Jenni Calder speaks on "The Scots of Wyoming in Cheyenne" on July 10

Jenni Calder, author of Frontier Scots, speaks on “The Scots of Wyoming in Cheyenne,” on Sunday, July 10, 2-4 p.m., at Barnes & Noble in Cheyenne.

Jenni Calder was Head of Publications for the National Museum of Scotland, and is currently President of Scottish PEN. Listing herself as a “Poet, writer,” for the Scottish Book Trust, she can be more fully appreciated as the author of: There Has to be a Lone Ranger: The Myth and Reality of the American Wild West; Scots in the USA; Robert Louis Stevenson: A Life Study; The Enterprising Scot (ed.); Chronicles of Conscience; the poem cycle Smoke, considering the Holocaust; and the autobiography Not Nebuchadnezzar, which treats her complex identities as the Scottish, American, and Jewish child of a famous family.

Rock Springs hosts "International Day" July 9

Voices of Freedom/Faces of Freedom features community portraits at July 4's Music in the Hole

Roseneide G, Providencia, Brazil

Tedx Jackson Hole has joined the global art project initiated by TEDPrize winner, the French street artist and photographer JR, and you are invited to be part of the fun! In partnership with the Grand Teton Music Festival and the Wyoming Humanities Council we have launched Voices of Freedom/Faces of Freedom.

There are three elements:

1. During GTMF’s Music in the Hole Celebration on the Fourth of July, personal statements about the meaning of Freedom will be incorporated into one of the pieces of music

2. A large photo installation featuring poster-size portraits of the will be exhibited (location TBD) outside as a public art installation during July

3. Photos and personal statements will be uploaded as part of TED Prize-winner JR’s Global “Inside Out” art project. Check out www.insideoutproject.net to browse what has already been uploaded and see for yourself what we have in mind!

You can participate in any and all of this. We would like at least 100 and would welcome 1,000! Here is what you would need to do:

Answer the question “What does Freedom mean to you?” Define it any way you wish—it is a big notion—and send it to us. We will arrange to take your portrait and will take care of the rest. We will have a photo booth at Music in the Hole in partnership with the Wyoming Humanities Council’s “Rumination Wheel,” as well.

Please pass this on to anyone you think might be interested. If you are involved with a group or organization that would like to participate en masse, that is welcomed, too!

FMI: lisa@jacksonholefilmfest.org,juliekling@gmail.com, shelly@gtmf.org, or emydigrappa@gmail.com

Summer means time for reading

Time to get going on summer reading. The Laramie County Public Library launches its Summer reading celebration for all ages. Sign up at http://lclsonline.org/src/2011/

Also at the library is the "One World, Wyoming Stories" exhibition. Items from various ethnic traditions in Wyoming will be in display cases throughout the building. Presented in partnership with Wyoming Arts Council’s Folk & Traditional Arts Program and University of Wyoming’s American Studies Program. 

Call for artists: ArtCorps in Central America

Calling all artists!

Join ArtCorps and strengthen sustainable development in Central America with your creative talents.  Through theater,storytelling, music, digital media and other creative facilitation techniques, ArtCorps Artists educate and inspire people to participate actively in improving the environmental, health and social conditions in their communities. Each ArtCorps artist works directly with a local development organization that is an expert in its field, strengthening their work through the arts.

Artists will:

• Work and live in his or her host community from January 2012 through December 2012.  Artists have the option to extend their stay for a second year if agreed upon by the host organization. 
• Receive room and board, medical insurance and a small personal stipend.
• Receive training and technical assistance from ArtCorps staff in the region in order to integrate ArtCorps methodology into the host organization.

Apply now for opportunities in Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Belize!  For info and initial application, visithttp://www.artcorp.org/Become-an-ArtCorps-Artist. The early application deadline is May 15, 2011 and the regular deadline is June 20, 2011.

Aircraft as art

Here's something interesting that came across the blog desk.

Click for larger image

 Mimmo Paladino’s art has in 2011 been interpreted and displayed using the distinctive Piaggio P.180 Avanti II aircraft. This is the first time in the world an aircraft has been painted by a contemporary artist and the Master Paladino was inspired to create this work of art from the Piaggio P.180 Avanti II because of its unique, unmistakable design.

