdoor getaway in any season, with rock climbing, mountain biking, hiking, horseback riding, oﬀ-road expeditions, snowshoeing, snowmobiling and skiing.

spring2012

Jerry Green

Award Winning Turned Wood

Dakota Nature

& A,

Main Street, Hill City www.dakotanatureandart.com 605-574-2868

Old World Plaza Main Street. Hill City, South Dakota

605-574-4894 â&#x20AC;˘ www.artforms.smugmug.com

www.hillcityarts.org

Where Smiles Come Together

Custer, SD

673-2011

DestinationDentistry.net

Dr. Rob Lyons, DDS

Dr. Daniel Custis, DDS

spring2012

Taking the Plunge By Chris Francis

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Painter Donald Montileaux, an elder statesman in the South Dakota art scene, has relied on Lakota teachings to inform his own life—and also the advice he would share with emerging artists. “Know who you are, understand your history, and then go for whatever you want to do,” he says. In the process of discovering who we are, Montileaux describes a lifetime of “crooked roads” along the path. Rocks will be in the way to a successful career in the arts, and hills. Valleys. “Never give up,” he says. And after showing in each and every exhibition since 1969 at the Red Cloud Indian School’s famous Heritage Center art show—among countless other shows over the decades—he knows the drill. It takes courage to find your people, find your voice, and continue to create artwork. To place it in the public eye, naked and exposed. The moment it tries to stand alone, many creators at once question merits of their art; they decry its form, and mentally restructure its components. Chris Francis is an emerging artist, as well as the energetic president of the Madison Area Arts Council in South Dakota. Here, he describes his experience, the emotional roller-coaster, the flow of doubts, and the excitement of placing his work in The Center for Western Studies 32nd Annual Artists of the Plains show, Sioux Falls, February 2012. He also weaves in thoughts from his contemporaries. Undoubtedly, he heard Montileaux’s voice in the prairie winds on the drive eastward: “I’ve made my mark. Now you make yours.” KDS

CHAPTER I “Producing artwork that is wild, free, uninhibited, passionate, thought provoking, and unique is the real plunge that I am yet to take. I am dipping in my toes, wading in the kiddie pool, fearful of the dark bottom waiting in the deep end. All I can do is keep on creating.” — Jacob Bosmore, Aberdeen. Friday 7:26 AM Holiday Inn City Centre, Sioux Falls I left early this morning, somewhere around quarter ‘til six. Feeling anxious, not nearly ready enough, and compensating for fears of being…well, mistaken for an amateur. That’s not to say I’m a true professional, either; hardly, such claims are earned and garnered by those who’ve made their mark, and I’m still searching for that elusive “something” that justifies the moniker. I’m somewhere in-between, what some call “emerging,” a word I want to shed. I’ve been working this art gig for the better part of a decade; the shows come and go, the sales are usually few and far between, and the meet-and-greet is consistently pleasant—but the true rewards come from two directions. The most obvious is the reward of nailing an outing, of presenting yourself well, of feeling confident. The second reward comes from being part of the clan. The other clan members know we’re devoted to our art, our craft—but there’s a certain respect among your peers that is directed toward that one great piece. Or two, or seven more. Today’s aim: to represent the better part of a year’s worth of efforts, time spent hidden away from much of anything social, at the fine arts market, The Center for Western Studies 32nd Annual Artists of the Plains. I need to keep my eye on this ball. I want to do more than tread water this weekend. Just being here is not enough; this time I need to put myself out there for people to see, to breathe in the idea that I’ve evolved enough spring2012

over this past year to keep my head in this game—I’ve earned the right to stand with the other artists. I have to remember to put my game face on, to maintain that mix of brash ego and sincere respect that is uniquely me. As I contemplate this day, I exaggerate its importance into a mental reality television program, and within the folds of my own focused mind this morning, I’m that character that’s probably a bit abrasive, stays out too late, and will be the second voted out of the house, or off the island. Not the first; that’s reserved for the amateur.

CHAPTER II “In comparison with highly populated states and cities, South Dakota’s ratio of small population to exhibition opportunities makes it easier for emerging artists to gain exhibition opportunities. However, our ratio of small population to large landmass creates a difficult situation for networking and mentoring; emerging and established artists find themselves isolated. Seeing established art exhibited—and interacting with established artists—encourages emerging artists. Their presence shows emerging and future artists that it is possible to be an art professional in South Dakota.” — Lisa Shoemaker, Colman. Friday 10:37PM After the opening reception Grille 100 Holiday Inn City Centre, Sioux Falls I’m sitting. Exhausted. Questioning the wrongs and rights of the surrounding and very limited creative world. Probably a bit weary of the early signs and sounds of this weekend, the hustle of a plausible sale, the quick banter with that scarce client drawn to the abstract. But still, there’s enough to keep me drawn in, fixed on the game, yearning for the confirmation that comes packaged with the elusive sale. The debate of what to order for dinner becomes a bit more pressing at our impromptu creative round-table, the gathering of the clan after being “on” for hours for the public. Our waitress is eager to call it a night. We fumble around on a two-page spread reduced to plated appetizers and iced drinks, desperately 24

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looking for something more to justify a conversation, something to keep us there in that moment. The questions begin. They always do. With answers that skate the line between complete honesty and optimism.

CHAPTER III “Seems that it’s most important to be true to your own vision. You can bend a little in order to sell something, but you remain the only one accountable for your integrity as an artist. I think this is why artists generally have lots of other jobs, probably because it’s difficult to depend on any market, especially in South Dakota.” — Angela Behrends, Madison. Saturday 2:31 PM International Room Holiday Inn City Centre, Sioux Falls I know I’ve been here before, this path of questioning the appropriateness of my assembled work: did I bring the right product, the right images; where did my focus go the past few weeks just before this show; how could I have thought that this was going to work out any differently than in years past? I swung by one of my galleries just two weeks ago, had to share a few of these newer pieces, a mix of wash and pencil on paper, a few called Bluestem and Vibrations, trying to get a feel of these things from another voice who’s been there before. Surprising, they had been well received the past few times they went out, even sold a good handful over the past few months, one this past week even. All signs pointed to success. Perhaps this was the series that would crack the code. Maybe not the jackpot, but no part of this wider pursuit has been about the riches, or the notoriety. It’s about earning respect, so the upward tick was an improvement. But here, the pieces sit idle. A few looks, an occasional finger point, a nod, even a smile, but they still sit. This reminds me of something I began to realize a few years ago: you’ve got to find ways to get things into their hands. Move the spectators, the lookers, into the realm of the touchers, the holders, the buyers. Holding a piece of art, no matter the price or the content, is a powerful moment;

art reaches for your soul, and often grasps your heart, so much so, you can’t let go, you must have it. In the process, sometimes they connect to you as the source. Call it artistic fishing. We bait our frames with the best artistic lure we can, in the hopes that we can connect with someone, and reel them into a great story, a great experience, one they take home to keep and share.

CHAPTER IV “Mistakes are nothing more than the shadow that comes and goes with each passing hour in my mind, I can be screaming along, thinking, ‘This is the best thing I have ever done,’ and in the next moment, I see a line I don’t recall placing. Art is a living thing for me, and if I worry or try to control it, the end result always ends up in the darkest closet. The mistakes I make are just the art breathing and changing form; one day my rational mind sees the ugliness, the next it sees only the beauty.” — Kari Lynn, Watertown. Saturday 6:14PM On I-29 headed North to Madison Heading home to sleep, wondering whether it was a mistake to go in this direction, to lead myself into the rationale of thinking that the next great show would propel me into the realm of the working professional, into the same class as the respected artists. Sure, I’ve rubbed elbows with a few notables, exchanged the wit and sincere sarcasm I’ve become accustomed to, which is about the best way I have with dealing with my own fears, misgivings, and perceived shortcomings. I just can’t seem to get over this question tonight: where should I head as an artist, as a person? Is this truly the route I want to take for another decade?

CHAPTER V “I have many responsibilities in my life; I am a father, a teacher, and an artist. I find time to work on my printmaking during those inbetween times in life. I have a studio set up in my basement, but very little gets done in there. I work during lunch at school, or at the dinner table at home when my family is watching TV, and my major efforts are focused on Friday nights and Saturday afternoons. I also work on

seven prints at once; if I am having trouble, I set one aside and work on another, going back later with a fresh perspective. I also set a goal of what I would like to accomplish each spring, and fall, and do everything I can to exceed that goal.” — Chad Nelson, Sioux Falls. Sunday 7:56 AM At home in Madison I’m pondering which color of shirt, deepdown knowing that I’m going to wear the trusty yellow fleece. I can’t help but to think about my own work ethic as I remember a drawer filled with worn, over-washed, and otherwise tattered blue-collared work shirts, sized medium, which I proudly threw away in the dumpster behind our empty apartment after my last night of employment. It was those shirts that allowed us to set out for South Dakota early in the morning some four years ago. Honestly, I suppose I’ve never been that naturally-talented artist who brags about how easy these things come, or that hipster artist who steals all the attention with casual cool and outlandish flare. I’ve always had to work out an idea, struggle, fall on my face, and often watch things fall from sight, dissipate into thin air. That’s just the path I’ve taken and with which I’ve grown familiar. There’s a defining question among artists, an unspoken skepticism, a sneaking suspicion that informs a self-absorbed presumption.

We pretend we’re not looking, and we ask ourselves, “Just how often do they really work?” “Does that guy really invest himself into his work—live it, breathe it—or is he just projecting that appearance?” Forget it. My yellow fleece and I need to hit the road and make a few changes to that booth; got to do something about that carpeting.

CHAPTER VI “The words ‘persistence’ and ‘passion’ are interchangeable in my world of art. I never thought of my journey as one that was a grind, as I love what I am doing, so moving forth was simply the next step. I know that most artists feel that they’re never content with where they are, as their work is never quite what they want to do. We strive to grow, and to put on paper what we’re thinking in our heads. It sometimes needs to percolate, so there’s a quiet time where we may feel there is a block, but when that passes, it seems that the ideas flow out on the paper. I suppose I’m always driving to push my art to the next level of excellence and that may just be what persistence is.” —Jennifer Stone, Watertown.

PREVIOUS PAGE: Detail from #1– Work from Dakota Requiem, by Chris Francis. Oil on canvas, 30x40”. Photo courtesy of the artist. THIS PAGE, ABOVE LEFT: Sway, by Angela Behrends. Mixed media—plaster, glass, wild onion stalks; variable sizes. Sway was made at the 2011 Washington Pavilion’s “Take the Day” event, featured on page 31. Photo courtesy of the artist. RIGHT: The Seed by Chad Nelson. Mezzotint, Chinecollé 7x10”. Photo courtesy of the artist. NEXT PAGE: Enlightened, by Jennifer Stone. Watercolor, 10x14”. Photo courtesy of the artist.

Sunday 1:07PM International Room Finally, mocha-colored jute from my living room tackles the carpet, because there’s nothing like waiting until the last day to make improvements to the booth. Anything spring2012

to entice a late-day sale. My mind fills with past successes: the promising conversation, the well-attended shows. I’m only 30 and, apparently my astrological signs are pointing to success and creativity, at least according to the lady from Saturday morning. So things are looking up; that’s the only possible interpretation, the only way to proceed. There’s something about sticking it out as an artist that I’ve come to appreciate. This weekend I shared a room with 20 other artists, each in a different moment of his or her career, each with a different story to tell. We seem to gain our strength through our work, the creative process, the public exhibitions, the give and take with prospective clients; all of these come together to form the depth and richness of our character. Perhaps art itself is a tool for us to travel through our own lives and to learn from our own inherent weaknesses and underlying strengths. It becomes a way to build our families, to connect with friends, and to reach out into the public realm to express our own fears and hopes, challenges and misgivings, to share just a bit of our story in the hopes of discovering that we’re not as alone as we might have thought. 26

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CHAPTER VII “Be your own worst critic and your own biggest fan. If you’re doing junk, then recognize it and change; if you’re doing good work but no one acknowledges it, forget ‘em. Sooner or later people will catch on. That’s a lifetime of wisdom in one sentence.” — Greg Denotter, Sioux Falls. Sunday 5:02 PM International Room Packing the crates has never been the most enjoyable part of these gigs, ensuring that each piece is carefully wrapped for the trip back home; there’s nothing worse than a scratched frame or a bent corner. If I gained anything from this weekend, it was that you can’t expect to please everyone, nor can you focus yourself on the sole pursuit of trying to give everybody something. It’s just not the best direction to head. Rather you must make your own work and let the few respond. While packing, I identify the narrow window we’re in because of the economy, and people’s fears about spending money. Younger, emerging artists who make it through this lean time will help shape the artistic landscape 10 years from now. Who

will stick it out? The established artists aren’t going anywhere; they’ve been through it all. But younger artists are being put through a wringer of hard realities. Some younger artists come out for a few shows, and when they look at the dedication it takes, the uphill climb, they sometimes say, “This isn’t what I thought I was getting myself into.” Established artists say, “They won’t come back.” I say that those who will make it will be stronger. They will have been tested. Still, with all of challenges, there’s something alluring about being one of those people, about putting yourself out there. For it to work, you must, I suppose, overlook the past regrets, the mistakes, the failures, and instead see the successes, the new friendships, the moments of truly connecting with someone—that sweet four-year-old girl or an established artist you’ve always admired from a distance. Establishing yourself is an art in its own right, one part work, another part experience. When these ingredients are blended, we might get a bit closer to becoming human and understanding who we are, scratched frame and all. Artist, advocate, and full-time father Chris Francis resides in Madison, South Dakota, with his wife Mary, son Henry, and daughter Hazel. His original work can be found at HGS Gallery in Luverne, Minnesota, and The South Dakota Art Museum Store in Brookings, South Dakota.

