SHY RABBIT

Artworks by May and Schaeffer

2010-06-27T10:43:00.012-06:00

Maureen May, monoprints on 90 lb. "Arches", 100% rag paper, mounted on cradle-board.

Monoprints are listed individually below, as viewed left to right on wall

*View may be enlarged by double clicking on images.

"Rouge/Azur" (1/1) 10.75"h. x 8.75"w. x 2"d. $350

(left to right)
"Vert/Sanguine" (1/1) 10.75"h. x 8.75"w. x 2"d. $350
"Bleu/Peche" (1/1) 10.75"h. x 8.75"w. x 2"d. $350
"Rouille/Violet" (1/1) 10.75"h. x 8.75"w. x 2"d. $350

"Cérasine/Turquiose" (1/1) 10.75"h. x 8.75"w. x 2"d. $350

"String Theory" monoprints are listed individually below, as viewed left to right on wall

(left to right)
"String Theory - Red" (1/1) 5"h. x 5"w. x 2"d. $175
"String Theory - Green" (1/1) 5"h. x 5"w. x 2"d. $175
"String Theory - Rust" (1/1) 5"h. x 5"w. x 2"d. $175
"String Theory - Blue" (1/1) 5"h. x 5"w. x 2"d. $175

Steven Schaeffer, ceramics

(left to right)
"Locks"
Black clay, wood-fired, slipcast porcelain
10"h. x 25"w. x 12" d.
$600
"C-Pod"
Black clay, wood-fired, slipcast porcelain
7"h. x 21.5"w. x 21.5" d.
$700

(front to back view)
"C-Pod and Locks"

(front of image, left to right)
"C-Pod" and "Locks"
(back of image, displayed center of wall)
"Conquest - Triptych" (detailed below)

"Conquest - Triptych"
Slipcast porcelain, low fire glazes
Each piece measures:
36"h. x 13.5"w. x 13.5"d. (widest measurement at base)
$800 (for set of 3)

"Conquest"
Black clay, wood-fired, slipcast porcelain
34.5"h. x 11.75"w. x 11.75"d. (widest measurement at base)
$450

The Contemporary Photograph

2009-01-27T16:01:00.015-07:00

A National Juried Exhibition

Deadline for Submission: March 20, 2009 (postmark)
Exhibition Dates: May 2 – June 6, 2009

PROSPECTUS
Download Full Prospectus Here

ELIGIBILITY
Any person over the age of 18 may submit images for consideration. Art must be original and created by the person who submits the work. All submissions must have been completed in the last three years. Weight limit for wall-mounted works may not exceed
25 lbs.

JUROR
Professional Artist and Arts Educator, D. Michael Coffee, has over 30 years of combined experience in architecture, ceramics, painting, photography and fine art printmaking. As Co-Founder and Creative Director of SHY RABBIT Contemporary Arts in Pagosa Springs, Colorado, Coffee has been responsible for organizing, curating and installing over 20 fine art exhibitions over the course of the last five years. For more information on D. Michael Coffee:
Visit his website here

Coffee is credited with transforming SHY RABBIT into the region’s most important and innovative contemporary arts space through the high level and broad range of the contemporary work and educational programs presented. For more information on SHY RABBIT:
Visit SHY RABBIT's Website

Coffee’s high-fired ceramics and monoprints are included in nearly 250 prestigious public and private collections throughout the world, including the Vance Kirkland Museum, Denver, Colorado; the American Museum of Ceramic Art (AMOCA), Pomona, California; the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS), Santa Monica; California; and the Dee Roy & Mary M. Jones Collection, Pomona, CA; among others.

JUROR’S JUDGING & SELECTION CRITERIA
The broad theme suggested by The Contemporary Photograph is intended to maximize the range of contemporary expression that may be submitted. This is an open call to all photographers and artists using light’s radiant energy in order to create images on various capture media, resulting in 2-D, 3-D and/or mixed media work.

Given the broad theme, I will select those submissions that: demonstrate a non-conventional approach to the photographic process or that utilize conventional techniques to create truly unique and original work; show a desire to create to the threshold; are the most compelling, interesting, and/or well executed; are appropriately and/or professionally presented; are original in style, and are contemporary/timely in feel or tone. I will also be looking for enough work in 2 and 3 dimensional mediums to allow for an interesting, varied and balanced installation, in keeping with the high level and broad range of contemporary work that SHY RABBIT has presented in the past.

Finally, I will be selecting three artists from this exhibition who will be invited to show an expanded body of their work in a special exhibition at SHY RABBIT Contemporary Arts in mid to late 2010.

It is my hope that this exhibition will open the door to new concepts of how a photograph is created and expand commonly held perceptions of what photography can be.

-D. Michael Coffee
Coffee's Website
SHY RABBIT's Website

Notes from SHY RABBIT; January, 2009

2009-01-12T14:49:00.003-07:00

SHY RABBIT Contemporary Arts is pleased to publish the second edition of “Notes from SHY RABBIT”; a comprehensive listing of art exhibitions, workshops and programs.

Notes from SHY RABBIT is updated quarterly and will include:

•At a Glance
•Exhibition Schedule (In Review and Upcoming)
•WORK-Shops
•ArtistsNet
•ARTAdvantage Program

At a Glance: SHY RABBIT Contemporary Arts

Known as Southern Colorado’s premier contemporary art destination, SHY RABBIT is now celebrating its fifth year of operation in Pagosa Springs. The 4,000 square foot arts facility is located ‘off the beaten path’ in a wooded commercial district on the west end of town. SHY RABBIT houses a fine art gallery and ceramic studio, two mixed-media workshops, exhibition space, and a print studio gallery.

SHY RABBIT is currently offering educational workshops in ceramics, printmaking, and artist professional development year round, and is gaining national recognition for the high caliber of its gallery offerings and rotating exhibitions.

SHY RABBIT is widely acknowledged for its continuing contribution to the advancement of contemporary art and art education in the Four Corners region. Operating as a social mission-based enterprise, SHY RABBIT is interested in strengthening our creative economy and improving the quality of life in our community.

SHY RABBIT Exhibition Schedule: In Review
(September, 2008 – January, 2009)

”DIALOGUES” (October 4 – November 15, 2008) was a highly successful group exhibition that served to introduce the work of four talented emerging and nationally recognized artists new to SHY RABBIT walls. This eclectic exhibition featured works that suggested an exchange of ideas and opinions by: Carrianne Hendrickson, New York, ceramics; Marcie Paper, New York, paintings; Jeff Pender, North Carolina, ceramics; and Christopher St. John, New Mexico, paintings/drawings. The exhibition also included a collaborative “DIALOGUES” Project by Debra Blair, New Mexico, paintings; and Marti Bledsoe, Colorado, monoprints, in the SHY RABBIT print studio gallery. ”DIALOGUES” will be repeated annually, featuring artist submissions received by SHY RABBIT and reviewed for consideration for exhibition and/or gallery feature throughout the course of the year.

“For the Small of It” (November 22, 2008 – January 17, 2009) followed on the heels of ”DIALOGUES”, featuring nearly 100 high quality works that encouraged us to slow down and contemplate the small things by: 18 local, regional and national artists working in different medias. “For the Small of It” was very well attended, despite the inclement weather and heavy snows that persisted throughout the exhibition, drawing in large numbers of local and long-distance visitors. Sales were good, with 26 pieces of artwork selling, split between local and out of town collectors.

SHY RABBIT 2009 Exhibition Schedule: Upcoming
(March, 2009 - January, 2010)

•“Portraits” (March 14 – April 18, 2009)
-Opening Reception: Saturday, March 14, 5-8:00 p.m.
This invitational portraiture exhibition will feature works in varying media by:
D. Michael Coffee, Colorado, monoprints; Sarah Comerford, Colorado, paintings; Mike Frisk, Arizona, paintings; Karl Isberg, Colorado, paintings; Ivy King, Colorado, mixed media; Shaun Martin, Colorado, paintings; Maureen May, Colorado, mixed media.

•“The Photograph” (May 2 – June 6, 2009)
-Opening Reception: Saturday, May 2, 5-8:00 p.m.
Featuring thoughtfully conceived contemporary photography by emerging and nationally recognized artists.

•“Paper & Clay II” Invitational (June 20 – August 8, 2009)
-Opening Reception: Saturday, June 20, 5-8:00 p.m.
Featuring original hand-pressed monoprints and ceramics by emerging and nationally recognized artists at the invitation of Brad Schwieger (“Clay”), Professor of Art and Ceramics Area Chairman, Ohio University, Ohio, and D. Michael Coffee (“Paper”), professional artist and SHY RABBIT “Printmaking without a Press” instructor.

•“SHY RABBIT Print National” (August 15 – September 26, 2009)
-Opening Reception: Saturday, August 15, 5-8:00 p.m.
This juried exhibition will feature exemplary print selections by local, regional and nationally recognized printmakers.

•“DIALOGUES II” (October 10 – November 7, 2009)
-Opening Reception: Saturday, October 10, 5-8:00 p.m.
This group exhibition will introduce the work of select talented emerging and nationally recognized artists new to SHY RABBIT, based on artist submissions received and reviewed for consideration for exhibition and/or gallery feature throughout the course of the year. Selected works are intended to suggest an exchange of ideas or opinions and to provoke thought and introspection.

•“For the LARGE and the SMALL of It” (November 21, 2009 – January 9, 2010)
-Opening Reception: Saturday, November 21, 5-8:00 p.m.
Featuring works that will encourage us to slow down and contemplate the small things by: a select group of local, regional and national artists working in different medias.

WORK-Shops @ SHY RABBIT

Entering its second year, WORK-Shops @ SHY RABBIT has continuously grown in popularity and scale. Nearly 165 students have successfully completed the classes to date. A large percentage of these students have also chosen to continue through intermediate and advanced levels of course offerings and optional studio time.

Offerings have expanded to include beginning, intermediate and advanced levels of:

•Printmaking without a Press
This 2-day printmaking workshop utilizes a unique hand-pressed printing process called "Reductive Ink"™, developed over the course of nearly 20 years by professional artist, D. Michael Coffee.
• Basic Ceramic Techniques and Hand-building
This 2-day workshop focuses on hand forming, texturing, and assembling clay, all without the use of a potter's wheel or other equipment.
•Ceramics from the Potter’s Wheel
This 5-week course establishes good working fundamentals for students who have never used the potter’s wheel or for those who are continuing to build their basic skills.

In consideration of the exemplary work produced during Printmaking without a Press levels I-III, a handful of advanced level printmakers were invited to participate in “DIALOGUES” and “For the SMALL of It” by SHY RABBIT Instructor, D. Michael Coffee, resulting in the sale of several pieces and exposure to a greatly expanded market. Others have gone on to show their work in juried exhibitions and invitationals, and are continuing to advance the "Reductive Ink"™ printmaking process while developing their own creative voice.

SHY RABBIT has also had great success with its professional artist development series, Expose Yourself, which currently includes:

•Photograph Your Work
This high content, 2-day workshop is designed to expose artists to the methods necessary to capture, manipulate, save and send digital images of their work for use in the development of their professional careers.
•The Artist’s Card
This high content, 1-day workshop is designed to expose participants to the basics of graphic layout, design, formatting, and uploading of files for printing by online internet, 4-color printing services, in the creation of a promotional postcard.

WORK-Shops @ SHY RABBIT are held in one of two spacious 1,000 square-foot mixed media studios, and are led by professional artist and ceramist, D. Michael Coffee. For additional information on D. Michael Coffee, visit www.dmcarts.com

Comments from previous workshop participants:

"It takes a gifted teacher to make every student, no matter what level, feel excited about what they are producing. Michael has a great way of homing right in on the strengths of a piece. Imagine being guaranteed that you will come away from a class being jazzed about skills, vision, or whatever that you did not even know you had. His technique is compelling. Results are quick. It is very creative, all absorbing, play."

“I came home ecstatic both days of the workshop. Michael showed me ways to achieve an extra-special look that I have been striving for in my works on paper. The workshop went way beyond my expectations. Incredible techniques, especially if you have used traditional printmaking methods in the past. What I learned will add an extra dimension to my current artwork. Michael was an extremely knowledgeable, fun instructor. Highly recommended.”

