Local Illustrator has several books in the works

Cathy Morrison, a local children's book illustrator passionate about the environment, nature and science, has an update about the books she has been illustrating.

The Prairie that Nature Built, (http://www.dawnpub.com/our-books/prairie-that-nature-built/book-reviews-for-prairie-that-nature-built/) written by Marybeth Lorbiecki and illustrated by me just came out last fall and is getting nice reviews. It's a game app as well as picture book.

February 2015 Dino Treasures comes out. It was written by Rhonda Lucas Donald and illustrated by me and is a sequel to Dino Tracks. The National Science Teachers Association has recommended it: (http://www.nsta.org/recommends/ViewProduct.aspx?ProductID=22069). The book release party will be at the Smithsonian in Washington, DC.

Also February is the release date for Pitter and Patter, another picture book and book app with Dawn Publishing, written by Martha Sullivan. Here is an early Kirkus review:https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/martha-sullivan/pitter-and-patter/. I'm attaching some low res images from this book.

In April I have another picture book, This Land Is Your Land by Catherine Ciocchi. It's about landforms and geologic features, includes a study of maps and is also published by Arbordale.

Call for Mural Artists

Greeley wants you this Summer....check it out here.

Some Light Reading about Creative Communities and how to build them....

"What factors make up a community’s arts vibrancy, and which cities possess them?"
This was a contimuing theme that came up at the Hotdish party last Thursday. Local Artist Jessica Crouch sent me this article that describes how a community becomes vibrant for everyone.  Check it out....
http://www.smu.edu/~/media/Site/Meadows/NCAR/NCARArtsVibrancyWhitepaper

HIgh Hops Brewery hosts KRFC's New Music Showcase

Singer/songwriter Candy Lee is our featured guest this month. Soaring voice and uplifting lyrics are her hallmarks. Taggart & Silas will open. Come out and enjoy some award winning beer and music for your soul! Thursday, February 5 at 5:00pm - 7:00pm at High Hops Brewery, Windsor, CO.

Tatters unite! at the Loveland Library

Stacy Nick reporting about the Arts again in Northern Colorado

Stacy Nick just announced she will be the new Arts, Culture and Music reporter at KUNC 91.5.  She starts on Monday!  Congrats!

Hickenlooper talks about arts strategery.....

See the Colorado Public Radio story here. 

(Thanks, Ren)

House built by many Fort Collins craftsmen now becomes a home for future CSU presidents

The home of Dave and Paula Edwards, skillfully crafted and built in 2000 by some of Fort Collins finest, will become the residence of future CSU presidents.  Find the story here.

Have fun at Moulin MoD!

Whether you’re looking for love or already in it, Fort Collins Museum of Discovery invites you to the hottest ticket in town this February! Head over to the Moulin MoD on Friday, February 13, 2015 from 8pm-11pm for an evening of thrills, frills, and fantasy. Queue up your feathers and ruffles, get ready to can-can, and explore the history of love and entertainment in Fort Collins, Moulin Rouge style!

Part of FCMoD’s adult-only evening programming, Moulin MoD offers an opportunity to explore history, science, and culture like never before. Featuring collections artifacts rarely on display, stories detailing the history of romance and nightlife in Fort Collins, live music from Stella Luce, cocktails, and more. Tickets are only $25, so grab your date and hit the town. Costumes are highly encouraged; 21 and over.

Transformer Cabinet Mural Time!

The City of Fort Collins, Colorado, Art in Public Places Program is seeking local artists/teams and non-profit organizations to work with the Transformer Cabinet Mural Project Team to develop and paint murals on electrical transformer cabinets around Fort Collins. The murals are intended to help mitigate graffiti, as well as add art to the community.

Artists/teams residing, owning a business, or having a current studio space within the Fort Collins growth management area are eligible to apply. Artists will be selected by the project team upon review of submission materials. Once selected, transformer cabinet sites will be assigned to artists/teams, with one or more cabinets per site for painting. The budget for this project starts at $1000 per artist/team.

Additionally, individuals or teams from non-profit organizations located within the City of Fort Collins growth management area are eligible to apply. Interested organizations should submit a preliminary mural design concept for review by the project team. Organizations selected for this project will receive an honorarium of $450 per site to cover expenses.

Submissions are due March 5. Artists and Non-Profit Groups may download the Request for Qualifications (RFQ) form from the City’s Art in Public Places website at www.fcgov.com/artspublic/current-competitions.php.

New sculpture in Lory Student Center

Next time you walk through the doors at the Lory Student Center, look up!  You are being watched.  This is a beautifully crafted light fixture created using bars of glass in the ever-familiar csu ram logo.  Pretty cool.

Loveland Playwright presents "Beets"

Rick Padden's play “Beets,” running now through Feb. 8 at the Aurora Fox Theater, is a dramatic depiction of the events that transpired in Berthoud from 1944 to 1945 when POWs from Camp 202, which housed almost 3,000 of the 400,000 German soldiers brought to American soil, worked on northern Colorado sugar beet farms. - See more here.

Surprising numbers when it comes to Colorado and the Arts

The Denver Post reports that Colorado ranks number one in an NEA survey for numbers of trips to theaters, concert halls and museums.  National Endowment for the Arts data put us significantly ahead of our peers, with nearly 52 percent of adults reporting attendance at live performing arts events, above the national average of 37.4 percent. An even greater number, 59.2 percent, say they went to a visual arts event, topping the country's total of 39 percent.

Wow!  All of this without at State Arts Council, per se.  This is what we have in Colorado, I wonder what the numbers are in Northern Colorado?

Artist retreat available to rent in Fort Collins

Interested in a beautiful artist retreat?  Look no further!  This apartment , created using recycled and repurposed materials in view of the beautiful Rocky Montain Foothills is available to rent.  For more information visit here.

Union Colony Civic Center asks "What do you want to see?"

Go to this link to take a survey about what show you would like to see at Greeley's Union Colony Civc Center.

