Contact the Art Director Please visit the Warm Springs Art Gallery in the Headwaters Arts and Conference Center in Dubois, WY in person. You'll be glad you did!
|
Contact the Art Director Please visit the Warm Springs Art Gallery in the Headwaters Arts and Conference Center in Dubois, WY in person. You'll be glad you did! |
|
|
A Brief History of the Wind River Valley Artists' Guild
Mary Back began teaching art classes in Dubois, Riverton, Lander and Crowheart, Wyoming through the University of Wyoming Extension office. In 1949, she organized Dubois’ first show, featuring her students’ work. Dubbing themselves the Wind River Valley Artists' Guild, Mary and her students decided that future shows would welcome outside artists and charge an entry fee of $.25 that would be used to pay visiting judges. In the following years, Riverton and Lander also hosted the annual art show, but it eventually found a permanent home in Dubois. In 1954, five years after Mary Back’s student art show, (The Wind River Valley National Art Exhibit), the Wind River Valley Artists' Guild was officially formed. In 1987, Governor Mike Sullivan honored Mary with the Excellence in the Art Award for her 40 years of service to Wyoming as a professional artist and art teacher. Mary’s husband, Joe, died that year and Mary passed away in 1991. On February 18, 2000 the Wind River Valley Artists' Guild and the Headwaters Community Arts and Conference Center were presented the Governor’s Art Award for organizations by Governor Jim Geringer. The purpose of the Guild is to encourage and stimulate interest in art, to further appreciation of art forms, to broaden and deepen the creative art experience and to provide a national art show. The two basic functions of the annual WRVAG National Art Exhibit are to present an opportunity for the community to experience a national art exhibit and see what is currently being produced in the world of art; and to present an opportunity for non-professional as well as professional artists to participate in a national exhibit. Entries in the annual show arrive from all corners of the United States. The show is not juried before it is hung which allows for a cross section of artistic expression. Experienced judges select works to receive awards. These judges are different each year and the awards vary from year to year. The WRVAG makes a purchase award each year, which has grown into an extraordinary permanent collection of Americana Art. Portrait of Mary Back
Revised: 03/20/03. |
|
We make every effort to keep information up to date, the Artist and/or the Artist's Publisher should be considered the final authority on information about the work. We make no claims about availability or that we can supply you with any of the artwork listed here. All of these pieces are currently being shown for sale in our Warm Springs Gallery. Please call for additional information.
Last modified: 04/20/07 |