SHY RABBIT ArtistsNet

Launched in June of 2008, SHY RABBIT ArtistsNet is an association of artists who value arts education and advocate for “artists helping artists” in developing viable, sustainable, professional futures. The true strength of this association is in the combined resources of the individual artists participating, allowing for the expansion and promotion of this cooperative support network.

The 14 associates who currently participate in SHY RABBIT ArtistsNet have been instrumental in the development and support of WORK-shops @ SHY RABBIT. Their participation in ArtistsNet has paved the way for their own advancement through the design and distribution of 10,000 postcard mailers introducing ArtistsNet associates and their work to a nationwide audience.

ArtistsNet associates work is also featured on the SHY RABBIT website at: www.shyrabbit.com/ArtistsNet.html, with links to their individual ArtistsNet pages and personal websites.

The combined resources of this cooperative support network, in conjunction with SHY RABBIT, has also allowed for membership in Pagosa Springs, Durango, Farmington, and Santa Fe area Chambers of Commerce, as well as monthly print advertising in a nationally recognized art publication.

To date, this collaborative marketing effort has proven quite successful, generating sales and the commission of artwork by ArtistsNet associates. Samples of their work can be viewed on widely distributed postcard mailers, and on the SHY RABBIT website at: www.shyrabbit.com/ArtistsNet.html.

SHY RABBIT ARTAdvantage Program

SHY RABBIT’s mission is to promote, teach, and nurture the creation of and appreciation for contemporary arts. One of SHY RABBIT’s most heart-felt goals is to enable those who would not have the opportunity or the resources otherwise to participate in high quality ceramic and printmaking workshops hosted by SHY RABBIT.

Another important goal is to help artists, who may not have the resources available to them, to purchase the supplies needed for the creation of their work. In addition, SHY RABBIT would like to afford artists the opportunity to attend one of their long distance opening receptions by paying a portion of their travel expenses. SHY RABBIT believes that interaction with the public is an important part of an artist’s professional development, and that it builds self-confidence and a better understanding of one’s viability in the marketplace. Personal introduction to the public is also of great benefit to potential collectors interested in knowing more about an artist’s work process and philosophies.

In pursuit of these goals, SHY RABBIT has created a scholarship and funding program called the SHY RABBIT ARTAdvantage Program, designed to expand upon the benefits it currently offers in arts education. Funds are being provided by SHY RABBIT in conjunction with a group of generous supporters who also believe that art has the ability to change and improve the quality of our lives.

Implementation of the SHY RABBIT ARTAdvantage Program began in the fall of 2008, resulting in the granting of a number of full and/or partial scholarships for ceramic and printmaking WORK-Shops @ SHY RABBIT to deserving participants.

If you would like more information about SHY RABBIT ARTAdvantage Program or would like to become a supporter, please contact us by Clicking Here. We also accept direct support contributions to this program via PayPal. Contributions to this program are not tax deductible at this time.

Thanks for your interest and we look forward to your support of SHY RABBIT ARTAdvantage Program.

We need the very best among us as [Artist] members. We’ll never get them to step forward if we keep cheaply making targets of them;

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.” — Theodore Roosevelt, Paris, 1910

For more information on these or any of the exhibitions, workshops and/or art programs offered at SHY RABBIT, please visit www.shyrabbit.com and click on the applicable link at the top of the page. Check back often as the website is updated regularly and offerings change.

SHY RABBIT Contemporary Arts is located at 333 Bastille Drive, two blocks north of U.S.160, off of North Pagosa Boulevard. SHY RABBIT Gallery hours are Thursday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and by appointment. If you would like your name added to the SHY RABBIT e- announcement list, please send a request to shyrabbit01@aol.com.

Announcing SHY RABBIT ART Advantage Program

2008-09-25T15:24:00.001-06:00

SHY RABBIT’s mission is to promote, teach, and nurture the creation of and appreciation for contemporary arts. One of SHY RABBIT’s most heart-felt goals is to enable the economically disadvantaged, who would not have the opportunity or the resources otherwise, to participate in high quality ceramic and printmaking workshops hosted by SHY RABBIT.

Another important goal is to help artists, who may not have the resources available to them, to purchase the supplies needed for the creation of their work. In addition, SHY RABBIT would like to afford artists the opportunity to attend one of their long distance opening receptions by paying a portion of their travel expenses. SHY RABBIT believes that interaction with the public is an important part of an artist’s professional development, and that it builds self-confidence and a better understanding of one’s viability in the marketplace. Personal introduction to the public is also of great benefit to potential collectors interested in knowing more about an artist’s work process and philosophies.

In pursuit of these goals, SHY RABBIT has created a scholarship and funding program to expand upon the benefits it currently offers in arts education. Funds are being provided by SHY RABBIT in conjunction with a group of generous supporters who also believe that art has the ability to change and improve the quality of our lives. SHY RABBIT will begin implementation of this program this fall.

“Museums of art will not make a country an art country. But where there is the art spirit there will be precious works to fill museums. Better still, there will be the happiness that is in the making. Art tends towards balance, order, judgment of relative values, the laws of growth, the economy of living - very good things for anyone to be interested in.”
-THE ART SPIRIT: Robert Henri (1865-1929) Notes, Articles, Fragments of Letters and Talks, compiled by Margery Ryerson.
SHY RABBIT Contemporary Arts

Announcing SHY RABBIT ArtistsNet

2008-09-25T14:47:00.013-06:00

Launched in June of 2008, SHY RABBIT ArtistsNet is an association of artists who value arts education and advocate for “artists helping artists” in developing viable, sustainable, professional futures. The true strength of this association is in the combined resources of the individual artists participating, allowing for the expansion and promotion of this cooperative support network.

The 14 associates who currently participate in SHY RABBIT ArtistsNet have been instrumental in the development and support of WORK-shops @ SHY RABBIT. Their participation in ArtistsNet has paved the way for their own advancement through the design and distribution of 5,000 postcard mailers introducing ArtistsNet associates and their work to a nationwide audience. An additional 5,000 cards are planned for distribution this fall.

ArtistsNet associates work is also featured on the SHY RABBIT website at: ArtistsNet with links to their individual ArtistsNet pages and personal websites.

The combined resources of this cooperative support network, in conjunction with SHY RABBIT, has also allowed for membership in Pagosa Springs, Durango, Farmington, and Santa Fe area Chambers of Commerce, as well as monthly print advertising in a nationally recognized art publication.

To date, this collaborative marketing effort has proven quite successful, generating sales and the commission of artwork by ArtistsNet associates. Samples of their work can be viewed on widely distributed postcard mailers, and on the SHY RABBIT website at: ArtistsNet

SHY RABBIT & SHY RABBIT ArtistsNet's October AD in "THE" magzine

2008-09-25T14:08:00.007-06:00

Starting October, 2008 SHY RABBIT in association with SHY RABBIT ArtistsNet will be running 3, 1/4 page ads in "THE" magazine in Santa FE, NM.
SHY RABBIT Contemporary Arts

Recent Ceramics Monthly AD

2008-09-25T14:04:00.002-06:00

Image of SHY RABBIT's recent full page ad in Ceramics Monthy Magazine, a national ceramics publication.
SHY RABBIT Contemporary Arts

"Note from SHY RABBIT" 09.25.08

2008-09-25T13:19:00.003-06:00

SHY RABBIT Contemporary Arts is pleased to introduce “Notes from SHY RABBIT”, a comprehensive listing of art exhibitions, workshops and programs.

Notes from SHY RABBIT will be updated quarterly and will include:

• At a Glance
• Exhibition Schedule (2008 – 2009)
• WORK-Shops
• ArtistsNet
• ART Advantage Program

At a Glance: SHY RABBIT Contemporary Arts

Known as Southern Colorado’s premier contemporary art destination, SHY RABBIT is now in its fifth year of operation in Pagosa Springs. The 4,000 square foot arts facility is located ‘off the beaten path’ in a wooded commercial district on the west end of town. SHY RABBIT houses a fine art gallery and ceramic studio, two mixed-media workshops, a well-lit exhibition space, and a print studio gallery.

SHY RABBIT is currently offering educational workshops in ceramics, printmaking, and artist professional development year round, and is gaining national recognition for the high caliber of its gallery offerings and rotating exhibitions.

SHY RABBIT is widely acknowledged for its continuing contribution to the advancement of contemporary art and art education in the Four Corners region. Operating as a social mission-based enterprise, SHY RABBIT is interested in strengthening our creative economy and improving the quality of life in our community.

SHY RABBIT Exhibition Schedule:
(May 2008 – Aug. 2009)

The “Paper & Clay” Invitational (May 17 – July 6, 2008) was a huge success, introducing the work of 18 talented ceramists and printmakers to a new audience. The show brought in a steady flow of familiar faces mixed in with a great many new ones, totaling over 500 visitors throughout the duration of the show. Their numbers included several out of state visitors who traveled to Pagosa Springs specifically to see “Paper & Clay” and to learn more about the many facets of SHY RABBIT.

Following on the heels of a busy summer gallery season, the SHY RABBIT 2008 exhibition schedule continues with:

• “DIALOGUES” (Oct. 4 – Nov. 15, 2008)
-Opening Reception: Saturday, Oct. 4, 5-8:00 p.m.
Featuring works that suggest an exchange of ideas and opinions by: Carrianne Hendrickson, New York, ceramics; Marcie Paper, New York, paintings; Jeff Pender, North Carolina, ceramics; and Christopher St. John, New Mexico, paintings. Also showing a collaborative “DIALOGUES” project by Debra Blair, New Mexico, and Marti Bledsoe, Colorado, in the SHY RABBIT print studio gallery.

• “For the Small of It” (Nov. 22, 2008 – Jan. 17, 2009)
-Opening Reception: Saturday, Nov. 22, 5-8:00 p.m.
Featuring works that will encourage us to slow down and contemplate the small things by: 18 local, regional and national artists working in different medias.

SHY RABBIT’s 2009 exhibition schedule follows in part:

• “The Portrait” (March 14 – April 18, 2009)
This invitational portraiture exhibition will feature works in varying media by local, regional and nationally recognized artists.
• “Paper & Clay II” Invitational (May 2 – June 13, 2009)
Featuring original hand-pressed monoprints and ceramics by emerging and nationally recognized artists.
• “National Juried Print Exhibition” (June 27 – Aug. 22, 2009)
Featuring exemplary print selections by local, regional and nationally recognized printmakers.

WORK-Shops @ SHY RABBIT

Celebrating the completion of its first year, WORK-Shops @ SHY RABBIT has continuously grown in popularity. Nearly 130 students have successfully completed the classes to date. A large percentage of these students have also chosen to continue through intermediate and advanced levels of course offerings.

Offerings have expanded to include beginning, intermediate and advanced levels of:

• Printmaking without a Press
This 2-day printmaking workshop utilizes a unique hand-pressed printing process called "Reductive Ink"™, developed over the course of nearly 20 years by professional artist, D. Michael Coffee.
• Basic Ceramic Techniques and Hand-building:
This 2-day workshop focuses on hand forming, texturing, and assembling clay, all without the use of a potter's wheel or other equipment.
• Ceramics from the Potter’s Wheel
This 5-week course establishes good working fundamentals for students who have never used the potter’s wheel or for those who are continuing to build their basic skills.

In consideration of the exemplary work produced during Printmaking without a Press levels I-III, a select group of advanced level printmakers were invited to participate in “Paper & Clay” by SHY RABBIT Instructor, D. Michael Coffee. This resulted in the sale of six prints and exposure to a greatly expanded market. Others have gone on to show their work in juried exhibitions and invitationals, and are continuing to advance the "Reductive Ink"™ printmaking process while developing their own creative voice.

SHY RABBIT has also had great success with its professional artist development series, Expose Yourself, which currently includes:

• Photograph Your Work
This high content, 2-day workshop is designed to expose artists to the methods necessary to capture, manipulate, save and send digital images of their work for use in the development of their professional careers.
• The Artist’s Card
This high content, 1-day workshop is designed to expose participants to the basics of graphic layout, design, formatting, and uploading of files for printing by online internet, 4-color printing services, in the creation of a promotional postcard.

