Artist In Residence programs start this week

The 2024 season for Artists In Residence (AIR) at Bighorn Canyon starts this week.

Chief of Interpretation Christy Fleming announced that 2023 AIR Mary Arnold has been working all winter to finish works for her gallery exhibit this summer in the Cal S. Taggart Visitor Center in Lovell. Opening night for the exhibit and reception is tonight (May 23) from 6 to 8 p.m. There will be light refreshments.

“Mary will be on hand to discuss her time as an AIR and talk about her works,” Fleming said. “Her work will hang in the gallery through Labor Day weekend. Mary is an expressionistic artist who is passionate about connecting humanity with nature.

“Her type of expressionism is often times called fauvism due to her use of bright colors in non-realistic ways, allowing the color to stand alone as an independent element without having to be true to the natural world. Visitors will love the colorful energetic paint strokes that create a variety of natural scenes.”

Next week, the first AIR in 2024, Jess Moore, will arrive. Moore brings a passion for wild places to her art making practice. For the last seven years, she has immersed herself into far flung wild lands as a full-time RVer, gathering inspiration. Her current body of work focuses on bridging analog materials, specifically wood, with digital tools. She doesn’t stop there, as she works in needle arts, photography and watercolor.

“Ask her about her new project with pinecones,” Fleming said.

Moore is an artist and graphic designer with more than 20 years of experience and holds an MFA in Integrated Design from the University of Baltimore. She also owns her business, Simple and Sylvan.

Moore will be presenting a workshop in a nature journal. Creating a nature journal is a great way to capture what you observe in nature, Flemning said. Visitors will find Moore at the Ewing-Snell Ranch from 9 to 3 June 8 and 15, where she will guide visitors in considerations for capturing beautiful outdoor features in watercolor. 

“All AIR activities are free and open to all ages and abilities,” Fleming said. “Bighorn Canyon hopes you can join us for one or more of these programs. If you have questions, call the Bighorn Canyon Visitor Center at 307-548-5406.”