Loveland Library features Colorado Artists in "Guests in the Galleria"

The Loveland library's elegant display cases feature two- and three-dimensional pieces in quarterly shows, designed to introduce artists to the community and provide them with valuable free exposure and display space. The program is called "Guests in the Galleria."  The artists chosen for October-December are: Brenda Jones, Christina Lopez-Ball, Elizabeth Morisette, Melinda Percell, Lori Shafer, Joan Stephenson, and Carol Walker.

If you are interested in participating in next year's "Guests in the Galleria" you can find the call for artists here.

Local Jeweler posts online demos

Jennie Milner, a local jeweler who uses resin and sterling silver to make cool, arty jewelry has posted online demos to help you create your own resin jewelry.  Check it out here

Horizons for Hope

Local Artist Catherine Giglio  will have her work up at Everyday Joe's Coffehouse October 3-31st.  She was recently featured in an article in Style Magazine.  Her work is colorful and dreamy.  The artist says, "Please stop by Everyday Joe's Coffee House during the month of October to see my solo show, Horizons for Hope. Since Everyday Joe's is so supportive of the artists and musicians in Fort Collins by not taking a percentage of sales, I will be donating 30% of sales to Hope Lives! The Lydia Dody Breast Cancer Foundation in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month and my sister. There is also a fun piece by the children who stopped by my studio tour this summer and played and painted to their hearts content. 100% of the sale will go to an event benefitting The Never Alone Foundation. I'm working on an event to take place later in the month, but if you would like to meet up for coffee and or a yummy chai (my favorite in town!), I'd be more than happy to meet you there. Just shoot me a message. Thanks to you all for being a part of my "red thread"!!"

Call for Artists UNC Juried Photography Show: Wet Plate Collodion

The University of Northern Colorado School of Art and Design presents a Juried Photography Show of Wet Plate Collodion Process.  The show will be on exhibit January 20-March 7, 2015 with a closing recpetion on March 4, 2015.  Application Deadline, Monday, November 10 at 5 pm (MST)  Apply on the  CaFE website. 

Fort Collins Symphony Celebrates it's 65th Year!

Making the rounds in my Facebook feed is this YouTube clip, a perfomance from last year's season of the Fort Collins Sympony.  The symphony has some great programming coming up this year, including BACH & BEER - October 23, 2014 at the Horse and Dragon Brewing Company and GENIUS INSPIRED - November 1, 2014 Mozart • Beethoven • Schumann.  I love this clip because it shows the whimsy and creative nature of this Symphony and it's fans.  

Birds Gone Wild

A group of local artists spent the weekend creating fantastical birds with artist Leanna Light.  They sent me some photos and it looks like a lot of fun!  Masonville Artists’ Studio (MAS) is the roomy basement studio-with-a-view in the home of local artist Lynn Henry. Lynn recently redid her basement specifically to have space where she and her artist friends could gather.  Masonville Artists Studio offers workshops with nationally known artists.  Interested in taking a workshop?  Check out their website here.

Must Love Art

The fabulousness continues at the Community Creative Center in Fort Collins.  Local Artists Ayn Hannah and Barbara Gilhooly got married and celebrated with a show called "Must Love Art".   This exhibit features their work, their correspondence before they were married and hearts made by artist friends to celebrate their wedding.  The show is up until September 27th....YOU should go! 

Colorado Theatre Review

Tom Jones over at Colorado Theatre Review has two regiews on local plays currently running at two of Fort Collins' top Theatre Companies.   

"Journey to the West" is at Open Stage 

Journey to the West runs to October 4, at 8:00 p. m. on Fridays and Saturdays, Sundays at 2:00 p.m. (September 28)

Fort Collins Magnolia Theatre

Lincoln Center

417 West Magnolia Street; Fort Collins, Colorado

For tickets contact 970/221-6730, or lctix.com.

For more information, visit openstage.com

 "The Year of Magical Thinking" is at Bas Bleu.

 The Year of Magical Thinking runs through October 5, Thurs through Saturday evenings at 7:30, Sunday Matinees at 2:30 p.m

Bas Bleu Theatre

401 Pine Street, Fort Collins, Colorado

For tickets contact the Box Office 970/498-8949

For more information www.basbleu.org 

If you want to know what he thinks before you go check out his website.  If you do see either of these plays, send me your take on the performances at elmorisette@gmail.com

Bow Ties Make The Man

I am kind of in love with local performing Artist Judd Farner (don't tell my husband). Here is a YouTube clip he did at last years Ignite Fort Collins.  He will be performing a new piece called "Crime And Punishment – The Effect Of Tardiness On American Moviegoers" at Ignite Fort Collins this year.  The show will be October 17th at the Lincoln Center, and if you act now, you can get early bird pricing!  

Altered Books at the Library

 Valarie Savarie and her art will visit Old Town Library during Banned Books Week. An artist’s reception will be held on September 27, 3:30 – 5:00 p.m. where she will discuss her work, inspiration, and her creative process. She has graciously donated several of the banned book pieces to a silent auction, held during the event, to raise funds for the Poudre River Friends of the Library. Art work will be displayed at Old Town Library for a week prior so that the community can view the art prior to the auction.

