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WYOMING ARTS COUNCIL NEWS • SUMMER 2019
cover story Wyoming Summer 2019 Powwows PAGE 18
SAVE THE DATE
Equity Arts
2019 WYOMING ARTS SUMMIT
IN THE
CELEBRATING THE 150TH ANNIVERSARY OF WYOMING WOMEN’S SUFFRAGE NOV 7-9, 2019 | LITTLE AMERICA, CHEYENNE The Arts Council’s bi-annual summit offers professional development for artists and arts advocates, administrators, and educators, and will highlight many of Wyoming’s talented visual, performing, and literary artists. The Arts Summit features a variety of interdisciplinary and discipline-specific workshops, sessions, and presentations, and music showcases, receptions, and networking opportunities!
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS Mary Anne Carter, acting chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Pam Breaux, president and CEO of the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (NASAA) Mary Anne Carter. Photo courtesy of the NEA.
Pam Breaux.
Educators will be able to earn up to 1 PTSB credit. Register online at 2019artssummit.eventbrite.com. Early bird registration ends Sept. 30, 2019. Individuals and organizations may apply for a Professional Development/Career Advancement Grant from the Arts Council to attend the summit. Click on the Grants tab on the Arts Council website. If registration rates are prohibitive to you or your organization, please contact the Arts Council.
table of contents Executive Director’s Column...............................2 Writing Awards .................................................... 4 Road Trip Playlist.................................................6
our Mission
The Wyoming Arts Council provides leadership and invests resources to sustain, promote and cultivate excellence in the arts.
WAC Staff
Michael Lange: EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Rachel Clifton: ASSISTANT DIRECTOR Karen Merklin: GRANTS MANAGER Brittany Perez: PUBLIC OUTREACH & EVENTS COORDINATOR
Music Festivals....................................................8 New Arts Council Staff......................................10 Crafting Vibrant Communities..........................12 River Vibes.........................................................14 Arts in Rural Communities................................16 Powwows...........................................................18 By Western Hands.............................................22 Artist Led Initiatives..........................................24 Art is Everywhere..............................................28
Mary Billiter: ARTS EDUCATION SPECIALIST Taylor Craig: CREATIVE ARTS SPECIALIST Josh Chrysler: FOLKLORIST AND HEALTH & WELLNESS SPECIALIST
Tyler Cessor: COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT & DEI SPECIALIST
WAC Board
Steve Schrepferman (Chair): CODY Holly Turner: CASPER Tara Taylor: MOUNTAIN VIEW Marianne Vinich: LANDER Jason Shogren: LARAMIE Chloe Illoway: CHEYENNE Nina Swamidoss McConigley: LARAMIE Sharon Dynak: CLEARMONT Adam Harris: JACKSON
ON THE COVER: Participants dancing in the Grand
Entry of the 2019 Plains Indian Museum Powwow in Cody. ON THE BACK COVER: Save the date for the Arts Council’s 2019 Arts Summit.
magazine
Artscapes is published triannually and supported with funding from the Wyoming Legislature and the National Endowment for the Arts. wyomingartscouncil.org
wyoming arts council 2301 Central Avenue • Cheyenne, WY 82002 Phone: 307-777-7742 Hours: Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. wyomingartscouncil.org
executive director's column
The historic WYO Theater in Sheridan.
Greetings, It is SUMMER! At least in theory. I know for a great deal of Wyoming communities it has been a long winter, and as I write this column in late May, it is still snowing out my window. Have no fear though, as I believe warmer weather is upon us, and so is a season of great arts activities. Before I highlight a handful of events that I am looking forward to this year, I wanted to bring to your attention one of our highlighted articles. It is about a recent study released by the National Governors Association titled Rural Prosperity Through the Arts & Creative Sector, a Rural Action Guide for Governors and States. This guide is filled with best practices and helpful ideas from across the country on how rural communities are using the arts as an economic driver. The study has specific highlights about the work Sheridan has been doing over the past decade to revitalize their community through
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partnerships with the city, non-profit organizations, and the community college. Congratulations to Sheridan for being highlighted for their hard work and dedication to the arts! If you haven’t been to Sheridan in a while, I suggest a visit to the downtown and the campus of Sheridan College. With the addition of the Whitney Center for the Performing Arts on campus, the newly remodeled Wyo Theater and the SAGE Arts Center in downtown, Sheridan is thriving through the arts. It is definitely worth a trip. I also want to congratulate the Wyoming Symphony on their selection of Christopher Dragon as conductor and music director. The symphony has spent the last two years in a transparent, community driven search for the next music director. Following a year of wonderful guest conductors who each presented a concert with the symphony, the symphony board was lucky enough to have an offer accepted by Mr.
Wyoming arts council
Dragon. He will continue his duties as the associate conductor of the Colorado Symphony, as well as becoming part of the community in Casper. I look forward to seeing the momentum of the symphony continue as Mr. Dragon moves into this position with strong support from their Executive Director, Rachel Bailey, and the leadership of the board. A couple summer events to highlight! This year on July 26-28, the Oyster Ridge Music Festival in Kemmerer is celebrating its 25th year of offering a free summer music festival to the community and region. This is a huge accomplishment, and if you haven’t been able to make it to the festival, the 25th anniversary will be a great year to attend. One of my favorite Wyoming events is the Grand Encampment Cowboy Gathering, which will be held in Encampment, July 19-21. This event features western musicians, poets, storytellers, and is filled with entertainment for the whole family, so pack the lawn chairs and enjoy some great music and fun. An event for educators that I am looking forward to is the annual Wyoming Department of Education’s Road Map to STEAM Conference. This year’s conference will be held in Laramie, July 31-August 2. The conference is designed to deliver high-caliber professional development opportunities focused on active, hands-on learning experiences with high-level engagement and innovative STEAM best practices and instructional strategies that address the needs of K-20 educators in their
artscapes • SUMMER 2019
efforts to prepare students for success. The Arts Council is excited to again serve on the planning committee for the conference and are looking forward to the arts being actively engaged with the STEM fields. Although not happening this summer, I want to put on everyone’s radar our next Arts Summit, which will be held November 7-9 in Cheyenne. This biennial event provides professional development opportunities for artists, educators, arts administrators, and for the public who are interested in building stronger communities through the arts. As Wyoming celebrates the 150th anniversary of being the first state to give women the right to vote, the Arts Council is excited to focus this year’s conference on equity in the arts while celebrating women’s suffrage. More information about the conference will be released this summer, but please mark your calendars now! Have a great summer and enjoy as many arts activities as you can squeeze in!
