State of the ArtsThe monthly newsletter of Fairbanks Arts Association

July 2006

Fairbanks Arts Association is funded by private, corporate, and foundation memberships and donations, City of Fairbanks, Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska State Council on the Arts, and the National Endowment for the Arts

FAA Recruits Hosts for2006 Dinners in the Home

July Gallery Exhibit: QuiltAlaska2006

Arts in the Park Schedule

Fairbanks Arts Association Board of Directors

Corlis Taylor, PresidentMarcella Hill, Vice PresidentMryna Colp, SecretaryJohn Kohler, Jr., TreasurerBob DempseyScott SwingleJerrie Graham Leafy McBrideJoan Stack

StaffJune Rogers, Executive Director Sherry Faught, Office Manager /Bookkeeper

Rachael Kvapil, Program Director

P.O. Box 72786 Fairbanks, Alaska 99707

Fairbanks

ArtsAssociation

July 2006

Non-ProfitOrganization

U.S. Postage PaidFairbanks, Alaska

Permit No. 17

State of the ArtsA monthly newsletter

of the Fairbanks Arts Association

July Literary Reading: Susie Halfhill

When the University of Alaska Museum of the North asked Craig Buchanan to propose an installation piece for their new Rose Berry Alaska Art Gallery,

he decided to design a work that epitomized Alaska. Buchanan created a mixed media outhouse. “Alaskans are tied to outhouses,” Buchanan explained. “Throughout history Alaskans have used outhouses. Some people still use them.” “The Great Alaskan Outhouse Experience” is an invitation for exploration. Aside from the historical and cultural relevance, he said people tend to be ‘in the moment’ in an outhouse and somehow more receptive to ideas. In that vein, there are plenty ideas to explore in Buchanan’s outhouse. The two story outhouse is filled with memorabilia, collections, and original 3X3 “miniature” artworks contributed by artists in the Fairbanks/Ester area. Pop culture icons such as Steven Spielberg’s E.T., Ronald Reagan, the Beatles, and Michael Jackson are mixed with Alaskan specific newspaper clippings, bumper stickers, and license plates. “I hope a lot of people see the humor in some of the pieces within the exhibit,” he said.

Buchanan said the outhouse came together in separate parts over the course of a year. At this time he is giving few specifics about the actual construction, as he is designing an informational brochure to accompany the display. “The Great Alaskan Outhouse Experience” took residence in the “Sense of Place” section of the UA Museum’s Rose Berry Alaska Art Gallery on May 15th. Buchanan speaks highly of his collaboration with the museum and hopes that it continues to open doors for further collaboration with other Alaskan artists. “Everyone from the museum was relaxed, patient and insightful. I appreciate the opportunity to create a permanent installation for the new gallery.”

Ester Artist Brings “The Great Alaskan Outhouse Experience”to the UA Museum of the North

Editor’s Note: Dian Sigfried contributed her thoughts on Fairbanks Arts Association’s Dinners in the Homes fundraiser after hosting guests a number of years. During the 2005 fundraiser she hosted guests every other week from June to September:

My husband, three children and I have hosted “Dinners in the Homes” for the

past four years. We started this adventure as a last minute sub-host. I can thank Jinx Whitaker for looking at me and telling the person on the other end of the phone “Sure I will take 4 people and Dian will take the other 4”. Jinx told me, “It’s fun and very easy. Come by the house and get a bottle of wine and then fix whatever you want for dinner.” That’s how it all began. Now it is only my husband and I hosting as all the kids have graduated high school and moved on to college. It was surprising to see the kids filter through the house during those evenings to visit with the newest “strangers.” It could have been the home cooked meals but I think they enjoyed meeting guests who have come to our wonderful state. Dinners were once a carefully planned event. Now I decide last minute what we will have for dinner and what

amounts to a relaxed evening. “Dinners in the Homes” is not only a wonderful fundraiser, but also an opportunity to meet people with whom we would otherwise not have crossed paths. We have met people from all over the lower 48 and Australia. We have spent many evenings talking about our different ways of life. Most people who come have always dreamed of coming to Alaska and are very interested in how we survive the dark and cold. Most don’t think too much about the longer sunlight hours unless they happen to

come around June 21st! This year has provided us with a few obstacles that have limited our ability to host (the sale of our old home and construction on our dream home). We really have missed having new friends coming through our home, so in the middle of everything we are once again back to hosting. Sharing our wonderful state with strangers who become friends and supporting

our art community is very important to my family. Even through obstacles we will continue this very important and fun evening! So the Alaskan Amber is chilled, the grill is heating up and there are a few blueberries left for ice cream!!! FAA thanks every volunteer host who has contributed to this important fundraiser.