JUDGED CHALK ART COMPETITION JULY 14, 2012 HERRMANN PARK  BELLE FOURCHE Pre-Competition Sidewalk Chalk Inst ruction Ar t and Food Vendors Welcome This Family Event is sponsored by the Belle Fourche Chamber of Commerce For more information and artist registration details:

m e m b e r @ b e l l e f o u rc h e c h a m b e r. o rg o r 6 05-892-2676

512 Main St • Suite 940 • Rapid City, SD 57701

605.348.7761

www.perfecthanginggallery.com

• Custom framing at its best • Specializing in acid free and UV protected material • All custom framing is done at the gallery FEATURING LOCAL ARTISTS: Denise DuBroy • Becki Lehmann • Debra Opland • Trisha Blair • Paul Horsted • Rachel Temple • Les Voorhis • Deb Sarver • Deb Burkhard • Richard Dubois • Earlene Larson • Mike McLane

spring2012

ABOVE: A study for Grand Sky by Michael Van Beek. Acrylic on panel, 5x12”. Photo by John Lopez.

COOPERATIve emergence ONE YOUNG MAN TAKES ON BISMARCK What do you do when you’ve just turned 25, you’re the founder of a new landscape design company called “terra MODE,” you live in Bismarck, North Dakota—and it’s winter? Well, if you’re Michael Van Beek, and you love painting, then you get on the Internet. “I went on Facebook and ‘spammed’ my friends, asking them to join a co-op I wanted to start,” he says. “At first, I tried to have meetings, but nobody showed up. Then, as the weeks went by, five people joined—serious, dedicated artists willing to put in time and money—and we got an old, historic building that we could rent month to month.” Van Beek’s unflagging enthusiasm worked. The Bismarck Downtown Artist Cooperative held its first show around Christmas of 2011, giving the Bismarck “a reason to get out of the house.” The co-op even sold some art. “There hadn’t been any excitement about art in our town in a long time,” he says. “After a slow start, now we have 18 artists who show there, and about 170 members on Facebook. We keep the storefront gallery open five days a week, and even have expanded to include a workspace, where all the artists can actually create their art. I’m there all the time, now, except when I’m waiting tables.” That’s the other thing 25-year-old landscape designer/painters do in the winter— from Bismarck to New York City. The process from the co-op’s concept to first exhibition spanned just shy of a year, and 28

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included “interesting encounters with landlords and management companies,” who were worried that artists would trash the place. “They were okay with renting to a gallery, but not okay renting to people who actually would be painting; they were concerned that we would get paint all over,” Van Beek says. Van Beek is used to being misunderstood. He was born into what he calls a conservative immediate family, and he loved football and baseball—activities just about anyone can relate to. Except he was “in disguise” to the artistic side of the family. “My uncle sculpts, my aunt paints; it’s a very free-spirited, open-minded bunch. But when I was really young, they lumped me in with the not-so-open-minded crowd. Maybe because I have a deep respect for tradition,” he says, “they thought I was a Kool-Aid drinker and that I would take things at face value.” He says they didn’t know he was a “born skeptic.” Van Beek, it turns out, is more than that. His primary pieces are landscapes informed by his design background—and by Charles Platte, one of the forefathers of landscape architecture. “He would look out a window of the house where he was working, and design the landscape as he would want to see it painted,” Van Beek says, “from that viewpoint, with composition and form.” Then he abruptly shifts from this gentle approach, which informs a landscape series of the Grand River—not “skeptical” at all—to

depictions of incisive social commentary. A series on beauty—and perceived beauty— called “Icons,” depicts famously lovely women paired with iconic, even coveted objects of our time. “I’m interested in what are we spending money on,” he says, “and what people give their treasure to. What they watch on television. What they’re prioritizing.” His inner skeptic also had a heyday with the co-op’s 2012 “anti-Valentine’s Day” show, called Love Me, Love Me Not. “I’m the singles-awareness guy,” he says, “and I had two ideas.” The first was to take a sketch of “an intimate pose of a lady,” and juxtapose it against people’s preconceived ideas about what it’s like to look at a sketch of an intimate pose of a lady. “It’s done on tracing paper, behind frosted Plexiglas with a hole in it. I wanted to play with the idea of a peep box, where the viewer is alone with that piece, and with the idea of that piece,” he says. His other Love Me Not idea was to create portraits of lonely and middle aged men at the local bar. “What is their Valentine’s Day like?” he asks. “That’s my question.” Within a few moments of dialog, no one would think that this young man is a “KoolAid drinker”—but somehow, he’s still familiar. When showing with sculptor John Lopez at the Black Hills Stock Show in February, Van Beek’s Mohawk had recently grown out, but it still juxtaposed nicely with his western snapfront shirt. Despite his big ideas, he’s not one of those artsy folks who is itching to hitch to the big city. Maybe just to South Dakota. For part of each winter. “This place is among my most cherished things—the land and the place I come from,” he says. “But I like big, far-fetched ideas. I have these very different passions. I think it makes for an interesting life. Hopefully.” Van Beek’s big ideas have connected his interesting life to other interesting lives. The co-op’s member artists range from age 25 to seventysomething. “No matter our ages, we have so much in common,” he says. “Art is a universal path It’s so interesting to see how artists see the world.” With a grin, he adds, “I found my peeps.” KDS

The Sioux Indian Museum

Oscar Howe, Yanktonai Sioux, casein on watercolor paper, White Buffalo Calf Woman, ÂŠ 1967

The Sioux Indian Museum, Indian Arts and Crafts Board, U.S. Department of the Interior, is located in The Journey Museum, Rapid City, South Dakota. The museum features changing exhibitions of authentic contemporary Indian art and craftwork, as well as extensive displays of historic clothing, horse gear, weapons, household implements, baby carriers, and toys. Please visit us at: 222 New York Street, Rapid City, South Dakota Tel: (605) 394-6923 The Indian Arts and Crafts Board oversees the implementation of the Indian Arts and Crafts Act (Act), P.L. 101-644 as amended, a federal truth-in-marketing law that protects authentic Indian art and craftwork. For more information on the Act, please visit www.iacb.doi.gov or call 1-888-ART-FAKE. spring2012

Coming of Age OUT WEST EMERGING ART at the Dahl by Pepper MASSEY

ABOVE: Amanda Conway performs at the Dahl Arts Center’s Emerging Artists Fridays event in Rapid City. Photo by Karl Creations Photography, courtesy of the Dahl.

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Where do you go to take that leap of faith off the cliff into greatness if the only place you’ve performed is your high school gym or in the local guitar store aisle? For teens, the local watering hole isn’t an alternative, so options are limited. Unless you have the confidence, drive and know-how to move through the professional arts maze, a gifted musician, writer or actor could end up being the person years later at their high school reunion recalling a moment of greatness that fizzled out. American Idol, America’s Got Talent, The X Factor, and similar shows make it clear that there is a vast pool of exceptional talent out there. However, little emphasis is placed—in schools and even in society as a whole—on the value of these gifted individuals. With budget cuts on the state and federal levels, schools are finding it difficult to work with kids who excel in right-brain fields. More and more this task falls to organizations like the Rapid City Arts Council (RCAC) in Rapid City, South Dakota. The RCAC conducted focus groups in the summer of 2011. The results showed overwhelmingly that the community not only wanted, but also expected the arts council to nurture the talents of young people beginning their foray into performing arts. Fortunately, a few generous donors believed this too, as did a small committee, many of them performers themselves who understood the need and the challenges facing young performers today. “We had the perfect space. An intimate room, large enough to sit about 55 people comfortably in front of a small stage, but not so large that it would intimidate,” said committee chair and RCAC board member Scott Grote. “Deanna Lien funded furnishings, lighting and a state-of-the-art sound system. My wife Marion and I tossed in the mixer, mics and cables, and we were set to go. With limited funds, we utilized viral marketing options and put posters up around town to let people know that every Friday from 5-7pm, 52 weeks a year, we’d be here. We had the

will, but we weren’t certain if it would work, if people would want to come.” Come they did—and do—performers and people who listen to them. Because that’s what you do when you come to the Bruce H. Lien Cultural Café at Dahl Arts Center. You listen. Billed as a listening room, the audience is asked to respect the performers, turn mobile phones to vibrate and listen. Performers are the focus, which can be unusual for them. Artists who have appeared in coffee shops, restaurants and bars are frequently relegated to background music. During Emerging Artists Fridays, the performers are all that matter, and they are able to engage with the audience in a deeply personal and meaningful way. “We don’t put ‘emerging’ in a box, and purposefully kept the term flexible,” Grote said. “All artists are emerging, growing, changing. But our primary focus is younger artists who are just starting out, to give them a place to be heard, and for the audience to get acquainted with a great bunch of performers on the rise.” The first Friday of the month is an open mic night. From those auditions, performers are plugged into subsequent Fridays, leaving the fourth Friday for mentoring. On those evenings, younger artists are paired with more established artists, who share their skill and knowledge. Both emerging and established artists benefit, and the audience gets a unique, gritty, fantastic experience. A companion program for emerging visual artists is in development. Later this spring, exhibitions of the work of emerging visual artists will be hung in the Bruce Lien Cultural Café, providing a joyful blending of artistic disciplines and a rich environment for performers and audiences. As with the emerging performing arts program, emerging visual artists will be mentored, as well as experience the full cycle of a gallery art show. Pepper Massey is RCAC’s Development Director and sits on the Dahl’s Emerging Artists program committee. For more information on programs: www.thedahl.org.

Going the Distance

Emerging Art at the WAshington Pavilion The Washington Pavilion, the arts mothership in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, regularly incorporates programs for emerging artists, in both performing and visual arts.

DAKOTA ACADEMY OF PERFORMING ARTS “The Dakota Academy of Performing Arts (DAPA) has been part of the Sioux Falls community for 10 years,” says Rose Ann Kelly Hofland, Director of the Community Learning Center at the Pavilion. “DAPA started as a volunteer, parent-run group...(and then) merged with the Pavilion two years ago. It provides high-quality training that prepares students for competitive arts programs.” Music Institute “In our music program, we have accomplished musicians who are passionate about what they do,” Kelly Hofland says. “Some start from the age of five, and they can continue until they’re 22.” Anyone who applies is able to participate, and receives instruction from chamber coaches—almost all of whom are members of the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra. Currently 60 students are enrolled, and they share their gifts at area hospitals, senior centers, and soup kitchens at least once a month. Once the kids reach a certain level of facility, they can even perform professionally in the community through the program. “Our top trio and quartet become part-time employees of the Pavilion,” Kelly Hofland says. “And in the process, the kids learn responsibility. As members of small chamber groups, each child is very much responsible for a unique part. The kids look to one another to pull their weight.”

“Bring the Unspoken Into the Open,” for elementary and middle school students. “The challenge is dealing with topics that are difficult, like underage drinking, discrimination, bullying, suicide and depression—under the tutelage of working theatre and social service professionals from Sioux Falls,” Kelly Hofland says. “It’s hard to get meaty roles like these in many high school programs, or as much individualized attention.” The Sioux Falls chapter of Plays for Living is an affiliate of a national performing arts company, and South Dakota has made a positive impression on the larger stage. “We have represented the Plays for Living company on a national level,” Kelly Hofland says. And last year the group took the national stage in Washington, DC, to perform for social services agencies from throughout the country at the Alliance for Children and Families national conference. “Kids in the theater program are making a difference every day,” Kelly Hofland says.

professionals who are participating alongside them,” says David Merhib, Director of the Visual Arts Center at the Pavilion. For example, “Take the Day” is an artmaking / fundraising event that includes a mix of emerging and established artists. Each year, participants make a piece of artwork— from start to finish, “live and without a safety net,” in front of the public and one another— from between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. “They make music, photography, digital images, paintings, sculptures, prints on paper, video—anything that you can do indoors and that isn’t toxic,” Merhib says. Each year, the resulting pieces are exhibited for two months, and then offered for sale by the Pavilion. 2012 will be the third year, and if the trend continues, upwards of 2,000 attendees will observe the process, “lifting the veils” between the people who make art and those who love it. For information on Washington Pavilion programs: www.washingtonpavilion.org; for DAPA programs: www.playhardwithdapa.org. KDS

VISUAL ARTS— Take the Day

“In many of our programs, emerging artists get an opportunity to learn from the BELOW: Artists at work during Take the Day. Photo by Drew Goode, provided courtesy of the Washington Pavilion.

Plays for Living The Pavilion’s acting offerings include Plays for Living, a top-level program that is available to actors in the 8th grade and up. Currently, 35 students perform scripts that

spring2012

ABOVE LEFT: Veteran painter Roger Broer, longtime participant at the Red Cloud show, studies a painting by emerging artist Henry Payer, Jr. RIGHT: A view of the “Making New Traditions” show featuring emerging artists, and co-curated by the Dahl Arts Center and The Heritage Center at Red Cloud Indian School. Layli Long Soldier’s dress, made of wire mesh and Coca-cola cans, is featured in the foreground, with interpretive material on the wall at right. Images on the walls in the background are paintings by Keith Brave Heart. Photos courtesy of The Heritage Center at Red Cloud Indian School.

