Solstice Greetings from Leo

Leo Osborne is one of our most well known artists...for many reasons. I feel that it always helps to have a visual of an artist. Well, I can't resist sharing this solstice image of Leo with you all. Obviously they haven't moved to Hawaii yet! He and his lovely wife Jane send everyone a solstice wish of peace, love and playfulness!

Sprout and the Bean...Joanna Newsom

A slow Saturday finds me wandering through the web and to this video. Enjoy!

Terry Tempest Williams book reading tonight!

THURSDAY DEC. 18, 5:30-7pm
Finding Beauty in a Broken World
book-signing and reading

I am a big fan of Terry Tempest Williams. When she visits me in the gallery, I must admit to feeling a bit star-struck. I get all nervous about what silly thing is going to pop out of my mouth and I freeze up. What she says and writes is just so stirringly beautiful, haunting and meditative, it strikes a particular cord in me that throws me off balance, in a good way.

I read her book Leap almost two years ago, and it was life-changing for me. The vision of her sitting in the Prado Museum in Madrid with a pair of binoculars, bird-watching across the room from Hieronymus Bosch's triptych The Garden of Earthly Delights is one of those many moments that I wish I could have been a part of. You have to understand, she was bird-watching a painting. She was sitting IN the gallery, with her binoculars trained across the room deeply into the painting and the guards watching, ...Bosch's 15th-century painting has hundreds of real and imagined species of birds depicted and even touches upon the theory of evolution.

In my non-english major/non-writer's opinion, I think that Terry's writing falls somewhere between non-fiction and poetry. For me, it bridges the creative gap between those two genres. I am not a huge fan of either one (I like art books, philosophy and fantasy/sci-fi...in know, weird), but she has found the perfect balance that lets me access and embrace both genres which have previously escaped me. I mean really, who else could put together mosaics, prairie dogs and the Rawanda genocide into a sparkling collection of facts and emotions?

I hope that you will be able to join us at the gallery this evening for Terry's reading.
The Valley Bookstore is a co-sponsor...thank you Steve Ashley!

Aaron Davis

This past weekend we had a great performance in the gallery by Aaron Davis. Here is a clip of "Downhome Girl" from recent Fall Tour at Bread & Bagel, Bowling Green, KY. I know that someone was filming the other night, so maybe we will get a live gallery performance to post here soon. Aaron is amazing and you should go see him when you have the chance.

Furry Candles, Organic Pizza and Non-holiday Music

What is one to do during these "times are tough" holiday times? I say "Buy creatively, buy affordably, and buy locally." You can do all that tonight at our December First Friday event, 5:30-7:30pm. Affordable, locally created gifts for yourself, friends and family will be highlighted. Anomaly Farm has a huge variety of t-shirts, scarves and for the first time, paper prints of their awesome designs. Halo Hats, those hot sparkly gems you see on warm heads all over town, will be featuring some great deals on seconds. Vanessa Sulzer hand prints birds on scarves...I am a huge bird fan so will be sure to get a few of those. Miga Rossetti...original mixed media paintings, cards, journals. Wren and Brandy have been busy working on many creative ventures including...furry jesus candles...what? Sure, why not! Molly McLaughlin makes tote bags...perfect for the grocery store or yoga and this new green world. I love Alissa Davies' paintings!!! Last time Babs got the ones I wanted...this time I will get first pick! Peyton Copp will be contributing the the warm-head phenomenon that is popping up all over Jackson.

Yummy organic pizza with perfect thin-but-not-too-thin crust...where to find it in Jackson? I found it at the South Side Pub & Pizza and invited owner Chris O'Dennessy to join us in SoBo and share his special treats.(He accepted. He'll be here tonight with samples and gift certificates for purchase) I LOVE their green/organic mission! The napkin that was placed in front of me, in what looks like any log cabin/sportsbar/family restaurant, was emblazoned with a big green 100% recycled stamp. Can't miss the message there. Then I saw the menu and all of its organicness, and heard about the greenhouse plans, and then I ate the delicious garlic-loaded pizza and it was a perfect night. (hmmm, maybe I should start competing with the Stache...)

We will be grooving to the always hip and eclectic Mr. Whipple (AKA-dj Chris Howell). He just spent the fall in California selling the most magical pumpkins you can imagine in the Pumpkin Patch, along with spending some serious time searching the racks in Amoeba Music. I know that he was up all night pulling together the best of his new finds and I can't wait for him to fill our airwaves in the gallery tonight.

Bring your cash and checkbooks because there are no credit card machines tonight...who needs to add more debt to their list this year?

Creative Beings...

Here is a clip by two of my favorite creative people in town...Tony Birkholz and Tom Woodhouse.

Woodhouse's Dancing Girl from another being creative on Vimeo.

Who Doesn't Love a Stick?

This item was in our local paper today in the "Brighter Side" section. Usually these articles on the comics page are just silly blips, but this one struck me. It can inspire many conversations about imagination, natural resources, the relationship between humans and nature, and LARPing. I found a couple of my own images to illustrate how beautiful and fun sticks can be.

ROCHESTER, NY (AP)- The lowly stick could be a magic wand, a night's sword, or a fishing rod. Now the universal plaything has landed in the National Toy Hall of Fame, along with the Baby Doll and the skateboard. The three were chosen Thursday to join the line-up at the Strong National Museum in Rochester, NY. Previous inductees include the bicycle, Mr. Potato Head, Crayola crayons and the cardboard box.
Curators say the stick is a special addition. They praised its all-purpose, all-natural, no-cost qualities. They also noted its ability to serve either as raw material or an appendage transformed by a child's imagination.

My night at Grant Park with Barack Obama

My parents and I walk down the streets of Chicago. Destination Grant Park. Everywhere I turn there are people selling buttons, selling t-shirts, giving away smiles and hope. My heart is alive with pride for America. The city is alive. America is alive. There are people as far as the eye can see. The one thing - and for most probably the only thing – we have in common is our vote for Barack Obama. But that vote for him is so much more than one thing, obvious by the range of his supporters. The college sorority girl, the old white man with a cane, the suburbanite, the young boy from the ghetto of Woodlawn, the Chicago native making her life in Wyoming, the CEO, the McDonald's cashier, and the list goes on. He represents so many different ideals for America, so many truths and dreams.