The P.180 Avanti II “Cacciatore di Stelle” (Star Hunter) will be displayed in the breathtaking location of Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan from March 28th to April 28th 2011.

The metamorphosis of the P.180 Avanti into” Cacciatore di Stelle” recalls both the past and the future, through its decoration with ancestral symbols and possible new ways of communicating: constellations of signs, encompass geometrical spaces to create a celestial map.

This extraordinary work of art in the heart of downtown Milan, will be positioned on a white base which, according to the artist, is linked to the “Montagna di Sale” (Salt Mountain) and the Duomo di Milano.

The whole exposition dedicated to Paladino will take place along a 500 meters path, which makes it the longest display dedicated to a contemporary artist.

The “Cacciatore di Stelle” is part of the anthological and personal exhibition of the artist Mimmo Paladino hosted by the Palazzo Reale (including more than 50 artworks from the 70’s to the present day), which will be enhanced by the renowned “Montagna di Sale” ( 37 meters) that will be placed in the Piazza Reale.

According to Mimmo Paladino “Art is not an end in itself, and it doesn’t mean yielding to poetic attitudes: Art always implies investigating language”.

“We are very proud that Master Mimmo Paladino has now been inspired by a Piaggio Aero P.180 aircraft and that he would turn it into a unique work of art.”Alberto Galassi, CEO of Piaggio Aero Industries said: “The P.180 Avanti has been chosen because it can be considered a work of art itself, as an expression of Italian genius in design and engineering, that’s why this creation is an unprecedented event.”

The “Cacciatore di Stelle”, the Palazzo Reale exhibition and the “Montagna di Sale” were made possible by the appreciation for art and culture by Piaggio Aero, Banca Popolare dell’Emilia Romagna and Meliorbanca.

Mimmo Paladino was born in Paduli, Benevento, in 1948. He became interested in art in the late 60’s, fascinated by the cultural and artistic atmosphere of the time. His first personal art exhibition was held in Caserta in 1969. In the 70’s the artist started focusing on figures: colorful geometrical shapes, branches and masks are more and more recurring on his canvases.

In 1980 he participated in the Biennal of Venice with this group: Sandro Chia, Francesco Clemente, Enzo Cucchi and Nicola De Maria. All together they are the co-founders of the Italian Trans-avant-garde movement, which gained momentum during the 80’s and was widely shown in museums and galleries.

During this decade, Mimmo Paladino created the renowned and colorful canvases where he examined the basis of Italian culture as the artist painted unusual animals, hybrids and distorted persons. He created his works using traditional techniques: mosaic, forms in “tondo”, triptych, and wooden sculptures. Paladino focused his art in all that is mysterious, forgotten and secretive and preferred body movements instead of portraits as one never sees facial expressions in his paintings.

From 1982 onwards, he became famous in the United States, in South America, and organized exhibitions all over the world. From 1985 he dedicated himself to huge bronze sculptures and installations. Paladino had a mountain of salt built in Trapani in 1990. Next he made a mountain of salt in Naples at the end of 1995.

On the Piazza Plebiscito, between Palazzo Reale and the Chiesa di San Francesco, Paladino created a mountain of salt on whose slopes he arranged 20 black horses in random disarray surprised in a moment following the end of a violent battle.

In the 90s, the artist progressed to represent hierarchal persons and archaic heads, creating a set of oval paintings in which he included engraved wood, pictograms and figures.

In 2003 Paladino has been chosen to represent Italian Art during Italian Presidency at Brussels: one of his sculptures “Zenith” has been placed in front of the European Commission. His culture and his memories are close to those of the Mediterranean culture. From 1964 till 1969, he studied in Paduli’s Liceo artistico and in the 70s, worked with post abstract photos, a work which he abandoned little by little, in order to turn to more meaningful artistic representations

PIAGGIO AERO INDUSTRIES S.P.A.

