John Henry Sculpture Installation Underway

John Henry guides a manlift to install

his monumental sculpture, River High.
Photo courtesy of the UW Art Museum.

Chattanooga artist John Henry was in town today to begin the installation of his 55-ft tall sculpture, River High. With 5 assistants with him, progress was challenged by high winds in the afternoon and a malfunctioning manlift. However, he and his crew worked into the evening to construct River High. Work will continue tomorrow and Wednesday to complete and repaint the sculpture.

Dolega Sculpture Installed in Optimist Park

Chief Preparator Stoney Smith (left), Laramie Parks Manager
Mike Zook (partially hidden),and artist Stan Dolega (right)
steady the cone-like structure of Veedauwoo Modernized
as it is loaded for transporting to the installation site
at Optimist Park. Courtesy of the UW Art Museum.

Stan Dolega, Veedauwoo Modernized, 2008,
steel, flagstone, boulders, 10 x 10 x 6 ft.
Courtesy of the UW Art Museum.

Installation of local artist Stan Dolega's sculpture, Veedauwoo Modernized, in Optimist Park on Laramie's west side occurred this morning. City and museum staff assisted the artist in relocating the scultpure from his West Laramie studio to the site.

Veedauwoo Modernized is the 17th sculpture to be installed over the summer for the public art exhibibition, Sculpture: A Wyoming Invitational. Curated by the UW Art Museum director & chief curator, Susan Moldenhauer, and organized by the University of Wyoming Art Museum in partnership with the university and the city of Laramie, the temporary exhibition will remain on view through July 2009. One sculpture remains to be installed at the Laramie Recreation Center. John Henry's River High will be installed next week.

Sculpture for Laramie Recreation Center to be installed Monday

River High under construction

in John Henry's Chattanooga studio.

Courtesy of the artist.

Preparations are complete for the scheduled installation of John Henry's monumental sculpture River High at the Laramie Recreation Center on Monday, August 28.

Standing 55-ft tall, the steel scultpure required a 14-ft base and will be painted on site. We have yet to know what primary color John Henry will select for the work!

Preparing the site for the scultpure has involved designing the pad to support the scale and weight of the sculpture, testing the concrete to meet specifications, and forming and pouring the pad. We would like to thank Haselden Construction and Coffey Engineering for their contribution of the pad!

Press release for John Henry.
For more information, visit the Art Museum webpage (which will be updated soon!).

Tours of Sculpture: A Wyoming Invitational Announced for the Fall

Weekly Tours of Sculpture: A Wyoming Invitational at the Art Museum and on Prexy’s Pasture begin at the Art Museum each Wednesday at 10 am and Thursday at 2 pm. Tours will run through Thursday, Sept. 25.

Kick-Off with Art. Pre-Game Tours of Sculpture: A Wyoming Invitational begin at the Art Museum at 10 am on the following Saturdays: Sept. 6, Sept. 13, and Sept. 27.

Community Day: Laramie residents and visitors are invited to a day of special tours of Sculpture: A Wyoming Invitational on Saturday, October 4. This is your chance to participate in free guided tours of all of the sculpture installed around town and on campus.

Bus Tours start at the Art Museum at 10 am, 1 pm and 3 pm. Seating is limited (40 max.) and reservations are required. Call 766-6622 to reserve your spot.

Walking tours begin at the Art Museum at 10:30 am, 1:30 pm and 3:30 pm. Wear comfortable shoes as we will explore the sculpture at the museum before strolling to Prexy’s Pasture to see the five sculptures on view there.

A self-guided tour brochure will also be available for those who want to explore Sculpture: A Wyoming Invitation on their own!

To RSVP for the Bus Tours or for more information, contact Pam Vaughn, 307-766-3477 or pvaugh1@uwyo.edu.

Local Artist Stan Dolega Prepares for Sculpture Installation

Stan Dolega (right) discusses plans to relocate his new sculpture, Veedauwoo Modernized, to Optimist Park with Laramie Parks & Recreation staff. Photo courtesy of the UW Art Museum.