I have a special ticket to the event. I am one of the 16,000 people that were a part of the “inner circle”. My dad had been a part of a finance committee of the campaign and for that reason, we (my parents Pat and Mariterese, my sister Elizabeth, her friend Jon and my cousin Alda), had a unique ticket. The gates open at 7 and when we walk in, I see lights and that’s about it. Then my eyes adjust and I see more. I see the podium, surrounded by 27 American flags, (yes I counted and yes I was also wondering why 27). There are about 9 TV booths, CNN, NBC, MSNBC, CBS, etc, etc to the left of the podium. In those booths are the talking heads of each of these stations giving their take on the election and the rally. Directly in front of the podium stands a GINORMOUS tent. Lights, lights and more lights. All the TV cameras from all over the world are gathered to mark this historical event. This tent is Grant Park’s connection to the country. To the world. The world is watching. And I am lucky to get to see it firsthand.

It is 9:59:54 PM and Grant Park, hundreds of thousands of people, are counting down the seconds. Imagine a New Years Eve countdown but you are counting down to find out if you are going to live until the next year (thank you Alda for that description). I scream along with the crowd. Six, Five, my body is shaking. I fear the pending results of California and all those electoral votes might be too much for my 24 year old heart. Three, two, one. A flash across the screen: BARACK OBAMA PRESIDENT-ELECT, (a CNN prediction). My heart explodes from my chest. I jump higher than I have ever jumped before. The sound of hundreds of thousands of people is the most beautiful sound I have ever heard. My parents embrace next to me, both crying into each other. Elizabeth, Alda and I scream and jump in joy.

On my right are my new-found friends, Toya and May. I hug them as they cry on my Obama t-shirt. I look at them “Can you believe it?” They cry back “No!” as tears stream down their faces. May had told me about her life growing up as a black woman in New Orleans. She is 61. She has seen a lot to say the least.

A white-haired cameraman snaps his camera documenting the celebration. He stops. He reaches over the side of the fence, grabbing for May’s hand. He has tears in his eyes. “I just want to shake your hand. We look about the same age and I just want to say, we have come a long way.” The tears are now rolling down his cheeks. On May’s too. I touch my cheeks and they are damp.

Stevie Wonder’s “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” blasts my eardrums. We all start dancing and singing along. Out of the corner of my eye I spot the flags. Thousands of American flags. A man in a suite is handing them out. For the first time in probably 6 years I cannot get my hands on a flag soon enough. I am shouting, “I want a flag! I want a flag!” We start handing them off like batons. It is wonderful to proudly hold our flag again. I hug it.

Then the “YES WE DID!” exclamations begin, our flags beating in time with the words. Slowly, that chant begins to change to USA, USA! The chants that were reserved for the Olympics and Republicans are ours to enjoy again with pride.

The next minutes are somewhat of a blur. My cell phone is buzzing in my pocket. Friends from across the country are watching Grant Park celebrate on TV. I am their connection and I am honored. Because of this, I think every person in the US was connected that night. This was a group victory, so it is only fitting that it was a group celebration as well.

John McCain’s speech is gracious. People are respectful and listening but hooting and hollering as the anticipation of Barack’s arrival mounts. The music plays on. Finally, the moment we have been waiting for. The future first family of the United States of America. They all walk out holding hands. I am so proud. Proud to be here. Proud to be American. This man and his family have united us all. Not just in Grant Park, but around the world.

I am caught in the most surreal moment. I look behind me at the crowd. I see the Chicago skyline. I see the buildings, alight with red, white and blue. A skyscraper that reads USA. The flags wave across the crowd in excitement and joy. The crescent moon shines down on us.

Barack Obama, poised, calm and collected begins his speech. I love this man. I know it to be true. I thought it before but looking at him now, just yards away, he takes my breath away. (He is so close to me I could almost touch him and I can barely handle it.) He has brought our country together, evident by the thousands of people that have been standing for 5 hours just to live in this moment. (8 years and 5 hours). His speech is too much for me to recap, but I will say this. It is filled with honesty and truth. He declares that the road ahead is a bumpy one, but together, ALL of us, Democrats and Republicans, can be the change we wish to see. He promises to always be honest. Change is on its way. Yes we can, and yes we did.

As he walks away from the podium, he waves to crowd, he looks down at my section. I lock eyes with him. Barack Obama and I are having a moment. I am jumping up and down, I am smiling, I am waving my little flag with all the energy I have left. I am acting like a crazy person and Barack Obama is watching. I swear on everything holy, he starts to laugh. I made Barack Obama laugh! I will never forget this moment. His beautiful family joins him on the stage along with Joe Biden and his crew. They wave, we clap. They smile and we shout. After about 10 minutes of this, Obama turns around and he says, “alright”. He places his hands on his youngest daughter’s shoulders and says, “let’s go, let’s get you to bed.”


-Natalie Balthrop

Yes...We Did!!!

I was watching the Obama rally last night, wishing I was there to experience this monumental moment in person, when suddenly LMC's Natalie appeared on the screen dancing with a huge grin on her face. There she is, in the front row, getting a personalized finger-point from President Obama! I actually am there...connected by the positive energy that she has pouring out of her and infecting millions of households that are also watching, wishing they were there. Go Natalie! You were my direct connection...thank you! Saw your mom too...you both look great on national television.

November 4...

GET OUT AND VOTE!! Today is the day...make your voice heard. LMC's own Natalie is in Chicago and preparing to head over to the Obama rally tonight. I am sure we will get a first-hand account from her on this momentous event tomorrow. I am hopeful that it will be a winning celebration propelling us towards the change that we need.

Rotating Superstructure...

Another fun evening with local teen-sensation Rotating Superstructure. This time there were a few more above-age locals here to enjoy the music, shoot a YouTube video and to show their support for Obama and other dem's running in '08. Again, I can't stress enough how great this band is. I will be sure to let you all know when their CD release party is.
I can't wait for Tuesday November 4. I feel that change is in the air. Get out and vote! Make your voice heard!