Piaggio Aero Industries S.p.A.is active in Aircraft design, manufacturing, maintenance and overhaul. The company also manufactures Aero-Engines parts and maintains repairs and overhauls engines under license. Piaggio Aero has facilities in Genoa, Finale Ligure and Naples, Italy and a subsidiary covering North, Central and South America, in West Palm Beach, FL, U.S.A. (Piaggio America, Inc.). Piaggio Aero’s core product, the P.180 Avanti II, is the fastest and most advanced executive/multi-utility turboprop in the world. The Avanti II offers the speed of a light/mid size jet aircraft, the comfort of a large, whisper quiet full stand-up cabin, with fuel efficiencies that are nearly 40% higher than most business jets. The P.180 Avanti II features fully digital, automatic flight control and utilizes the latest generation “Pro Line 21” avionics system that it is also single pilot certified. The maximum take-off weight (MTOW) of 12,100 lbs gives the P.180 Avanti II greater payload range, and the introduction of the updated engines (P&WC PT6A-66B) provides both higher performance and faster cruise speed. The Piaggio Aero aircraft is able to operate out of smaller peripheral airports with landing and take-off distances that are simply unachievable in a comparably sized jet. The P.180 is able to fly at a maximum cruise speed of 402 kts, 745 km/h (MMO 0.70), and has an endurance of just under 1,500 nautical miles and a maximum altitude of 41,000 feet. Piaggio Aero shareholders structure is composed of Tata Limited, the British Company part of the Indian Tata Group, Mubadala Development Company, the development and investment company driving the economic diversification of Abu Dhabi, the Italian Ferrari and Di Mase families.

Call for proposals: American Film Showcase

Call for proposals:

The U.S. State Department's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) announces an open competition for a cooperative agreement to administer the American Film Showcase's Contemporary Voices in Documentary and Fiction Film program. Full details may be found at: http://exchanges.state.gov/grants/open2.html. The application deadline is May 25, 2011.

The American Film Showcase seeks to bring award-winning independent American documentaries and narrative films to audiences around the world to offer contemporary new insights into American life and culture, as well as issues affecting democratic societies. The films and their filmmakers will be showcased at international venues, including U.S. Embassy-organized events and/or international documentary and feature film festivals. This program will provide for travel by documentary and feature filmmakers and film experts in conjunction with public presentation of the films overseas. Participating filmmakers and film experts will be expected to conduct or participate in master classes, workshops, lectures and other outreach activities designed for a variety of audiences, with a focus on younger and underserved audiences. The classes are expected to include filmmaking workshops and training in digital technology, emergent media, and creative use of social media. The Showcase also will provide for follow-up programming that could include return visits overseas by American filmmakers or visits by young foreign filmmakers to the United States.

Through this solicitation, ECA seeks an organization to identify and select a collection of contemporary American documentary and narrative films that offer a broad overview of the best in current American independent filmmaking. The films should demonstrate high artistic quality, illustrate diverse viewpoints, address a variety of social issues, and reflect the creativity inherent in an open, democratic society. Documentaries are the priority focus of the American Film Showcase. They should address important and compelling themes and represent more than half of the films in the Showcase, with the remainder being narrative/fiction films. The Showcase also should include a small collection of animated shorts.

U.S. public and non-profit organizations meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue code section 26 USC 501 (c) (3) may submit proposals for the American Film Showcase. For this competition, all applicants must demonstrate sufficient experience successfully exhibiting, distributing, or otherwise promoting American documentaries and narrative films. They also should demonstrate extensive knowledge of independent filmmaking -- especially the documentary field -- both in the U.S. and overseas.

UW Mulloy Lecture: "Late Capitalism, Gen X & Global Impact of the End of the American Dream"

From a UW press release:

Sherry B. Ortner, distinguished professor of anthropology at UCLA, will present the University of Wyoming's 15th annual Mulloy Lecture at 3 p.m. Thursday, April 28, in Room 306 of the Classroom Building.

Ortner's presentation, "Late Capitalism, ‘Generation X,' and the Global Impact of the End of the American Dream," will focus on how the American independent film scene emerged as a recognizable cultural movement in the late 1980s. Ortner argues that "the end of the American Dream," an idea associated with so-called Generation X also had a global impact, which she explores through the lens of recent independent films made by and/or about immigrants to the United States. A reception in the Anthropology Building follows Ortner's presentation.

Ortner received her A.B. from Bryn Mawr College and her M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Chicago.  Before going to UCLA in 2004, Ortner taught at Sarah Lawrence College, the University of Michigan, the University of California at Berkeley and Columbia University.