Fairbanks Drama AssociationContact: 451-4378Summer Drama Project Session 3: July 10-30, Ages 12-18at the Riverfront Theatre. Tuition is $195Midnight Sun Intertribal PowwowContact: Valerie at 452-52552006 EventJuly 21, 22 and 23, 2006Carlson Center, 2010 2nd Avenue

Submit newsletter information to: rachael.kvapil@acsalaska.netor call 456-6485 ext 226

Calendar of Events

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Combine:1 or more Volunteer Hosts4 or more visitorsWhisk from Wedgewood Manor to your homeAdd a simple mealSeason with plenty of good

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conversationMix well on a Friday evening in July, August or SeptemberReturn to Wedgewood and savor

Make a memorable evening for all and helps fund Fairbanks Arts Association

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Dinners in the Homes: One Volunteer Shares Some Dinner Hosting Experiences

by Dian Sigfried

“Dinner’s were once a carefully planned event. Now I decide last minute what we will have for dinner

and what amounts to a relaxed evening.”

Murie Science and Learning Center in Denali National Park

Summer CoursesJuly 14 - 16: Art Design Join Talkeetna artist Tony Crocetto for a creative closer look into Denali’s natural world. An endless source of inspiration, Denali has been the backdrop for thousands of artists in dozens of different media. Working on location, you’ll use a simple palette of colors to capture the drama of Denali’s landscape in quick studies and more finished paintings. The instructor will be using water based paints, but participants are welcome to use whatever media they prefer.July 28 - 30: Field JournalingIn any season and any weather, a journal offers people the opportunity to slow down,

observe, reflect, and renew their connection to the living world. Join long-time Denali resident and writer Tom Walker for field-based journaling in one of the most pristine natural ecosystems in the world. Exploring Denali, you’ll learn how to make detailed observations in the field and capture these scenes while they happen. August 4 - 6: Wilderness WritingFor many people, wilderness embodies a primal human need, a place in the heart as well as on the map. Join Alaska writer and teacher Sondra Porter and learn how to use the wilderness to tap into your creative potential. With the Denali landscape as a backdrop and an inspiration, you’ll hone your creative writing skills both individually and through group discussion. You’ll also examine the writing techniques used by various wilderness writers for inspiration and enjoyment. All courses occur 34 miles inside Denali National Park at a field camp. Accommodations (tent cabins with bunks and foam mattresses) and meals are included in the course fee. All courses are limited to ten participants and offer an intimate hands-on experience for each student.Contact Jessica Brillhart, Program Coordinator at 1-888-688-1269 or email Jessica-Brillhart@alaskanha.org; website: www.murieslc.org

A Call For Poets:The annual Sandhill Crane Festival held at Creamers Field Wildlife Refuge in Fairbanks is sponsoring a Crane Poetry Walk, August 21-31, as part of the festival activities. Local residents, adults and children, are invited to contribute poems about sandhill cranes. Poems will be enlarged, laminated and displayed along parts of the Creamers Field Nature Trail for visitors to read during the Sandhill Crane Festival. If you would like to share your poems with the community in this unique venue, please send them by August 4th to:

Friends of Creamers FieldPO Box 81065Fairbanks, AK 99708

If you have any questions, call Friends of Creamers Field at 452-5162.

Recipe for a Unique FundraiserCombine:1 or more Volunteer Hosts4 or more visitorsWhisk from Wedgewood Manor to your homeAdd a simple mealSeason with plenty of good

•••

••

conversationMix well on a Friday evening in July, August or SeptemberReturn to Wedgewood and savor

Make a memorable evening for all and helps fund Fairbanks Arts Association

•

•

Recipe for a Unique FundraiserCombine:1 or more Volunteer Hosts4 or more visitorsWhisk from Wedgewood Manor to your homeAdd a simple mealSeason with plenty of good

•••

••

conversationMix well on a Friday evening in July, August or SeptemberReturn to Wedgewood and savor

Make a memorable evening for all and helps fund Fairbanks Arts Association

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•

Recipe for a Unique Fundraiser

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For additional information about arts-related events, committees, educational activities or opportunities visit the Fairbanks Arts Association website at

www.fairbanksarts.org

Docents Volunteers Staff Fairbanks Arts Association’s

Bear Gallery

Fairbanks Arts Association’s Bear Gallery and Gift Shop is open for its

summer hours through August. The Bear Gallery opens at 11am and closes at 9pm daily. The extended hours mean we need more docents to run the gift shop, answer questions about the current exhibit and ensure the integrity of the artwork on display. Fairbanks Arts Association provides training for prospective docents. Anyone with an interest can develop the skill necessary to help in the Bear Gallery. To become a docent volunteer call Sherry Faught at 456-6485 ext. 223 or email fairbanksarts@acsalaska.net.