Michael Lange, Executive Director Wyoming Arts Council
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WRITING AWARDS
2019 Blanchan/Doubleday Writing Award Winners and Pattie Layser Fellowship Recipient The Wyoming Arts Council is pleased to announce the winners of this year’s Neltje Blanchan Memorial Writing Award and the Frank Nelson Doubleday Memorial Writing Awards. The Doubleday Award is given for the best poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, or script written by a woman writer. The Blanchan Award is given annually for the best poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, or script which is informed by a relationship with the natural world. Both awards are designed to bring attention to writers in Wyoming who have not yet received wide recognition for their work, and to support emerging writers at crucial times in their careers.
Liberty Lausterer of Laramie won the Neltje Blanchan Memorial Writing Award for her entry, Liberty: A Spiritual Memoir. Liberty used to be a pastor and received her Master of Divinity from Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary in Berkeley, California and served congregations in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Kentucky. After a decade in ministry, Liberty discovered the gospel she proclaimed from the pulpit was no longer good news. Eden was a lie and Eve an archetype for freedom. Since moving to Laramie, she has written a spiritual memoir that offers a modern-day retelling
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of Eve’s story. Now she writes and hikes in search of the sacred feminine. Her husband and two cats are her faithful companions. Lyndi Waters received the Frank Nelson Doubleday Memorial Writing Award for her entry, In the Key of Green Tractor. After growing up in California, Lyndi toured the U.S. and Canada trick riding at PRCA rodeos before moving to Wyoming in 1976. She has a degree in nursing and is a Pushcart Prize nominee, winner of the 2018 Eugene V. Shea National Poetry Contest, and was awarded third place in the 2019
Liberty Lausterer of Laramie is the recipient of the 2019 the Neltje Blanchan Memorial Writing Award.
Wyoming arts council
Lyndi Waters of Kaycee is the recipient of the 2019 Frank Nelson Doubleday Memorial Writing Award.
Shea contest. Her poems have appeared, or are forthcoming, in numerous anthologies and literary journals. Lyndi lives in Kaycee with a few chickens, and an old bulldog who has a wicked skin condition and loves avocado. An honorable mention for the Neltje Blanchan Memorial Writing Award was given to Sidney Woods of Afton, and an honorable mention for the Frank Nelson Doubleday Memorial Writing Award was given to Lynn Carlson from Cheyenne.
As a reporter with Wyoming Public Media, Melodie Edwards covers a wide variety of Wyoming topics from wildlife to Native American issues to agriculture. She is currently working on a civil discourse project called, “I Respectfully Disagree,” interviewing people in the state who are modeling how people find compromise to make change. She is the recipient of a national PRNDI award for her investigation of the reservation housing crisis and several regional Edward R. Murrow Awards, two for “best use of sound.” Melodie grew up in Walden, Colorado where her father worked in the oilfield and timber industries and her mother was the editor of the Jackson County Star. She graduated with an MFA from the University of Michigan on a Colby Fellowship and received two Hopwood Awards there for fiction and nonfiction. She is a recipient of the Frank Nelson Doubleday Memorial Writing Award and is the author of, Hikes Around Fort Collins (Pruett Publishing). Melodie and her husband own Night Heron Books and Coffeehouse. She also loves to putz in the garden, and hike and ski in the mountains with her daughters and her dad. Over the next year, Melodie will create or complete a relevant publishable or produced work and have the opportunity for a housing residency in the greater Yellowstone region. Honorable mentions were given to Betsy Bernfeld of Wilson and Jeffrey Lockwood of Laramie.
Through generous funding from The Pattie and Earle Layser Memorial Fund, the Wyoming Arts Council was able to offer a new fellowship this year: The Pattie Layser Greater Yellowstone Creative Writing & Journalism Fellowship. This prestigious fellowship is awarded to a creative writer (poetry, fiction, nonfiction), or those in the field of journalism (writer, photojournalist, videographer, documentary filmmaker, online or print media) who demonstrate serious inquiry and dedication to the Greater Yellowstone region through their work. Congratulations to this year’s recipient!
artscapes • SUMMER 2019
Melodie Edwards of Laramie is the recipient of the 2019 Pattie Layser Greater Yellowstone Creative Writing & Journalism Fellowship.
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Road Trip Playlist
2019 Summer Road Trip Playlist Now Available on Spotify Wyoming is famous for its beautiful landscape, and the musical talent of the Cowboy State provides the perfect soundtrack for all of those summer adventures. Scan the QR code below to check out the 2019 Summer Road Trip Playlist, now available on Spotify. Songs were selected by Eric Gilbert, Director of Treefort Music Fest in Boise, Idaho. The Summer Road Trip Playlist is an annual part of the Arts Council’s Wyoming Independent Music Initiative (WIMI), working to build a robust music scene in Wyoming.
JASON TYLER BURTON
AARON DAVIS
KELLEN SMITH
• HWY 89 • ON MY MIND
• THE WOLVES • SAME CLOTH
• BLACK NIGHT • CASPER AND COLORADO
ISAAC HAYDEN
CANYON KIDS
CREP200SE
• WYOMING • LIGHTHOUSE
• HELPLESSLY HOPING (COVER) • SUPPLY & DEMAND
• OPULENT • IMPAVID
PETE MULDOON
ONE TON PIG
JARED ROGERSON
• RABBIT HOLE • END OF THE SHOW
• DEAD MAN’S BELLS • STRAW TO THE PILE
• HONKY TONK HALOS • GONE WILD
BAYLESS
THE WOODPILE
• MY DECLARATION • BEAUTIFUL SCARS
• YOU CAN’T FORCE THESE THINGS • MAN ON A HILL
WILLIAM PLUMB
SCAN CODE TO LISTEN NOW ON SPOTIFY
• THE START
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Wyoming arts council
Save the Date SINKS CANYON STATE PARK | LANDER, WYOMING
SEPTEMBER 12-15, 2019
Plein Air in the Parks E X T R A O R D I N A R Y P L A C E S, E X T R A O R D I N A R Y A R T
Save the Date for Plein Air in the Parks 2019! The Wyoming Arts Council is partnering with Wyoming State Parks to hold Plein Air in the Parks at Sinks Canyon State Park, September 12-15, 2019. This annual painting competition pairs talented artists with beautiful locations, and offers cash prizes to top participants. The Lander Art Center will again serve as our local community liaison, but Plein Air in the Parks is open to all artists in Wyoming, across the region, and nationwide. A Junior Division for artists under the age of 18 is also available. Registration will open soon for artists wishing to participate. A reduced rate will be available for college students and those participating in the junior division. The public is invited to visit the park to watch artists create their work in the landscape and to attend a sale, reception, and awards ceremony on Sunday afternoon. VIsit the Arts Council website for updated information and to register.
