Cast Announced for Sweeney Todd

Casting has been announced for Stephen Sondheim’s Tony Award winning musical comedy thriller which opens at the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center Theatre Company on January 22, 2010.

Starring in the role of Sweeney Todd will be Alan Osburn (seen as Inspector Javert on Broadway and the National Touring Companies of Les Miserables) and performing the role of Mrs. Lovett is Eryn Carmen (Mrs. Potts in the recording breaking FACTC production of Beauty and the Beast).

Rounding out the cast will be Sammy Gleason (Beauty and the Beast, A Christmas Survival Guide) as Tobias, Marco Robinson (Eugene Morris Jerome in Brighton Beach Memoirs, Biloxi Blues, and Broadway Bound) as Anthony, Ericka Gasper (Laurey in Oklahoma and the flying Ghost of Christmas Past in A Christmas Carol) as Johanna, Thaddeus Valdez (last seen as Tito Morelli in Lend Me A Tenor) as Judge Turpin, the Beggar Woman is played by Sally Lewis Hybl (Marion Paroo/Music Man, Cinderella/Into the Woods), Skip Cockran (Mendel, Falsettos) as Beadle and Ken Robinson (Malcolm, Full Monty) as Pirelli.

The talented twelve member ensemble includes Aimee Carlisle, Natalie Jensen, Jen Lennon, Kathleen Malloy, Armour Ratcliffe, Carmen Vreeman, Brantley Scott Haines, Jonathan Herrara, Jesse Iacovetto, Joe Kinnett, Cory Moosman and Patrick Yuckman.

Composer/lyricist Stephen Sondheim, and book writer Hugh Wheeler, brilliantly adapted Christopher Bond’s play Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Reinventing the tragic tale of Benjamin Barker, barber turned butcher. Winner of eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Score, Best Book of a Musical, Best Director of a Musical, Best Actor in a Musical, and Best Actress (Angela Lansbury) in a Musical.

The production will be directed by Alan Osburn. Musical Director Roberta Jacyshyn will also serve as conductor. Set design by Christopher L. Sheley, costume design by Nicole Harrison, lighting design Holly Anne Rawls, props design by Jessica Rose, sound design by Bret Christopherson, and wigs by Diana Ben Kiki. The production stage manager is Dorothy Heedt.

NOICE: This production of Sweeney Todd, playing from January 22 through February 14, contains graphic violence, adult situations, profanity, and is not suitable for those under the age of 17 or for anyone who is easily offended.

Tickets and Performance Schedule
Thursdays at 7:30 pm and Sunday at 2:00 pm
FAC Members: 26.00
Non Members: 31.00
Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 pm
FAC Members: 30.00
Non Members: 35.00

Tickets for this production are going fast - Call the FAC Box Office at 719-634-5583 to reserve your seats.

A CHRISTMAS SURVIVAL GUIDE - OPENS TONIGHT!

A Christmas Survival Guide is a side-splitting, uproarious and charming revue that pokes fun at the stressful holiday season. Our characters, armed with a copy of A Christmas Survival Guide and an optimistic attitude, charge into shopping malls, office parties, and family gatherings in their search for the true essence of Christmas. By mixing comedic vignettes, a contemporary score of original music (‘The Twelve Steps of Christmas’, ‘Waitin’ for the Man with the Bag’) and classic songs (‘Silent Night’, ‘Jingle Bells’) these characters search for the true holiday spirit only to find that Christmas keeps getting in the way.

The 5 member triple threat cast includes Sharon Kay White, a two-time winner of the Denver Post Ovation Awards (in 2008, Best Supporting Actress, Dramatic Role for her work in the Arvada Center’s Hollywood Arms and in 2007, Best Supporting Actress, Musical, for her role in the Country Dinner Playhouse’s Guys and Dolls), Sammy Gleason (Cabaret, Beauty and the Beast), Marco Robinson (Brighton Beach Trilogy, A Christmas Carol) Halee Towne (A Christmas Carol, The Full Monty) and Carmen Vreeman (Sunday in the Park with George, Biloxi Blues).

A Christmas Survival Guide opens Friday, November 27 and plays through December 23 with performances on Thursday at 7:30pm, Friday and Saturday* at 8:00pm and Sunday matinees at 2:00pm. Special Holiday performances have been added on Tuesday, December 22 and Wednesday, December 23 at 7:30pm. Tickets price range from $26 to $35. Discounts are available to FAC Members and Students. To order tickets call the FAC box office at 719-634-5583 or visit our website at http://www.csfineartscenter.org/. *Saturday 11/28 performance is at 2pm only

Halee Towne: It has been impossible for me NOT to connect with the heart of Christmas Survival Guide.

From Halee Towne: Actor, the one in the photo with the antlers ...

Every year I do my best to get in the holiday spirit; I watch Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol, eat monster cookies, stare at the lights on the tree, sing my favorite carols, and bawl when they play "Christmas Shoes" over the loud speakers at department stores, but sometimes Christmas comes and goes and I am left completely unmoved and unaffected. It leaves me feeling cheated somehow... all of the hype and buildup of Christmas and the "magic" of the season, and I miss it. There is a certain mystery about Christmas... sometimes it sinks in, makes sense and leaves you loving humanity and ready to tackle the brand new year that is ahead... and other times, it kind of lets you down and makes any pain you already feel about every day life 1000 times worse.

