Creativity at Work V i sua l A rt s , K etc h u m Feb 21–May 24, 2014 Art is inherently creative. But it’s also hard work. And artists need to make a living. This exhibition considers the idea of “work” from various perspectives: the places work is done, the collaborative nature of creative work, the skill and craft involved in making objects, and the economics of work. Meggan Gould’s Workspace photos depict places where creative work takes place. Some of these are places we associate with creativity: an artist’s studio, a commercial kitchen, a classroom. Others are less expected: the worktable of a glass eyeball painter, a boatyard, the studio of a duck decoy maker. Tracy Linder grew up on a family farm and now lives on the p rairie of south central Montana. Her sculptural installations consider the human relationship to the land and to our food. On display in The Center’s project room is Conversations with the Land, large panels made from animal collagen that feature photographic images of family farmers at work. Internationally known artist Allan McCollum has been working for several years on The Shapes Project, a system to design a unique two-dimensional shape for every person on the planet. Using a modular set of components, McCollum creates each shape by hand in Adobe Illustrator. The system is organized to create up to 31,000,000,000 individual shapes, and McCollum has been producing them in groups—sometimes working with craftspeople to translate his shapes into different kinds of utilitarian or decorative objects. The Center has been working with McCollum to create Shapes from Idaho. Inspired by the wooden signage that surrounds us in the Sawtooth National Recreational Area and other public lands, Bellevue-based sign maker Jason Georgiades has produced 144 wooden signs featuring sandblasted shapes that McCollum created using his system. Installed together, the signs unite a number of ideas at the heart of our project: the connection between creativity and craft, the systems that underlie creativity and the collaborative quality of creative work. Danica Phelps has devoted much of her career to carefully tracking the financial side of her life as an artist. For this exhibition, she is creating a series of drawings that are part of her ongoing project Income’s Outcome, a meticulous record of the money she receives from selling artwork and her expenses. Drawings of red and green stripes represent money coming into and out of her household and hang alongside simple, elegant line drawings of things she’s purchased with her earnings. Yumi Janairo Roth is interested in work that often gets overlooked, including construction and shipping. She takes utilitarian objects associated with these fields and uses other materials to elevate them, making them precious: a chain link fence made of sterling silver; shipping pallets inlaid with mother of pearl. Working with non-traditional materials (paper and Tyvek envelopes that once enclosed bills, bank statements and paychecks), Stephen Sollins has created a series of traditionally patterned quilts, using a form historically considered “women’s work” to consider the connection between labor and craft as well as the financial side of creative work.
this panel Left to right, top to bottom: Danica Phelps, drawings from Income’s Outcome, 2007-present, courtesy the artist, Galerie Michael Sturm, Stuttgart, and Galería Nieves Fernández, Madrid Tracy Linder, Conversations with the Land (series of 7 panels), 1997, photo emulsion on animal collagen, polyurethane, twine, lumber, courtesy the artist Stephen Sollins, Untitled (Afterthought) (detail), 2010, used envelopes (printed paper, ink, pencil, acetate, stamps), courtesy the artist and Pavel Zoubok Gallery, New York Allan McCollum, The Shapes Project, 2006, small framed monoprints, courtesy the artist and Petzel, New York
Far Right: Meggan Gould, Ocularist, Portland, Maine, 2010, courtesy the artist Cover: Yumi Janairo Roth, Stacked Datsun (detail), 2013, used shipping pallets, mother of pearl, converted pickup truck, courtesy the artist OPening Panel:
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Gallery Walks Fri, Mar 14, and Sat, May 24 5–7pm Free at The Center, Ketchum Start your Gallery Walk at The Center!
Good People By David Lindsay-Abaire Feb 12–Mar 1 Liberty Theatre, Hailey Welcome to Southie, a Boston neighborhood where a night on the town means a few rounds of bingo, where this month’s paycheck covers last month’s bills and where Margie Walsh has just been let go from yet another job. With his signature humorous glow, Lindsay-Abaire explores the struggles and unshakeable hopes that come with having next to nothing in America.
Evening Exhibition Tours Thu, Feb 27, Thu, Mar 20 and Thu, Apr 10, 5:30pm Free at The Center, Ketchum Enjoy a glass of wine as you tour the exhibition with The Center’s curators and gallery guides. Favor de llamar al Centro de las Artes para arreglar visitas guiadas en español.