Monthly Literary Reading for July: Susie Halfhill

FAA Meeting Schedule

Susie Halfhill, originally from a small town in Iowa has resided in Fairbanks since the early 1990’s. She came to Alaska as a military wife and remained with her three children who are now ages 26, 21, and 19. She has worked in the

community as a retail manager for over a decade. Susie began expanding her writing skills from personal hobby to publication four years ago with the encouragement of an uncle who is also a published, award winning poet. Now published in two poetry anthologies and recipient of three awards in poetry writing, she is on her way to the publication of her first book length collection of poetry entitled ‘Faulty Logic.’ The book is a compilation of poetry and facts designed to educate the public on the catastrophic impact that domestic violence and sexual assault has on both individuals and the communities in which they reside. ‘Faulty Logic’ is a story of fractured minds and desperation. It tells the tales of mental and emotional disorders that result from a lifetime of emotional and physical abuse. It is also a tribute to the tremendous courage of beautiful women, reaching out in kindness to help each other, even when they are not yet capable of helping themselves. A survivor, herself, of childhood trauma and of an abusive adult relationship, Susie began writing on the subject as part of her own healing process. She changed career paths in 2005 to work as a crisis intervention advocate at the Fairbanks shelter for domestic violence victims, until a work injury that occurred in September, 2005 left her temporarily disabled. Still wishing to assist other women in their own healing process Susie took advantage of her extended recovery time to begin the lengthy effort required to see the book in print.

Susie continues to reside in the Fairbanks community with her partner, Roger and her daughter, Ambrosia. She continues to write and is also in the process of publishing her first book length children’s story, ‘Lilly Meets Mr. Black,’ which deals with the sensitive subject matter of the death of a family member. This writing is currently being used in youth ministries in the Midwest. She is still healing from her work injury and is hoping to have both her books for sale in stores nationally by Spring 2007. Susie plans to donate a portion of the proceeds to the healing and support of domestic violence victims in the Fairbanks Community. Local freelance artist, Bob Grunditz, is providing illustrations for both books. Bob studied art in California and has been working in the Fairbanks art community for twenty-two years. He is a multi-talented artist who does sculpture, graphic arts, cartooning, and textile design, including silk screening. Illustrations for the poetry collection are the style of pointillism.

Fairbanks Arts Association:

Visual Arts Committee:July 12 at 5:30pm

Literary Arts Committee:July 13 at 5:30pmCinema Arts Committee:Every other Tuesday at 5:30pm

Community Writer’s Group:Sunday, July 9 from 1-4pm

Submission Deadline for Critique:June 30th in Bear Gallery

Community Arts Committee:July 26 at Noon

All Meetings are in the Bear Gallery unless otherwise stated.

Dinners in the Homes Hosts are still needed for the following 2006 dates:

July 21, 28

August 4, 11, 18, 25

September 1

To participate in the Dinners In Homes Program as a host contact the Fairbanks Arts Association at 456-6485 ext. 224 or email fairbanksarts@mosquitonet.com

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Volunteer Drivers Provide a Valuable Service To the Dinners in the Homes Program... In addition to hosts, volunteer drivers are needed for hosts to transport guests

from the Wedgewood Resort on Friday nights. While most hosts pick up their guests, drivers are needed for larger groups visiting a single home. It is a great way

to contribute to the Dinners in the Homes Program and visitors enjoy learning about Fairbanks from as many people as possible.

Drivers can volunteer transportation services by calling 456-6485, ext. 224 or email fairbanksarts@mosquitonet.com.

Fairbanks Arts Association ‘Oldie But Goldie’ Film Series is postponed until September.

Films will resume September 7

with ‘Color of Pomegranates (Sayat Nova)’.

For more information about FAA’s Cinema Series call

Rachael at 456-6485 ext. 226

film seriesOLDIE but GOLDIE

sponsored by Fairbanks North Star Borough Parks and Recreation

QuiltAlaska is a biennial exhibition of traditional and contemporary quilted items sponsored by the Cabin Fever Quilters’ Guild. The