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Music Festivals
Wyoming Music Festivals: summer 2019 Brace yourselves, Wyoming. Summer is here. Plan your music schedule now! This festival season, take a photo of you (and your friends) at a Wyoming music festival, use the hashtag #wyofest and post it to Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. June 7-August 30: Fridays on the Plaza featuring The Patti Fiasco, Tallgrass, Reverend Payton’s Big Damn Band, and more. Cheyenne | fridaysontheplaza.com June 1: Hiwater Hoedown at The Yard featuring J Shogren Shanghai’d, Jalan Crossland, and The Lonesome Heroes. Saratoga| facebook.com/theyardsaratoga June 4-August 27: Sweetwater Brown Bag Concert Series featuring Giulia Millanta, Whitherward, The W Lovers, The Annie Oakley, and more. Rock Springs | downtownrs.com/brown-bag-concert
Event listings courtesy of Wyoming Public Radio.
June 22: Evanston Bluegrass Festival featuring One Ton Pig, Jalan Crossland, Aaron Davis & The Mystery Machine, The Two Tracks, The Littlest Birds, Red Desert Ramblers. Evanston | bluegrassevanston.com June 21-22: Donkey Creek Festival featuring Natives of Nowhere, Canyon Kids, The Last Revel, and more. Gillette | donkeycreekfestival.com
June 4-July 25: Summer Concert Series TBA. Laramie | uwyo.edu/union/cac/summer-programs/ summer-concert-series.html
June 20-August 9: Soundcheck Summer Series featuring Sally & George, Leo Rondeau, The Two Tracks, Kuinka, Big Cedar Fever, The Lonesome Heroes, Dead Winter Carpenters, The Rad Trads, Samantha Rise, The High Divers, and more. Pinedale | pinedalefinearts.com
June 14-16: Wyoming Brewers Festival featuring The Reminders, Josh Gonzales Band, Blink 90210. Cheyenne | wyobrewfest.com
June 29: Bighorn Mountain Brewfest TBA. Antelope Butte Mountain Recreation Area | antelopebuttefoundation.org/ bighorn-mountain-brewfest
June 16-August 16: JacksonHoleLive! featuring North Mississippi Allstars, Shinyribs, Aaron Davis & The Mystery Machine, Hayes Carll, The Wood Brothers. Jackson | jacksonholelive.org
July 3-August 17: Grand Teton Music Festival featuring Kristin Chenoweth, Hilary Hahn Norah Jones, Yefim Bronfman, Takács Quartet, Augustin Hadelich, and more. Teton Village | gtmf.org
June 20-August 15: Music in the Park featuring Aaron Davis & The Mystery Machine, Jason Elmore, FireLine, Chris Shutter, Too Slim & The Taildraggers, Laura Rain, The Talbott Brothers. Rawlins | rawlins-wyoming.com
July 6: Elevation 8076’ Celebration featuring Alexandra Coffey, Jessie Smith, Sophia Johnson, Jaime Wyatt, and Sandy Wells Band. Centennial | facebook.com/elevationcelebration
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Wyoming arts council
July 6: WindFest featuring SHEL, J Shoigren Shanghai’d and Shawn Hess. Laramie | facebook.com/events/windfest-wyoming/ windfest-2019/838384846495180/
July 26-28: Oyster Ridge Music Festival featuring Red Wanting Blue, Joe Pug, Robin Kessinger, Ghost of Paul Revere, Stephen Kellogg, and more. Kemmerer | oysterridgemusicfestival.com
July 12-14: Targhee Fest featuring Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue, Nicki Bluhm, Taj Mahal Quartet, Los Lobos Anders Osborne, Dumpstaphunk, Galactic, Drive-By Truckers, Amy Helm, Ryan Bingham, and more. Alta | grandtarghee.com
July 30-August 3: Wyoming’s Big Show, the Sweetwater County Fair featuring Trace Adkins, Muddfest, Dylan Scott, Gary Allan, and Ratt. Rock Springs | sweetwaterevents.com
July 12-13: SummerFest featuring Ashley Barron. Rawlins | rawlinsmainstreet.org/events/ summerfest-2019/ July 13: Laramie Brewfest featuring Wolves in Cheap Clothing and Mamma Lenny and the Remedy. Laramie | wyobrewfest.com July 3-August 26: Concert on the Commons TBA. Teton Village | jacksonhole.com/concert-on-thecommons.html July 18-August 29: Lander LIVE featuring Nikki Lane, Southern Avenue, The Wood Brothers, Elizabeth Cook. Lander | landerlivemusic.com July 19-21: Antelope Butte Summer Festival featuring Jalan Crossland, Joe Smith and the Spicy Pickles, Speakeasy, The Two Tracks, Gary Small and One Earth, John Kirlin and the High Plains Drifters, Chanman Roots Band, and more. Antelope Butte Mountain Recreation Area | antelopebuttefoundation.org/antelope-butte-summerfestival July 19-27: Frontier Days featuring George Strait, Aerosmith, Keith Urban, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Jason Aldean, Tim McGraw and Lady Antebellum, and more. Cheyenne | cfdrodeo.com July 26-27: WHAT Fest featuring Chanman Roots Band Banshee Tree Great Salmon Famine Gasoline Lollipops Stillhouse Junkies Jake Clayton Band Natives of Nowhere J Shogren Shanghai’d Hectic Hobo Mortigi Tempo The Woodpile Aaron Davis and the Mystery Machine Josh Gonzales Band Bob Lefevre and the Already Gone. Centennial | whatfest.com
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August 3-4: Beartrap Summer Festival featuring Survivor, Mark Chesnutt, and Ned Ledoux. Casper Mountain | beartrapsummerfestival.com August 3-4: Big Horn Basin Folk Festival TBA. Thermopolis | wyomingfolkfestival.com August 9-11: Targhee Bluegrass Festiva featuring Railroad Earth, Greensky Bluegrass, The Infamous Stringdusters, Sam Bush, Del McCoury Band, and more. Alta | grandtarghee.com August 9-11: Nowoodstock - Ten Sleep Music Festival featuring Jalan Crossland, Cary Morin, Lacey Nelson, David Gerald, Prarie Wildfire, Sweetspot Trio Few Miles South. Ten Sleep | nowoodstock.com August 10: Sweetwater Blues n’ Brews TBA. Rock Springs | downtownrs.com/sweetwater-blues-nbrews August 16-17: Pepsi Wyoming State BBQ Championship and Bluegrass Festival featuring The Brothers Parker, Blue Canyon Boys, and Woodbelly. Worland | wyobbqandbluegrass.com August 24: Edge Fest featuring K.Flay. Cheyenne | facebook.com/EdgeFestWY August 24: Centennial Uptown Breakdown TBA. facebook.com/pages/Centennial-Uptown-Breakdown August 31-September 2: I Slept With The Band Traveling Music Festival featuring Harley and the V Twins, The Symbols, and more TBA. Saratoga and Alcova | isleptwiththeband.com
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NEW ARTS COUNCIL STAFF
Meet the Arts Council’s New Specialists their runaway dog. She does her best writing (in her head) on her daily walks in wild, romantic, beautiful Wyoming.
Mary Billiter is the Arts Education Specialist.