WORK-Shops @ SHY RABBIT are held in one of two spacious 1,000 square-foot mixed media studios, and are led by professional artist and ceramist, D. Michael Coffee. For additional information on D. Michael Coffee, visit www.dmcarts.com

Comments from previous workshop participants:

"It takes a gifted teacher to make every student, no matter what level, feel excited about what they are producing. Michael has a great way of homing right in on the strengths of a piece. Imagine being guaranteed that you will come away from a class being jazzed about skills, vision, or whatever that you did not even know you had. His technique is compelling. Results are quick. It is very creative, all absorbing, play."

“I came home ecstatic both days of the workshop. Michael showed me ways to achieve an extra-special look that I have been striving for in my works on paper. The workshop went way beyond my expectations. Incredible techniques, especially if you have used traditional printmaking methods in the past. What I learned will add an extra dimension to my current artwork. Michael was an extremely knowledgeable, fun instructor. Highly recommended.”

SHY RABBIT ArtistsNet

Launched in June of 2008, SHY RABBIT ArtistsNet is an association of artists who value arts education and advocate for “artists helping artists” in developing viable, sustainable, professional futures. The true strength of this association is in the combined resources of the individual artists participating, allowing for the expansion and promotion of this cooperative support network.

The 14 associates who currently participate in SHY RABBIT ArtistsNet have been instrumental in the development and support of WORK-shops @ SHY RABBIT. Their participation in ArtistsNet has paved the way for their own advancement through the design and distribution of 5,000 postcard mailers introducing ArtistsNet associates and their work to a nationwide audience. An additional 5,000 cards are planned for distribution this fall.

ArtistsNet associates work is also featured on the SHY RABBIT website at: www.shyrabbit.com/ArtistsNet.html, with links to their individual ArtistsNet pages and personal websites.

The combined resources of this cooperative support network, in conjunction with SHY RABBIT, has also allowed for membership in Pagosa Springs, Durango, Farmington, and Santa Fe area Chambers of Commerce, as well as monthly print advertising in a nationally recognized art publication.

To date, this collaborative marketing effort has proven quite successful, generating sales and the commission of artwork by ArtistsNet associates. Samples of their work can be viewed on widely distributed postcard mailers, and on the SHY RABBIT website at: www.shyrabbit.com/ArtistsNet.html.

SHY RABBIT ART Advantage Program

SHY RABBIT’s mission is to promote, teach, and nurture the creation of and appreciation for contemporary arts. One of SHY RABBIT’s most heart-felt goals is to enable the economically disadvantaged, who would not have the opportunity or the resources otherwise, to participate in high quality ceramic and printmaking workshops hosted by SHY RABBIT.

Another important goal is to help artists, who may not have the resources available to them, to purchase the supplies needed for the creation of their work. In addition, SHY RABBIT would like to afford artists the opportunity to attend one of their long distance opening receptions by paying a portion of their travel expenses. SHY RABBIT believes that interaction with the public is an important part of an artist’s professional development, and that it builds self-confidence and a better understanding of one’s viability in the marketplace. Personal introduction to the public is also of great benefit to potential collectors interested in knowing more about an artist’s work process and philosophies.

In pursuit of these goals, SHY RABBIT has created a scholarship and funding program to expand upon the benefits it currently offers in arts education. Funds are being provided by SHY RABBIT in conjunction with a group of generous supporters who also believe that art has the ability to change and improve the quality of our lives. SHY RABBIT will begin implementation of this program this fall.

“Museums of art will not make a country an art country. But where there is the art spirit there will be precious works to fill museums. Better still, there will be the happiness that is in the making. Art tends towards balance, order, judgment of relative values, the laws of growth, the economy of living - very good things for anyone to be interested in.”
-THE ART SPIRIT: Robert Henri (1865-1929) Notes, Articles, Fragments of Letters and Talks, compiled by Margery Ryerson.

For more information on any of the exhibitions, workshops and/or art programs offered at SHY RABBIT, please visit www.shyrabbit.com and click on the applicable link at the top of the page. Check back often as the website is updated regularly and offerings change.

SHY RABBIT Contemporary Arts is located at 333 Bastille Drive, two blocks north of U.S.160, off of North Pagosa Boulevard. SHY RABBIT Gallery hours are Thursday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and by appointment. If you would like your name added to the SHY RABBIT e- announcement list, please send a request to shyrabbit01@aol.com.
SHY RABBIT Contemporary Arts

New SHY RABBIT Website

2007-10-23T19:52:00.000-06:00

Please follow the link below to the new
SHY RABBIT Contemporary Arts Website
for updated information.

SHY RABBIT Contemporary Arts Website

Thank You

"Printmaking without a Press I"

2007-09-07T08:57:00.000-06:00

“Printmaking without a press” is a high content, process driven fine art printmaking workshop utilizing the “low impact” printing process developed by professional Artist, D. Michael Coffee called “Reductive Ink”™. Participants will be exposed to Coffee’s proprietary techniques through hands on involvement with the tools and materials of the process.

This introductory 8 hour workshop will focus on the use of black ink only to allow for the exploration of the infinite possibilities of line, tone and texture inherent in this unique process.

Participants can expect to develop their own personal imagery in tandem with the demonstrated techniques that will result in finished works of Art or this workshop can be approached as strictly a concentrated exposure to techniques that can be developed at a later date. Information (in this workshop) will be presented in a manner that will kick start the novice as well inspire the professional Artist to view their own work in a new way.

Printmaker D. Michael Coffee began developing his “Reductive Ink”™ printing process in 1987 in Los Angeles, CA. Coffee began his investigation as a result of a fortuitous miscommunication with a group of workman that resulted in the mistaken delivery of a 500 pound piece of a plexiglass bullet proof window from a Bank under demolition. With a vision to create a “low impact” printing technique to satisfy his desire to develop a means of creating images that were spontaneous and involved a bit of “out of controlness” he began working directly on the surface of the window. He was quick to realize that the process that he was developing was unique in the vocabulary of traditional fine Art printmaking. Coffee’s development of “Reductive Ink”™ printing allowed for the creation of line, tone and textures that rival the quality of those created with traditional methods with the added advantage of the “uniqueness” of each and every image.

Coffee’s work has been shown in over 70 group and solo print exhibitions, and is included in nearly 200 prestigious private and public collections throughout the world.

The techniques and process that resulted from Coffee’s methodical trial and error for the past 20 years are the basis for the knowledge to be presented in “Printmaking without a Press”.

DATE and TIME:
Saturday, October 6 & 7, 2007
10:00am-4:00pm
(includes one hour lunch break)

or

Saturday, October 13 & 14, 2007
10:00am-4:00pm
(includes one hour lunch break)

PLACE:
SHY RABBIT Contemporary Arts
333 Bastille Drive
Pagosa Springs, CO 81147
970-731-2766
shyrabbit01@aol.com

FEE:
$215
Fee includes use of all required studio equipment, tools, inks, plates and other misc.consummable materials. Each participant will also be provided with up to 8 sheets of 11” x 15” – 90# “Arches” Hot Press, 100% rag fine arts paper. Additional paper will be available for purchase.

CLASS SIZE and CANCELLATION POLICY:
Workshops will be limited to a maximum of 6 participants with a minimum of 4 required for workshops to proceed as scheduled. SHY RABBIT Reserves the Right to cancel workshops with less than 4 registered participants up to 5 days before the scheduled workshop date. Registered participants will receive a full refund for cancelled workshops or may choose to apply fee toward future workshops.

If you have a group of 4 or more and wish to schedule a private workshop, please contact
Denise Coffee at: 970-731-2766 or shyrabbit01@aol.com

REGISTRATION and METHOD OF PAYMENT
Fee is payable at time of registration and is nonrefundable for any event other than cancellation of workshop by SHY RABBIT.

Due to time constraints and limited workshop size, the preferred method of payment is via credit-card (Visa or M/C).

To Register please contact Denise Coffee at:

Phone: 970-731-2766
Email: shyrabbit01@aol.com

MISC:
Participants should expect to wear comfortable clothing and footware appropriate to a working studio environment utilizing oil based non-toxic inks and mineral spirit solvents.

Participants need to be 18 years of age to register.

"Handbuilding Ceramics I"

2007-09-07T08:50:00.000-06:00

“Handbuilding Ceramics I” is a unique interactive 2-day workshop, designed to demystify and simplify traditional clay hand-forming techniques and processes. Utilizing a minimal amount of tools, Ceramist D. Michael Coffee will introduce primary techniques through a series of demonstrations, after which participants will begin working with clay by handbuilding on their own. This workshop is open to all skill levels, with no previous ceramic experience required.

This introductory workshop will focus on various techniques including forming, texturing and assembling, all without the use of a potter’s wheel or other equipment. This workshop will establish good working fundamentals and principles, and will provide a foundation for continuing work in ceramics. Surface decoration and glazing will also be addressed.

The work will be bisque-fired by Coffee following the 2-day workshop. Participants will return for a separate 3-hour evening session to glaze their work. (Refer to: DATES and TIMES) The finished work will then be glaze-fired, and may be available for pick up during designated SHY RABBIT gallery hours.

D. Michael Coffee has been a professional Ceramist for 13 years. His experience includes teaching college and private master courses; extensive studio work; kiln design & construction; firing expertise; and overseas ceramic study.

Coffee’s functional and sculptural ceramics have been shown in numerous group and solo exhibitions, and are included in hundreds of prestigious public and private collections throughout the world.

DATE and TIME:
Saturday, October 20 & 21, 2007
10:00am - 4:00pm
(includes one hour lunch break)

Glazing Session
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
6:00pm - 9:00pm

or

Saturday, October 27 & 28, 2007
10:00am - 4:00pm
(includes one hour lunch break)

Glazing Session
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
6:00pm - 9:00pm

PLACE:
SHY RABBIT Contemporary Arts
333 Bastille Drive
Pagosa Springs, CO 81147
970-731-2766
shyrabbit01@aol.com

FEE:
$195
Fee includes use of all required studio equipment, studio tools, misc. consummable material (including clay sufficient for workshop projects), Studio glazes, Bisque and High firing. Each participant will also be provided with a basic starter tool kit to keep.

CLASS SIZE and CANCELLATION POLICY:
Workshops will be limited to a maximum of 8 participants with a minimum of 4 required for workshops to proceed as scheduled. SHY RABBIT Reserves the Right to cancel workshops with less than 4 registered participants up to 5 days before the scheduled workshop date. Registered participants will receive a full refund for cancelled workshops or may choose to apply fee toward future workshops.

If you have a group of 4 or more and wish to schedule a private workshop, please contact
Denise Coffee at: 970-731-2766 or shyrabbit01@aol.com

REGISTRATION and METHOD OF PAYMENT
Fee is payable at time of registration and is nonrefundable for any event other than cancellation of workshop by SHY RABBIT.

Due to time constraints and limited workshop size, the preferred method of payment is via credit-card (Visa or M/C).

To Register please contact Denise Coffee at:

Phone: 970-731-2766
Email: shyrabbit01@aol.com

MISC:
Participants should expect to wear comfortable clothing and footware appropriate to a working ceramics studio environment utilizing clay and glazes.

Minumim age for registration is 18.

"ENIGMA: Puzzling, Ambiguous, Inexplicable" Opens September 29, 2007 at SHY RABBIT Contemporary Arts

2007-08-30T11:10:00.001-06:00

"Suddenly this Summer" A Group Exhibit

2007-07-22T10:01:00.000-06:00

New SHY RABBIT Postcard

2007-07-01T14:09:00.000-06:00

Web Site... Coming Soon

2007-04-24T08:09:00.000-06:00

NEW WORKS Preview Images

2007-04-13T17:29:00.000-06:00

NEW WORKS @ SHY RABBIT

2007-03-22T09:02:00.001-06:00

Exhibition Dates:
April 14, 2007 thru June 23, 2007

Gallery Hours:
Thursday thru Sunday
10am to 4pm or by appointment

Artists' Reception-Saturday, April 14, 2007 from 5:00pm - 8:00pm.

The not-so-shy SHY RABBIT

2007-02-08T07:59:00.000-07:00

Durango Telegraph
Published 01-11-07
Arting Around
by Jules Masterjohn

The creative process is alive and kicking at Shy Rabbit in Pagosa Springs. This vitality is evident in the gallery’s current exhibit, “Hold It!” featuring the work of Chad Haspels, Sarah Hewitt Clarissa Hudson, Mary Ellen Long, Chris Ritchter, and Shan Wells. The forms and materials chosen by each artist to represent the show’s theme of contemporary containers vary widely and give pause to the wonderfully enigmatic nature of the individual creative process. The works contained within the Shy Rabbit’s two galleries remind us of elemental concepts and processes. The works invite contemplation.