A Review of "American Grain" and "The Nature of Things" at the Lincoln Center now through February 21st

by jessica crouch 

 In the vein of American art’s narrative realism, Anthony Lazorko captures quiet, ordinary scenes of rural America. On display in the lobby of the Lincoln Center are several limited edition, hand-printed, colorful woodblock prints from his nearly decade-long series, American Grain. Gallery director Jeanne Shoaff was particularly drawn to the images she felt captured a sense of isolation, although perhaps the strongest characteristic is a sense of nostalgia that ties the series together. Many of the works, such as Al’s Garage, depict roadside service stations or restaurants. Others, such as Rest Area (2010) or Going Home (2009), are snapshots of interstate travel. The horizons and landscapes in several provide clues to Lazorko’s home in the desert of southern New Mexico, with staggering mountain ranges often looming in the distance, framed by the brilliant light of sunset.

Across the lobby, in the gallery, is a display of four artists’ works in The Nature of Things which explores the intersection of the modern world and nature through various materials and artistic techniques. Shoaff explains that her idea for the exhibition began when she saw the work of Lauren Lipinski Eisen and Charlotte Nichols in an exhibition proposal and connected their interest in nature with that of two other artists, John V. Dempsey and Margaret Smithers-Crump. Delicately arranged large-scale slumped plexiglas sculptures by Smithers-Crump counterpoint Eisen’s mysterious encaustic collaged compositions of vegetation and umbrage. Dempsey’s physically imposing paintings of spliced scenes of natural and urban environments compliment Nichols’ delicate sculptural inventions of human-plant hybridization. Such variety of interpretation blurs the notion of a distinct intersection between man and nature.


*A big welcome to reviewer Jessica Crouch!  If you would like to write something about a show, performance, or Arts issue in Northern Colorado, please send it to me at elmorisette@gmail.com*

Call for Entry at C4FAP

SUBMISSIONS DUE
February 11, 2015 Midnight MT USA 
THEME |Landscapes

JUROR | Chantel Paul
Chantel Paul is the Assistant Curator at the Museum of Photographic Arts (MOPA) in San Diego, CA. She has curated a number exhibitions at MOPA including Unusual Suspects: The Paintings and Photograph of Holly Roberts (2012), Staking Claim: A California Invitational (2013), which included an accompanying catalog, After Ansel Adams (2014).

HONORS | AWARDS  
Juror's Selection: $500.00
Director's Selection: $250.00
Two LiveBooks Website Awards: Valued at $399 from liveBooks
Honorable Mention Awards: 2 year membership and a three image submission for an upcoming call for entry.  

For More Information about the Landscapes Call For Entries, click here

Find of the Day BLOG!?

Find of the Day, the eclectic resale store on College Avenue has a new blog.  Check it out.

"Extravagant Possibilities: Rocky Mountain National Park and the Contemporary Imagination

Artworks Loveland Presents:

"Extravagant Possibilities: Rocky Mountain National Park and the Contemporary Imagination"

January 9 - Feb 27, 2015

James Biggers, Bob Campagna, Cathy Goodale, Denny Haskew, Tedi Jensen, Selina Karim, Veronica Patterson, Kayo Peeler, Dena Peterson, Michael Ryan, Ronda Stone, Andrew Svedlow and Dion Weichers

Main Gallery
Curated by Andrew Jay Svedlow, Ph.D.

The history of the National Parks in the United States is intimately intertwined with the history of art produced in what would become the National Parks and the art being created today in these majestic places.  This transaction between artists and US National Parks goes back to as early as 1872 and the creation of Yellowstone as the country’s first National Park where the painter Thomas Moran and the photographer William Henry Jackson revealed, through their art, the wonder and worthiness of Yellowstone as a place to be preserved and marveled at by future generations.

Artworks Loveland is located a mere thirty miles or so from one of the nation’s most visited and cherished National Parks, Rocky Mountain National Park which celebrates its one hundredth anniversary in 2015. As a community of contemporary studio artists who create their art so near Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) at Artworks Loveland, the mountains and lakes of RMNP are never far from their consciousness or their visual range.

While these artists and colleagues in the region who have been asked to participate in this exhibition, do not always focus their attention on the wilderness close at hand, in honor of RMNP’s 100th anniversary they have taken time from their customary work to travel through the park and to use its beauty and awesomeness as a muse for their work. This exhibition features the idiosyncratic and distinctively contemporary approach that these artists have manifested as their take on the omnipresent RMNP in their lives.

Some of the works in this exhibition fit uneasily in the pristine white walls of a gallery and wish to be fiercely connected to the true wildness that is found in Rocky Mountain National Park, and others fit more comfortably within the confines of the exhibition arena.  Whether an esoteric and intellectual reflection on the history and presence of the Park in the artist’s imagination or a direct representation of a place depicted sensually and viscerally, these compelling works of art combine to complete and nuanced and complex relationship that reveals a lasting truth about the importance of RMNP in the lives of those who reside in Colorado and those who come from across the globe to experience the aesthetic mystery that is wildness contained within the boundaries of RMNP.

There is a long history of painters and photographers that have created in RMNP and that tradition is still alive and well in the park today.  Included in this practice today are artists represented in this exhibition: James Biggers, Bob Campagna, Cathy Goodale, Denny Haskew, Tedi Jensen, Selina Karim, Veronica Patterson, Kayo Peeler, Dena Peterson, Michael Ryan, Ronda Stone, Andrew Svedlow and Dion Weichers, all of whom have captured the objective reality that is ever changing in the evolving biomes of the park.  Using a different imaginative lens are artists such as Joe Norman and Carrie Johansing whose installations are evocative, if not directly so, of the geological time that has been present in the transformation of the park over millennium.

These artistic reactions and musings take the viewer on an excursion as powerful and illuminating as a hike in the wilds of Rocky Mountain National Park.

