ARTS: Stan Dolega’s WIND CODE, SE WY Welcome Center

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Award-winning sculptor Stan Dolega was born in industrial Detroit, Michigan, and has lived in Laramie, Wyoming since 1979. Lured by the vistas, culture and inspirational beauty of Wyoming he witnessed after repeated visits to the state, it was an inevitable decision to make the move and set up shop. In 2012, he was honored with a commission from the State of Wyoming to create WIND CODE, the multi-part steel and stone sculpture pictured here, as part of the newly-built Southeast Wyoming Welcome Center. The Welcome Center will hold a dedication event on May 4 for WIND CODE, including a speech by Dolega.

Dolega’s earliest interest in art was prompted by his parents. He clearly recollects detailed observations of his artist mother creating paintings in her studio and of his physician father planning and building a wooden garage. He was fascinated by the creative process, the thinking and the planning and the doing. Years later he chose to major in Industrial Design and Sculpture (with minors in graphics and the histories of art and architecture), earning his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Michigan State University and Master of Fine Arts from Wayne State University in Detroit. He became strongly influenced by the pioneers of modern architecture: Frank Lloyd Wright, Mies van der Rohe, Le Corbusier, and Gaudi. Through his studies and research, Dolega also learned the construction methods and techniques used to make the diverse range of practical hardware that eases our lives, always believing his acquired knowledge and skills would facilitate his goal of creating uniquely interactive sculpture that would pique curiosity and provide emotional pleasure to viewers and physically enhance the outdoor environment. Also playing a large role in Dolega’s artistic visions are his immediate environment, places he has traveled and lived, and a spiritual connection to and respect for the Earth.

Nearly all of Stan Dolega’s public art installations are designed for a specific place or site. This is done after deliberations with a client and a careful inspection and interpretation of the near and far environment of the chosen site. WIND CODE was created in this manner to accompany the new Southeast Wyoming Welcome Center. Inspirational sources for this artwork include the architecture and purposes of the Welcome Center itself, the ever-present snow fencing along the highways, and especially the space and natural environment comprising the State of Wyoming. WIND CODE was designed to work with and react to the environment and the elements. The sculpture will continually evolve and change. Its patina will age, the wind will flow through the slats, the sun will cast ever-changing patterns and the ice and snow will cover and melt in surprising ways.

WIND CODE was built in Cheyenne and weighs approximately 34,000 pounds total. The marker rock alone is 5,000 pounds, and one of the large standing steel components is 8,700 pounds.

Some of Dolega’s other commissioned artworks have been installed in Cheyenne, Laramie, and Hanna, Wyoming; Belle Isle and Clark Park, Detroit, Michigan; Montgomery County, Maryland; Dayton, Ohio; and The Federal Building, Wenatchee, Washington. Dolega’s work is represented in numerous public and private collections including The National Collection of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, and he is featured in John Beardsley’s book Earthworks and Beyond and Dennis Alan Nawrocki’s Art in Detroit Public Places. His awards include a Wyoming Arts Council Artist’s Fellowship, a National Endowment for the Arts Art in Public Places Grant, and a National Endowment for the Arts Artist’s Fellowship.


CONTACTS:  standolegasculptor@vcn.com    info@standolegasculptor.com    stan.dolega@facebook.com

ARTS: Neltje at SAGE Community Art Center, Sheridan

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Roger Appell

The Sagebrush Community Art Center proudly presents “Living With Art,” an exhibition of art from around the world, acquired and exhibited by local artist and philanthropist, Neltje.

The show opened on January 15, and runs through February 24. The opening reception took place January 17, and was open to the public.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Roger Appell

Neltje said of the exhibiton, “This group of paintings, ceramics, furnishings and ethnic sculptures have been hunted and gathered by me over a period of many years during my travels to far-flung places. My passion for color, texture and emotional integrity drives me to appreciate the primitive, the talented and the craftsmanship (displayed in) this exhibition… I don’t think of myself as a collector — I buy what I love.  I hope the community will enjoy seeing the diversity of my mind.”

Roger Appell

The Sagebrush Community Art Center is open Monday through Saturday form 10 A- 5 P, and is located int eh Historic Train Depot at 201 E. 5th Street in Sheridan. Call the art center for more information at 307-674-1970.

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WYOMING ARTS: Jackson’s Lynn Friess Wins Award

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Jackson Hole Author Lynn Friess Wins Gold 2011 “IPPY” Award

Picture book Western Lullaby takes a first place in Independent Publisher awards

Jackson, Wyoming – May 24, 2011 – A Jackson Hole picture book, Western Lullaby, written by Lynn Estes Friess and illustrated by Barbara Leonard Gibson (Mariposa Ranch Press, 2010), has won a gold medal in the national 2011 Independent Publisher Book Awards. Launched in 1996, the “IPPY” Awards are designed to bring increased recognition to deserving but often unsung titles from independent publishers.  Western Lullaby by Jackson Hole resident Lynn Friess took first place in the category of “Children’s Picture Books (7 & Under).”

Author Friess, a grandmother of 10 and avid art collector, wrote the award-winning Western Lullaby as a bedtime story focusing on the nocturnal sights and sounds of the West, combining the dreamy tale of a little cowgirl’s nighttime surroundings with vivid illustrations by Gibson of the Western outdoors.  An audio CD of the lullaby that inspired the book is included, performed by Wyoming singer-songwriter Marilee Gordon.

This year’s “IPPY” Awards presented gold, silver and bronze medals to winners in 69 national categories as well as regional awards and 12 Outstanding Books of the Year.  Western Lullaby tied for the gold in its category with Henry! You’re Late Again! by Mary Evanson Bleckwehl, illustrated by Brian Barber (Beaver’s Pond Press).  According to Independent Publisher, the 346 medal-winning books for 2011 came from a pool of 3,907 total entries, representing 45 U.S. states plus the District of Columbia, seven Canadian provinces, and seven countries overseas.  A full listing of the 2011 “IPPY” Award winners is available here on the Independent Publisher website.

Western Lullaby was the first picture book written by Friess, a close friend and supporter of the Jackson Hole-based National Museum of Wildlife Art.  In September 2010, Friess published her second picture book, Jackson Hole’s Carl Discovers Wildlife Art, illustrated by John Potter, and written as an engaging way to introduce children to wildlife art and the museum.  The Carl title is the first in a planned series, and proceeds from the book help sponsor programs, exhibits and operating support for the museum.

Media Contact: Ponteir Sackrey, National Museum of Wildlife Art, 307.732.5444, psackrey@wildlifeart.org