In conceiving the exhibit, Denise Coffee, co-owner of Shy Rabbit, stated, “Our intention behind titling the show ‘Hold It!’ was to request that viewers stop and take their time in carefully considering the works on display.” There is also a suggestion that the containers might hold ideas and thoughts. More than a request, the title is a command – and it is an appropriate one, not only for visitors to the exhibit but for Denise and her husband, Michael, as well.

For more than three years, in much the same way that an artist works from inspiration and vision to implementation, the Coffees have been invoking the creative process in their development of the Shy Rabbit. Their original 2,000 square feet of rented warehouse space was recently expanded to 4,000 square feet. Half the new area will be used for teaching ceramic workshops and the other 1,000 square feet is dedicated gallery space for their popular exhibitions. Along with the doubling of space has come a redoubling of the Coffee’s consideration of what they want to offer through their efforts at Shy Rabbit.

After nearly a year of the Shy Rabbit functioning solely as Michael’s ceramic studio, the Coffees officially opened the timid bunny’s doors in the spring of 2004. It was conceived as a contemporary art advocacy venue by initiating the Artist Roundtables, based on the European salon model whereby members of the arts community speak and lead discussions. Shy Rabbit also started offering workshops in specific art techniques and the business of art. And, most notably, the Coffees and their Creative Development Team of Pagosa residents Leanne Goebel, Al Olson and Shaun Martin, have presented some of the most provocative exhibitions of contemporary art in the area.

As with all things dynamic and alive, change comes. Though well attended, no roundtables or workshops are currently slated on this year’s Shy Rabbit schedule. Instead, the Coffees are expanding their physical space and pulling in their vision. They have succeeded in establishing the gallery as a premier contemporary art venue known not only for its support of emerging regional artists but also established, nationally known artists. They are inspired to make the Shy Rabbit a destination for art collectors by continuing to cultivate relationships with artists of the highest caliber.

Quality and professionalism have continually been the cornerstones of the Coffee’s efforts. Over the last few years, the essence of the Shy Rabbit has not changed, though its form continues to evolve. Three years and more than a dozen exhibitions later, the Coffees are turning inward. Their desire to share the Shy Rabbit space has been deeply rooted in their sense of community. Denise offered, “We have created the kind of artistic environment that inspires us. For our souls and creative spirits, we need to live surrounded by likeminded people.”

The Coffees have spent their lives associated with creative people and pursuing artistic expression. In West Los Angeles, where they lived and built art-related businesses before retiring to Pagosa in 2003, Michael lived a dual life as an architect and a professional artist. With her degree in fashion design, Denise built a dancewear company. Wildly successful, the business grew too fast, consuming Denise, and after nine years, she closed the company. Once revitalized, she began marketing Michael’s printmaking and ceramic work. Denise finds great satisfaction in promoting artists’ work that she believes in. “It is really necessary for the whole art-making structure,” she offered.

The Coffees wasted no time getting fully centered in their artistic lives in Colorado. D. Michael (his professional name) had a solo show of his ceramic work, “Place of Mind” at the Lakewood Cultural Center, near Denver, in August of 2004. His work filled the center’s 1,000-square-foot gallery, and in 2005, it was honored with a “Best of Denver” award from Westword Magazine.

Now, after a year of not making any new pieces due to the demands of directing the Shy Rabbit, Michael has began creating again. The Coffees are planning to present a show of Michael’s functional work – handbuilt platters and Asian-inspired tea bowls – in the near future. Denise emphasizes, “We are not being date driven anymore. We are scaling back from so many planned public exhibitions and will use the space more as a showroom for Michael’s work and for teaching workshops.”

It seems unlikely that these vital individuals will be able to hold back from their community offerings for very long. They have thrived on bringing people together around the arts. The Coffee’s latest interest involves exposing young people to contemporary art by hosting tours of their exhibits. The current show, “Hold It!,” presents work that is minimal, emotional, sensual and intellectual – unlike the usual visual faire displayed in the area – which should give the Pagosa Springs high school students quite a bit to contemplate. •

HOLD IT! @ SHY RABBIT

2006-12-18T07:03:00.000-07:00

HOLD IT!...Shan Wells

2006-12-11T17:29:00.000-07:00

“Hold It!” opens to large crowd @ Shy Rabbit Contemporary Arts

By Denise Coffee

“Hold It!”, an exhibition of contemporary containers, opened at Shy Rabbit Contemporary Arts on Saturday night, Dec. 9, to a large and energetic crowd. This elegant exhibition features seven emerging and mid-career artists working in varying and somewhat unconventional mediums. The exhibition runs through Jan. 20, 2007.

Gallery hours are Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday from 1-4 p.m. Shy Rabbit also welcomes visitors during non-posted hours. Please call (970) 731-2766 to confirm the gallery is open.

“Hold It!” artists were asked to stretch the concept of a typical container or vessel. This exhibition entertains the viewer’s imagination with a wide range of materials and forms.

Several of the artists invited to participate in “Hold it!” had existing works that fit the show theme. Others created new work inspired by the show title and the freedom they were allowed in the process.

Artists were provided with approx. 3-4 months in which to complete new work, and had no restrictions other than a size range and the number of finished works required. The process was a very organic one that resulted in the creation of work that is natural and unforced.

The seven featured artists are: Chad Haspels, Colo, wood; Sarah Hewitt, NM, fiber; Clarissa Hudson, Colo, fiber; Terry Inokuma, OR, ceramics; Mary Ellen Long, Colo, mixed media; Chris Richter, NM, ceramics; and Shan Wells, Colo, mixed media.

Shan Wells is a North American Sculptor and political illustrator. Born in Cortez, Colo, he attended Art Center College of Design, and the University of Canterbury in New Zealand.

Wells received a grant from the Pollock-Krasner Foundation in 1999, and two successive Colorado Council on the Arts Fellowships for drawing and sculpture, respectively, one of two recipients of the awards to do so in the 35 year history of the program. He was recently selected as one of Colorado's best 75 artists for the exhibition, “Best of Colorado”, at the Denver International Airport.

Wells illustrates a political cartoon for the Durango Telegraph, an independent weekly newspaper. His illustrations have also appeared in Truthout.org, Westword, Las Vegas City Life, and the Los Angeles Reader.

Wells has three pieces on display in “Hold It!”, two that were existing works, and one that he created specifically for the show.

“A Portable Container for Shadows” is made up of Ponderosa pine, found metal, leather, steel, and recycled mahogany. This piece greets the viewer as he/she enters the smaller of the two Shy Rabbit gallery spaces, and sets the tone for the entire show.

“A metaphor for introspection, this piece flows directly from the work of Edmund Husserl, who originated the idea of Phenomenology,” Wells states. “The idea of never being able to fully perceive anything was of interest- for example, the inside of a tree limb. We perceive it only one side at a time, and the interior is never fully observable. Containers have a great metaphoric value for this reason- they are potentialities, exposures that become more beautiful to us as they become more transparent and complex, mirroring our own perceived souls.”

Wells creates works that are visually pleasing while provocative in nature, and that also inspire a great deal of thought if fully absorbed.

“A Portable Container for Shadows” reverses this to create an object that simultaneously reveals its core and conceals it— thus illustrating the working contradiction inherent in introspection that I think we all strive to overcome as we peer into our own dark recesses, searching for meaning in our behavior, adding another arrow to the quiver of our self-definition,” Wells continues.

Wells second contribution is entitled “ArcHive.” It is skillfully constructed of recycled Douglas fir, wax, ink, and leather.

“Bees use a complex dance to communicate with one another”, Wells explains. “Called waggle-dance, this behavior results in an incredibly plastic language ability, capable of communicating very specific information about food location, quality, timing, and other things, as well as enabling arguments over competing resources.”

“ArcHive is a metaphor for the library of knowledge the dance represents, the compilation of bee knowing”, Wells summarizes.

Wells’ third is entitled “Spectral.” It is constructed of wood, wax, leaves, light, and components.

“This work speaks to the common scientific process of dissecting nature in order to understand it. It can be done, but the subject tends to die in the process”, Wells continues.

“The work also references core sampling, and specifically, spectral analysis of celestial bodies- hence the line of color. All of this comes together in the title “Spectral”, Wells states.

Wells lives with his family in Durango, Colo.

Please visit http://shyrabbit.blogspot.com for more information on Shy Rabbit Contemporary Arts shows, events, and programs.

Shy Rabbit is located at 333 Bastille Drive, B-1 through B-4, one block north of Hwy 160 off of North Pagosa Blvd. For additional information on Shy Rabbit Contemporary Arts, please email shyrabbit01@aol.com.

HOLD IT...Chad Haspels

2006-12-11T17:05:00.000-07:00

“Hold It!” Opens at Shy Rabbit
Dec. 9 with Artists’ Reception

By Denise Coffee

“Hold It!”, an exhibition of contemporary containers, opens at Shy Rabbit Contemporary Arts with an artists’ reception on Saturday, Dec. 9, from 5:00-8:00 p.m. The exhibition features seven artists working in different mediums from throughout the country, and runs through Jan. 20, 2007.

Gallery hours are Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday from 1-4 p.m. Shy Rabbit also welcomes visitors during non-posted hours. Please call (970) 731-2766 to confirm the gallery is open.

“Hold It!” stretches the generally held perception of what a container might be considered, and entertains the viewer’s imagination with a wide range of materials and forms.

Several of the artists invited to participate in “Hold it!” had existing works that fit the show theme. Others created new work inspired by the show title and the freedom they were allowed in the process.

The seven featured artists are: Chad Haspels, Colo, wood; Sarah Hewitt, NM, fiber; Clarissa Hudson, Colo, fiber; Terry Inokuma, OR, ceramics; Mary Ellen Long, Colo, mixed media; Chris Richter, NM, ceramics; and Shan Wells, Colo, mixed media.

In 1998, while working towards his Fine Arts Degree from Rocky Mountain College in Billings, MT, Chad Haspels developed his initial interest in sculpting while experimenting with wood, stone, bronze, and clay. He apprenticed under Master Carver James Acheampong in 1999.

After completing his education in 2000, Haspels returned to the southwestern Colorado area where he grew up. He has been sculpting with wood full time since 2002, and quickly developed a name for his work by executing publicly commissioned works for the towns of Pagosa Springs and Bayfield, and the community of Vallecito Lake, Colo, among others.

Haspels created two new contemporary pieces for “Hold It!” after being invited into the exhibition in late August. His streamlined sculptures might not be recognized by those familiar with his signature public works due to their vastly differing styles, but are sure to be warmly welcomed as a new glimpse into the Wood Sculptors ever-changing persona.
“Over the last six years, I have focused my artistic development to using wood as my primary medium for multiple reasons”, quotes Haspels. “My technique involves taking advantage of spontaneous movements and decisions to capture an initial energy with the form of the sculpture.” Haspels continues, “Then, depending on the direction I want to go, I may focus on detail and precision on top of this, or I may leave the energy driven process to show through in the finished piece by way of having tool textures remain.”

Haspels’ largest sculpture has been a work in process for nearly three years, and is an example of the sculptor’s patience and ability to let the energy driven process show through in his work. “Reclaiming Vessel” is skillfully carved out of Douglas fir, measures 45” tall by 24” wide, and is presented on a black steel base.

“I worked around the rot that this particular piece of wood had to create the void areas, and to open up the solid walls of the vessel shape”, states Haspels. “This, to me, creates a “container of space”, hopefully drawing the eye into the inner space.”

The second sculpture is a beautifully calming composition entitled “Duo”. It is carved out of Ponderosa pine and stands 24” tall by 25” in diameter. Made up of two pieces, each is hollowed out and placed back to back with a one inch gap between the two. It is also presented on a black steel base.

Please visit http://shyrabbit.blogspot.com for more information on Shy Rabbit Contemporary Arts shows, events, and programs.

Shy Rabbit is located at 333 Bastille Drive, B-1 through B-4, one block north of Hwy 160 off of North Pagosa Blvd. For additional information on Shy Rabbit Contemporary Arts, please email shyrabbit01@aol.com.