ArtSpots by Olivia, 6

I just found all these ArtSpots that my daughter Olivia created at the party the other night. Something about kids' art just makes everyone smile. So I am "Art-ing It Forward" by sharing these smile-inducers with you.

Missing Raven...Looks Like Black Cat

Just got off The Snaz and noticed that they are missing a black cat. Well, there must be a gang of black cats hiding out somewhere in East Jackson wreaking havoc because mine went missing last week in the Gill Addition. Raven, black cat with long, white tufts coming out of his ears. Answers to "Here kitty, kitty, kitty, kitty" (although you have to get the right nuances to that call) and sometimes makes bird noises. Really, he imitates bird sounds to lure them closer, then pounces...it actually works for him. He's also known for his insane ninja-actions and chasing his own tail like a wire-walker on the beams in my house. Let me know if you see him anywhere.

Speaking of wire-walking, I saw the movie Man On Wire last night. I missed it on it's first round in Jackson last summer and heard so many people talking about what a fabulous movie it was that I made sure to get my favorite seat in the theater this time. SO glad I did! What a fantastic story about dreams and walking the line between fully living and being as close to dying as you could possibly be. GO SEE IT!!

10x10 and ArtSpot events

We always love an opportunity to "Art It Forward", so we recently hosted two events which brought a variety of art and community lovers together in the gallery to enjoy each other and amazing local music while supporting wonderful causes.

October 10 was the Teton Area 10x10 party sponsored by Pursue Balance and 1% for the Tetons. It was a success at introducing the concept and goals of reducing our energy use by 10% by the year 2010, and they gave away a lot of free prizes: bike bells from Friends of Pathways, energy saving power strips, and I saw a few warm jackets floating around. Thanks to Rocky Vertone of Four4 Productions and a few energetic dancing souls who got the moving started, it evolved into a great dance party.





Last night Thom Yorke played here. (maybe I'll just leave it at that and see if anyone really reads this thing.) OK, it was local teen-band Rotating Superstructure. I became an instant groupie when Victor hit it spot-on with his version of Radiohead's "Nude". They played a lot of originals mixed in with some fantastic covers. Make sure you go see these boys when you have a chance, although I don't think they are old enough to be playing in bars yet. You'll have to come here this winter for their CD-release party. They were here to support the 5Spot for the ArtSpot art party and fundraiser, an event sponsored by Center of Wonder, the Art Association and Rocky Mountain Bank. Four huge paintings were auctioned off to raise funds to support the next ArtSpot artist stipends. Fill-in-your-own-artspot stickers and brightly colored sharpies added to the creative celebration!

Thank you for bringing such fun events here and for all of you supporting these important causes.

Looking for Answers?

Go to here

Attention All Nominally or Unemployed Artists...

Instant Grant Program from Steve Lambert on Vimeo.

It's late-night, and I was just checking out a favorite LMC art site, Wooster Collective, and discovered a new project from Steve Lambert called The Federation of Students and Nominally or Unemployed Artists. I have a feeling that there are quite a few Nominally or Unemployed Artists in Jackson. If you'd like to donate your time and/or raise money for a local version of this, let me know! Maybe for the next First Friday...

From the Federation's website:

How It Works

We all learn art in school. Every kid loves to draw at some point. People get fascinated with the details of their new camera, or spend free time writing poems. But eventually, there’s a not a teacher telling you how great your are, or the camera gets put away, or you just plain get busy and stop. Years could go by before you start again, if you ever do at all.

The FSNUA aims to re-inspire creative thinking and action in everyday people by removing a small barrier and providing encouragement. We give small, unsecured grants in the form of $10-$60 for creative projects thought up on the spot by everyday people. In the past this has included a merchant marine, two 10 year old girls, a US soldier on leave from Iraq, an accordion player from Alaska, and around 40 others. We funded their new paintings, drawings, knitting, and photojournalism projects, and the repair of one accordion. Projects that may not have happened had they not come across 10 people in the park to support and inspire the thought.

Beyond the small amount of money, the project encourages people to see themselves as something other than workers or consumers even if it just for the length of time required to apply for the FSNUA grant. We also hope to re-inspire dormant desires to create while presenting an example of generosity without an ulterior motive.

October's First Friday

Thank you to all who made it out to our First Friday event last night. We had lots of our regular art lovers, and also quite a few new faces. If you missed it, then click on the video below for a clip about Bronwyn Minton's installation and art, and maybe you'll be inspired to stop by this month and check it out. If you were here, then you enjoyed lots of great company, wine, art and live jazz by Papa Chan and Johnny C-Note. It's wonderful to have them back into our local music rotation as they took the summer off to play at a 'green' on the west bank. Peter and John, thanks for the smooth vibes last night to conteract the nasty construction vibrations that were reverberating around the gallery. (really...digging with a backoe at 7 on a Friday night?!?)

The evening began with a lively artist conversation between Bronwyn and about 45 "early-risers" who made it here by 5 for the opportunity to share some quality time with the artist. It reminded me that First Fridays actually grew out of the artist talks that we started two years ago. (2 years of FF's...that's 24 art events in as many months...that's about 24 kegs of beer, 48 cases of wine and countless amounts of art and inspiration) Those talks faded away as the events became busier and louder, but now they are back! Not because the events are any less busy, we just decided to have to have the artists talk a little louder, scream even if they have to. So put it on your radar screen to get here early next time to enjoy some screaming about art.

Hmmm...next time...what will November's First Friday bring us? What's on the horizon for LMC is veggie oil and lots of it. Enough to get Mike Devine's vintage race car back to New England. Veggie oil and art, how is that going to work? Intrigued? Me too. I can't wait to see what we come up with.

LMC presents: Bronwyn Minton

Here's the first in a series of videos about art.
Let us know what you think!

I'm a girl...

I came across this today and found it moving and intriguing enough to share. There seem to be a lot of movements on the rise these days. This is just one. www.girleffect.org Makes me wonder, what are the solutions that are right in front of us every day? What movement are you going to be a part of?