Mary Billiter joined the Wyoming Arts Council in October 2018 as the Arts Education Specialist. In true Western fashion, she bucked out of the chute by coordinating Wyoming’s 14th annual Poetry Out Loud Competition where Governor Gordon served as master of ceremonies. She works with state art educators to coordinate the yearly Youth Arts Month poster, which celebrates arts in education. Additionally, she oversees Art Education grants, providing support to further arts education and programming throughout the state. Mary followed in the footsteps of her Pulitzer-Prize winning father by earning her BA in Journalism from California State University at Northridge. Her career in journalism spanned covering politics, crime and education in the Golden State to the Cowboy State. She earned her MA in Adult and Post-Secondary Education from the University of Wyoming. In addition to her work at the Arts Council, Mary is a college writing instructor and published author. This summer, her first work of domestic fiction, “A Divided Mind,” will hit bookshelves. Mary resides in Cheyenne with her unabashedly bald husband, her four amazing kids, two fantastic step-kids, and
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Tyler Cessor is the Community Development & Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Specialist. Photo credit: Danica Mrozinsky.
Tyler Cessor uses art and music to share space and learn with others. As a Berneking Performance Fellow and Doctoral Candidate at the University of Minnesota, Tyler’s research centered on multicultural inclusive adult learning, critical pedagogy/ theory, discussion design and their intersections with the arts. He was fortunate enough to serve as a teaching assistant for courses at the Center for Educational Innovation and on the faculty of Concordia College and MacPhail Center for Music. Tyler’s work as an artist and educator has always been routed in a desire to serve his communities and students. He has been elected to neighborhood organizations and arts advisory committees, volunteered with community organizations working to combat displacement and discriminatory practices, and started a nonprofit in Cheyenne that is working to increase access to music learning opportunities for students of all ages and abilities regardless of financial means.
Wyoming arts council
As the Community Development & Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Specialist at the Wyoming Arts Council, Tyler is excited to have the opportunity to continue this work in his home state. Both Tyler and his wife Ashley grew up in Cheyenne and are thrilled to be able raise their two-year-old daughter so close to family and childhood friends.
Josh Crysler is the Folklorist & Health and Wellness Specialist.
Josh Chrysler is the Arts Council’s Folklorist and Health and Wellness Specialist. Josh spent the last several years doing contract public folklore work for arts agencies, non-profits, and museums in Idaho, Kentucky, Nebraska, Oregon, South Dakota, and West Virginia. Josh will be responsible for supporting the diverse and vibrant folk and traditional arts and artists of Wyoming, by running the Folk and Traditional Arts Mentoring Project Grant, and other folk art related initiatives. He will also be managing the Health and Wellness in the Arts initiative, seeking to serve artists and arts organizations working at the intersection of arts and wellbeing. Josh has a degree in English and Philosophy from Colorado State University, along with an MA in Folk Studies from Western Kentucky University. He has previous experience running a folk and traditional arts program, as well as implementing a health through the arts initiative, Art For Life, during his previous contract work at the South Dakota Arts Council.
Taylor Craig is the Creative Arts Specialist.
A resident of Cheyenne by way of the nation’s capital, the Louisiana bayou, and the gulf shores of Texas, Taylor is a program experience designer, digital strategist, self-proclaimed bookworm, and a terrible, yet avid, runner. As Creative Arts Specialist, Taylor provides support to individual artists of all mediums across the state through annual fellowships, a year-round professional development grant, and as the experience designer for the Wyoming Independent Music Initiative. Prior to joining the Arts Council, Taylor worked at National Arts Strategies where she was part of the leadership team of a national fellowship program for artists. In addition, Taylor served as the digital strategist for Major Key Foundation, a young music education organization that blends the genres and techniques of classical and hip-hop music. She has worked at a variety of cultural organizations and served as a volunteer English and art teacher in France and Uganda. She is a photographer by training who still enjoys capturing the beautiful moments in her life. Taylor finds freedom in being outdoors and in 2018, she completed a thru-hike of the 2,190.9 mile Appalachian Trail alongside her wife. She is the proud dog mom of an energetic red heeler and an amateur baker of sourdough bread.
Although new to Wyoming, Josh is a 5th-generation Coloradan and has a deep appreciation for the rural West. When he’s not at work, Josh is probably exploring the backroads and small towns across the region, or reading, attending live music, or at bar trivia.
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Crafting Vibrant Communities
Make Plans to Attend Community Events By Elyse Guarino are two excellent examples of community artists at work in unexpected places.
Young visitors at the Chugwater Chili Cookoff take part in potato sack races; one of the many family friendly activities at this annual event.
B
eing an artist doesn’t always mean you paint, draw, sculpt or build. There is a more ephemeral kind of art and it can be glimpsed in creative problem solving, empathetic and inclusive conversation, improvising recipes in the kitchen or inventing games and entertainment for friends and strangers. For many folks in Wyoming, their community is a canvas and their people, local businesses and organizations and visitors are what they use to create beautiful events that last only a day or two. If you are lucky enough to be in town when these community artists are working, you probably won’t see them, but their work is sure to leave an impression. Wyoming’s community artists can be found in towns large and small around the state all summer long. The Chugwater Chili Cookoff and Rawlins SummerFest
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The Chugwater Chili Cookoff is an annual event in Staats Park. Wellknown amongst chili connoisseurs around the West, it is the event to participate in if you want a shot at being Wyoming’s state champion and heading to the fabled Chili Appreciation Society International’s (CASI) Terlingua International Chili Championship in Terlingua, Texas.
Karen Guidice, part owner of Chugwater Chili Corporation and five-time chair of the Cookoff, says the event was started to build community and raise funds and recognition for Chugwater. Currently, proceeds from the Cookoff help fund the fire department, an economic development group, an historical society, the local FFA and the local FBLA. The Cookoff is community art in action and according to Karen, “it takes about everybody in the community to pull it off.” The event draws thousands from Wyoming and the Mountain West region. The family friendly event boasts a salsa and chili competition, vendors, live music, kids’ competitions and prizes for best, showmanship and people’s choice in salsa and chili. More than 50 judges, including members of the public, legislators, sponsors and sometimes the governor, choose the champion chili and send a
Wyoming arts council
At 5 pm local and regional artists will show quilts and visitors will see a bit of theatre – reenactments of influential Carbon County women like Julia Ferris, Nancy Barnes and Dr. Lillian Heath. Following the historical recap will be a slideshow and recognition of exceptional women in present-day Wyoming. The block party will wrap up with live music from Ashley Barron at 7 pm as the celebration of community continues with more food and drink until 11pm. Live music, vendor booths, and lots of chili are on hand at the annual Chugwater Chili Cookoff.
team to Terlingua. “It is always best to get as many cooks as possible so the people out there can taste a lot of varieties of chili – until they’re sick of it,” Guidice says with a chuckle. As a team, entrants must name a head cook and are required to make a minimum of three gallons of chili. No previous experience is necessary, just spirit, willingness to have fun and a desire to bring attendees the best chili they’ve ever tasted. You don’t have to be making or tasting chili to enjoy the event. There is live music all day. This year, Lendon James and the highway 34 band, Flint Hill Special, and the all-girl country/bluegrass band from Buffalo, Prairie Wildfire, kept crowds excited with original compositions and covers. Tris Munsick and the Innocents, having just released their sophomore album danchall days, had crowds stomping into the evening. Chili not your thing? Head to Rawlins, Wyoming for SummerFest. The event is free and an excellent place to see community creativity in action, explore an award-winning main street and myriad sidewalk sales, sample ethnic foods, and see handmade arts and crafts. Pam Thayer, executive director for the last 13 years, describes SummerFest as an oldtime street festival, full of, “unique entertainment, family fun and handmade Wyoming arts, crafts and goods.”