HOLD IT!.....An Exhibition of Contemporary Containers

2006-11-23T17:06:00.000-07:00

Artists' Reception-Saturday, December 9, from 5:00pm - 8:00pm.

Shy Rabbit is proud to announce "Hold It!", an exhibition of contemporary containers. Exhibition dates are December 9, 2006 through January 20, 2007. Artists' Reception is Saturday, December 9, from 5:00pm - 8:00pm. Featured artists are: Chad Haspels, wood; Sarah Hewitt, fiber; Clarissa Hudson, fiber; Terry Inokuma, ceramics; Mary Ellen Long, mixed media; Chris Richter, ceramics; and Shan Wells, mixed media.

"Forms, Figures, Symbols" opens Saturday at Shy Rabbit Contemporary Arts featuring 59 works of contemporary art by 43 artists from around the country

2006-10-16T09:57:00.000-06:00

Ronald Gonzalez, N.Y.--"Pin Cushion Man," Marcia Lenke, Mass.--"Untitled 63," Amy Wendland, Colo.--"Kelp."

Pagosa Springs, Colo.—Juror Gerry Riggs, former Director of the Gallery of Contemporary Art at CU Colorado Springs, selected 59 works of art by 43 different artists for the upcoming "Forms, Figures, Symbols," a Juried Exhibition of Contemporary Works, Oct. 21 - Nov. 28, 2006 at Shy Rabbit Contemporary Arts. Opening reception with the artists is Sat., Oct. 21, from 5-8 p.m.

“I was delighted that there were so many submissions to choose from,” Riggs said. “I thought the intake would be mostly from regional artists, but as it happens, there were entries from all over the country. This means that the show has a national scope, which is more than I had hoped for.”

A total of 182 submissions were received from 61 artists working in various mediums throughout the country. Artist’s selected for “Forms, Figures, Symbols” include: Maude Andrade, N.M.; Kelly Angard, Colo.; Sandy Applegate, Colo.; W. Howard Brandenburg, N.M.; Sandra Butler, Colo.; Tirzah Camacho, Colo.; Lou Chapman, Texas; Sarah Comerford, Colo.; Deborah DeGraffenreid, N.Y.; Leah Dunaway, Texas; Lal B. Echterhoff, Colo.; Aaron Englert, Colo.; Ted Fish, Colo.; Ronald Gonzalez, N.Y.; Jean Gumpper, Colo.; C.J. Hannah, Colo.; Crystal Hartman, Colo.; Barbara Heinrich, Colo.; Diana Jacobs, Calif.; Gail Lois Jaffe, Florida.; Bradley Kachnowicz, Colo.; Rebecca Koeppen, Colo.; Shama Ko, Texas.; Marcie Lenke, Mass.; Patrick Linehan, Illinois; Don R. Long, Colo.; Mary Ellen Long, Colo.; Lara Loutrel, Mass.; Raymond Martinez, Colo; Marie McCallum, Colo.; Sid McCammond, Colo.; Daisy McConnell, Colo.; Lynne Medsker, Indiana; Paul F. Morris, Colo.; Maryellen Morrow, Colo.; Al Olson, Colo.; Linda Pampinella, Colo.; Joan Levine-Russell, Colo.; William Secrest, Colo.; Harold D. Seibel, Colo.; Marcy Sperry, Illinois; Don Weir, Colo.; Amy K. Wendland, Colo.

“I ended up selecting about a third of the submissions,” Riggs added. “There is a limit as to what can be reasonably exhibited on Shy Rabbit's walls and I'm certain I pushed the number of selections right up to that limit. I recommended that particular related works be hung stacked in order to accommodate more work than is usually shown.”

The work selected is diverse in medium.

Riggs seemed surprised that “there was not an abundance of three dimensional submissions, but I was particularly pleased with the 3-D selections as they were generally quite contemporary in treatment and varied in their themes, choice of materials and execution.”

Yet for a show entitled, “Forms, Figures, Symbols,” there were not as many figurative submissions as Riggs expected. Many of the figurative submissions didn’t make it into the show, he said. “Not because they weren't well executed, but because they were simply very traditional or academic in treatment. This is a contemporary show and that translates into original, unique or fresh approaches to the subject.”

Riggs is pleased with the work and his selections.

“Overall, I think the show is comparable to many good contemporary exhibitions I have seen or curated in the past, and will prove to be a worthwhile, varied and interesting exhibition for viewers,” he said, then added: “I'm sure it will also give some viewers something to consider, apart from the usual. I am grateful to Shy Rabbit for allowing me to select the show, as I'm sure they knew that my artistic leanings are far from timid or conventional.”

Riggs spent 14-1/2 years at CU Colorado Springs as the Gallery Director and an assistant professor. Prior to that, he was a curator of fine art and an exhibition coordinator at the Colorado Springs Fine Art Center. Earlier in his career he served as the Curator for the C.B. Goddard Center for Visual and Performing Arts in Ardmore, Okla.

Riggs' professional accomplishments include the installation design for over 400 exhibitions. He is credited for transforming the gallery at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs into one of the region's most important art spaces, and the only one dedicated to contemporary art, whether regional of from halfway around the world. He is a member of the American Association of Museums, and the AAM Museum Advocacy Team. Riggs became a full-time resident of Pagosa Springs in 2006. He is an accomplished photographer, session drummer and avid skier.

Shy Rabbit is located at 333 Bastille Drive, Units B-1, B-4, west of downtown, and just south of the Pagosa Lakes area. Take Hwy 160 to North Pagosa Blvd., stay on North Pagosa to Bastille Drive (at UBC) turn left and stay on Bastille past Hopi. Shy Rabbit is located directly next to Pine Valley Rental. (GPS coordinates are latitude N37 degrees, 15.193 minutes and longitude W107, 5.074 minutes).

Gallery hours during exhibitions are Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 1-4 p.m., and 1-6:30 p.m. on the second Thursday of the month. Visitors are welcome to call or stop by during non-posted hours. Private appointments are also available by request.

For more information please call (970) 731-2766, email shyrabbit01@aol.com, or log onto http://www.shyrabbit.blogspot.com.

"Let's Explore" Series

2006-09-18T14:28:00.000-06:00

The “Let’s Explore” program brings in guest speakers, slide presentations, films and experts to discuss the many facets of contemporary art and art history. "Let's Explore" is currently scheduled on the second Thursday of each month. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the programs run from 6:30-8:30 p.m.

December 14, 2006--"Let's Explore: Art:21 (Spirituality, Consumption)," a viewing of the two themes from the first season of the PBS Series Art:21 (Art in the Twenty-first Century). The theme "Spirituality" is explored through the art of Beryl Korot, Ann Hamilton, John Feodorov, Shahzia Sikander, and James Turrell. The theme "Consumption" is explored through the art of Barbara Kruger, Michael Ray Charles, Matthew Barney, Andrea Zittel and Mel Chin.

November 9, 2006--"Let's Explore: Contemporary Art with Gerry Riggs." A lecture and slide presentation with Riggs, the juror for “Forms, Figures, Symbols,” who has curated more than 400 exhibitions during his museum and gallery career.

October 12, 2006--"Let's Explore: Art:21 (Place, Identity)," a viewing of two themes from the first season of the PBS Series Art:21 (Art in the Twenty-first Century). The theme "Place" is explored through the art of Laurie Anderson, Richard Serra, Sally Mann, Margaret Kilgallen, Berry McGee, and Pepon Osorio. The theme "Identity" is explored through the art of William Wegman, Bruce Nauman, Kerry James Marshall, Louise Bourgeois and Maya Lin.

September 14, 2006--"Let's Explore: Isamu Noguchie," a viewing of the documentary film about Japanese-American sculptor Isamu Noguchi (1904-1988), Stones and Paper directed by Niro Narita.

August 10, 2006--"Let's Explore: Andy Goldsworthy,"a viewing of the award-winning documentaryRivers and Tides by filmmaker Thomas Riedelsheimer

A suggested donation of $5-$10 is recommended.

Shy Rabbit is located at 333 Bastille Drive, Units B-1, B-4, west of downtown, and just south of the Pagosa Lakes area. Take Hwy 160 to North Pagosa Blvd., stay on N. Pagosa to Bastille Drive (at UBC), turn left and stay on Bastille past Hopi Shy Rabbit is located directly next to Pine Valley Rental. (GPS coordinates are latitude N37 degrees, 15.193 minutes and longitude W107, 5.074 minutes).

For more information: log onto http://shyrabbit.blogspot.com or call (970) 731-2766.

Forms, Figures, Symbols Prospectus

2006-08-07T06:37:00.001-06:00

A JURIED EXHIBITION OF CONTEMPORARY WORKS
@ SHY RABBIT
October 21-November 28, 2006

DOWNLOAD "Forms, Figures, Symbols" ENTRY FORM HERE

ELIGIBILITY
Open to all artists over the age of 18 working in all mediums except for video and film. All works must be framed or finished, exhibit top level presentation, and must have been completed in the last three years. Weight limit for wall-mounted works may not exceed 25 lbs.

JUROR
Gerry Riggs served as Director/Curator of the Gallery of Contemporary Art and Assistant Professor at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs for 14 1/2 years. Riggs also served as the Curator of Fine Art/Exhibition Coordinator at the Colorado Springs Fine Art Center and Director/Curator for the C.B. Goddard Center for Visual and Performing Arts in Ardmore, OK. Riggs holds a Masters of Liberal Studies with Museum Emphasis degree and a Bachelor of Fine Arts In Art degree from the University of Oklahoma. He is a member of the American Association of Museums and the AAM Museum Advocacy Team.

Riggs' professional accomplishments include the installation design for over 400 exhibitions. He is credited for transforming the gallery at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs into one of the region's most important contemporary art spaces. Riggs is also an accomplished photographer, session drummer, and avid skier. He continues to work as an independent Curator/Consultant.

JUROR’S JUDGING/SELECTION CRITERIA
Shy Rabbit has wisely chosen the broad themes of "Forms, Figures, Symbols" to maximize the range of contemporary expression that may be submitted. Most artists will likely find some affinity with the show's title and their existing work. Forms allows for abstraction and even work based on amorphic or undefined shapes and/or coloration, as well as realisticly rendered, non-figurative works. Figures implies tangible, but not necessarily realistically rendered life-based subject matter; figure studies, etc. Symbols allows for iconographic, even Jungian 'dream-based imagery' to be submitted; this could include imagery incorporating virtually any known symbol, logo, or other highly charged 'representative' cultural or socially-based interpretations.

Given these broad themes, I will select those submissions that I feel are the most: compelling, interesting and/or well executed; appropriately and/or professionally presented; original in style, and/or contemporary/timely in feel or tone. I will also be looking for enough work in 2 & 3 dimensional
mediums to allow for an interesting, varied and balanced installation, in keeping with the high level and broad range of contemporary work that Shy Rabbit has presented in the past.

-Gerry Riggs

IMAGE SPECIFICATIONS
Images must be submitted on CD or DVD. 35mm slide submissions will be considered but high resolution digital images are preferred. CDs/DVDs and slides will not be returned to artists so that images can be kept on file for future reference and documentation.

Digital Specifications:
*.JPG or TIFF file format
*350 ppi at 8.675 inches/22 cm width

35 mm slide specification:
*cardboard or plastic mounts only (no glass)
*protect slides in plastic sleeves
*each slide must include artist’s name and slide number
that corresponds with number on Entry Form
*add $5.oo per slide to Entry Fee for digital scanning

ENTRY DEADLINE: September 19, 2006
Entries must be received no later than 5:00 pm on Tuesday, September 19, 2006. Artist notification will be by email only on Monday, September 25, 2006.
It is essential that artists have an email address and check it regularly.

FEES
Non-refundable entry fees are $25 for 1-3 images, plus $5 for each additional image, up to a maximum of 6. Slide entries must be accompanied by an additional $5 per slidescanning fee. Fees must accompany entries. Please make checks or money orders payable to: SHY RABBIT. Entries will be mailed to: SHY RABBIT, PO Box 5887, Pagosa Springs, CO 81147. Entry and slide scanning fees may also be paid by approved credit card (Visa and MasterCard only). Credit card payments will be processed via our DMC ARTS, LLC Merchant Account which is the name that will appear on the card holder’s bank statement.

