A b y ’s Fe e d & S e e d l P e r f e c t Ha n g i n g G a l l e r y l R a p i d C i t y L i m i t s
NOVEMBER 2021
Volume 2. Issue No. 11
NEW BEGINNINGS Pine Ridge native
Joe Pulliam helps create safe, collaborative space for local artists
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4 ELEVATE • NOVEMBER 2021
NOV. 2021 Volume 2 // Issue No. 11
8 BEST DAY EVER!
Leah Nixon Fitzgerald perseveres after life-altering accident to become book illustrator and business owner. BY MICHELLE PAWELSKI
14 CREATING THE SENTINELS Black Hills artist Matt Lanz hopes to honor indigenous cultures with sentinels. BY SIANDHARA BONNET
20
NEW BEGINNINGS Pine Ridge native Joe Pulliam helps create safe, collaborative space for local artists. BY MICHELLE PAWELSKI
28 DREAM BUILD
Friends transform local landmark into sustainable, community art and entertainment venue. BY MICHELLE PAWELSKI
30 THE PERFECT HANGING GALLERY
Chance Whelchel and Mike Stanley have created a welcoming space for the 48 year-old business. BY MAIN STREET SQUARE
35 RAPID CITY LIMITS
Josh Miranda brings big city ideas to downtown Rapid City. BY MICHELLE PAWELSKI
ELEVATE RAPID CITY O C T O B E R 2 0 2 1 E C O N O M I C I N D I C AT O R S UNEMPLOYMENT RATE 2.9%
AVERAGE WEEKLY WAGES $ 896
ECONOMY RAPID CITY GROSS SALES $ 802,905,516
AIRPORT PASSENGERS 77,800
BUILDING PERMITS 289
NEW HOUSING UNITS 212
REAL ESTATE
Rapid City metro statistics
ACTIVE LISTINGS 205
Month-over-month increase
MEDIAN LISTING PRICE $ 379,500
Month-over-month decrease
Monthly comparisons, industry analysis and additional economic indicators available on exclusive investor report. elevaterapidcity.com 5
Creativity comes out of your soul like a rocket One of the things that makes us truly human, besides drinking beer and watching football on TV, is our species’ penchant for art and culture. In fact, the earliest evidence we have from modern humans (40,000 years ago and earlier) includes cave art depicting animals. It seems as soon as the world saw things called homo sapiens, art and culture tagged along. Art and culture also represent a way towards self-actualization for most of us. Indeed, it’s thought that art helped us evolve to work together because artistic and creative behaviors created a sense of community. For me, my art is poetry. Some folks know I’ve published hundreds of poems in journals over the last decade, but even if I hadn’t published, I’d still write—each and every day. Not because I want to, but because I must. As the poet Charles Bukowski said, for true poets (or writers or artists or entertainers or anyone who is human), creativity probably “comes out of your soul like a rocket,” whether anyone is paying attention or not. Welcome to this issue of Elevate, our own little rocket of art. There’s the story of Matt Lanz, a Hot Springs artist reminding us about our roles as stewards of the land. And the story of Leah Nixon Fitzgerald, who took a tragedy and used it to fuel her passion for illustration. And then there’s also the tale of Josh Miranda, who took some of the best of Austin and brought it right here to the Black Hills. Finally, we present you our cover story of Pine Ridge native Joe Pulliam, who has been forging new paths for collaborative space in downtown Rapid City. What do all these stories have in common? Community. Purpose. Meaning. In other words, all the stuff that makes us human. Stay Safe and God-speed,
Tom Johnson, President & CEO 6 ELEVATE • NOVEMBER 2021
Elevate is a monthly publication produced by Elevate Rapid City. It is the premier business magazine for the Black Hills region telling the stories that make our area unique and vibrant. PO Box 747, Rapid City, SD 57709 605.343.1744 elevaterapidcity.com PRESIDENT & CEO Tom Johnson
FINANCE & OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Dana Borowski
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Matt Brunner
MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR Shiloh Francis PUBLIC POLICY DIRECTOR Anna Hays
SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT & INVESTOR RELATIONS DIRECTOR Brandis Knudsen WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT & TALENT ATTRACTION DIRECTOR Samantha McGrath
ECOSYSTEM DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Mitch Nachtigall EVENTS & TRAINING MANAGER Rachel Day CREATIVE SERVICES MANAGER Andy Greenman ECOSYSTEM SUPPORT & PROPERTY MANAGER Loni Reichert
BUSINESS RETENTION & EXPANSION MANAGER Garth Wadsworth
OFFICE MANAGER & HR COORDINATOR Liz Highland INVESTOR RELATIONS COORDINATOR Debbie Leber EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT Becky Knox DESIGN AND LAYOUT Andy Greenman
PUBLISHED BY THE RAPID CITY JOURNAL Bill Masterson, Publisher, bill.masterson@bhmginc.com ADVERTISING Eddie Hebron, 605.394.8354 ehebron@amplifieddigitalagency.com PRINTED BY SIMPSONS PRINTING
HOW DO YOU #ELEVATERAPIDCITY
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CALENDAR Oct. 27-31
Mysteries in the Museum
The Journey Museum & Learning Center presents Mysteries in the Museum featuring Boo's Clues and the Monster Mash Walk. Learn more at journeymuseum.org.
Oct. 30
Scare in the Square
gallerysix13 Photographer Joe Lowe and Sculptor Andy Roltgen are two of the twenty Black Hills artists featured at Gallery Six13 in downtown Rapid City. #elevaterapidcity Tag your social media posts with #elevaterapidcity for your chance to be featured in the next magazine!
Tiny ghouls and goblins invade Main Street Square for an afternoon of ghostly family fun. Learn more at mainstreetsquare.org.
Nov. 5-21
Julius Caesar at Performing Arts Center
The timeless Shakespeare classic depicts the moral dilemma of Brutus as he joins a conspiracy led by Cassius to murder Julius Caesar to prevent him from becoming dictator of Rome. Purchase tickets at bhct.org.
Nov. 11
For King & Country
COMMENTS BECKY NOBLE WANTS TO CELEBRATE LIFE WITH YOU
Such an amazing lady!!! Always has the best outlook on life!! - Angela Marowelli
CATHERINE GRESETH IS LOOKING ON THE BRIGHT SIDE
Great story. Life well lived with so much more to give. - Robert Sharp
ÆSIR TECHNOLOGIES TO CREATE RAPID CITY CAMPUS Thanks to all the hard work put in by local economic leaders to bring a new employer and large number of jobs to Rapid City. Bravo! - Jared Kerber
The start of an mfg trend in RC? What will it take to smooth the way? Labor & housing. Let's do this! - Scott Engmann
Four-time Grammy award winning duo For King & Country embark on their 2021 Fall Tour Relate. Purchase tickets at themonument.live.
Nov. 12
Rapid City Arts Council presents The Goods
Celebrate the art and artists that help advance our cultural landscape during Rapid City Arts Council’s annual art party. Learn more at rapidcityartscouncil.org.
Nov. 13
Mountain West Beer Fest
Over 200 different craft beers from 50 local, regional and national breweries will be available at the 4th Mountain West Beer Fest. Purchase tickets at themonument.live.
Nov. 19
Holiday Art Market
The Holiday Art Market is an annual event held at the Dahl Arts Center where local artisans and artists are invited to share their art and goods with the community! Learn more at rapidcityartscouncil.org.
Nov. 27
Festival of Lights
CONNECT
WITH US @ELEVATERAPIDCITY
Floats strung with thousands of lights sparkle and dazzle more than 30,000 spectators downtown. Learn more at festivaloflightsrc.com.
Small Business Saturday
Shop your neighborhood businesses this holiday season.
elevaterapidcity.com 7
"EVERYDAY LIFE TAKES UP A LOT MORE TIME THAN EVER BEFORE FOR ME, BUT THIS IS WHAT I’VE BEEN GIVEN, AND I’M DETERMINED TO MAKE THE MOST OF MY TIME HERE." - LEAH NIXON FITZGERALD
8 ELEVATE • NOVEMBER 2021
Leah Nixon Fitzgerald just had the
BEST DAY E VER!