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RED CLOUD—HOME TO EMERGING ARTISTS By Peter Strong The Heritage Center began in 1969 as the Red Cloud Indian Art Show, and from the beginning we were structured to specifically support artists early in their careers. The show was envisioned as a way for Native artists from around the country and at all stages to have their work hung in a professional exhibition. For emerging artists, they could learn about technique, presentation, framing, pricing, and even gain some confidence by having their work next to established artists’. Established artists could get exposure to a new audience, and also be inspired to continue to grow as artists by seeing the forward-thinking work coming from the “younger” artists. Also, the structure of the show has almost guaranteed the participation of emerging artists. The only requirements: (1.) each artist must be at least 18 years old and (2.) enrolled in a federally recognized tribe; (3.) work for display must be produced within the previous two years. Each artist is limited to a maximum of four pieces a year, but because there is no selection jury, all pieces entered are ensured placement. Selection juries can be intimidating to first-time artists, and our format allows them to test the waters without fearing the shock of rejection. That desire to provide opportunities for emerging artists, as well as continuing support for more established artists, has guided the Center as we have expanded our programming over the last 40 years. Our gift shop buys traditional Lakota art directly from artists, and our focus remains on high quality rather than solely on artist names. Our permanent collection has an intriguing mix of known artist works with a vast selection of art from artists who may have never shown work before or even after. Red Cloud also has been looking outward, finding even more exhibition opportunities for our artists through curating traveling exhibitions of new art. We began with a show of eight regional emerging Native artists called “Making New Traditions.” This show, co-curated with the Dahl Arts Center, focused on young artists, aged 25-35, who are creating amazing contemporary art but who were having a difficult time finding venues in the region. Over 18 months, this show was exhibited at The Heritage Center, the Dahl, the South Dakota Art Museum, and the All My Relations gallery in Minneapolis, providing much-needed exposure for these deserving artists. Keep an eye out for other off-site Red Cloud exhibitions, and for the new talent that lives among us. We believe that the art and culture that surrounds us in our community, at every skill level, defines and guides us as we move to the future. Peter Strong is Director of the Heritage Center at Red Cloud Indian School, a Jesuit and Lakota partnership on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.

spring2012

FILM FESTIVALS

PRESENTING THE ART OF THE MOVING IMAGE By Marcia Mitchell

www.hillcityarts.org

Think “film festival,” and three thoughts are likely to come to mind: One, Sundance; two, Robert Redford; and three, Sundance and Robert Redford. Or, perhaps, it’s Cannes, great new films, and sufficient glamour and glitz to satisfy a worldwide audience. Whether it’s a small, local, American production or an internationally acclaimed major event, a festival is exciting, entertaining, and enlightening. In this country, film buffs and filmmakers gather at an increasing number of festivals from coast to coast to share in what is arguably America’s indigenous and most accessible art form. Here or abroad, what happens on the screen and in the audience is a celebration of the wonderful and enduring art of the moving image, and of its creative talent. There are, of course, different kinds of festivals appealing to different audiences. Those of us with a strong interest in this country’s cinematic history are particularly drawn to festivals featuring U.S. film classics. But certainly the most popular of the hundreds of fests that take place every year are those that feature new, independent work—like South Dakota’s festivals and three of the most prestigious, Sundance, Telluride, and Tribecca. Still, for classic film lovers, the Turner Classic Film Festival, now in its second year, will be a magnet, drawing huge audiences to venues all along the star-studded Hollywood Boulevard. There, in this most appropriate setting, they will scoff at computer-generated special effects and delight over the time when (they will be happy to tell you) filmmakers had to rely only on superb writing, inspired performances, brilliant camera work, and, of course, “real film” to make their movies. There are also wonderfully innovative video festivals, planned and presented much like their film counterparts, except for certain three-dimensional aspects and other characteristics that can, for the veteran film festival-goer, boggle the mind. This, however, is a discussion for a later time, venue, and writer. So, one might ask, what exactly is a festival? Is it simply screening a number of films in a single location over a few days? Sometimes, and for some film buffs, this is plenty. But if a festival is organized with a purpose in mind, a raison d’etre, it usually offers even more. Beyond purpose, or theme, here are some of the elements that make a festival a festival: • A specific genre, such as animation, film noir, ensemble films, black-and-white cinematography, classic or recent films • A competition—juried, with prizes awarded • Entry/screening categories, such as full-length features, shorts, documentaries • A focus on “Indie” films or some other filmmaker distinction • The presence or absence of buyers • Relevant workshops and seminars There are others. A festival might be a tribute to a living or dead filmmaker and his or her work. It can be a celebration of a place or a time. Most have ancillary events, often a premiere (or several) of works by major players, high-profile filmmakers. It is important to recognize that it is not just our U.S. film artistry and achievement that receive justifiable attention through the medium of festivals. Fine filmmaking occurs and is

PREVIOUS PAGE: A ceiling of film reels at the Hollywood & Vine Metro Red Line station in Los Angeles. Photo by Frederick Dennstedt. ABOVE TOP: A bank of photographers catching the celebrities at the Cannes Film Festival, 2007. Photo by Tangi Bertin. BOTTOM: Marcia Mitchell (center) with late husband Tom and Charlton Heston (right) at an AFI film function. Photo courtesy of Mitchell.

showcased throughout the world. Nearby, the Toronto Film Festival is one of the world’s most popular and best attended. Berlin and Venice, along with Cannes, are considered at the very top of the world’s film festival programs, and with good reason. Indeed, film fests have an impressive international history, beginning with Vienna in 1932, moving on to Cannes in 1939—and including the world’s record-holder in terms of continuity, the Edinburgh International festival, which opened in 1947 and is still in business.

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International filmmakers, such as, for example, Akira Kurosawa and Federico Fellini, have produced masterpieces that have intrigued and entertained audiences for generations. Work of foreign filmmakers, alive and dead, featured in well-attended festivals in the U.S., serves to educate Americans who might otherwise never have an opportunity to see their films. Those who have experience in screening international classics hope for more “foreign” classic film festivals, especially in other than major cities. There is abundant material waiting in the cinematic wings, as it were, along with potential audiences. For example, Abel Gance’s silent Napoleon, made in 1927, is once again fascinating audiences here in the U.S. As I recall from screening Napoleon in the Kennedy Center Opera House more than twenty years ago, the film was five or six hours long. Except for the scheduled intermission, the audience sat transfixed throughout. In the same place, at another time, at a screening of the Japanese-Chinese co-production, The Go Masters, audience reaction was the same. Perhaps, here in the heart of the country, some stout-hearted, risk-taking festival producer will take up the cause. Or taunt, as the case may be. Perhaps not, as producing a festival is no simple task. Two very different examples from my own experience with this sort of pleasurable, challenging, and fearful enterprise range from the annual, elaborate, glitzy European Community festival, to a weekend, city-wide celebration of World War II films. The first involved not only the selection of the best-ofthe-best films by the contributing countries, but also designing screening schedules that pleased everyone, coordinating interpreters and translators, planning and funding the opening gala event with U.S. film stars and foreign ambassadors hosting each table, and arranging travel for a multitude of sometimes demanding international stars and filmmakers. It also involved crises with films stuck in Customs in New York, and a swarthy and devastatingly handsome male star who decamped with one of my staff for parts unknown for three days. And this was

an annual event; I could hardly wait for “next year”! As for the World War II festival, only 22 films were shown over one weekend, some of which were difficult to find, located only after studio friends searched their vaults. We opened with Midway, with Charlton Heston and Cliff Robertson hosting, and closed with the remarkable Academy Award® runaway, The Best Years of Our Lives, with Harold Russell as a special guest. Harold had the distinction of being the only actor to win two Oscars® for the same role. Thus, although the “one-time” festival was small—in terms of number of films and length, it was “major.” A favorite Harold anecdote: Harold, who had lost both hands in the war, played a character who, like himself, returned from World War II with metal hands replacing his own. At a screening of his film, Harold and his wife were seated behind two women whose constant talking back and forth became hugely annoying to him. “You would think,” one woman exclaimed loudly, “that the actor really didn’t have any hands. Isn’t it amazing how Hollywood can create that illusion?” In response, Harold leaned forward to tap the woman’s shoulder. Finally, an amusing festival anecdote: For an event at the Kennedy Center, we invited Robert Redford to speak at one of the seminars. He graciously agreed. In making travel arrangements with one of his staff, I explained that I would not be able to meet Robert at the airport, but would have a staff member and a limo present to greet him. “Oh, please!” was the response, “no limo. Just a car.” And then, after a thoughtful moment, the voice said, “I don’t suppose you have a pickup truck? With a hay bail in the back? He’d like that.” Marcia Mitchell is Former Associate Director of the American Film Institute (AFI), where she oversaw the Independent Filmmakers Program and the Directing Workshop for Women, and was instrumental in film preservation efforts on the behalf of AFI, film schools, and other film-related institutions. Previously, she was a senior executive for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Mitchell also produced an annual film series for the City of Virginia Beach, and co-produced a musical tribute at London’s Palladium Theater.

Looking for Inspiration? You found it!

Dinosaurs

Downtown Hill City

Shaman Gallery The Largest Original Fine Art Gallery in the Dakotas

www.shamangallery.com • 605-745-6602 Shaman Gallery is for Sale—Please inquire.

MAY 1-15 Featuring New American works by Peter Max, Aldo Luongo and many more

AUGUST 1-15 Featuring the Artists of Santa Fe: Scholder, RC Gorman, Nieto, T C Cannon and others

MAY 16-31 Featuring New works by European Artists: Dali, Paui, Miro, Chagall and others

AUGUST 16-31 Featuring the Artists of Santa Fe Part 2: Kachinas, Weavings, Pottery, Jewelry and more

JUNE 1-15 Featuring New works by Illustration Artists: Harvey Dunn, Reynold Brown, movie posters and more

SEPTEMBER 1-15 Featuring Native American Abstract Artists: Veloy Vigil, David Johns, Hal Larson and others

JUNE 16-30 Featuring New works by Plains Indian Artists: Biss, Standing Soldier, Lee White, Red Star and others

SEPTEMBER 16-30 Featuring New works by Contemporary American Artists: Kostabi, Ivan Jenson, and more

JULY 1-15 Featuring the Annual Sculpture show: Zuniga, Shriver, McLaughton, Thompson-Smith, and more

OCTOBER 1-15 Featuring Artists of the North: Eskimo, Inuit Stone Cuts, Carvings, masks and artifacts

JULY 16-31 Featuring New works by American Abstract Artists: Robert Motherwell, Sam Francis and others

OCTOBER 16-END OF YEAR Featuring select works of the 2012 shows

405 N. River St. • Across from the Waterfall in Historic Hot Springs, SD • Open 1 PM to 5:30 PM Mon. - Sat.

spring2012

South Dakota: FILM Festival Central? Okay, so we expect the Beautiful People to go to Cannes, and the Beautiful People with Horses to go to Sundance. Are there really film festivals—real film festivals—in South Dakota? Yes! In South Dakota, six festivals that originate in the state, as well as two that tour from other locations, allow our local communities to get a taste of films from around the world and from various perspectives. These festivals also allow local filmmakers to gain some recognition right here at home. Black Hills Film Festival www.blackhillsfilmfestival.com The Black Hills Film Festival was founded in 2009, with a base in Hill City. Not only does the festival showcase the newest voices in independent film from across the globe, but also it provides structured classes and forums presented by industry leaders for film artists to sharpen their craft and share their skill. The festival is a week-long event held the first week in May, although it sponsors year-round outreach activities for students of film. Other activities include promoting South Dakota as a great location to film. The 2012 festival dates are May 1–6. Fischgaard Short Film Project www.fischgaard.org The Fischgaard Short Film Project takes place annually in Aberdeen. Its mission is to motivate independent filmmakers and to enhance film as art in South Dakota. During the competition, filmmaking teams create a movie—writing, shooting and editing a fourto seven-minute film—all in one weekend. It is open to professionals and amateurs alike. The films are adjudicated and awards are handed out following the public viewing. The 2012 event occurred February 17-19. Oscar Micheaux Film & Book Festival www.oscarmicheauxsd.com This annual event, which premiered in 1995, features classic African-American films, Native American and White history and culture, live music, celebrities, speakers, classes, and youth competitions. The festival 38

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honors the Father of America’s Independent Filmmaking, a successful South Dakota homesteader and farmer who went on to write seven novels and make films—in the process gaining worldwide acclaim. He was the most prolific Black filmmaker of his time— writing, directing, editing and marketing 44 films between 1919 and 1948—and the first to both produce full-length features and have them shown in Black and White theaters. His projects often celebrated South Dakota—especially Gregory, where the event is held—even though he moved finally to New York City to establish his film company. The 2012 event’s theme is “South Dakota’s Greatest Asset: Its Land and the Advent of the Railroad,” which is slated for July 31 – August 4. Reel Dakota Film Festival www.reeldakota.org The Reel Dakota Film Festival takes place at the Washington Pavilion in Sioux Falls, and is indie all the way. Seeing a gap in this area’s access to new, independent, thoughtprovoking film, Reel Dakota’s goal is to bring to audiences the indie and foreign films that are currently traveling the festival circuit— whether a local short film from Beresford or a documentary from Russia. This festival also provides a showcase for emerging filmmakers, and creates a dynamic opportunity for filmmakers and film lovers to engage with one another over the course of multi-day screenings, tributes, VIP events and afterparties. Reel Dakota was founded in 2010, and is supported by the year-round efforts of the Reel Dakota Film Society. It generally takes place in late October of each year. SoDak Animation Festival www.sodakanimation.com Together, South Dakota State University and Daktronics, Inc. have brought the Animation Film Festival to Brookings. SDSU’s Brookings campus Graphic Arts Department provides seven specialized studios; additional multi-purpose studios are located in Grove Hall and the historic Industrial Arts Building. If you’re an animator, the festival organizers are interested in your

work. If you like animation, then keep in touch with what’s going on. The 2012 Festival is October 17 – 21. South Dakota Film Festival www.southdakotafilmfest.org The South Dakota Film Festival began in 2007 with films being shown at the newly renovated Historic Capitol Theatre in downtown Aberdeen. The festival acknowledges films made by filmmakers from the Great Plains region (SD, MN, ND, IA, WY, MT, and NE) or films shot in the Great Plains region. However, regional considerations are only one of many factors in the final draw of films chosen for this festival. In fact, the goal of the South Dakota Film Festival is to screen the best films submitted, regardless of their geographic origin. The 2012 festival dates are September 27 – 30.

TOURING FILM FESTIVALS Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour www.thedahl.org Banff ’s home festival is an international film competition and presentation of short films and documentaries about mountain culture, sports, and the environment. When it wraps, a selection of the best films travels to more than 30 countries. Host organizations choose a program that reflects the interests of the local audience, and South Dakota’s tour location is the Dahl Arts Center in Rapid City. The 2012 festival dates are April 21 - 22. Telluride Mountainfilm Festival on Tour www.elkstheatre.com Telluride’s World Tour takes selections of Telluride Mountainfilm festival out on the road, too; in South Dakota, it stops at the Elks Theatre in Rapid City. Mountainfilm is dedicated to educating and inspiring audiences about issues that matter, cultures worth exploring, environments worth preserving, and conversations worth sustaining. In addition to screening leading independent documentary films from around the world, the festival includes art and photography exhibits. The 2012 festival dates are April 6 – 7.