Outside Lands, Allen...thank you!

I just returned from a fantastic trip to San Francisco where I was rejuvenated by music, art, and my friends Sara and Allen. (Both ex-jacksonites, we all worked together at The Range years ago. That's Allen, smiling above, some of you might recognize him as your busser-extraordinare from back in the day. Who knew he would become my music hero in San Fran?!) Three days in Golden Gate Park with Radiohead, Manu Chao, Rupa and the April Fishes, Galactic, the Liars, Devendra Banhart, Primus and Kaki King...just to name a few of my favorites. It is a given that the music rocked in a gorgeous venue and a very diverse and huge lineup, but what I was most impressed by during the weekend was the festival's commitment to a greener place and eco-awareness. Lots of information was available all over the event about recycling and composting, with plenty of receptacles accessible to the huge number of people attending and Clean Vibes staff readily available to answer questions. Eco Lands was set up with a solar-powered stage, organic farmer's market, the Recycling Store, and tents representing a wide-variety of non-profit organizations showing ways to contribute to a healthy environment and world. There is way more info available at www.sfoutsidelands.com and it is very worth checking out everything they did.

Sunday night I watched everyone clear out after enjoying a gorgeous San Fran evening with Jack Johnson and all his friends on stage. We were waiting for Allen Scott, one of the co-producers of the event through Another Planet. I was amazed to see that the polo fields, which had just hosted over 60,000 people, were almost completely clean, and this was pre-cleanup crew. I pulled Allen aside to show him the fantastic results of his and his crew's huge eco-effort.(of course he was sad that there was even a minuscule amount of trash out there) I wanted to be sure though that he saw and felt that he really did make a difference because there was proof right there on those clean, grassy fields. All those music and earth lovers really did take responsibility for recycling and cleaning up after themselves and their neighbors on a huge scale.
Thank you Allen, and the musicians and crew that made it all happen. Thank you for making a difference in our hearts, ears, and minds!!

"An individual action, multiplied by millions, creates global change."

Makes me wish we had subway grates here...

'08 Creativity Award goes to McCandless

JH News&Guide

Lyndsay McCandless, owner of Lyndsay McCandless contemporary art gallery, is winner of the 2008 Award for Creativity.

Given the past 14 years by the Cultural Council of Jackson Hole, the honor recognizes people who are enhancing and enriching the Jackson Hole cultural community through creative efforts.

"The extraordinary dedication, talent and kindness that Lyndsay extends to our community makes her an appropriate honoree," the group said in its announcement. The Cultural Council of Jackson Hole is dedicated to promoting arts and culture and includes 20 nonprofit organizations. McCandless who moved to Jackson Hole in 1991 and taught art classes, waitressed and worked at the Martin-Harris Gallery before hanging her own shingle, first as Jackson Street Gallery and then as Lyndsay McCandless Contemporary.

Nominator Tammy Christel said it's McCandless' activism that sets her apart. "She has overturned our traditional concept of art galleries by turning hers into a welcoming 'home' for countless worthy initiatives," Christel said. "Her energy and commitment are unmatched. "Through her exhibits and events, Lyndsay provides venues for women's initiatives, conservation, Latino resources, children and more. Lyndsay McCandless Contemporary does so much more than support the arts," Christel said. "There are few concepts Lyndsay won't consider. Artists are activists, and Lyndsay's personal brand of activism furthers and supports our ever-diversifying arts community."

The Cultural Council of Jackson Hole invites everyone to attend the 14th Annual Award for Creativity Celebration from 5 to 6:30 p.m. on Sept. 11 at Dancers' Workshop Studio 1 in the Center for the Arts. McCandless will be honored at the free event, which will include hors d'oeuvres, wine and live music.

Progression by Dave Eisenhour

An update from sculpture artist Dave Eisenhour:

This 20 piece installation is considered one unique piece entitled Progression. All 20 bronze pieces are based on the Fibonacci pattern. The installation is a sentence in a conversation with the natural world.

Where the Hell is Matt?

the Vand and Billy "Famous"

I should have done this followup ages ago, as we are already just a few days from our next First Friday event. Here is a picture of the Vand, CW and Billy Weiss, playing in the gallery, in the van a few weeks ago. And if you look very carefully through the window in the back you will spot one of the other stars of the evening, Billy Schenck. The band completely rocked it with their raw, country-punk-rock-mexican polka style. I highly suggest hiring these guys to do a drive-by at your next barbeque. I hear that you can check them our yourself, sans van, at 43North this Friday night. Biomecca too...
I am hoping to get a video of them one of these days to post here...so check back in.

The Rock Vand

Happy 5th of July. Last night Jackson put on its typical fabulous display of fireworks, then everyone who drove had to sit in traffic for an hour to get out of town. I was so happy that I had my bike and cruised easily through town, eventually ending up at Snow King for Front Street's Declaration 2008 Party featuring Biomecca and DJs Tony Touch and J Boogie. Of course it was super fun music and dancing, but I have to share that my favorite moment was actually outside in the parking lot with the Vand. CW and Billy Weiss were literally rocking it inside the van. Expect to see the Vand again...perhaps even a drive-by at the gallery. And, if synchronicity means anything, the fact that those two literally just stopped by here as I was writing this suggests that the Vand will be rocking inside the van, inside the gallery, for our July 11th opening Friday. Don't miss it!

solstice celebrations

Happy Summer Solstice! And Happy Birthday to my daughter Sara, 12 today. What a great day to have a birthday! The longest day of the year. A time of celebration and abundance. There is an abundance of celebration happening here in Jackson this weekend and it is difficult to decide what to do.

Thanks to Vista 360, the Fire Festival is filling the town square with street stalls, drumming, and fire! www.vista360.org/fire-festival/ Last night the square was an amazing gathering place for our community. I love it when it's blocked off and becomes pedestrian friendly. The early evening saw a continuous flow of people of all ages, locals and tourists alike, there to enjoy the collective energy, music, food and entertainment. Late-night, cruising around on my bike, I was drawn back to the square by the many bonfires happening there, and again, the flow of people was an amalgamation of all sorts from the always-happening BRAVO! party at Davies-Reid to the fundraiser at Thai Me Up for KHOL, the new community radio station.