• Jan 9, 6-9 pm, Opening Reception
• Feb 13, 6-9 pm, Second Friday
• Jan 30, 6:30-8:30 pm, Artist Reception

Early start for this First Friday

Gale Whitman will be celebrating her new studio space on Friday afternoon, February 6, from 4:00-6:00pm.  The address is 155 N. College Ave., Suite 217.  The exterior doors of the building automatically lock at 6:00, which is the reason for the early timeframe.  It will be a First Friday Gallery Walk evening, so plan to stay in Old Town for dinner and to enjoy more art throughout the evening!

Special note: Bob will co-host my studio open house on February 6, and we will do readings of his poetry from our Good Day book.  Hope you can be there!

"I Am My Family" worth your time!

Tomorrow is the final day to Rafael Goldchain's, I Am my Family. The Center is open from 11-5 tomorrow. Such a great show.  Beautifully executed work done with purpose and love.  Stop by and also see the accompanying book that features all pictures from the series.

http://www.c4fap.org/exhibitions/i-am-my-family-rafael-goldchain/

A Man for All Seasons

This tragic historical drama offers a brilliant portrait of Sir Thomas More in his last years as Lord Chancellor of England. When King Henry VIII fails to obtain Papal approval for his divorce, he mandates that his subjects sign an “Act of Supremacy” making him the spiritual and temporal leader of England. In this captivating work, we watch as Sir Thomas struggles between the love that he has for his King, his family, and his God, and witness the sad and poignant outcome.
Tickets: $18 adult, $15 senior/student

Friday, January 23, 7:30 pm
Saturday January 24, 7:30 pm
Sunday, January 25, 2 pm
Friday, January 30, 7:30 pm
Saturday, January 31, 7:30 pm
Sunday, February 1, 2 pm

Buy Tickets Here!

Design a Stamp for Wyoming Fish and Game

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department's Conservation Stamp Art competition continues to lead the country in state wildlife stamp art competitions in number of entries, prize money and quality of artwork. The winner will be reproduced on approximately 200,000 Conservation Stamps. The original piece of art becomes the property of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department to be placed on permanent public display in the department's Cheyenne headquarters office.

2016 Subject - Swift Fox (Vulpes velox)

Download 2016 Conservation Stamp Competition Rulebook

Meanwhile....at the Hotdish party....

We had about 20 people and 20 delicious hotdish at our first ever Northern Colorado Creative Coalition Hotdish party!

here is what I learned....One local artist used to sell Magazine Subscriptions to support her school, one local artist used to be a STRICT vegetarian until she discovered she really DID love meat, one local art gallery coordinator has gone on a carbless diet and feels great, one local artists is going on a trip to NYC with her daughter, one local arts writer is starting a project that focuses on local artists and arts organizations, one local artist wishes FC rolled out the red carpet, one local arts organization wants to paste art on the walls, one local artist just moved from Nashville and wants to make things happen, a bunch of artists want to create a float for the FC St. Patrick's Day Parade.....and so on.  don't miss the next community hot dish, coming your way February 19th at 6:00 at the C4FAP write it on your calendars!

More Local Art!

Meet "Larry" another one of Ren Burkes' collection of local Art.  This piece was created by artist Allie Ogg of Fort Collins

Show your work in Loveland

Western States Bank, a community minded and full service bank located at 3149 N. Garfield Avenue, Loveland, is showing their support for the local art community with an ongoing display of work from local artists. The exhibit will feature a new local artist every month in the main lobby. The exhibit not only helps Western States Bank create a more comfortable and personal place to service customers, but it helps local artists with needed display space.

“As a community bank, we wanted to display artwork that was created within our area and reflects the beautiful place in which we live,” said Doug Couse, Vice President, Community Banking for Western States Bank. “The local element also helps to establish a connection to the artwork for visitors, giving them a much more personal visual experience.”

Anyone interested in displaying their work at Western States Bank may contact Doug Couse, Vice President, Community Banking at (970) 342-2204 or doug.couse@westernstatesbank.com.

UNC Showcase of the Arts on Saturday

Main Stage at the Lone Tree Arts Center 10075 Commons Street, Lone Tree CO

Join UNC faculty, staff, and alumni in an evening of Arts and hors d'oeuvres, featuring presentations, performances, and an exhibition by distinguished students from The College of Performing and Visual Arts. Your ticket includes 2 beverages from the bar, refreshments at pre- and post-receptions, and a one hour program in the Main Stage Theatre.
 
School of Art & Design presents:
Exhibit and a presentation by Southard Award Winner, Catalina Sanchez
“These small details are of most importance: the little eyelash, the flushed cheek, the curvature of the Cupid’s bow, or even the shadow of a fleeting silhouette. So in love with these details, I repeat them multiple times – obsessively – in color, in shape, in a lingering expressive line, or frozen in a mirrored space.”
School of Music presents:
Performance by Southard Award Winners Simple String Quintet, a group with immense character consisting of members from around the world, each coming from unique musical backgrounds, composed of violinists Emily Javarone and Belén Hernández, violist Nicola Hicks, cellist Katarina Majcen and bassist Ryan McGavin. The group has grown close in a short time and shares a great enthusiasm for creating a refined and expressive sound.
School of Theatre Arts & Dance presents:
Performance by Musical Theatre graduating seniors Joshua Archer, Anna Bucci and Adrianne Wilson, who are excited to preview material they will perform as part of the 2015 NYC Musical Theatre Showcase. These outstanding students have been extremely active on stage, having appeared in major roles in Sweeney Todd, Oklahoma, Swing, Little Shop of Horrors and Legally Blonde.