Meggan Gould, Gideon Bok Studio, Rockland, Maine, 2009, courtesy the artist Mailer panel: Yumi Janairo Roth, Stacked Datsun, 2013, used shipping pallets, mother of pearl, converted pickup truck, courtesy the artist
Sun Valley Center for the Arts www.sunvalleycenter.org
Show Sponsors: Linda & Bob Edwards, Marcia & Don Liebich, Main St. Market, and John & Mary Ann Underwood
Pa n e l Di s c us sion
Fa m i ly Day
Accessing Our Creativity: Marty Albertson, James Foster, Bobby Hughes Thu, Apr 3, 6:30pm The Center, Ketchum FREE Designer Bobby Hughes, business professional Marty Albertson and educator James Foster will address the ways creativity and innovation play critical roles in our lives.
Explore the Art of Fingerprinting Sat, Apr 12, 3–5pm The Center, Ketchum FREE How do different kinds of workers integrate creativity into their work? After young artists and their families have toured the gallery, they will tap into their own creativity and get their fingers dirty during this fun artmaking experience. Families can tour Creativity at Work at 3pm & 4pm with Center staff.
Films Objectified Followed by a discussion with local designers Tue, Mar 11, 6:30pm Liberty Theatre, Hailey $10 / $12 nonmember Objectified is a feature-length documentary about our complex relationship with manufactured objects and, by extension, the people who design them. Eames: The Architect & The Painter Thu, Apr 10, 7pm Magic Lantern, Ketchum $10 / $12 nonmember This documentary explores the work of the husband-and-wife design team of Charles and Ray Eames, regarded as America’s most important designers and known for, among many things, their Eames Chair. Narrated by James Franco. T e e n Wor k shop Public Art: Make the community a little cozier with crocheted yarn bombs! Sat & Sun, Apr 5 & 6, 10am–4pm The Center, Hailey Pre-registration is required Yarn bombs, yarn storms, guerilla knitting and cozies all describe the popular international movement of creating art installations that bring color and texture to otherwise sterile or overlooked places using yarns and fibers as the material of choice. Students will learn the basics of crochet to design and complete a yarn bomb in the community.
Class Serious Play & Design Thinking with Bobby Hughes Sat & Sun, Apr 5 & 6, 9am–12pm Meriwether Building, Hailey $85 / $135 for nonmembers How can you use play and design to lead innovation? In this two-day hands-on workshop, participants will explore creativity, risk-taking and Design Thinking—a problem-solving approach combining empathy and creativity to address “messy challenges” of any scale, in any organization or business. Day 1 will emphasize play as a tool for innovation through interactive “on your feet” activities from the world of professional improvisation. Day 2 will focus on using a Design Thinking Approach to produce meaningful innovations. Come explore new ideas and new approaches! Build your creative confidence to become an innovation leader. No prior experience or skills are necessary. A willingness to be bold, have fun and try new things is required! Bobby Hughes is an awardwinning designer, educator and innovation consultant. He is Principal of Aardvark Design Labs, where he helps people and organizations build their creativity and innovation capabilities. He is a part-time lecturer at the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design at Stanford University and continues to consult with cutting-edge organizations such as Google, Intel, and Nike. Hughes received a BS in Physics from the University of Washington and an MS in Engineering/Product Design from Stanford University.
February 12–May 24, 2014
Creativity at Work n 2011 and again in 2012, the staff at the professional networking site LinkedIn surveyed its members and found the number one word they used to describe themselves was “creative.” While bloggers at LinkedIn described the word as overused, perhaps it in fact reflects a shift in our culture’s attitudes and values regarding work. We associate the word creativity with the arts. But, obviously, workers across the economic spectrum find that creativity is an essential part of what they do. How do different kinds of workers, from musicians to software developers to farmers, integrate creativity into their work? And how has technology boosted (or stifled) our ability to think and perform creatively? Author and urban studies theorist Richard Florida argues that creativity must be the fundamental driver of our economy. Businesses that prioritize innovation have become the nation’s economic leaders, and, as science writer Jonah Lehrer points out, some corporations are using science to create environments specifically designed to trigger creativity. Lehrer has written that moments of innovation often seem to occur out of the blue, as a flash of insight. But, he explains, these moments usually follow a considerable amount of work, and precede revisions and reiterations. Creativity and hard work are inextricably linked. This multidisciplinary project considers that link—the connection between work and creativity—and its impact on the American workplace through workshops, theatre, panel discussions, films and a visual arts exhibition.
Sun Valley Center for the Arts P.O. Box 656, Sun Valley, ID 83353 208.726.9491 www.sunvalleycenter.org Center hours & location in Ketchum: M–F 9am–5pm, Sat in Feb & Mar 11am–5pm 191 Fifth Street East, Ketchum, Idaho Sun Valley Center for the Arts P O Box 656 Sun Valley, ID 83353
PERMIT NO. 679 BOISE ID
PAID U S POSTAGE NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION