Ringholz’ holiday ‘Critters’; ‘Ruckus’ at the Brew Pub; Anderson’s iconic website design

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

By Kate Balog

Jackson Hole, Wyo.-“It’s my own company holiday party, since I’m a company of one.”
Local contemporary wildlife painter and one-woman institution Amy Ringholz is happily throwing the doors wide open tonight from 4-7 p.m. to celebrate the holidays. The glamorized artist’s reception celebrates her one-woman show, “Critters,” at Mountain Trails Gallery. The event will be a “festive party where people can meet, get together, and mingle,” she said.

The show features small-format wildlife paintings and new, relatively affordable artwork beginning in the $600-$1000 range. Six pieces had sold as of Sunday and it’s possible the show will sell out before the opening.

Using drawing ink, oil paint and oil sticks in both earth tones and bold, crayon-like colors, Ringholz creates animated images of wildlife with human personalities. Her work is extremely popular with local art collectors because the colors are so vivid, the animals seem so alive, and the style is just abstracted enough to be considered contemporary.
“Emotion, personality and humor are the traits I strive for in each new painting,” Ringholz said. “Some of my animals have humanlike characteristics. You can see their soul through their eyes.”

Ringholz was chosen as one of Southwest Art Magazine’s “21 Under 31” Emerging Artists of 2006 and as one of Artist’s Magazine’s “25 Under 40” in 2007. She shows in Jackson, Austin, Scottsdale, Santa Fe and Bozeman and usually hangs about four solo shows a year. Originally from Ohio, she now calls Jackson her home.

“Critters” will be up at Mountain Trails Gallery, 150 Center St., through Jan. 2.
Also opening this week at Mountain Trails is Duke Beardsley’s one-man show “Open Range,” beginning Friday and hanging through Jan. 4. Beardsley was born and raised in Denver, where he currently represents the “New West Genre” as a professional artist. Beardsley draws inspiration from the natural beauty of Colorado, contemporary Western literature and his favorite artists, Ray Turner and Richard Bunkall. The best advice he claims to have ever received was from Turner, who told him to “learn the difference between the precious and the essential, and make every painting essential.”

Beardsley’s work has been exhibited in numerous one-man and group exhibitions across the country. He was the recipient of the 2001 People’s Choice Award at the Buffalo Bill Art Show & Sale in Cody, Wyo., and was a featured artist in “21 under 31” in the September 2001 edition of Southwest Art Magazine.

Currently displayed at Mountain Trails is Indian Art circa 1880-1910. This trunk show of authentic, turn-of-the-century art and artifacts includes clothing, moccasins, pipe bags, knife sheaths and tools. The works by Arapaho, Cheyenne, Crow, Nez Perce and Sioux tribes displays through Jan. 15.

For more information, call Mountain Trails Gallery at 734-8150.

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Benji Pierson is many things: a liftee working the Sublette chair, a snowboarder, a skateboarder, an illustrator, an artist, an ex-epileptic, a DJ and just a really nice guy. The 31-year-old is known for his CD covers, posters, and graphics for Daryl Miller films such as “Precious,” “Sleeping Giant” and “300’.”

He is now working with Rob Kingwell on Avalon 7 hats and bandanas and hosts an underground hip hop show on KMTN 96.9 from 10 p.m. to midnight on Thursdays under his alias “Ruckus.” Soon after finishing his three-person show, “Trio,” with Jesse Brown and Anika Youcha at Ciao Gallery, Pierson hung his work at the Brew Pub where it will remain through the end of December.  “Supposedly the manager is a huge sci-fi fan,” Pierson said.

His detailed, cartoonish, sci-fi action images grew from his love of Star Wars as a kid. He first saw the movie at a theater in 1977 and recalled not suffering a seizure during the movie. This was notable, as Pierson suffered from epilepsy and experienced grand mal seizures up to six times a week when he was young. His seizures stopped at age 15. He credits his creativity, in part, to his prescribed use of Ritalin.

The artist, who calls himself an illustrator first, uses no rulers or protractors and draws everything freehand with spray paint and sharpies. The negative space often creates the images.

Check out Pierson’s otherworldly work at the Snake River Brewery, 265 S. Millward St.

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The Jackson Hole Film Festival recently announced the launch of its website at www.jacksonholefilmfestival.org, complete with poster art featuring the multimedia and illustrated images of artist Chuck Anderson. Anderson, 22, was commissioned to bring his illustrative representations of the iconic Jackson landscape and wildlife along with photographic images of downtown and the Teton Theater, the marquee venue of the annual festival.

Anderson’s work is a mix of analog and digital elements including collage, photography, hand drawn illustration and design. Anderson is an artist, designer, and illustrator from the Chicago area. He has created art for clients such as Reebok, Microsoft, Nylon, Sandisk, Nike, ESPN and Mountain Dew. Visit his website www.nopattern.com for a longer look.

Courtesy Amy Ringholz

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Ringholz’ holiday ‘Critters’; ‘Ruckus’ at the Brew Pub; Anderson’s iconic website design | Planet JH News Article: Arts Beat

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