Friday, May 28, 2010

Museum Hours over Memorial Day Weekend


The University of Wyoming Art Museum will be open with its regular hours this Saturday, May 29, from 10 am - 5 pm. Due to the Memorial Day holiday on Monday, May 31, the Art Museum will be closed.

Summer activities and exhibitions will kick off in the first week of June, with a new summer exhibition, Dufy by Design: The Fabric Designs of Raoul Dufy opening on Friday, June 4th, with a free opening reception that evening from 6-8 pm. A second summer exhibition, Neltje, is currently on view and will also be celebrated at the opening reception. Art Talks and Gallery Walk Throughs are scheduled June 3, 4, and 5 with Wyoming artist Neltje, curator Shirley Howarth, and UW faculty members Donna Brown, Sonya Meyer, Lee Hodgson, and Ellen Jaegersen. See below for the complete schedule. Visit the Art Museum's website or call 307.766.6622 for more information. All events are free and open to the public.

The Art Museum wishes everyone a safe and happy Memorial Day weekend!


June 3
An Evening with Dufy

Art Talk: Shirley Howarth, curator of Dufy by Design
"Raoul Dufy and the Transformation of Fabric Design"
6:30 pm

Art Conversation: UW Faculty, Donna Brown, Sonya Meyer, Lee Hodgson, Ellen Jaegersen
"Fashion Evolutions in the Period of Dufy"
7:15 pm


June 4
Gallery Walk Through: Shirley Howarth
10:30 am

Gallery Walk Through: Neltje
4:30 pm

Summer Opening Reception
6-8 pm


June 5
Art Talk: Neltje
1:30 pm

Thursday, May 27, 2010

UW Art Museum Videos on YouTube


The University of Wyoming Art Museum now has four videos available on YouTube. The Art Museum has been working with UW Television to create a series of filmed interviews with contemporary artists. When the Art Museum hosts an exhibition, often times the artist comes to Laramie to either assist with installation of the exhibition, or for various public programs, like an Art Talk or to work with students.

Capturing the words, voices, and ideas of these contemporary artists is an important aspect in developing a fuller understanding and appreciation of their work. Currently available on YouTube are interviews with James Surls, Kwang-Young Chun, Peter Sarkisian, and the most recent addition, Harold Garde.

To view any of these videos, visit the UW Art Museum's channel on YouTube.

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Summer Art Classes and Camps

Students participate in the Spring Break 2010 Art Camp.

The Education Department at the UW Art Museum has several summer art opportunities for kids of a variety of ages. Scholarships are available to assist families with limited incomes. Pre-registration is recommended. Museum members receive a 10% discount. See below for a list of the various classes and camps, information about when they meet, and the activities involved. For more information, or to register, contact Master Teacher Heather Bender at hbender1@uwyo.edu or 307.766.3515.

Pre-School and Kindergarten Class
Finding Inspiration in the World Around Us
Wednesdays, June 2, 9, 16, 23
10:30 - 11:30 am
$25/4-class session

Everyday we see things that can become ideas for making art. Sometimes we don't even realize it. This month, students will transform their own ideas into prints, collage, fabric art, and more, as they investigate the world around us for unique art ideas and inspiration. This class will look at the work of artists Harold Garde, Leon Kelly, Neltje, and Raoul Dufy for inspiration and ideas.


Summer Art Camp
Look Around: What Do You See?
Ages 6-10: Monday - Friday, June 14 - 18, 1 - 4:45 pm
Ages 11-15: Monday - Friday, June 21-25, 1 - 4:45 pm
Weekly rate: $60/student
Daily drop-in rate: $15/student

Artists have the most interesting way of looking at the world. Sometimes the most commonplace items become their subject. Other times they use materials that no one else would consider as art supplies. We'll explore the work of an exciting array of artists who paint, print, collage, and more. We'll write about our impressions of their viewpoint and make art inspired and informed by what we see.


Paint Pony Express
Ages 4-5: Tuesdays, July 6, 13, 20
Ages 6-8: Wednesdays, July 7, 14, 21
Ages 9-11: Thursdays, July 8, 15, 22
1-3 pm each day
FREE

Under the guidance of visiting artists and museum teachers, students will explore an array of artwork: paintings, textiles, collages, and more. They will then create their own artwork using writing, movement, and visual art materials to convey their own artistic response and vision. Wyoming artist Neltje will be an artist-in-residence with Paint Pony Express the week of July 6-8. Each week focuses on a different exhibition, and each day is designed for a different age group. Please wear clothes that you can create in. Parents must stay with children under 5 years of age.