SALES & COMMISIONS
Sales will be encouraged, therefore all artwork must be available for sale. SHY RABBIT will retain a commission of 40% of the sale price. Price your artwork accordingly, including packaging or special crating costs. Payment to the artist will be mailed within 30 days after receipt of proceeds from sales.

SHIPPING, LIABILITY & INSURANCE
Artists whose work is accepted for the exhibit will be given specific shipping or hand delivery instructions in their Acceptance Notification Email. Shipping and insurance in transit to and from your address is the artist’s responsibility. SHY RABBIT assumes no responsibility and shall not be held responsible for any damage of any kind that occurs during shipping. All work shipped or delivered must include full payment (or approved credit card) for return. All return shipping fees advanced will be returned to the artist if the work is sold. Artists must pack and crate works carefully in RE-USABLE shipping containers. SHY RABBIT will insure all artworks in our possession from the time of their arrival up to the time at which they are sold or shipped to the artist. Insured value will equal the artist’s portion. We will handle work with all reasonable care while in our possession. Artwork that, upon receipt and inspection, is determined to be too fragile to handle in a public exhibition, or potentially hazardous to visitors, will not be unpacked and will be returned to the artist at their own expense.

PRESENTATION
Pedestals and gallery lighting will be provided to show work to its best advantage. Artwork may also be freestanding, ceiling- or wall-mounted. All work must be suitably prepared with proper supports, hanging devices (no sawtooth-type hangers), and clear instructions for installation.

PUBLICITY
“Forms, Figures, Symbols” will be promoted in print, online and in all available art and event calendars regionally, state and nation wide.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS and PERMISSION
Images submitted—and other images of accepted work—may be used on http://shyrabbit.blogspot.com and elsewhere in printed postcards, posters, advertising, catalogs, and other promotional materials and on the Internet, both prior to and following the exhibition. By entering this exhibition and signing the agreement, artists warrant that all artwork they submit for jurying is original to them and that it does not infringe on any other artist’s or entity’s copyrighted or trademarked work. Artists must also have received permission from the photographer of their artwork for SHY RABBIT’s use in catalogs, advertising, and for promotional and sales purposes with no additional financial obligation due to the artist or photographer.

DELIVERY
Accepted work being shipped must be received between October 2-14, 2006, in Pagosa Springs, CO. If hand delivered, it can be received at the exhibition location on Saturday, October 14, 2006, 10:00am to 4:00pm. Work may be disallowed if it is not suitably prepared for exhibition or was not adequately represented by the image submitted for jurying. Exhibiting artists will be provided with full delivery details.

AGREEMENT
The receipt of any application will be understood to imply agreement on the part of the entrant with all conditions set forth and inferred in this prospectus.

For a .PDF file of this Prospectus and Entry Form please send a request via email to shyrabbit01@aol.com.

For additional information please contact SHY RABBIT at:

SHY RABBIT
333 Bastille Drive
PO Box 5887
Pagosa Springs, CO 81147

(v) 970.731.2766
(f) 970.731.2659
email: shyrabbit01@aol.com
blog: http://shyrabbit.blogspot.com

"Mind's Material: Sensation, Cognition and Knowledge," Master Works by: Doug Pedersen, Kelsey Hauck and Karl Isberg

2006-07-31T13:15:00.000-06:00

Pagosa Springs, Colorado – Shy Rabbit, a contemporary art space and gallery, presents “Mind’s Material: Sensation, Cognition & Knowledge”, featuring the masterworks of Doug Pedersen, Kelsey Hauck and Karl Isberg. The exhibition runs from August 26 – October 7, 2006, with an artist’s reception on Saturday, August 26, from 5-8 p.m.

Gallery hours are Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 1-4 p.m., and 1-6:30 p.m. on the second Thursday of the month. Shy Rabbit is located at: 333 Bastille Drive, Units B-1 & B-4. For more information: log onto http://shyrabbit.blogspot.com, call (970) 731-2766, or email shyrabbit01@aol.com.

“Mind’s Material” brings the work of Pedersen, Hauck and Isberg together for the first time since their fateful meeting in 1983. The human image is key to each artist’s work, which ends any similarities that they might otherwise exhibit.

Pedersen’s paintings are filled with heads: Heads that look like masks or ancient sculptures. Heads with mouths agape, or lips pursed. Heads with cratered eyes. Red faces on green backgrounds. Gobs of paint and layers of color masterfully applied to canvas creating images of heads filled with expressions of the here and now.

Hauck’s collage figures often incorporate fine Japanese papers that look as if they could be brush strokes of paint. Capturing movement, laughter, emotion and spirit in tiny pieces of paper all placed together to create an image that might be equally beautiful and disturbing.

Isberg paints abstracted heads and figures, using color and geometry to express desire and emotion. Some of his work is vibrant and colorful; other paintings are muted and subdued.

This work evokes passion and stirs emotion. It is art that expresses the human condition, with all its frailties and strengths. It is art that beckons a closer look, and that speaks in uniquely personal terms to each viewer that chances a better understanding.

For more information: log onto http://shyrabbit.blogspot.com or call (970) 731-2766.

Shy Rabbit is located at 333 Bastille Drive, Units B-1, B-4, west of downtown, and just south of the Pagosa Lakes area. Take Hwy 160 to North Pagosa Blvd., stay on North Pagosa to Bastille Drive (at UBC) turn left and stay on Bastille past Hopi. Shy Rabbit is located directly next to Pine Valley Rental. (GPS coordinates are latitude N37 degrees, 15.193 minutes and longitude W107, 5.074 minutes).

Let's Explore Alfred Steiglitz: Stieglitz changed art in America

2006-07-31T13:10:00.000-06:00

By Leanne Goebel

Special to The PREVIEW

Alfred Stieglitz showed the works of Cezanne, Picasso, Rodin and Matisse at his Little Gallery of the Photo-Secession, six years before the famed Armory Show in 1913.

On July 13, 2006, 21 interested artists, photographers and community members gathered at Shy Rabbit for a presentation on Stieglitz and his 291 Gallery by Dr. Marilee Jantzer-White.

White, who teaches art history at Fort Lewis College, is a petite woman with a passion for her work. She talked without notes for over an hour about modern art in the early 20th century. More importantly, she provided slides to visually highlight the spectacular differences between American Art in early 1900 and the work of those that Stieglitz promoted.

The realism and austerity of photography at the time, used only to document things as they existed, was represented in the work of Timothy Sullivan, a Civil War photographer. This contrasted with the work of Stieglitz, whose famous photo "The Steerage" is all about line and form.

Even more dramatically, White showed slides of work by Thomas Cole from the Hudson River School representing painters trying to capture the realism of nature on the canvas. Stieglitz wanted photography to be considered fine art and in order to do so, felt that painting no longer needed to document things as they are in nature, but should move in a new direction. The only work he found at the time was that of European painters like Cezanne, Picasso and Matisse.

Seeing a work by Matisse, with all its vibrant, emotional color, or a work by Cezanne, with it's geometry of white canvas and focused color, in contrast with a painting by someone like Thomas Cole drives home the vast difference between what was considered art and taught in the art schools at the time, and what we now know as modern art.

Stieglitz believed that painters and photographers should not mimic what the other can achieve in their medium.

It was in 1907, 1908 and 1909 that Stieglitz launched the first exhibitions of Picasso's work in the United States. Stieglitz also showed nudes by Rodin that had so incensed the German public that the gallery director who showed the works in Germany had to resign. In the United States, all of Rodin's nude work sold to mostly women.

American artist John Marin was a Stieglitz favorite and it was fascinating to see Stieglitz photographs of the Woolworth Building in New York next to an abstracted painting by Marin of the same scene.

Yet, many artists disagreed with Stieglitz emphasis on European painting and sculpture, believing that the genius of America was in its machinery and that American artists needed to focus on something entirely new. Eventually, artists like Duchamp, O'Keeffe and Arthur Dove would move in that direction.

Until 1930, O'Keeffe painted very small, but influenced by muralists like Diego Rivera and moving away from Stieglitz's philosophy, she began painting what she described as something American, something big and up close.

It was Duchamp who felt that Stieglitz had it all wrong and that American art should go in a different direction. And it did. Today, Duchamp is more well-known than any American painter shown by Stieglitz. Very few people have ever heard of John Marin or Arthur Dove. Even O'Keeffe is better known than her husband, Alfred Stieglitz.

The presentation by Dr. White was the first in a series called "Let's Explore," a new program at Shy Rabbit. "Let's Explore Alfred Stieglitz" was made possible by the generous donation of slide projectors and screens from Bruce Andersen and Jim Struck. The event was coordinated by Al Olson.

The "Let's Explore" series will continue to bring in guest speakers, slide presentations, films and experts to discuss the many facets of art and art history.

In August, "Let's Explore" will feature a film on Andy Goldsworthy and in September, a film on Isamu Noguchi.

"The 'Let's Explore' series is an opportunity to bring in experts in their field to Pagosa and for those of us actively involved in the creation of Shy Rabbit to do what we love&emdash;explore art in all it's many forms and facets, sit around and talk about it and share in the experience," Michael Coffee said.

"Let's Explore--Goldsworthy" is one night only, Aug. 12, and "Let's Explore--Noguchi" is Sept. 14. The suggested donation for both films is $5.

Shy Rabbit is located at 333 Bastille Drive, Units B-1, B-4, west of downtown. Take U.S. 160 to North Pagosa Boulevard, go north to Bastille Drive (at UBC), turn left and stay on Bastille past Hopi. Shy Rabbit is located next to Pine Valley Rental. For more information: log onto http://shyrabbit.blogspot.com or call (970) 731-2766.

"Select Works" opens July 1 at Shy Rabbit

2006-06-25T23:19:00.000-06:00

Pagosa Springs, Colorado—“Select Works” opens July 1 @ Shy Rabbit with artists: Susan Andersen (Marsan), mixed media; D. Michael Coffee, ceramics and monoprints; Sarah Comerford, painting; Ron Fundingsland, intaglio printmaking; Deborah Gorton, mixed media; Shaun Martin, painting; Al Olson, photography; Lisa Pedolsky, ceramics; and Kate Petley, resin on acrylic panels. A reception for the artists will be held from 5-8 p.m. Regular gallery hours beginning July 1 are Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 1-4 p.m. with extended hours on the second Thursday of the month from 1-6:30 p.m.

MarSan’s works are about emergence. The emergence of simple earthly objects to an elevated state of recognition, or the combining of earthy objects formed together to shed light on the process of emergence. “It is like the Dragon Fly incubating in cocooned darkness till it’s emergence to light. The transformation is not so much about a particular change that transpires but more about the shedding of light on particular objects or transformations,” Anderson says.
Some of the pieces selected for this show are unchanged, only slightly embellished or have been put together with another piece, creating complimentary parallels or complimentary opposites.

“I find beauty in simplicity, which when isolated, has a sophistication that seems beyond human endeavor. On the other hand I find ingenuity in artistic construction and an insight into the individual psyche especially when the construction is put to paper, sculpture, music, or words,” Anderson says.

D. Michael Coffee has worked extensively in all types of media, including painting, wood, metal, architecture, printmaking and ceramics. “Art is my passion and the true backbone of my existence,” he says. “I cannot lay claim to any particular style or genre, as I am primarily interested in nonlinear paths of development in the objects I make.”

For Coffee, each step of the art making process is part of a personal inner journey. The common thread that stitches his work together is an overriding desire to be surprised by the outcome, as though he wasn’t present during the process.

“The art that I create is a product of a concerted effort to exploit my powers of intuition for the sheer joy of attempting to reach a ‘mindless mind’ state of awareness,” Coffee says. “For me, the challenge is to let go of predetermined understanding and foresight, and to work on developing my instincts. I strive to create outside of my conscious self, empowered by the strength of my intuition. I tend to select materials that are simple, so as not to become material bound. When I am successful, the pieces that I create truly represent the sum total of my life experiences and visual histories.”

As a figurative painter, Sarah Comerford looks to the body as a metaphor that can reveal intangible things about the human experience of embodiment. “I am inspired by events that have shaped culture and by lives that have been misshaped by culture,” Comerford writes in her artist statement.

Comerford’s work uses a language of dichotomy in an attempt to point out the inherent contradictions in life such as the appreciation of beauty despite cruelty, or the realization of joy despite degeneration of the spirit and mind. She often pulls in historical reference to other artists who have explored similar concepts.
Ron Fundingsland is a member of the Society of American Graphic Artists and the International Print Triennial Society. His traditional intaglio and aquatint prints were recently exhibited in New York; Cairo, Egypt; and Lincoln, Nebraska. It is his voice that we recognize more readily in Southwest Colorado, as Fundingsland is a radio announcer at KSUT.