The annual Mulloy Lecture is sponsored by the UW Department of Anthropology in memory of the university's first professional anthropologist, William Mulloy. Starting in 1948 he fostered at UW what is usually called the "four field approach," integrating archaeology, biological anthropology, cultural anthropology and linguistic anthropology into a unified program.

For more information call Keith Kanbe at (307) 766-5136.

UW alum Sarah Garlick presents multimedia "Climbing the Unclimbed" April 27

"Wild Stone: Climbing the Unclimbed, from the Arctic to Arabia," a multimedia presentation by renowned climber and University of Wyoming alumna Sarah Garlick, will be presented Wednesday, April 27, at 7 p.m. in Room 222 of the Classroom Building.

With professional photography, audio clips and short videos, Garlick tells stories from her latest two expeditions: A journey to the granite big walls of south Greenland and an exploration of the Wadi Rum desert in Jordan.

Garlick's presentation focuses on the common core of both expeditions: A quest to find -- and climb -- untouched cliffs in some of the world's wildest locations.

"Wild Stone" shares stories and images of Garlick's 2010 expedition to Greenland, where she and her three teammates established a new, 2,000-foot free route up a remote granite wall. This expedition was supported by the prestigious Copp-Dash Inspire Award. 

The presentation also premieres new photography and video footage from an expedition to the Wadi Rum desert in Jordan this winter, where Garlick and fellow climber Caroline George established a new sandstone adventure route called Uprising.

An avid rock, ice, and alpine climber from the White Mountains of New Hampshire, Garlick received an M.S. degree in geology from UW in 2007 and is now a science writer and educator. She is the author of an award-winning book, "Flakes, Jugs and Splitters: A Rock Climber's Guide to Geology," and her climbing adventures are supported by Outdoor Research and La Sportiva.

Photo: Sarah Garlick

Japan-America Society of Wyoming sponsors Children's Day Celebration April 30 in Laramie

The Japan-America Society of Wyoming announces its fourth annual Children’s Day Celebration on Saturday, April 30, 2-3:30 p.m. at the Albany County Public Library, 310 S. Eighth St., Laramie. Free admission.

Featuring Japanese folk tales, Japanese songs, Origami (paper folding of a Kabuto (helmet), Shodo (Japanese calligraphy), and tasting Japanese foods (cookies and nori, etc).

For more information click here or call 307-721-2580.

Haitian artists featured at Clay Paper Scissors Gallery

From Clay Paper Scissors Gallery in Cheyenne:

Art Design and Dine is tomorrow night, April 14, from 5-8 p.m. This month Clay Paper Scissors has a wonderfully ethnic and eclectic show for you. The artwork here was done by Haitian artists in Port-au-Prince. The bright colors and busy scenes reflect the hustle and bustle of daily life in this poor Caribbean nation. Market life is central to Haiti, and everyone has something to barter. There will also be Haitian food to sample and wonderful Haitian music. Paula Egan-Wright will also be doing portraits for donations to Camp Taptap. Make sure you drop by to learn a little about Haitian culture, art and fun!

All money for works sold goes to financing “Camp Taptap”, a camp for approximately 200 orphaned children in the southern port of Les Cayes. The camp was modeled after Casper College’s KEY program (Knowledge Enrichment for Youth). In the summer of 2010, the first camp TAPTAP held two sessions, with 400 children participating. The second, in December 2010, offered a teacher training workshop in the early mornings, followed by a camp where children, mostly 5-10 years old, learned theater, music, writing, drawing, and watercolor.

Costs of running a camp include salaries for cooks ( who gather supplies, build fires, and cook lunch for 200+ people), stipend for counselors, who spend 24 hours a day with the children, supervising their bathing, sleeping, learning, and meal times, cost for food for three meals a day X 2 weeks X 200+ people, supplies for camp, medicines for sick kids at camp, transportation of cooks and other personnel to the camp site to and from the country. Paula Egan-Wright's goal for camp TAPTAP for the summer of 2011 is $6,000, She is also looking for an additional $2000 to provide supplies (textbooks, software, computers) for the teacher training Institute. Donations are welcome! Fundraising ideas are welcome!

Remember to also bring the Art Design and Dine flyer for stamping in order to get a coupon to Ruby Juice or Library Cafe. We also have them at the gallery if you are going to start your art walk with us that evening. The gallery is also open Fridays and Saturdays 1-5pm or by serendipity. We also have exciting new works being made by our resident artists, so stop on by for snacks and good conversation.

