Concept Spring 2010 • Issue 24
“Reality Calling” by Robert Zahner
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Get Richie Havens March 14, 2010 | 7:00PM $20 | $30
The Infamous Stringdusters with special guest, Lonesome Stew March 25, 2010 | 7:30PM $15
tickets
Swing Fever April 3, 2010 | 7:30PM $25 | $30
Steve Tyrell April 18, 2010 | 7:30PM $ 28 | $ 37
Vienna Boys Choir
Lynx & Janover with Youssoupha
March 26, 2010 | 7:30PM $ 25 | $ 42 | $ 50
April 22, 2010 | 7:30PM $18 | $25
Be part of the
Show
durangoconcerts.com
Buy tickets to any 3 or more shows of your choice and receive a 15% discount* off your total purchase
Strut Your Stuff, A Musical Showcase Vocal and instrumental music performed by youth ages 8 to 18. Co-produced by Music in the Mountains Goes to School program. March 27, 2010 7:00 PM | $10*
*Additional discounts apply to students (with valid ID), seniors (65+), FLC Faculty, Staff & Students, Children (12 and under). LO CAL
TO LL FREE
D OWNTOWN TICK ET O FFICE
970.247.7657 877.282.9992 7th & Main, Durango
Awards
Concept
Maggie Finalist
Best B&W Layout & Design Western Publications Association 2008 Awards
1st Place A&E Feature
“Hello, Goodnight!” Written by Sonja Horoshko Society of Professional Journalists 2008 Awards
3rd Place Personality Profile “Laboratory Ink” Written by Connie Gotsch New Mexico Press Women 2009 Awards
The mission of Arts Perspective magazine is to support and reflect the fine art communities of Southwest Colorado.
Publisher
Denise Leslie
denise@artsperspective.com
Managing Editor/Art Director
Spring 2010 • Issue 24
E D I TO R I A L S TA F F Denise Leslie Publisher
Denise is eager to embrace the arts community in her new role as publisher of Arts Perspective magazine and Southwest Arts Programs.
Heather Leavitt Co-Founder/Art Director
Six years following the founding of Shared Vision Publishing and Arts Perspective magazine, Heather looks forward to life as a newlywed, free from publishing duties and open to new possibilities. Soon she hopes you will find her in her studio working on her creative endeavors.
C O N T R I B U TO R S Robert Zahner Test Strip pg. 3
Yes, it’s true. Bob’s mother was born in New Orleans during the great flood of ‘27. But why did Marcel Duchamp move to New York? Prefers the fax. Email rzahner@hotmail.com.
Brandon Donahue Memorial pg. 7
Brandon is the manager at Open Shutter Gallery and has curated shows by Henri Cartier-Bresson, Paul Caponigro, Elliott Erwitt and Steve McCurry. You can find him most anytime, riding bikes, drinking espresso, taking photographs and daydreaming about Zooey Deschanel.
Heather Leavitt
director@artsperspective.com
Finance Director/Co-Founder
Raymond Martinez Copy Editor
Susan Ronn Proofreaders Jeannie Berger Eve Gilmore Distribution Sandy Feutz Kathleen Steventon Tom Vaughan Steve Williams Advertising Sales
Denise Leslie (970) 903-6417 Subscriptions
filled by sending $20 (or $5 per back copy) to:
Susan Ronn Copy Editor
Susan lives Down Under, in New Zealand — upside down and a day ahead of you. She is a freelance editor, writer, actor and voice-over talent. Contact her at susan.ronn@gmail.com.
Raymond Martinez Co-Founder
Accountant by day, flyfisherman when he can get away and photographer at every photo op he can get to, Ray finds artists mildly amusing.
125. Our first collaboration.
Stew Mosberg Paul Peterson pg. 10
Stew Mosberg is a freelance writer living in Bayfield. He has been an arts publisher and journalist, and has written two books on design. His email address is wrtrf@aol.com.
Jeannie Berger Proofreader
After teaching high school English for 21 years, Jeannie still can’t let go of her red pen. When she is not proofreading, she fills her idle hours as a staff member at the Durango Arts Center, where she wears several hats, one of which is the editor of the Artsline newsletter. Email jeannie@durangoarts.
Miki Harder Point of View pg. 16
Miki has had a drawing implement in her hand since she was knee-high to a lady bug. Seeing the world too much as a comic book reflection of her world, you are an innocent recipient of her outlook.
Charles Leslie Performance pg. 12
Charles Leslie is the director of the Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College.
Amy Wendland Centerfold Artist pg. 14
Amy’s work centers on human foibles and fears. She confronts heavy issues in a light-hearted manner. Artist and Associate Professor of Art at Fort Lewis College, Amy can be emailed at wendland_a@fortlewis.edu.
Chris Brussat
P.O. Box 3042 Durango, CO 81302 Arts Perspective is an independent magazine published quarterly by Shared Vision Publishing. ISSN# 1554-6586. Contents are copyrighted, 2010 by Shared Vision Publishing. All rights reserved. No part of this print or online publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. Queries are preferred. Articles and letters are welcome; however the publisher is not responsible for unsolicited materials and will not return materials unless accompanied by sufficient return postage. Materials accepted for publication become the property of Arts Perspective and Shared Vision Publishing. Artists retain all rights to their work. Arts Perspective is not responsible or liable for any misspellings, incorrect dates or information in its captions, calendar, listings or advertisements. Articles and editorial notes represent the views of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views or policies of Arts Perspective magazine.
Elizabeth Somers & Jeffrey Madeen Art Was Here pg. 8
Inspiring the Inventive Urge pg. 18
Chris Brussat has been a liberal arts dabbler since about age five. Starting with coloring books and painted rocks, he progressed to singing, theater, writing, graphic design and fine art. His focus seems to be narrowing to writing and fine
Lauren Slaff Street Food pg. 20
ON THE COVER Christo and Jeanne-Claude Valley Curtain, Rifle, Colorado, 1970-72 Photo: Harry Shunk ©1972 Christo For more information about the current Over The River project, visit http://www.overtheriverinfo.com.
Connie Gotsch is an award-winning arts reporter and the Program Director for KSJE-FM Public Radio, Farmington, New Mexico. She has written two award-winning novels for adults, and a youth novel entitled ‘Belle’s Star,’ based on the story of her own dog, and written from Belle’s point of view. In 2010 ‘Belle’s Star’ won First Place in the New Mexico Press
Eve Gilmore Conceptualizing the Garden pg. 26
Eve consults with clients on design and maintenance of their ornamental garden spaces. Her focus is on sustainability in the landscape. She has been an avid plantswoman for many years in Colorado and other western states and is the gardening columnist for CREA’s Colorado Country Life magazine.
Note to Readers Here’s a concept: Publish an arts magazine. Start by talking with artists and writers to see if they are interested in the idea. Ask gallery owners and other potential advertisers if they would support the project, go into production, and print the vision onto newsprint. Distribute, and watch the arts perspectives grow. Fast-forward six years, to the present, and ask, “What now?” I have always wondered how long the magazine would continue and whether I would find someone who shares my vision (no pun intended) and would be interested in taking it on and helping it grow. Only in my dreams would I manifest that perfect someone; I must be living the dream. When we first spoke, it was merely a concept, a flutter of an idea. Like in flyfishing, I had casted before. But this time it was purely natural — a perfect presentation and it finally landed in the right water. And this beautiful being is not merely a silly fish, but someone who really cares about the arts. She is conscious of the needs of artists and is someone who has the energy to keep up, carry the magazine, and take it further than I ever could. I feel confident she will serve the arts community with the vision this publication was founded on and add her perspective to make it even more. Arts Perspective, Shared Vision Publishing and the arts communities of Southwest Colorado have made a great catch in Denise Leslie. As new publisher, Denise will expand Arts Perspective magazine to include even more perspectives. In order to do so, she would like to hear from you — the reader, the artist, the supporter — and learn how she can better serve the arts communities of Southwest Colorado.
Denise and I look forward to creating the summer “Community” issue together. What a wonderful theme to focus on. We love serving our communities, and we want to reflect all they have to offer in rich culture and creative and fine arts. Throughout this transition, I will share my knowledge with Denise about publishing a regional niche magazine and pass on lessons I have learned from this experience. Then I will continue to stand by her and offer the support she needs to add her perspective. And now on to a new concept … stay tuned. Heather Leavitt Editor/Art Director, Arts Perspective magazine pictured above
Already having a great time working together, Denise Leslie and Heather Leavitt share a good laugh. Photo by Kyla Jenkinson.
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MEMORIAL Jeanne-Claude
“The creative mind plays with the objects it loves.“ – Jung, 1921 On November 18, 2009, American artist Jeanne-Claude died as a result of complications due to a ruptured brain aneurysm. While deeply saddened, her husband, partner and collaborator, Christo, is committed to honoring a promise they made to each other many years ago — to continue their art. With two projects in progress — “Over the River” and “The Mastaba Project” — Christo is dedicated to completing them, as JeanneClaude would wish. Christo and JeanneClaude created unique and inspiring pieces together for 51 years, share the same birthday, and met in Paris, France in 1958.
Over The River, Project For Arkansas River, State of Colorado Collage, 2009 28 x 21,5 cm (11” x 8-1/2”); Pencil, enamel paint, photograph by Wolfgang Volz, wax crayon, aerial photograph with topographic elevations, fabric sample on brown board. Photographs: Wolfgang Volz, ©Christo 2009
Back when I was an art student, my teacher, a man named Hutch, would have me sit in the back of the class and flip through his collection of art magazines, journals and books for inspiration. One particular day I came across an article about the creative team Christo and Jeanne-Claude. The project discussed in the article was titled “Surrounded Islands,” and I stared at the photos in awe. I was young, small-town, and had never seen anything like it before. It was the kind of imagery that could make you want to give up being an artist in the face of such talent, while at the same time inspire you to begin projects you had only dreamt about. Since my first encounter with the work of Christo and Jeanne-Claude, I was hooked. I scanned headlines for announcements about their projects and researched completed installations, always finding inspiration from their creations. A few years ago, I saw that Christo and JeanneClaude were planning a second installation in Colorado. Their first was “Valley Curtain,” a brilliant, orange “curtain” suspended 365 feet high, and stretching 1,250 feet wide. Located near Rifle, the piece took 28 months to complete, and was disassembled just 28 hours after
it was erected. Christo and JeanneClaude’s second project in Colorado is titled “Over the River.” Nearly six miles of panels of luminous fabric will be suspended high above 40 miles of the Arkansas River between Salida and Cañon City. This installation is scheduled to run for two weeks during the summer in 2013, at the earliest. At the website, http://www.overtheriverinfo.com, there is updated information about the project and opportunities for geting involved. The website states that “Over the River” is intended to “enhance Colorado’s growing prominence in the art world and provide a gift that all Coloradans can enjoy.”
I’ve always had a difficult time relating the work of Christo and Jeanne-Claude to people who are unfamiliar with them. There is such poetry to their creations; images or words alone do not do them justice. The installations speak to every sense. When the “Over the River” project is completed, you’ll have a chance to go experience it for yourself, to let it speak to you — and then spend the rest of your life trying to describe it to others. % “We have love and tenderness for our own life because we know it will not last. That quality of love and tenderness, we wish to donate it, endow our work with it as an additional aesthetic quality. The fact that the work does not remain creates an urgency to see it. For instance, if someone were to tell you, ‘Oh, look on the right, there is a rainbow.’ You will never answer, ‘I will look at it tomorrow.’” – Jeanne-Claude
Memorial by Brandon Donahue
www.ArtsPerspective.com
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ART
Collaboration by Elizabeth Somers + Jeff Madeen
Over the Rainbow and Under the Radar by Stew Mosberg His welded metal work is an offshoot of his “day job” as owner of Petersons Auto Body repair shop on North Broadway in Cortez. A steel crucifixion, not unlike a figure by El Greco, stands in his studio emanating passion and pain, yet is treated with delicacy and emotion. It was created years ago and possesses none of the whimsy of his current work, although it remains a powerful concept that exhibits the artist’s virtuosity.
The art of Montezuma County’s Paul Peterson is about as personal as it gets. Whether he is welding found materials and everyday objects into fantastic machine-like assemblages or painting on canvas, the results are generally amusing, almost always allegorical, and are typically filled with whimsical metaphors. In a Peterson painting, horses adopt a Gary Larson-esque persona; birds replicate human movements and attitudes; stretched or foreshortened cartoon-style automobiles are rendered in fluorescent colors and play integral roles in the imagery; odd angles and elongated perspectives draw the viewer into the framework. Peterson explores his thoughts, fantasies, dreams and ideas by sketching and plotting them out in notebooks. Characters from his childhood or presentday experiences figure greatly in his surreal visions. Rabbits watch the action from the sidelines while a crow and horse play hoops (actually a game of H.O.R.S.E.) with a Buck Rogers rocket ship on the lawn and a tractor-driving farmer hastily leaving the scene. The turquoise and chrome rocket ship in the picture is also a very real, large-scale creation of Peterson’s that stands outside his home studio on the eastern edge of Cortez, looking as if it just landed or is about to launch. The missile occupies a space opposite an oxidizing contraption resembling a Mad Max-style vehicle, its engine an old Singer sewing machine. “It runs like a sewing machine,” Peterson suggests by way of explanation. The people depicted in his art might look like ZZ Top or Ozark Mountain farmers, barreling down the road in hot rod old trucks or sitting atop tractors; most are “self-portraits,” the beardless artist cryptically declares. Peterson lacks formal art training, but he hastens to suggest he is not self-taught. “I’ve been under instruction all the time,” he says, and has been drawing since he was a youngster, which is about as long as he has harbored his love for cars.
Photo by Heather Leavitt
While most art generally starts with a concept, the term “conceptual art” has come to mean edgy, avant-garde and unconventional. It is rarely defined as traditional and, more often than not, doesn’t use customary methods to present its message. In many instances, conceptual art is ephemeral and frequently misinterpreted; for the artist it can be very personal, for viewers it will likely provoke controversy.
Peterson’s original ideas and concepts for his art emanate from looking deeply within himself. His visions are filled with individuality and private sentiments. “My path of life,” he suggests, “is spiritual and introspective. I feel the content (of the paintings), but they aren’t always resolved.” Such selfexamination requires “being honest with yourself,” he admits.
As an artist, Peterson is little known outside Cortez. He isn’t represented by a gallery; he almost never sells his work and only occasionally shows it publicly. However, “H.O.R.S.E.” won best in show at the 2007 Cortez Cultural Center exhibition. At first glimpse, the substance of his art is hard to figure out. For example, a painting titled “Making Rainbows” portrays a cowboy peeing in the distance while his horse and other assorted creatures study the rainbow caused by the light passing through the cowpoke’s spray. Not all of his paintings are humorous; some are even nostalgic, such as the fantasy image of his mother and father holding hands on a porch, gazing at a setting sun from what could be the back of a railway car. The forced perspective lends a curious note to the allegory since one isn’t sure if the couple is pulling away from the golden orb or heading toward it. At the back of Peterson’s studio, tucked away behind stored paraphernalia, is an ominous landscape painting depicting dead trees, a lone raven and, in the distance, a barely discernible, rising mushroom cloud. As conceptual art, it leaves the viewer feeling quite uneasy, and maybe … just maybe, that’s the point. Peterson says he paints for himself and is under the radar by choice. “I’m afraid to enter the mainstream,” he acknowledges. “It seems a little overwhelming to me.” Working through his thoughts using obscure metaphors is his reason for making art. “I’m evolving toward one place. One image will make it all worth it in the end. To make a difference to people …” His thought trails off, and in the ensuing silence perhaps another concept has taken root. One can only imagine what new hallucinatory image Paul Peterson has envisioned. % To see works by Paul, call him at Peterson’s Auto Body at (970) 565-4355.
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www.ArtsPerspective.com
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Photo by Tom Bartels, Roundhouse Productions
C O N C E P T: The Performing Arts Builds Communities
by Charles Leslie
The lights dim, the audience stops talking, and everyone in the room collectively looks in one direction, paying attention and anticipating what is going to happen in front of them all. Light in one end of the room brightens and is focused toward a performer or group of performers. They look toward the darkened room. Is anyone out there? For both artist and audience, there is this moment of anticipation. In the club, the theatre or the concert hall, the artist and audience have arrived to support each other. As an audience member, I have come to escape my daily routine, learn about a new culture, support a friend or family member’s work, or enjoy a night out with friends. I may also be in the audience because I love music, dance, theatre — all forms of live performance. At a show, I might like to sing along with a band, dance with my friends, or seek an emotional release. Regardless of the reason for my attendance, I have joined a group of people who have gathered for this moment of time to experience a live performance. Without the presence of an audience, the art is incomplete.
When we attend a performance, we are members of a community who have gathered for a very specific purpose. Whether we intend it or not, as members of an audience, our physical presence creates a community. The gathering is not about competition, protest or politics. We gather to experience beauty, to connect with something we cannot explain, to support.
Performing artists are keenly aware of the necessity of the audience to complete their art. As artists peer into the darkened room, they yearn for support from the group of people who have arrived for the performance. What is the artist seeking? Polite applause, cheering, whistling, singing, dancing, laughter, tears, yells of support or anguish? For the artist whose medium is performance, the energy from the audience both energizes and completes the art. So how does this relate to community building? Somehow, an artist or group of artists has compelled a group of people to arrive at a specific time and place to share an experience. With that gathering, artist and audience are now participants in a communal experience during which they laugh, clap, dance, sing, cry, yell or express
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themselves in other ways. Where else but in a live performance do we have the opportunity to come together as a group to explore our emotions? Where else do we gather with strangers to share at the least an interest in, or at the other extreme, a passionate connection to an artistic expression for a specific moment?
As a member of an organization that presents performing arts, I strongly believe that connecting artists and audiences to one another can transform both individuals and groups. The community created during a performance is joyful, healthy, accepting and supportive. By its nature, the community is short-lived, but the value of the moment reaches deeply into the culture and community we inhabit every day. So how do presenters of performance respond in dire economic times? We continue to look for opportunities to support performing artists, we work together when we might not have worked together in the past, and we press the point that the arts are not a commodity but a necessity for a healthy culture, nation and world. Winston Churchill was reported to have said, when told funding for the arts should be cut in order to fund England’s World War II defense budget: “Then what are we fighting for?” %
Carol Salomon
0DLQ $YHQXH ‡ 'XUDQJR &RORUDGR ‡ ‡ ZZZ VRUUHOVN\ FRP
www.ArtsPerspective.com
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March 21, 3 p.m. Adams Foundation Piano Recital featuring Robert DeGaetano San Juan Symphony Community Concert Hall, FLC (970) 247-7657 http://www.sanjuansymphony.org
March 6, 7 p.m. Dead Composers Society Totah Theater, Farmington (505) 327-4145 http://www.thetotah.com
March 10–April 5 Leadership Montezuma Fundraiser “Fun With Mono Prints” Reception: Sat., March 13, 5–7 p.m.
March 9, 7 p.m. Sarah Siskind & Travis Book Henry Strater Theatre (970) 375-7160 http://henrystratertheatre.com
Through March 27 Heart of the Southwest Artifacts Gallery, Farmington (505) 327-2907
Through March 27 Encaustic Art by Michael Billie Andrea Kristina’s Bookstore & Kafe Farmington, NM (505) 360-0147
March 6, 8 p.m.–2 a.m. Bugs: An Itching-for-Spring Fine Art Exhibition Steamworks Brewing Co., Durango (970) 259-9200
Through March 25 Steve Immel & Frank Jackson Open Shutter Gallery, Durango (970) 382-8355 http://www.openshuttergallery.com
Dead Toy walnut, sheepskin, milkpaint 10”x15.5”x 6”
April 3, 7:30 p.m. Swing Fever Community Concert Hall, FLC (970) 247-7657 http://www.durangoconcerts.com
April 3, 7 p.m. Dead Composers Society Totah Theater, Farmington (505) 327-4145 http://www.thetotah.com April 24–May 31 3 Photographers Reception: Sat., April 24, 5–8 p.m. SHY RABBIT Contemporary Arts, Pagosa (970) 731-2766 http://www.shyrabbit.com
April 24, 7:30 a.m. 16th Annual Pueblo to Pueblo Run Cortez Cultural Center (970) 565-1151 http://www.cortezculturalcenter.org
May 7–July 10 Gateway to Imagination National Juried Art Show Farmington Museum Reception: Sat., May 15, 6 p.m. Lecture; 7 p.m. Reception (505) 599-1174 http://www.farmingtonmuseum.org
To have your exhibition or event listed here for free, please email the date, time, event, location, contact phone and website to director@artsperspective.com by May 10. Limited space available, accompanying photos need to be 300 dpi.
April 7–May 4 David Rainy, Mixed Media Reception: Fri., April 9, 5–7 p.m. Desert Pearl Gallery, Cortez (970) 565-9320 desertpearlgal@aol.com April 9 Spring Art Walk Historic Downtown Farmington (505) 599-1419 http://www.fmtn.org April 9, 7:30 p.m. San Juan College Jazz Festival SJC Performance Hall, Farmington
March 25, 7:30 p.m. The Infamous Stringdusters with Lonesome Stew Community Concert Hall, FLC (970) 247-7657 http://www.durangoconcerts.com March 26, 7:30 p.m. Vienna Boys Choir Community Concert Hall, FLC (970) 247-7657 http://www.durangoconcerts.com March 26–May 6 Exposure Reception: Fri., March 26, 5–8 p.m.
Filling wood, bone, mixed media 23”x 29.5”x 10.5”
May 1, 7 p.m. Dead Composers Society Totah Theater, Farmington
May–June Junket Dynasty, ceramics by Lisa Pedolsky Durango Arts Center Library Gallery Reception: Sat., May 8, 5-7 p.m. (970) 259-2606 http://www.durangoarts.org
April 30, 7:30 p.m. San Juan College Orchestra Concert SJC Little Theatre, Farmington (505) 566-3430 http://www.sanjuancollege.edu
Eye Candy walnut, brass, rubber 2.25”x 6”x 8.5”
May 7–June 30 Life Stills Open Shutter Gallery, Durango Reception: Fri., May 7, 5–8 p.m. (970) 382-8355 http://www.openshuttergallery.com
May 7-29 Three Degrees of Abstraction Featuring artists Cheryl Berglund, Sandy Applegate and Marikay Shellman and pianist Rada Neal Reception: Sat., May 8, 5–7 p. m. Durango Arts Center (970) 247-2606 http://www.durangoarts.org
Amy K. Wendland, artist and associate professor of art, Fort Lewis College, email: wendland_a@fortlewis.edu
My work centers on human foibles and fears. I confront heavy issues in a light-hearted manner, using humor to highlight the droll and occasionally farcical nature of our existence. Combining disparate materials, I seek to create pieces that look as if they evolved spontaneously, free from artificiality or affectation. My work is intended to attract and disquiet, to seduce and repel. It is foreign, yet curiously familiar. Artworks act as cairns marking a journey through the curiosities and pleasures of life. A piece is complete when the viewer and I pause on that path in an act of joint imagination and understanding.