STORY BY MICHELLE PAWELSKI // PHOTOS BY ANDY GREENMAN
Three years ago, Leah Nixon Fitzgerald was nearly killed in a work accident. The first words she traced on her sister Grace’s hand when she awoke were “Can I still draw?”
It was at age 3 when Leah Nixon Fitzgerald first remembers loving art. In first grade, she sketched a raccoon in a cornfield and herself riding a dolphin into the sunset. “As long as I can remember, I have loved art,” Leah said. “My sister and I would sit next to each other and draw. We each got a side on the pantry door to put our artwork up. I have always loved it.” Leah, who is now paralyzed from the armpits down, is still creating. It has both helped her recovery from the accident, and provided new opportunities. In June, she debuted as a children’s book illustrator with the release of “Best Day Ever!” — a book written by award-winning author and poet Marilyn Singer and published by Clarion Books, a division of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. The book, about a boy in a wheelchair and his trusted companion, was released June 29, the same day Leah and her husband Kelsey Fitzgerald brought their daughter Ellie home from the hospital. With publishing dates pushed back due to COVID-19 and her daughter coming a month early, June 29 turned out to be Leah’s best day ever. “Five or six months after my accident, (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) asked if I would want to illustrate this book about a boy, who just happens to be in a wheelchair, and his dog. They were looking for an illustrator in a wheelchair,” Leah said. “It was very exciting to work on.”
"A PARALYZED BODY IS A LOT DIFFERENT, AND ILLUSTRATION CAN HELP COMMUNICATE WHAT IT FEELS LIKE. " - LEAH NIXON FITZGERALD
elevaterapidcity.com 9
LEAH'S FIRST ILLUSTRATION BOOK "BEST DAY EVER."
The book was a dream job for Leah who realized after college that illustration was her preferred art medium. “It is just so magical,” she said. “You can make anything happen with an illustration.” She loves to communicate through her illustrations, such describing what it is like to be paralyzed. “A paralyzed body is a lot different, and illustration can help communicate what it feels like. It is a powerful tool that I wish was taught more intentionally, just like how to write.” Leah creates a daily comic about a weasel,
something she started while attending Washington University in St. Louis. It was the first thing she drew after her accident while still in the intensive care unit. The illustration featured one of her doctors, ironically his name is Dr. Weasel. “I think I even gave him the drawing,” Leah chuckled. “I just remember having so much to communicate.” While Leah said illustration is now “her jam,” the 32-year-old Rapid City native has worked in many other areas of art. After graduating with her bachelor’s in fine arts, she was unsure of a clear career path. She worked with long-time local artist James Van Nuys on the Founding Father’s museum project, created desserts for Dakota Thyme, a former downtown deli, and started designing and building tiny houses. She started building her first tiny house in the backyard of her parents’ home with Kelsey, who was attending South Dakota Mines. When Kelsey got a job in Kentucky, Leah moved down south with him and their tiny house. “I learned a lot from that first build, and then I built an even tinier house down in Kentucky. I called it my tiny studio.”
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"AMONG ALL THE PEOPLE I KNOW, I AM PROBABLY THE BEST PERSON TO END UP IN A WHEELCHAIR." - LEAH NIXON FITZGERALD
TINY AND SNAIL GREETING CARDS THAT WERE DESIGNED BY LEAH AND HER SISTER GRACE.
