University of Wyoming Art Museum

Artist Brian Dickerson on KOWB This Morning

2012-01-27T08:12:00.000-08:00

Brian Dickerson (American, b. 1951), Vroman, 2011, oil, wax, mixed media on wood, 47 x 40 x 4 inches, courtesy of the artist

Artist Brian Dickerson was on the radio this morning with KOWB to talk to Laramie Live about his solo exhibition here at the UW Art Museum. Their website has a link to the audio clip from this morning where you can hear what he has to say about his work.

Dickerson will be presenting a Gallery Walk Through this evening at the museum at 4:30 pm. This will be followed by our spring opening reception from 6 to 8 pm. Both events are free and open to the public.

Please call 307.766.6622 for more information, or visit our website.

List of Accepted Student Work is Posted

2012-01-19T07:44:00.001-08:00

Congratulations to those students whose work has been accepted into the 37th Annual Juried UW Student Exhibition! The list of students and the title of the work that has been accepted is listed below. If you are a student whose work has been accepted, please review your name and the title of your work to verify that it is correct. If you need to pick up unaccepted work at the museum, or if you have any questions, please contact assistant curator Rachel Miller at 307.766.6621 or rmiller@uwyo.edu.

University of Wyoming Art Museum

37^th Annual Juried Student Exhibition

Accepted Work

Kristin Althoff

Carte Blanche

Jake Bathen

Bobby

Jim Bridger

Madison Becker

Unequal Champions

Madison

Angela Beeson

Portrait with Pearls

Ryan Bohnenkamp

Untitled

Bryan Brodersen

Real Hay Stacks

Kira Cheshier

Slow Food International Invite

Hannah Clark

Graveyard

Justin Cloud

Paranoia

Beth Cochran

Death Bed

Purging the Excess

Maddie Costigan

Bee.

Sarah Dahlinger

Freak Show

The Tramp

Unicycle Chain Gang

April Dockter

Past

Pamela Fanelli

Lungs

Iris and Tiger Lily Reunited

Brandon Fischer

Exhaustion

Felicia Follum

Who Taught You to Hate?

Kelsey Giroux

Growth

Courtney Googe

Prayers for Children

Lamassu for Libya

A Tiger in the Bed

Jennessa Hamilton

Secrets of Adultery

Chancelor Havlik

Grace & Law

Hilary Havlik

Cool Dudes ‘n Boots

The Eagle

Jennifer Heater

Untitled

Emily House

Ketchup & Mustard

Tyler Jackson

Level Skateboard

Allen Jones

Muted Still Life

Chelsea Klassen

Girl in the Green Dress

Dakotah Konicek

Coluspus

Consequential Evidence

Jacquie Lahr

Wisconsin Supreme

Amanda Larsen

Care

Anne Luben

Lost Museums of Luck and Memory

Hand of Fortune

Evan Major

Have a Nice Day

Ben Marshall

Illuminate Camping Kit

Margot McFaul

Dystopia Book Series

Maggie Mullen

La Mer

Une Femme au Chateau

Kristin Nielsen, Shelby Piche, Katherine Imig, and Chris Toly

Venture Apparel

Calli Nissen

Powell, Wyoming 2006

Bottle Collection

Dannis Nyberg

Babies

Nuray Packard

Miss Anatolia

Restoration 20

Jasmine Peck

Untitled (Ears)

Untitled (Teapot)

Nash Quinn

Roadside Holy Water

The March

Brandon Reavis

Sandstone Monument

Bethany Reisner

Escapee

Scope

Mark Robertson

Power Planet

Brandon Russell

Paved Paradise and Put Up a Parking Lot

Controlled Burn

Kari Siler

Tribute

Bee a Dancer

Gary Staebler

Sea Voyage Book Covers

Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation Annual Report

Cheyenne Tennant

Untitled

Sam Vogel

Spinner Fall

Travis Wall

Surviving Design Portfolio

Andy Wempen

Removal of the Emotional to Physical

Loss

Kelsy Werries

Bloom

Guarded

Chloe West

Heart Attack

Joshua White

Winter Day

Kaitlyn Whitlock

Women’s Work

Road Trip

Lisa Zirbel

Anguish

UW Art Museum Seeks New Ann Simpson Artmobile Curator

2012-01-18T11:36:00.000-08:00

A student works on an art project using the Artmobile printing press.

The University of Wyoming Art Museum (UAM) is looking for a new Ann Simpson Artmobile Curator. As a key outreach program for the art museum, the artmobile curator travels with an exhibition of original artwork to every corner of Wyoming. As an important member of the UAM’s education team, the artmobile curator achieves the museum’s mission by implementing field programs that align with in-house education programs supporting inquiry-based learning.

We are looking for an energetic, creative and organized individual who enjoys meeting and working with people all across Wyoming in diverse settings. An art and/or art education background with printmaking knowledge is required. The curator regularly works with Wyoming’s K-12 teachers to develop programs that support their classroom goals and standards, as well as with community organizations, senior citizens groups, pre-schools and more.

Excellent driving skills are a must since the curator drives many miles in the artmobile van each year to some of Wyoming’s most remote communities. The position is 30 hrs. per week and is benefited.

A full job description can be found online. It is an academic position listed under the UW Human Resources Employment site, titled “Assistant Research Scientist, Ann Simpson Artmobile Curator, position # 6082. Or click on the following url to go directly to the listing: http://www.uwyo.edu/hr/hremployment/showjob.asp?jobid=13172. For more information contact Wendy Bredehoft, Education Curator, 307.766.3496 or wbredeho@uwyo.edu.

Additional Information on CLICK! Weekend for WY Visual Artists

2012-01-13T07:22:00.000-08:00

"CLICK! is what happens when artists reconnect with colleagues and get inspired by new ideas"

CLICK! A Weekend for Wyoming Artists
March 30 - April 1, 2012
Sublette County Library, Pinedale, Wyoming
Registration fees and application info coming soon

Schedule:
Friday, March 30
6 pm Welcome reception and art exhibit by Pipeline Art Project, open to public
7:30 pm "20/20" slide presentations by Wyoming artists, hosted by UW Art Museum (artists must sign up prior). Open to public.

Saturday, March 31
Full day of presentations on developing art career opportunities by art writers, curators, and artists from Wyoming and elsewhere.
Evening banquet at Rendezvous Pointe: Awards ceremony for 2012 Wyoming Arts Council Visual Arts Fellowship Winners.

Sunday, April 1
Morning at Hampton Inn meeting rooms:
Individual artist portfolio reviews with fellowship jurors (artists must sign up prior)

Reduced lodging rates for attendees. Call the Hampton Inn: 307-367-7155 and ask for the CLICK conference block.

For more information: sue@suesommers.com, or the Wyoming Arts Council: 307-733-5234 or www.wyomingartscouncil.org

Sponsored by the Wyoming Arts Council, Pipeline Art Project, UW Art Museum, Pinedale Fine Arts Council, the Wyoming Cultural Trust, Wyoming Women's Business Center and Works of Wyoming, and the Sublette County Library.

Art Museum and Artmobile Featured in UWYO Magazine

2012-01-11T11:04:00.000-08:00

The fine and performing arts are the focus of the January 2012 issue of UWYO Magazine, available now in print and online. Featured alongside such great programs at UW such as Cultural Programs and the Music, Theater, and Dance Departments, the Art Museum is excited to be featured. Images and information from past exhibitions and installations are highlighted, as are the goals and motivations of the Art Museum. Discussions with key personnel showcase the accomplishments of the exhibitions, education, and outreach of the museum.

Also included in this issue is the Ann Simpson Artmobile. UWYO Magazine followed Artmobile curator Beth Remington on a recent visit to Saratoga, where students had the opportunity to view original artwork and then make their own art project inspired by what they saw.

Check out the online version of the magazine here for some great behind-the-scenes images and a look at what we do here at the Art Museum!

Looking Ahead to the New Year

2012-01-03T11:02:00.000-08:00

Brian Dickerson (American, b. 1951), Autumn's End II, 2011, oil, wax, mixed media on wood, 42 x 21 x 9 inches, courtesy of the artist

The new year is upon us and while the Art Museum galleries are closed this month to visitors, the staff is hard at work getting ready for 5 all new exhibitions! We are excited to present a range of work, including two photography exhibitions, Native American baskets, constructed mixed media works, and the always popular, Juried UW Student Exhibition. During the month of January, staff will be busy de-installing the exhibitions from this past fall, packing them up, and shipping them out. Then it's time for gallery maintenance and repairs and the installation of all new work.

You can check out the link here to our website, which has more information and images about what exhibitions are opening this spring, and throughout the year. In addition to presenting new and varied work, we are also looking ahead to the opening of the new Resource Room, which will be a great research and meeting area for faculty, students, and other researchers. Books, catalogs, artist files, and computer workstations in the Resource Room will be a great addition to the Art Museum as we expand our connections to the academic community and other cultural institutions.

We look forward to seeing all of our returning and new visitors in the year ahead!

Winter Break Closure

2011-12-20T11:07:00.001-08:00

Fish Shaped Lock, Late Chosŏn, brass, 1-1/4 x 2-3/4 x 1/2 inches, courtesy of the Lock Museum and the Korea Society

With only two days remaining to see all of the Art Museum's fall exhibitions, we are already looking ahead to the winter break closure. The Art Museum will begin its winter closure this Friday, December 23. The final day to see six exhibitions will be Thursday, so make sure you take a pause from the last minute holiday rush to see these great exhibitions!

The Art Museum will continue to be closed through January and will re-open on Friday, January 27. Each year we take this time to completely re-install the galleries. You can see the exhibitions that are coming up on our website. We kick off the new semester of exhibitions with an opening reception on January 27, 6-8 pm. While the museum is closed to the public during this time, our administrative offices will be open. If you have questions or would like more information, please give us a call at 307.766.6622.

Have a very happy holiday and we look forward to seeing you all and sharing new exhibitions with you in the new year!

Final Week to See Fall Exhibitions

2011-12-15T08:00:00.000-08:00

Unknown Maker, Muffineer, 1886-1887, silver, 6-3/4 x 2-1/2 inches, 3.4 oz., London, courtesy of a private collector

The Art Museum will be closed beginning next Friday for the winter break, which means that there is only one more week to see our fall exhibitions. The exhibitions that will be closing are: Albany County Student Art, The West of Eliot Porter: Images of Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah, Talismans of Protection from Chosŏn Korea: Antique Locks, Latches, and Key Charms, Donovan Widmer: Small Metals, Terror in the Theater: Fifties Fears, and 300 Years of British Silver: Hallmarks of the Monarchies.

The Albany County Student Art Exhibition showcases the artwork created throughout the course of the year by students in all local schools, from elementary to high school.

The West of Eliot Porter: Images of Colorado, New Mexico and Utah presents color landscape photographs from the Art Museum's permanent collection. Porter began working in color in 1939, long before his fellow photographers accepted the medium.

Talismans of Protection from Chosŏn Korea: Antique Locks, Latches, and Key Charms is an exhibition of rare antique metalwork on loan from the Lock Museum in Seoul, Korea. The objects, which are in the forms of dragons, turtles, butterflies and more, are richly symbolic and exquisitely decorative examples of traditional Korean aesthetic and craft traditions.

Donovan Widmer: Small Metals includes work from Widmer’s four most recent series. He uses traditional metalsmithing processes to create images and objects that are amusing, sardonic and sometimes peculiar.

Terror in the Theater: Fifties Fears features posters, photos, a film clip and props used in science fiction movies. Visitors have the opportunity to view a tribble from the famous Star Trek episode and the animatronic Triceratops from the original King Kong. The items on view are from the American Heritage Center’s Forrest Ackerman Collection.

