The message at Lyndsay McCandless Contemporary is CHANGE. Somehow, in a sour economy for most Jackson Hole Galleries, LMC keeps on happening. The large, loft-like space sitting at Jackson Street level has transformed itself into a place for happenings, 60’s style. 2009’s version of a record player is a d.j. named Mr. Whipple ( a 1960’s and 70’s lab-coated, bespectacled advertising character hawking toilet tissue–nice, soft toilet tissue ), wall art is the new tie dye, and a communal creativity prevails. Getting any attention in today’s art market is real tough; galleries are asking their artists to go small, in order to bring down price points. Three Jackson Hole galleries I know of have closed in as many months. Galleries with strong client stables are calling upon those clients more often.
LMC is the Madonna of Jackson Hole art galleries, working feverishly to stay fresh. Author readings, AIVO, children’s art, musicians in white vans rocking the night away, fire throwing, collaborations with non-profits, joining 1% for the Tetons (says you feel confident you have enough net income capital to donate, going forward, and you’re comfortable providing full access to your income ledger, and you are going with green marketing, and you get your picture taken by the very cool David Swift), openly political art projects. With the exception of regularly scheduled art openings around town, there’s no other action of the sort LMC provides monthly.
So what’s going on over there?
McCandless has a marketing background and she’s pumping it up. Her next happening, pARTicipate for Change, gets hopping this coming First Friday, Februrary 6, 5:30-7:30 pm. The project keeps Obamamania going–I’m all over that.
Here’s the skinny: This First Friday, you can’t just show up to eat organic pizza (Where was that yummy pizza January 20, at Pub Place? We ate bad cafeteria food! Even kids pushed that stuff around on the plate. The dancing, however, was FAB! ) This coming Friday, all comers are asked to actively participate in the creation of a work that will come to life on a wall-sized piece of canvas. Create to the theme of participating for change, and the finished product will be photographed and sent to the President. We audaciously hope! We hope with audacity? I’m still stuck on the “hopefully” grammar thing.
“I also want people to experience that excitement and joy of acquiring a
piece of art…so we will be giving away small pieces of art all night
to everyone who walks in the door. Maybe it will create a mini-trading
sensation,” says McCandless.
Here’s some ways to participate:
1. Hang/install your artwork, up to three pieces, framing optional. Explore “Change.”
2. Contribute to the free-art collection. ( LM: “I am taking old photos/paintings/sketches and cutting them up into mini-art pieces (@ 2″ x 3”). I have one that Alissa Davies gave me in September as her ‘card’. I carry it around in my wallet as a little transportable piece of art that makes me smile. I will write on the back of all of them “www.lmcontemporary.com Art It Forward”)
Lyndsay! I love you! You used single quotations around a word! ( ‘card’ ) I get in trouble from Swift when I do that on Tammy & David Fight About Movies! You go girl! You mean, by single quotes, that the card isn’t a real business card, but you use it as such, it has that spirit, that function, is some way related to the entity “business card.” Did we go to the same high school? Did you have Miss Cole for English class?
3. Bring art supplies/inspiration to use for the art wall-markers, sharpies, charcoal, adhesive stuff, photos, scraps of paper, crayons, safety pins, post-its,—paint requires lots of extra’s, brushes, water, containers—“but we
could make it work!”
Artists need to get their work to LMC by Wednesday, February 4.
Artists who have signed up (I’ve corrected spelling as far as I can; apologies for any remaining misspelled names!)
Anthony Birkholz…video installation
Nicole Burdick and Micah Richardson…ice installation
Bland Hoke…Center of Wonder Public Art ambassador
Amy Larkin
Bronwyn Minton
Alissa Davies
Babs Case
Rachel Kunkle
Ben Carlson
Susan Thulin
Emma Adkisson
Bryce Billings
Ashely Hogge
Jeremy Kusmin
Rich Goodwin
Steven Glass
Gone Missing Teton Art Lab will make an appearance, with its own installation.
Visit www.lmcontemporary.com, or call 307-734-0649/cell: 307-413-4331.
End.
Tammy Christel 