Hope to see you there!

Follow us on Facebook! Become a fan at: http://www.facebook.com/claypaperscissors

"One of the most admired novelists in the world" addresses Mountain West Arts Conference

Not in Wyoming, but within striking distance:

As a teen, Chris Abani was imprisoned by the Nigerian government for his writings. Abani now teaches at University of California Riverside and will be the keynote speaker at the 2011 Mountain West Arts Conference May 5 at the Utah Cultural Celebration Center, West Valley City, Utah. The event includes the Governor’s Leadership in the Arts Awards ceremony. FMI: 801-236-7550, kwoslager@utah.gov, http://artsandmuseums.utah.gov/resources/professional_development/conferences/index.html

More about the keynote speaker:

Chris Abani is one of the most admired novelists in the world today. He is also an evocative speaker whose talks -- near musical in their fluidity, heartbreak and joy -- mix the personal and the political. His luminous and very funny insights are a vital statement on the redemptive power of art to battle tyranny and to remind us of our common humanity. "Happiness," he has said, "is learning to live with difficulty and grace." Abani is the recipient of the PEN Freedom-to-Write Award and many other prizes. His bestselling novel, Graceland, about an Elvis impersonator in Lagos, won the Hemingway/PEN Prize. His other works of fiction include The Virgin of Flames, Becoming Abigail, and the award-winning Song For Night, about a child soldier who has lost his voice. All three were named a New York Times Editor's Choice.

Novelist Craig Johnson on the road again

Novelist Craig Johnson of Ucross hits the road April 9 and doesn't return for quite a long time. Here's the schedule:

April 9, Saratoga Museum, Saratoga, WY

April 12, Nantes, France

April 13, Poitiers, France

April 14, Limoges, France

April 15, 16, Clermont-Ferrand, France

April, 18, 19 Brussels, Belgium

April 20, Namur, Belgium

April 21, Liege, Belgium

May 22, WYO Theater ‘High Noon’, Sheridan, WY, 7:00 PM

May 27, Ranchester Branch Library, Ranchester, WY, 5:30 PM

The release date for HELL IS EMPTY is June 2

The release date for JUNKYARD DOGS paperback is May 31

May 31, Blue Heron Books, Casper, WY, 7 PM

June 1, Buffalo, WY, The Office Book Shop, Buffalo, WY, 4:30 PM

June 1, Sheridan Stationary, Sheridan, WY, 6:30 PM

June 2, Barnes and Noble, Billings, MT, 7 PM

June 4, Mechanicsburg Mystery Book Shop, Mechanicsburg, PA, 4 PM

June 6, Chester County Books and Music, Westchester, PA, 7 PM

June 7, Mystery Lovers Bookshop, Pittsburgh, PA, 6 PM

June 8, Books and Company, Dayton, OH, 7 PM

June 9, Regulator, Durham, NC, 7 PM

June 10, Page and Palette, Fairhope, AL, 6 PM

June 11, I Love a Mystery, Mission, KS, 2 PM

June 13, Next Chapter, Milwaukee, WI, 7 PM

June 14, Booked for Murder, Madison, WI, 6 PM

June 15, Once Upon a Crime, Minneapolis, MN, 7 PM

June 16, Book People, Austin, TX, 7 PM

June 17, Poisoned Pen, Phoenix, AZ, 7 PM

June 18, M is for Mystery, San Mateo, CA, 2 PM

June 20, Viking Rep Dinner (private event)