TURTLE-SPEED TURNTABLE SLOWS MIDTOWN'S "THE 39 STEPS" a review by Tattle Tales

After a glorious evening watching “Sweeney Todd” at the Midtown Arts Center, my producer/husband Roger and I happily returned last Friday to see “The 39 Steps,” running Thursdays to Sundays through March 7 in Midtown’s Dinner Theatre.
This slapstick version of Alfred Hitchcock’s classic “who-done-it” didn’t knock our socks off as did “Sweeney,” but it still provided an enjoyable evening.
Playwright Patrick Barlow’s adaptation of “39 Steps” is a farcical version of the master’s magnificent film — an adaptation that did very well on Broadway.
But slapstick requires flawless timing. Unfortunately, the comedic timing was stymied by a cumbersome set, designed by Lori Northman and constructed by Jeff Jester.
The key element was a roundtable designed to make quick set changes. One would have to redefine “quick” to suit this slow-moving turntable, which took 30 seconds to make a half rotation, rather than the planned 15 seconds. Thirty seconds is a long time to wait when scenes last less than five minutes.
I’m told the “39 Steps” team had difficulty getting assistance in creating its set because of the attention paid to building the new Studio Two. With both “Sweeney Todd” and “The 39 Steps” opening on the same night, I’m sure all were a bit overwhelmed.
Still, audiences don’t receive a price reduction because of technical difficulties, so I was pleased the audience appeared greatly amused throughout.
In this farcical adaptation, four actors play over 100 roles, and by-and-large succeed with much wit.
All the actors were sound, although Daniel Harkins as Clown #2 delivered many of his lines at top volume. This was frequently unnecessary as he was fitted with an excellent microphone. Still, his physical comedy was sublime.
Nicki Casseri, as Annabella Schmidt/Margaret/Pamela, showed the best timing and comedic ability, although her co-actors weren’t far behind.
Based in New York, Ms. Casseri holds a SAG-AFTRA card and is particularly fond of stunt acting, a skill that allowed her to make the most of her assigned pratfalls.
While the rest of the cast bounces from character to character, Nate Huntley inhabits the character of Richard Hannay throughout. Hannay is the poor fool who stumbles into the misbegotten doings of an international spy network.
Mr. Huntley handles the “straight-man” role with great aplomb, moving seamlessly from unwitting victim to the man who saves the day.
And last but certainly not least is Andy McCain, who formerly starred as Sir Robin in Midtown’s highly successful production of “Spamalot.”
Mr. McCain carries over many of his Monty Python mannerisms, which immediately draw us into the farcical aspects of the show. This was an unexpected surprise, but then who expects the Spanish Inquisition to pop up in the middle of a Hitchcock story?
Director Eric Mather does his best to hold the center, despite the turtle-speed turntable. He assigns his actors to perform little bits and extended lines to fill the extra time. It works, but only to a point.
Hopefully, Midtown will fix this sticky wicket before this weekend’s shows as all else on display is quite good, including the scrumptious dinners.
For more information, call 970.225.2555 or visit MidtownArtsCenter.com. Ticket prices range from $49 to $59 and include your dinner, but appetizers and dessert are extra.
For more reviews, listen to Kate Forgach's Tattle Tales on KRFC 88.9 

Old Firehouse books wins Neil Gaiman!

 

Neil Gaiman will be at Old Firehouse books Friday, February 6th. He will be signing books and taking photos with customers. This event starts at 4:00pm. It is to promote the release of his new book Trigger Warning. 

 

In order to join the signing line, customers must purchase one copy of Trigger Warning from Old Firehouse Books. Customers who purchased one or more copies of The Ocean at the End of the Lane during the contest will not be required to make an additional purchase. 

As our way of thanking Neil Gaiman and our community, 10% of all Trigger Warning sales made on February 6th will be donated to charity. 

For those unable to attend the signing, we are now offering pre-orders on signed copies of any Neil Gaiman book. You can order on our website or e-mail or call the store. 

Creative Coalition Hot Dish TONIGHT!

Tonight at the C4FAP, bring a dish to share and talk with art folks from Fort Collins.  Let's try to make it a trash free event by bringing your own dishes, silverware, cups and napkins.  The joy starts at 6:00.   The address is 400 North College Avenue, Fort Collins, CO.  I hope to see you there!

"Sympony Interruptus" creator passes away

Charlie Hatchette, described by Wes Kenny as "Fort Collins own artistic “Mad Scientist,” and community treasure" has passed away.  If you ever had the pleasure of visiting Charlie and his wife Gwen's house you were welcomed and amazed by the creativity and passion he had for artistic endeavors.  It is a true loss for the Fort Collins community.  Here is a link to the piece he envisioned for the Fort Collins Symphony called "Symphony Interruptus".  Goodbye Charlie and Thank You.

Fort Collins native up for Oscar

Fort Collins native Duncan Ramsay may soon add a very important film accolade to his resume. The 30-year-old filmmaker, a 2007 journalism graduate of Fort Collins' Colorado State University, produced the animated short “The Dam Keeper,” which is one of five films nominated last week for an Academy Award in the “Best Short Film (Animated)” category. - See more on the CPR website.

Grand ReOpening at Jukebox Quilts

From Mama Said Sew

"Here's a bunch of news I want to share with everyone about all of the amazing things happening at the shop these days. But first I must say how wonderful all the of the folks at Jukebox Quilts have been to me personally as well as to the shop during this time of transition. Needless to say that while I'm excited to move on to other adventures, this has also been a challenging time for me. The love and support Kelly, Lillie, and their entire staff has shown me has been nothing but amazing. Thank you Jukebox Quilts!

And please plan on attending their Birthday Party/Grand Opening on Feburary 7th at 406 N. College Avenue Fort Collins CO! It's Kelly’s 50th Birthday (and is her son, Ryan’s 17th birthday)! They're going to celebrate these and the Grand Re-Opening of the quilt shop on Sat. Feb. 7th from 9a.m. - 5p.m. It's going to be a fun day, and you’ll get cake and a party favor you’ll remember for a long time!"

