Like I told Rocky Vertone, the man behind Full Circle Frameworks: “You made me get gum stuck in my hair!”
Full Circle Frameworks is devoting its Work In Progress #6 to….WILDLIFE ART.
Inconceivable!
If Rocky can, as he says, “sell out,” then game on. Minds open. We’re getting it. Phew.
On Friday, August 20, fasten your seat belts and head over to 335 N. Glenwood for art-as-it-happens. The paint party starts at 6 pm. (The fact that lots of alcohol will be on hand is touted; please drink, paint and drive responsibly.)
Many local artists will collaborate to create a single work, and as I understand it the only criteria is that the artists stick to the theme….wildlife. Vertone says these artists plan to show up and paint — the list may increase. I’m rearranging Rocky’s list alphabetically: Ben Carlson, Cutter, Richard Goodwin, Kelley Halpin, Remy Milossy, Erin Smith, Travis Walker and Aaron Wallis.
You can find Full Circle Frameworks on Facebook. You can call Rocky at 307.733.0770.
Item #2
A recent visit to the Jackson Hole Art Auction offices (upstairs at Trailside Galleries , 130 East Broadway) revealed that the Auction has obtained a handwritten, illustrated letter from C.M. Russell to his”Friend Bob,” written by Russell in 1909. “Bob” was Robert J. Benn, a resident of Kalispell, Montana.
The letter reads:
March 28, 1909
Friend Bob,
I received both your letters and photograph. We thought the picture was a good one. When are you and Mrs. Benn coming? If you will let me know, I will meet you at the trane and we will try and give you a good time. That was a nice letter you got from Churchell. I’ll be wearing antlers the next time we meet. I make the high ride Monday the 30th. I may have to pull better but I’m betting I ride him. Hoping to see you and Mrs. Benn soon.
Your Friend, C.M. Russell
I got a letter from Goodwin, he sent his regards to you both.
The wearing of antlers Russell mentions refers to his new membership in the the Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks of the USA, Lodge #214 in Great Falls, Montana. “Russell also makes reference to his new membership in the Elks with a typical, humorous drawing in which he depicts himself on a bucking goat while several elk shout out encouragement for him to stay in the saddle,” says the Auction’s Emma Zanetti.
Russell’s letter also arrived with documents relating to Benn’s murder at his own saloon in Kalispell. The unsolved murder took place several years after this letter was written, and Kalispell’s newspaper ran the headline: “Robert J. Benn Is Shot And Killed—Assailant Unknown.” Sub-headlines announce that Benn’s body was discovered lying in a pool of blood behind the bar.
Approximately 250 lots will be up for sale at this year’s auction, taking place on Saturday, September 18, at the Center for the Arts in downtown Jackson. In the spirit of disclosure, I have worked for the auction in the past. This year’s collection of lots is very exciting. Zanetti notes that other masters such as Bob Kuhn, Lanford Monroe, Carl Rungius, Mian Situ, Howard Terpning, William Acheff and Clyde Aspevig are all well represented. For more information email her at [email protected] 1.866.549.9278.
Item #3
The Contemporary Landscape, a show of new works by artists Andrzej Skorut and Shanna Kunz opens at Mountain Trails Gallery on Saturday, August 21, 4-8:00 pm. Works will be on display August 19-26.
An August, 2010 article in Western Art Collector quotes Skorut.
“I believe in importance of the immediate visual impact of the painting; that one square inch of the painting should hold as much interest as the whole canvas,” says Skorut. “Yet I also believe that deeper, honest meanings should lie beneath the surface, giving the viewer an opportunity to embark upon a personal voyage of discovery.”
As Skorut’s followers know, the artist was born in Krakow, Poland. Surrounded by the high culture of that city, the artist valued art from an early age. But he makes his living painting landscapes. He is a Tonalist, and uses muted hues to suggest countryside mysteries. Skorut notes that although he paints in what might be called a contemporary representational style, his paintings are also abstract; he renders hills, trees, pastures and mountains in reduced geometric form. Viewers find themselves just a tiny bit hypnotized by this painter’s still, evocative work.
Kunz works in oils and watercolor. Describing herself as “as a naturalist raised and rooted in the diverse landscapes of western America,” she also concentrates on conveying emotional connections she has 
with the land. Spatial relationships are important, as is pushing color boundaries. She and Skorut share subtle vibrations in their work, but Kunz allows an unmistakable golden light into her compositions. That may mean she yearns more to catch the sun and its effects at specific times of day, and that those specific moments are the artist’s primary muse. And, while Skorut’s landscapes can zoom in or out, Kunz has a predilection for dense groupings of trees — they are the heart of her paintings.
For more information, contact Mountain Trails Gallery by phoning 307.734.8150. www.mountaintrails.net
QUICK NOTE:
Saturday, August 21, Heather James Gallery hosts an Open House from 10-6pm. The gallery’s Los Angeles based curator Chip Tom will be on hand, giving art talks and tours all day. Info: 307-200-6090 or [email protected]
Tammy Christel 