Summer Solstice Celebration
Monday, June 21, 11:30-12:30 pm
FREE

After Wyoming's long winter, it's worth celebrating the longest day of the year and the official beginning of summer. Every year on the summer solstice, a solar tube in the ceiling illuminates a silver dollar in the center of the Rotunda Gallery at exactly 12 noon. Join us for this fun event and to view the sun through astronomer Ray Martin's filtered solar telescope, which will be set up on the terrace.

Friday, May 21, 2010

Neltje - exhibition opens on Saturday

Neltje, Clear and Silent Light IV, mixed media, acrylic on canvas, 24 x 24 inches
Image courtesy of the artist

An exhibition featuring eminent Wyoming artist Neltje (American, b. 1934) will open on Saturday, May 22 at the UW Art Museum. Neltje highlights recent paintings, including new works that incorporate paper, text, and found objects.

Neltje’s work is rooted in movement and gesture. Her early works, in the form of sumi-e, a characteristically Asian style of brush painting similar to calligraphy, allowed her the freedom to experiment with line and motion. As her work evolved, she found inspiration in the work of other abstract artists like Jon Schueler and Joan Mitchell. Their bold approach to color and making distinctive marks on the canvas influenced Neltje’s own creative process.

Neltje will be in Laramie June 3-5, and will provide a Gallery Walk Through on Friday, June 4 at 10:30 am. She will give an Art Talk on Saturday, June 5 at 1:30 pm. An opening reception for all summer exhibitions will be held on Friday, June 4 at 6 pm. All events are free and open to the public.

For more information about programs and exhibitions, please call the Art Museum at 307.766.6622, or visit the website. For more information on Neltje's work, please visit the artist's website.

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

UPDATED - Art Museum to be Featured on CBS

Art Museum Master Teacher Heather Bender talks with CBS reporter Ben Rosehart in the Shelton Studio.

The UW Art Museum will be featured in CBS News Channel 5's new segment "Common $ense" on Wednesday evening and Thursday morning. Reporter Ben Rosehart is focusing on a series of fun, family friendly things to do this summer in Southeast Wyoming. Rosehart was at the Art Museum Tuesday afternoon to talk with staff members and hear about the summer exhibitions and education programs.

The show will air Wednesday, May 19 on the 5:30 and 10 pm news. It will also show on the 6 am Thursday morning news. Tune in to hear about the fun and free things to do at the Art Museum!

UPDATE: The segment is also featured on the CBS Channel 5 website. Scroll down the homepage until you see the link to the video for "Common $ense."

Monday, May 10, 2010

Final Week to See Sarkisian Exhibition

An installation view of Peter Sarkisian: Video Works, 1996-2008 at the UW Art Museum.

This is the final week to see the exhibition of Santa Fe video artist Peter Sarkisian's work. Peter Sarkisian: Video Works, 1996-2008 will be on view this week, with the final day to see it being Saturday, May 15.

The exhibition features 9 key works from the span of Sarkisian's career exploring the medium of video and projection. He has created several new ways of projecting onto surfaces, whether they are found objects or three-dimensional plastic screens. Most of the work incorporates sound, forcing the viewer to question their experience in the space.

Be sure to come by the Art Museum this week to check out this innovative and exciting exhibition! For more information on this or any other exhibition, call 307.766.6622 or visit the museum website.

Friday, May 7, 2010

Postponed - 20:20 Performing Arts

The UW Art Museum has decided to postpone 20:20 Performing Arts, originally scheduled for June 7th. Summertime in Laramie means fewer presenters are around and smaller crowds, so we've decided to reschedule this particular 20:20 for later in the year. Keep an eye out for future 20:20 events; we're always looking for new presenters to show off their work!

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

James Surls: Flowers Closes Saturday

James Surls: Flowers installation view

Last chance to see James Surls: Flowers, an exhibition of scultpure that explores the floral theme, a signature motif in the artist's work, and the idea of sculpture suspended from the ceiling.  All are precursors to Rolling Flower, the major commissioned work of art for Coe Library's new expansion.

James Surls: Flowers closes Saturday, May 8.  Gallery hours are 10am - 5 pm Mon. - Fri.