300 Years of British Silver: Hallmarks of the Monarchies presents flatware and other silver dating back to the reign of William III and Mary II (1689-1702). This comprehensive and chronological collection includes silver from each British monarchy all the way up to today’s Queen Elizabeth II.

For more information, or for a look ahead to our spring exhibitions, please visit our website.

Lobby Sale - 50% Off All Items Today

2011-12-13T09:44:00.000-08:00

We had a great turnout yesterday for our lobby sale, but there are still a lot of items to be sold! We are putting everything on sale today and taking 50% off all items! There are still Christmas trees and lights, children's games and toys, lava lamps, and more fun home decor. Be sure to stop by today between 10 am and 5 pm to take advantage of this deep discount!

All proceeds from the lobby sale will benefit Art Museum programs. For more information, please call 307.766.6622.

Lobby Sale at the Art Museum Next Week

2011-12-08T10:45:00.000-08:00

Just in time for the holidays! The Art Museum will be holding a lobby sale next week, Monday - Wednesday. The sale will be held during our usual hours of operation, 10 am - 5 pm. There are items for everyone in this sale, from children's games and toys to home decor. Special holiday items include strands of Christmas lights and we even have two artificial trees for sale.

All items are priced as marked and are non-negotiable, but there are plenty of great deals already! Payment will be cash or check only. For more information, or with questions, please call 307.766.6622.

UW Juried Student Exhibition Call for Entries Announced

2011-12-06T10:49:00.001-08:00

As UW moves into finals week, the Art Museum would like to announce the call for entries for the 37th Annual Juried University of Wyoming Student Exhibition. Any student who is enrolled in the 2012 school year (including those who graduated this past Saturday but who were enrolled in at least one class during the fall semester) are eligible to submit up to three works for consideration.

This year's juror is Sharon Kennedy, the Curator of Cultural and Civic Engagement at the Sheldon Museum of Art on the University of Nebraska campus in Lincoln. She will be tasked with selecting the works to be included in the exhibition, as well as meeting with the Student Art League and the art department faculty.

More information can be found on the call for entries poster, which is available on the Art Museum's website, and hard copies can be picked up outside the Fine Arts Office or at the front desk of the Art Museum. For questions or concerns, please contact Assistant Curator Rachel Miller at 307.766.6621 or rmiller@uwyo.edu.

Lighting of the Trees Ceremony Thursday Evening

2011-11-30T09:08:00.000-08:00

Please join the UW Art Museum for the Lighting of the Trees Ceremony on Thursday evening from 6-8 pm. This is the kick-off event for the Festival of the Trees - an annual event that includes more than 30 holiday trees decorated by members of the community. The Lighting of the Trees Ceremony opens the silent auction bidding on the decorated trees and other holiday decor, including flower arrangements, wreaths, and decorations. Cider, brownies, and lemon bars will be served, and it's also when the public gets to place their vote for the "People's Choice Award" tree. The schedule below outlines the groups and individuals who will be playing live holiday music.

6 pm: Laramie High School String Orchestra
6:30 pm: Laramie Junior High School Concert Orchestra
7 pm: Lia Eggleston and James Wilson
7:30 pm: Linford Elementary Choir

For more information on this or any other public programs, please visit our website or call 307.766.6622.

Festival of Trees Decorating Begins Today

2011-11-29T10:17:00.000-08:00

The Art Museum is busy already as community groups and organizations begin decorating their trees for the annual Festival of Trees. Every year, volunteers decorate holiday trees that are auctioned off in support of Art Museum programs and education classes. The silent auction of the trees continues until 2 pm on Saturday during the community celebration, Happy Holidays, Laramie!

Decorating will continue until 5 pm today and extended hours will be available tomorrow, 10 am - 8 pm, for decorating. The completed trees will be on view Thursday evening at the Lighting of the Trees Ceremony from 6-8 pm and will include live music, refreshments, and voting for the popular "People's Choice" tree.

For more information on the Art Museum's community events and public programs, please call 307.766.6622 or visit our website.

Final Monday Evening of Extended Hours

2011-11-28T08:08:00.001-08:00

Tonight is the final Monday evening at the Art Museum with extended hours until 9 pm. During the spring and fall semesters, the Art Museum stays open until 9 pm to allow students and faculty additional access, as well as to provide a time for members of the public to visit if they can't make it in during the day.

Next week we will return to our hours of Monday - Saturday, 10 am to 5 pm. Stay tuned this week as we post information on the upcoming Happy Holidays, Laramie! festivities and the Festival of Trees. For more information about any of our programs or exhibitions, please call 307.766.6622 or visit our website.

Visual Arts Building Update

2011-11-18T10:13:00.000-08:00

A view of the new Visual Arts Building with the Centennial Complex to the west. Photo courtesy of Doug Russell.

It's been exciting for Art Museum staff members to watch the construction of the new Visual Arts Building to our east. Progress continues as landscapers were on site this past week to plant tress and sod, situate boulders, and put some finishing touches on the exterior. The construction fences have started coming down along Willett Drive and 22nd Street. The Art Department is scheduled to move into their new facility over the winter break. The Art Museum is anticipating new opportunities for collaboration with faculty and students with their close proximity!

Art Talk and Gallery Walk Through

2011-11-14T12:09:00.000-08:00

Donovan Widmer (American, b. 1973), Astrolabe Study 002.1, 2008, sterling silver, brass, copper, glass, 24 x 3 x 3 inches, courtesy of the artist

North Dakota small metals artist Donovan Widmer is in town and will present two public programs at the Art Museum today and tomorrow. When he isn't here at the museum, he will be giving a mini-workshop and student critiques in the art department. See below for more information or call us at 307.766.6622. Both programs are free and open to the public!

Art Talk: This public lecture will be tonight at 7 pm at the Art Museum. Widmer will present a PowerPoint with images of previous and new work, and he will talk about the works on view in his solo exhibition at the Art Museum.

Gallery Walk Through: This will be a more informal walk through Widmer's exhibition, and will be tomorrow, Tuesday, at 10:30 am. Widmer will answer questions and provide insight specifically about the works on view.

Next Week at the Art Museum

2011-11-10T08:33:00.001-08:00

Donovan Widmer (American, b. 1973), The Cycle Has Been Completed, 2008, sterling silver, brass, cork, glass, moss, flowers, 5 x 5 x 2-1/2 inches, courtesy of the artist.

We are looking ahead to next week when small metals artist Donovan Widmer will be here to present two public programs, and he will also be meeting with classes and individual students in the Art Department.

Widmer will present an formal Art Talk on Monday, November 14 at 7 pm and a more informal Gallery Walk Through on Tuesday, November 15 at 10:30 am. Both of these programs are free and open to the public and will be held at the Art Museum.

Widmer's work combines traditional metalsmithing techniques with found objects to create highly detailed and intricate work that examines how social and cultural ideas change and evolve. He is an Assistant Professor of Metalsmithing at the University of North Dakota.

For more information on public programs or exhibitions, please visit the Art Museum website or call 307.766.6622.

Last Week to View Silver & Metalwork of the 20th Century

2011-11-07T17:08:00.000-08:00

Contemporary UK, Christopher Lawrence’s

House ofLawrian, Coffee Service (pot only),

1974, London, England, sterling silver,

8 x7 ½ inches, lent by Margo Grant Walsh

Silver & Metalwork of the 20th Century: The Margo Grant Walsh Collection closes on Saturday, November 12. The exhibition features over 185 items of silver and metalwork from this unparalleled private collection. Works from eight countries span the Arts and Crafts Movement to Scandinavian and contemporary UK designs.

Walsh began collecting silver on a whim and considers herself a self-educated collector. Today, her collection consists of over 2,000 objects, all of which she collected based on their beauty, functionality, and good design. With a background in architecture and interior design, she has amassed a globally significant collection.

The Art Museum is open Monday through Saturday, 10 am to 5 pm. Hours on Monday are extended to 9 pm through November. The Art Museum is housed in the Centennial Complex on the campus of the University of Wyoming at 2111 Willett Ave. Admission is free to all.

Book Signing Tomorrow

2011-11-04T16:18:00.000-07:00

In addition to the Cowboys football game tomorrow and the Art Museum gala, take some time to visit the Art Museum between 9 and 11 am for a book signing with senator Alan Simpson. His new book will be available for sale at the museum, and breakfast refreshments will be served.

Art Museum Closed Tomorrow

2011-10-28T12:32:00.000-07:00

A reminder that the Art Museum will be closed tomorrow - Saturday, October 29th - due to construction on the adjacent Visual Arts Building.

We're excited for our new neighbor to be open and we apologize for any inconvenience that this closure may cause.

The Art Museum will be open on Monday from 10 am to 9 pm, and Tuesday - Saturday of next week from 10 am to 5 pm.

For more information, please call 307.766.6622.

Touring Exhibition Service at the Art Museum

2011-10-27T15:45:00.000-07:00

Ginnie Madsen, Passing, Laramie, 2008, block print, 7 x 8 inches, courtesy of the artist

Did you know that the UW Art Museum has a Touring Exhibition Service that travels exhibitions of original art around the state?

The Touring Exhibition Service offers exhibitions at no charge to Wyoming organizations plus one-way shipping (roundtrip shipping to out of state organizations). These exhibitions are designed for sites such as libraries, schools, community centers, galleries and museums. Insurance, press releases, publicity photos and exhibition interpretation is provided by the UW Art Museum. You can learn about the available exhibitions and find the touring schedule on our website.

For information and to schedule any of these exhibitions, contact Peter Lundskow, Registrar, at 307.766.6634 or rlundsko@uwyo.edu.

Art Express: Touring Exhibition Service is funded in part by the National Advisory Board of the UW Art Museum with additional support from FMC Corporation.

Art Museum Closed on Saturday, Oct. 29

2011-10-24T09:46:00.001-07:00

The Art Museum will be closed this Saturday, October 29. Construction on the new Visual Arts Building that is adjacent to the Art Museum often requires tie-ins to water and power lines that are shared between the buildings. This Saturday, water pumps that service both buildings are scheduled to be replaced, and with the complete shut-down of the water system, the Art Museum is unable to serve our visitors.

We apologize for any inconvenience this might cause. The Art Museum will be open on Friday, 10 am to 5 pm, and we will resume our usual hours on Monday, 10 am to 9 pm. If you have any questions or concerns, please call us at 307.766.6622.

Community Night at McAlister's Deli to Support the Shelton Studio

2011-10-13T09:09:00.000-07:00

McAlister's Deli is hosting a Community Night next Wednesday, October 19. Join the Art Museum for dinner between 5 pm and 9 pm and 10% of proceeds will go to support the Shelton Studio scholarship fund.

The scholarship fund allows student artists to attend Shelton Studio classes and art camps. For more information on this event, or about available scholarships, please contact Master Teacher Heather Bender at 307.766.3515 or hbender1@uwyo.edu.

Look for Your Gala Invitation in the Mail

2011-10-11T13:45:00.000-07:00

Invitations for this year's gala have been mailed out! The theme for this year's event is "Fiesta!" The gala is the Art Museum's annual black tie fundraiser with dinner, dancing, and live and silent auctions. It's a great way to connect with fellow supporters of the Art Museum and to win great items!

If you haven't received an invitation and would like us to mail you one, or if you need to purchase tickets, please call Administrative Assistant Bev Schroeder at 307.766.3477.

AHC Exhibition on View at the Art Museum Featured in the Casper Star Tribune

2011-10-10T14:21:00.000-07:00

The exhibition presented by the American Heritage Center (AHC), Terror in the Theater: Fifties Fears, which is currently on view at the Art Museum, is featured in today's Casper Star Tribune.