On Saturday July 13 from 9am to 4pm, explore seven blocks of more than 50 vendors, food, games, sidewalk sales, ice cream and watermelon-eating contests, music, a car and bike show and unexpected entertainment in downtown Rawlins, on Spruce Street between 1st and 12th. Angelina Lacovetto, project coordinator for the past two years, says, “We try and have stuff that is enjoyable for anybody and we also try to bring in unique entertainment. One year there was a juggler, another there was a blacksmith.” SummerFest attendees will find it easy to spend hours ogling locally made artworks, crafts and homemade goods. The quilt show and sale continue and Thayer encourages all quilt artists to enter their works. Kidprenuers, an opportunity for young people under the age of 15 to sell their handmade products, is another way to be entertained and inspired. “This program provides a great way for kids to see what products sell, gather feedback, and learn customer service skills and communication,” says Thayer. Thayer has seen handmade hair accessories, coasters and housewares, soap, slime and baked goods. Whichever festival or community celebration you get to this summer, be sure to track down the brilliant folks who put it all together or send them an email and say thanks for their commitment, vision and passion for bringing their communities together.
This year’s SummerFest kicks off with a block party on the evening of July 12 at 5 pm in Depot Park, downtown Rawlins that will honor Wyoming women.
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River Vibes
RiverFest and Art on the Green Connect Artists and Communities By Elyse Guarino “I don’t know if any other event in Wyoming has a portunity for artists, a chance to build their resume, live, 24 hour 2D and 3D arts competition,” says grow public awareness about their work, and win Katie Duncomb, city liaison for the Green River cash prizes. Although most artists are painting or Arts Council and the current recreation supervisculpting, Duncomb has seen welding and wire sor overseeing Art on the Green. “A big part of this work too. She insists the event is only made better event is to support the artist community in Green by increasing the number of new artists and new River and Wyoming. We want to foster recognition mediums featured. This year, a total of $12,500 will and success for the artist community.” Duncomb be awarded to winning artists in professional, semicontinues expressing professional, amateur, the importance of sharand high-school categoing the creative process ries. This being the 15th with the public. She beanniversary of the event, lieves it is invaluable attendees are likely to for communities to see encounter some extra and understand how an special events not listed artist goes from blank on the schedule in addicanvas to finished prodtion to witnessing these uct. Art on the Green impressive creations. provides an opportunity Visitors can walk the to glimpse just that and park both days enjoying also to purchase one-offood and crafts vendors a-kind artworks. Local artist Bryce Castillon works on a watercolor along the banks of the painting during Art on the Green in Green River. The event was founded Green River. There is a by well known sculpmarathon and ½ marator, educator and coach, Rudy Gunter and a few thon, activities for children at the “kid’s creation corfriends. The competition takes place during the ner,” a shrimp boil and live music. 12 lucky attendmore broadly focused River Festival in Expedition ees will get to participate in “Battle on the Green,” a Park on the Green River. On August 16, roughly 38 quick paint competition taking place Friday August artists will create, build, sculpt, draw, and paint on 16, 4:30- 6:30 pm. The Festival provides the canthe river bank in the indoor island park pavilion. vas and participants bring a medium of their choice Duncomb says this is an excellent networking op- and their creativity. Each artist pulls a theme from
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Wyoming arts council
a hat. They have 5 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to create. Then the public votes two artists off the island, well not literally, but they are out of the next round. The rounds continue until there are two winners: people’s choice and judge’s choice. Visitors are encouraged to walk and talk to artists and bid on artwork being created until 9:30 pm Friday when the doors to the pavilion lock but the lights stay on. Attendees can continue perusing and bidding for pieces entered into the event’s silent auction the next morning. Most artists work through the night and find this alone time the most productive. Being surrounded by focused peers, shimmering moonlit bluffs and the sound of running water outside creates a magical atmosphere and inspires creation says Duncomb. “I think the River itself and the town has an atmosphere of creativity. It’s a scenic area and river and bluffs and aquatic life there kind of breed creativity.” If inspiration through nature, handmade goods and a relaxing community vibe is what you crave, then Lander’s RiverFest delivers. The 11th annual event will be held on the banks of the Popo Agie River in Lander, Wyoming on August 10 10 am – 7 pm. “RiverFest is a showcase for artists in a town that really values art,” says Lander Art Center Education Coordinator Samantha Rastatter. “It is a full day event with something for everyone. Being in the park it has a playful atmosphere and people want to hang out. There is food to eat, performances to watch and beautiful scenery. You can’t help but put a blanket down and stay a while.” Rastatter also says that as a participating artist, people lingering is a really good thing. It increases the number of times they will see your booth and often makes the, “I’m going to take another lap and then come back,” attitude a reality. Past vendors report RiverFest as an excellent opportunity to gain exposure and make sales.
Visitors at last year’s RiverFest in Lander watch a hands-on artist demonstration.
in the run, access to the more than 40 artists, kid’s activities and art demonstrations is free. The Lander Library will host a book nook at the event. The Children’s Museum will be providing art based activities for kids. And, the Communal Pancake Theatre Camp will be culminating with a live performance by participants at RiverFest called, Stories of our time. Rastatter says the LAC has asked attendees and artists what inspires them, “and the vast majority are saying that nature and wildlife or flora is one of the biggest inspirations. I think a ton of that is reflected in the artwork that is sold here too.” With original art from jewelers, painters, ceramicists, fiber artists, soap makers, knife makers, photographers and more, RiverFest has been a one stop shop for attendees over the years. For more information on attending or participating in Art on the Green, visit cityofgreenriver.org. If you are looking for more information on attending or vending at RiverFest, or sending your child to the Communal Pancake Theatre Camp, visit landerartcenter.com.