Kevin Haller original oil

Dakota Nature

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Western Art Gallery Custom framing Photo restoration Commercial photography Landscape photography by Bob Davis

Main Street - Sturgis

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spring2012

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The ART OF BUSINESS

VOTE FOR PEDRO (working title: COVEL makES movies) by kristin donnan standard “We were standing in line for an Entertainment Weekly party at Sundance. It was a big, long line, and I was standing behind Efren Ramirez, who played Pedro,” recalls Sean Covel, the high-octane thirtysomething who produced Napoleon Dynamite, a movie he calls the “largest-grossing independent film in its comedy-coming-of-age genre.” In the story, Pedro was the sidekick to main character Napoleon, and both teenagers could be described as misfits in rural middle America. But Covel is recalling real life, at the Sundance Film Festival in 2005, the year after Napoleon screened there. “Passing by was a Latino family, mom and dad and son, and the son was hanging with a dumpy white kid. The dumpy white kid sees the parents freaking out because they recognize Efren, but he doesn’t recognize Efren. Latino Kid explains to White Kid, ‘That’s Pedro, from Napoleon!’, and White Kid says, ‘I haven’t seen that movie. What’s it about?’ “This is when my life changed.”

ACT I – PLAYING WITH DYNAMITE Covel, an Edgemont, South Dakota native, is a storyteller. He tells stories when all that is required is a 30-second transfer of information. He tells stories in restaurant lobbies, cars, airplanes, when grabbing a coffee. On phones, in person, in emails, and in texts. He can’t help himself. He says, “Telling stories and hearing other people’s stories told back to you is the best way to explore everything—hope and heartbreak and success. And doing so through

comedy, or at least with a comedic perspective, makes tough topics more palatable to everyone.” And in general, Covel is living proof. He’s a walking punch line. Covel has a Master’s from the prestigious School of Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles, whose alumni have been among Oscar® nominees every year since the 1960s, and include such filmmakers as George Lucas and Robert Zemeckis. Now, Covel teaches at USC between film projects. Production, finance, all the nuts and bolts of movie making. So Covel explains that when he was standing in line at Sundance, he was reflecting on his experience there the year before. In 2004, he had been looking for someone to buy the distribution rights for Napoleon—the first in a slate of three half-million-dollar films, his first grown-up film venture. Napoleon was the comedy of the three; the others would be a horror and a family film. He had followed his own USC advice. He teaches that early in your career, it’s best to ask potential investors to “back a slate.” The logic is that with more than one film contributing to the financial outcome, no single film is responsible for making or breaking the entire investment; you have three chances to win the money back, and in movie economics, one success can pay off many, many losses. Covel, 26 at the time, had put into practice almost everything he had learned at USC. He had chosen good partners; they had shot a script about things they knew first-hand; and they had arrived at Sundance primed with a finished, quirky film.

Covel recalls the line trailing around the block of the Library Theater, for the premier of Napoleon Dynamite. He had watched the audience take their seats. He had sat there among them, terrified, because he and his team had never shown the movie to anyone. He had considered the very real chance that the crowd would hate it and walk out. Instead, their standing ovation at the end of the first screening had become the harbinger of things to come: 48 hours later, Napoleon would earn one of the biggest sales of that year’s festival circuit, and would go on to become one of the most profitable independent films of all time. Still, through this entire process, the team had never perfected Napoleon’s “elevator pitch”—that two-minute summary formulated to hook prospective distributors or studio executives. It turned out that they didn’t really need it, but Covel, a guy who strives to do the job right, had always fretted about it. “The movie is weird. We just couldn’t find a simple way to explain it,” he recalls. “Cut to a year later: I’m able to get into the fancy Hollywood party because of Napoleon.” The movie had become a young filmmaker’s dream—something between a sleeper and a blockbuster: a cult classic. And then it happened: In slow motion, Latino Kid was pointing to Efren Ramirez, explaining to White Kid the plot of Napoleon Dynamite. “It was funny, watching this family gawk at Efren,” Covel relates. “And when White Kid asks, ‘What’s the movie about?’, I’m curious, but I don’t realize that the answer is about to change my life.” spring2012

PREVIOUS PAGE: Three actors on a couch, on the set of Napoleon Dynamite. From left: Jon “Uncle Rico” Gries; Jon “Napoleon” Heder; and Aaron “Kip” Ruell. Photo by Aaron Ruell. ABOVE LEFT: Covel receives his USC film school diploma from filmmaker Ron Howard, 2002. Photo courtesy of Covel. CENTER: Covel (right) and producing partner Chris “Doc” Wyatt at the Sundance Film Festival, 2004, before the distribution sale of Napoleon Dynamite. That is, just before they hit paydirt. Photo courtesy of Covel. RIGHT: Covel and actress Alexa Vega at the Black Hills Film Festival, 2011. The couple were married in 2010 at the Historic Homestake Opera House in Lead, South Dakota—by Covel’s producing partner “Doc” Wyatt. Photo courtesy of Black Hills Film Festival. OPPOSITE PAGE: Still from Napoleon Dynamite, Covel’s smash hit. Cinematography by Munn Powell.

“Latino Kid says, ‘It’s about these two mentally challenged kids in high school who become friends.’ And my head spins. Because even though that’s not what we thought, that kid had distilled the concept into one sentence. We still hadn’t managed to do that.” The fact that Napoleon and Pedro are not mentally challenged characters in the film is irrelevant to Covel’s point. He plunges to the essence of the transaction: Latino Kid understood that the characters were struggling to find their place in their school, in their families, and in their world. Covel realized that at the end of the day, an independent comedy as quirky as Napoleon, without any stars to put on the poster, is a crapshoot. People might or might not get what you mean. And they might or might not fund your project. Napoleon had the magic that first hooked Fox Searchlight Pictures as distributor, and then hooked young people here and abroad as cult members. It was so successful that Covel and his partners “closed the slate,” or, in nonHollywood-speak, they changed the contract from a three-film slate to a one-film slate, sent their investors home with a shoebox of cash, and went back to the drawing board.

ACT II – “It was the worst day of my life, what do you think?” The success of Napoleon Dynamite was a winning bet, but it was still a bet—a bet built

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on intuition. “We didn’t redefine a filmmaking model, we just kind of ignored the models,” Covel says today. His team simply made the movie they wanted to make, and it struck gold. And that meant that Napoleon’s recipe was not necessarily something he and his team could immediately replicate. “Napoleon’s success didn’t translate to our understanding the difference between making movies and making good movies. We needed to earn our chops, and so we started a new slate,” Covel explains. But his team’s youthful exuberance was not enough. “For our next project, we tried to make a big movie with a small budget, and we were under-resourced from the start. In one disastrous period, we were cutting scenes at the end of shooting days, simply because we couldn’t afford to shoot them—and that is obviously not the way to make good movies.” Surely his producing education and experience helped him weather this learning curve—and hindsight does inform what he tells his students today: “You don’t need to learn by doing! There are plenty of cautionary tales, and new filmmakers should heed them. Like ‘never try to compete with studios.’ Studios make a product for a mass international market that has to be translated into lots of languages and have enough spectacle to appeal across the word. When independent filmmakers try to make a general popcorny movie with no money, it just will not work.”

Covel realizes that he and his team were not unique in their approach to their craft. “People think they’re supposed to know how to make a movie before they start,” he says. “So they go to a college program where veterans can show them the basic building blocks—actually show them how to make movies. And the value of that process is not to be underestimated. ” The independent film movement, along with its infrastructure, provides additional support to today’s young filmmakers. “In independent film, you have no benefit of studio marketing on a national or international level. However, independents can make what studios can’t,” he says. “For example, a studio documentary’s union crew is 90 people, but an independent filmmaker can do it alone.” Especially now. “Youth and media are so intertwined; the younger these kids are, the more media savvy they are,” Covel says. “There’s a documentary project coming out of Little Wound on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation right now, a student film they made on their own. That’s happening everywhere, because the cost of making a movie has come down so drastically that anybody can do it.” “Costs have traditionally been so expensive—gear, crew, whatever,” Covel says. “In the past, this has caused a division between people creating the concept and those executing it minute by minute. Now, with high-definition cameras and editing software on your laptop, you don’t need all that stuff, and the division is disappearing. Today’s content creators are facile very, very early in their lives.” And even without studio marketing, independent filmmakers can get seen. “Sundance and other film festivals are full of young filmmakers with first films,” Covel says. “That’s where they get their career starts, and that’s where they become part of the studio experience. And, frankly, that process leads to better studio movies. Filmmakers like Jon Favreau started with personal independent films like Swingers and Go, and later went on to direct spectacular tent-pole movies like Iron Man. Compare this to a director who would’ve come up through the world of making commercials and finding the flashiest

way to sell a product. It’s not hard to see which filmmaker would prioritize what elements in telling a story.”

ACT III – “That’s my ride.” The Sundance Film Festival, which is centered in Park City, Utah, is the largest independent film festival in the United States. It launched in Salt Lake City in 1978, with an agenda of attracting the filmmaking industry to Utah. Utah’s idea was to get the film industry to move some of its infrastructure “on location,” thereby injecting Hollywood money into the local economy. In order to lure the golden goose eastward, however, states have to offer “incentives.” In non-Hollywood-speak, this translates to tax breaks and rebates. “British Columbia has the longeststanding, best film incentive. It is based on how much a particular production has contributed to the local economy—through hiring local crew members,” Covel says. “The government first audits your payroll, then pays back around 30 percent in cash rebates, allowing you to make a larger movie than you could originally afford. I’ve shot two pictures in Vancouver because of this.” A film production can save millions of dollars—even with airline travel for key personnel—by shooting away from Los Angeles. “Michigan used to have a 45 percent incentive—which means you could make your movie for about half of what it would

cost somewhere else—and it refunded more than $158 million in 2010 from 50 or 60 movies,” Covel says. “That means that the amount of money paid into the local economy was over twice that amount. Because of the massive growth in the local film business that resulted, Raleigh Studios built a huge, $150 million filmmaking facility at a former GM site in metro Detroit. The real estate market saw incredible growth as a number of crews moved there full time. And secondary industries like restaurants, dry cleaners, and grocery stores grew because of the increased cash in the economy.” As a test of the Michigan system, Covel says that one film production paid actors their “per diems”—a daily allotment of cash for meals and incidentals—in $2 bills. “Within two weeks, these bills flooded the economy, providing a literal example of the impact of film production in that city. And that was just one shoot and one small group of out-oftown actors.” Still, in the United States, incentives are on the decline. The state of California, which has the most to lose if the tide is turning, offers very limited annual incentives that currently cap at $100 million. It’s a large pool, but with 25 percent incentives on films budgeted near $200 million, that money goes quickly. “Applications for the incentives are accepted on June 1 of each year, and inside 24 hours, the whole schedule is decided,” Covel reports. “The benefits primarily go to large spring2012

Media creation is not a hobby for people today. It’s not separate from everyday life; it’s easy, accessible, and you can make it entirely on your own. It’s about artists expressing themselves, and controlling projects from concept to execution. studios, with a small pool reserved for lowbudget independent films.” Benefits to local economies of luring film production away from Hollywood are obvious, but there are benefits for small or independent production companies as well. These can include lower costs for certain budget items like hotel rooms, working environments that aren’t as unionized as larger film centers, and a general excitement among locals to have a movie being shot in the area. For Covel, however, the idea goes a step further; he doesn’t just want to shoot away from Los Angeles; he wants to make his film in the place he imagined it during the writing stage. “If I shoot my next movie in Vancouver, I’ll just be spending all of our time and money trying to make everything look like South Dakota,” he says. This is why Los Angeles-based Covel, teaming with local South Dakota filmmakers, is encouraging this state to initiate a film incentive. As usual, Covel has thought this through: “In South Dakota, one unintended benefit of our tourist industry is that we have a perfect infrastructure to bring in cast and crew for limited periods of time. We wouldn’t need to build anything at first. Then, over time, if it’s successful, studios could build back lots and other facilities to shoot full time. We also have a labor base with appropriate, transferable skills for film production. The gaffer, grip, and rigging guy all have to use their hands. The production designer needs an ability to create, organize, and build. Our transportation departments coordinate and move huge rigs daily. Working South Dakotans can do these things; they do them every day,” he says. Covel also acknowledges challenges from the governmental perspective. “Sustainable rebates are based on hiring locals, who pay local income tax, which in turn provides the capital for the rebate,” he says. “In South Dakota, there is no income tax, and I can’t imagine anyone wanting one any time soon!” 44

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While a clear path to a film industry in South Dakota is not clear, the seeds of the industry are already present. Eight annual film festivals provide full programs each year. [See page 38 for a list.] Two years ago, Covel joined the board of the Black Hills Film Festival, and as he balances the pluses and minuses of shooting the film in South Dakota, he considers the festival a major asset. “I’ve already met local filmmakers who could round out our crew,” he says. “And I’ve watched a number of out-of-area filmmakers as the wheels in their heads were evidently processing the same idea I was: ‘How can I shoot here?’” Covel is working on another quirky comedy based loosely on some coming-ofage elements that resemble his past. He has already organized funding for the film, and has talked with South Dakota’s Department of Tourism and other state decision-makers about shooting in his home state. Currently, the shoot is planned for Vancouver, and bringing it to South Dakota would involve leaving nearly $1 million in governmentsponsored film rebates on the table. Regardless, Covel and his investor group are passionate about finding a way to shoot in South Dakota. If they are successful, they intend to use the project as a guinea pig. As in the $2 bill story, Covel’s team will “follow the money,” thus creating a record they can show state legislators. The movie can provide a real-life example of how the creative economy works, and how much South Dakota could benefit from building a Great Plains arm of the film industry.

EPILOGUE – “Sweeeeeet.” “Matt Epic is about a guy who goes out into the world to get what he wants, and has to return to his small-town roots to find what he needs,” Covel says of his current project.