Call for "Local Culture"

Support Local Culture is a joint venture between KRFC 88.9 FM and Noosa Yoghurt. The program provides Northern Colorado arts and culture nonprofit organizations and individual artists with an opportunity to promote themselves on KRFC through on-air announcements and interviews, social media posts, and digital advertisements on KRFC’s website. And it’s all at no cost to the artist or the organization. Please send an email  to michelle@krfcfm.org for an application.

Artists will be chosen by a selection committee for a week of on-air and social media promotion including:
- (8) On-air announcements
-4-5 minute pre-recorded or drop-in interview (pre-recorded interviews will be aired multiple times)
-Social media posts to KRFC’s and Noosa’s Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, linked to artist’s website
-Profile and link to artist’s website on KRFC’s Support Local Culture website page

Hello my name is....

Let's show Northern Colorado that we are here!!! Make and wear a name tag that says ARTIST and wear it next Tuesday January 27th, let your friends and family know who you are! Wear it to the grocery, post office, your day job, to dinner, EVERYWHERE!!!!  Thanks to Amelia Caruso for this great idea!

Story Swap at the Lyric

I would rather you be here, but if you must miss the Hot Dish party, at least do something creative.

Explore with Colorado Writers at the Loveland Library

Fort Collins Symphony Presents: The Elixir of Love

Fort Collins High needs a "fashion panel"

Fashion Panel:  Are you involved in the fashion world in any capacity?  Do you design clothes?  Work in the retail business?  Attend a cosmetology school?  Own a salon?  Work in a salon?  Are you a make-up artist?  Do you sew?  Have you attended a fashion design school?
If so, would you consider being on a "fashion panel" at Fort Collins High school for the Fashion design and construction classes?  I would like to have a panel on 3 different dates, preferably with 3 or more people on each panel, possible dates are listed below.  In the past, guests on my panel have brought in items of clothes, accessories, or any other thing that would be of interest to high school students.  We provide a list of possible questions prior to the panel date.  :)

Class times are from 9:08-9:56 and again from 1:16-2:01
Friday, February 13
Friday, February 20
Friday, February 27
Thanks for considering.  Please feel free to email me with questions or to be added to the guest list. dbroeder@psdschools.org
 

Blue Gamma This Friday @ Avo's

Become a better Photgrapher

Course Description: The Evocative Portrait, Mastering the essential elements for creative portraits.
This class is for beginning and intermediate photographers who want to learn how to create stunning portraits.  Using Elinchrom studio lighting equipment, Tom will break down the key elements in photographing people.  The class will start with lectures on topics including evaluating/modifying available light, posing your subject, and maximizing your location benefits.  Tom will discuss techniques to create motion portraits including using smoke, water and chalk.  Students will have a chance to use the latest Elinchrom lights including the ELCs which shoot 20 flashes per second for motion capture.  Tom will demonstrate how to choose and create the right light for your subject using various light shaping tools from softboxes to snoots.  Tom will also demonstrate using portable studio strobes on location, and how to create the softest light possible in bright sunny situations.   After lunch we will have models on hand, and the group will be able to shoot portraits in a variety of locations.  This class will be loaded with information, hands on shooting and a full studio of equipment to use, just bring your camera!
Minimum number of students – 8
Maximum number of students – 12


Date: Saturday – January 24, 2015  9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Tuition:     $140.00 Members   $170.00 Non-Members
Instructor: Tom Bol
Tom Bol leads workshops all over the globe and was named one of the best workshop instructors by PDN magazine. This is your chance to work with an excellent photographer and talented instructor.
http://www.tombolphoto.com/
To sign up for the class, create an account or login to your account.
Location: The Center for Fine Art Photography 
(in the Art Center of Fort Collins)
400 N. College Avenue
Fort Collins, CO 80524

Standing Room Only for 100th Anniversary Film at Rocky Mountain National Park

 This was the scene Saturday night at the premier of "Rocky Mountain National Park:  Wilderness, Wildlife, Wonder", the film commissioned by the Rocky Mountain Conservancy to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of RMNP.  So many people showed up for the premier, in fact, that they had to do a second showing to accommodate the crowd.  The film is beautifully photographed over the last two years by Fall River Productions.  The filmmakers were present at the screening as well as Park Superintendent Vaughn Baker.  I also spotted some of the Rangers that were featured in the film in the crowd.

The film will be shown to visitors at the Beaver Meadows Visitor Center Auditorium during the Centennial year.  Don't miss it!

First Impressions at Depot Art Gallery

Check out some classical music

Call for Watercolor Artists

CWS 2015 STATE WATERCOLOR EXHIBIT

March 4 to 30, 2015

The Lone Tree Arts Center

10075 Commons St, Lone Tree, Colorado

Juror: Rick Brogan

DEADLINE FOR ENTRIES MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2015

You can enter online: Use this registration form to submit information on your entries and pay the entry fees--the actual images of the entries must be emailed or mailed in a CD. Note: Registration fees are non-refundable.

See Prospectus for details.

PROSPECTUS: 2015StateProspectus.pdf

Call for Valentine's Day Fun & Funky

Maggie Kuntz is putting on another Fine & Funky show in Fort Collins for February.  The evening of February 13th  the Downtown Development Association is promoting a shop late event.  Entry fee is $45.00.  If you are interested in being a vendor, contact Maggie at farklemaggie@yahoo.com

Local Art on your walls!

Big thanks to Ren Burke, who has sent me some images of local artists' work that she has collected.  I will be posting some of them over the next few days.  This piece is called "Deep into Some Mystery" by Alyson Kinkade of Loveland. 

 If you have art by a Northern Colorado Artist gracing your walls, please send me an image and the name of the artist and I will post it on my blog.  Your name will not be used, unless you would like it to be.  You could also send the story of the art, if you would like, how/when you acquired the piece and why.

My goal with this series is to show everyone how exciting (and painless) it is to buy a piece of art from a local artist, whether you bought it in a studio, art show, or at a coffee shop or if was given to you by a friend...Tell us the story!  Just send an image of the work hanging in your home to elmorisette@gmail.com.  Thanks!