Laramie artist Stan Dolega has create a new, outdoor sculpture for Sculpture: A Wyoming Invitational. The 10 x 10 x 8 ft work, Veedauwoo Modernized, is inspired by the rock formation east of Laramie and made from steel, flagstone, and boulders. The sculpture is scheduled for installation in Optimist Park on Laramie's West Side on Thursday, August 21.

Press Release for Stan Dolega.
For more information, visit the Art Museum webpage.

Sculptures from Permanent Collection Placed Off Campus

Robert Russin, First Steps, ca. 1972, bronze, 5 x 6-1/2 x 3-1/2 feet, University of Wyoming Art Museum Collection, gift of Isadore Familian, 1991.23. Photo courtesy of the UW Art Museum.


John Kearney, Alligator, 1973, chrome plated steel, welded, 26-1/2 x 115 x 24 inches, University of Wyoming Art Museum Collection, gift of Mr. Harris J. Klein, 1974.3. Photo coutesy of the UW Art Museum.

Two more scultpures were placed in Laramie as the installation of Sculpture: A Wyoming Invitational continues. On Grand Avenue and 4th St, John Kearney's Alligator is on the lawn of the City Annex or former Carnegie Building. John Kearney's Alligator, created from car bumpers, was gifted to the Art Museum in 1974. It has not been exhibted outside the museum since the 1992.

Robert Russin's First Step is now in Undine Park near the wading pool. It was placed in time to be included in the recent Art in the Parks fundraising event for the Friends of Undine Park. It joins a number of other Russin sculptures in Laramie and at UW, most notably the Wyoming Family on Prexy's Pasture and the Lincoln monument at the highest point of I-80 between Laramie and Cheyenne.

We are most grateful to the City of Laramie and the Friends of Undine Park for their enthusiasm in wanting scultpure placed in Laramie.

Press release for John Kearney and Robert Russin.

For more information, visit the UW Art Museum webpage.

Identifying Permanent Art at UW and in Laramie

Dan Ostermiller, Daydreamer, located between the Wyoming Union and Half Acre Gym west of Prexy's Pasture. Photo courtesy of the UW Art Museum.

The UW Art Museum seeks to identify public art that is permanently installed in Laramie and on campus. Our intent is to not only capture this information but also to include it in our walking/driving tour guide for Sculpture: A Wyoming Invitational.

The list below is what we know thusfar. If you know of additional scultpures or art in public places that are missing from this list, please contact Sarah Gadd, assistant curator, at 307-766-6621 or sarahl@uwyo.edu. We appreciate everyone's help in assisting us gather information.

WPA Murals and Architecture

1. Lynn Fausett, Western Welcome, mural, 1940, Wyoming Union
2. Edward Grigware, Knowledge is the Light of Destiny, 1952, UW College of Education
3. Virginia Pitman, Evolution of Law, painting, UW College of Law
4. John Walley, mural, UW College of Engineering
5. Florence Ware, four murals, Laramie Plains Civic Center Auditorium
6. Knight Hall, Wyoming Union (original building), and A&S building (WPA designed and constructed)

Outdoor Art - UW

1. Dave McGary, Battle of Two Hearts, painted bronze, 2006, Grand Avenue south of Washakie Center
2. Robert I. Russin, University of Wyoming Family, marble, Prexy’s Pasture
3. Robert I. Russin, Ben Franklin, south of the A&S building
4. Dan Ostermiller, Daydreamer, bronze, 2001, between the Wyoming Union and Half Acre Gym
5. Peter Fillerup, Fanning a Twister, bronze, dedicated in 1990, adjacent to the Arena-Auditorium
6. Ashley Hope Carlisle, to be installed fall 2008, north of College of A&S