June 21, Boulder Bookstore, 12:30 PM, lunch stock signing

June 21, Tattered Cover (Colfax), Denver, CO, 7:30 PM

June 22, Murder by the Book, Denver, CO, Noon

June 22, High Crimes, Longmont, CO, 7 PM

June 23-26, Jackson Writer’s Conference, Jackson, WY

June 28, Red Lodge Books, Red Lodge, MT, 4:00 PM

June 29, Fact and Fiction, Missoula, MT, 7:00 PM

July 1, Seattle Mystery Book Shop, Seattle, WA, Noon

July 1, Whodunit Books, Olympia, WA, 7 PM

July 2, Murder by the Book, Portland, OR, Noon

July 2, Powell’s Books (Cedar Hills Crossing), Beaverton, OR, 4 PM

July 3, Sun River Books, Sun River, OR, 5 PM

July 4, Sun River Books, Sun River, OR, private party

July 5, Paulina Springs Books, Sisters, OR, 4 PM

July 5, Paulina Springs Books, Redmond, OR, 7 PM

July 6, Rediscovered Books, Boise, ID, 7 PM

July 7, The King’s English Books, Salt Lake City, UT, 7 PM

July 8, Main Street Books, Lander, WY, 6 PM

July 9, Powell Library, Powell, WY, Noon

July 9, Cowboy Bar, Meeteetse, WY, 7 PM

July 10, Cody Library, Cody, WY, 1:30 PM

Celebrate Nepalese New Year 2068 at UW

Celebrate the Nepalese New Year 2068 with Friends of Nepal at the University of Wyoming Saturday April 2.

Nepalese culture will be shared through delicious cuisine and cultural shows, including music and dance performances, musical bands as guest artists, drama and other diverse programs.

The cultural program starts at 5:30 p.m. in the Arts and Sciences auditorium, followed at 8:30 p.m. by cuisine and dance in the Wyoming Union ballroom. Tickets for the cuisine and dance are free but must be obtained at the Wyoming Union information desk March 28-29 from 10 a.m.-noon.

For more information contact Resha Singh at (903) 647-1311 or e-mail rsingh1@uwyo.edu .

Photo: These dancers will be among performers at the Nepalese New Year's celebration Saturday, April 2.

Call for artists: Medicine Hat public art project

CLOSING DATE: MARCH 31, 2011 2PM MST

Open to all regional, national or international artists.
Total Budget: 40,000

The City of Medicine Hat in Alberta invites artists to participate in a public art competition. The winning submission will receive a commission to create and install a public art work or related series of works to be situated on 2nd Street SE, between South Railway St. SE and 5th Avenue SE, in downtown Medicine Hat.

The winning submission will receive a commission to create and install a public art work or related series of works to be situated on 2nd Street SE, between South Railway Street SE and 5th Avenue SE, in downtown Medicine Hat.  Documents are available for download at the Alberta Purchasing Connection.

Website: www.purchasingconnection.ca

Reference #AB-2011-00324

This opportunity will only be available on this website.  If you have not already signed up, please do so – registration is free.

All inquiries regarding this RFP must be directed in writing to:

Rhonda Olson, Buyer
403.529.8237 | 403. 526.1239
rhools [at] medicinehat [dot] ca

Casper College Multicultural Film Festival presents "The Secret of Roan Inish"

The second film of the Casper College Multicultural Film Festival, "Exploring Ireland Through Films," is "The Secret of Roan Inish," which tells the story of a young girl named Fiona, and the tales her grandfather tells of Selkies (creatures who are both woman and seal) and an Irish island called Roan Inish. The film, directed by John Sayles, will be shown on Friday, March 25 beginning at 7 p.m. in Wheeler Auditorium, located in the Wold Physical Science Center, Room 103.

In his review, published in the Chicago Sun Times, movie critic Roger Ebert said: "One can easily guess how this legend could have been simplified and jollied up in other hands, how it could have been about cute little Selkies. But legends are, after all, told by adults, not children, and usually they record something essential to the culture that produces them. What this legend says, I think, is that the people who tell it live on the land but live from the sea, so that their loyalties are forever divided."

Casper College English instructor Joseph Campbell will lead the post-film discussion.

"The Secret of Roan Inish" is free and open to all and is sponsored by the Casper College Honors Program, the Casper College International Studies Program, and Casper College.

Call for proposals: U.S. State Department's One Beat cultural exchange program

The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) announces an open competition for a cultural exchange in music, entitled One Beat.

To find out more information and/or to submit a proposal, visit ECA’s Open Funding Opportunities site. Application deadline is May 16, 2011.

One Beat will highlight artistic collaboration, improvisation, mentoring, and professional training opportunities for young foreign musicians and music professionals through a series of group programs in the United States. One Beat will enhance cross-cultural understanding and demonstrate democratic values such as collaboration, cohesion, and innovation through uniquely designed cohesive group programs which will strengthen the leadership and professional potential of the participants as well as enrich their American counterparts. 