Valerie is the co-owner of Valkarie Gallery in Lakewood, Colo. For more on the artist visit her website at www.valeriesavarie.com.

For more on the Friends Group visit www.prfol.org

Looking for a place to show your work?

Hang up your art at Big Al’s.  It is a funky place with bright colors and recycled elements.  They support their Fort Collins community, by covering their walls with local art.  I had a great experience hanging several themed shows up over a three month gig.  Big Al's doesn't charge you to hang your art and the variety of art is eclectic.  If you are interested, you can visit their website and send some images to their Art Coordinator, Lindsey atLindsey@HotCornerConcepts.com.

Shedding: New Works by Lindee Zimmer

Avagadro's Number is a hub of various arts experiences.  Even while having a Tempeh Burger there, you can see the awesome murals painted by local artist Susan K. Dailey and some cool macrame pieces as well.  Avo's also hosts small exhibits in their bar area.  The current show is called "Shedding; New Works by Lindee Zimmer"  The pieces are spare and quiet.  Which is different from other shows I have seen at Avo's.  Each piece makes you slow down and consider 'releasing the unwanted' as Zimmer says in her Artist Statement.  My favorite piece in the show is called "Up in the Clouds with Loved Ones" (pictured below) it features gold leaf and ink on paper.  Lovely!  The show is on display at Avagadro's Number until September 30th.  Take  some time to encounter this peaceful show.

Fort Collins Writer Now a Contributor to Huffington Post

Northern Colorado writer Carrie Visintainer has started to write for the Huffington Post.  Carries writing focuses on maintaining your sense of freedom and wonder, even with the responsibilities of  a family.  Her writings are thoughtful and funny and will get you to think about the choices we make and if they are our choices, or societies choices for us.

The Huffington Post says "While working toward an MS in genetics at the University of Minnesota, Carrie Visintainer discovered a strong case of wanderlust in her DNA. She can often be found adventuring solo or with her husband and young kids, or writing in a tiny shed in her Colorado backyard. She's the founder of Free Your Wild, empowering people to unlock and embrace their inner "wild," and her articles and essays have appeared in Outside, 5280, and several Travelers' Tales "The Best Women's Travel Writing" volumes. She's also the Wild Mama columnist for The Fort Collins Coloradoan. Her literary endeavors are represented by Wolf Literary. Visit Carrie and share your insights at freeyourwild.com."   You can visit her Huffington Post writings here. 

2014 National Juried Show: Incite Insight

The Fort Collins Lincoln Center invites visual artists residing in the US to enter “Incite Insight,” a call for artists to provoke/inspire/arouse a deeper understanding/vision/wisdom of the world around us. Guest Juror Ivar Zeile, owner and director of the award-winning Plus Gallery, one of Denver, Colorado’s, leading contemporary art spaces, will select the work and awards. Representational, conceptual and work in all media will be considered. Artists may submit no more than three artworks for consideration. Go to The Lincoln Center Website for more information.

The full application is through Café at www.callforentry.org. Registration for artists on the Café website is free; there is a $35 entry fee for up to three entries. Fort Collins artists residing in zip codes 80521-80528 can receive a $10 discount by using the code: LCNJS14

The Center for Fine Art Photography 10th Anniversary!

The Center for Fine Art Photography, argueably one of the best art venues in Fort Collins,  is celebrating it's 10th Anniversary!  During the celebration, October 2-8 the center will host several workshops that local artists are encouraged to attend.  Highlights include;  Free Pinhole Workshop at Linden Street Pop-Up Gallery with Michael Butts and Kimberly Butts Chiaris, a Full Moon Eclipse Viewing+ Photography workshop, and kid friendly photography workshops.  You can go to their website for more information on how to sign up for workshops or attend the many festivities.  Congrats to Hamidah Glasgow and all of the good folks at the Center!

Colorado Creates Grantees in Northern Colorado

Colorado Creative Industries has announced recipients for the 2014-15 Colorado Creates grant program. A total of 162 grants were awarded in 32 counties across the state totaling $1,076,500, an increase from the 150 grants awarded in 26 counties last year.

Colorado Creates is Colorado Creative Industries' largest grant program, providing financial support that helps nonprofit cultural organizations and government agencies produce and present arts and cultural activities. Grants are awarded annually on a competitive basis.

Larimer County grant recipients are as follows: Bas Bleu Theatre Company: $7,500; Northern Colorado Intertribal Powwow Association: $4,000; Estes Park Music Festival: $4,000; Global Village Museum of Arts and Cultures: $4,000; Canyon Concert Ballet: $8,500; Fort Collins Symphony Association: $8,500; Larimer Choral Society: $6,500; OpenStage Theatre & Company Inc.: $7,500; Opera Fort Collins Inc.: $6,500; Rocky Ridge Music Center Foundation: $8,500; Shambhala Mountain Center: $10,000; The Center for Fine Art Photography: $7,500.

Congrats to all of these great organizations!

Through the Looking Glass

 Fort Collins Sculptor Mark Leichliter created this fabulous piece called "Through the Looking Glass".  The piece will soon be heading to its new home in Little Rock, AR along the Arkansas River.  Mark also created the sculpture outside (and inside) of the Old Town Fort Collins Library.
Congratulations, Mark!