Indoor art by local and student artists - UW campus

1. Old Main
2. College of Health Sciences
3. Coe Library
4. Wyoming Union
5. Fine Arts Building
6. Fraternity Row

Laramie Outdoor Sculpture - Laramie

1. Robert I. Russin, Abraham Lincoln Memorial Monument, bronze, 1959, exit 323 on I80
2. Blair Muhlestein (Loveland, CO), Lickety Split, bronze, Reynolds Crossing, 1267 North 15th
3. Vince Valdez, Catching the Spirit, bronze, 2006, LCCC, 1125 Boulder Drive
4. Albany County Library (list coming)
5. John Baker (Laramie, WY), The Franchise, bronze, 307 South 2^nd Street
6. Untitled Eagle, bronze, dedicated 1924, corner of 5^th and Ivinson Streets, Albany County Courthouse
7. David Reif, Albany County Courthouse (to be installed in October)

Indoor Art - Laramie

1. Robert I. Russin, Sea Spirits, bronze, Recreation Center, 920 Boulder Drive
2. Robert I. Russin, Fulfillment, bronze, Ivinson Memorial Hospital, 255 N. 30th Street

Location List of Sculptures in Sculpture: A Wyoming Invitational Released

Laramie Locations, click to enlarge.

Campus Locations, click to enlarge.

While we are working on a Walking/Driving Tour brochure for Sculpture: A Wyoming Invitational, we have released a list of artists, artwork, and their locations on campus and in Laramie.

Sculpture: A Wyoming Invitational

Sculpture: A Wyoming Invitational is an exhibition of outdoor public art on the campus of the University of Wyoming and in the City of Laramie. The exhibition will continue through July 2009.

Sculpture: A Wyoming Invitational was an idea conceived in response to the University of Wyoming Art Museum’s planned renovations effecting the galleries, and to the increasing interest in public art for our campus and community.

Seventeen sculptures by 16 artists are on view, or are in the process of being installed, on the campus of the University of Wyoming and across the City of Laramie. The exhibition officially opens with a reception on Friday, September 12, 4:00 – 6:00 pm, on Prexy’s Pasture at the Simpson Family Plaza.

The Artists

Deborah Butterfield, Stan Dolega, Patrick Dougherty, Linda Fleming, John Henry, Jun Kaneko, John Kearney, Charmaine Locke, Jesús Moroles, Charles Parson, Carl Reed, Robert Russin, James Surls, Steven Siegel, Ursula von Rydingsvard, Wanxin Zhang, and, by special invitation, the artists of Ark Regional Services.

Locations

Art Museum

Deborah Butterfield, Billings, 1996, found steel, welded, 87 x 102 x 32 inches, lent by the artist

Ursula von Rydingsvard, Doolin Doolin, 1995-1997, cedar and graphite, 83 x 212 x 77 inches, lent by Neltje

Jun Kaneko, Untitled Dango, glazed ceramic, 75-1/2 x 59 x 29 inches, 2001, University of Wyoming Art Museum Collection, Patricia R. Guthrie, W. Sherman and Dorothy Burns Estate, and University of Wyoming Art Museum Acquisition Fund Purchase, 2004.3

Jesús Bautista Moroles, Eclipse, Vermont granite, 78-1/2 x 33-1/4 x 7-1/2 inches, 1990, University of Wyoming Art Museum Collection, gift of Harvey and Mireille Katz, in honor of Olga Mordo, 1998.8

Prexy’s Pasture (clockwise from Simpson Plaza)

Charles Parson, Molto Allargando, 2008, steel, glass, plastic, earth, 65-feet, lent by the artist (north of Ross Hall)

Carl Reed, Braced Ring with Outlyer, 2008, stone, steel, 96 x 129 x 73 inches, 64 x 27 x25 inches, lent by the artist (east of the College of A&S)

James Surls, In Circle, 2008, stainless steel, 120 x 113 x 107 inches, lent by the artist (south of the College of Agriculture)

Patrick Dougherty, Short Cut, 2008, saplings, 17 x 21 x 39 feet, site-specific installation, lent by the artist (northwest corner)

Jesús Moroles, Granite Windows, 2008, found steel tank, granite, 7 feet tall x 8 feet diameter, lent by the artist (west of Half Acre Gym)

