State Art 2011

This is it!
The results of months of creativity, planning and work by High School Art Students-
the biggest art show in Wyoming!

The crew of dedicated artists: Kyler (Barbie/Marilyn Monroe morphism), Stephen (muscle), Jordan (glass artist), Mason (2-D Realism with a flight into the imagination), Megan (Colored Pencil Pottery & Glass)
and Taylor (Freshman learning the ropes).

Setting up the show in the Casper Events Center

Lots of pegboard to hang; Stephen and Megan prepare a sheet while Taylor and Kyler wait their turn.
The following photos show the setting up process. It took less than 2 hours.

The icy winds and snow of April descended on Casper for 2 of our 3 day visit.
Here the set up crew battles their way to the bus after a hard morning of building an art show.

The gentlemen examine Congressional Award Work during the show.

At the Banquet Friday night.
Mason was recognized for his $500 scholarship from First National Bank (Photo to Follow)

All cleaned up - in record time by the way- and we are ready to leave for home.

• A big Thanks to the School District for the opportunity of participating and Thanks to Tressa for a great bus ride.

• Our ribbon percentages are up from other years, we brought home 9 ribbons out of 51 entries. Twenty percent of the 4,700 entries ribboned, so we were right on the average!

• We garnered 3 raffle prizes - beautiful pottery for the lucky winners.

• Kyler's Barbie creation (photos to follow) was a big hit - lots of buzz about it and photos taken.

• Congratulations Mason who won a $500 Purchase Award from First National Bank

• We visited the Nicolaysen Art gallery where their dedicated instructor (me) again laid down a bit too much money on goodies for class.

• At Casper College we had a private tour through the Visual Arts Building, seeing everything from the gallery to the log fired kiln.
• I enjoyed the trip because the kids were well behaved and always entertaining. It was the first year off the scholarship committee (3 year appointment), so I was able to spend the days with them and Mike.

• Thanks Mike for all the years you have helped chaperon and have donated your time. It's always fun to have a buddy. By the way, he's becoming pretty ruthless in the silent auction....We brought home 3 fine pieces of art this year.
  

Another black background...

A couple of new items

Tried colored pencil on slate with gold leaf in background. Still learning, but found these cute little squares at Home Depot this weekend and the smooth side works great.

Also trying a black background and an outline technique. Pretty fun. Pulled this from my memories of the Bedford place and the way we would aim for the grove of quaken aspen and then turn uphill, the field was a long rectangle. I liked the idea of the long furrows as a counterpoint to the tall trees. The proportions need "tweeked" a little.

Mike and I took the art pieces to Cheyenne two days ago and having the studio freed up a bit sort of unleashed a day of creativity. We took about 34 items - first time I've ever had an official inventory, etc. Even came up with a bit of a biography and an artist's statement.

Torn paper look

We're hinging a few little pieces in shadow boxes. I quite like the look, wonder if anyone else will...

Pedigree Charts in 3-D

OK, I ran these in backwards - again. Work your way up the page to get the idea. Mike twisted about 500 of these little triangles. Then I "diapered" them in mulberry paper coated with watered down Elmer's glue. When it was dry I put the ancestors' names and birth dates on, then Mike hooked them together. After about 2 months we have exhausted our supply of mulberry papers and have called it quits for the time being. It's so light weight and flutters like butterfly wings. By the way, we came up with a few leftovers - still can't believe I wrote the names of "phantom" ancestors, but I truly can't find them...one of life's little mysteries.

A few more snow drifts

Wyoming snowdrifts

It's been awhile...the sites are blocked during the day - a state wide filter for education, so we've been focused in other ways - not on the blog. But, the little art show is in a month - May and June in Cheyenne. We've making an inventory of the pieces - some glass, some chalk, prints, acrylic, a few RedHead books, maybe a history book or two. These two are new - inspired by the great snow this year. Snow fences and willows have certainly done their work this winter.