March 20–May 8 The Contraption Show Reception: Sat., March 20, 6–9 p.m. Sideshow Emporium & Gallery, Dolores (970)-739-4646 http://www.myspace.com/sideshow_emporium
March 5–April 30 Abstraction, works by Elizabeth Somers Durango Arts Center Library Gallery Reception: Fri., March 5, 5-7 p.m. (970) 259-2606 http://www.durangoarts.org
Events & Exhibitions
Through March 13 Lucid: Shapeshifting Figurative Oil Paintings by Lara Branca Sideshow Emporium & Gallery, Dolores (970) 739-4646 http://www.myspace.com/sideshow_emporium
Every Thursday, 6–9 p.m. Jeff Solon Duo Mutus, Durango (970) 375-2701 http://www.jeffsolon.com
SPRING 2010
Wendland
CONCEPT
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March 18, 19, 20, 25, 26 & 27, 7:30 p.m. March 21, 3 p.m. Macbeth Theatre at FLC (970) 247-7089 http://theatre.fortlewis.edu
March 4–7 1st Annual Mancos Melt (970) 533-1177 http://www.mancosonthemove.com
March 5–27 Making Their Marks, DAC Members’ Exhibit Reception: Fri., March 5, 5–7 p.m. Durango Arts Center (970) 259-2606 http://www.durangoarts.org
March 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 7:30 p.m. March 14, 2:30 p.m. San Juan College Spring Musical “Sweeney Todd” SJC Performance Hall, Farmington (505) 566-3430 http://www.sanjuancollege.edu
March 5, 3 p.m. March 6, 9 a.m. Screening of The Art of Paul Folwell A film by Matt Langdon Abbey Theatre, Durango http://durangofilm.org
March 20, 7:30 pm Stonecircle, Folk/Celtic/Celtic Fusion Ouray County Performing Arts Guild Wright Opera, Ouray (970) 626-2970 http://www.ocpag.org
March 20, 7–10 p.m. Jeff Solon Swing’n Big Band Durango VFW Free Dance Lesson 6:15 p.m. with Denise Westbrook (970) 247-0648 http://www.jeffsolon.com
March 19, 9 p.m. March 20, 7:30 & 10 p.m. International Hunks – Male Model Review Henry Strater Theatre, Durango (970) 375-7160 http://henrystratertheatre.com
March 19, 7 p.m. Enter the Haggis SJC Performance Hall, Farmington (505) 566-3430 http://www.sanjuancollege.edu
March 18 Furniture As Art Durango Arts Center (970) 259-2606 http://www.kdur.org
March 4, 5:30 p.m. Wine Tasting Art Exhibition Arborena, Mancos (970) 533-1381 http://arborena.com
March 4–April 16 Community Photo Show Riverside Nature Center, Farmington Reception: Sun., March 21, 2 p.m. (505) 599-1422 http://www.farmingtonmuseum.org
March 15 Doors open at & 1027 Main Ave., Durango
March 14, 7 p.m. Richie Havens Community Concert Hall, FLC (970) 247-7657 http://www.durangoconcerts.com
April 2–May 29 Animal Planet Artifacts Gallery, Farmington Reception: Fri., April 2, 5–9 p.m. (505) 327-2907
April 2, 5–7:30 p.m. Carrie Fell & Star Liana York Sorrel Sky Gallery, Durango (970) 247-3555 http://www.sorrelsky.com
April 1–June 30 Spring Art Exhibit Reception: Fri., May 21, 4:30–6 p.m. Ignacio Community Library (970) 563-9287 http://www.ignacio.colibraries.org
April 1–30 Inside the Stillness Paintings by Marikay Shellman Reception: April 1, 3-5PM Humanities Balcony Gallery San Juan College, Farmington (505) 566-3464 http://www.sanjuancollege.edu
April 1, 5–7 p.m. Edible Book Exhibit & Tea Durango Arts Center (970) 259-2606 http://www.durangoarts.org
March 30–April 30 Creativity Festivity Reception: Mon., Apr. 5, 5–7 p.m. Durango Arts Center (970) 259-2606 http://www.durangoarts.org
March 27, 8 p.m. Asylum Street Spankers Henry Strater Theatre, Durango (970) 375-7160 http://henrystratertheatre.com
March 27, 7 p.m. Strut Your Stuff, A Musical Showcase Community Concert Hall, FLC (970) 247-7657 http://www.durangoconcerts.com
March 27, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. 8th Annual Downtown Alamosa Art Walk (800) BLU-SKYS http://www.alamosaartwalk.org
March 12, 8 p.m. Boulder Acoustic Society Henry Strater Theatre, Durango (970) 375-7160 http://henrystratertheatre.com March 13, 8 p.m. Fishtank Ensemble Henry Strater Theatre, Durango (970) 375-7160 http://henrystratertheatre.com
Open Shutter Gallery, Durango (970) 382-8355 http://www.openshuttergallery.com
Desert Pearl Gallery, Cortez (970) 565-9320 desertpearlgal@aol.com
March 4, 5–9 p.m. Gallery Walk Durango Independent Film Festival Downtown Durango (970) 375-7779 http://durangofilm.org
March 3–7 Durango Independent Film Festival (970) 375-7779 http://www.durangofilm.org
Through October Mountain Lion! Center for Southwest Studies, FLC (970) 247-7456 http://swcenter.fortlewis.edu
Through May Rare: Imperiled Plants of Colorado Center for Southwest Studies, FLC (970) 247-7456 http://swcenter.fortlewis.edu
http://www.michaelbillie.com
April 24, 7–10 p.m. Jeff Solon Swing’n Big Band Durango VFW (970) 247-0648 http://www.jeffsolon.com
April 23, 7:30 p.m. San Juan College Choir Concert SJC Performance Hall, Farmington (505) 566-3430 http://www.sanjuancollege.edu
April 22, 7:30 p.m. Lynx & Janover with Youssoupha Community Concert Hall, FLC (970) 247-7657 http://www.durangoconcerts.com
April 18, 10 p.m. Squash Blossom Steamworks, Durango http://www.myspace.com/sbb
April 18, 7:30 p.m. Steve Tyrell Community Concert Hall, FLC (970) 247-7657 http://www.durangoconcerts.com
April 17, 9 p.m. Badley Bent Steamworks, Durango http://www.thebadlybent.com
April 17, 7–10 p.m. Durango Bluegrass Meltdown Henry Strater Theatre, Durango (970) 375-7160 http://henrystratertheatre.com
April 12, 6:30 p.m. Meet the Author: Marathoner and Mom Dimity McDowell Maria’s Bookshop, Durango (970) 247-1438 http://mariasbookshop.com
April 10, 7 p.m.–12:15 a.m. Bang a Beat for a Haiti Hospital Abbey Theatre, Durango (970) 769-0171 http://www.stillwaterfoundation.org
May 1, 8 p.m. Sweet Sunny South Henry Strater Theatre, Durango (970) 375-7160 http://henrystratertheatre.com
April 9 & 10, 7:30 p.m. The Sun is in the West Square Top Repertory Theatre Fort Lewis College Mainstage Theatre: Fri., April 9 Pagosa Springs Liberty Theatre: Sat., April 10 (970) 316-2737 http://www.squaretoptheatre.com
May 29 & 30 2010 Riverfest Fine Arts and Crafts Fair Farmington, NM (505)320-4001 http://www.nwnmac.org
May 28–Aug. 21 Native American Dances & Cultural Programs Cortez Cultural Center (970) 565-1151 http://www.cortezculturalcenter.org
May 15-July 3 Ukrainians With Eyes Shut Photography by Cole Thompson Sideshow Emporium & Gallery, Dolores (970)-739-4646 http://www.myspace.com/sideshow_ emporium
May 15 2nd Annual Spring Into Mancos (970) 533-7434 http://www.mancosonthemove.com
May 14, 5–9 p.m. Spring Gallery Walk Downtown Durango
May 13–16, 6 a.m.–8 p.m. Ute Mountain Mesa Verde Birding Festival Cortez Cultural Center and County Annex (970) 565-1151 http://www.cortezculturalcenter.org
May 10–29, 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Bird Art Show Cortez Cultural Center (970) 565-1151 http://www.cortezculturalcenter.org
May 10, 6:30 p.m. Meet the Authors: Western Writers Mark Spragg and Laura Bell Maria’s Bookshop, Durango (970) 247-1438 http://mariasbookshop.com
May 9, 1 p.m. Mother’s Day Salon featuring Yvonne Meek Jazz Trio Ouray County Performing Arts Guild TBA, Ridgway (970) 626-2970 http://www.ocpag.org
Lift for Workshop & Class Listings b b b b
May 7, 7:30 p.m. San Juan College Band Concert SJC Little Theatre, Farmington (505) 566-3430 http://www.sanjuancollege.edu
May 7, 4:30–6 p.m. Wine Tasting at Sorrel Sky Durango Wine Experience, Durango (970) 247-3555 http://www.sorrelsky.com
May 5–June 1 Willow, Weave & Wood Kyle Baum & Peter Eppard Reception: Fri., May 7, 5–7 p.m. Desert Pearl Gallery, Cortez (970) 565-9320 desertpearlgal@aol.com
May 4–29 Three Degrees of Abstraction Reception: Sat., May 8, 5–7 p.m. Durango Arts Center (970) 259-2606 http://www.durangoarts.org
May 3–8, 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Art of Hawkins Preserve Cortez Cultural Center (970) 565-1151 http://www.cortezculturalcenter.org
May 3, 6:30 p.m. Meet the Author: Betsy McKee Heny, Zen Mama Maria’s Bookshop, Durango (970) 247-1438 http://mariasbookshop.com
May–Aug. 31 Great Durango Melodrama & Vaudeville Henry Strater Theatre, Durango (970) 375-7160 http://henrystratertheatre.com
(505) 327-4145 http://www.thetotah.com
(505) 566-3430 http://www.sanjuancollege.edu
SPRING
Classes & Workshops
Ongoing Classes and Consultations Create a colorful life! Learn to use color in weaving, knitting, collage, sewing, apparel, gardening and home decor with Mary Alice Hearn. (970) 259-2442 MAHcreate@aol.com Ongoing Beginning Digital Photography Contact Barbara Grist at (970) 560-2767 Ongoing Workshops Papermaking, collage, book arts, eco-art with Mary Ellen Long Spring workshops (970) 259-4363 TBA Mixed Media with David Rainey Desert Pearl Gallery, Cortez (970) 565-9320 desertpearlgal@aol.com Sat., March 6, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Enameling with Tracey Belt, $75 (970) 375-2217 Four Corners Gem & Mineral Club 2350 Main Ave., Durango Sun., March 7, 1–4 p.m. Making a Square Bezel with Diane West, $60 Four Corners Gem & Mineral Club 2350 Main Ave., Durango (970) 259-1044
Attention Readers! When calling to enroll in workshops, please mention you found them here. Doing so keeps
these listings available to our readers. Listings $5 each or free with purchase of display advertising. Email your listing by May 10 to director@artsperspective.com and drop a check in the mail to P.O. Box 3042, Durango, CO 81302.