Old Main (president’s suite)

Wanxin Zhang, Waiting, 2007, glazed ceramic, 76 x 24 x 18 inches, University of Wyoming Art Museum Collection, Patricia S. Guthrie Special Exhibits Endowment and the National Advisory Board of the UW Art Museum Purchase, 2008.14

Classroom Building (plaza on 9th St)

Linda Fleming, Refugium, 2007, laser cut steel, 105 x 228 x 108 inches, lent by the artist
City of Laramie

Charmaine Locke, Open Book, 2004, bronze, 1/5, 79 x 63 x 40 inches, lent by the Surls Locke Personal Collection (Albany County Public Library, Grand Ave)

John Kearney, Alligator, 1973, chrome plated steel, welded, 26-1/2 x 115 x 24 inches, University of Wyoming Art Museum Collection, gift of Mr. Harris J. Klein, 1974.3 (City Annex, 4th & Grand)

Robert Russin, First Step, ca. 1972, bronze, 5 x 6-1/2 x 3-1/2 feet, University of Wyoming Art Museum Collection, gift of Isadore Familian, 1991.23 (Undine Park)

Steven Siegel, It goes under, 2008, mulch, screening, wood, 170 feet, site-specific installation, lent by the artist (Laramie Greenbelt at Commerce St entrance)

Forthcoming Installations

August 4
Artists of Ark, (title unknown), 2008, steel and mixed media, size variable, made possible by a grant from the Wyoming Arts Council (Center for Creative Arts, N 4th)

August 21
Stan Dolega, Vedauwoo Modernized, 2008, steel, boulders, flagstone, 10 x 10 x 8 feet, lent by the artist (Optimist Park)

August 25 – 27
John Henry, River High, 2008, painted steel, 55 feet tall, lent by the artist (east of Rec Center on Boulder Dr)

Sculpture was organized by the University of Wyoming Art Museum, and made possible through the generosity of an anonymous sponsor and the National Advisory Board of the UW Art Museum, with additional funding from the UW President’s Office, UW Academic Affairs Office, UW Physical Plant, Wyoming Cultural Trust Fund, Guthrie Family Foundation, FMC Corporation, Richard & Judith Agee, John & Mari Ann Martin, American National Bank, First Interstate Bank of Laramie and First Interstate Bancsystem Foundation, Elizabeth Firestone Graham Foundation, Haselden Construction, Murdock Law Firm P.C., Rocky Mountain Power, Albany County Tourism Board, Laramie Parks & Recreation, Laramie Economic Development Corporation and the Laramie Beautification Committee, Wyoming Public Radio, Albany County Library Foundation, and the Wyoming Arts Council through the Wyoming State Legislature and the National Endowment for the Arts which believes a great nation deserves great art.

For more information, call (307) 766-6622 or visit the Art Museum webpage.

Patrick Dougherty's "Short Cut" Completed on Prexy's Pasture

Patrick Dougherty, Shortcut, 2008.
Photo courtesy of the UW Art Museum.

With the last stick in place and mulch laid, Patrick Dougherty's site-specific sculpture created from truckloads of locally-collected saplings, the artist has titled the work Shortcut.

Shortcut was created along an unpaved path that is used by students and faculty as a "short cut" that bisects the northeast corner of Prexy's Pasture. The sculpture has four components, formed inspired by the boulders in the Simpson Family Plaza at the opposing south corner of Prexy's. Dougherty became interested in the crevices in the boulders and the spaces between them. The "boulders" of Shortcut are penetrated by doorways so it is possible, even probable, that those who enter are captivated by a maze of walkways and hut-like structures with views of the sky.

Dougherty's sculpture would not have been possible without the generosity of Don Bath and Lefty Cole, ranchers who enthusiastically responded to our inquiries about gathering saplings from their ranches, the Bath Ranch and Deerwood Ranch. We are most grateful.

Press release for Patrick Dougherty.
Patrick Dougherty's website.
For more information, visit the Art Museum's webpage.