Homesick for her family and the Black Hills, Leah moved from Kentucky back to Rapid City with her tiny studio, parked it in her best friend’s backyard and lived in it for a year. “I learned so much about architecture and building,” Leah said of constructing tiny houses. “It was interesting how much overlap there was in designing for a tiny space and then designing for life in a wheelchair. It was just like these constraints you have to work within and then come up with the best solution. My brain loves that sort of puzzle.” Once back home, Leah decided to use her education in construction, and her artistic talents, and applied as a builder with the local Habitat for Humanity. “I was the only female, but I loved it. I worked with the guys, volunteers, and future homeowners. I ended up doing a lot of drywall, pouring sidewalks, siding, roofing, you name it, I was doing it.” On the same day she started at Habitat for Humanity, Leah and her sister Grace joined forces and launched a new stationary company, Tiny and Snail – a combination of both sisters’ loves: tiny houses and snail mail. The sisters’ business was just getting started when it took a detour. Leah was at a building site in August 2018 when a telehandler, a forklift with a long arm, slipped, crushing Leah underneath. “Luckily there was a Marine on site, and he jumped down and ran over to me tying his belt around my leg as a tourniquet. Otherwise, I would have bled out.” Leah was in the intensive care unit for 29 days, had 11 surgeries including the amputation of her right leg, and spent another
six months in rehabilitation. During her time in the ICU, she proposed to Kelsey. “I could see us going through this together,” Leah said of proposing to Kelsey, who had asked her to marry him a few years earlier. “We love challenges and are both go-getters.” Aside from getting engaged, Leah said being in the ICU gave her a whole new appreciation for living in Rapid City. “The ICU was a very special time for my family. The community, in particular the Catholic School System, just surrounded my family.” Leah has embraced her new challenge, but each day is a struggle. Despite having no sensation or movement in her lower body, she deals with chronic nerve pain which feels like every cell in her body is buzzing with electricity. She misses trail running and the freedom to do everything she did prior to her accident. However, Leah is grateful she can still draw, paint and hand cycle, and tries to always look at the positive. “Among all the people I know, I am probably the best person to end up in a wheelchair. I am very patient and tenacious, and I find challenges fun and the design challenges of being in a wheelchair fun. Everyday life takes up a lot more time than ever before for me, but this is what I’ve been given, and I’m determined to make the most of my time here.” She is enjoying this new phase of life as a mother, illustrator, and businesswoman. “We just have this one life, and we can make it what we want it to be – might as well make it fun.” ▤
elevaterapidcity.com 11
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"THIS IS NOT MY HOME, THIS DOESN’T BELONG TO ME… I’M ONLY A GOOD STEWARD." - MATT LANZ
14 ELEVATE • NOVEMBER 2021
ARTIST HOPES TO HONOR INDIGENOUS CULTURES Sentinels could stand throughout the Black Hills STORY AND PHOTOS BY SIANDHARA BONNET
Matt Lanz has always told people he’s a real Indian and he’s a real cowboy. “I can tell you why because a cowboy and Indian, if they needed it, they had it, and if they didn’t need it, they didn’t have it,” he said. “They saved and they worked at it both. They have a kind of a mutual parallel.” elevaterapidcity.com 15
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"A COWBOY AND INDIAN, IF THEY NEEDED IT, THEY HAD IT, AND IF THEY DIDN’T NEED IT, THEY DIDN’T HAVE IT." - MATT LANZ
Lanz takes the same approach to his sculpting — he’s in it for the work, for the art and for sharing the stories he’s trying to tell. Lanz said he had a Hunka ceremony in Wagner, South Dakota, on the Yankton Reservation in 1989 or 1990. It’s an official ceremony where he’s basically adopted and recognized as an honorary member of the tribe. Before that, he lived in Minnesota. After Wagner, he lived in Spearfish and now lives in a tent between Hot Springs and Custer along Beaver Creek. Lanz said he’s working toward building his own studio along with a small cabin. He and his youngest son are pecking away at the land building fences, making a corral for the four horses and other small additions. “I’m respecting the land,” Lanz said.
“All the while that I’m doing this, I always keep in mind the 1868 Treaty. This is not my home, this doesn’t belong to me. … I’m only a good steward.” In addition to a modest studio, Lanz hopes to build a powwow arbor to host an annual powwow. All the while, Lanz is following his passion for art and telling stories, especially the Indigenous stories. He hopes to incorporate Indigenous history and culture into pieces throughout the Black Hills, particularly through a project called “Sentinels of the Black Hills.” “It needed to be done a long, long time ago,” he said. “It’s something that ought to be done, I think, just to balance out the presidents, the governors and of course there’s the big huge atrocity of Crazy Horse out there.” Lanz said the sentinels could be
elevaterapidcity.com 17
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"I’VE JUST BEEN DOWN AND SLOGGED THROUGH A VERY TOUGH AND ARDUOUS PATH FOR IT SEEMS FOREVER." - MATT LANZ
scattered throughout the hills and have historical Indigenous People. He said he’d like to honor the Lakota and Cheyenne, but would start with Black Elk, which he said would cost about $68,000 - $86,000 to procure as a life-size bronze monument. Other concepts include Conquering Bear, Iron Shell, Two Moons, Crazy Horse, Sitting Bull, Gall and Two Strikes. All he’s missing now is a patron. “I’ve been at it for so very, very long. I’ve just been down and slogged through a very tough and arduous path for it seems forever.” The unofficial beginning of the Sentinels is the Water Carrying Woman who will act as an ambassador to the Sentinels. The statue will stand at the Moccasin Springs Spa in Hot Springs. Owner Kara Haden commissioned the piece. Lanz said he’s putting out a call to patrons for the Sentinels and other projects he has in mind. Lanz can be contacted at whitestarstudiosd@gmail.com. ▤
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NEW BEGINNINGS Pine Ridge native Joe Pulliam helps create safe, collaborative space for local artists STORY BY MICHELLE PAWELSKI PHOTOS BY ANDY GREENMAN
20 ELEVATE • NOVEMBER 2021
elevaterapidcity.com 21
In fourth grade, Joe Pulliam drew a whiskey bottle with spider legs for a competition focused on raising awareness of alcoholism — a disease that plagued his home on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. The bottle represented a trickster or “Iktomi” in Lakota. “It tricks people into that lifestyle of destruction and death,” he explained. Unfortunately, Joe fell to the Iktomi. For more than two decades Joe struggled with substance abuse. Motivated through art and a desire to support others on the reservation, Joe, an Oglala Sioux Tribal member, is now going on five years of sobriety and using his story, his talent, and his business savvy to help others find an artistic outlet. Joe, along with local artist Billy Janis, recently opened the Tusweca Gallery in downtown Rapid City — a space they hope becomes a creative, collaborative space for other artists. “It has been quite the journey. The steps I am doing right now are not only empowering for me, but I am trying to help people empower themselves too.” Tusweca, which is dragonfly in Lakota, symbolizes a transformation into something good, Joe explained. “It has a lot of cultural meaning (for the Lakota people). There is so much positive energy the dragonfly represents. He starts his life underwater, gets to a certain point and climbs up on a reed, breaks out of that larvae shell, grows these wings and within minutes he is a master of another world.” The gallery also signifies his transformation from a life as an alcoholic to one of sobriety, and from life on the reservation to one of “chasing the American Dream,” he added.
22 ELEVATE • NOVEMBER 2021
Homeless for years, Joe moved to Rapid City two years ago, right before the pandemic. He lived with his girlfriend for a few months and eventually found housing near downtown. With his entire life devoted to art, he had hoped to continue that passion. One afternoon, Joe was walking with his daughter downtown when they passed by a vacant building. He mentioned the space would be ideal for a collaborative effort between the Tribal government and local artists. “It was such a pipe dream,” Joe said.
"IT FEELS GREAT TO BE ACCEPTED AND TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE A PART OF (NOT ONLY) THE BUDDING ART SCENE BUT ALSO A PART OF THE COMMUNITY." - JOE PULLIAM
A few months later the dream, although slightly different, became a reality. Billy knew the owner of another building on the corner of Seventh and Main streets, and it happened to be available. “It was two opportunities coming together right there,” Joe said. “It was June when we started cleaning and putting the dream together.” The goal is to provide a space to showcase Indigenous artists and provide a bridge to
the Rapid City community. “We are hoping to create a safe area where the creativity flows,” Joe describes. “We are thinking of an artist-in-residence program, workshops, and music events. We want to work with the other galleries and bring more people in, especially in the off-season. It feels great to be accepted and to have an opportunity to be a part of (not only) the budding art scene but also a part of the community.”
elevaterapidcity.com 23
JOE PULLIAM STANDS BESIDE A PAINTED BISON SKULL INSIDE TUSWECA GALLERY.