If that sounds a bit vague, it is. Like Napoleon, Matt Epic defies the usual elevator pitch format, because accurately describing it in a sentence would make it sound like a parody of itself. The story is packed with silly elements, and will be a member of the Hangover genre—and Hangover is much funnier to watch than to describe. This time, Covel wrote the story himself, in South Dakota. The script reads fast, with as much punch as Covel. “If I become disconnected from what I am writing, it reads as false,” he says. In the process, he captured more than his own natural humor; he also connected with his roots. “It’s true that certain characters have their volume turned way up for comedic effect, but the backdrop of the film is the sense of community and family that I’ve only ever known to exist in the Black Hills.” This new project comes after a group of nine films Covel and his team recently made with first-time filmmakers, a number of whom were his contemporaries at USC. “These are filmmakers and friends who wanted to work on their own unique scripts,” he says. “We were excited to produce films in every genre—dramas, love stories, everything— with the purpose of deeply immersing ourselves in every aspect of the filmmaking process, including story development, casting, and production. I guess we just wanted to get good at our jobs. Now I can stop, step back, and make conscious decisions for myself.” These decisions include making movies because he loves them—because he loves the idea of them. And they include “coming home” in his own film projects. “It’s a world that I love, small town South Dakota, a place not really on anybody else’s radar,” he says. When considering his new project, Covel wrote something he would like to see, like Napoleon. “These are the stories I’ve been telling to my friends forever, and now, with this movie I’ve just sort of strung them together into a story.” In the process of understanding how Covel is currently ticking, he assigns a list of films that share the genre in which Matt Epic will take its place. Along with Hangover, he rattles off Garden State, and the Oscar®winning Little Miss Sunshine. At first blush,

ABOVE: Covel at work, on the set of Concrete Blondes, 2011. LEFT: Filming reshoots for Concrete Blondes, on the Universal Back Lot. Photos courtesy of Covel.

these films simply seem to feature outrageous characters in otherwise normal situations: a bachelor party, a funeral, and a family trip to a beauty pageant, respectively. On the surface, the films elicit incredulous guffaws and raised eyebrows—but Covel sees more. “Write what you know,” he says. “I’m trying to tell a story that rings true to me, and is fun in the bargain. The more true I can make it, the more far-reaching it will become. It’s

like they always taught us in film school: in the specific is the universal.” He could be describing any of the classics he saw at USC. Or he could be describing a movie about a guy who never got over his high school crush. And who travels from Denver to the Black Hills in an ice cream truck. With a guy who reminds us of Jack Black. On steroids. spring2012

BLACK HILLS FILM FESTIVAL: more than screening movies By Janna Emmel

The festival that began as a “friendly taunt” from the South Dakota Film Office is now the premier showcase of independent films on the western side of the state. According to Festival Coordinator and co-founder Chris VanNess, a festival in the Black Hills was being billed as an event that could be like “Sundance in the old days,” given the location’s unique setting. “And so we thought about it for a year and did some research,” VanNess says. She and husband Rick own Crow Ridge Productions—a full-service production and rental company—and are no strangers to the film world. After putting together a board of directors, the group decided to create an event that is organized around “watching movies”—but also intends to grow a small-town’s tourism-dependent economy during the shoulder season, and contribute to Hill City’s reputation as an artfocused community. Like many film festivals, the Black Hills Film Festival (BHFF) annually puts out a call to filmmakers via an online database. The festival receives film submissions— documentaries, shorts, features, some student 46

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films—from all over the United States, from Europe and even the Far East. A team of reviewers screens each film submitted and ranks it for quality of production and appropriate content. As the reputation for the Festival grows, more films are submitted each year, encouraging its organizers to continue to expand the number of days of the Festival, from three in 2010 to six in 2012. In fact, Festival organizers are moving ahead with plans to branch out with “mini-festivals” already scheduled for Lead and Rapid City. Once films are selected—from 40 to 60, depending on what the schedule allows— filmmakers begin planning their trip to the Black Hills. Some have short journeys—in its first two years, South Dakota-produced films and films about the Native American experience comprised 20-25% of the films submitted and played at the Festival. However, in 2010, 25 filmmakers traveled from as far away as England; in 2011, 45 participants came from around the United States and Canada.“People get so excited about their films,” VanNess says. And audiences are equally excited about the filmmakers, who

speak at their screenings and provide an irresistible draw for film lovers. Everyone also can mingle at the Festival’s many parties, as well as at the awards ceremony held for the top-ranked films. BHFF Prizewinners have gone on to win awards at major festivals across the country, attesting to the quality of films presented at the Festival. Many filmmakers attend for professional reasons, whether or not their film is playing at the Festival. They come for educational sessions on film distribution and financing, acting, scriptwriting, film scoring, computer animation, and lighting—taught by talent from both Hollywood and South Dakota. These educational sessions are unique to BHFF and receive high marks from producers, directors, actors, and writers working in film. From its beginnings, BHFF has worked with the SD Film Office and Office of Tourism in Pierre to market the Festival to filmmakers, in part, to build awareness of South Dakota as a great place for filmmaking. In 2012 the SD Film Office will host a locations tour for filmmakers in the days just prior to the Festival. As one California filmmaker

asked us when he was scheduling his trip to the Festival in 2010: “Should I come early? Is there anything to do there?” He brought his family, rode the 1880 Train in a snow flurry (and loved it), visited the mountain monuments, met lots of nice folks, and like many other filmmakers and guests who attend, vowed to return again someday.

2012 SEMINARS & WORKSHOPS • Costume Designer Richard LaMotte, recognized in the film industry for his work on ethnic, period and military costumes (Crazy Horse, Geronimo, The Mask of Zorro, M.A.S.H.), will present a session based on his book Costume Design 101 – The Business and Art of Creating Costumes for Film and Television. • Academy Award® and Emmy-winning special effects makeup artist Steve LaPorte (Beetlejuice, X-Files, Lost) will present both a session and an audience demonstration. • Primetime Emmy nominee for Outstanding Hairstyling for television Beth Miller—a Rapid City business owner (Salon One) turned Hollywood hairstylist with Head Stylist credits on Dolphin Tale, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, and Tropic Thunder—will conduct a session on what it takes to be a professional hairstylist in Hollywood and how she goes about creating the movie’s character in her hair designs. Reel South Dakota Stories— 2 Discussion Sessions 1) “Creating Comedies for the Big Screen” utilizes the talents of BHFF Board member Sean Covel, who produced the 2003 hit comedy Napoleon Dynamite. He’ll be joined by Aaron and Matt Toronto, who wrote, directed and produced their own comedy, The Pact, which was filmed in Brookings (Aaron lives in Brookings) and will play at the Festival. As actors, writers, producers, and directors, Covel and the Toronto brothers will offer a hands-on perspective about the challenges of developing, funding and filming a comedy, one of the most difficult film genres to execute.

FESTIVAL PASSES & BOX OFFICE INFORMATION Festival Passes go on sale March 10, 2012, online at www.BlackHillsFilmFestival.org.

During the Festival, passes and information are available at Festival Headquarters Hill City Harley-Davidson—10 a.m. to 6 p.m. May 1 – 6—and at the Hill City High School. Student Festival Pass - $30

Good at All Venues for all Films. Includes all Seminars at Crazy Horse Memorial and

Hill City locations. Must show current Student ID. Full Festival Pass - $35

Good at All Venues for all Films. Includes parties and receptions, such as the Saturday

night Alpine Inn party (excludes events reserved for VIP pass holders only). Seminar Pass - $75

Includes all Seminars at Crazy Horse Memorial and Hill City locations. Good at All

Venues for all Films. Includes parties and receptions, such as the Saturday night Alpine Inn party (excludes events reserved for VIP pass holders only). VIP Festival Pass - $125

Good at All Venues for all Films and seminars. Includes all parties, including Friday

night VIP party hosted by Prairie Berry Winery, VIP Receptions, and Award Celebration. Includes access to Hospitality Rooms with filmmakers.

Film screenings and seminars will be located at Crazy Horse Memorial and the Hill City

High School. Hill City Harley-Davidson will host a boutique theatre on their second level, and provide a hospitality suite for celebrities, filmmakers and VIP pass holders. 2) “A Reel South Dakota Story from Book to Screen.” They Called Me Uncivilized: The Memoir of an Everyday Lakota Man from Wounded Knee is an autobiography from Walter Littlemoon ( Jane Ridgway contributed). His story and book inspired a documentary called The Thick Dark Fog, which will play at the Festival and was produced and directed by Randy Vasquez, a California filmmaker. Martyn Beeny, Marketing Director/Associate Editor with the South Dakota State Historical Society Press, will moderate a discussion to explore the experience of taking a South Dakota story—a true story—from book to screen. Janna Emmel works in development for MacGillivray Freeman Films, an IMAX film production company in California. She is Past President of the BHFF Board of Directors and lives near Hill Ctiy. On behalf of BHFF, she’ll be presentingthe IMAX hit EVEREST at the Elks Theater in Rapid City on Wednesday, April 25, at 7 p.m.

OPPOSITE PAGE, LEFT: Hill City students are treated to Festival “pics” during the Black Hills Film Festival. Photo courtesy of BHFF. RIGHT: A still from The Thick Dark Fog, one of the book-to-film projects discussed in Reel South Dakota Stories at the Black Hills Film Festival. Cinematography by Kahlil Hudson.

spring2012

Art in the Hills 01/12 - 5x4.75 FC

Join the family! Culturally Relevant Design  Architecture  Graphics  Planning  Exhibits

Lakota History & Culture Presentations  Evaluation  Research  Training 

Center for American Indian Research and N ative S tudies Pine ridge reservation www.nativecairns.org

www.hillcityarts.org

bhfcu.com / 718.1818

spring2012

SCULPTURE

MONUMENTAL ART AS INSPIRATION by kristin donnan standard

Research shows that both residents and visitors are attracted to communities that are pedestrian-friendly, tree-lined, and aesthetically pleasing. Perhaps this comes as no surprise. Still, accomplishing coordinated beautification efforts can be a challenge, one that requires the participation of several civic and community organizations. Put simply, while beauty is in the eye of the beholder, its value is in the hands of the people writing the checks. This is why public art has become an easy target in tough economic times, especially in South Dakota, where public building budgets are not required to include art. However,

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the impact of art—once it is in the public’s view—seems undisputed. “Sculpture is the finishing touch to a property,” says Jim Clark, the man behind the Sioux Falls SculptureWalk. “I can take you to several examples where a site—even a campus like Avera—was incomplete without a significant piece of permanent artwork.” Avera McKennan Hospital and University Health Center collectively form one of two significant medical centers in South Dakota’s largest city; the other is Sanford Health. Both have extensive art programs that include outdoor sculpture walks or gardens. In November 2011, Avera installed a 31-foottall, 3,400-pound stainless steel sculpture by

Sturgis sculptor Dale Lamphere. The piece, called Song of Creation, was intended to celebrate 100 years of health care at the facility. Hands-down, sculpture in the public domain is one of the most reliable methods to impact environmental aesthetics in a community. And public art programs—including sculpture shows and consignment arrangements—are providing some fresh ideas to help get more pieces on the street. SculptureWalk, which places more than 50 pieces per year, and RiverWalk in Yankton, which has about 15 pieces, are two significant examples of ongoing programs that successfully integrate sculpture throughout downtown areas and other public spaces. In these programs, artists apply for acceptance; juried pieces are displayed for one year, after which they are available for sale. “People like the variety, quality, number of pieces, and the way they’re displayed,” Clark says of SculptureWalk. “The display is free, and makes a wonderful conversation piece. Oftentimes I see generations—grandkids, parents, grandparents—all talking about it. It’s something fun for people to do together.” But for the art to get there in the first place, the artists must have an incentive to display it. And that incentive comes down to two aspects: exposure and sales. “Artists would not come to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, if we were not selling sculptures. That’s important to all sculptors,” Clark says. “We have sold 116 pieces in eight years, which comes to about 25 percent, including some commission pieces.” Clark also recognizes that since not every artist sells, it’s essential to create a situation that maximizes the possibilities. “To maintain a consistently high-quality program, we have to find creative ways to generate revenues for artists, including leases or partnerships

with other communities,” he says. Therefore, SculptureWalk artists whose work does not sell in a given year are able to transfer their work to partner programs and communities, which will then display and offer for sale the works for another year. Since SculptureWalk began nine years ago, Clark’s position as the Sculpture Maven has morphed into a networking relationship that works in ways he never imagined. Suddenly, he’s the guy everyone turns to when they need a sculpture. Some private building owners have asked him on several occasions for suggestions, and have purchased multiple pieces of artwork. When the buildings—and their art—are in public view, suddenly the line between “public art” and “private art” blurs. Realizing this has opened Clark’s mind about possibilities, for his community and his participating artists. “When we see a building going up, we contact the builders,” he says. “They already know about the fantastic sculptures they drive by each day—the art has such a dramatic effect. Sculpture is the crowning piece for a commercial building, whether existing or new.” The sculpture in Sioux Falls has become so compelling, he says, that several contractors have willingly added art budgets to their cost of construction. “Several pieces related to the University Center, which was funded by a consortium of universities, were then paid for by the contractors themselves,” he says. “If they build it into their costs, artwork amounts to less than one percent of the budget.” He mentions artistic, one-of-a-kind benches and other creative elements that also can “art-up” a location. “These success stories can start a trend throughout a community,” Clark says. This kind of intention and effort can come only from someone who cares deeply about his work—and one might therefore expect that Jim Clark trained to be some sort of art expert. In reality, his expertise comes from experience, plus his “Art Expert” cape, which he dons each evening and on weekends, when he’s not working at his day job as South Dakota’s principal manager for Excel Energy. Basically, like many dedicated community volunteers across the state, Clark contributes

his time because he “still has the energy and passion to keep the program improving every year.” When the display sets up each Spring, Clark works with 20 to 25 volunteers, who prepare each site and install the new pieces. Funding for the program is gained through site sponsorships, program memberships, grants, sales commissions, lease revenues, and artist application fees. The SculptureWalk model is one that works, and which requires no initial outlay of funds to purchase permanent artwork. Another model is the one employed by The City of Presidents in Rapid City—a favorite stop for area visitors—or the brand new Trail of Governors in Pierre, where individual donors fund one or more pieces in a series. The brand new Main Street Square in Rapid City also will feature permanent monuments, sculpted in granite pieces already on site; that project will be funded through private donors as part of a civic development initiative. A third model is the traditional sculpture show, where commissions on sales are collected and then used to purchase public art. Hill City’s Sculpture in the Hills art show and sale exemplifies this approach, and has allowed the Hill City Arts Council (HCAC) to initiate the purchase of one piece of art for public display—John Lopez’s hybrid-metal piece called Iron Star. “We look forward to expanding the sales of Sculpture in the Hills, which will allow us to purchase more artwork,” says Cory Tomovick, HCAC Executive Director. “We also have other ideas in mind that will allow us to expand our public art using collaborative sponsorships.” Clearly, sculpture in public places is on the radar of communities across the state. It’s part of our legacy, to celebrate monumental artwork in South Dakota, the home to two of our country’s largest and most visited sculptures. However, public art—particularly monumental artwork that is chosen by jury— might seem like a tough score for emerging artists who are just working to break into the marketplace. Experienced artists who are used to working in large format often— but not always—have an upper hand. Aside from whatever reputation they might have

developed, established artists likely have more resources to spend on creating large pieces of artwork on speculation, which can be expensive to produce and are created outof-pocket. Clark notes that if emerging artists can manage to participate in juried shows at this level, they will reap rewards. “In SculptureWalk, emerging artists are exposed to and learn from seasoned, world-class sculptors from around the United States,” he says. “They also get to compete with these same sculptors for Best of Show and People’s Choice Awards, and their work is appreciated by upwards of 300,000 people throughout the year.” Let’s see: 300,000 potential buyers, an historical one-in-four chance of a sale. Pretty good odds. OPPOSITE PAGE: Trinity by South Dakota Artist Robert Bruce, on site in the Sioux Falls SculptureWalk. Photo by Paul Schiller. ABOVE: Dale Lamphere’s Song of Creation, after permanent installation at Avera McKennan Hospital, Sioux Falls. Photo courtesy of Lamphere.

spring2012

Join us for two installments of our blockbuster music engagement, Arts Midwest World Fest—when the world comes to South Dakota. Be part of a dynamic cultural exchange, as international musical ensembles perform traditional and contemporary music for students and the public.