Call for entries: Tolentino (Italy) Biennial of Art Humor

The town council of Tolentino in Italy is proposing and organising the 26th International Biennial of Art Humour, which this year will take place between 21 July and 2 October 2011.

The Biennial is open to artists from all over the world, each of which can participate in the “City of Tolentino International Prize” dedicated to satire art. Each entry consists of a maximum of 3 unpublished and original works, of any size, technique and form of visual art.

The theme for the 2011 Biennial is: “Twentieth century Art.”

The last entry date for the competition is 31 May 2011, by which date the works of art must be registered with the Secretary for the 26th International Biennial of Art Humour, Piazza della Libertà, 3 – 62029 TOLENTINO (Italy).

FMI: www.biennaleumorismo.org or +39 733.901365, info@biennaleumorismo.org

UPDATE: Handmade for Japan eBay auction

Wyomingarts has been tracking arts-oriented fund-raisers for the earthquake and tsunami victims in Japan. One Cheyenne artist and teacher, Connie Kazuko Norman, will be part of a Handmade for Japan auction on eBay. Here is the most recent information from Connie:

I sure many of have already heard of Handmade For Japan.  It is the brainchild of Ayumi Horie, and her friends, Ai Kanazawa Cheung and Kathryn Pombriant Manzella.  Handmade For Japan is an on-line benefit auction for the Japanese victims of the devastating earthquake and tsunami.  I am honored to be one of the artists that are contributing to the cause.  As many of you know that I am half Japanese and I have many relatives that live in Tokyo.  I have been lucky enough to have study ceramics in Japan as well.  My Japanese heritage has always very important to me. The people of Japan really need help with disaster relief.

The auction will be held next Thursday, March 24th, 8pm EST to Sunday, March 27th, 8pm EST on eBay and they will have assured bids so check in early. Right now Handmade For Japan has a public Facebook page where a previewing of items before the auction. Even if you're not on Facebook, you can see the items. Please help us get the word out so that we can reach our goal of raising more than $25,000. 100% of the proceeds will be given to Global Giving’s Earthquake and Tsunami Relief Fund.

The collection has grown to over 90 artists, many with well-known and respected names, and you will be astonished how many wonderful pieces of art that has been donated for the cause. 

Ayumi and her friends have been working tirelessly toward this event.  I have been amazed at every update.  Thank you guys for all your hard work!

Here are some of the media coverage we got in the last week, The New York Times, and American Craft Magazine.

Photographer and author Peggy Kelsey reports on the "Afghan Women's Project"

Gulalai, from the "Afghan Women's Project" 

From a Casper College press release:

Photographer and author Peggy Kesley will be at Casper College on Monday, March 28 to speak on the women of Afghanistan.

"Afghan Women's Project: Ten Years Later, the Follow Up" will feature a presentation by Kelsey as well as her photography of the Afghan women she interviewed.

"This is a perspective that seldom makes western mainstream news. Many important issues surrounding (Afghanistan) have been conflated to a simplistic view of their problems and therefore to simplistic solutions based on a western perspective. I believe that a more nuanced view of Afghanistan is transferable to other issues in other places. I believe that getting to know real people (by meeting them in person or vicariously) in one 'foreign' country conveys a broader understanding of people everywhere and the issues they face. I believe that awareness of and interest in people 'different from us' leads us to see our common humanity and enriches our lives," said Kelsey.

"If I have any agenda or message it is this: The situation for Afghans and specifically Afghan women may deteriorate during the coming years. But we, like the Afghans already do, must take a long-term view. What can be done now to secure the futures of the next generation for their children? There is one answer that doesn't depend on international politics and that is education, specifically rural education.

Kelsey will give three presentations on March 28: one at 10 a.m., one at 1 p.m. and one at 7 p.m., all in the Strausner Student Center, Room 217. The 7 p.m. presentation will be followed by a reception in Kelsey's honor. All presentations are free and open to the public.

The Afghan Women's Project: Ten Years Later, the Follow Up" photography exhibit and presentation are sponsored by Casper College, the Casper College Gender Studies Department, the Casper College Addictionology Department, the University of Wyoming Outreach School,and the Wyoming Humanities Council.