“A small group of exceptional artists have come together to support the concept that art plays an essential role in preserving an energetic, passionate, and enlightened society. Artistic Vision encourages seeing art beyond the subject matter by exposing attendees to artistic techniques that influence lasting interest in a work of art. The event is for those with an interest in art and will influence others in supporting the arts….The true value lies in the impact over time of developing patrons of the arts.” – Darrell Tunnicliff
The National Museum of Wildlife Art (NMWA) has announced a rare opportunity to join nationally renowned (and by “renowned” I mean that these names are now officially some of America’s most historic landscape artists) painters Clyde Aspevig, Jacob Collins, T. Allen Lawson and Tucker Smith.
“Artistic Vision 3” is the third annual exhibition and symposium to mix exquisite examples of works by artists with learning lectures, and the event itself began with coordinator Darrell Tunnicliff. The event is academically potent, and attendance will be limited so that attendees may enjoy close interaction with the artists and guest lecturers. The series takes place at the musuem August 8 – 10th, 2013.
University towns typically offer a wealth of in-depth academic options—and their own museums—to study arts and humanities. Think of this session as one of those university arts departments coming here to Jackson Hole. Artistic Vision 3’s syllabus is impressive. You won’t be on line, studying from a distance; you won’t be in a lecture hall with a student/professor ratio of 2,000:1.
Arts patron and former museum registrar Ann Nelson is a past attendee and plans on being at this year’s event.
“Each year a new set of speakers present talks and art surrounding different topics,” says Nelson. “Last year it was amazing hearing Tim Lawson talk about composition; he utilized paintings by great masters to make his points, and spoke about changing compositions using software programs; he demonstrated with a Winslow Homer seascape.”
Nelson adds that Artistic Vision 3 is a great learning experience for anyone interested pursuing an arts career. Last year’s session brought a framing specialist providing insight about how crucial framing is to a painting (it can make or break the success of any work), and one guest artist spoke about how we process art when we look at it—how our brains are literally stimulated, seeing each work in unique ways. Nelson believes this year’s forum will be just as rewarding; her own daughter, poised on an arts career, gained invaluable knowledge and perspective with respect to the arts and the challenges they present.
“The sale of art is not emphasized,” says Tunnicliff. “For the last 50 years the sale of art has been the focus in the art world with an incredible expansion of galleries, auctions and even museum art sale events. It is our hope that we can change the emphasis from the business of art to art appreciation – recognizing the value that art has on quality of life and the well-being of our communities. [We feel] it is the right thing to do.”
The event includes scheduled luncheons, coffees and opportunities to socialize, but Artistic Vision 3 highlights are:
Thursday, August 8th, 7-9:00 pm – Opening Reception with Artists, their artwork and substantial refreshments.
A two-hour lecture by Jacob Collins, beginning at 9:30 am, August 9th. Collins will give a presentation on the art of drawing, painting and sculpture as it was understood prior to the discovery and use of photography and avant-gardism. Collins’ talk, “Reviving the Ancient Arts,” discusses his view that art techniques used 150 years ago are now “ancient arts,” and he will weave this theme in with an overview of his own artwork, teaching and aspirations. Collins is a great believer in artists needing colonies and peers; solitary pursuits flounder without community support. Sales are important, he says, but the intellect and spirit of the artist need patronage. Patronage nexus rests upon communication between artists and collectors, writers (yes!) and other supporters.
August 9th, 2:30 – 3:30 pm, NMWA Curator of Art Dr. Adam Duncan Harris presents a talk on the art of Rungius, Friese, Kuhnert and Liljefors. Harris will then lead a walking tour of NMWA’s George Catlin exhibit, on loan from the Smithsonian American Art Museum.
Saturday, August 10th, Fine Art Connoisseur editor Peter Trippi’s lecture “So, Great Art Is Being Made Today: Who’s Selling and Buying It, Why, and How?” takes place 9:30 – 10:45 am. Virtually everyone connected to the world of fine arts is familiar with “Fine Art,” a magazine serving “collectors of historical and contemporary representational painting, sculpture, drawings, and prints.” Trippi also heads Projects in 19th- Century Art, Inc., established in 2006 to pursue a range of research, writing, and curating opportunities. He’s guided a long list of premier museums, including the Brooklyn Museum and Baltimore Museum of Art, adjacent to Johns Hopkins. Trippi will cover how contemporary realist art is fairing in America, surveying the activities of galleries, auctioneers, museums, private collectors, critics, art schools, and artists themselves; he’ll even suggest collecting strategies (Note from the blogger: Estate tax issues relating to collecting should be determined by you and your own tax specialist.)
That same day, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm writer Tami Haaland’s (author of two books of poetry: Breath in Every Room and When We Wake in the Night) talk “The Image Made in Words” explores poetry that responds to visual art; the term for such writing is “ekphrastic poetry.” Haaland will investigate the writer’s motivation, characterize this approach to writing, and discuss its limitations and boundaries. The classic Keats poem, “Ode to a Grecian Urn,” inspired by the “Townley Vase”, William Carlos William’s “The Dance” based on Breugel’s “The Kermess”, and John Ashberry’s “Self-Portrait in a Convex Mirror” will all be touched upon. Haaland is a professor of English at Montana State University.
Artistic Vision 3 tickets are $250. For full details, contact Event Coordinator Darell Tunnicliff by phoning 406.294.5677 or emailing him at [email protected] Again, attendance is limited. Well done!
Tammy Christel 