May 7 - 13, 2012 YAMMA ENSEMBLE—Israel

September 16 - 22, 2012 ÇUDAMANI—Bali

Photo: Roee Fainburg

One-week engagements each include a welcoming reception, workshops in the Hill City and Custer school districts, one community workshop, and a final concert open to the public. For general information, or specific dates and times for workshops or performances, check the Hill City Arts Council website: www.hillcityarts.org, and click "Programs."

HOSTED BY:

PROGRAM MANAGED BY

SUPPORT PROVIDED BY Additional support from the Ministry of Culture of the People’s Republic of China

Arts Midwest World Fest is also generously supported by Illinois Arts Council, Indiana Arts Commission, Iowa Arts Council, Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, Minnesota State Arts Board, North Dakota Council on the Arts, Ohio Arts Council, South Dakota Arts Council, and Wisconsin Arts Board.

SD Arts Council, City of Hill City, Best Western Plus Golden Spike Inn, Pine Rest Cabins, Black Forest Inn, Mike & Lesta Turchen, Senator Stan & Lynda Clark Adelstein. More sponsorships available—contact us to participate!

JURIED SHOW & SALE HILL CITY, SOUTH DAKOTA

JUNE 30 & JULY 1, 2012 • Located in the Heart of the Black Hills, SD • Minutes from Mount Rushmore National Memorial • Minutes from Crazy Horse Memorial • Enjoy the 100 mile Mickelson Trail • Ride the 1880 Train - Black Hills Central Railroad • Visit the local Winerys

PRESENTED BY: "Ahh...Right There," by Roger Smith • Winner of Best in Show 2011 (Bronze 18.5”x25”)

www.hillcityarts.org

Sculpture in the Hills art show and sale

Thousands of visitors from across the

country join our renowned guest artists in Hill City’s premier celebration of fine art

and entertainment. Live music, informa-

sculpturein thehills Celebrate the 5th Anniversary of the area’s only juried fine art show and sale.

tional seminars, silent auction, and cash

prizes for artists. No entry fee; suitable for all ages.

Purchases support not only the artists

who travel to the show, but also the Arts

Council and our community. Long-term, proceeds contribute to the purchase of

Thanks to our sponsors for their generous support.

sculptures for permanent display.

PUBLIC ART: WHERE IT’S “AT”

Stroll through our one-horse town to

enjoy two monumental sculptures placed on Main Street by the Hill City Arts

Dallas Alexander Construction Mike & Lesta Turchen

Council: Patriarch, a life-sized bronze

bison by Peg Detmers; and Iron Star, a hybrid-metal horse sculpture by four-time

Sculpture in the Hills People’s Choice Award-winner John Lopez.

Schedule SNEAK PREVIEW PARTY: June 29, 6 – 8 p.m., $25.00

Best of Show announced; Live music.

Tickets available at arts venues through-

1880 Train • Black Hills Receptions • Crow Ridge Productions Desperados Cowboy Restaurant • First Interstate Bank • Granite Sports Palmer Gulch Lodge KOA • Prairie Berry Winery Rushmore Honda • Russ Johnson Construction • Troy & Alison Schmidt BEST OF SHOW

1st PLACE—J. Scull Construction 2nd PLACE—Viken Law Firm 3rd PLACE— Evergreen Garden Club

PEOPLE’S CHOICE

1st PLACE—Someone’s In the Kitchen 2nd PLACE—Mike and Erica Welu 3rd PLACE—Naidine Adams

out town (check Website for locations) or by credit card; call 605-574-2810. TENT HOURS:

Saturday, June 30, 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. Sunday, July 1, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. LIVE MUSIC:

Saturday Night, 6 – 8 p.m. SEMINARS FOR ART LOVERS: See Website for details.

Edward Jones – Jim Meyer, Advisor • Dave & Bonnie Guerre Peter Larson – Black Hills Institute • Marcia Mitchell

SILENT AUCTION:

Saturday 10 a.m. – Sunday 1 p.m. Sculpture in the Hills Sponsorships are still available. To participate, please E-mail info@hillcityarts.org or call 605-574-2810.

PEOPLE’S CHOICE ANNOUNCED: Sunday 3 p.m.

spring2012

sculpturein thehills PARTICIPATING ARTISTS Lorri Acott — LaPorte, CO Lorri Acott developed paperclay sculpting techniques from which she creates unique and rec-

ognizable bronze sculptures, which are currently represented in eight US galleries. Her work has

been featured in several magazines, including Southwest Art; collected by art lovers across the globe; displayed on the sets of a number of several television programs, including House MD and ER; and will appear in 2012 on the big screen in a movie starring Beau Bridges, Columbus Circle.

Her public art includes: Women with Wings Project, which brought together more than 550 unique inspiring stories from Colorado and Missouri; Peace (12.8’), an installation in Evergreen, CO; and several others in sculpture walks and gardens throughout the country.

Grahame Atkinson — Longmont, CO Grahame investigates the idea of “The Earth Mother,” a spiritual figure who is both creation and

creator. While his work might vary in form and context, the idea of an individual as the embodiment of all things natural is one to which he constantly returns. Grahame uses the female figure as a

metaphor for the interconnectedness of nature and humanity, and the cyclical character of existence. Each figure grows from graceful shapes that form the base, suggestive of water, but decorated as stone. Sometimes the figure is pregnant, and always embodies past, present, and future.

Originally from England, Grahame lives and works in Longmont. His work is found in several local galleries and in private collections throughout North America and Europe.

Mitch Brown — RApid City, SD Mitch likes creating one series and then moving to the next one. In the 80’s and 90’s, it was

mainly detailed realism. Then, after casting many bronzes in a foundry he and his partner built, semi-abstract and utilitarian works started to emerge. Over the past few years, the pieces coming out of the studio have been reflections of Mitch’s faith, and how that faith works itself out in day-to-day life. Physical manifestations of spiritual truths have been his main focus.

Lately, his recent body of work has taken on a stylized feel. It incorporates animal forms that

appear to have been sculpted from stone, although most are cast from crushed Black Hills limestone, using Mitch’s own technique. He also has incorporated tables, as well as low-relief wall hangings.

Bobbi Carlyle — Loveland, CO “I create monumental bronze sculptures that capture bold strength and provocative intelligence.

My figures go beyond first impressions to challenge the intellect and cause viewers to look within themselves for greater meaning. My work reflects my love for classic sculpture, while presenting a modern...presentation and a psychological...connection to the struggles and triumphs of life.”

Bobbie’s subjects include wildlife, Western, figurative, and liturgical. She is internationally

known for her piece entitled Self Made Man, along with many other commissions and installations. She is one of only five artists included in the process to create a memorial sculpture for Benjamin Banneker, planned for placement within the Memorial Core of Washington, D.C.

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Rori Combs — Ruidoso, NM Having grown up in an area rich in Native American history, Rory Combs has been intrigued by

Native American culture since childhood. He creates limited edition bronze sculptures that capture

the true spirit of our Native American forefathers. He strives to portray their beauty, pride, strength, dignity and grace and marvels in their spirituality and wisdom. His work has appeared in juried shows and exhibits from Arizona to Illinois..

Jared and Nicole Davis — Crawford, CO Glass artists Jared and Nicole Davis live and work at the foot of the West Elk Mountains in

Western Colorado. Together their 19 years of glass experience have included a two-year apprenticeship with Swedish glass masters Jan-Erik Ritzman and Sven Åke Carlsson, training at the Kosta

Boda Glass School in Sweden, plus workshops at the Pratt Fine Art School in Seattle, Washington. Today, Jared and Nicole work out of their own hot shop, North Rim Glass Studio, in Crawford, Colorado. Their work can be found in many galleries and private collections around the world.

Peggy Detmers — Rapid City, SD Peggy grew up among the expansive grasslands and productive marshes of the eastern half of

South Dakota. From horseback or afoot, she watched and drew domestic and wild animals alike. Peggy earned a Bachelor of Science in wildlife and fisheries and general biology, but never lost interest in the arts. During a sabbatical, she studied with professional sculptors and painters in the southwestern US, and studied bronze casting by working at foundries in California and Arizona.

After five years in the Southwest, Peggy returned to western South Dakota, where she continues to be inspired by the landscapes and wildlife of the Black Hills. Now she uses her scientific training to accurately depict her subject matter in several media.

Jim Goshorn — Grant, AL “I spent my first 40 years in Memphis, with a few years at Rhodes College under the magical and

formative influences of Lawrence Anthony and Dolph Smith.

“From Anthony, I learned the technical and the intuitive values of expression, and from Dolph,

the state of tranquility and a self artistic confirmation. Since then, I have worked mostly in fabricated steel, with the figure as my subject.

“Finally, at the young age of 56, I decided the time had come to quit the money quest, to commit

myself to studio art with whatever living it may provide—and more importantly, to the peace that comes with it.”

Jim Green — Rapid City, SD Jim Green is first and foremost a bronze sculptor, although he has worked as a draftsman,

machinist, steel fabricator, sign man, neon bender, foundry man, and mold maker.

His experiences as an artist started early, with the teachings of his father, who was a very

talented artist and draftsman. In fact, Jim’s professional life began in the family’s steel fabrication

and machine shop in Rapid City, SD, which later transitioned into a fine art bronze casting foundry. While operating the foundry, Jim fell in love with art in general and sculpture in particular, but had

little time to develop his own style. His talent found its voice after he moved to southern Utah, where a large sign manufacturing company required that his myriad artistic skills flourish.

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John Lopez— Lemmon, SD John Lopez’s sculptures are created in cast bronze or from found objects. When the two forms

Classical bronze sculpture initially brought John great success and a solid fan base. However, a

sad loss took him back to a family ranch, where the welding shed revealed a wealth of found-object material, and a new project. He created a lovely entrance gate for a new cemetery, guarded by a

vigilant angel. That angel sent his work in a new direction, where bronze castings are hidden among

found objects. Now, along with creating uniquely-branded art, John’s goal is to inspire people to appreciate a life lived more richly when enhanced by artistic expression.

Jim Maher — Belle Fourche, SD The language of the heart is brought to light in the work of James Michael Maher. His ability to

express universal truths of human emotion through sculpture is built upon a profound knowledge of the human form and a painstaking dedication to excellence. His work is a powerful declaration of

the pre-eminent role of the human figure in art. Recent works include sculptures for Bear Country USA, Mount Marty College in Yankton, Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Pierre, and The City of Presidents in Rapid City, all in South Dakota.

Jim Maher has been a professional sculptor since 1989. He is a native of South

Dakota and resides near Belle Fourche with his family. Visit his website at jmmaher.com.

Nick Moffet — Pueblo West, CO Nick Moffet employs natural, southwestern, abstract, and geometric motifs in his bronze sculp-

tures. He often uses the female figure and face as central objects in his pieces, and highlights them

with unique patinas and areas of high polish. Nick’s pieces can be found in private and public collections around the world; his monumental pieces have been installed on city or state grounds. In addition, he has participated in many prestigious art shows in the Midwest and on the West coast.

Interested in art since his childhood, Nick both extensively studied and taught art, and then

opened a studio and foundry in Pueblo West, Colorado, more than 30 years ago. In 1995, he added

The Black Dog Gallery, where he displays his own work along with that of a select few other artists.

Raj Paul — Houston, TX Raj S Paul brings many years of animal study to the field of wildlife art. As former owner of Pre-

cision Mannikins Inc., he specialized in the design and manufacture of taxidermy forms for African and North American game animals.

Born in India, Raj thumbed his way to the United States as a teenager. He soon discovered a

natural talent for landscape design and won numerous national awards for his landscape installa-

tions. He now brings the same keen eye to his artwork. A self-taught artist, Raj is focused on sculpting in both a representational as well as an impressionistic style. A lover of the outdoors and an avid sportsman, he has traveled the globe, observing wildlife—and people—in their natural habitats.

James Paulson — Solway, MN James Paulsen is a self-taught artist. Alternately studying the wilds of the northern forest and the

open beauty of the American Southwest, he concentrates his work on natural subjects. He is heavily influenced by he environments he grew up with and his family’s artistic background, having been raised by an artist-illustrator and an author. In his work, he explores merging the beauty he sees in the natural world with the expressiveness of clay and bronze.