Artists 4 Art Opening on Tuesday

The Curfman Gallery in CSU's Lory Student Center will host an exhibit called "Artist 4 Art".  This exhibit features Artists from Northern Colorado who are working to make our community better for artists, and in turn everyone!  Artists included in the exhibit are:  Max Ayars, Laura Carpenter Truitt, Hamidah Glasgow, Laura Grosset, Keith Jentzsch, Marc Leverette, Elizabeth Morisette, Amy Reckley, and Cole Zawadzki.  The exhibit will be on display January 20th- February 18th, 2015 with an opening reception: Tuesday, January 20th, 6-8pm.

Come out and support Community Arts in Northern Colorado!!

Call for Lego Art

Artists of all ages are invited to submit applications for art created from LEGO® and/or Duplo®bricks that represents artistic creativity to be part of a new exhibit called Build! Gallery Frontiers at the Tointon Gallery. The exhibit will be on display from March 27 – April 25, 2015 and is a precursor to a larger exhibit that will be at the Greeley History Museum from June 6-December 31, 2015. Learn more about this juried art show and download an application at www.greeleyart.com.

Artists as Teachers in Greeley

Tointon Gallery, 651 10th Avenue, Greeley hosts "Spark of Inspiration: The Role of Artists as Teachers" from Friday, January 9 through Saturday, February 14, 2015. The exhibit features the work of local kindergarten through twelfth grade art teachers. 

It’s an opportunity for many of our outstanding artists who are teachers to have the ability to produce and exhibit their work in a high profile gallery, which in most cases they may never have the opportunity to do, according to Ed Rogers, chair of the City of Greeley Art Commission. For many, this is their first time in a gallery setting. Others have professional studios and exhibit regularly.

Talk to Senator John Kefalas about the arts

State Senator John Kefalas is having a Community meeting tomorrow.  Let him know what you think about the arts, or just go and let him know you are an artist,and you vote and care about our community.  The meeting will be held on Saturday, January 17th from 9-10:30 at  Daz Bog Coffee, (Cherry & Mason), Fort Collins.

Another Way to get Involved

The Beet Street board of directors is looking for a few new members.  We are specifically looking for Artists and Performers who can bring Beet Street into a brave new future for the Community Arts in Fort Collins.  Our next meeting will be January 27th from 6-7:30pmat the Community Creative Center.  Please contact Bruce Freestone if you would be interested in attending.

Who Values Artists?

Disney.  Here is a picture of a Dulcimer Artist performing on the streets of "Downtown Disney".  This performer wasn't asking for tips, they were hired by Disney to perform for the visitors as they passed by on the street. 

Sound familiar? 

People from all over the world go to Disney parks to be entertained, surprised, and fascinated.  How does Disney do this?  They employ creative people and encourage them to work together, in community to create a superb product.   Disney believes in this concept so much, they created Cal Arts, a collaborative Arts College that emphasizes that all the disciplines work together.

I toured Cal Arts during my recent trip, and, while the actual facility left much to be desired, the enthusiasm shown by the students about their art and working with one another was palpable.

How can we bring this enthusiasm to the Arts Community in Northern Colorado?  Well, it starts by jumping in; talk to one another, ask about common interests, be passionate and supportive towards one another.  Even be critical and open yourself up to criticism.

Your opportunity to start is coming up on Thursday January 22nd.  Come to the Creative Coalition's Hot Dish Party at 6:00 at the Center for Fine Art Photography.  Everyone is invited, whether you are an artist, or someone who just likes being around artists.  Bring a dish to share and be ready to meet, collaborate and have a great time with one another!

Acoustic Open Mike

When: Thursday, January 29
Time: 5-7pm
Signup: Physical sign up starts at 4:30pm or you can email Laura at staff@1933brewing.com prior to the event

Indian Music tonight!

Tonight is the night for world class classical Indian music! Colorado’s own Ty Burhoe and Steve Gorn are coming to Fort Collins for a special intimate concert.

Friday, January 16th 8pm    Fort Collins- Om Ananda Yoga Studio-115 N. College Ave    

$16online ($20 at the door)

If you have never experienced this soothing and spiritual music, it will have your heart soaring and your mind-blown! The skill level of these musicians is profound and inspiring.

Substrate Volunteers needed in Boulder

Gain valuable museum experience by working with BMoCA's curatorial staff and visiting artists on the installation of Substrate. Volunteers are needed from January 18-29.

To volunteer, please call 303.443.2122 or email Caitlin@bmoca.org. 

Put Art on the Streets in Colorado Springs

Visual artists are invited to apply for inclusion in the 17^th annual Art on the Streets juried sculpture exhibition. The deadline for artists to apply is Monday, February 16, 2015. Applications are now available online at https://www.callforentry.org. More information about the program and the application can be found atwww.downtowncs.com/aots.

Art on the Streets celebrates the power of art in public places, while turning the streets of downtown Colorado Springs into a yearlong outdoor sculpture gallery. The 2015-2016 exhibit will be installed June 2015 through May 2016.

Selected artists each receive a $1,000 honorarium. In addition, artists are eligible for a $10,000 Juror Award and a $1,000 People’s Choice Award. Up to 12 artists will be chosen to exhibit. In addition to the $1,000 honorarium, each artist is offered two nights of complimentary lodging in Colorado Springs, one of which will be used during installation, and one of which will be used to attend the exhibition's Launch Party event.

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NEW This Year! Through a partnership with Mountain Metropolitan Transit, in addition to the 12 pieces selected for the Art on the Streets exhibit, up to 3 more pieces will be selected for installation in the new Transit Gallery: Art on the Streets at the Downtown Transit Center. 

Talk to councilman Russ Cunniff about the arts

Fort Collins Councilmember Ross Cunniff will host an informal community meeting called Cunniff’s Community Listening Session for District 5 in January. 