The event is also one of the Lander Art Center’s (LAC) biggest fundraisers for the year and a community affair. This year’s event will kick off with a Color Run to benefit the local Child Development Services. The 5k loops around town and ends at RiverFest in Lander’s City Park. If you participate
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Arts in Rural Communities
Rural Prosperity through the Arts & Creative Sector
T
he National Governors Association (NGA) and the NGA Center for Best Practices recently took an indepth look at the role of arts and culture in rural communities. Working with the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (NASAA), they discovered that despite some economic and social hardships in rural America, the creative sector can help bolster rural communities’ vibrancy and economy.
The resulting guide for states and governors, Rural Prosperity through the Arts & Creative Sector provides information and action items for leaders and decision makers at the state level. To read the entire report, or share it in your community, visit www.nga.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/NGA_ RuralArtsReport.pdf. The action guide outlines some of the struggles facing rural communities, “Many rural areas have unique cultures to celebrate, yet they are also con-
Grants awarded by the Arts Council in FY2017 and FY2018.
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Wyoming arts council
Three times the population growth
At the community level... Rural counties home to performing arts organizations experience:
Recession resiliency (greater weekly earnings growth 2010-2014)
Higher household incomes (up to $6k higher)
*Where there were more design businesses, there was more job growth.
More recession resiliency (faster employment growth 2010-2014)*
In wyoming...
11,493 jobs
tending with problems related to an evolving economy, including the loss of industry, outmigration of young and skilled workers, rising poverty rates, health and health care barriers, educational attainment gaps, and physical and digital infrastructure needs.� Several of these concerns and issues were echoed by Wyoming’s ENDOW Initiative. The action guide addresses how governors and elected officials can address these issues by providing leadership, developing and supporting business initiatives, and fostering local talent, which are steps ENDOW has outlined. One major point of emphasis in the action guide is the positive role and influence that state arts agencies, like the Wyoming Arts Council, can have on supporting rural communities through the creative
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Arts and cultural production accounts for $1,070,697,000 and 3.0% of the Wyoming economy, contributing 11,493 jobs.
sector. In fiscal year 2017, state arts agencies invested $40 million in rural America through more than 5,400 direct grants to 2,089 rural communities. In fiscal year 2017 and 2018, the Wyoming Arts Council awarded $1,694,890 through 339 grants in 50 different communities. The Wyoming Arts Council works directly with communities, organizations, venues, and individual artists through funding and resource support to impact the economy, livability, and provide long term prosperity. While Wyoming is considered a rural state, one of 18 identified by the Bureau of Economic Analysis, data continues to show the impact that the arts and creative sector can have in a rural setting.
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POWWOWS
Wyoming Powwows to Attend This Summer By Josh Chrysler work and quillwork. Most powwows also feature a live drum and singing, miked through loudspeakers for the participants to dance to. Most powwows will also have vendors selling traditional arts such as beadwork or quillwork, and other vendors selling a variety of food, often including fry bread, Indian tacos, and more.
A participant dances at the Eastern Shoshone Days powwow.
O
ne of the best ways to learn about Native American culture and art is attending a powwow. These celebrations of Native culture are infused with art at all levels of the event. Powwows feature a wide variety of dances from traditional to contemporary, and many are competition dances. Dancers typically wear handmade regalia, often covered in exquisite bead-
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Powwows as they exist today became especially popular in the post-WWII era as a way to welcome home Native soldiers and honor Native veterans, and they have continued to grow in importance and number. Many of the older powwows are organized by tribes, but there are also many powwows hosted by organizations such as convention centers and museums. For example, at Wind River, the Northern Arapaho tribe hosts the Northern Arapaho Indian Powwow, and the Eastern Shoshone tribe hosts the Eastern Shoshone Indian Days powwow, while the Plains Indian Museum Powwow in Cody is hosted by the Plains Indian Museum and features dancers from tribes across the northern plains. While many powwows are competitions, with cash prizes for the champions, honoring veterans remains a central feature of powwows. Most powwows feature at least one Grand Entrance, in which participants are led into the powwow grounds by elders and veterans. If you plan on attending a powwow, make sure to attend the Grand Entrance - this is a chance to get an idea of what a powwow is all about, and how to respectfully engage with it. In Wyoming, there are several powwows throughout
Wyoming arts council
The Grand Entrance at a prior Eastern Shoshone Indian Days powwow.
A look at the drumming at the Eastern Shoshone Indian Days powwow.
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The Jingle Dress Dance is one of the popular powwow dances. Participants wear these distinctive dresses with jingles.
the summer you can attend. You do not have to be Native to attend a powwow, but it is necessary to be respectful and use your best powwow etiquette. Many powwows will have expected etiquette for visitors written on their website or promotional material, so try to seek those out before you arrive, if possible. Typically it is okay to take pictures, but make sure to ask for permission. Generally, it is expected for attendees to stand during the Grand Entrance, and during the Flag Song and other honor songs. If you are unsure when to stand, listen to the emcee for guidance and observe the behavior of those around you. It’s best to watch other attendees to observe what the expected etiquette is, and if you are unsure, it is okay to respectfully ask questions. Overall, it is important to remember - although entertaining - a powwow is also full of significance and value for the participants, so it is essential to be respectful and willing to learn.
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To the right is a list of the larger powwows in Wyoming. In addition to the powwows listed here, there are often smaller events across the state, such as a recurring Tuesday evening hour-long program at the Wind River Hotel & Casino in Riverton. Make plans to attend one of these powwows this summer to enjoy the dancing and music, the intricate handmade regalia, and the sense of community created by the celebration of Native culture and art.
Wyoming arts council
Dancers at an Eastern Shoshone Days powwow.
Wyoming Summer 2019 Powwows May 4, Riverton CWC United Tribes Club Powwow June 15 - 16, Cody Plains Indian Museum Powwow, Buffalo Bill Center of the West June 20, Fort Washakie Boys and Girls Club Youth Contest Powwow June 21 - 23, Fort Washakie 60th Eastern Shoshone Indian Days. This is the largest powwow in Wyoming and also features a rodeo & relay races. July 26 - 28 Ethete Celebration and Indian Powwow Aug. 30 - Sept. 1, Arapahoe 65th Northern Arapaho Indian Powwow
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By Western Hands
Preserving the Legacy of Western Design By Western Hands (BWH) recently opened up their new design center in downtown Cody. The BWH Design Center provides a year-round location for the public to view the work of By Western Hands’ members. Beginning on May 28th, the By Western Hands Design Museum and Gallery will be open for summer hours daily from 10:00am to 5:00pm. Make a plan to visit this summer! Admission is free of charge. BWH is located at 1007 12th Street, Cody, WY 82414. For questions or for more information, please contact info@ByWesternHands.org or call 307-586-1755. while promoting active artists’ work through rotating exhibitions and public programs that highlight their techniques. As many master artisans near the end of their career, BWH sees an immediate need to preserve their knowledge, techniques, and legacy through education. BWH partners with local high schools and Northwest College in Powell to connect current and future generations of western artisans to ensure that these traditional arts will continue to thrive for years to come.