Although most of his work is in galleries or private collections across the country, James has

recently completed two public commissions, Taking Flight in Atlanta, Georgia, and The Defenders of Freedom Memorial in Bemidji, Minnesota.

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Wayne Salge — Johnstown, CO The historic tradition of cast bronze provides a contemporary avenue for the creation of Wayne

Salge’s abstracted human and animal figures. His distinctive style is characterized by lines and edges

with solids, and voids that emphasize either action or quietude; they simultaneously express an attitude or mood from his subject.

A strong foundation in the arts includes a lengthy career in graphic design and illustration, plus

training in sculpture, painting and art history, along with workshops in bronze casting and stone

carving. His extensive body of work ranges from 5 inches to 9 feet tall, and pieces are exhibited in galleries, juried and invitational shows, private collections and public outdoor spaces nationwide.

Jeff Schaezle — Billings, MT Jeff Schaezle has actively pursued his art career for the last 20 years. He is mainly self-taught,

but continues to take numerous professional courses. Jeff ’s love of stone and his ability to capture his subject allows the beauty of the stone to speak for itself. Living in Montana, he is able to capture nature in his work, and incorporates both classical European art with Native influences.

Jeff has received many awards, participates in annual sculpture shows, and has been featured in

galleries in Montana, Wyoming, California and Maryland. His work has also been shown at the

Bradford Brinton Museum in Wyoming and the Charlie Russell Museum in Great Falls, Montana. Currently Jeff makes art, teaches, does yoga, and dreams of that next work of genius.

Valerie Jean Schafer — Plymouth, IN Valerie’s home and studio/foundry are located on the setting where the last forced removal of

Native Americans from Indiana (the state whose name means “Land of the Indians”) began in 1838. It is for this reason, as well the exploration of her own Cherokee heritage, that much of her work

draws upon a form-vocabulary inspired by American Indian artifacts from prehistory. The simplicity of these forms evokes a sense of elegance with a decidedly contemporary feel. The essence of spirituality is ever present to the viewer.

Of the bronze casting process, she finds experimentation with the various colors and effects that

can be achieved with the use of hot chemical patinas of special interest.

Adam Schultz — Loveland, CO Adam Schultz was born in Detroit, Michigan, in 1966. His bronze and stone sculptures have

been placed all over America, including such noteworthy locations as Arlington National Cemetery, and in collections of people like Tommy Dorsey.

For the last 20 years, Adam has been living and sculpting in Loveland, Co. He has been com-

missioned to sculpt animals, portraits, memorials, and monuments for both private and corporate collections.

Adam’s body of work ranges from miniature to monumental, and includes figurative subjects,

wildlife, and contemporary sculpture, as well.

Della SLentz — Rapid City, SD Della Slentz is a western art sculptor residing for the past 21 years in the Black Hills of South

Dakota. Although she has been drawing, painting, or sculpting since childhood, sculpture has been

her passion for the last 12 years. Her sculptures are inspired by the beauty of the Black Hills, the local wildlife, and the rich history of the western United States.

Della’s artwork includes a series of sculptures, “Broken Promises,” portraying five northern Plains

Indian tribes. The piece shown in the photograph at left is the fourth in the series, titled Blackfoot. Della’s work includes a broad range of bronze sculptures depicting pack horses, buffalo, South Dakota wildlife, and interesting people of the area.

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Roger Smith — Onondaga, MI Raised on a small farm in Michigan, Roger loved the outdoors and dreamed of being a wildlife

artist. However, despite a few years in taxidermy, for more than a decade his art took a backseat to family, work and service. In 2000, at the urging of his wife Vicki, he picked up the clay again with an

eye toward bronze sculpture. “I love the look and feel of sculpted clay and the permanence of bronze. I find real beauty in the organic shapes and curves of a Bison’s back or a fawn’s ear.”

Roger has been featured in Whisper in the Woods Nature Journal, and has shown in numerous

fine art shows across the country, including the International Exhibition on Animals in Art, the

Kentucky National Wildlife Art Exhibit, and the Society of Animal Artists’ 50th Annual Exhibition.

Grant Standard — Hill City, SD Grant Standard’s artistic work has long been inspired by his spiritual experiences and his heri-

tage; Celtic and Native American themes are evident in many of his pieces. Like these rich tra-

ditions, bronze has an ancient history—nearly unchanged for thousands of years—that connects deeply to Grant’s work style.

“It has to do with what is ancient and what is modern,” he says. “Working with bronze is like

stepping back in time, both with my hands and with my place in the world. I feel that through bronze I can look back, in order to go forward.”

Beverly Steigerwald — Denver, CO Bev Steigerwald gives credit to many events in her career as a sculptor, including the following:

Formal studies at the Cleveland Institute of Art • Commercial experience in designing greeting

cards and illustrating a children’s book • More than four years living in Europe and visiting the great

museums and works of art located there • Many workshops with talented sculptors across North America • Ten years’ teaching head and figure sculpture at the Art Students League of Denver •

Recognition and prizes in national and international competitions • A rich and long life as a teacher, juror, mentor and sculptor.

Kris Voss — LaPorte, CO “As an artist who grew up in the Black Hills area I am truly excited to participate in Hill City’s

art festival devoted to sculpture...enjoy the show!”

Ira Wiesenfeld — TUCSON, AZ “I grew up as the scientist in a artistic family. I did not discover my right brain until I was forty;

my left brain was burned out and a mid-life crisis was upon me.

“First came the craft of blacksmithing, which was therapeutic and immensely satisfying. Then a

style of work developed that was biomorphic, botanical and branching. Finally, a passion for sculpture evolved.

“Now I like to say that I forge sculpture, furniture and anything in-between. I really enjoy work-

ing in that in-between space, where function, aesthetics and narrative come together.”

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spring2012

JIM MAHER–THE REAL McCOY By Kristin DONNAN STANDARD

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It’s important to know who deserves to wear a cowboy hat. Of course, in this day of personal expression, if someone just likes a style, who are we to judge? But the older one gets, the more important it is to be able to tell which is the real cowboy, or the real biker, or the real gang banger—and not just the fella with a black leather beanie or a ball cap yanked to the side. Jim Maher is a horseman of the type that Great Plains residents respect, the kind who has worked on ranches from childhood, the kind who doesn’t talk much. And he’s earned respect from coast to coast. “I was in the horse business,” he says at first, as if that by definition reveals a Master’s degree in reproductive physiology that would send him from one Thoroughbred or Quarter Horse farm to another. When prodded, he elaborates. “I was mostly interested in the horse itself, but the physiology, the science part of it, I loved that, too,” he recalls. “When I graduated, my main job became to maintain herd health, and to manage the stallions and mares at the various farms. I was trained to maximize reproductive efficiency, to produce live offspring that would end up as good racehorses or cutting horses.” That’s what he did in the 1980s, and in the process he traveled his young family from Michigan to South Carolina to Oregon. He set up laboratories and breeding programs, sometimes managing herds of up to 500 head. “You had to know what each horse’s abilities were,” he adds. And while he was at it, he learned his own. Maher’s story is interesting if you’re from this part of the country, and if you know what a cutting horse is, but it’s especially pertinent when young artists logically wonder how a guy like this left the test tubes behind and somehow became a bronze sculptor. Who, after learning this new trade, hasn’t had a “steady job” for about 20 years.

SETTING THE HOOK “I was always interested in art. I used to draw a lot as a kid,” he recalls. But as someone who assumed that people who wear cowboy hats needed to make a living doing

something serious, he didn’t really think about art as anything but a pastime—until on his honeymoon he visited the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame Museum in Colorado Springs, where he first saw a collection of bronzes by Harry Jackson, an artist from Cody. “Jackson had been a painter in New York in the 40s and 50s, kind of an impressionist,” Maher recalls. “He met a gal from Wyoming, became a western sculptor, and even ended up painting a lot of his bronzes, too. I was pretty impressed with the whole deal. It was his subject matter I was interested in, and the sculpture…,” he trails off. “Well, I thought that was really something.” On a breeding farm there is a pulse to the seasons, a cycle to the work. And in the slack time his thoughts often turned to art. “So I started. I sculpted a little horse head and had it cast. It probably shouldn’t have been cast,” he chuckles, “but it was.” Then, at the next farm, he kept sculpting, and he had that second piece cast, too. “That one sold right away, which set the hook. When you think you can sell your work, you start thinking that maybe this is something you might get to do.” In western South Dakota, if a person is falling in love with bronze sculpting, or if a person is a welder or even a blacksmith, he’ll probably spend some time at Dale Lamphere’s studio. Lamphere is known across the country as one of our area’s preeminent talents, but he’s also a person who loves to share— techniques, ideas, space, work. Maher’s trajectory from farm to foundry solidified at the studio, thanks to Lamphere’s needing “an extra pair of hands on some big projects.” That arrangement flowed into trading work on molds, where each man helped the other to coat originals with rubber and then plaster jackets. “And then pretty soon I was working there all the time,” Maher reports. “Mold making and waxes to metal finishing and point-ups. The whole nine yards.” The lost-wax bronze casting process is roughly 5,000 years old and in essence has not changed since someone in Egypt first figured out how to make copies of original art. The process is long and painstaking, and requires artistic talent, an eye for detail—and a facility with hand, air, and power tools, a variety

of materials and chemicals, math and physics, construction, welding, and painting, among other things. In this neck of the woods, it’s no surprise that ranch hands like Lamphere, Maher, and John Lopez, another Lamphere Studio graduate, can work the entire process from beginning to end—where many other artists are satisfied to sculpt the original and leave the rest to a foundry. During the learning process, Lamphere also provided artistic feedback on Maher’s own work. “I learned a lot from Dale. He taught a great deal. It was in many ways like getting a degree in sculpture,” Maher said. “But a mentor can show someone only so much; he can show you where you have gone wrong, but the artist has to have the vision in his own head. No one can make what someone else sees.”

TAKING THE PLUNGE Artists around the world wait tables, build houses, and work the mailroom—all the while keeping their own, personal, creative dream alive. “I could make a change in my life because Dale paid me, it’s as simple as that,” Maher says. “Just about by necessity, bronze sculptors have to involve other people, and you hire people to do jobs like welding or metal finishing. I was one of those people for Dale. If you’re interested in being in this game, then you can start by helping others. At least at first. That’s one part of it.” According to Maher, another part of it— whether you’re a student or a horse breeder or a foundry assistant—is making space for it in your life. “To make progress in actually making art,” he says, “you need to have the energy and time to devote in that direction, the direction you want to go.” During Maher’s training in Lamphere’s creative vortex, he never stopped working on his own sculptures. And by the time he started to feel that he wanted to focus his energies on his own vision, he was competent in every stage of the process. He and Lopez had even “pointed up,” or enlarged, tabletop pieces into enormous monuments—including a 20-foot Lamphere sculpture of Jesus; many artists have never worked at this scale. “Still, with spring2012

cheaply,” Maher recalls, “because my wife and family were willing to live in a trailer park for several years. Longer than we had planned to. Four kids, at that time, in a two-bedroom trailer. It was so crowded I was afraid it would stunt their growth.” As the years progressed, people learned about Maher’s sculptures and kept placing orders, providing “a little bit of reassurance that the flow was not going to stop all of a sudden. I’m fortunate,” he says. “It’s nice to be able to do something I like.” He also sees a parallel with his interest in horses. “With that work, I enjoyed the science and academic part of it, but also the hands-on part was really important,” he says. “Sculpture is the same thing. You’re not just doing a mechanical task, and it’s not just a mental task. You’re thinking something through and making it with your hands. It’s emotional and often spiritual, too. That’s pretty satisfying.”

REELING THEM IN

It isn’t ever going to get any easier to start than when you’re young like that. You’ve got to make it work somehow. You’ve got to pull the trigger. all that was going on at the studio, eventually I realized I wasn’t moving my own goal forward,” he says. Luckily for Maher, Lamphere is as generous with referrals as he is with mentoring. It was through the studio’s pipeline, after four years of boot camp, that Maher gained his first commission, a piece of original work-toorder. This put his creative dream to the test. “On the one hand, I was happier not chasing around the country,” he says, “but on the other hand, art isn’t much better than horses as far as what people need out in the world. It’s not a necessity, it’s discretionary.” He pauses, smiles. “That means it’s never completely secure.” 62

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Which leads Maher to the last essential element in his successful transition from horse breeder to sculptor: “My wife is a saint,” he says. “Occasionally, to make ends meet, I worked construction and odd jobs—I was just doing what it took to make the art go forward—but it was sure a team effort.” During these formative years, Maher was fortunate to receive successive commissions for his own work, and also took a job enlarging sculptor Peggy Detmers’s Tatanka piece—an impressive installation in Deadwood that includes 17 larger-than-life buffalo and Native horseand-rider figures. But even with this work, the Mahers were not taking annual cruises to Tahiti. “Mostly we were able to live pretty