By the way, can I say it?...KHOL rocks!! I'm sorry, such a cheesy cliche, but the thing is, it really does. It's such a fabulous mixture of music; personal and collective tastes of all kinds merge there. Every time I listen it's something different. I am looking forward to sending some of my artists to the station to get interviewed by Nicole. Let's all support it. 89.1 is where you'll find it on the radio. www.jhcr.org

An amazing group of non-profits in town collaborated to bring Matthieu Ricard, renowned Buddhist monk, author, photographer and French translator to the Dalai Lama. We are so lucky to have him here, speaking at the Center for the Arts at 7:30pm.
www.centerofwonder.org
www.pursuebalance.org
www.tetonwellness.org

These are a few other things on my personal radar screen...
Tonight there is a Shoshone Star Dance to calm the fires of Yellowstone and celebrate the solstice happening north of Jackson. You need camping gear for that.
Over the hill, Victor is dancing to an all-funk weekend at the Knotty Pine.
Sunday could be skiing at Targhee or paragliding in the village. Biking is also an option in some places finally. So is celebrating Stew Robertson's 40th birthday!!! A great way to end the weekend. Again, happy solstice!

Pop!Tech...create positive change

Last night I found one of those websites that made me stay up 'til 2am. www.poptech.org "Pop!Tech is a one-of-a-kind conference, a community of remarkable people, and an ongoing conversation about science, technology and the future of ideas." I also found that there is a lot of ART (art & science! Imagine that?!) incorporated into these visionary ideas. I suggest going right to the pop!casts section and in their own words, "Download. Discover. Do your part to create positive change in the world!"

Jonathan Harris and Bill Shannon are my favorites so far. I will have to get my tech-crew to get these pop!casts onto our site, as I am challenged in that realm. But here is the quick "entice you to go view them" scoop on these two artists.

Jonathan Harris...I have to get him out here to Jackson. In the last month I have randomly come across his work/projects/ideas numerous times. A fellow Princetonian, he obviously spent way more time in those scientific buildings then I did, and probably more time in the art building, too. He is one of those artistic visionaries who must never, ever sleep. I can't begin to clearly describe what he does, so watch the video, and enjoy his website. www.number27.org

Bill Shannon dances-on four legs. Born with a bilateral hip deformity, this performance artist will challenge the way you think about disabilities, and movement. A fascinating exploration of dance, psychology, and education. He also has a great website www.whatiswhat.com

ARTWeek Review: Jane Rosen at Braunstein/Quay Gallery

Jane Rosen's talent is in finding the shadows of things, the soft sepia tones of birds and mammals, the quiet and penetrating turn of a beak or gaze of a feral eye. Her recent show at Braunstein/Quay Gallery was a muted collection of painting and sculptures, evoking both the seen and the hidden of nature.

It is too simple to call her paintings "paintings" -- they are more like sculptural plaques colored by coffee and marble dust, shaped and textured by layers of gypsum stone. They often depict birds or deer, sharing the frame with grids of mesh in gentle, forest-y tones. It is as if the living and the geometric each echo the shadow of the other, an ecru play of liquid and stone, soft-hard textures, shades of rust and gray and black. Dust (Copper's Hawk) is a white-gray shadow of a perched bird - roosting at dusk in coffee and cream, or waiting behind a fog - leading the viewer to reconsider if there is much distinction between the substances humans and nature brew.

Rosen's sculptures are more evocative, less precise rendition of similar subject matter - and she pays as much attention to the material as to the shapes she forms with it. The Gamut series - vaguely animal sculptures in Provencal limestone - is composed rough, raw stone figures on pedestals. Sphinx is the sharply angled idea of a sphinx; Mayo (named for Rosen's dog) is barely chiseled as if the shape of a dog was found in the stone, then sketched in pencil on the surfaces and in the grooves. In Klimt, one can see some of Klimt's reaching lines and lateral segmentations, but the piece is just as evocative of a burned-out tree trunk. Rodin, on the other hand, is the opposite of Rodin's smooth, precise figures. It is a rough, highly textured, largely undefined shape - perhaps the Rodin-esque figure is buried underneath?

Rosen also has a sense of humor, evidenced for example in Oh Deer and Wall Foot. The former is a wall-mounted sculpture, a nearly five-foot high narrow bird's body with a deer head sculpted around a bundle of sticks, producing an organic, witty quality. Wall Foot emerges bony and elongated from the base of a wall, as if it were impishly waiting to trip an innocent passer-by. Rosen captures the private lives of creatures in her works - both the comic and dramatic sides. And because Rosen represents this privacy, we don't quite gain entry into it.

JH Film Fest...YOU are amazing!

The Jackson Hole Film Festival has been the happening thing this past weekend. We were lucky to be blessed with absolutely perfect movie weather...that's kind of a buddha-like way to embrace cold, sleet, and snow in June. The Center for the Arts was filled with people who must never, ever sleep because they are bursting with ideas and passion for what they do 24 hours a day. And then they are actually doing it...they are creating their movies and documentaries and they are making change through art. They are getting people to laugh, cry, get angry, get happy, get involved and open their eyes. Some in the crowd were the kind of people who make other's dreams come true...whether by financing a film project or perhaps making someone a star. The accomplishments that I was surrounded by just blew me away, and I only saw a few of the movies and met a very small portion of the people involved there. Here are some of my fav's...