WAC: WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE HISTORY OF YOUR ORGANIZATION?
By Western Hands Design Center doors made by Hughes Woodworks. Photo by TiltShift Brands.
WYOMING ARTS COUNCIL (WAC): CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE MISSION OF BY WESTERN HANDS? By Western Hands (BWH): By Western Hands is a nonprofit organization that was founded by Cody community members to preserve the legacy of Western design by promoting today’s top artisans, educate the craftsmen of the future and preserve the iconic designs for future. The organization celebrates and honors both living and deceased artists’ legacies in its museum and archive,
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BWH: Founded in 2015, BWH has an established following in the community, Western region, and beyond, through its current and past activities, including annual exhibitions and programs. BWH endeavors to fulfill its mission by creating a museum with increased year-round attendance and interaction. The newly constructed Design Center gives BWH the ability to better interpret the past and pave the way for future artisans to gain inspiration and momentum in their own careers through the BWH gallery and Design Center. BWH has been given the Switchback Ranch Award Collection of Western functional art, which was previously owned by the Buffalo Bill Center of the West. The Museum is exhibiting all of the pieces together for the first time ever, which is momentous for many reasons. BWH plans to utilize the collection for study purposes,
Wyoming arts council
WAC: WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR NEW DESIGN CENTER, AND YOUR PLANS FOR PROVIDING EDUCATION AND TRAINING?
Clockwise from top left: Doctor’s bag, John Blair, J. L. Blair Saddles; a pair of wool gabardine, appliqued and embroidered footrests, Anne Beard, Cowboy Up & Cowgirl Up, photo by the artist; Antler Chair with Chimayo upholstery, North Mountain Gallery, Doug Nordberg. Photos by TiltShift Brands, courtesy of By Western Hands.
for students past and present to learn from the past and innovate for the future.
WAC: CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT SOME OF THE HALLMARKS OF WESTERN DESIGN? BWH: A unique, regional style was born when Buffalo Bill Cody settled in northwest Wyoming in the late 1800s. The roots of Cody’s style actually come from early Adirondack furniture but early leaders in the Western design field like Edward Bohlin, “Saddle Maker to the Stars,” and Thomas Molesworth refined and defined Western functional art in the 1920s-1950s. Today’s By Western Hands artisans produce a wide range of functional and decorative arts including furniture in the Molesworth and Adirondack styles, as well as work that’s much more contemporary, inspired by Sam Maloof and others. BWH member artisans also specialize in beadwork, fabric, carving, leather work including saddles and bags, and metal work including bits and spurs and jewelry, as well as architectural design.
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BWH: The Design Center aims to serve as an ambassador to the public about why this art form demands preservation and attention throughout the region and beyond. This is the first time there’s been a year-round presence of Western design in Cody, and as such, the Design Center will serve the public as a go-to resource to learn about and potentially even craft their own pieces of Western functional art. Artist residencies are scheduled throughout the summer months,and public workshops will take place year-round at the Design Center. The Design Center and its member artisans will also be host to interns enrolled at Northwest College (NWC). Together, BWH and NWC have designed a unique approach to industry driven training - one of the first of its kind in the country. BWH interns are paired with members of the By Western Hands artists’ guild in a master-apprentice style relationship. Upon completion of their studies and following a minimum of 360 hours of study alongside their mentor, interns will obtain a NWC associates degree. This incredible learning opportunity will connect current and future generations of Western designers and craftsmen. Additionally, BWH has collaborated with Cody High School to offer Work Experience for enrolled students. BWH artists’ guild members mentor individual high school students working in their particular area of interest and production.
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Artist Led Initiatives
Artists Come Up With Creative Ways To Fill Spaces In Wyoming’s Downtowns By Michael Shay
I
n keeping with its name, the Fill the Space Gallery at 113 W. 17th Street in downtown Cheyenne filled up fast on the evening of May 9. Visitors had just three hours to view the artwork, talk to the artists, listen to the music, and munch treats. That’s how it is with a pop-up show – here today and gone tomorrow.
Knox had plenty of familial support with his wife and three children. He said that his oldest boy had even helped him select some of the artwork for his “Reclaimed Harmonies” series displayed on one of the space’s walls. They are mixed media works all
Inside the modest office space marked only by a temporary sign, the mostly young crowd viewed work by the five artists featured in the “Reclaimed” exhibit. It was organized by local artist and art teacher Steve Knox. Knox was one of the featured artists and he said he was pleased with the turn-out for an exhibit with an allotted time span of 180 minutes. He greeted coworkers from Goins Elementary School, fellow artists and their retinues, and Exhibits at the 2017 Pop-Up Art Walk in Laramie. Photo by Meg those who had come from other Thompson Stanton. galleries featured in the monthly Artwalk. They ate homemade snacks as they listened to the guitar styl“composed” on old music sheets that Knox found. ings of Mike Morris, the man behind the successful Other artists in the pop-up exhibit included Bria Friday Nights at the Asher music series. Both Knox Hammock, Chad Blakey, Megan Jon and Heather and Morris serve on the Arts Cheyenne board. Smith. “I’m excited by the way things are going,” Knox said. “All the artists invited friends and family. If we don’t support each other, none of us are going to make it.”
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The project was three months in the making. Knox said he had been “knocking on doors” to find a place for his pop-up project. It was crucial to find ways to exhibit his art in a town without many
Wyoming arts council
“Reclaimed” pop-up exhibit at Fill the Space Gallery in downtown Cheyenne. Photo by Steve Knox.
artist venues. He met with Vicki Dugger at the Downtown Development Association (DDA). She helped him find a building owner interested in turning over property for one night of art. It took three months to make the arrangements. Knox did some “deep cleaning” of the space, the artists chipped in to hang the work, and they spread the word on social media. This is the first outing in a pop-up gallery pilot program, a collaboration among local artists, the DDA, the Cheyenne Artwalk, and Arts Cheyenne. The fivemonth program will feature a different theme and different artists each month. Knox and his partners hope that this effort not only promotes artists but brings some after-hours life to downtown. Get more information on upcoming pop-ups on the Cheyenne Artwalk and DDA Facebook pages. Knox is not alone. Just around the corner from his space is the old Hynds Building, empty for decades until the Lights On Project brought it back to life. The ground floor was spruced up and artists began to show their work. One year, the Wyoming Division of Cultural Resources placed its Governor’s Capital Art Exhibition in the space. Locals launched a Friday Night Music Series which featured some standing room only crowds.