Tues., March 11–April 29, 6–8 p.m. Fiction Writing with Will Gray, $170 Continuing education classes at FLC (970) 247-7385 continuinged@fortlewis.edu
Sat. March 20, 10 a.m.–noon Beginning Beading with Bonnie Bryant Desert Pearl Gallery, Cortez (970) 565-9320 desertpearlgal@aol.com
Sat. & Sun., March 13 & 14, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Intro to Lost Wax Casting with Will Harjes, $145 Four Corners Gem & Mineral Club 2350 Main Ave., Durango (970) 247-9272
Sat., March 20, 11 a.m.–2 p.m. Spring Gardens Farmington Museum (505) 599-1169 http://www.farmingtonmuseum.org
Tues. March 16–30, 6:30–8:30 p.m. Legal and Ethical Considerations for Non-profit Organizations with Robert Dawes, $69 Continuing education classes at FLC (970) 247-7385 continuinged@fortlewis.edu Wed. March 17, 5–7 p.m. Hammered Metal Earrings with Melody Nail Desert Pearl Gallery, Cortez (970) 565-9320 desertpearlgal@aol.com Sat., March 20, 9:30 a.m.–3 p.m. Wet Felting a Hat with Lois Burbach preregister, class limited Navajo Lake Alpacas, Ignacio (970) 883-3635 http://www.navajolakefeltstudio.etsy.com
Sat., April 10, 9:30 a.m.–6 p.m. Harnessing the Winds of Spring with Victoria FittsMilgrim, $95 McElmo Canyon, near Cortez (970)259-9040 victoria@truelifecoach.net http://www.truelifecoach.net Sat., April 10 9 a.m.–1 p.m. Basic Digital Photography with Paul Boyer, $50 Continuing education classes at FLC (970) 247-7385 continuinged@fortlewis.edu
Tues., March 23–April 27, 6–8 p.m. Travel Writing with Will Gray, $130 Continuing education classes at FLC (970) 247-7385 continuinged@fortlewis.edu Sat., March 27, 9:30 a.m.–1 p.m. Nuno Felting a Scarf with Lois Burbach preregister, class limited Navajo Lake Alpacas, Ignacio (970) 883-3635 http://www.navajolakefeltstudio.etsy.com Wed., March 31–May 19, 6–8 p.m. Fencing for Beginners - Part 1 with Nik Mavrotheris, $174 Continuing education classes at FLC (970) 247-7385 continuinged@fortlewis.edu
Sat., April 10, 10 a.m.–noon Intermediate Beading with Bonnie Bryant Desert Pearl Gallery, Cortez (970) 565-9320 desertpearlgal@aol.com Thurs., April 15, 22, 29, 5–7 p.m. Still Life Drawing with Susan Matteson Desert Pearl Gallery, Cortez (970) 565-9320 desertpearlgal@aol.com Sat., April 17, 11 a.m.–2 p.m. Wind Sock Creatures Farmington Museum (505) 599-1169 http://www.farmingtonmuseum.org Wed. April 21, 5–7 p.m. Chain Maile Earrings with Melody Nail Desert Pearl Gallery, Cortez (970) 565-9320 desertpearlgal@aol.com
POINT OF VIEW
Sat. & Sun., May 1 & 2, 9 a.m.–noon & 1:30–4 p.m. Exposed Sewing Structure for Codices with Laura Wait $125 DAC members/$150 for non-member Durango Arts Center (970) 247-8047 http://www.laurawait.com Sat. May 8, 10 a.m.–noon Clasps, Ear Wires and more with Bonnie Bryant Desert Pearl Gallery, Cortez (970) 565-9320 desertpearlgal@aol.com Wed. May 19, 5–7 p.m. Wrapped Cabachone Bracelet with Melody Nail Desert Pearl Gallery, Cortez (970) 565-9320 desertpearlgal@aol.com July 17 & 18 Handbuilt Ceramics: Design & Construction with Lisa Pedolsky Taos Clay, El Prado, NM http://www.loganwannamaker.com/taosceramic-studio/workshops/ Summer Quest for the Hidden Jewel Within Women’s Retreat in northern New Mexico Mountains Meditation, movement, coaching and your own 1 day vision quest (970)259-9040 victoria@truelifecoach.net http://www.truelifecoach.net
Illustration by Miki Harder • http://www.mikiharderart.com
SUBSCRIBE
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Arts Perspective magazine brings you the arts of Southwest Colorado. This quarterly newsprint magazine will keep you up-to-date on what is happening in the arts and bring you into the studios and lives of artists working in all mediums and disciplines. Your subscription helps our distribution efforts.
❏ Yes! I want a year’s subscription = $20 (4 issues) ❏ Send me my favorite back issue for $5 each (available with purchase of one year subscription)
Thank you for sharing the vision!
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Send check or money order to Arts Perspective magazine • P.O. Box 3042, Durango, CO 81302
www.ArtsPerspective.com
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by Chris Brussat
I am a complete masterpiece. I possess intrinsic, inimitable beauty. I am aweinspiring in my gorgeous flawlessness. And yet, I don’t exist. Well, I do exist. Just not in a form that anyone can see or sense. I exist in the Realm of Possibility. This realm is outside of time, outside the confines of place, free of physical form with its limitations and boundaries. I am surrounded by many other masterpieces. Millions of them. In fact, an infinite number of my fellow masterpieces swirl around me in ecstatic “beingness.” We are complete, yet in a way, not. We await artists who are ready to bring us into their dimension. It isn’t quite correct to say that we wait to be born. Waiting involves time, and we are outside of that. We anticipate our creation into the physical realm. Eagerly, yet patiently. We are ever vigilant, looking to find the artist who desires inspiration. We are watching and listening for artists who open their being, allowing us to flow into their minds and hands, through their paintbrush, or mallet and chisel, or guitar strings, or vocal chords or computer keyboard. I know what the ready artist looks like. It is much easier to make myself known to one who is quiet. One who is anticipating, not anxious or fearful, comfortable with the moment, unafraid of the “blank canvas” or “empty page.” In the physical realm, the realm where the artist resides and creates, the blank canvas gets a bum rap. It is often feared. But I love the blank canvas! It is my cue to begin — the surface upon which I will incarnate. Some artists call me inspiration; it’s true, but that’s only part of who I am. Inspiration is just my leading edge. I am the fully formed masterpiece as well. I come to the artist in stages. Each stage is an important part of the whole, and each is an integral part of me, the complete work of art. It’s true that we in the Realm of Possibility may not all be masterpieces in our final form. Maybe the artist loses confidence or focus, his interest wanes, or he doesn’t have the experience or tools or materials to achieve the vision we awaken within him. Then we may finish as a sketch, a color study, an incomplete work or a finished work of art. Though we often come short of “masterpiece,” we are no less valuable or inspirational. I know exactly how to present myself to the ready artist. I don’t rush. I begin by exposing only a pinpoint of my essence: I introduce myself with a concept. This can take the form of a glow of light or warmth, or a full-color image in the mind’s eye, or a snippet of melody, an urgent feeling, a longing, a fluttering movement, a notion, a spark or a sparkle if the artist likes glitter or glass. The concept inspires the inventive urge within the artist, who then takes action and begins the creation process.
