Best Christmas present!

I love those presents that are completely unexpected and absolutely perfect! That happened to me today when I got to the gallery and saw a box on my desk. Then I looked closely and realized that it was actually for Natalie. Sad, I immediately started pouting and feeling sorry for myself because I never get presents at work. (Natalie actually really deserved it because she just had knee surgery!) Then she came bopping in and handed me the box exclaiming "happy late christmas!" Really, for me?!?!

Inside was a box from TOMS...Shoes for a Better Tomorrow! How did she know? Has she been looking over my shoulder while I 'work'? These are the super cool vegan-friendly black boots that I have been dying to get for myself...and the best part is that when you buy a pair, they donate a pair to a child in need. They plan on giving away over 200,000 pairs of shoes this year! You can be sure that we will be having a Style Your Sole party someday at the gallery.

KHOL- My Favorite Radio!

It's no secret...I'm a huge fan of KHOL, 89.1. Pass me in my mini-van on Monday morning during Cutter's show and you will certainly catch me car dancing. Stop by the gallery most days and you can experience the joy of community radio with us. (I am considering a 'monday morning caffeine and Cutter dance-session' there) I was sad to have missed the first fundraising dance-party of the winter at the Playhouse a couple of weeks ago, but here is a video by Another Being Creative that came out of it. The next one happens February 20.


Jackson Hole Community Radio - KHOL fundraisers from another being creative on Vimeo.

New Music Saturday

I think this will be a new routine...New Music Saturday. This is what I found today after checking out the calender of The Independent in San Francisco. I have noticed that tickets are pretty cheap these days and I am dying to get to SF for lots of reasons...these guys being one of them. It's a little campy, but good for bopping along on a snowy Saturday afternoon.

Fujiya and Miyagi - Knickerbocker

When it's super cold...make art!

If you live here in Jackson, you know how cold it can get sometimes. -30f is pretty extreme for most people in this world. But some hearty artists in Jackson get inspired and actually venture outside during these cold spells to create art. Bland Hoke is the Center of Wonder's Ambassador of Public Art and he is responsible for the plethora of free public art that is sprouting up all over the valley for everyone's enjoyment. Add Ben Roth, Tony Birkholz and a few others into the mix with super cold weather and badly insulated buildings and you get amazing sculptures in front of my gallery. I loved coming to work the next day and seeing the spikey gas tank out front. Unfortunately, like Frosty, the artwork itself was made of the elements, thus it reacted to the sun and has slowly melted away into a few lonely stalagmites out front. I have a feeling that we will be experiencing a lot more of these impromptu, public art pieces. So if you missed it this time, keep your eyes open and enjoy!

30 Below 0, Impromptu Ice Sculpture from another being creative on Vimeo.

If I can brag a little...I am "Essential"

To follow-up a little about the article below...it's the January issue of Southwest Art magazine, their Essential Guide to 2009. I am thrilled to be a part of this issue, especially since they focused on highlighting my sustainable, green vision for the gallery. It would have been easy, and typical, for them for talk about the amazing artists that I represent. The fact that they were interested in the sustainable things that I am striving towards is a great sign to me that we are doing the right thing, going in the right direction, and that it is being embraced by the mainstream, larger audience. Yay!! How exciting. This bit of press is definitely pushing me to solidify our sustainable business plan and make it stronger, better and more obvious. I am enlisting the help of many supportive experts in the valley to offer their thoughts on what I could do differently and better. I look forward to the continuing evolution of this adventure.

Now I have to share my 6-year olds' reaction to my being in a magazine...
"Mom! You're like, a mom...with three kids...who's in a magazine and famous! You're like a supermodel!"
Gotta love a child's view of the world...I'm a supermodel in someone's eyes!

Southwest Art Magazine: Lyndsay McCandless is the art person to know in 2009

Green is the New Black:
Everyone knows that black is the de rigueur among the toniest of art crowds. But for Jackson Hole gallery owner Lyndsay McCandless, green is the new black. Recently, McCandless decided being green was not only hip but also vitally important to the planet. Today, her self-imposed mission is all about sustainability, from the artists she represents to the drinking cups she uses as events. "I decided to use my place of business as a potential example to the community," she says.

With an emphasis on recycling, no cardboard box or Styrofoam peanut goes to waste at Lyndsay McCandless Contemporary (www.lmcontemporary.com). Shipping crates are used as pedestals to display art. The rest of the gallery is decorated with used furniture from a Habitat for Humanity store. At events, McCandless serves beer from the local Snake River Brewing Company and wine from eco-friendly wineries like French Rabbit, which sells its product in 100% recyclable packages. McCandless encourages clients to bring their own cups, and for those who don't, she provides compostable corn-based cups. Invitations, of course, are printed on 100% recycled paper, and like many other gallery owners, she is currently encouraging clients to choose email invitations instead.

As if that's not enough, McCandess also offers her gallery space, located in a former engine repair show, to non-profit organizations free of charge. Arts performances as well as meetings on everything from women's iniatives to conservation issues take place at the gallery. For taking such a global perspective on her role in the community, McCandless wom the Cultural Council of Jackson Hole's 2008 Award for Creativity. On your next trip to

Gross National Happiness...First Friday art talk

In case you missed our January First Friday event, here is a taste of what went on. We had an amazing gathering of people here, even though the weather was absolutely horrible that night. Thank you all for your support!
LMC presents: Ann Muller & Gross National Happiness from another being creative on Vimeo.