non-juried exhibition is held during the month of July in even years (2004, 2006 etc.) in the Fairbanks Arts Association Bear Gallery, on the third floor of the Alaska Centennial Center for the Arts in Pioneer Park. This year the show will open July 4, 2006 and run until the end of the month. The previous thirteen QuiltAlaska exhibitions have included approximately 75 items that ranged in size from large bed-size quilts, to wall hangings, to quilted clothing and miniature quilts. As a non-juried show, entry was open to members of the guild, as well as anyone who lives in Interior Alaska. This year nearly 50 artists submitted entries. Inspirations for quilted items come from a variety of places throughout the year. For designer Nancy Norum “Black Ice and Snow,” quilted by Teri Helmers, grew from a workshop sponsored by the Cabin Fever Quilters’ Guild in September 2005. “(It) ended up as a queen size bed quilt featuring as many black and white fabrics as I could lay my hands on,” says Norum in her artistic statement. The show is one way in which the Cabin Fever Quilters’ Guild reaches out to Fairbanks residents and visitors, as a way to share the joy and enthusiasm for quilting. In addition the guild has the opportunity to showcase members incredible talent. Artist Kathy Dubbs say that QuiltAlaska is an exhibit that never disappoints. “Visitors are always surprised at the high quality of work--although Fairbanksans

have come to expect nothing less from this eclectic group of fiber artists.” The show will be ready for viewing on July 4th. An opening reception will be held on Friday,

July 7 from 5-8 pm. Quilts will be on display until July 30th. Cabin Fever Quilters’ Guild is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the appreciation and knowledge of quilts and quilt making. Meetings are generally held the third Tuesday of every month beginning at 7:15 PM at the Monroe High School

mulit-purpose room. Non-members may attend twice as guest. Guild membership is open to anyone interested in quilts. Annual dues are payable in October:$25 Regular$20 Senior Rate 60+ years$15 Newsletter OnlyThe guild mailing address is: P.O. Box 83608, Fairbanks, AK 99708. For more information visit the Cabin Fever Quilters’ Guild website at www.cfqgalaska.org.

Fairbanks Arts Association Brings Summer Entertainment to Pioneer Park

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July Gallery Exhibit: QuiltAlaska 2006Exhibit Dates: July 4-August 31, 2006Opening Reception: Friday, July 7, 5-8 pm

Fairbanks Arts Association provides one-stop entertainment from June through August in Pioneer Park. With a host of activities every single evening, there’s always something to do in Fairbanks!

Arts in the Park Activities for July:

Gazebo Nights offers live entertainment seven days a week starting at 7pm. These free performances are near the park’s front entrance. Bring a chair and blanket, bench seating is limited. The July schedule is as follows:

Sundays in July: Tundra Caravan: Middle Eastern Dance

Mondays in July: Genie Loser: Celtic Harp

Tuesdays in July: Joe Feller: Folk, Rock, Country & Alaskana

Wednesdays In July: “Hunt-Bayer”: World Music with Mandolin & Piano

Thursdays in July: Karl Monetti: Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar

Fridays in July: Joan Stack: Vocalist

Saturdays in July: Dance Theatre Fairbanks: Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Hip-hop & Theatre Dance

Fairbanks Arts Association Bear Gallery: a contemporary Fine Arts gallery, located on the third floor of the Alaska Centennial Center for the Arts. July show: QuiltAlaska 2006. Open 11-9 daily.

Fairbanks Arts Association’s Monthly Literary Readings: every third Saturday of the Month. On July 15th, Susie Halfhill will read from his works. Readings start at 7pm in the Bear Gallery.

FAA sponsored reading and book signing by Jim Madonna: Jim Madonna is releasing his new book ‘Alaska Gold Trails Volume IV: The Life of Felix Pedro and the Life of Earl Pilgrim.’ 2-4pm on Saturday, July 22 in Alaska Centennial Center for the Arts lobby.

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Fairbanks North Star Borough Parks & Recreation &

Fairbanks Arts Association

Proudly Presents:

June, July & August Featuring Local Arts at Pioneer Park*

2300 Airport Way Gazebo Nights – Local EntertainmentNightly at 7pm – FreeFine Arts Gallery & Gift ShopOpen Daily from 11am -9pm – FreeCinema Series-Oldie but Goldie SeriesTwice Monthly on Thursdays at 8pmMonthly Literary Readings Third Saturdays at 7pm – Free

*All Activities are in theAlaska Centennial Center for the Arts -

Gallery, Theater or Outside at the Gazebo.

2300 Airport Way For more info call 456-6485

Letter fill above is from December Dawn by Jesse Venable, 2006

The Cabin Fever Quilters’ Guild will exhibit approximately 50 quilted items during QuiltAlaska 2006, a bienniel showcase in the Fairbanks Arts Association Bear Gallery. This queen size quilt entitled “Blue & White Bear Paw” made by the guild for their annual raffle is an example of the pieces that will be on display.~ Picture provided by the Cabin Fever Quilters’ Guild

“Visitors are always surprised at the high quality of work--although Fairbanksans have come to expect nothing less from this ecclectic group...”

Postponed