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Artists, working with the building owner, have taken over the ground floor with studio and gallery spaces. The middle space is Blue Door Arts, a joint project between Georgia Rowswell and Terry Kreuzer. On the May 9 Artwalk, they launched a new exhibit, “Creatures Great and Small,” in Kreuzer’s space. Rowswell, meanwhile, hosted one of the Pop-Up Maker’s Space (PUMP) events with Wanda Sanders, who spent the evening creating a new watercolor and speaking to visitors about her creative process. This is Rowswell’s vision of “pop-up.” She already has the space so she decided that during Artwalk evenings, she would sponsor a local artist to come in and give some insight into creativity and, in the process, sell some art. At the Artwalk, the crowd observed Sanders as she first applied a wash and then used her brushes and a palette of colors to create an outdoor scene that looked a lot more like spring than the wintry scene outside. Sanders likes Rowswell’s idea of a pop-up because, “it opens up other opportunities,” she said. “It makes art so accessible.” This is the same reason she hauls her art supplies into the Cheyenne Botanic Conservatory to paint some of its tropical flora. Curious visitors see her working. “They ask questions – I like that,” she said.
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project is “Life Rings: Storytelling Textiles,” in which workshop attendees learn how to incorporate old clothes and keepsakes into art pieces. Her latest venture puts her indoors most of the time. Her background as an educator got her to thinking about ways to get people to the Artwalk so they could learn more about art. Seven years ago, she originated the Artwalk’s predecessor, Art, Design and Dine. She made the rounds to the city’s galleries to enlist participants. In the days leading up to the monthly event, you could spot her distributing posters and promoting the event on local radio and TV. At the same time, she prepared her own home studio/gallery, Artful Hand, for an exhibit of her work. PUMP continues her goal to “show the public what the artist does,” she said. “We want to encourage that personal connection. They are more likely to value art, more likely to buy and collect art.” Wanda Sanders gives an artist some watercolor tips during Pop-Up Maker’s Place (PUMP) event during the May 9 Cheyenne Artwalk at Blue Door Arts in Cheyenne. In the background, a Channel 5 reporter interviews East High School arts teacher Dave Rowswell.
During breaks in her watercolor demo, Sanders, past-president of the Wyoming Watercolor Society, took time to show off some of her completed work. She looks forward to warmer weather as she is a “real outdoorsy person – I sketch wherever I go.” She grew up North Park, Colorado, near Walden, and in Wyoming’s Shirley Basin.
In April, Rowswell brought artist Tara Pappas to PUMP to exhibit the artwork she’s creating for her children’s book about hiking. She brought in six of her canvasses which, she hopes, will serve as pages of the book. She also demonstrated her techniques and answered questions. Rowswell is always on hand for these Art Walk popups to show off her own work. She’s created a nifty space in this old building, one that features an old bank vault. It’s been decades since anyone has stashed cash in the old vault. But it does go to show off the building’s long history, which stretches back to the Roaring 20s. She’s grateful that owner David Hatch charges reasonable rates for the spaces that include six artists’ studios and Three Crows Gallery and Gifts.
the organizers are encouraging happenings where participants can become artists. They can paint and draw, sing and dance.
Rowswell is also an outdoorsy person, as seen in her series of fabric works focused on Yellowstone National Park and environs. She also has a series of mixed media pieces featuring Wyoming maps and geography. Her current
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“The owner is artsfriendly,” she said. “Renting to us keeps the building open and gives it a friendly face. We also keep an eye on the place.” Find out more about Rowswell’s work at bluedoorar-
Wyoming arts council
ts.weebly.com or on Rowswell’s Facebook page.
customer,” Johnson said.
Over the pass in Laramie, artists, Downtown Laramie, and business owners have teamed up to create this city’s annual Pop-Up Art Walk. This year, it’s a three-day affair, September 6-8, and will incorporate the visual arts, music, dance, and theatre. It kicks off on Friday afternoon, September 6, with the weekly farmer’s market and a street dance sponsored by NU2U.
Speaking of demographics, Johnson said that the pop-up idea may reflect the Age of ADD – Attention Deficit Disorder, a diagnosis that came of age at the same era as World of Warcraft and Twitter. Pop-up artwalks are held over a limited time span. There is always something going on and, if you tire of or finish with one thing, you can move on to the next one.
Ivy Johnson and Sarita Keller are co-coordinators of the event. Johnson, a fiber artist, said that Downtown Laramie jumped in to sponsor the event formerly coordinated by the Wyoming Art Party. Hours have been extended and she hopes that the event involves more artists and more businesses. Venues have until June 3 to sign up. That list will be sent to local artists who then are responsible for contacting the business and working together to plan each pop-up event.
“It creates urgency for people to check it out,” Johnson said. Some of the attendant events in Laramie include a Pop-Up Paint Party and a painting party accompanied by live music at the Albany County Public Library. An Artist Village will take shape in the parking lot across from The Library Sports Grille and Brewery.
Hours for the Pop-Up Art Walk will be 3-8 pm Artist Wanda Sanders applies a wash to a on Friday, September watercolor during PUMP event during the 6, 1-7 pm on Saturday, May 9 Cheyenne Artwalk. September 7, and 12-3 pm on Sunday, September 8. Johnson says she is looking for volunteers The goal, Johnson said, is to “change downtown into to staff the event, especially to spell the artists an art space with many interactive events.” Calling when they take breaks. Get up-to-date info at it “one of the most inclusive events Laramie offers,” laramiemainstreet.org. the organizers are encouraging happenings where participants can become artists. They can paint and draw, sing and dance. “We are partnering with places such as sports bars that typically don’t feature the arts and artists.” In the end, customers at bars, restaurants, and other retail businesses get a chance to try their hand at the arts. The artists, in turn, invite friends and family to support them at the business. “The artist should bring in a new demographic of
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Art is Everywhere
Exciting Arts Events
Pictured clockwise from top left: Governor Mark Gordon and First Lady Jennie Gordon with 2018 Governor’s Arts Awards winners, Marsha Knight, Laramie, Karyne Dunbar, Shell, Keith Seidel, Cody and Elaine Henry, Big Horn; A young attendee at the Oyster Ridge Music Festival hoola hoops along with the music; Students at the Bighorn Bluegrass camp playing in String Bass Class; One of the many quilts from the Yvonne Hollenbeck Quilt and Poetry Show.
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Wyoming arts council
Pictured clockwise from top left: The Wyoming Symphony Orchestra has named Christopher Dragon as its new conductor and music director following a search lasting 1 ½ years; Backstage with the musicians of Hot Tamale Louie on April 13, 2019 at the University of Wyoming’s Education Auditorium in Laramie, WY; Wyoming State Champion Lauren Haiar from Sundance High School competed at the national competition of Poetry Out Loud in Washington, D.C.; We headed to Treefort Music Festival in Boise, ID this spring to work on establishing a partnership to increase regional touring and performance opportunities for Wyoming musicians.
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Wyoming Arts Council 2301 Central Avenue Cheyenne, WY 82002
Presorted Standard U.S. Postage
PAID
Cheyenne, WY Permit No. 7