Currently, the Tusweca Gallery features pieces from two Pine Ridge artists in addition to works from Billy and Joe. However, the owners are looking to add more artists and diversity. The gallery’s first exhibit, The Best of the Reservation, is a people’s choice show and will run through December 1. Community members can vote at the gallery or online. The Tusweca Gallery is not Joe’s first attempt at creating a collaborative art space for Native Americans. He helped start the Seven Council Fires Native Art, a nonprofit created to empower and promote Native American artists and crafters and to preserve Native arts traditions. And, in 2017, he helped open the Whiteclay Makerspace, a former bar in Whiteclay, Nebraska, transformed into a safe place for locals to create. “To really get a chance to utilize this building that was destroying our people, turn it around and empower our people with art and music, give them ways to obtain affordable art materials, and educate them on marketing, business plans, and practices. These are the things I was searching for when I was on the reservation,” he reflects.
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24 ELEVATE • NOVEMBER 2021
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"WE ARE HOPING TO CREATE A SAFE AREA WHERE THE CREATIVITY FLOWS." - JOE PULLIAM
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"TO REALLY GET A CHANCE TO UTILIZE THIS BUILDING THAT WAS DESTROYING OUR PEOPLE, TURN IT AROUND AND EMPOWER OUR PEOPLE WITH ART AND MUSIC... THESE ARE THE THINGS I WAS SEARCHING FOR WHEN I WAS ON THE RESERVATION." - JOE PULLIAM
Art has always been an escape for Joe. With his mother and father part of the Bureau of Indian Affairs relocation program, Joe spent the first years of his life in St. Paul. The family moved back to Pine Ridge when Joe was 10. “There was just nowhere to let that energy flow,” Joe said of the resources on the reservations. “There were not many community centers or libraries on the Rez like I was used to in the city.” He began painting and drawing on anything he could find including paper bags. To this day, he still repurposes old documents and papers. “I like to use a lot of these things that would normally be trash. They really represent so much history,” Joe said of using old food stamps and pages out of ledger accounting books. “I like to think I am carrying on the tradition of the original ledger artists – the early artists of that period where they were using art to preserve our history and culture.” Joe has big plans for the Tusweca Gallery. “We want other events that will bring people in to bring some more creative energy.” After expanding the spot in downtown Rapid City, he intends to return to Pine Ridge and continue helping with the efforts on the reservation. “It is way more promising now and a lot more hope,” he said. “It’s really all about helping people help themselves. I am an alcoholic, but I just choose not to drink today. It’s an everyday struggle, but it is worth it to be a father to my kids, to be an inspiration to other artists, and to hold down this corner in downtown Rapid City.” ▤
elevaterapidcity.com 27
"WE ARE ALL WORKING TOGETHER TO TAKE THIS DREAM AND CREATE SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY." - KATY SHAFER
28 ELEVATE • NOVEMBER 2021
DREAM BUILD
Friends transform local landmark into sustainable, community art and entertainment venue STORY BY MICHELLE PAWELSKI // PHOTOS BY ANDY GREENMAN
A group of friends and entrepreneurs are turning an iconic Rapid City landmark into a sustainable, cultural, community gathering spot — a place they hope will become a destination for entertainment, education, and innovation. While the historic Aby’s Feed & Seed grain elevator, built in 1911, has seen several transformations, the current one is the most comprehensive and unique, said Katy Shafer, general manager of the Aby’s Feed & Seed venue. “We are really building it from scratch.” Located behind Cave Collective, the more than 4,000-square-foot space will feature a beer and wine bar, indoor/outdoor entertainment venue, recording studio, band rehearsal space, as well as an open community area that can be designed for any event. The project is the dream of building owner Jeremy Briggs who asked a few friends to join him on his journey. Jeremy has been a longtime proponent of utilizing hemp and wanted a community project using the environmentally friendly building material. Much of the renovated space is made from hempcrete, a biocomposite material created by mixing hemp hurd, which is the inner woody core of the hemp stalk, lime, and water. Hempcrete is flame and mold-resistant and is a natural sound-proofing material, ideal for the recording studio and rehearsal spaces. The bar, built by partner Charlie Moore, is made of hempcrete on the top with the base created out of worn down pieces from the grain elevator. “We are trying really hard to build something out of not only things we already have, but things that we can use that make things a little more sustainable and show that it is possible,” Katy explained. Jeremy and his team have done everything
from the construction of the hempcrete bar and recording studio to planning events and marketing. “We are all working together to take this dream and create something for everybody,” Katy said. And that’s the group’s mission – designing a neighborhood spot built on sustainable hemp where the community is invested. “We want to make it available so people can book the space to teach others how to do their things, especially in the arts, crafts, and music field.”