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Untitled (detail) Chris Brussat 11.25” x 7” Linoleum block print with acrylic and watercolor on paper.
The artist and I have our specific roles to play. She has been preparing for the moment of creation to begin. She has gone to school, or taught herself or both. She has practiced, learned, made mistakes, tried different techniques, experienced frustration and overcome it. She has received criticism, both constructive and harsh, and has found her balance through both. She has studied light, form, texture, shape, harmony and more. She has observed quietly, absorbing the feeling of already-existing works of art and pondering her emotional reaction to content, composition and color. She has stocked her studio with tools and supplies. Technique has been honed; style has been developed and refined. All is in readiness, awaiting the spark of life that I will bring. First comes concept — the inspiration — then on into development, experimentation, implementation and completion. I am an oil painting anticipating creation through my artist. My fellow masterpieces in the Realm of Possibility are all different. There’s a beautiful marble sculpture. An aria is floating by now. Here is a beautiful cutting-edge suspension bridge that is both practical and aesthetically gorgeous. He’ll be a big project for some lucky architect. There is a new dance form awaiting its dancer-artist. I see a novel waiting for a writer. Her pages will make people laugh, cry and sigh. She will encourage and enthrall within her yet-to-bewritten chapters. Infinite masterpieces, infinite possibilities. My artist begins the process of bringing me into existence. She closes her eyes and allows me to form a picture in her mind. I inspire the colors, the shapes, the emotional impulses, the dance of light and shadow. She takes up her brush and begins. There’s that blank canvas: I’m eager and ready. I continue to flow into the realm of the physical as I work with my artist to flesh out the details of who I am. I don’t have a preconceived final look. That develops as the work continues. I go this way, then that. My artist uses her tools, experience, training and raw creativity to mold me into my final form. This part is erased, that part repainted, another part is modified. Hours, days and maybe weeks pass as I inspire, and she brings me to life. And then, here I am. Finally, I am complete! %
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www.ArtsPerspective.com
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Serving Up a Hot Concept:
by Lauren Slaff
pictured above left to right
Michel Poumay uses a rake tool to smooth his crêpe batter. Sergio Verduzco will offer a variety of small plates including this shrimp wonton. Photos by Heather Leavitt
It was no mere coincidence that two of Southwest Colorado’s most celebrated chefs happened upon one another in the cozy waiting area of Durango airport. “Where ya’ goin’?’’ “Napa.” “Me too!” Right on. This November, the country’s most prestigious culinary school, the Culinary Institute of America (C.I.A.), hosted its 12th annual “Worlds of Flavor” conference, described as “a three-day, sauce-slopping, noodle-slurping, chaat-sampling, kabobnibbling, tamale-savoring, tapas-grazing epic tour of the best of world street food and world comfort food!” Reflecting the intersection of recessionary budget and the ongoing embrace of a culture of informal, casual food and dining, the “Street Food” concept increasingly defines how Americans want to eat. “Street Food?” you ponder, as you entertain thoughts of soggy hot dogs, skewers of mystery meat and other unmemorable, and often questionable, fare served with a complimentary side of rude out of a rickety cart. Once simply considered cheap grub for busy working class folks on the go, street food is now the hottest gastronomic concept sweeping our foodie nation. Like swanky Hollywood nightclubs with addresses only available to those fashionable enough to be in the know, carts and trucks slinging amped-up versions of affordable, classic standards are the place to see and be seen, found only by social media junkies dialed in to the right “tweets.” Go figure! A couple years ago, lucky enough to be invited to a well-attended New York City charity potluck, I landed among some of the most highly regarded culinary professionals in the biz. I had the serendipitous pleasure of chatting with the dude who many consider to be the father of this sweeping trend. Adam Perry Lang graduated from the lofty C.I.A. and built his skills in the most renowned kitchens of New York and Paris. A self-described “nice Jewish kid from Long Island,” he turned his focus to his passion for southern barbeque, winning copious national competitions; and thus began the elevated street food revolution with his popular Daisy Mae BBQ carts. When I sleepily arrived the following day for my kitchenpeon gig at one of the area’s trendiest and most innovative high-end restaurants, I recounted my evening and was regaled with stories of my superiors’ dreams of taking their lofty skills and following in Adam’s street-savvy footsteps. And so the story goes that the two traveling chefs from Durango are each, in their own unique style, parlaying their classical training and fine-dining prowess, combined with inspired ingenuity, into serving up this hot concept right here in SW Colorado. Meet — if you haven’t already — Michel Poumay and Sergio Verduzco.
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After deciding to close his third upscale Colorado French restaurant, Chez Grandmère, the charming (ooh la la, that accent!) Michel Poumay has realized his dream of getting out of the kitchen and onto the streets with his playful Wild-Westmeets-Gay-Paree crêpe cart on the bustling corner of College and Main. At the aptly named “Michel’s Corner,” Poumay no longer stresses over perfect plating and gratuitous garnishing; instead he whips up made-to-order, inventive crêpes served in a pink paper sack with an extra helping of friendly. After much success cooking classic French, including his traditional Aspen crêperie, Michel is having way too much fun taking the Southwest by the horns, filling his delicate, crispy bundles with very un-classically Franco fillings like slow-cooked pulled pork and fragrant, complex chicken mole. Not your grand-mère’s crêpes! Poumay revels in the familiar pleasure of intimate interaction with customers of all demographics that his concept now bestows upon him. When a curious local student approached his window and inquired about “these crepe things,” Michel humorously compared it to a “French tortilla,” extolling the subtle, delectable differences and winning yet another fan of his addictive street treats. Sergio Verduzco, the enigmatic, energetic C.I.A.-trained, Mexican-born chef owner of Durango’s East by Southwest is no stranger to conceptual dining, infusing his Latin world flare with traditional Japanese cuisine. Verduzco is in the process of opening his upscale yet rustic Southeast Asian venue, The Golden Triangle. To prepare, he traveled to Thailand where he “was immediately blown away by the incredible diversity of the street food. It is a virtual kaleidoscope of smells, textures and exotic ingredients, driven by an awesome sense of entrepreneurship.” Bringing his lessons back home, he will be presenting time-honored street dishes set in an elegant, clubby backdrop, anchored by an open kitchen featuring a wood-burning grill. Another imaginative approach to this playful juxtaposition brought to life by a true devotee of deliciously blurring culinary boundaries. Whether taking the flavors and techniques of fine dining to street level or bringing exotic, yet accessible, world-inspired street grub to a posh venue, we are all blissfully swept up in this booming concept … even right here in sometimes-sleepy, alwaysmajestic Southwest Colorado. No “Twittering,” no secret password, and definitely no pretensions. Just hearty appetites, open minds and what we all share with conceptual pioneers like Michel and Sergio … bold, adventurous spirits. %
Located at College and Main Avenue in Durango, Michel’s Corner offers sweet and savory crêpes 6-7 days a week from 10 a.m.–6 p.m. (hours may vary). Call Michel at (970) 247-7979 for daily specials and small catering needs. Visit his online menu at http://michelscorner.com. The Golden Triangle, 150 East College Drive in Durango, plans to open in March and will offer dinner daily from 5 p.m. and lunch Monday through Saturday. Live DJs play until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays and until 2 a.m. at the monthly Full Moon parties. Children’s menu, catering and takeout available.