I first met Brian Liu in the gallery Friday night as his alter ego DJ Yellow Fever, a Washington DC dj who kept the gallery rocking (I mean that literally, ask Trace who lives upstairs...sorry Trace!) 'til midnight. I was especially excited when I heard that he was a part of the Thievery Corporation tour, played in the Buddha Bar (Bosnia), all over Playa del Carmen Mexico, and "your house when you weren't home!" But I later discovered that as amazing as his music accomplishments are, what Brian has done in his young life as a designer, photojournalist and documentary film-maker are even more impressive. Go to www.disarmfilm.com to find out about his documentary about the global landmine problem. Afghanistan, Belarus, Iraq, and Thailand are just a few of the places where he was right in there, filming the search for and disarming of landmines. You can find out all sorts of other things about Brian by going to www.toolboxdc.com and www.gypsyeyesrecords.com

The movie Made In America, directed by Stacy Peralta (Dogtown and Z Boys, Riding Giants). Go see it...everyone...please. I did not expect to be so affected by a movie about the Bloods and Crips in LA. I mean really, what do I know about gang warfare and it certainly doesn't effect me here in Jackson. But that's the point here...I don't know about it. We don't know about it. But we should. It's a 100-year history that should be taught and discussed in our schools. What began as trying to establish an identity has evolved literally into a warfield right here in the US, right next to Beverly Hills and Hollywood. Children growing up in south central LA were tested for Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. Do you know that their rate was HIGHER then children living in Baghdad, Iraq? Do you know that over the last 30 years, gang warfare has caused the death of over 15,000 people in Los Angeles? I could go on and on, but really, just find it and see it.

Validation, by Kurt Kuenne is a short film that was very fun, my cheeks hurt from smiling so much. It's about a parking attendant (TJ Thyne) who gives out free parking and free compliments...REAL validation. For example, "You are AWESOME! That necktie looks GREAT with your eyes! YOU are an amazing addition to this world!" Maybe we should all dispense free validation to others on a daily basis. Here is your validation for the day.
"You are amazing. You make a difference. You are a ray of sunshine on this rainy day. You are a creatively inspiring person. Your smile is radiant. You are very special in this world."

June 6th | First Friday Event

First Friday Event 5:30 - 7:30
followed by Film Festival Party

The next First Friday event is upon us. This month will be featuring Matt Flint's painting. Flint's quiet geometry is a study of isolation and transformation. His work incorporates primitive, geometric patterns combined with a variety of subjects. Rich texture and subtle lighting, the result of working and reworking the canvas, are a meditative journey hovering between the concrete and temporal. View more of Matt's work here.

Also featured tonight will be the photography of Richard Speedy. Here is a brief blurb about Richard, his work and more:

Photographer Richard Speedy first heard the name “Julio Pagliani” around a crackling campfire while on assignment deep in the heart of Mexico’s rugged Sierra Madre. It was bestowed upon him by fellow wanderers of the Barrancas del Cobre as he was led by backcountry guide and friend, Santiago. He fell in love with the people of this region and made it his cause to help them sustain their way of life and culture without having to leave their homes and families for work. In collaboration with the Center of Wonder, we are happy to host Richard Speedy and his photographs, along with Julio Pagliani jewelry created by his extended family of Norogachi villagers. Joining Richard at the gallery for an artist talk will be Santiago, a Copper Canyon region backcountry guide.

Come join us to enjoy the beautiful works, a glass o' wine or a cold beer. When the opening ends, the party will just be getting started. The JH Film Festival will be having a party here at the gallery for pass holders with one of the rotating DJs from Thievery Corporation!

Yard Dogs Road Show is Pure Visual and Sonic Voodoo

On Saturday night if you weren't at the Playhouse, you missed an amazing show and apres-dance party. Be sure to get in line the next time the Yard Dogs are in town because there will certainly be a line. In fact, they will have to book them for a few more nights because based on the crowds reaction during and after, the show was a huge success. Thanks to Dom and the rest of the FrontStreet Productions crew, we had the opportunity to experience one the best live entertainment shows in Jackson in the most perfect venue you could possibly conjure up for them. In fact, I heard that their reaction was nothing short of super fired up when they walked into the Playhouse that afternoon and saw the stage set-up. They loved it so much that at 3:30am they were rocking out on stage to an empty theatre. And a special thanks has to go to Ben, who kept the dancing going into the wee hours. Somehow he was able to keep the dance floor full long after the alcohol stopped flowing...that is some serious DJ talent!

I really can't describe the Yard Dogs show any better then Dom already did...
"The Yard Dogs Road Show is a hobo cabaret, a living patchwork of vaudeville and rock and roll. In the enchanting land of stage show entertainment, theirs is both pleasant and formidable terrain. They require a sensitivity to the subtle and the absurd. The lead the modern hobohemian on a visual and sonic journey through a part of history that may or may not have existed-followed by an ambitious return to the emotional challenges of our punch-drunk contemporary world. It's a true story on stage: sword swallowers, dancing dolls, fire eaters and sunset hobo poetry- all animated by the live sounds of the yard Dogs cartoon heavy band. Yard Dogs Road show is pure visual and sonic voodoo.

Born from the saloon vaudeville that toured the Wild West in the late 1800's and slammed into the underworld of modern American road culture. The Yard Dogs create a timeless space for the union of ancient theatrical alchemy and modern pop culture."

Jackson attracts many who like to take risks and push the extreme limits. For those who like to push those limits culturally though art, music, film, collective experience and personal expression, the options are limited. But there are a few vanguards in this town who are continuously at the forefront of pushing what is possible and allowing the rest of us the opportunity to feed off of that energy and experience, Dom Gagliardi is one of them. He is always behind the most progressive music events that happen here. He is committed to expanding our cultural opportunities in Jackson and I give him a huge hug for that! We all need to continue to support his efforts.

I find it interesting that he was able to bring in a show that was completely entertaining and sexy and at the same time explored the deeper philosophical question that we are often faced with here in Jackson...how do you merge the "Cowboy Culture" with a modern vision? How do they exist and evolve side-by-side? How do you even define those two things? Art of all genres is the perfect medium within which to explore that question. I am so thankful that we have such a vibrant and diverse community that is open to and supportive of these cultural experiences and conversations!

The next cultural vanguard I need to talk about is Tony Birkholz who brought us Pangea Day, the first Global Campfire event...

A little Tuesday Morning Music...

...worth checking out. Thanks Ben.

First Friday | May 2nd

Our First Friday this month was a fun event. check out the pictures in the slideshow (click to see a larger version) and go to our news section to read more...

