Feature Film Introduces Five Wyoming Women Artists Nominated for National Exhibit
The Wyoming Committee of the National Museum of Women in the Arts has released an inspiring feature film announcing five Wyoming artists nominated for the upcoming Women to Watch exhibit at the National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA) in Washington, D.C. The nominated Wyoming artists featured in the film are talented women from across the state whose work spans various mediums and themes, from wood and metal work, to painting, land art, photography, beadwork, dance, and more.
The film not only introduces each nominee but explores each woman’s interpretation of the exhibit theme and how they use their unique artistic craft to showcase their own style and personal expression.
Wyoming curator, Dr. Tammi Hannawalt, was chosen by The National Museum of Women in the Arts to identify five women across the state of Wyoming whose work fits the exhibit theme, “New, Future, and Alternative Worlds.”
“We are so excited to showcase the outstanding artistic work being done by women here in Wyoming. With so much talent, it was extremely difficult to narrow the nominees to just five. The nominated artists represent both Wyoming and the theme of the exhibit incredibly well.” says Dr. Hannawalt.
Each nominee featured in the Wyoming Women to Watch film tells a powerful story using their art and explains how they were inspired by the gorgeous, untamed state of Wyoming. The Wyoming Committee of the National Museum of Women in the Arts is pleased to formally announce the five Wyoming Women to Watch:
Jennifer Rife
Land Art Installations | Cheyenne
www.artinthemiddleofnowhere.com
Highly influenced and inspired by the land and features of Wyoming, Jennifer Rife creates brief moments on alternate realities with her land art installations and a ‘middle of nowhere’ state of mind. Jennifer’s pieces symbolize the resources we, as humans, extract from the earth and the scars we leave on the land.
Katy Ann Fox
Painter | Teton Valley
Focusing on oil painting, Katy Ann Fox uses the western, windblown mountains and sunlight to help depict the emotion and style found in her work. Her oil
paintings focus on texture and harmony as she hopes to evict feelings of peace, optimism, modesty, and respect from the viewer.
Leah Hardy
Metalsmith | Laramie
Leah Hardy enjoys employing insect-inspired forms which become metaphors for the present human condition using fragmented, re-contextualized or altered mechanical elements. Leah’s pieces are created to reference the human’s fascination with immortality and desire with the underlying to connect, communicate, and gain insight.
Bronwyn Minton
Mixed Media | Jackson Hole
As a multi-disciplined artist, Bronwyn Minton works with notions related to human interaction with the natural world. Using mixed media including drawing, animation, photography, sculpture, clay, printmaking, and interactive installations, Bronwyn’s art is inclusive of scientific observation, physical involvement, and cultural experience.
Sarah Ortegon
Painting, Beadwork, Performance | Wind River Reservation
Channeling her passion as a Northern Arapahoe woman, Sarah Ortegon believes her artwork is a way to connect to the original ways of indigenous people while also moving forward through healing, movement, community gatherings, and teachings. At the heart of Sarah’s art, one will find her appreciation for Mother Earth and dedication to her heritage.
In the film, the Wyoming Committee of the National Museum of Women in the Arts explores the unique power of women’s art and how the vast and windswept landscapes of Wyoming inspire powerful artistic expression that sparks connection across the entirety of our state.
“As women artists a lot of the time our art isn’t seen, but it is totally worthy of being seen. This exhibition could show us how to come back to ourselves as human beings. I believe that women have a connection within ourselves of creating life instead of destroying life,” artist, Sarah Ortegon, explains in the film.
For the first time ever, one of these five Wyoming women to watch, selected by the National Museum of Women in the Arts, will be featured in the Women to Watch exhibit.
The exhibit will garner national attention and create visibility for the hard work and passionate art created by Wyoming women that typically goes unseen. You can immerse yourself into the art and stories of the five Wyoming Women to Watch by viewing the featured film at http://www.wynmwa.org/film.
For more information about the film, the five nominated artists, or to request an interview, please contact info@wynmwa.org.
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The Wyoming Committee of the National Museum of Women in the Arts exists to further the mission of the National Museum of Women in the Arts; advocate for women artists and curatorial professionals in Wyoming and serve as National Museum of Women in the Arts ambassadors.
Donations to the Wyoming Committee of the National Museum of Women in the Arts are accepted to support the committee’s work to uplift Wyoming women artists to national and international audiences. Tax-deductible, charitable donations can be made out to the Wyoming Women in the Arts fund and sent to the Committee’s fiscal sponsor, the Wyoming Women’s Foundation, a nonprofit that invests in the economic self-sufficiency of women and opportunities for girls in Wyoming. Please visit www.wynmwa.org for more information.