"WE ARE REALLY BUILDING IT FROM SCRATCH." - KATY SHAFER
Ginny Herman, Aby’s Feed and Seed project manager, said it has a co-op feel. “We dream of having artists’ memberships, residency programs, band spaces for rent, and the recording studio.” The idea began in January and the friends have been hard at work. While Aby’s does not have regular open hours yet, there have been several events giving community members an idea of what to expect, and several more are planned. Upcoming events include live music by Wyoming blues musician Jalan Crossland on November 5 and Gratitude, a Thanksgiving event on November 24. The group has many ideas, energy, and excitement to bring to Rapid City’s downtown. “On one hand it is crazy because we are building this whole thing with such an intimate crew,” Katy said. “But at the same time, we are all running it together, creating something new for the community.” ▤
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PERFECT HANGING GALLERY
THE
More than just a gallery STORY BY MAIN STREET SQUARE PHOTOS BY ANDY GREENMAN
30 ELEVATE • NOVEMBER 2021
When Chance Whelchel came to Rapid City in May 2011 he had no idea how his life would change in just a few visits. Having recently graduated from Chadron State College, Chance was trying to figure out what his next move was; like most postgraduates, stability and benefits were a major attractor to Rapid City. Chance, who is an art enthusiast, attended an art show at the Dahl and as fate would have it, the featured artist was from Chadron. “To come to Rapid City and see an artist featured that I knew was really impressive,” stated Whelchel. “Rapid City felt right for me,” he added. Chance liked creating art and has a degree in fine arts with an emphasis in psychology but was never an artist himself, he was more intrigued by the artist’s process. That intrigue led him to Perfect Hanging Gallery as an employee working under owner Pam Keller. “I was able to learn a lot from Pam and was able to take everything I learned from working at the frame/gift shop in Chadron to take advantage of the opportunity to purchase the store with Mike,” stated Whelchel. Mike Stanley is Chance’s husband and business partner. Between the two they have been able to grow a 40-year business into one of the most successful frame shops and art galleries in the region. “I never wanted to own a business as I saw firsthand how much work it took to run a successful business. It’s a 24-7 job and I was not interested in that lifestyle,” stated Whelchel. “When Pam made the comment that she wanted to spend more time with her grandkids and was thinking of selling, I was more worried about being unemployed, so we started the process to buy the store,” added Whelchel. In 2018, Chance and Mike moved the Perfect Hanging Gallery out of the Shops at Main Street Square to its current location: 621 Main Street. “We came across the space by accident, I was parked in front of the store, and it had a for sale
"I WAS MORE WORRIED ABOUT BEING UNEMPLOYED, SO WE STARTED THE PROCESS TO BUY THE STORE." - CHANCE WHELCHEL
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FUN FACT PERFECT HANGING GALLERY HAS MOVED FOUR TIMES SINCE IT FIRST OPENED IN
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by owner sign in the window, we noticed two working spaces and realized it was perfect for our idea,” said Chance. “We wanted to create a space where we could expand our services as well as create a place where people can come and feel welcome. I wanted to create that same feel in downtown Rapid City, and we did it,” added Whelchel. What is so unique about the Perfect Hanging Gallery is how it is a gift shop and art gallery in addition a custom framing business. The Perfect Hanging Gallery hosts an artist reception once every two months where a regional artist gets to showcase their art in front of upwards of 100 enthusiasts. This has become so popular that the gallery is booked until 2023 with artists looking to share and sell their art. Over the years Chance has
been able to continue to offer customers items that are hard to find. “We wanted to be the go-to store for certain items in the community, we started by carrying items you couldn’t find on Amazon in an effort to encourage people to buy locally and we also try new brands and items,” stated Whelchel. “Chance has such a good eye for new and contemporary art and has mastered the use of social media to build the brand of Perfect Hanging Gallery. The artists in the region respect him and the community does as well,” added Stanley. As Rapid City continues to evolve into an arts and entertainment community the Perfect Hanging Gallery and owners Chance Whelchel and Mike Stanley will continue to champion the local artists, the arts and all aspects of the process of art creation. ▤