• 10 a.m. - noon, Saturday, Jan. 17 – Fort Collins Senior Center Lupine Room, 1200 Raintree Drive

Residents are invited to attend to exchange ideas and share their views on the issues facing Fort Collins.

Buy a Bee

If you are planning to buy one of S. Gayle Stevens Bees, now is the time to buy one. The last day of "Disappearance" is Saturday January 10th. Tin types are $40 and Ambrotypes are $50. Each piece is signed by the artist.
http://www.c4fap.org/exhibit…/s-gayle-stevens-disappearance/

Be a guinea pig!

If you're an artist between the ages of 18-45 with a little bit of extra time and a flexible schedule, you can make a little extra cash by participating in a study by the University of Denver investigating decision-making and emotional processes in artists. Click here for more information!

Fringe Festival Fundraiser Friday Night at Bas Bleu

The writer of the experimental play "Mad & a Goat" tells the story of her work and why it is so important to support new, creative pieces through venues like the Fort Collins Fringe Festival.

FC Fringe Blog Post By Diana Lynn Small

 Mad & a Goat is a two-person play about one woman who, to free herself from college debt, joins a goat farm she inherits from her occult-leader birth parents. There is seduction. There are biscuits. And let's not forget about the goats. The play is funny, fast, and favors the absurd over the reasonable. It exposes the madness of playing pretend and the fever that two bodies can conjure up from a good story. I have been working on the play since my first year as a graduate playwriting student at UT Austin. I began writing M&G in January 2012 with the intent that it would be for me and Heather Johnson to perform in and we would develop the play over a series of workshop productions, between our two cities, Austin and Fort Collins, which I would direct. These workshops, putting the thing up in front of audiences, would be how we'd develop the play solve the story, sharpen the poetry to mine new things from the play at each stage of development. Now 2014, M&G has had two workshop productions: The Fort Collins Fringe Fest (Aug 2013) and FronteraFest (Jan 2014). Both were immensely fruitful in teaching me about the piece in how narrative, image, and theatrical style work together to tell the story. The text is now in tight shape where the story and poetry are rolling and working. I learned that while I enjoy performing, the piece needs a full-time director to give the play its full body. And the play is ready for a design team to enrich the staging. , pacing, and thoughtful launching is necessary to building new work that will have a life beyond one performance. From its beginning, I've wanted it to be a piece that collaborators and I spend good time with as I learn to self-produce pieces of art that have tour-able and rich lifespans. It's a major part of my mission as a professional theatre maker. I have every intention of working with these artists in the future; every show is to get to the next. And here we are in Fort Collins. Paige Tautz has stepped in to play Woman opposite Heather Johnson, so that I might invest in the work as a full-time director. I'm so pleased to bring the piece back to Bas Bleu after a year and a half. To witness with returning audiences how the play has evolved, and get impressions from first-time audience members. I think it a rare opportunity we have as theatre makers and goers to commune over a piece in this way. I'm grateful to the Fort Collins Fringe for making it possible. See you Friday for Mad & a Goat!

Imagine Your National Parks

Would you be interested in doing a special project with Rocky Mountain National Park?  Or any National park?  The NEA is funding collaboratce projects between artists and national parks.  To mark the 50th anniversary of the NEA in 2015, and the National Park Service's (NPS) Centennial in 2016, both agencies are working together to encourage the creation of and greater public engagement with art relating to the work and mission of our national park system. Artistic expression of thrilling landscapes and moving American stories played an important role in the roots of the conservation movement, making a collaboration between the agencies a perfect partnership.

- See more at: http://arts.gov/grants-organizations/art-works/nea-nps-funding-collaboration#sthash.IqLwLf8h.dpuf

Check it out here.

Thinking about commissioning a Local Artwork?

Check out this post on Handmade on the Front Range.  It tells the whole story of Sally Gumerman commissioning a piece of art from Northern Colorado Artist Anne Bossert.  If you have been considering purchasing a piece or commissioning a piece of art for a particular space in your home, here is your inspiration!

Nominations being accepted for 2015 Governor's Creative Leadership Awards

 Colorado Creative Industries (CCI) today announced that nominations are being accepted for the 2015 Governor's Creative Leadership Awards. These awards recognize organizations and individuals that have demonstrated a significant commitment to Colorado's creative landscape through civic leadership and volunteerism including advocacy, vision, collaboration or innovation.

Nominations are being accepted under the following categories:
*    Arts and creative placemaking: Presented to individuals or organizations that use the arts to envision new futures through activities such as activating a public space, animating a community or sparking redevelopment.
*    Arts and community action: Presented to individuals and organizations that have demonstrated selfless service, inspired others to take action or catalyze change in their community using the arts.
* Arts and social change: Presented to individuals or organizations that work to solve a critical social problem such as homelessness, drug prevention, abuse, poverty or racism using creativity and/or arts.

Nominations will be accepted online through Feb. 6, 2015 at 4 p.m. Awards will be announced April 24, 2015 during a ceremony hosted in conjunction with the 4th annual Colorado Creative Industries Summit in Fort Collins. Online nominations can be found here: www.coloradocreativeindustries.org/communities/nomination-instructions.

Latin Spectacular!

Community Culture Expands

Last night, a group of about 20 creative folks from Fort Collins met to brainstorm about KRFC's partnership with Noosa called Support Local Culture.  Hosted by Michelle Venus, KRFC's Development Director, this meeting was to get ideas on how to expand the Support Local Culture program to include local individual Artists.  It was a lively discussion, as many of these events are, with one difference, a common goal.  The best quote of the evening came from Amelia Caruso "Fort Collins is an Art town, it just doesn't know it, yet!"  Thanks, KRFC!  I am excited about this project!  Contact Michelle Venus if you would like more information.

Sheldon James Mural at the Loveland Library

I took my daughter into the Runschmunkel Reading Room at the Loveland Library the other day.  The room is lovely and spacious with tables set up for kids to do art projects.  In the center of the room is this beautiful mural by Northern Colorado Artist Sheldon James.  if you are in Loveland, you should stop in and see this magnificent mural!