The article discusses the motivation behind the exhibition, some of the items included, and also some background information on the AHC. Every year a different archivist from the AHC curates an exhibition from one of their vast collections of archives, which is then put on view in one of the Art Museum's galleries.

For more information on the AHC, you can visit their website. For more information on the Art Museum and exhibitions, please visit our website.

Art Talk on Monday Night

2011-10-05T13:30:00.001-07:00

Peony Patterned Lock, Late Chosŏn, Lock: nickel, 3 x 5 x 1-3/4 inches, Key: iron, 6-1/2 x 1-3/4 x 3/8 inches, courtesy of The Korea Society and The Lock Museum

UW Department of History Chair and Associate Professor Michael Brose will present an Art Talk on Monday night, October 10 at 7 pm in conjunction with the exhibition, Talismans of Protection from Choson Korea: Antique Locks, Latches, and Key Charms.

The exhibition is on loan from the Lock Museum in Seoul, Korea and was organized for travel by the Korea Society, New York. It features antique metalwork from the Choson Dynasty, the last and longest reigning dynasty of Korea. Brose will be presenting historical and cultural background information on the Choson time period.

The Art Talk on Monday evening is free and open to the public. Talismans of Protection from Choson Korea: Antique Locks, Latches, and Key Charms is on view through December 22. For more information on public programs or exhibitions at the Art Museum, please visit the website or call 307.766.6622.

2011-09-23T12:22:00.000-07:00

Travis Ivey, Hollyhock Haven, work in progress

Photo courtesy UW Art Museum

The third mural for the Laramie Mural Project is well underway and expected to be complete in the next two weeks. Travis Ivey's Hollyhock Haven is located on Custer between 1st and 2nd Streets. It was the subject of a front page article in the Laramie Boomerang today.

Smithsonian Museum Day is this Saturday

2011-09-22T15:56:00.001-07:00

This Saturday, September 24, the UW Art Museum will be participating in Museum Day. This annual event is sponsored by Smithsonian Magazine and provides free entrance to many participating museums.

While admission to the UW Art Museum is always free, it's a great way to follow in the spirit of the Smithsonian Institution's free admission policy and to encourage museum visitation!

If you're going to be in Laramie this weekend, be sure to join us in celebrating museums and visit the UW Art Museum on Saturday either before or after the big football game!

If you're planning on visiting a different museum, a list of those participating in Museum Day can be found on Smithsonian Magazine's website, which also has the free printable tickets you'll need for entrance into those museums that normally do charge an admission fee.

Opportunity for Artists and Arts Professionals

2011-09-14T07:12:00.000-07:00

The Porland Art Museum's Arlene and Harold Schnitzer Curator of Northwest Art, Bonnie Laing-Malcomson will present a focus groups meeting for artists and arts professionals on Thursday, Sept. 22 at 7 pm. The purpose of the meeting is to share information on opportunities for artists of the greater Northwest region (which includes Wyoming), a focus area for the Portland Museum of Art. Laing-Malcomson invites artists to bring CV's, exhibition catalogs, and CD of recent work for the museum's growing collection of contemporary NW artists.

Laing-Malcomson invites attending artists and arts professionals to join her in a no-host dinner following the meeting at Altitude's (320 S Second, Laramie). The event is free. Please RSVP by Sept 20 to Rachel Miller, UW Art Museum assistant curator, if you plan to attend.

First Sessions of Faculty Teaching Institute This Week

2011-09-12T18:37:00.000-07:00

Margaret Cogswell (l) shares new work with education

curator Wendy Bredehoft (r)

Courtesy of the UW Art Museum

Margaret Cogswell is in the Art Museum this week to further her research for her solo exhibition scheduled at the museum in the fall 2012 and to be part of the first sessions of the new Faculty Teaching Institute organized by Wendy Bredehoft, the museum's education curator.

Cogswell has been in residence the last three weeks at Ucross. She shared her work with Bredehoft and the museum's director and chief curator, Susan Moldenhauer, today and conversations ensued about the logistics of her forthcoming exhibition. Wyoming River Fugues will synthesize her research in publications, video, audio, interviews, drawings, and video stills into a site specific installation in the museum's galleries.

The Faculty Teaching Institute is a yearlong program for UW faculty who are interested in integrating the original resource materials in the Art Museum into their curriculum. Cogswell will participate in the first sessions this week and will return in the spring to continue the dialogue and planning. Faculty will be part of a symposium in October 2012 where they will present their findings and experience in the Institute.

Cogswell's exhibition is funded in part by the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. The Faculty Teaching Institute is funded by the Colonel Rogers Excellence Fund at the University of Wyoming.

Extended Monday Hours Begin Tonight

2011-09-12T11:02:00.000-07:00

Starting tonight the Art Museum will have extended hours until 9 pm on Mondays. With all new exhibitions open, it's a perfect time to take advantage of later hours! The extended hours will continue through the end of the fall semester.

If you're a student using one of the exhibitions in a class project, this is a great time to finish up some research! Or, if you can't get to the Art Museum in the evenings because you're at work, Monday nights make it easy for you to come see what's on view!

For more information or to help plan a visit to the Art Museum, visit our website or call 307.766.6622.

Travis Ivey begins third mural for the Laramie Mural Project

2011-09-10T20:06:00.000-07:00

Travis Ivey, Hollyhock Haven, artist's sketch

Courtesy of the artist

Travis Ivey preparing wall for Hollyhock Haven mural

Courtesy of the UW Art Museum

Preliminary sketching out of Hollyhock Haven

Courtesy of the UW Art Museum

This week, Laramie artist Travis Ivey started work on the third mural for the Laramie Mural Project. Hollyhock Haven is located on Custer between First and Second. Travis will be on site over the coming weeks to complete the mural.

The Laramie Mural Project is a partnership between the Laramie Main Street Associates and the University of Wyoming Art Museum. It is funded by the Guthrie Family Foundation, the Wyoming Arts Council, the Laramie Beautification Committee, and the City of Laramie. Our thanks to Vince Arbour for contributing the wall for Hollyhock Haven.

Margo Grant Walsh conducts Gallery Walkthrough of her collection exhibition

2011-09-10T18:47:00.000-07:00

Margo Grant Walsh (center)

Courtesy of the UW Art Museum

Art Museum board members, docents, faculty, and students enjoy the Gallery Walk Through with 20th century silver collector, Margo Grant Walsh. Walsh's collection, Silver & Metalwork from the 20th Century: The Margo Grant Walsh Collection, is on view in the Art Museum through mid-November and features 20th century silver from North America, Great Britain, Scandinavia, and Europe. Walsh was in the museum for the official opening of the exhibition.

Silver & Metalwork from the 20th Century: The Margo Grant Walsh Collection was funded in part by Roy and Caryl Cline, FMC Corporation, the National Advisory Board of the UW Art Museum, and Wyoming Public Radio.

Talal Cockar and Meghan Meier nearing completion on Laramie Mural Project mural

2011-09-10T18:37:00.000-07:00

Artist Talal Cockar shares his design for the mural at the
Big Hollow Food Co-op with UW Art Museum National
Advisory Board President Ruth Arnold
Courtesy of the UW Art Museum

Lainie McElwee (l) with mural artist Talal Cockar (r)
Courtesy of the UW Art Museum

Talal Cockar's mural, Tierra y Libertad, at Big Hollow Food Co-op nears completion. Tala was on site today but took a few minutes out of his work to discuss the mural project with the President of the National Advisory Board of the UW Art Museum, Ruth Arnold and to pose for pictures. The mural is scheduled for completion by the end of September.

Meghan Meier, Grainery Grove
Courtesy of the UW Art Museum

Just a few steps away in the alleyway by Whole Earth Grainery is Meghan Meier's Grainery Grove. Finishing touches of silver detailing on the trees in her composition add sparkle to her colorful and upbeat work.

The Laramie Mural Project is an extension of the University of Wyoming Art Museum's exhibition of public art, Sculpture: A Wyoming Invitational. Organized in partnership between Laramie Main Street Alliance and the UW Art Museum, the project is funded by the Patricia Guthrie Family Foundation, the Wyoming Arts Council, Laramie Beautification Committee, and the City of Laramie.

UW Art Museum National Advisory Board tours new Art Department facility

2011-09-10T18:04:00.000-07:00

From left: Richard Walje, Kathryn Boswell, Jacque

Buchanan, Caryl Cline, Ruth Arnold, Tom Davidson,

Margo (?), unidentified, Al Simpson, Ann Simpson

Ricki Klages (l), art department head, touring Art Museum

National Advisory Board and guests

From left: Caryl Cline, Margo (?), Ann Simpson, Ricki Klages

Merl Haworth

The University of Wyoming Visual Arts Center is under construction on a site adjacent to the Art Museum. During its fall meeting, the National Advisory Board of the UW Art Museum toured the facility with the Art Department head, Ricki Klages, and with Merl Haworth, Facilities Planning. The facility is on schedule for a completion in December 2011. Spring semester classes will be taught in the new facility.

Convergence Conference planned in Cody

2011-09-07T13:42:00.000-07:00

Wyoming’s culture is unique, but are we leveraging this culture to help build prosperous communities?
The Convergence Conference brings together Wyoming’s Creative, Cultural and Historical Resources to take a look at Wyoming’s cultural heritage for the visitor, increase cooperative planning across communities and unite under common goals. Interactive sessions and cultural tours will allow attendees to share resources, learn from successful cultural projects and generate partnerships that will improve statewide cultural outreach. Register today and join with other representatives from the arts, humanities, libraries, historic preservation, education and business sectors to strengthen and leverage Wyoming’s unique cultural heritage and creative economy.

Early registration is now open for the Convergence Conference in Cody, WY! Go to the website for information, schedule, and hotel accommodations. The Wyoming Arts Council is also offering travel stipends for arts and cultural groups and for individual artists. For more information, contact the arts council at 307.777.7742.

Art Talk: Margo Grant Walsh, tonight at the Art Museum

2011-09-07T12:21:00.000-07:00

Pampaloni, Pitcher, 1970s-1980s, sterling silver, Florence, Italy, 10 x 6 ¼ x 4 inches, N0027N0027, courtesy of Margo Grant Walsh

Collector Margo Grant Walsh will present a public Art Talk tonight at 7 pm at the Art Museum. A selection from Grant Walsh's collection of silver is currently on view in the exhibition, Silver & Metalwork of the 20th Century. The exhibition presents over 200 items from her unique collection that emphasizes design and functionality.

The Art Talk tonight will give an overview of silver and Grant Walsh will also discuss how and why she collects. Tomorrow, she will give a more informal Gallery Walk Through at 4:30 pm and discuss the specific work on view.

All events are free and open to the public. For more information please call 307.766.6622.

Art Museum Annual Gala Scheduled for Nov. 5!

2011-09-02T13:26:00.000-07:00

The annual Art Museum Gala is scheduled for Saturday, November 5, 2011! To be sure you are on the invitation list, please contact Bev in the Art Museum office, 307-766-3477.

Art Museum Closed Monday for Labor Day

2011-09-02T12:53:00.000-07:00

The Art Museum will be closed on Monday, September 5 for Labor Day, but there will be plenty of other activities later in the week! We will be open on Saturday, when a new exhibition, Talismans of Protection from Choson Korea: Antique Locks, Latches, and Key Charms opens.

Next week we will be holding two public programs with silver collector Margo Grant Walsh. On Thursday evening, September 8 at 7 pm she will present an Art Talk. On Friday, September 9 at 4:30 pm she will host a more informal Gallery Walk Through. Both events are free and open to the public.