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Rapid City Limits Josh Miranda brings big city ideas downtown STORY BY MICHELLE PAWELSKI // PHOTO BY ANDY GREENMAN
For Josh Miranda, it’s about the experience – art, food, live music, community. It’s what he found in Austin, Los Angeles, and Denver, and what he is now bringing to Rapid City. “A vibe of art is what I am really going for,” said the South Dakota native and development/event coordinator for the Dahl Arts Center. “Places that have a thriving art culture have a higher quality of life.” He recently started Rapid City Limits, a spinoff of Austin City Limits, the long-running music series, television show, and festival. Rapid City Limits is a live concert series that takes place at the Dahl Arts Center and spotlights artists and music of the Black Hills region. “I was always a fan of Austin City Limits and am a blues fan. I thought it would be a really cool concept (to start in Rapid City).” The series, which began in April, has had four performances with the next one planned for December.
Rapid City Limits was the art center’s first public event after COVID-19. The series is supported by community sponsors. “We really wanted to get in-person events going again, and this series helped us launch that,” said Josh, adding that the shows have been selling out. “(Alex) Massa was so cool. We hadn’t had events in more than a year and it was crazy packed. It was such a good evening; we knew we had to continue on this journey.” The idea came from Josh’s travels through the western half of the United States. After graduating from South Dakota State University, Josh packed up his Toyota Tacoma and hit the road. A longtime lover of music and film, he decided Austin would be his first stop. “I knew it was an up-and-coming city… lots of startups… Google and Apple were there. It has a really vibrant music, art, and culture scene. I was intrigued by that.” Josh made the most of his year in Austin attending
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Austin City Limits and South by Southwest, an internationally recognized event with music, film, and technology. “I just saw a lot of things that Rapid City should have.” During his time in Austin, he became a Level 1 sommelier and joined Whole Foods Market as a specialty representative, a job that took him to Los Angeles and then to the mountains of Colorado. He eventually left Whole Foods, started working as a photographer for the Outdoor Network, and founded Dracomax, his own stock photography company. Both LA and Denver, like living in Austin, provided Josh with new cultural experiences. “There are so many walks of life, the food is amazing, the art is amazing.” After nearly a decade of traveling, Josh moved back to South Dakota in 2018 to take care of his mother. Originally from Chamberlain, Josh decided to make Rapid City his new home. “I always loved it out here. I like going hiking and have always been drawn to the Hills. I want to live where I want to live and then the work part will work out.” Josh said Rapid City has the potential to become a cultural center with a thriving art district. “I think we have a vibe here where we do have Indigenous artists, and we do have people that have different experiences.” While Rapid City Limits has been successful so far, Josh has high hopes for the series and Rapid City. His goal is to partner with South Dakota Public Broadcasting and televise the series, bringing in musical acts and filming scenes of the area in between. “This would really help sell South Dakota and the Hills. People would get a taste of the region, and it would bring recognition to the area.” The goal is to create a designated downtown art district where people gather to enjoy local art centers, good food, and music – a cultural destination. To achieve his goal, Josh hopes to increase sponsorship, develop a partnership with Arts South Dakota in Sioux Falls, and gain communitywide support. “We are trying to make this area of downtown more art-driven,” he said. “Having a good art scene is really the health of a city. It is about investing and making a collective effort.” ▤
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