You Can Dance, if you want to....

The Kiwanis Club of Fort Collins is proud to host our 70th annual Stars of Tomorrow Youth Talent Show on March 7th, 2015.  If you can sing, dance, play an instrument, or have a fun or unusual talent – WE WANT YOU!  Auditions start January 24th and 25th but first, you need to sign up!

Donate to PHS creative kids

Requests from Poudre High School's Interior, Fashion and Construction Design teachers: Seeking, glue gun, t-squares, cutting mats, carpet (or any material) samples, x-acto knives, fabric donations of fleece, cotton, silk, wool, as well as cotton batting, thread, sewing needles, straight pins, fabric scissors, fashion magazines, tracing paper.
Contact Cathy Toplyn for donation details, 488-6145 

Fort Collins Utilities Seeking Artists

The City of Fort Collins Art in Public Places Program is seeking to commission two artists/teams to work with the Utility Administration Building design team. Each artist will collaborate with the design team in developing site specific art element(s) to be incorporated into a new building site. There are two potential sites, exterior and interior locations. The project is open to Colorado artists/teams working in all media. The commission amount is up to $180,000 for the exterior location and up to $47,000 for the interior location.

All submissions must be submitted digitally via the CaFÉ online system. The deadline is January 15, 2015. There is no application fee to apply or to use the CaFÉ online application system. To view the application, go to www.callforentry.org, register a username and password, navigate to “Apply to calls,” and search for “Utility Administration Building” or go directly to www.callforentry.org/festivals_unique_info.php?ID=2385 if you already have an account.

New Director at the Fort Collins Museum of Art

Quietly, the new Fort Collins Museum of Art Executive Director, Lisa Hatchadoorian has entered the Art Scene in Northern Colorado.  A lot of people have big hopes for her tenure.  Hatchadoorian received her M.A. at the Center for Curatorial Studies at Bard College in 2000 and a B.A. in Art History & Music, University of Virginia in 1993.  She comes to Fort Collins after being the curator at the Nicolaysen Art Museum in Casper, WY since 2007.

A quote I love from the "My Approach" page on her website is
"I have to make what I exhibit relevant to life, or there is no purpose to what I do. I most firmly believe that art, whether it is painting, photography, drawing, video, installation, conceptual, or political can change how we see ourselves, the world, and our relationship within it, which is why I derive the greatest pleasure from the learning, exchange, and the opening up to new experiences and thought patterns"

Welcome Lisa!  I am excited about the future of the museum in your hands!

Mark James shows photos of RMNP

The Fort Collins Museum of Art is proud to present the evocative landscape photographs  of Wellington photographer Mark James that celebrates the Centennial year of Rocky Mountain National Park. The exhibition Rocky Mountain National Park Centennial: 1915-2015- Twenty Years of Photography by Mark James will run from January 16 – March 15, 2015 with a member’s reception and artist talk on January 15th from 6:00-8:00pm. Utilizing a pinhole camera, James creates haunting, indelible images of this beloved landscape that has been part of America’s national consciousness for 100 years.

In 1995, Mark James was granted an Artist-in-Residence from Rocky Mountain National Park. He began photographing the Colorado Rocky Mountains using pinhole and lensed cameras to create a comprehensive body of work that portrays the landscape in a way that recalls the survey photographs of the 19th century.

The museum is open Wednesday through Friday from 10 am to 5 pm; Saturday and Sunday from noon to 5 pm. Admission is $5.00 for adults; $4.00 for students with ID and seniors (over 65) and $1.00 for youth 7-18. Children 6 and under and museum members are free.

How can the City's Downtown Plan Prioritize the Creative Sector?

The City of Fort Collins wants to create a Creative Sector task force for 2015 to examine desired results, provide feedback to the City on the update to the Downtown Plan, and create/prioritize action items. If you’re interested in serving on that task force, please fill out the information on this form (https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/SS7DWYD) by Weds Jan 21st. Interested parties may be asked to conduct a short interview in late January, with an initial meeting target for early February.

Take a class at the Loveland Museum

The Loveland Museum and Gallery offers a wide variety of classes this Winter.  All classes suitable for any skill level and all materials are provided unless otherwise noted. Pre-registration is required at least one week prior to each class. Ages 16 and older.  Learn to use Watercolors, acrylics and pastels in classes taught by local artists Pat Saunders-White and Mary Giacomini.

Question?

Does anyone know why "eTown Hall" where the NPR show "eTown" is recorded is located in Boulder?  The main sponsors of the show are the Bohemian Foundation and New Belgium Brewery, both prominent Fort Collins organizations.  Seems to me "E-Town Hall" should be in Fort Collins.  Anyone have any insights?

Learn to knit on a "Loomy Loom"

Got Local Art?

For 2015, I am starting a new series of posts on the blog.  These posts will be of local artists' art on your wall!  If you have art by a Northern Colorado Artist gracing your walls, please send me an image and the name of the artist and I will post it on my blog.  Your name will not be used, unless you would like it to be.  You could also send the story of the art, if you would like, how/when you aquired the piece and why.

My goal with this series is to show everyone how exciting (and painless) it is to buy a piece of art from a local artist, whether you bought it in a studio, art show, or at a coffee shop or if was given to you by a friend...Tell us the story!  Just send an image of the work hanging in your home to elmorisette@gmail.com.  Thanks!

To start things off, I will post a picture of a painting done for me by the lovely Molly Babcock, Art Teacher at Bennett Elementary School in Fort Collins and quite an Artist in her own right!  She painted this piece for me as a 'Thank You" for doing a felting residency with her students in Spring 2011.  I love this piece because it reminds me of her beautiful spirit and how wonderful it was to work with her and her kids at Bennett.

New Year, new website for Ren Burke

Local Artist, Ren Burke has completely reworked her website "Bird in Hand Studio" to be more user friendly.  Check it out here.