On Friday, September 9 from 6-8 pm we will celebrate the opening of all of our new fall exhibitions with a free opening reception.

If you have any questions about public programs or exhibitions, you can visit our webpage or call 307.766.6622.

New Exhibition of Korean Antique Metalwork Opens Saturday

2011-09-01T15:00:00.000-07:00

Peony Patterned Lock, Late Chosŏn, lock; nickel, 3 x 5 x 1-3/4 inches, key; iron, 6-1/2 x 1-3/4 x 3/8 inches, courtesy of The Korea Society and The Lock Museum

A new exhibition of rare antique locks, latches, and key charms from Korea opens Saturday, Sept. 3 at the Art Museum.

Talismans of Protections from Chosŏn Korea: Antique Lock, Latches, and Key Charms presents objects that are richly symbolic and exquisitely decorative examples of traditional Korean aesthetic and craft traditions.

The Chosŏn Dynasty (1392-1910) was the longest and last imperial dynasty in Korea. This rare collection includes metal and wood objects in the forms of dragons, turtles, butterflies, fish, bats and swallows. Although the objects had functional purposes, the beauty of their design underscores the symbolic nature of the protections they afforded.

The exhibition is on loan from the Lock Museum in Seoul, Korea and organized for national tour by The Korea Society, New York.

A free opening reception to celebrate this and other new fall exhibitions will be at the Art Museum Friday, Sept. 9, from 6-8 p.m. For more information about this or any other upcoming exhibitions, please visit the Art Museum webpage or call 307.766.6622.

Laramie Mural Project

2011-08-31T07:13:00.000-07:00

Meghan Meier, Grainery Grove

Photo courtesy of the UW Art Museum

Grainery Grove is almost done and truly does transform the alley way beside the Whole Earth Grainery! Our thanks to Meghan for a great addition to our downtown environment and to Vince Arbor for working with the Laramie Mural Project.

Vince has been a long-time enthusiast for murals and street art. A mural from 1976 remains adjacent to Meghan's new work and a truck behind Whole Earth Grainery became the canvas for two other local street artists a few years ago with Vince's blessing.

In the coming weeks, we expect to see Talal Cockar complete his mural, Tierra y Libertad, just a few doors down at the Big Hollow Food Co-op and to see the third mural of the Laramie Mural Project get underway.

The Laramie Mural Project is a partnership between Laramie Mains Street Associates and the University of Wyoming Art Museum. It has been funded in part by the Guthrie Family Foundation, the Wyoming Art Council, the Laramie Beautification Committee, and the City of Laramie.

2011-08-31T07:03:00.000-07:00

With the new academic year upon us, you will see some changes in the Art Museum. Our long-time store manager, Rosie Chapp, is retiring at the end of August. Her smiling face, helpful assistance, and buying skills will be missed and we wish her all the best in retirement.

This fall we will be transitioning the Museum Store into a smaller, more manageable operation. It will feature items produced by the museum such as exhibition catalogs and posters, logo items such as lapel pins and collar shirts, and the occasional monograph or other items important to the museum's exhibition and collection programs. An inventory display will be created in the Art Museum Lobby after the September 9 opening (6 – 8 pm). In the coming month, an online Museum Store will convey the full breadth of available inventory.

The space currently allocated to the store will become a new Resource Room. This multi-use space will have information on artists and exhibitions, art magazines, and art-related monographs and exhibition catalogs. Many of these are hard to find, offering valuable information for research, reference, and study. Eventually, the Resource Room will have tables and chairs to accommodate class use with the curator of collections, Nicole Crawford. With prior planning, art objects from the collection may be transported to this room for class discussion.. We also intend to add several desks for museum interns and graduate assistants as well as several computer stations for student and public use that will significantly advance our outreach across and beyond campus.

While we are disappointed by the need to reduce the scope of our Museum Store, we are excited to advance the Art Museum's mission by adding a publicly accessible meeting and resource venue to our program.

Grainery Grove Nears Completion

2011-08-24T18:35:00.000-07:00

Meghan Meier's Grainery Grove

Photo courtesy of the UW Art Museum

Laramie artist Meghan Meier is nearly complete with her mural at Whole Earth Grainery on Ivinson! Not only has she created an intriguing work for the site, she been able to respect an existing work (to the left of her mural) from 1973!

Meier's work is part of the Laramie Mural Project which is an extension of Sculpture: A Wyoming Invitational, a temporary exhibition of large scale public art that originated in 2008 by the University of Wyoming Art Museum. The Laramie Mural Project is a partnership between the museum and Laramie Main Street Associates.

The Art Museum and Main Street are hard at work trying to finalize at least three more murals this year. The project pairs an artist with a building owner to enable enlivening our historic downtown through art. Funds have been provided by the Guthrie Family Foundation, the Wyoming Arts Council, the Laramie Beautification Committee, and the City of Laramie.

Final Week to See Two Exhibitions

2011-08-24T09:11:00.000-07:00

Serena Perrone (American, b. 1979), March 15, 2009 9:13 am, 2010, intaglio, monotype, silkscreen, letterpress, 11 x 15 inches, courtesy of the artist and Cade Tompkins Projects

Saturday, Aug. 27 will be the last day to see the exhibitions, The Dorothy and Herbert Vogel Collection: Fifty Works for Fifty States and, Serena Perrone: A Volcano Pilgrim in Exchange for Fire at the University of Wyoming Art Museum.

The Dorothy and Herbert Vogel Collection: Fifty Works for Fifty States features works collected by a retired postal clerk and his wife, a former librarian, who spent 45 years collecting contemporary American art and amassed a collection of over 2,000 pieces. Recognizing their collection would be too unwieldy for one institution, they developed a program through the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. called “Fifty Works for Fifty States” that distributed 50 works of art to public collections in each of the 50 states. The UW Art Museum was chosen as the Wyoming participant in the program. The works are representative of the Vogels’ interest in Minimalist, Conceptualist and post-1960s art.

Serena Perrone: A Volcano Pilgrim in Exchange for Fire chronicles the tragic loss of UW professor and poet Craig Arnold in April of 2009 through a series of printsthat layer color, line and text. The 20 prints on view represent Arnold’s twenty days of travel in Japan where he was studying volcanoes for a new book. Laid over the images of sky, earth or volcano is text taken from Arnold’s travel blog.

For more information about exhibitions at the Art Museum, call 307.766.6622 or visit our website. The Art Museum is open 10 am - 5 pm on Saturdays and admission is free.

Grainery Grove Mural Progresses

2011-08-19T16:20:00.000-07:00

Grainery Grove by Meghan Meier

Photo courtesy of the UW Art Museum

Artist Meghan Meier continues to work on her mural at Whole Earth Grainery. Grainery Grove will be completed in the coming weeks and will be the second of as many as five murals to be created in downtown Laramie this fall. The Laramie Mural Project is a partnership between Laramie Main Street Associates and the UW Art Museum.

Laramie Mural Project Featured in the Boomerang

2011-08-17T08:02:00.001-07:00

Check out today's edition of the Laramie Boomerang for an article about the Laramie Mural Project. The Boomerang spoke with Trey Sherwood, Executive Director of Laramie Main Street and Susan Moldenhauer, Director and Chief Curator of the the Art Museum.

As one mural by Talal Cockar nears completion, a second by Meghan Meier has begun! Keep checking the blog and our Facebook page for updates!

Laramie Mural Project Advances

2011-08-16T20:45:00.000-07:00

Meghan Meier's mural is the second in the Laramie Mural Project

Photo courtesy of the UW Art Museum

Talal Cockar's mural nears completion

Photo courtesy of the UW Art Museum

Two murals are now underway for the Laramie Mural Project, an extension of the UW Art Museum's public art exhibition, Sculpture: A Wyoming Invitational. Last night Meghan Meier started to work on her mural at Whole Earth Grainery. Titled Grainery Grove, she says of her design concept: One of my favorite things about living in Laramie is how easy it is to get to the mountains. And there has always been something special about finding yourself suddenly in an aspen grove. So I thought I could contribute something along those line to downtown, people could stumble int an aspen grove . . . and appreciate how lucky we are in where we live and the resources we have."

Our sincere thanks to Vince Arbour and Whole Earth Grainery for his enthusiasm in contributing the wallspace for Grainery Grove!

Meanwhile Talal Cockar nears completion on his large mural at Big Hollow Food Co-op.

The Laramie Mural Project is a partnership with Laramie Main Street Associates and funded in part by the Wyoming Arts Council, Guthrie Family Foundation, Laramie Beautification Committee, and the City of Laramie.

New Exhibition of Photographs by Eliot Porter Opens on Saturday

2011-08-15T13:48:00.000-07:00

Eliot Porter (American, 1901-1990), Aztec Creek, Glen Canyon, Utah – Blue/Gold Colors Reflected, 1962, dye transfer print, 9-9/16 x 8-3/16 inches, gift of Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Wolf, University of Wyoming Art Museum Collection, 1984.195.19

A new exhibition featuring the landscape photographs of Eliot Porter will open this Saturday, August 20 in the Rotunda Gallery of the UW Art Museum. The West of Eliot Porter: Images of Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah features images created using a dye transfer printing technique. Porter created a new way of viewing the world by introducing color to landscape photography, which today has become commonplace. He began working in color in 1939, long before his fellow photographers accepted the medium.

Trained as a chemical engineer and a medical doctor, Porter began his career in photography in the early 1930s by making black and white prints in his spare time while working as a bacteriologist and teaching at Harvard University. An exhibition in 1938 at Alfred Stieglitz's gallery prompted Porter to leave Harvard and pursue photography full-time. Porter's work energized environmentalists, drew accolades from museums, and created the foundations for today's color nature photography.

The Art Museum is open 10 am - 5 pm on Saturday and admission is free. For more information about this or any other exhibitions, please visit the Art Museum's webpage, or call 307.766.6622.

Big Hollow Food Co-op Mural Update

2011-08-12T18:49:00.000-07:00

Talal Cockar mural at the end of this week

Photo courtesy of the UW Art Museum

By the end of this week, street artist Talal Cockar has made good progress in sketching out and filling in background color for his mural at the Big Hollow Food Co-op.

Laramie Mural Project Update

2011-08-10T13:24:00.000-07:00

Talal Cockar mural at noon today

Photo courtesy of the UW Art Museum

Talal Cockar is making progress on his downtown mural. Yesterday, he had the help of Cathedral Home students to begin painting in the background color for the work.

Meghan Meier sketch for Whole Earth Grainery

Photo courtesy of the artist

Today we also received the sketches for the mural planned for Whole Earth Grainery. The artist is Meghan Meier of Laramie and she plans to begin working on site in the coming days.

We are most grateful to Vince Arbor and Whole Earth Grainery for his interest in being part of this important project to improve downtown Laramie.

Art Museum and Laramie Main Street Alliance Announce Laramie Mural Project

2011-08-09T12:38:00.000-07:00

Work begins on mural at Big Hollow Food Co-op

Photo courtesy of the UW Art Museum

A partnership between the Laramie Main Street Alliance and the Art Museum will result in as many as five murals by local artists in downtown Laramie. The Laramie Mural Project is an extension of the Art Museum's Sculpture: A Wyoming Invitational exhibition of public art that opened in 2008.

Sketch of Mural Design by Talal Cockar

Photo courtesy of the artist

The first mural is being created by Talal Cockar for the Big Hollow Food Co-op at 119 S First St. Conversations with the Co-op led to a design that recognizes natural foods and agriculture. Cockar's title for the work is Tierra y Libertad and is a tribute to the land and to the people that work it.