My Trip to the Spiral Jetty

"Do you always live your life like The New Yorker travelogue?" was Ben's comment about my recent 40hour adventure in Salt Lake City. I guess that packing in art, skiing, music and IKEA warrants that. The inspiration to hop in the minivan and drive 6 hours to SLC was to experience in person Robert Smithson's Spiral Jetty. It just so happened that the spring skiing at Snow Basin was amazing, Ivan Neville was funking SLC up with his Dumpstafunk band, and I really needed a couch from IKEA. Luckily all these elements led me to convince a friend who happens to have a huge truck to join me, because the hour-dirtroad-trek off the highway out to the jetty itself would have destroyed my van.

If you've visited our blog before, you might know that I have talked about the Spiral Jetty, in fact it was the inspiration for my very first blog here! It is an earthwork of major influence and proportions. I fell in love with this piece of art 18 years ago in an art history class, but had only seen photos of it. Over the last 40 years, the Jetty has experienced varying degrees of exposure based on the rising and falling levels of the Lake. Having experienced quite a drought recently, it has been exposed and accessible for the last five years. The difficulties in getting there of course are a part of the experience and I can imagine that for someone coming from an urban area the remoteness of it must be intense. Unfortunately, the very essence of the piece itself which is so site-specific is threatened by proposed oil exploration nearby. You can learn more about this and what you can do by visiting the DIA Foundation website and my earlier blog.

So how was it? Like visiting an old friend. I walked the 1500feet to the center of the spiral and breathed in the energy. The center turn of the spiral is now solid salt. The rocks are covered in crystals and salty foam blows by my feet. The water surrounding the spiral is also very surreal. Filled with brine shrimp and minerals, it is varying shades of red and purple. It's water, but it seems to be moving in a slow, viscous manner. Turn, and walk the spiral back out and a journey of rebirth has been made. Words flood my brain: calming, meditative, inspiring, hostile, solitary,an amazing interactive of solid and liquid,pilgrimage, mythological, infinite,enigma.

I love this bit from Smithson."I was slipping out of myself again, dissolving into a unicellular beginning, trying to locate the nucleus at the end of the spiral" (Holt 1979)

As we drove the pitted road back out to go rip up the slopes at Snow Basin, we passed a rental car with a well-dressed and wide-eyed couple inside. Art-lovers on a pilgrimage? Must have been because there is no other reason to be out in that environment in that low, little car. I wondered what they were thinking, what their experience would be. Would they make it out of there without a flat tire or broken axle? Did they buy the insurance on the car? How out of their element are they putting themselves in order to experience this piece of art? And I applauded their dedication.

Pangea Day Trailer

Pangea Day at LMC

Come to the gallery for this international event!

from pangeaday.com:

The Pangea Day Mission & Purpose

Pangea Day is a global event bringing the world together through film.

Why? In a world where people are often divided by borders, difference, and conflict, it's easy to lose sight of what we all have in common. Pangea Day seeks to overcome that – to help people see themselves in others – through the power of film.

The Pangea Day Event

Starting at 18:00 GMT on May 10, 2008, locations in Cairo, Kigali, London, Los Angeles, Mumbai, and Rio de Janeiro will be linked for a live program of powerful films, live music, and visionary speakers. The entire program will be broadcast – in seven languages – to millions of people worldwide through the internet, television, and mobile phones.

The 24 short films to be featured have been selected from an international competition that generated more than 2,500 submissions from over one hundred countries. The films were chosen based on their ability to inspire, transform, and allow us see the world through another person's eyes. Details on the Pangea Day films can be viewed here.

The program will also include a number of exceptional speakers and musical performers. Queen Noor of Jordan, CNN's Christiane Amanpour, musician/activist Bob Geldof, and Iranian rock phenom Hypernova are among those taking part.

What Will Happen After Pangea Day

People inspired by Pangea Day will have the opportunity to participate in community-building activities around the world. Through the live program, the Pangea Day web site, and self-organized local events, everyday people will be connected with extraordinary activists and organizations.

Many of the films and performances seen on Pangea Day will be made available on the Web and via mobile phone, alongside open forums for discussion and ideas for how to take social action.

A Pangea Day documentary will be created to catalyze future activities, and dozens of talented filmmakers will make strides in their careers.

History

In 2006, filmmaker Jehane Noujaim won the TED Prize, an annual award granted at the TED Conference. She was granted $100,000, and more important, a wish to change the world. Her wish was to create a day in which the world came together through film. Pangea Day grew out of that wish. Watch Jehane Noujaim’s 2006 acceptance speech now.

A little spring cleaning

We are doing some rearranging in cyberspace. All of our news articles are now found in the news section of our site. You can get there by clicking here or finding the link on the upper right hand side of this page. It's the one in red labeled 'News'. Seriously.

AIVO from last summer -our first gallery video!

Here is a brief video and some photos from the gallery last summer. The AIVO First Friday Event was an eye-opener for the Jackson community. The show was a collaboration of many artists and a great success.

Thanks to Tony Birkholz and Blanka Kovacs for the filming and editing!

Welcome to SoBo | April 4th | First Friday Event

April’s First Friday event at Lyndsay McCandless Contemporary is not your typical art opening. This month LMC celebrates an art movement, outside the box and off the square. A new neighborhood has been evolving in Jackson, SoBo (“South of Broadway”). The April edition of Outside Magazine notes, “Be sure to drop into SoBo (South of Broadway) reputed to be Jackson’s most happening art scene, anchored by the hip Lyndsay McCandless Contemporary and the galleries and performance spaces at the JH Center for the Arts.” All guests to LMC’s April First Friday event are encouraged to wear their favorite fancy or funky art viewing outfit in honor of SoBo: artist black, carharts, tee-jeans-diamonds, whatever it might be for you.

The light-hearted idea of referring to the area as SoBo evolved through a conversation that Lyndsay had with a friend in New York about her gallery and it’s unique and challenging location off the town square. “I am constantly trying to explain to people where we are located. South of Broadway, just a few blocks off the square. My friend said it could be called SoBro, haha. I thought it was actually a pretty good idea, except that SoBo flowed a little better and it leaned more to the artsy-side than the ski-side,” McCandless says.