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Alison Goss Colorful, multidimensional fabric assemblages created to expand awareness through a deep connection to the present moment. Giclee prints available at The Creative Cycle Gallery, Mancos agoss@frontier.net
Lisa Mackey Photography www.lisamackeyphoto.com 970-247-3004 Stunning images from Durango and the surrounding region. Prints and notecards available online and at Open Shutter Gallery. Offering high quality printing of your images up to 12x18. Photography services available.
Marilyn Kroeker Introducing Watercolor works kroeker_3@q.com At Raven House Gallery, Mancos and Desert Pearl, Cortez
Barbara Grist Artist • Educator • Photographer Creative images for all occasions including commercial, publication, events, portraiture and fine art. One-on-one or group classes in the arts or photography. Fused glass jewelry and masks. Currently showing work at Durango Arts Center’s Holiday Olé, Desert Pearl Gallery & Picaya in Cortez, also Sideshow in Dolores. Look in the events listings for upcoming shows. Barbara Grist Photography & Fine Art www.barbaragristphotography.com 970-560-2767
Marie McCallum Oil Paintings • Commissions Trompe l’oeil • Gilding Paintings on view at Casa Décor and From the Heart. 970-884-2256 ammc15@hotmail.com
Peggy Melyssa Cloy Painting Sculpture Pastels Drawings Poetry Willowtail Springs Studio/Gallery Mancos, CO www.peggycloy.com peggy@willowtailsprings.com 970-560-0333
Miki Harder Illustration, Metal, Mosaic 970-385-0409 www.mikiharderart.com
Art of the Southwest Gourd Art 970-533-7627 Mancos hiznherz@velocitynetdsl.com Please call for a private showing. www.gourdsofthesouthwest.com
Bonnie Bryant Jeweler~Painter~Illustrator~Commissions Showing at Goodnight Trail Gallery, Mancos Durango Arts Center, Sideshow Emporium, Dolores bryant.art@gmail.com (970)759-1674
Beth Wheeler Calligrapher 970-533-7943 Taking your favorite poem, song lyric, quotation, etc. and turning it into a work of art. Professional hand lettering and picture framing. Custom Calligraphy and Frame, est. 1991. Wayne Rice / DesignArts P.O. Box 746 • Dolores, C0 81323 970-564-9698 desarts@gmail.com http://www.artistsregister.com/artists/CO50 Full Service Design & Fine Art Studio/Workshop
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Artist Listings HoldenArt Bamboo Chess Set with Hinging Shelves High quality craftsmanship materials and technology. Designed and produced by a local. Proud sponsor of 2010 World Amateur Chess Championship. www.holdenart.com
If you are an artist or wish to support an artist you know by running an Artist’s Listing, email director@artsperspective.com
with 25 words (.20 per additional word) including contact info, description and a photo by May 10. Drop a check for $30 in the mail to P.O. Box 3042, Durango, CO 81302.
Paul Folwell Studio Painter, Landscapes, Musicians, Dancers, Skiers Originals, Giclees, Commissions Welcomed 8199 County Road 203 Durango, CO 81301 970-259-4870 www.paulfolwell.com
Lisa Plemmons Harrison Caddel acrylic paintings of abiding joy Living in California with Colorado in my heart. www.artbylisaphc.com artisthandswork@aol.com
Commissioned Portraiture & Paintings by Mariah Kaminsky www.durangocustomworks.com Oil on canvas paintings from life or photos in any size up to 6’6”. Call 970-749-4089 for a consultation.
Attention
Artists
Belle’s Star by Connie Gotsch (Illustrated John Cogan) named among best family friendly media 2010 by The Mom’s Choice Awards®. Empowers children 8 to 12 to rebuild after escaping bullying. www.apbooks.net. Mary Alice Hearn Explore the possibilities Skilled coach in the creative process MAHcreate@aol.com • 970-259-2442 Visit me for a free consultation for yourself, or bring a friend, to examine your limitless creative potential. Learn to use color in weaving, knitting, collage, sewing, wardrobe, gardening and home decor.
Timothy J. Black Fine violins handcrafted in the heart of the San Juan Mountains. jsboxtop@yahoo.com View my workbench: http://www.flickr.com/photos/14995534@N05/ Violins displayed now at Canyon Music.
Find the resources you need! Resources, page 24
Phyllis Stapler’s work was recently featured in New American Paintings, Anniversary Edition. Original paintings and giclees are now available from the artists’ Animas Valley studio. www.myartspace.com/PhyllisStapler phyllisstapler@frontier.net 970-382-0126
Marikay Shellman Paintings Magpie Acres Studio 2919 C R 516 Bayfield, CO 81122 lazyno@frontier.net David Sipe 1989 World Chainsaw Scultpure Champion Folk & Fine? Artist & Wood Sculptor 970-533-7518, ssbsnd@hotmail.com Largest collection of wood-carved sculptures in the Four Corners area. Just 3 miles east of Mesa Verde on Hwy 160. Sculptural furnishings for home, office and outdoors. Will travel for on-site dead tree enhancement.
Patricia Burk Photography 38359 Rd H Mancos, CO 81328 • 970-533-7841 Views of the Valley greeting cards Four Corners area, Africa, Oaxaca, Alaska, Cape Cod. Available at Absolute Bakery, P&D, Desert Pearl.
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Resources Studio Space/Venues Totah Theater is a great place to hold your next social or educational event, concert, recital, meeting, luncheon, workshop, wedding, birthday, karaoke, rehearsal, recording and much more! To book, call (505) 327-4145, http://www.thetotah.com.
Online Resources Online chat groups/blogs http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Durangoartists http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ArtsNetwork http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ slvartsannouncements http://artsperspective.wordpress.com Online event calendars http://www.durangodowntown.com http://artstozoo.org
Art Groups Life Drawing Sessions in Dolores. Contact Susan Matteson at (970) 759-6640, sosen@aol.com.
Share your art group meeting or call for artists with Arts Perspective readers! We will list your calls free if you email director@artsperspective.com by May 10. Please keep listings around 50 words.
Fairgrounds. Contact Barry Durand at (970) 3858470 or Linda Pampinella at (970) 884-7053. A Thousand Cranes for Peace and Healing is currently completing 1,000 paper cranes for the VA Center. Learn to fold and participate on Fridays, 5–6:30 p.m. at 4 Corners’ Yoga Studio, #32 Smiley Building, Durango. Contact Chyako Hashimoto, chyakopot@yahoo.com, for more information. The Pagosa Springs Photo Club meets the second Wednesday of each month during the club year from September through May at 6p.m. in the Arts Room at the Community Center. Interested photography enthusiasts are welcome to attend at no charge for the first meeting. Any and all are invited to join for annual dues of $20 for individuals and $30 for family membership. For more information, contact club president T.J. Reynolds at rmp1950@msn.com or (970) 7319581. Plein Air Painting Group (free) - Email Alice Crapo at sean@frontier.net, or call (970) 2595165 to join other artists painting.
Submit your photo for consideration as the KSUT Photo of the Month! One photograph will be selected by Open Shutter Gallery and displayed on KSUT’s home page, as well as exhibited at Open Shutter Gallery for that particular month. “Community through the lens of our listeners” is the theme. We are looking for photographs that capture the sense of the Four Corners region and the communities we live in. Submissions are due a week prior to the last day of the month. For details visit http://www.openshuttergallery.com/ submissions.htm. This winter Steamworks Brewing Company, 801 E. 2nd Ave., is putting more time into the utilization of its walls as alternative art space. On a regular and rotating basis, new work will be on display from favorite locals and unknown emerging artists for all to view. For show information or participation interest, contact Tirzah at (970) 769-7492, tirzahart@live.com, or Sean at (970) 259-9200. Ideal participants will create larger, 2D, contemporary, odd, outsider art, etc.
weekend Sept. 18 & 19, 2010. Prospectus and registration forms available at http://www. durangoopenstudios.blogspot.com or at the Durango Arts Center. Early registration fee, $100; registration fee, $125; late registration May 1, $200.
information, email DAAF@frontier.net or call (970) 247-3393.