The Laramie Mural Project is made possible by the Patricia R. Guthrie Family Foundation, Laramie Beautification Committee, and the City of Laramie in partnership with the Art Museum and Laramie Main Street Alliance. We are most grateful to Big Hollow Food Co-op for their interest in the Laramie Mural Project and in Talal Cockar's mural design.

Laramie: A Gem City Atlas on View at Coe Library

2011-08-09T11:40:00.002-07:00

The exhibition, Laramie: A Gem City Atlas is now on view at Coe Library. The original exhibition was shown at the Art Museum in the spring and is the result of a collaboration with the MFA in Creative Writing Program, eminent writer in residence Rebecca Solnit, and various students, artists, and community members.

The pieces in the exhibition are maps that re-think Laramie and the surrounding area, focusing not solely on geography but also on goods, services, and people. Artwork that was made in response to the topics of the maps are also included.

Coe Library has a special exhibitions space (pictured above) on the 3rd floor that allows them to exhibit and showcase art. Laramie: A Gem City Atlas will be on view through September. The cell phone audio tour is also available and features the mapmakers talking about their work.

For more information about Coe Library, their exhibitions, or their special exhibitions space, please visit their website.

Final Week to See Two Great Exhibitions

2011-08-01T11:31:00.000-07:00

This is the view looking up into the center of the spiral in Etsuko Ichikawa's installation at the UW Art Museum.

This is the final week to view two exhibitions at the UW Art Museum. Utagawa Kunisada (1786-1865): Japanese Kabuki Portraits from the Art Museum Collection and Etsuko Ichikawa: NACHI - between the eternal and the ephemeral - will be open through Saturday.

Featured in the Rotunda Gallery, Kunisada's color woodblock prints of Japanese Kabuki theater actors are an important visual record of these individuals who might otherwise only be known by name today. While some of Kunisada's contemporaries such as Hokusai and Hiroshige might better known today, in 19th century Japan, Kunisada was regarded as one of the most prolific, profitably, and successful artists of the time.

Etsuko Ichikawa's installation, NACHI has been popular with visitors who enjoy the different atmosphere she has created in the gallery with the spiral of scorched cotton threads, audio components, video of dancers, and the 14 foot long pyrographs (drawings made from the mark of molten glass on paper). Ichikawa was inspired by the Nachi waterfall in Japan, which has been regarded as a shrine for generations.

Come visit the Art Museum before these two exhibitions close! We're open 10 am - 5 pm today through Saturday and admission is always free!

Artist Interview with Chris Drury Coming Soon

2011-07-28T13:04:00.000-07:00

Artist Chris Drury is interviewed by Ali Grossman of UWTV with his sculpture behind him.
Courtesy of the Art Museum.

The latest in a series of artist interviews was filmed today by UWTV. British land artist Chris Drury is wrapping up his visit and answered a series of questions about his research and creative process, his artistic inspiration from forms in nature, and the materials he used in his sculpture. The filmed interview will be edited and posted on the Art Museum's webpage and YouTube page.

Drury was filmed with his newly installed sculpture, Carbon Sink: What Goes Around, Comes Around, as the backdrop. This is the 12th artist interview that UWTV has collaborated with the Art Museum on, however, this is the first interview to be filmed outside!

Stay tuned for the completed video interview. You can visit the Art Museum webpage or call 307.766.6622 for more information about Chris Drury's sculpture.

Summer Teaching Institute in Full Swing

2011-07-26T16:30:00.000-07:00

Margaret Wilson (l) and Brittany Arnold (r)

Photo courtesy UW Art Museum

The Art Museum's Summer Teaching Institute is this week and sessions for Wyoming teachers are in their second day. This morning, Dance Prof Margaret Wilson and student Brittany Arnold conducted a session of movement in response to Etsuko Ichikawa's installation, NACHI - between the eternal and the ephemeral -. This summer’s Institute, Figurative Art as Story, Metaphor and Presence, explores the impact of figurative art in communicating ideas, action, culture and more. In addition to the Art Museum and its Ann Simpson Artmobile exhibition, Go Figure!, other campus resources such as the American Heritage Center and Coe Library will engage participants in original art and strategic discussions to develop new skills in support of arts education in schools and in the community.

New Exhibition Opens Tomorrow

2011-07-22T08:27:00.000-07:00

Evald Nielsen, Tea and Coffee Service (coffeepot), 1919-1920, sterling silver, ivory, Scandinavian Style, Copenhagen, Denmark, M0002M0002, courtesy of Margo Grant Walsh

A new exhibition opens tomorrow at the UW Art Museum. Silver & Metalwork of the 20th Century: The Margo Grant Walsh Collection features over 185 items of silver and metalwork from this unparalleled private collection. Based on design - from contemporary UK design ideas to Arts and Crafts - the work on view originates from eight different countries.

Walsh began collecting silver on a whim and considers herself a self-educated collector. Today, her collection consists of over 2,000 objects, all of which she collected based on their beauty, functionality, and good design. With a background in architecture and interior design, she has amassed a truly unique collection.

The Art Museum is open 10 am - 5 pm on Saturday and admission is always free. Visit the Art Museum website or call 307.766.6622 for more information on exhibitions or to plan a visit!

New Art Museum Website

2011-07-20T10:16:00.000-07:00

The Art Museum has a new website! Earlier this month we launched a newly redesigned site that is based around themes, such as "Visit," "Explore," or "Learn." Other new features include FAQs that can help answer questions from "How do I donate a work of art to the museum?" to "How can I receive a scholarship for my child to attend an art class?" We hope the new site is informative and visual, with lots of images and easy to access information. The web address has remained the same.

As is common with new sites, there is still room for changes and fine tuning, so we want to hear from you. As you navigate the website, we want to know if there is information missing that you think should be there, or if it's easy or difficult to find what you're looking for. You can email our publicist, Kaylee Porter at uwartpr@uwyo.edu, or leave your comments here on the blog or on our Facebook page.

Drury Completes Carbon Sink

2011-07-19T19:23:00.000-07:00

Chris Drury, Carbon Sink: What Goes Around, Comes Around

UW Art Museum Photo

Today, British artist Chris Drury and crew completed his extraordinary new work on the campus of the University of Wyoming. Carbon Sink: What Goes Around, Comes Around, places beetle-kill pine and coal--both natural resources in Wyoming--in a formal structure derived from a mushroom spore, twisting into a vortex to suggest the natural process of decay, decomposition, and transformation. Typical of the artist's work, who routinely connects natural phenomena from the macrocosmic to the microcosmic, the whirling deep, dark, and beautiful reflective properties of the coal play off the raw wood that has been charred so the materials merge at the center.

The work is the next in an evolving public art exhibition that launched in 2008, Sculpture: A Wyoming Invitational. Additional works are planned this year both on and off campus.

Drury Sculpture Making Progress

2011-07-15T15:03:00.000-07:00

Chris Drury working on sculpture

Photo courtesy of the UW Art Museum

With great weather and great assistants, Chris Drury's sculpture, Carbon Sink: What Goes Around, Comes Around is taking shape on the south lawn from Old Main. Every day the work is looking more and more like the original drawing submitted by the artist.

Original Sketch for Carbon Sink

Courtesy of the UW Art Museum

Today, you can begin to see the beautiful qualities of juxtaposing the materials that comprise the work--coal, charred wood, and pine. The deep, dark coal glistens vibrantly in the sunlight, offset by the rhythmic whirl of the light, blond wood; its charring merging the materials toward the center.

Close up view

Courtesy of the UW Art Museum

Drury draws his work from Nature; the vortez form of Carbon Sink coming from the notion of taking the shape of a mushroom spore and rotating it as it fanning out a stack of cocktail napkins. The mushroom spore and vortex form are common elements that connect the macro and micro perspectives of Nature in the artist's work.

20th Century Silver Collection to Open July 23

2011-07-14T13:25:00.000-07:00

Collector Margo Grant Walsh (r) is assisted by Art Museum

assistant curator Rachel Miller (l) during the installation

of Silver & Metalwork of the 20th Century

Photo courtesy of the UW Art Museum

Margo Grant Walsh was on site earlier this week for the installation of an exhibition drawn from her 20th century silver and metal collection. With a passion for silver, Grant Walsh, a retired interior designer, has amassed one of the most important privately held collections. Her guiding principle for acquisitions has been first and foremost design, craftsmanship, and functionality. The exhibition opens to the public on July 23. Grant Walsh will return to Laramie to present a talk on her collection on Thurs., Sept. 8 (7 pm) and a Gallery Walk Through on Fri., Sept. 9 (4:30 pm).

Land artist Chris Drury Begins Scultpure on University of Wyoming Campus

2011-07-13T10:52:00.000-07:00

Chris Drury (3rd from left) with the Art Museum and Physical Plant crew

on site for his new work on the University of Wyoming campus

Work began on Monday for the next sculpture for the University of Wyoming Art Museum, Sculpture: A Wyoming Invitational. Titled Carbon Sink: What Goes Around, Comes Around, the 36 diameter work will be constructed from Wyoming coal and beetle-kill pine. The artist will be on location for three weeks to create the work.

Chris Drury and assistants Sterling Smith and Felicia Resor
work on Carbon Sink

By this morning the laying of logs that will form the structure of the work started from the center and spiraling outward. Coal will be placed between the logs.

Saturday is the Final Day to View Scottish Sublime Exhibition

2011-07-08T15:01:00.000-07:00

Saturday, July 9 will be the final day to view the exhibition, From the Scottish Sublime to the American West: Selected Works from the University of Wyoming at the UW Art Museum.

The exhibition compares the romantic sublime landscapes of 18th and 19th century British artists with early 19th century American landscapes. British artists examined the landscape through color and light, creating images in which untamed nature became an aesthetic experience, similar to the Romanticism movement occurring in literature and history. American artists drew upon these grand romantic images in the magnificent landscapes of the American West.

Visitors can also access a free cell phone audio tour by dialing a local number from their cell phone. The cell phone audio tour is a free service offered by the Art Museum and provides in-depth information about the artists and artwork in the exhibition. Handouts are available at the front desk.

This exhibition has been organized by the UW Art Museum in conjunction with The Ninth Annual International Scott Conference, Sir Walter Scott: Sheriff and Outlaw, scheduled at the University of Wyoming from July 5 – 9, 2011.

New Cell Phone Audio Tour for Scottish Sublime Exhibition

2011-07-05T15:16:00.001-07:00

Searly S. Willis (Scotland), Untitled (Hunting Scene), 1874, oil on canvas, 30 x 50-1/4 inches, gift of William J. Thulin, University of Wyoming Art Museum Collection, 1971.4

A new cell phone audio tour for the exhibition, From the Scottish Sublime to the American West: Selections from the University of Wyoming is now available. The cell phone audio tour is a free service offered by the Art Museum and is accessible by dialing a local number from your cell phone. Handouts are available at the front desk.

This audio tour provides information about the different artistic movements that are represented in the exhibition, including British sublime landscape painting and American styles such as the Hudson River School artists. Information about specific artists and paintings is also available.

Because this exhibition was organized in conjunction with the 9th International Scott Conference, which begins today and is being held at UW, the audio tour is punctuated with information and quotes from Sir Walter Scott's writing. A special thanks to Peter Parolin, department head of the UW Department of English, for recording this tour!

For more information about this exhibition or the cell phone audio tour, please call 307.766.6622.

Summer Teaching Institute Featured on Laramie Live

2011-06-21T14:01:00.000-07:00

Laramie Live, a new website that features information about events, restaurants, and a calendar for Laramie has been highlighting a lot of arts related activities, and recently posted an article about the Art Museum's Summer Teaching Institute. The article showcases some of the original artwork that will be used during the Institute, which is from the new Artmobile exhibition.

The article can be read online here and more information about the Summer Teaching Institute and how to sign up can be found by calling our education department at 307.766.3496.

One Time Only Sale of Peter Sarkisian Exhibition t-shirts

2011-06-20T14:29:00.000-07:00

The UW Art Museum and Museum Store are offering a one time only sale of Peter Sarkisian exhibition t-shirts! These one-of-a-kind t-shirts are printed in limited quantity and are only being made available to select museums! Featuring a design by the artist and the title of the exhibition that originated at the UW Art Museum, this is you chance to own a unique piece of exhibition merchandise. As the first internationally touring exhibition organized by the Art Museum, we would like to extend this one time only offer to our visitors and patrons who helped make it a success! There will be a one time printing of these t-shirts, so don't miss out!

Shirts are available in men’s sizes, S, M, L and XL. Cost is $16.50. Please place your order with the Museum Store (ChappR@uwyo.edu or 307.766.3982) by Tuesday, June 21 at 5 pm. Don’t miss your opportunity!

Summer Solstice Tomorrow

2011-06-20T08:04:00.000-07:00

Astronomer Ray Martin shows a museum visitor how to use his filtered solar telescope to view the surface of the sun.

Join us tomorrow between 11:30 am and 12:30 pm for the 18th Annual Summer Solstice Celebration at the UW Art Museum! This event happens every year on the first day of summer and is a great way celebrate the end of Wyoming's long winter, and to learn about the sun and the unique architecture of the Art Museum! At exactly noon, the sun illuminates a silver dollar in the center of the Rotunda Gallery floor through a special solar tube in the ceiling that the architect included for exactly this purpose! Astronomer Ray Martin will also be set up on the terrace with his solar telescope, which allows visitors to safely view the sun's surface.

We're keeping our fingers crossed that the rainy weather clears up by tomorrow! Please join us for this fun and free community event. For more information, please call 307.766.6622.

Look for Your Summer Newsletter on Monday

2011-06-17T15:03:00.001-07:00

Summer newsletters are at the printer and hard copies will be available on Monday! Within the past year, the Art Museum has switched to an eNewsletter distribution that is in color and emailed directly to you! Black and white hard copies are still available to those who prefer to receive one in the mail, or who pick one up when they visit the Art Museum.

If you would like to be added to either newsletter distribution list, please call Administrative Assistant Bev Schroeder at 307.766.3477.

Check out the summer newsletter for the latest information on exhibitions, education classes, and public programs!

One Week Until the Summer Solstice Celebration

2011-06-14T11:28:00.000-07:00

Astronomer Ray Martin helps a museum visitor use his filtered solar telescope to safely view the surface of the sun.

The official start of summer is only one week away! After Wyoming's long winter, the Art Museum likes to celebrate the longest day of the year, and the first day of summer, at the annual Summer Solstice Celebration. Please join us for this free event on Tuesday, June 21 from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm.

Every year on the summer solstice at exactly noon, a unique architectural feature of the museum - a solar tube in the ceiling of the Rotunda Gallery - brings in a beam sunlight that illuminates a silver dollar that is set in the center of the floor. This is the highlight of the Summer Solstice event, but in addition, astronomer Ray Martin will have his filtered solar telescope set up on the sculpture terrace, allowing museum visitors to safely view the surface of the sun.

Please join us in celebrating the Summer Solstice in one week! For more information, call 307.766.6622. This event is free and open to the public.

Final Week to See "Laramie: A Gem City Atlas" Exhibition

2011-06-13T10:54:00.000-07:00

Paula A. Wright, Alex Borgen, Shizue Seigel, Ben Pease, Quarries and Climbing, 2011, ink on paper, 22 x 34 inches, courtesy of the artist

This is the final week to view the exhibition, Laramie: A Gem City Atlas at the Art Museum. The exhibition has been receiving a lot of positive feedback from museum visitors and the media. It features maps created by students in the UW MFA in Creative Writing Program who worked with Eminent Writer in Residence Rebecca Solnit to rethink how they view Laramie. The project was then opened up to the community to get their ideas and input of how they think of the town and the surrounding area. For several of the maps, local artists created original artwork in response to the maps, and that artwork is also on view.

The final day to see the exhibition is this Saturday, June 18. The Art Museum is open this week Monday - Saturday, 10 am - 5 pm and admission is free. Don't miss this exhibition and be sure to tell us what you think! For more information, call 307.766.6622.

Fiesta!

2011-06-07T12:45:00.000-07:00

Salvador Dali (Spanish, 1904-1989), Carmen, 1971, color lithograph, ed. 98/125, 21 x 16-33/4 inches, gift of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel R. Dorsky, University of Wyoming Art Museum Collection, 1973.16

Fiesta! is the theme of Gala 2011! The Gala is the Art Museum's annual fundraiser, raising funds to support exhibitions, public programs, and education classes. Every year, a different theme sets the stage for the evening and is reflected in the menu, the decorations, and invitations.

This black tie event is held in the Wyoming Union. A live and silent auction are the highlights of the evening, with dinner, cocktails, and dancing to live music rounding out a special evening!

More information will be posted on our blog and Facebook page as it becomes available, so be sure to keep checking in!

Exhibition Featured in High Country News

2011-06-02T11:18:00.000-07:00

LuLing Osofsky, Paulius Staniunas, Shizue Seigel, Wild Wild East, 2011, ink on paper, 22 x 34 inches, courtesy of the artist

The exhibition, Laramie: A Gem City Atlas, has been featured in an article in High Country News! You can read it online here. The article highlights some of the maps that are on view and discusses the process behind the project, as well as viewers' perspectives. A side bar has additional images, as well as audio clips from the cell phone audio tour that was recorded by each student who created a map for project. The cell phone audio tour is available for listening at the museum and is a free feature.

The exhibition will be on view at the Art Museum through Saturday, June 18. For more information about this or any other exhibition, please call 307.766.6622.

New Mission Statement for the Art Museum

2011-06-01T08:28:00.000-07:00

Master Teacher Heather Bender works with students in the Shelton Studio. Education programs are just one of the many facets of the Art Museum.

The Art Museum has a new mission statement! After years of growth, development, and change at the Art Museum, it was time for a revised mission statement that better explains the goals and purposes of the museum. With an ever increasing education program, including preK-12, UW, and community colleges, and greater outreach and interdisciplinary approaches, and the continuation of highest quality exhibitions by a wide variety of artists, it was time for an update! The new statement has been reviewed by a committee, discussed by staff members, and approved by the National Advisory Board of the Art Museum. Let us know what you think of the new mission statement, which is below. Does it reflect what we do here? Does it set realistic goals for us to work with the community and our visitors from around the world? Does it maintain the high standards that Art Museum strives for? Let us know in the comments or on Facebook!

Mission Statement
As an academic museum and a leader in the arts, the University of Wyoming Art Museum collects, preserves, exhibits, and interprets visual art from around the world to challenge, inspire, and educate the people of Wyoming and beyond, and serves as a gathering place for interdisciplinary discourse, dialogue, and community interaction.

Fun Facts about NACHI

2011-05-31T15:28:00.001-07:00

The view looking up into the center spiral of Etsuko Ichikawa's installation at the UW Art Museum.

The installation by Japanese artist Etsuko Ichikawa, NACHI - between the eternal and the ephemeral - has been intriguing visitors since it opened in February. Her use and mixing of materials has been especially fascinating, as she combines cotton thread, pyrographs (drawings made from molten glass on paper), video, and audio components. A special section of sample materials was added to the gallery last month to give visitors the opportunity to touch these unique materials.

Here are some other fun facts about Ichikawa's installation:
- The installation reaches the ceiling of the museum at a height of about 16 feet.
- It is 44 feet long and 27 feet wide at the largest points.
- The spiral of cotton thread is 123 in length.
- There are over 11 miles of cotton thread, cut into 8200 individual pieces of differing lengths.
- Each of the 6 pyrographs are 14 feet high and 4-1/2 feet wide.
- The projected video of the dancers runs 32 minutes long and loops continuously.
- The sound comes from 4 hidden speakers under the wooden platform at the center of the spiral, is 28 minutes long, and also runs continuously.

The exhibition will be on view through August 6, so be sure to stop by and experience it for yourself! You can leave us your thoughts and comments about the exhibition either here on the blog, on our Facebook page, or in the guestbook in the gallery.

Art Museum Closed on Memorial Day

2011-05-26T08:35:00.001-07:00

Along with most of the University of Wyoming offices and departments, the Art Museum will be closed on Monday, May 30th for Memorial Day.

We will be open for our usual hours on Saturday, from 10 am to 5 pm, and we will reopen on Tuesday, May 31st.

Willett Drive is unfortunately still closed to through traffic for utility work to the east of the parking lot. You can access the Art Museum from the west on Willett Drive (just go past the sign that says closed to through traffic). If you are on the north side of the building, or driving north on 22nd Street, you can go around the back of the building on Harney and cut across to Willett on 19th Street.

For more information about museum hours or to help plan a visit to the museum, please call 307.766.6622. Have a happy and safe Memorial Day!

"Art Imidates Dance" online exhibition on Facebook

2011-05-16T09:54:00.000-07:00

Edgar Degas (French, 1834-1917), Dancer, not dated, etching (restrike), 7 x 4 inches, Gift of Professor James T. Forrest and Dr. Suzanne S. Forrest, University of Wyoming Art Museum Collection, 1973.18

A new online exhibition titled, Art Imitates Dance, is now available to view on the Art Museum's Facebook page. Simply log in to your account and search for "University of Wyoming Art Museum." A photo album featuring 10 works from the permanent collection is on view.

This online exhibition is part of a collaboration with the Laramie Dance Center. Every year, the Dance Center holds a spring performance that is the culmination of a year's worth of hard work in each class - from tap to ballet to belly dancing. The theme of this year's performance is Art Imitates Dance, and each instructor selected a piece of artwork as the basis for the choreography, music, and costumes.

While the Art Museum doesn't have the specific artworks in the permanent collection, we do have similar works by some of the same artists and their contemporaries. This online exhibition features five works by some of the same artists who were selected by Laramie Dance Center instructors, and five works by contemporaries of other artists who work in either the same style, or have the same themes in their work.

Information about each piece is listed under the image, along with the title and artist of the similar work selected by the Laramie Dance Center. The goal of this online exhibition is to continue making connections between dance, gesture, movement and art. Each image in the online exhibition also features questions that encourage viewers to look closely and explore ideas about dance and art.

The Laramie Dance Center spring performance is this Saturday, May 21 at 1pm in the A&S Auditorium. It is free and open to the public. For more information about the ongoing collaboration between the Laramie Dance Center and the Art Museum, which will also feature Dance Center instructors teaching a movement component at the Art Museum's free summer program, Paint Pony Express, please call the Art Museum at 307.766.6622.

Detour on Willett to Access the Art Museum Parking Lot

2011-05-09T08:21:00.000-07:00

Beginning today through May 22nd, Willett Drive will be closed from the east side of the Centennial Complex parking lot to 22nd Street. This will block access to the Art Museum for visitors and school groups coming from the east. Westbound access will still be open, although there will be a posted sign that Willett is closed to through traffic.

Visitors and school groups trying to access the Art Museum from the east can also take 19th street, which connects Harney to Willett and will take you west of the building where you can then access the parking lot.

Questions about planning a visit to the Art Museum? You can call us and get all the information you need at 307.766.6622!

Tempted to Touch the Artwork?