A little research into the history of the moniker SoHo (the NY inspiration) yielded some interesting similarities between what is happening in Jackson and how the SoHo districts were formed in metropolises such as London, New York and Hong Kong. The name SoHo first appears in London in the 17th century and may have derived from an old hunting call, “SoHo! There goes a fox!” That hunting area of London has evolved over the centuries into a famous dining, entertainment and arts district. The SoHo district of Hong Kong walks the line between preserving the historical Chinese and colonial culture and recent modern developments. SoHo in New York is a trendy neighborhood that grew into a thriving arts community out of abandoned factories in the mid 1900’s.

“To me SoBo represents more then just a direction or the name of a neighborhood. It’s about embracing the potential, taking risks, and having fun with it all. It’s about community and creating a buzz and excitement around a central idea. Jackson has done an amazing job of promoting our Western heritage…this idea of SoBo adds an element of hipness and intrigue to that image. People get stuck circling the square. I hope SoBo inspires them to think outside the box and to take a walk around the outer neighborhoods of Jackson. The Center for the Arts, Muse Gallery, Craft, Wild Hands, Beads and Things, Shades, Trio…there are lots of creative, locally owned business on the south side of Broadway. There can be a whole discussion about the evolution of NoBo,too…Teton Art Lab, Oswald, etc., but that might be going to far right now.”

April’s First Friday will feature the local band LoFi. comprised of Andy Calder (bass), Jeff Eidemiller (guitar), Mark Longfield (keyboards), Ed Domer (drums), and Karee Miller (vocals). Lo-Fi plays soul-injected funk/jazz, along the lines of Soulive, Macy Gray, Galactic, and Herbie Hancock. Lo-Fi’s high-energy, unique, creative, sound gets the SoBo scene hopping! Lo-Fi shares McCandless’s enthusiasm about SoBo, “There’s just something very hip about a show at THE contemporary SoBo gallery!” said Calder. Please join us Friday, April 4 from 5:30-8pm for the SoBo celebration. Don’t forget to dress for the occasion.

-LMC

A few pics from Breast Fest '08

It was a successful evening. Congratulations to the ladies for putting on such a fun and important event! More here...

Barry McGee & Margaret Kilgallen

What is art? Where does it come from? Where does it belong? Who is it for?

The queries are endless and the answer elusive. Barry McGee & Margaret Kilgallen flirt with many facets of the art world. Street art, gallery installations, and train yard graffiti are known venues for these two and their works, accompanied by their words, create a beautiful dialog for the aforementioned questions.

This video showed up in my email today thanks to Wooster Collective via Eyeteeth. Grab a snack and have a look.

Sawzalls take the title!

Although it may seem a far cry from the art world, the Sawzalls victory last week has made it to our blog. Ranked at the bottom of the local rec league only a year ago, Sawzalls tightened their chinstraps and brought their A-game in '08. Lyndsay (standing, middle-right) announced the championship win midweek with a big smile. Other than a sore behind, McCandless had little to complain about after a great season

Congratulations to the Sawzall team from LMC.

Women are Heroes

This entry is part of the Wooster Collective daily email. The artist JR has been engaging difficult issues in hot spots around the globe. His work is provocative and beautiful. Have a look.

Just to warn you: the movie contains some graphic descriptions that are important, but quite tough to hear.

Sam

TRAILER " WOMEN ARE HEROES"
Uploaded by JR

Can someone tell us why we are here??

I came across this image on Thursday and thought it might be fun to share. Olaf Breuning has taken an interesting approach to developing his own website. I highly recommend clicking here to go and explore...

Sam

SF MOMA- Olafur Eliasson

I recently had the opportunity to get out of Jackson and head to San Francisco for the perfect combination of 75˚ weather, art, music, and friends. My experience at the SF Museum of Modern Art is one that I must share. When I left the museum, I wanted to give everyone I saw $12.50 to go in and experience the work of Olafur Eliasson, an artist from Iceland (unfortunately I didn’t have enough money in my pocket to actually do that). His experiential exhibit, Take Your Time, really did blow my mind and open my heart. I must admit that I don’t usually get into experiential/conceptual art, but this was different. It was like walking through a scientific and artistic funhouse. It’s not easy for me to explain his work…weather is experienced in the context of art, color patterns that send you to a place of vertigo and emotion, nature brought indoors. Look him up online to fully grasp and see what he does or come into my gallery to read his book and talk to me about it, I LOVE talking about it.

In one room, Notion motion, adults become kids again as they jump up and down on creaking floorboards to affect the beautiful, undulating patterns on the wall. Go around the wall and like coming across the Wizard in Oz, you discover the secrets to the magic happening in front of you. But its not a disappointment to figure it out, instead it is one of those moments when you feel privileged to be let in on the process. This show is not about being a passive, meditative art viewer. It’s about being jolted from your normal way of viewing and processing art and becoming an active participant in actually completing the artwork.

In 360˚ room for all colors, I spontaneously burst out laughing as suddenly I was completely suspended in the color yellow, then red, then back to a white space of vertigo. It was like I was being sent into alternating tubes of paint. Time, space, and people just faded away from me as I experienced a huge range of emotions as it slowly went through the entire spectrum of color. I think that guards thought I was a little crazy as I was in there by myself laughing and getting teary for more then 20 minutes! Although, I certainly hope that I was not the first to react like that.
I could go on and on about this experience. Instead, at this point, I simply encourage you to look him up and if you ever have the chance to see and participate in one of his works, you must!
-lyndsay

The Spiral Jetty

In case you haven't heard, Robert Smithson's Spiral Jetty (1970) located on the Great Salt Lake, is threatened by oil exploration. You can visit the Dia Foundation to learn more about this amazing piece of earth art and the potential threat to its existence. They also provide access to a template-letter that can be sent to the State of Utah to express your concern. I hope the oil companies can be flexible and join us in "adapting to various environments easily" and work to reduce their impact on this historic work.
-lyndsay