April 1 – Call for performers for the 1st ever Colorado Burlesque Festival. Performers will be announced May 1. Festival Dates: July 8-11. To apply, please send application form, application fee, and video and picture(s) to application@coloradoburlesquefestival. com. A confirmation email will be sent to let you know that your application has been received. You must be 21 years of age or older to apply.
Gallery, Studio & Workshops announces a call for entries for the “SHY RABBIT Print National 2: A National Juried Exhibition,” September 4 – October 31, 2010. Juror: Yuji Hiratsuka, professor of art, Oregon State University. For more information, please visit: http://www.shyrabbit.com/Calls.html
June 1 - The Cortez Cultural Center is having a Western Heritage/Plein Air art exhibit during the month of June. Art should be to the Center by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, June March 19 – Spring Art Exhibit proposals 1st. All mediums will be accepted. Call Deb accepted for Ignacio Community Library. Avery at the Center at 970-565-1151 or email For more information, call (970) 563-9287 at deb.avery@cortezculturalcenter.org. or visit http://www.ignacio.colibraries.org. June 21 - SHY RABBIT Contemporary Arts:
ONGOING - Queries for upcoming issues for May 1 – Art of Hawkins Preserve Exhibition Wild Women Writing – March meeting topic Arts Perspective magazine. Must follow theme. artwork due. Cortez Cultural Center, 25 N. New Durango drawing club is organizing and is “Plant the Seeds of Inspiration” on March 17. Writers, please submit story ideas with example Market. Show dates May 3–8. For more looking for artists and models to participate. Meetings are held at the Hampton Inn, 3777 of published work; artists, photographers Meetings will be bi-monthly on either Thursdays Main Avenue, from 6:30–8 p.m.. For RSVPs and illustrators email low resolution .jpgs for information, call Linda Raczek (970) 565or Sundays. Please contact Meisa with questions, call Molly Childers (970) 759-9993, or email consideration to director@artsperspective. 1151 or visit http://www.cortezculturalcenter. org. suggestions or interest m31s4chase@gmail.com. stealingplums@yahoo.com. Art and faith intersect at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 910 E. 3rd Ave. Inspiring words, great music, thriving arts community and host to the annual Sacred Arts Festival. Services Sunday and Wednesday, including Soul Break Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m.; http://www.stmarksdurango.com, (970) 247-1129. Durango Photography Club meets 7-9 p.m. on the third Thursday of the month (except Dec.) at the Admistration Building of the La Plata County
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com. Summer theme: “Community.”
March – Accepting works for Animal Planet at Artifacts in Farmington. Show dates April ART was here – if you spot a sticker with “ART” posted (see page 9), we want you to participate! 2–May 29. This show is open to artists Take a picture (camera phone images accepted) working in all mediums, works must be for and email us at director@artsperspective.com sale; call (505) 327-2907 for information.
Call for Artists
and let us know where you witnessed “ART.” Results may be printed in the next issue or posted on our blog.
Spring 2010
Help Wanted Volunteers needed at the Durango Arts Center for a variety of opportunities, from serving wine at openings to gallery sales – the list goes on. Please contact Jeannie at (970) 259-2606, x13. Art Teachers wanted for children’s art classes. Please contact Ellie at Goodman’s Art Bin & Custom Framing. Call (970) 382-2588.
May 8 - Bird Art Show artwork due. Artists Classified are welcome to submit work of all types. Yarns and many types of looms for sale and Cortez Cultural Center, 25 N. Market. Show for rent. Call Mary Alice (970) 259-2442, or email dates May 10–29. For more information, call MAHcreate@aol.com. Linda Raczek (970) 565-1151 or visit http:// www.cortezculturalcenter.org.
March 15 – Durango Open Studios is May 17 - 16th Annual Durango Autumn seeking artists working in all mediums to Arts Festival, Sept. 11-12, 2010. Apply online open their studios to the public for one at http://www.zapplication.org. For more
Business Directory
www.ArtsPerspective.com
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theGarden
Conceptualizing
by Eve Gilmore
The best gardens or planted landscapes begin with a concept — an idea of what is to be accomplished. This is where every landscape design begins. Landscape design, as I like to think of it, embraces both fashion and function; it is about making a space look great while meeting the needs of the people who spend their time there. Looking great to one person may mean a subtle blending into the nature that surrounds the garden; to another it may mean bright, striking color throughout the season or a place to showcase sculpture and other artwork. Landscape design is a practical art form. Every design is different, just as every person is different, and assembling the right mix of elements and placing them on the land artfully is the challenge and the beauty of the process. Succinctly stated by George Schenk in The Complete Shade Gardener: The arrangement of plants into a garden is an art I find indistinguishable from any other arrangement of objects for harmony. This most universal art seems to me a kind of sculpting of the features of one’s environment toward one’s sense of home and accord. In this sense, a garden is a sculpture modeled, basically, out of soil, air, and plants. Panayoti Kelaidis, renowned horticulturist and senior curator of the Denver Botanic Gardens, refers to gardening as the slowest form of performance art. I love thinking in this way, because it captures the essence of the garden — intentioned and orchestrated by humans, yet still rooted in nature. We may well manipulate many lovely and varied species of plants around a theme or a concept, but much of the performance in a garden is what happens from there. The plants dance through their seasonal changes according to the programming in their genes, showing up with amazing fragrance one day, gorgeous magenta flowers another, and, if they’re in the mood, brilliant red in the fall. Sometimes the most spectacular part of the performance comes from the comingling of the array of different plants living on the stage of the garden. Much thought is given to this collage in the planning phase. Some of the performance is managed — pruning, weeding, transplanting — but behind the curtain magnificent things happen that could not be planned or created. Some plants reseed themselves, migrating to new locations, highlighting outstanding and unthought-of combinations of foliage and flower, richly adding to the performance.
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Spring 2010
Also, like performance art, a garden is temporary. We hope our gardens will last as long as we do, as long as the buildings they surround; but ultimately, they are a part of nature and will one day be reclaimed by nature. Andrew Goldsworthy, world-famous nature artist, readily acknowledges, and actively plans for, the ephemeral quality of his art. In his words: Movement, change, light, growth and decay are the lifeblood of nature, the energies that I try to tap through my work. I need the shock of touch, the resistance of place, materials and weather, the earth as my source. Nature is in a state of change and that change is the key to understanding. I want my art to be sensitive and alert to changes in material, season and weather. Each work grows, stays, decays. Process and decay are implicit. Transience in my work reflects what I find in nature. We have such a wonderful palette of show-stopping plants that thrive in our southwest conditions and such striking natural landscape vistas. The landscape artist has no shortage of material or inspiration from which to choose. For this reason, the success of a landscape design, the beauty and performance of a garden, really do depend on the concept, the idea that will help reign in the endless options, that instigating force that caused the design process to begin. % Eve Gilmore is a landscape designer, garden coach and owner of Gardens by Eve, LLC. She currently writes the monthly gardening column in CREA’s Colorado Country Life magazine. Eve’s passion is working with plants and people in hopes of optimizing the experience of both. She can be reached via http:// www.gardensbyeve.buzztown.com or by calling (970) 769-3319.
DURANGO INDEPENDENT
FILM FESTIVAL MARCH 3-7 2010
THE LURE OF FILM Full Festival, 6 and 10 Punch Passes starting at $54 If you’re fishing for something fantastic to do, catch the best film and fun Colorado has to offer. Wade on over to our pass sales kiosk (normally Sky Ute Casino kiosk) across from the Train Depot on Main Avenue in Durango.
Kiosk Hours:
March 1-2 (Mon,Tues): Noon — 6pm
March 3 (Wed): 11am — 8pm
March 4-6 (Th-Sat): 8am — 8pm
March 7 (Sun): 8am — 2pm
Try using b-side genius® to review the schedule and summary of the films! Visit durangofilm.org and click on this little guy.
970.375.7779 | durangofilm.org