2011-05-05T14:29:00.001-07:00

Many people, from seasoned museum visitors to young students, and sometimes even curators, are tempted to touch the artwork. The reason museums have a strict no touch policy is that our hands contain many unseen and harmful dirts and oils. Over time, and with repeated touching, these dirts and oils can permanently damage the art by causing negative reactions, such as corrosion, that diminish the life span of the art. This is why when museum staff members need to handle the artwork, you will see them wearing white gloves to protect the art so that it can be enjoyed for generations to come.

One of the current exhibitions at the Art Museum has been especially tempting to touch because it incorporates interesting and new materials. Etsuko Ichikawa: NACHI - from the eternal to the ephemeral - uses cotton rope and pyrographs to create a unique environment in the gallery. Pyrographs are drawings created by molten glass scorching the surface of the paper. Because of the high heat of the glass, the paper need to be very thick. The cotton rope hangs in strands by the thousand, creating almost a curtain. Both the rope and the paper are unique materials, so the artist was generous and provided a sample of both a pyrograph and cotton rope, that museum visitors can touch. This will help keep the work in the exhibition safe, but also allows museum visitors to answer the questions they might have about what the materials feel like.

We invite you to visit the exhibition, explore it, and use your senses. From looking closely at the designs of the pyrographs, to listening to the sound playing from the center of the spiral, and now touch with these samples at the entrance to the gallery.

For more information, or if you have questions, you can contact the museum at 307.766.6622.

Cell Phone Audio Tour for, Laramie: A Gem City Atlas

2011-05-04T14:28:00.000-07:00

Interested in learning more about the maps on view in the exhibition, Laramie: A Gem City Atlas? The latest cell phone audio tour features prompts recorded by the creators of the maps. The students who first began working with Rebecca Solnit early in the semester when she was an Eminent Writer in Residence through the MFA in Creative Writing Program also wrote essays about the subject or subjects of their maps. A condensed explanation about the maps can be heard in their own voice, simply by dialing a local 307 area code number from your cell phone. These quick synopses are a great way to learn more about their creative process, the subject of the map, and maybe learn a little bit more about Laramie!

The complete essays are also available for public reading in the gallery. A specially created case holds all of the students' essays. These two unique opportunities really allow museum visitors to delve into the exhibition, whether it's through listening, looking, or reading!

Laramie: A Gem City Atlas Reception on Monday

2011-04-29T09:05:00.000-07:00

Paula A. Wright, Alex Borgen, Shizue Seigel, Ben Pease, Quarries and Climbing, 2011, ink on paper, 22 x 34 inches, courtesy of the MFA in Creative Writing Program.

A reception sponsored by the MFA in Creative Writing Program for the exhibition, Laramie: A Gem City Atlas, will be held on Monday, May 2, from 5-7 pm at the Art Museum. Readings by some of the students who have maps in the exhibition will begin at 5:15. The exhibition features 16 maps and accompanying artwork that examine the various ways in which Laramie and the surrounding area can be envisioned. Maps act as a visual representation of goods, services, people, and other factors that make up the community.

The project originated early in the semester with the UW MFA in Creative Writing Program and Eminent Writer in Residence, Rebecca Solnit. Solnit had completed a similar project in which she re-envisioned and re-mapped San Francisco. For the Laramie project, she worked with students to identify areas of interest that the students could research and map.

This Monday also marks the final Monday night when the Art Museum has extended evening hours until 9 pm. Summer hours will be Monday-Saturday, 10 am - 5 pm. Please join us for the final Monday night at the museum by celebrating Laramie: A Gem City Atlas.

2011-2012 Membership Campaign

2011-04-28T08:17:00.001-07:00

Have you considered becoming a member of the UW Art Museum? We have recently launched our 2011-2012 membership campaign and would like to invite you to consider supporting the museum by joining as a member. By purchasing a membership, your contribution helps support public and education programs, collections, and exhibitions that reach local Laramie residents, students of all ages, and museum visitors from around the world. Membership funds are a crucial part of the Art Museum's continued success.

Incentives of membership include discounts at The Museum Store, 10% off Shelton Studio classes, and donor recognition. We offer a variety of levels of membership, from an affordable student option, to family memberships, and increased levels of support at the donor and sponsor levels. Additional premiums (depending on the level of membership) include an Art Museum t-shirt, or a fine art reproduction print of a work from the Art Museum permanent collection.

Won't you consider supporting the Art Museum through membership? Stop by the museum to pick up a brochure, or call 307.766.3477 and we'd be happy to mail one to you.

Upcoming Exhibition Featured in the Casper Star Tribune

2011-04-27T09:15:00.000-07:00

University of Wyoming art student, Tessa Dallarosa, works on the beginning of a map for the UW project, Laramie: A Gem City Atlas. Courtesy of Christine Peterson and the Casper Star Tribune.

Last month, the Casper Star Tribune featured an article that highlighted some of the beginning steps behind the project, Laramie: A Gem City Atlas. An exhibition by the same name will open on Saturday at the Art Museum, featuring the final products.

A series of maps that re-imagine Laramie and the surrounding area, along with artwork that was made in reaction to the data on the maps, were created by UW students and members of the community. The Casper Star Tribune interviewed some of these students in March, in an article that discusses the backstory of the project, the inspiration, and the process of creating the maps. The article can be read online here, and is an opportunity for museum visitors to learn about the exhibition before it is on view.

For more information about the exhibition, please call the Art Museum at 307.766.6622. The exhibition opens this Saturday, April 30, and the Museum is open 10 am - 5 pm. Admission is free.

New Exhibition Opening This Saturday

2011-04-25T13:46:00.000-07:00

LuLing Osofsky, Paulius Staniunas, and Shizue Seigel, Wild Wild East, 2011, ink on paper, 22 x 34 inches, courtesy of the MFA in Creative Writing Program.

Opening this Saturday is the exhibition, Laramie: A Gem City Atlas, which features 16 maps and associated artwork that offer new insights into how we view and could map Laramie. The project originated with the UW MFA in Creative Writing Program who hosted Eminent Writer in Residence Rebecca Solnit earlier this semester. Solnit, who did a similar project of re-mapping San Francisco, worked with students to generate ideas of how the many factors and facets of Laramie could be translated onto a map. The project was then opened up to members of the community, who also provided maps that were a testament to the varied ways in which Laramie could be viewed.

Many students partnered with local and student artists who provided an artistic interpretation of the data on the maps. The result is 16 very different maps and accompanying art, which outline things from the locations of stray animals or doctors, the influence of Asian culture on Laramie, or the ratio of salons to saloons.

The Art Museum is open on Saturday, 10 am - 5 pm, and admission is free. For more information on this or any other exhibition, please call 307.766.6622.

Afternoon at the Museum is on Monday

2011-04-21T13:17:00.000-07:00

Children create art in the Shelton Studio. Courtesy of the Art Museum.

Afternoon at the Museum, a UW Art Museum class for students with the afternoon off due to Albany County School District staff development, will be offered on Monday, April 25 from 1 – 5 p.m. Students ages 6 – 10 are invited to attend and spend the afternoon investigating and producing art.

During the afternoon students will look at the theme of place as they tour the exhibitions, From the Scottish Sublime to the American West, Selected Works from the University of Wyoming and Etsuko Ichikawa: NACHI –between the eternal and the ephemeral–. Using these exhibitions as inspiration, students will use a variety of materials to explore their own ideas of place. Healthy snacks are provided.

The class is $20 per student or $15 per student for families signing up 3 or more children. Pre-registration is encouraged, but is not required. For more information regarding Afternoons at the Museum or other UW Art Museum classes, contact Master Teacher Heather Bender at (307) 766-3515 or hbender1@uwyo.edu.

Art Museum Closed this Saturday

2011-04-20T08:23:00.001-07:00

The Art Museum will be closed this Saturday for the Easter weekend. We will reopen on Monday with our usual hours.

Also, as a reminder, there are only two more weeks of extended Monday hours, where we remain open until 9 pm. Beginning on Monday, May 9th, we will switch to our summer hours, 10 am - 5 pm, Monday through Saturday.

We apologize if our closure this weekend causes any inconveniences, but we hope you visit us next week and have a great Easter holiday!

Easter Items Now in the Museum Store

2011-04-19T08:37:00.000-07:00

Looking for some new and fun Easter decorations? Stop by the Museum Store this week for all your Easter needs! Whether you're looking for candy dishes, home decor, or that special something to fill an Easter basket, the Museum Store has what you need!

The Museum Store is open Monday through Saturday, 10 am-5 pm. Be sure to stop in and see all the unique and festive items!

Two New Exhibitions Open This Saturday

2011-04-07T09:20:00.000-07:00

Utagawa Kunisada (Japanese, 1786-1865), Kabuki Toto 36 Scenes, 19th century, color woodcut, 14-13/16 x 10-3/16 inches, Purchased by the Friends of the UW Art Museum, University of Wyoming Art Museum Collection, 1980.133

Two new exhibitions featuring work from the Art Museum permanent collection will open this Saturday, April 9. Utagawa Kunisada (1786-1865) Japanese Kabuki Portraits from the Art Museum Collection features woodblock prints by one of the most popular and prolific artists of 19th century Japan. Kunisada’s yakusha-e, or kabuki actor portraits, first appeared in 1808-09 and became his main subject matter. His productivity was extraordinary as it is estimated he produced between 20,000 to 25,000 designs for woodblock prints during his lifetime. Because of artists such as Kunisada, the kabuki actors might only be known by name to modern scholarship without this visual record.

From the Scottish Sublime to the American West: Selected Works from the University of Wyoming explores the relationship between the romantic and sublime landscapes of the British artists of the 18th and 19th century and the early American landscape traditions of the 19th century. The exhibition has been organized in conjunction with The Ninth International Scott Conference, Walter Scott: Sheriff and Outlaw, at UW from July 5-9, 2011.

The Art Museum is open on Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm and admission is free. For more information about exhibitions, please call 307.766.6622.

TONIGHT - Herb & Dorothy film screening

2011-04-04T14:24:00.000-07:00

The Vogels with Pat Steir in her New York studio, April 4, 2008.

Photography Credit: Steve Konick, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

Join us tonight at the Art Museum for a screening of the film, Herb & Dorothy at 7 pm. We will be showing the film downstairs in the Centennial Complex Restaurant, which can be accessed from the lower front entrance or from the stairs off the lobby. This public program is free, and we'll be serving popcorn and soda to make it a true movie night!

Herb & Dorothy tells the story of the Vogels, a librarian and a postal clerk, who amassed an impressive collection of modern American art. The UW Art Museum received 50 pieces through their program with the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., The Dorothy and Herbert Vogel Collection: Fifty Works for Fifty States. A selection of those works is on view at the Art Museum through August 27.

NY Times Article on Museums and Technology - what are your thoughts?

2011-04-04T07:51:00.001-07:00

A few weeks ago there was an article in the New York Times that discussed museums and their use of technology - from their websites to Facebook and twitter accounts. You can read the article here. The UW Art Museum uses a website, this blog, a Facebook page, and offers a cell phone audio tour to share information about our programs and exhibitions. After reading the article, we wondered - what do our visitors think?

We want to hear from you. What other museums have you visited that have used technology? What was it? Did you like it? What would you like to see more of at the UW Art Museum?

You can either leave your comments here, on our Facebook page, or email them to rmiller@uwyo.edu. Let us know what you think, we're always looking for ways to improve and your feedback is important!

Film Screening of "Herb & Dorothy" on Monday Evening

2011-03-31T09:26:00.000-07:00

Dorothy and Herbert Vogel at The Clocktower with a drawing by Philip Pearlstein behind them, 1975. Photography Credit: Nathaniel Tileston. Courtesy Dorothy and Herbert Vogel, New York, and the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

The Art Museum is hosting a film screening of the documentary, Herb & Dorothy (Arthouse Films, Maguna Susaki, director), on Monday evening, April 4 at 7 pm. The film will be shown in the Centennial Complex Restaurant, which is accessible through the lower level front entrance. Refreshments will be served and the screening is free and open to the public.