Fundingsland says in his artist statement that he is affected by a number of social, political and personal issues that are frequently seen in his work. “More often than not, I think of it as commentary,” he writes.

Yet his most recent work is a direct reaction to the force of social and political issues. It is a response to the overwhelming intensity of our world situation and a way to create something beautiful in an ugly time.
Deborah Gorton expresses a similar idea of history in her work. “Whether this series of work portrays the image of ancient symbols and messages that were just discovered or a futuristic one that could be revealed some time in the future, after our society has disappeared and been buried by time, is something I leave for the viewer to decide,” Gorton says.

Gorton’s work is about creating a sense of layers through imagery, of revealing images from long ago that have been covered up and forgotten. “I feel like my own personal process in life is one of peeling back my layers, reaching deeper and deeper within myself to discover the core of my being,” Gorton says.

Gorton’s works with a combination of materials in order to achieve this impression of layers: Beginning with a stretched canvas she uses acrylics, mediums, papers, parts of old books or text, found and manufactured objects, beads and artifacts.

Shaun Martin also works intuitively. “My recent work has been all about keeping myself open. I feel a real collaboration with my art,” Martin says. “I allow pieces to form and show me certain directions to explore. This keeps me present as I’m creating. I love the anticipation of seeing the surface textures come alive with depth and color.”

Martin uses symbols to represent concepts, people, places and movement. Sometimes the titles of the work lead to an understanding of the symbols. Other times, the titles are just for personal expression.

“To me, the pieces feel like a memory of a cultural or personal ceremony,” Martin says.

Al Olson enjoys making in-camera images to create a vision that oftentimes contrasts with our normal experience by creating abstract elements or using unusual lighting effects, camera angles, film media, and subject matter that permit the viewer to use their own imagination to interpret the composition.

Olson uses extended exposures under low light conditions, infrared media (both B&W and color), slow shutter effects, and multiple exposures on a single frame.

“My purpose is to create critical photographs that meet standards for fine art photography,” Olson writes in his artist statement. The integrity of the image is important to Olson. He achieves all of his effects using the camera and standard darkroom procedures.

Lisa Pedolsky acquires deep satisfaction from working with clay by addressing both function and form. All of her ceramics incorporate a functional aspect, but the work goes deeper than strict utility—serving as a vehicle for self-expression. Pedolsky draws upon an ecclectic mix of influences, ranging from childhood toys to architecture to textiles. They often appear in subtle and surprising ways, contributing to the character of a piece.

The hand built forms Pedolsky creates are intended to invite the viewer in through tactile as well as visual interaction. Through this close perspective an intimacy with the work is created.

Kate Petley is an artist who uses unusual materials to grant viewers a dazzling glimpse of light itself. Petley’s technical wizardry evokes a world of associations, and recent panels begin with an exotic and unforgiving process.

Beginning with a handmade transparent screen, detailed reflections are projected onto the wall that Petley photographs and prints on fragile film. Gooey resins laminate these films to acrylic panels in a painstaking process. Corrections are impossible, and the unpredictable resin process introduces small bubbles and drops that are amazingly projected onto the wall. The tiniest drop appears to be huge, hypnotizing the eyes and disorienting the senses. Like an extreme collage project, done with impossibly sticky resins, drawings are also layered into the panels. Resembling an odd, juicy flat-screen, the panels again cast a reflection on the wall behind them, doubling the image with dizzying effects. They are a reflection of a reflection and form yet another new reflection. This strangely sensual cycle repeats itself with endless variables.

Acclaimed for her ability to surprise, Petley’s work contains special effects that address sensory perception. Inspiring viewers to notice the subtle optical effects created by light, Petley slows the very act of seeing. An optimistic abstraction runs through her work, but it is not naïve or simple. By reinforcing the unbelievable richness of experience, found in the minute details of everything surrounding us, Petley expresses vital hopefulness.

Shy Rabbit—a Contemporary Art Space and Gallery—is gaining widespread recognition for its cutting edge exhibitions and professional workshops. Shy Rabbit appeals to discerning art-lovers, and area visitors alike, with its contemporary appearance and welcoming atmosphere.

“Select Works” will be on display through August 12. Shy Rabbit is located at 333 Bastille Drive, Units B-1, B-4, west of downtown, and just south of the Pagosa Lakes area. Take Hwy 160 to North Pagosa Blvd., stay on North Pagosa to Bastille Drive (at UBC) turn left and stay on Bastille past Hopi. Shy Rabbit is located directly next to Pine Valley Rental. For more information: log onto http://shyrabbit.blogspot.com or call (970) 731-2766.

Contemporary art @ Shy Rabbit: "Select Works" open July 1

2006-06-25T23:08:00.000-06:00

Top Row: "Untitled," mixed media by MarSan (Susan Andersen) and "Big Box," handbuilt ceramics by Lisa Pedolsky
Second Row: "Blue Zinnia," aquatint print by Ron Fundingsland
Bottom: "Titles Unknown," resin on acrylic by Kate Petley

Contemporary art @ Shy Rabbit: "Select Works" open July 1

2006-06-25T22:33:00.000-06:00

Top Row: "Title Unknown," oil painting by Sarah Comerford; "Title Unknown," mixed media by Deborah Gorton;
Middle Row: "The Birth of an Idea," acrylic on canvas by Shaun Martin; "Clouds II," B&W infrared photograph by Al Olson.
Bottom Row: "Fish," wheel thrown and altered ceramics by D. Michael Coffee

Sculpture Workshop Ends

2006-06-15T19:15:00.000-06:00

The Beginning Sculpture workshop ended on June 14. Roberto Garcia said most of his students would have earned As and Bs had he been grading their work. Personally, I'd give them all As. Once everyone finished the female head and learned the basic techniques they were off and running creating some wildly creative work. Hard to believe this is the first time most of these people have ever sculpted anything.

Everyone looks forward to additional sculpture workshops in the Fall. Keep on sculpting and thanks to all who participated. Watch for more workshops, taught by master artisans, hosted by Shy Rabbit.

Beginning Sculpture-Session 5

2006-06-09T10:01:00.000-06:00

For most participants, their female heads are finished (or as finished as they are going to be) and much progress has been made on the independent projects. There are angels, dogs, horses, ravens and bas-relief figures. The progress of these students is amazing. Their work is polished, competent and professional.

lost Wax Method-Step 1

2006-05-31T18:51:00.000-06:00

From sketch to clay model. This is only the beginning.

lost Wax Method-Step 2

2006-05-31T18:50:00.000-06:00

A reusable silicone mold is made from the clay model. Plaster helps support the flexible silicone.

lost Wax Method-Step 3

2006-05-31T18:49:00.000-06:00

A hollow wax copy of the clay master is made.

Lost Wax Method-Step 4

2006-05-31T18:45:00.000-06:00

A ceramic shell mold is developed over the hollow wax copy.

Lost Wax Method-Step 5

2006-05-31T18:42:00.000-06:00

The wax is burned out (lost wax) leaving a ceramic shell mold with pouring and venting systems for the molten bronze.

Lost Wax Method-Step 6

2006-05-31T18:40:00.000-06:00

The ceramic shell is filled with molten bronze and then cooled.

Lost Wax Method-Step 7

2006-05-31T18:25:00.000-06:00

When the bronze cools it is removed from the mold and welded back together, filed and smoothed, and then finished with a patina.

Beginning Sculpture-Session 3

2006-05-29T11:17:00.000-06:00

In session three, Roberto Garcia helped sculpture students create armatures for their unique projects: labrador retrievers, bas reliefs, ravens, figures. Garcia also gave an extensive lecture on the mold making process.

Sculptors continue to work on their heads and the details of facial expression, lips, eyes, nose, hair. Everyone seems to have mastered creating their head at 3/4 size of the original and all the heads are now similar in dimension, which makes instructor Garcia very happy.

Beginning Sculpture-Session 2

2006-05-18T22:22:00.000-06:00

The second session of Beginning Sculpture was a rousing success. In spite of some trepidation about lopping off the extra clay and exposing the copper armature wires and reshaping it with a hammer, everyone is making tremendous progress. This is an awesome experience for new sculptors, learning the incredible amount of detail that goes into creating the human head in clay.

Students brought along their sketches for a second sculpture of their imagining, and Roberto provided them with instructions for making their own armature to begin the next project.

Images of Model for Sculpture Class

2006-05-18T19:08:00.000-06:00

Sculpting Class Begins

2006-05-10T23:04:00.000-06:00

Photos (clockwise left to right): Lori and Cheryl working on their sculptures. After three hours immense progress is made. (Some sculptures actually look like the sculptor). The model. Roberto helps Dagomar. Michael and the rest of the students busy at work.

A dozen students joined sculptor Roberto Garcia at Shy Rabbit tonight for their first sculpting class in the six week session. After three hours amazing progress was made! Using a female head originally sculpted by Garcia as a model, students formed their own armature and built up the structure of a face.

Over the next five weeks they will have the opportunity to continue to refine the features and structure, adding detail and then taking it away. The most common phrases heard tonight were: "You need more mass." More clay, more muscle, more bones!

At 9:15 everyone was still working and no one wanted to go home!

Roberto Garcia Workshop

2006-04-20T19:47:00.001-06:00

COMING SOON: Beginning Sculpture with Master Sculpture Roberto Garcia

Master Artist Workshop with Sculptor Roberto Garcia, Jr.

2006-04-06T12:44:00.000-06:00

Beginning Sculpture with Roberto Garcia, Jr. runs May 10-June 14, 2006 at Shy Rabbit. This is an 18-hour course with six, three-hour sessions on Wednesdays from 6-9 p.m. This specialized Master Artist Workshop is limited to ten participants. The cost is $250, plus a $25 material fee.

In this course, participants will work on a disciplined, figurative project using oil-based clay on an armature provided. Focusing on a half-size human head, all participants will learn the basic techniques for modeling in clay. Garcia encourages students to work on extracurricular projects based on sketches or views of their intended creation. The oil-based head is a temporary form and may be kept for a second course in mold making that will be offered in the future.

In an ongoing effort to present master artisans in their field, Shy Rabbit is thrilled to offer this sculpting workshop with local artist and foundry owner; Roberto Garcia, Jr. Garcia owns and operates The Crucible Gallery in Pagosa Springs. Garcia is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin and studied at the Johnson Atelier Technical Institute of Sculpture in Princeton, N.J. For 30 years Garcia has lived and worked as a freelance artist. He has done everything from monumental commissions to gallery-sized bronze sculpture. For Garcia, “art is a discipline and it takes much practice to be skilled. Every piece is a step or lesson to create the next one.”

Garcia has shown at Shidoni in Tesuque, N.M., Good Hands Gallery in Santa Fe, N.M., the Loveland Sculptural Invitational, Loveland, Colo. and most recently in solo retrospective at Texas A&M International University Center for the Fine and Performing Arts Gallery.

Beginning Sculpture will be followed by a Mold Making workshop and will conclude with a foundry arts workshop where participants can learn how to pour bronze.

For more information and to register, plan to attend a “Meet the Artist” slide show on Wednesday, April 12 at 6:30 p.m. at Shy Rabbit. More detailed information about the workshop, registration and images of the artists work will be presented at this time.

To register, contact Shy Rabbit at (970) 731-2766, leave your full name, address and phone number. Then mail a nonrefundable check for $275 to secure one of ten participant slots in this workshop to: Shy Rabbit, P.O. Box 5887, Pagosa Springs, CO 81147. Shy Rabbit is located off North Pagosa Boulevard at 333 Bastille Street, Units B-1 & 4.