Throughout their young married life, the Mahers had returned regularly to their home state of South Dakota, between jobs at horse farms. When they decided to take the art plunge for good, they settled in the northern Black Hills. Maher sculpts there in a modest studio filled with the clay remnants of various projects, alongside molds waiting to be waxpoured. His own version of a giant figure of Jesus, The Good Shepherd, holds court there, along with more recent life-sized sculptures of Abe Lincoln and George W. Bush. These latter two are Maher’s latest contributions to The City of Presidents project in Rapid City. Maher, along with Lopez and the Aberdeen sculpting team of Lee Leuning and Sherri Treeby—with additional participation by James Van Nuys and Ed Hlavka—won the decade-long commission of sculpting lifesized United States presidents. That project is generally complete; however, at the end of any sitting president’s term, he or she will be added to the downtown sculpture walk. “The Presidents commission was a great, ongoing deal, and kind of an insulation from the stresses of the economy,” Maher says. That momentum is continuing for the three main contributors, who now are working on a simi-

lar project in the capital city of Pierre, called the Trail of Governors. With decades of experience and practice under his belt, Maher reports, “Things happen a lot faster, now. It used to take months to complete a piece that I wouldn’t be too proud of anymore—now I have a lot better facility. The work comes much more naturally and easily, but I know I still have plenty of room for improvement. For the most part I focus on the human figure, which is always a challenging subject. He also underscores the importance of mutual support in the artistic community. “It’s important to help each other,” he says. “Selfcriticism is important for an artist—having an accurate picture of what you know and don’t know. But your mind is good at fooling you into thinking, ‘Hey, that’s pretty good.’ Beyond that, you need other people who are qualified to look at something and weigh in for you.” And as his hair turns a little gray, he’s weighing in on other people’s work—namely his son’s. “When he was seven, August was overheard being asked by a playmate what he wanted to be when he grew up,” Maher says. “His answer? ‘I’m already doing it, I’m a sculptor.’ He’s changed his mind a hundred times since then—he’s 19 now—but it’s fun to watch him get into it.” And unlike the younger set—so savvy with the media, Facebook, and pounding the pavement at shows—Maher keeps a pretty low profile. Well, maybe you could say that he has the polar opposite approach to advertising: “Social media? I don’t keep up with it much, but I can see where that would help,” he says. In his experience, “people just get to where they recognize the name, and when they think of a certain kind of art, you come to mind.” He does indulge in the odd bit of advertising, and the occasional trek into the show circuit. “It’s good to visit with people at shows, but it’s two separate things—just being there and whether they buy from you that day.” This summer’s low-key appearance: Sculpture in the Hills Art Show and Sale, in Hill City. [See page 53 for details.] You’ll recognize the hat;

it’s the real McCoy, low crown, broad brim. It’s a serious cowboy hat. Meanwhile, Jim Maher carries on his love affair with horses. He confesses that although his father played polo in his youth—traveling to Sturgis, Sheridan, Milwaukee, and Chicago “to play polo in a South Dakota kind of way”—Maher’s own interest didn’t begin in earnest until high school. Predictably, it was because of a girl who had horses. “That made riding imperative,” he says. Then, after a Maher pause, he adds parenthetically, “She also liked to ski. I started that, too, but it didn’t turn out so great. “Now, if the weather’s good, I ride almost every day.” And when his shoulder “feels okay,” Maher says he ropes with his friends or with his daughter Rose, an avid horsewoman, who also accompanies him to neighbors’ brandings. “You know, cowboy stuff.”

PREVIOUS PAGE: Jim Maher’s life-sized sculpture of Abraham Lincoln and son, sculpted for The City of Presidents in Rapid City. The piece is on permanent display at the corner of 9th and Main Streets. OPPOSITE PAGE: Marita, bronze, 22”. ABOVE TOP: Maher and Wilbur, decked out for “cowboy stuff.” BOTTOM: Working the clay on The Good Shepherd, 2004. Photos courtesy of the artist.

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SPEAKING IN SCULPTURE ONE YOUNG MAN LEARNS THE LANGUAGE Jesse Horton shoots photos and video for National Geographic, the BBC, Discovery, ESPN, and The Wall Street Journal, among others. He often does this from on or under the water, and in the process pilots submarines or other ships. Horton has a “skipper’s ticket,” otherwise known as a license to captain any vessel up to 200 tons. “Well, any vessel without missiles,” he clarifies. All of this work stimulates his creative side, because it centers around journalism, conservation, and scientific research—in mid-2012, for example, he’ll be tracking the 2011 Japanese tsunami’s debris throughout a triangle formed by Japan, the Marshall Islands, and Hawaii. Even without adding the list of extreme sports in which he races, or at least partakes, Horton sounds pretty accomplished. But in sculpture, he’s an emerging artist. Jesse Horton grew up with his father Walt Horton, a renowned sculptor whose whimsical and figurative work is shown in galleries across the country. The son dabbled in sculpture between jaunts from one corner of the world to another, but he didn’t get serious until lately, at the age of 30. Knowing full well what an “artist” is, because his family’s life was defined by Walt Horton Studios, Jesse is hesitant to rank himself in this category. “Being called an ‘artist’ makes it seem like you have more creativity than someone else; it’s a title,” he says. “I don’t feel like an ‘artist,’ but sculpting is fascinating for me, because it has helped me to develop, to understand my creative process.” Horton speaks thoughtfully, making connections that reach further inward, beyond his newest sculpture on the table. “Art defines more about the person you are,” he says. “It affects spirituality, it affects your relationships. To sculpt something, I have to re-analyze, to challenge the way I see the world, which in turn affects the decisions I have to make. It makes me reconsider what path to take, and it makes me willing to see a different perspective than my normal, everyday perspective. The

artist inside benefits from that, from my learning about myself. Maybe it’s a sign of coming of age.” When Horton begins on a sculpture, he says he begins with a feeling, a feeling that takes form. Interestingly, the form is not consciously “thought up,” but instead develops on its own, into a tangible, physical shape intended to elicit that feeling, or a similar one, in viewers. “Sure, art manifests itself in specific ways, but it doesn’t just pop into your head and form itself in clay,” he laughs. Horton says that sculpting also requires the mental aspects of observation, study, and practice. “It’s testing. Testing your theories,” he says. “But to say you’re successful in this process, you have to demonstrate a style and create a body of work. That work becomes a reflection of the person you are, not just a crazy idea you might have put on a canvas. I feel like I’ve just started to figure a couple of these things out.” While many artists attempt to hook into aspects that link people together—the shared human experience—instead Horton focuses on our differences. “I think we tend to huddle together with people of like-mindedness, which in my opinion stifles growth,” Horton says. “To grow, you have to challenge yourself. If you think about it, this could apply to religion or politics or being Black or White— whatever it is, it’s a different viewpoint. We’re never always going to agree; it would be boring if we all looked the same and felt the same and worshipped the same god.” Horton’s pursuit of knowledge and experience seems to have at once clarified the artistic experience and made it more elusive. Still, it’s clear that he is reaching out, communicating. “I see sculpture as a language,” he says. “I have the opportunity to create a story and convey an emotion in a sculpture, which then elicits feelings in the viewer. The way the masters have done this is pretty phenomenal, very subtle.” He explains the “language” like this: “When you look at a piece of sculpture, you

ABOVE: The first in Horton’s new series of late-1800s fishermen, all inspired by Windsor Homer paintings.The series will include scenes from New England (cod fishing, above), the Northwest (using crab pots), and the central United States (fly fishing from a canoe). These pieces are being cast by Black Hills Bronze, a fine art foundry in Hill City, SD. Photo by Jessica Simons.

react to it. Your eye wanders from one part to another, all the while inputting information into your brain,” he says. “My job is to direct where your eye moves across and around a piece—because that path tells a story. How I capture attention with the opening line of my story is determined by the space in the room that the sculpture occupies. The way I convey an emotion is determined by the body language of the subject or its facial expression. This is a process I’m still trying to understand, but I’ve seen enough to know that it’s really powerful stuff.” As a child of a parent with indisputable talent, Horton recognizes the difference between what we might be born with and what we add to our natural gifts. “Talent is a place to start, but hard work—no, not just hard work, but dedication—is what develops that talent and pushes your skills. It’s what takes us beyond mediocrity,” he says. Then he laughs, relaxes his intense concentration, his focus on Big Ideas. “I’m just still trying to figure it out,” he says. “I’m not a finished work. This isn’t over yet. KDS

spring2012

WIN A BLACK HILLS VACATION “Stake Your Claim” Annual Raffle

Tickets Only $10 each or 3 for $25

Roger Smith

Bronzes

also see Roger June 25-26 at Sculpture in the Hills

2013 VACATION PACKAGE INCLUDES LODGING....7 days / 6 nights for two at Newton Fork Ranch DINNER........5 dinners for two at Hill City Area restaurants PASSES TO....Mt. Rushmore National Memorial / Crazy Horse Memorial / Custer State Park / 1880 Train / South Dakota State Railroad Museum / Black Hills Museum of Natural History PLUS..............$100 in Hill City Chamber Bucks, good at local retailers

PURCHASE TICKETS at locations throughout Hill City or by calling 605-574-2810

www.hillcityarts.org

Rory Combs

Bronzes

also see Rory June 25-26 at Sculpture in the Hills

Jenny Braig Oils

Dakota Nature

Main Street, Hill City

www.dakotanatureandart.com

605-574-2868

www.hillcityarts.org

spring2012

Perspective Q&A with JEFFREY HAYZLETT I think most collectors don’t do it for the money; they do it for the love. When they look at their collections, the pieces speak to them. Many people (including artists themselves) say that artists often make “bad business people,” and that art-related businesses have trouble conforming to standard business success models. What is your view on this? Artists are no different to most businesspeople, other than in their experience in business itself. Most businesses fail because they never deliver on a proper value proposition. What is it that you’re really delivering to the customer in the end— like restaurants: full service or self service, fine china or plastic plates? Do you want to position yourself as a business that only looks after prints and frames, or do you sell exclusive artists’ work, or do you just care to get it out the door? ABOVE: Hayzlett in his office, surrounded by South Dakota artwork from his collection. Photo courtesy of Hayzlett..

Native South Dakotan and passionate art lover Jeffrey Hayzlett travels the world, speaking at conferences and at corporations like Google, MGM, and Yahoo! As a leading business expert, Hayzlett is in demand—in print, on air, and in person. He’s been a guest on shows like MSNBC’s Your Business and The Celebrity Apprentice with Donald Trump, and has his fingers in global television projects, social media, and print magazines. He’s also written two books that might just give emerging and established artists alike some ideas about how to be better at business—The Mirror Test: Is Your Business Really Breathing? (2010, Business Plus) and the brand new Running the Gauntlet: Essential Business Lessons to Lead, Drive Change, and Grow Profits (2012, McGraw-Hill). Here, Hayzlett, who believes “it’s important to have art in your life,” trains his high-voltage brain on some art-specific questions. 68

www.hillcityarts.org

You talk about how passion is not enough for a successful business. That could be considered “tough talk” to artists, for whom “passion” is their driving force. I can understand artists’ passion for their work, but one also needs to eat. If they want art to be their business, they also need to be practical. Being successful is a result of working hard and making smart business decisions. My most recent book, Running the Gauntlet, talks about leading businesses to success through leading, driving change and being innovative. Being in business is like running the gauntlet every day.

What’s a “classic mistake” you say is repeated all too often in art circles, and in most small businesses? Thinking you have something wonderful to offer, yet failing to connect it to the people who want it. The real value is in word-ofmouth and reputation. Build a great product, create a great work of art that someone wants, and you’re likely to find customers for it. At the same time, make sure they have a great experience in working with you. Then you’re

likely to be referred and they’ll go out of their way to be an evangelist for your product.

What’s the optimal marketing use of the Internet, considering the hundreds of possible sites and approaches? Internet sites are only vehicles, much like a telephone. Just get the word out. Today you can build and activate entire fan bases through Other People’s Money (OPM) via social media. In my new book, I talk about friendsourcing, where people rely on their friends to recommend things they like; that’s a use of OPM. As a business person/artist, you want others to evangelize your artwork— that’s why social media, referrals, and wordof-mouth are so effective, because it won’t cost you anything, and your message is delivered.

In sales, many artists set consistent prices— selling Piece X at the same price, whether through a gallery, online, or a show. How should they handle buyers who insist on a “special deal”? If you’re looking at your artwork from a business perspective, then you need to run it as a business. You don’t want channel conflict or price erosion to decrease the value of your work. Holding hard on prices and margins is critical to the success of any business, and this should apply to artists more so than it does for most other typical business transactions. By playing a game with the buyer, all you do is cheapen your product and yourself. Everyone likes a good deal—I’d rather buy a Mercedes at a Ford Escort price, but I know that’s not possible. So never cut your prices, unless someone’s buying 10 paintings in return. For more on Hayzlett’s speaking engagements, consulting, projects, books, marketing tips, and more, visit http://hayzlett.com.

DICK TERMES LYNDA CLARK ADELSTEIN DON MONTILEAUX DORIS RUDEL STEVE BABBIT J E A N SELVY-WYSS

211 FOUNDER’S PARK DRIVE RAPID CITY, SD 57701

| 605.791.4556 | www.heronsflightstudio.com spring2012

ARTISTS of the BLACK HILLS... Annual Show and Sale

SPEARFISH ART CENTER GALLERY JUNE 1 - 23, 2012 • OPENING RECEPTION: FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 2012 5-7PM

Artworks in Miniature Exhibition

Generaions, by Jeanne Apelseth

PRAIRIE BERRY WINERY JUNE 1 - JULY 1, 2012 • OPENING RECEPTION: JUNE 2, 6:00 - 7:30 PM

V ISIT OUR SIGNATU R E G A L L E R I E S : A Walk In The Woods Gallery • 506 Mt. Rushmore Rd, Custer, Sd • 605-673-6400 • www.walkwoods.com

Dakota Nature & Art Gallery • 216 Main St. Hill City, Sd • 605-574-2868 • www.dakotanatureandart.com

Green Ink Gallery & Studios• 22435 Jim Creek Lane, Deadwood, Sd • 605-342-2552 • www.greeninkgalleryandstudios.com

Lead/Deadwood Arts Center • 309 West Main, Lead, Sd • 605-484-1461 • www.deadwoodleadartscouncil.com

Prairie Edge • 606 Main St. Rapid City, Sd • 605-342-3408 • www.prairieedge.com

Reflections Of South Dakota • 507 6th St. Rapid City, Sd • 605-341-3234 • www.reflectionsofsouthdakota.com

Spearfish Arts Center Gallery • 612 Main St. Spearfish, Sd • 605-642-7973 • www.spearfishartscenter.org

W W W . A R T I S T S O F T H E B L A C K H I L L S . O R G SIGNATURE

ARTISTS:

Anna Achtziger • Jeanne Apelseth • Steve Babbitt • Will Bellucci • Bryan Bortnem • Nancy Bowman

Jenny Braig • Tom Coronato • Jon Crane • Gail Damen • Denise Du Broy • Bill Feterl • Jerry Green • Barb Hallberg • Bonnie Halsey-Dutton

RTISTS of the

70 www.hillcityarts.org BJ Stych • Sandy BLACK HILLS

Swallow • Lynn Thorpe • Tom Thorson • Marion Toillion • Ray Tysdal • Ildiko Wagoner • Roger Wagoner • Heidi Watson