The film tells the story of Herbert Vogel, a postal clerk, and Dorothy Vogel, a librarian, who spent 45 years collecting contemporary American art and amassed a collection of over 2,000 pieces. Recognizing their collection would be too unwieldy for one institution, they developed a program through the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. that distributed 50 works of art to public collections in each of the 50 states. The UW Art Museum was chosen as the Wyoming participant in the program. A selection of the works gifted to the UW Art Museum are on view until Aug. 27.

Please join us for movie night at the museum! For more information about the exhibition of the film screening, please call 307.766.6622.

New Artist Interview with Etsuko Ichikawa on YouTube

2011-03-30T09:25:00.001-07:00

The latest artist interview is now available for viewing on the Art Museum's YouTube page. Etsuko Ichikawa was interviewed in February while she on on-site installing her work. NACHI - between the eternal and the ephemeral - is a site-specific installation, created specifically for the UW Art Museum. In her interview, Ichikawa talks about her inspiration for working with a range of materials that includes thread, video, audio, and pyrographs, which are drawing made from molten glass on paper. She also discusses the role of movement in her work and the process of creating, transporting, and unpacking the work.

The series of video interviews with contemporary artists is an ongoing collaboration with UWTV and enables us to capture the voice, words, and ideas of our visiting artists and share that information publicly. We hope that hearing directly from the artist is inspiring, engaging, and encourages you to visit or re-visit their work with a new perspective.

Etsuko Ichikawa: NACHI - between the eternal and the ephemeral - is on view through August 6, 2011. The Art Museum is open Monday through Saturday, 10 am - 5 pm, with extended Monday hours until 9 pm through the first Monday of May. Admission is free. For more information on this or any other exhibition, please call 307.766.6622.

Gallons of Gray Paint in the Gallery

2011-03-29T10:15:00.000-07:00

Preparator David Jones reaches the top of the gallery wall with his paintbrush.

Courtesy of the Art Museum.

There's a change coming to the Art Museum's gallery walls! This week, Chief Preparator Sterling Smith and Preparator David Jones have been busy transforming the large gallery space by painting it gray.

Two of the small galleries on the south side of the museum have always been gray, and this winter the middle two galleries were painted to match. Progress continues with half of the large space now being painted before the opening of the exhibition, From the Scottish Sublime to the American West: Selections from the University of Wyoming, which opens on April 9. The second half of the large gallery space will be painted later this summer after Etsuko Ichikawa: NACHI - between the eternal and the ephemeral - closes on August 6.

Our preparators estimate that they will use 23 gallons of paint to complete this half of the gallery space. If you've visited the small galleries, you may have noticed that the gray color creates a soothing, almost intimate atmosphere. The matte color also makes the artwork "pop" - bringing out colors and contrasts within the artwork.

Be sure to visit the Art Museum to see this change in the galleries! We're open Monday - Saturday, 10 am to 5 pm with extended Monday hours until 9 pm. Admission is always free!

We want to hear from you!

2011-03-28T14:54:00.001-07:00

Visitors at the Art Museum take time to observe and experience Etsuko Ichikawa's installation. Courtesy of the Art Museum.

Have you been to the Art Museum recently? An installation by Japanese artist Etsuko Ichikawa has transformed half of the large gallery space. Inspired by an ancient waterfall in Japan that has been a shrine for purification and meditation for generations of people, NACHI - between the eternal and the ephemeral - invites museum visitors to observe and reflect. A combination of materials - cotton thread, video projection, an audio component, and pyrographs (drawings on paper made from molten glass) offer much to look at.

A new guest book has been placed in this gallery space to get your feedback. We've noticed that some visitors have returned to the gallery twice and even three times, and we'd like to hear more from you! If you visit for the first time, is it what you expected? What word or words would you use to describe the experience? How did the space make you feel? If you're one of those visitors who has been to see NACHI more than once, what brings you back? Does your experience change? How so?

Visitor comments are important to the Art Museum because it tells us what you think, what you like, or if you'd like to see something else. For artists, it's important for them to hear reactions after they've completed a work, installed it, and gone back to their studios.

The Art Museum always welcomes your feedback and we have several places where you can leave your comments online - here on the blog or on our facebook page. If you're at the Museum, we have visitor surveys and now the guest book back in the gallery specifically for the Etsuko Ichikawa installation. We appreciate you taking the time to tell us what you think!

Spring Cleaning Sale This Week at the Museum Store

2011-03-23T09:41:00.000-07:00

It's spring cleaning time at the Museum Store, which means it's a great time to pick up some one-of-a-kind items on sale! All non-consignment merchandise is 20% off this week. While the Museum Store is making room for new inventory this spring, you can find unique home decor items, gifts for friends and family, or something special for yourself!

The Museum Store is open Monday-Saturday, 10 am - 5 pm. The spring cleaning sale continues through this Saturday, March 26. For more information, contact store manager Rosie Chapp at 307.766.3982.

Final March Art Month Class This Saturday

2011-03-22T14:04:00.000-07:00

A student works on his art project in the Shelton Studio. Courtesy of the Art Museum.

The final March Art Month Saturday class will be this Saturday, March 26th, 1 - 3 pm, at the Art Museum. It is open for students age 4-11. Parents of students age 5 and younger are asked to remain with their children.

This class is a great way for students to explore new ideas, concepts and artistic mediums. The class will explore artwork that is on view in the museum, and then using the ideas and materials seen there, create their own work in the Shelton Studio.

Pre-registration is encouraged. For more information, or to register, call Master Teacher Heather Bender at 307.766.3515.

Final Days to See the UW Art Department Faculty Exhibition

2011-03-16T09:02:00.001-07:00

Installation view of some of the work from the UW Art Department Faculty Exhibition. Courtesy of the Art Museum.

The last day to see the UW Art Department Faculty Exhibition is this Saturday, March 19. This exhibition features work by faculty members Ashley Hope Carlisle, Jessica Perry, Jenny Venn, Patrick Kikut, Shelby Shadwell, David Jones, Margaret Haydon, Mark Ritchie, Diana Baumbach, Nate Abel, Ricki Klages, Leah Hardy, and Doug Russell. A variety of media and methods can be seen, ranging from installation pieces to painting, graphic design, and drawing, just to name a few.

The Art Museum is open this week, including Saturday, from 10 am to 5 pm, and admission is free. Be sure to stop by and see this exhibition before it closes! It's a great way to see what the art faculty does in their own studios, and to explore the wide range of creativity on campus!

Spring Break Art Camp

2011-03-09T09:24:00.000-08:00

A student works on his project in the Shelton Studio. Courtesy of the Art Museum.

As college students vacate Laramie next week for spring break, the Art Museum is inviting kids ages 6 to 12 to join our education team for Spring Break Art Camp. The camp will run Monday - Friday, March 14-18 from 1 pm to 4:45 pm each day.

The theme of this year's camp is, "Make the Everyday Extraordinary." If you like to make art and are curious about new forms and materials, this is the class for you! We'll explore the many artworks that are on view in the museum, and then use what we learn to make extraordinary art from everyday moments. Discover all kinds of materials and ways to make art in the Shelton Studio, including sculpture, painting, collage, and more! We'll look at different ways to write, too. Join us for the week - or even a day - to explore your own possibilities!

Pre-registration is encouraged. Spring Break Art Camp is $60 for the week or a $15 a day "drop-in" rate. Call Master Teacher Heather Bender at 307.766.3515 or email her at hbender1@uwyo.edu for more information or to register.

Tonight at the Art Museum - a Focus on Faculty

2011-03-07T09:58:00.000-08:00

An installation view of some of the work in the UW Art Department Faculty Exhibition. Courtesy of the UW Art Museum.

Two public programs tonight at the Art Museum highlight some of the work that's happening on campus by various faculty members. First, at 6 pm, is a Gallery Walk Through with UW Art Department faculty, whose work is currently on exhibition in the museum. Those faculty members who teach drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, graphic design, or foundations classes, will have the opportunity to talk about their own work and what inspires them. This informal gathering is a great time to hear directly from the artists and ask questions!

Following the Gallery Walk Through is a second public program that begins at 7 pm, called 20:20. With a broader focus, this program is a chance for both UW and LCCC faculty to showcase their work - whether it's art, research, writing, music, or dance - in a brief presentation. Presenters are given 20 slides, each of which is only shown for 20 seconds. This fast-paced format keeps the evening lively and informative. Please join us for 20:20, which will feature presentations by faculty members from the art department, civil and architectural engineering, photography, geology, and a range of other interesting topics.

For more information about public programs or exhibitions, please call the Art Museum at 307.766.6622. All programs are free and open to the public.

March Art Month Begins This Saturday

2011-03-04T15:17:00.000-08:00

A student works on an art project in the Shelton Studio during one of last year's March Art Month classes. Courtesy of the UW Art Museum.

Join in the celebration of March as Youth Arts Month by participating in one of the free Saturday classes offered for students ages 4-11. The 2011 classes kick off this Saturday, March 5 with others taking place on March 12, and 26. Each Saturday class is from 1-3 pm. Every Saturday we’ll investigate new ideas and creative processes, in addition to exploring and making art. Parents of students 5 years old and younger are asked to join in the fun and remain with their students. Be sure to wear your best art making clothes!

There is no fee for this class, but pre-registration is appreciated so that we may anticipate how many students will be joining us. E-mail Heather Bender (hbender1@uwyo.edu) or call (307) 766-3515.

Etsuko Ichikawa interview on WPR

2011-03-04T13:41:00.000-08:00

Image courtesy of UW.

An interview with artist Etsuko Ichikawa to talk about her new installation at the UW Art Museum will be featured this afternoon on WPR's Open Spaces, which begins at 3 pm. Molly Messick from WPR talks with Etsuko about the exhibition: NACHI - between the eternal and the ephemeral - .

You can listen to it live online, or tune in to your local station to here the interview. A listing of stations can be found here.

There's Still Time to Sign Up for 20:20 Faculty

2011-03-03T11:01:00.000-08:00

There is still time for LCCC and UW faculty members to sign up for 20:20, a public program hosted by the UW Art Museum that will be on Monday evening, March 7 at 7 pm. If you've ever wondered what other faculty members or departments are working on across campus, this is your chance!

This is an opportunity for faculty members to share with their colleagues and the community what is happening both on campus and off. We would like to hear about a range of topics – what is the art faculty creating in their studios? What kinds of collaborative projects is the Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources working on? How does entomology combine with creative writing? What kinds of building designs are civil engineering students creating?

Two years ago, the UW Art Museum began a new program called 20:20, with the intention of providing a forum for sharing new ideas, projects, and work. What began as a program for visual artists has now expanded, and we’d like to extend an invitation to all LCCC and UW faculty and staff to participate in our next 20:20 event.

The goal of 20:20 is to provide people an opportunity to share their work in a fast-paced format that is engaging for the audience. For those who have images, a PowerPoint presentation is shown, consisting of 20 slides, each one shown for 20 seconds. The result is a 6 minute and 40 second presentation. It is not only a chance to show images, but we invite musicians, dancers, writers, or other performance based work to be presented in the same 6 minute and 40 second time frame.

Advance sign up is required by Friday, March 4^th. A minimum of 8 presenters is needed.

For more information, or to sign up, please contact UW Art Museum assistant curator Rachel Miller at rmiller@uwyo.edu or 307.766.6621.