The Legalities of Copyright Protection

2006-03-19T07:07:00.000-07:00

Published here with permission from Leanne Goebel, Writer
http://leannegoebel.blogspot.com

PAGOSA SPRINGS — A work of art, be it a painting, a sculpture, a photograph, a piece of jewelry, a ceramic vessel, a wooden carving, a poem or a work of fiction is considered to be Intellectual Property (IP). Shy Rabbit, an artist-run art center in Pagosa Springs, recently hosted Colorado Lawyers for the Arts board member Christopher Beall from Faegre & Benson in Denver. Beall, an IP litigator, discussed the finer points of IP: Patents; Copyright; Trademark and Trade Secrets. Issues critically important for artists, writers, musicians and performers to understand, but frequently overlooked until it is too late.
“The thing all artists need to get in the habit of thinking about,” Beall said, “is if you want to engage in the arts you should think about it as a business and do what businesses do — have a lawyer. Approach your business as a business and not as a free spirit. Yes, it’s an art business, but it’s still a business.”
Beall was invited to Shy Rabbit to assist artists in beginning to approach their arts business in a businesslike manner. More than a dozen artists attended two half-day workshops. The Business Journal will cover the IP aspect of copyright in this issue and patent and trademark in the March 6 issue. Look for further articles to cover Internet protection and the basics of contracts, licenses and entity formation in future issues.

COPYRIGHT
A copyright involves the expression of an idea. According to the Copyright Act of 1976, “copyright protection subsists . . . in original works of authorship fixed in any tangible medium of expression . . . from which they can be perceived, reproduced or otherwise communicated . . .” In other words, a copyright exists from the moment the work is fixed in a tangible medium of expression, either on paper or digitally recorded in a computer. The moment the writer fixes the words to the document or the artist fixes the sketch to paper, it is copyrighted. Copyrightable works of authorship include literary works; musical works; dramatic works; pantomimes and choreographic works; pictorial, graphic and sculptural works; motion pictures and other audio-visual works; sound recordings and architectural works.

Copyright and patent law are constitutional law, drafted by the founding fathers. The copyright code of 1789 stated that Congress shall have the power “to promote the progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited times to authors and inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries.” Copyright law originally protected the nonfiction writing of scientists and the useful discoveries of inventors for 15 years. It was designed to encourage thinkers to convey their knowledge to the world.

Today, copyright protection is guaranteed for the lifetime of the creator, plus 70 years (for corporations, for the lifetime of the creator, plus 50 years). The owner of a copyright has the exclusive rights to do and authorize the reproduction of copyrighted work; to prepare derivatives and deviations of the work; to distribute copies; to perform copyrighted works publicly; to display copyrighted works publicly; to perform a sound recording by digital audio transmission.
Copyright cannot and does not protect concepts, ideas, procedures, systems, methods or operations, moods, or thematic structure.

Some common copyright myths:
Work must be registered with the copyright office in order for the creator to have a copyright.
Not true; a work is copyrighted the moment it is fixed in a tangible medium. However, if your work is not registered with the copyright office www.copyright.gov, it will make it more difficult to sue if someone wrongfully copies your work. Without registering, you cannot obtain statutory damages and attorney’s fees. An artist or writer can register a body of work for $35. Burn all images or documents on a disk and send them in with the proper paperwork. Website files can be burned every 90 days and submitted for copyright protection.

If there is no copyright notice—the letter ‘c’ inside the circle— the work is not protected by copyright law.
Wrong. All work is protected the moment it is fixed in a tangible medium and the presence or lack of presence of the copyright symbol means nothing. Under the Berne Convention Implementation Act of 1988 no formalities are required for the creation of copyright rights. But it doesn’t hurt to remind people that the work is copyrighted. In Word the hot keys are option + G.

Mailing a letter to myself with my work inside and keeping the envelope sealed, is just as good as submitting the work for copyright registration.
Wrong. See the answer to number one above. Courts do not recognize this “poor woman’s copyright.” It’s only $35 to protect your work. Cough it up. It will save money in the long run.

I can copyright the title to my great American novel, my sculpture, my whatever.
Nope. Sorry. No matter how brilliant it is you cannot copyright the title. Phrases, slogans and titles are not eligible for copyright protection. However, the title of a series of books, can, in certain circumstances, be registered as a trademark under the Lanham Act.

If an apprentice makes the work and I call it a work for hire, then I own the copyright.
“Work made for hire” applies only to the following: A work prepared by an employee within the scope of her employment; or a specially commissioned work that is a contribution to a collective work, a part of a motion picture, a sound recording, an instructional text, a test or answers to a test, an atlas. Notice that sculpture, choreography, ballet and screenplay are not included in this list. And remember, an independent contractor needs to have a written and signed contract. Then, the employer and not the person doing the work own the copyright.

If I own the copyright in a photograph of a celebrity, I can use the photograph however I want.
Well, not exactly. Every person, not just celebrities, controls the right to the exploitation of their likeness. Is it mere replication or is it a transformative and artistic creation? It is best to get permission in writing in the form of a legal agreement, but that still might not be enough. This is an area that requires the consult of legal expertise.

If I own the negative of a photograph that someone else took, I can make as many copies as I want or, if I own a piece of sculpture, I can sell as many copies of the sculpture as I want.
Simple answer. No. The artist may continue to exploit the value of the work after it is sold. Sell the original, license the prints. Make T-shirts. The artist owns the copyright.

If our town owns a commissioned mural or sculpture, they can take the piece down whenever they want.
Sorry, not without permission. The Visual Artists Rights Act provides the artist with the right of attribution; the right to control attribution to a distorted or mutilated version of the work; the right to prevent intentional distortion, mutilation or other modification of the work if such alterations would be prejudicial to the author’s honor or reputation; the right to prevent destruction of a work of recognized stature.

If I use less than 10 percent, 10 seconds or 10 words of someone else’s work, I cannot be held liable for copyright infringement.
There are no magic numbers. If you take the heart of the work, even if it is one line of a poem or 500 words of a 20,000-word book, it is copyright infringement. However there is such a thing as “Fair Use.” The fair use of a copyrighted work includes criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship or research. Factors in determining fair use include the purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes; the nature of the copyrighted work; the amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole; and the effect of the use on the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work. In other words, it’s not fair if your use of the copyrighted work is taking away sales from the author.

If my work is a parody of someone else’s work, then it will always be protected by the “fair use” defense.
A parody is commentary on the original work and may constitute “fair use” of the underlying copyrighted material only if it uses only so much of the original work as is necessary to suggest, rather than copy, the original work. And a work of parody is protected only if it is “transformative” (a dramatic change in appearance or meaning!).

If a song is in the public domain I can use it however I want.
Yes, the 1812 Overture is in the public domain and may be used. However, Jon William’s arrangement of the 1812 Overture is protected by copyright. So be aware.

If I copy something from the Internet I don’t have to worry about copyright infringement.
No. Copyright law applies to the Internet.

For more information, or to find a lawyer, contact Colorado Lawyers for the Arts, www.lawyersforthearts.org or reach them by phone at (303) 722-7994.

"Primarily Found Objects" show

2006-02-16T18:00:00.000-07:00

"Primarily Found Objects" Show Announcement

2006-01-23T21:15:00.000-07:00

"Primarily Found Objects", an Open Group Show, February 18 through March 25, 2006. Opening reception is Saturday, February 18, from 5-9 p.m. This is a non-juried exhibition open to anyone wishing to express themselves creatively using a minimum of 60% found objects, and incorporating at least one of the three primary colors. Participants were encouraged to explore their creativity by assembling found objects into unique and interesting art forms, and were also encouraged to stretch the boundaries of the definition of "found objects."

Artists Invitational & Open Juried Exhibition Preview

2005-11-18T17:32:00.001-07:00

SHY RABBIT Events as of 12.06.05

2005-11-15T07:27:00.000-07:00

Shy Rabbit
Calendar

Nov 19-Dec 17 “Invitational & Juried Art Show” with Susan Anderson, Sarah Comerford, Emilio Mercado and Shan Wells along with 15 juried artists from around the region

Gallery Open: Saturdays, Nov. 26, Dec. 3, 10 & 17 from 1-4 p.m.
Sundays, Nov. 27, Dec. 4, 11 & 18 from 1-4 p.m.
Exhibit has been extended until Saturaday, January 7th

Dec 18, 1-4 p.m. Artist’ Roundtable and presentation of final proposal and plans for 2006 Studio Tour

Dec 31 Deadline to reserve a spot on Shy Rabbit Studio Tour and in promotional brochure directory/poster

Jan 14, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. “Intuitive Book Art” A Workshop with Susan Anderson, $45

Jan 15, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Colorado Lawyers for the Arts, COLA Workshops
"Arts Business-Act I" 9 a.m.-12 p.m., $15
"Arts Business-Act II" 1 p.m.-4 p.m., $15

Jan 21, 1-4 p.m. Professional Development Workshops: From the Inside Out
Artist’s Statements: Writing about One’s Creative Work
with Jules Masterjohn, $35

Feb 18-Mar 25 “Primarily Found Objects”, A Group Exhibition

Feb 18, 5-9 p.m. Artist’s Reception, “Primarily Found Objects”

Feb 19, 1-4 p.m. Artist’s Roundtable

Shy Rabbit and The Space@Shy Rabbit
333 Bastille Drive, Units B-1 and B-4
(970) 731-2766
shyrabbit01@aol.com
http://shyrabbit.blogspot.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ArtsNetwork

"Primarily Found Objects", Call to Artists

2005-11-12T20:48:00.000-07:00

"Primarily Found Objects", an Open Group Show
Call to Artists

SHY RABBIT invites all interested parties to participate in "Primarily Found Objects", an Open Group Show, February 18 through March 15, 2006. Opening reception is Saturday, February 18, from 5-9 p.m. This is a non-juried exhibition open to anyone wishing to express themselves creatively using a minimum of 60% found objects, and incorporating at least one of the three primary colors. This show is not theme restricted, but works must be tasteful and appropriate for gallery display. Participants are encouraged to explore their creativity by assembling found objects into unique and interesting art forms, and are also encouraged to stretch the boundaries of the definition of "found objects." Space will be limited. Displays will vary in size, and will be designated on a first come, first serve basis. Participants may choose from available floor, wall, shelf, or pedestal displays. Cost to participate is $20. SHY RABBIT will retain 30% commission of sale price. The Showroom and the Space @ SHY RABBIT will be open regular weekend hours following the opening reception. Awards will be given to two participants creating the most compelling and unusual works using found objects, who will also receive free passes to upcoming January, 2006, workshops. To find out more about this unique group show, please attend the Artists' Round Table at SHY RABBIT on Sunday, November 20, from 1-4pm. Application forms and space designations will be available at that time.

SHY RABBIT is located at: 333 Bastille Drive, B-1 & B-4, Pagosa Springs, CO, 81147. For additional information, please call 731-2766, or e-mail shyrabbit01@aol.com.

Artists' Invitational & Open Juried Exhibition

2005-11-12T06:50:00.000-07:00

SHY RABBIT
"Artists' Invitational & Open Juried Exhibition"

SHY RABBIT is proud to be hosting its inaugural "Artists' Invitational & Open Juried Exhibition," November 19 through December 17, 2005, to be held in the Showroom and the Space @ SHY RABBIT. An Opening Reception will be held on Saturday, November 19, from 5-9pm. This ambitious exhibition highlights the work of 4 remarkable Invitational artists, together with juried entries from 15 uniquely talented emerging artists. The juried portion of this show is the product of a Call to Artists that went out in October, which resulted in the receipt of nearly 80 entries from 24 artists residing in Pagosa, Durango, Salida and elsewhere. After careful review by a jury committee, several works by 15 artists were accepted for inclusion in the show. The committee would like to thank all of the talented artists that submitted their work for consideration, and also acknowledge their valuable contribution to the creative process.

Featured in the SHY RABBIT Showroom will be the work of acclaimed photographer, Emilio Mercado, whose work is inspired by master still life painter, Jean Baptiste Simeon Chardin, b. 1699. Mercado's light painted photographs capture objects in their purest form. Additional invited artists are contemporary painter, Sarah Comerford, known for her thought provoking large scale oil and gold-leaf paintings; Mixed-media artist, Susan Andersen (MarSan), recognized locally and internationally for her fine assemblage art; and Installation artist, Shan Well, known most recently for his very impressive "Moments Project" in Durango, CO.

An Artists' Round Table will follow on Sunday, November 20, from 1-4pm. Featured speaker will be Durango artist and instructor, Shan Wells. All are welcome.

SHY RABBIT is located at: 333 Bastille Drive, B-1 & B-4, Pagosa Springs, CO, 81147. For additional information, please call 731-2766, or e-mail shyrabbit01@aol.com.