And The Beat Goes On

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

By Robyn Vincent

Fred Kingwill: Watercolors
Fred Kingwill transfers what his eyes see in nature onto canvas. An artist and teacher of watercolors, Kingwill is a long-time participant of Art Fair Jackson Hole and a staunch member of Jackson’s art community. This will be his 53rd appearance in the biannual fair and his 28th year teaching watercolors for the Art Association.

“Art is something that is important to share with others,” Kingwill said when reflecting on his long-time involvement in national art fairs.

 Kingwill satiates his artistic appetite painting scenes of the Tetons, wildflowers and animals, and capturing the essence of Jackson’s lush natural landscape.
“I paint what’s happening in my life. The Tetons are a major part of that but I also do a lot of wildlife,” Kingwill said.

The watercolorist has always been allured to the natural world. A position with the Forest Service in 1980 instigated Kingwill’s initial move to Jackson, where he started using watercolors to recreate his surroundings in the snow-cloaked mountain town of Jackson.

Kingwill will be displaying various warm-weather and winter scenes at the fair including a wintertime rendition of Old Faithful.
He will also be spontaneously constructing watercolor scenes at his booth.

Laurie Thal: Glassblowing
With each hot breath she expels, Laurie Thal commands a new set of shapes and incandescent colors. Thal has been blowing glass since 1971. Moving to Jackson more than 30 years ago, Thal trekked West hoping to achieve sustainability through the pursuit of her art. She manipulates glass, blowing and bending its smoldering surface to create vases and bowls, martini glasses, wine goblets and perfume bottles.
Many of Thal’s pieces display elements and colors that appear to be extracted directly out of some of Jackson’s natural landscapes. “Living here in this incredible environment plays a part in my work. It has to - it’s part of where we live and who we are,” Thal said.

Recently, Thal has been collaborating with artist Lia Kass.
Like a meticulous archeologist who carefully digs the earth, exposing ancient artifacts, Kass scrupulously uncovers deeper designs within Thal’s glass, utilizing multi-level sand carving techniques. “I put layers of color on when I’m blowing glass, and Lia sandblasts, going deeper, taking layers off, so the designs that are revealed are because the deeper she goes into the glass, the more color she removes,” Thal explained.
Included in some of the pieces Thal will display at the fair are new, vibrant oranges and yellows as well as new glass forms and unique perfume bottles designs.

Alan Willes: 3D Mixed Media - Drums
Alan Willes believes we are all vibrations, much like those reverberating from his fastidiously constructed “Sacred Mountain Drums.” Drawing inspiration from the Grand Teton, Willes lovingly creates Native American drums using buffalo and elk hide and wood, ranging from pow-wow drums and hand drums, to barrel drums and rattles.
“My passion comes from my love for drumming, singing and dancing - it’s my whole life,” Willes said. “It brings community together and brings a balance to your life.”

Although working in nature for the Forestry Service with a degree in Forest Range Management, Willes still felt a void in his life. So, he quit his job and traveled to Australia, hoping to discover his next move. After returning to the states, Willes’ old way of life seemed a distant stranger. Willes decided to implement what he had learned from the Aboriginals he spent time with in Australia and began living in a way that he felt was in tune with earth and nature. His drum-making roots were realized by way of Native American guidance. “The Hopi Indians helped teach me how to make drums,” Willes explained.

Willes is also a song keeper. “I hold Indigenous songs in my memory, and I teach them and transmit them to other people. I have about 500 hundred songs that I do,” he said.
Willes will showcase his collection of drums and will perform drumming, singing and dancing in his tent at the fair.

PERMALINK:
And The Beat Goes On | Planet JH News Article: Arts Beat

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