You never can tell what it will bring.

A Christmas Survival Guide deals directly with the mystery of Christmas and I am loving the process it is taking me through. Today, Marco and I rehearsed a scene where we are a couple in love, ready to spend our first Christmas together and how excited we are as we decorate our tree until we start realizing that Christmas means two completely different things to each one of us, and our day and tree are destroyed because of it. Sammy does a brilliant number where he is trying so desperately to love the season but he is never allowed to connect with it with all the chaos around him. Sharon Kay is left alone with her TV after a party, trying to reconcile her loneliness with the happiness she is supposed to be feeling this time of year. Carmen needs all of the the fruitcake and Santa and plastic reindeer and Johnny Mathis in order to experience the joy of the holidays. As we look to a book to find our answers to the millions of questions we have about Christmas, at the end, we are all left with the one question... what is Christmas all about?

I have loved exploring this question with the four FABULOUS other cast members, our director and musical director and the designers of this show. It has been impossible for me NOT to connect with the heart of Christmas Survival Guide.

What a gift it has been to me!

Halee

Ryan Neely: A Slave to the Costume Designer

For the past few weeks my position as assistant production manager has expanded to
include impromptu costume model. Although Leslie Aldridge’s costumes are fantastic and very colorful I do not appreciate being put into skirts and tutus. When I ask Leslie if she can please find someone else she says “Oh don’t worry about it you’re a perfect model even though you have skinny legs”

~Ryan Neely
Assistant Production Manager

Alan Osburn: I Dedicate This One To Ken

From Alan Osburn: As the Producing Artistic Director I have the wonderful opportunity to sit in on design meetings and watch all of these creative people continue to impress and inspire me with their passion and experience. I get to step into the room next to my office see costumes appear where a couple of days ago there was just some fabric. I can go to a rehearsal and watch these talented actors just come up with stuff that makes Michael’s face glow with wonder. But I also have moments of extreme sadness in dealing with very sensitive situations.

When Michael cast these five triple threats I couldn’t have been happier for him. But like the holidays, sometimes with great joy, there comes great sadness. I got a call today from Ken Robinson, one of the members of the cast. For those of you who saw The Full Monty he was Malcolm, the guy who sang Is This the Wind at the funeral in act two, which Ken did beautifully. Ken came to Michael and me a few days ago and told us he had hurt his knee outside of the rehearsal process. Today, after many trips to his physical therapist, his doctor, and after having an MRI, he informed me that he did indeed have a torn meniscus in his knee. With this being such a heavy dance show, and knowing that he would also have to dance on a raked stage, it was clear to me that the best thing for both the show and Ken’s health was that I would need to replace him. As a producer this is one of the hardest calls to make, especially with someone like Ken.

I don’t think most people have a true understanding of how deeply passionate performers feel about what they do. How euphoric they feel when they hear the sound of applause or laugher coming from the darkness just beyond the edge of the stage. Or understand the deep seated drive that actors have to finish the second act of a show, even when they just slipped on the stairs during intermission and cracked their head open and are covered in blood, as one of our Youth Repertory Theatre students (Alex Killan) did this past summer.

On the phone today Ken told me he would do whatever it would take to somehow still be in the show, which basically means he would have to ice, stretch, and heat his knee constantly, and still hold down a full time job, spending his evenings and weekends grimacing in pain, praying that no one in the cast or crew would see him because as he put it he “didn’t want the show to suffer.” We are very fortunate to have in the wings the very talented Marco Robinson who will join the company tomorrow. But for tonight, here’s to Ken, our first choice, our friend, and an inspiration to anyone who has ever had to play hurt for the good of the show.

Pictures:

#1: Ken peforming with Saturday Evening Post in The Music Man

#2: Ken playing the role of Malcolm in The Full Monty

#3: Ken in Sunday in the Park with George

#4: Ken in I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change!

Interview with artist Sushe Felix

Last week, popular Colorado artist (and former Bemis School of Art student) Sushe Felix chatted with FOX 21's Meaghan Collier beside one of her pieces on display in the FAC galleries. Listen to the artist discuss her work, her experiences at Bemis, and the importance of art education.

Whimsical wedding at the FAC

Ever wonder what a wedding would look like at the Fine Arts Center? Well, a great wedding took place at the FAC recently and we've got the photos to prove it. Check out this whimsical wedding at Style Me Pretty, the ultimate wedding blog.

FAC Facebook fans list tops 400

The Fine Arts Center has a Facebook page ... who doesn't these days ... and the number of fans accumulated has surpassed 400. And we're hoping for more. We also have a Facebook page for our Theatre Company and soon will debut a page built especially for Bemis Alumni. Have you taken a class at Bemis or taught a class? We are rounding up the alumni, so if you want to know more, send us a note. The page will be up in about a week. Stay tuned.

A Community Tribute to Gerry Riggs

A one-time Fine Arts Center curator and Gallery of Contemporary Art Director from 1992-2006, Gerry Riggs died on Jan. 3 in Pegosa Springs. A Community Tribute to Gerry Riggs is scheduled for Jan. 23 at 5 p.m. at the Gallery of Contemporary Art on the UCCS campus.

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. He was also an advocate for all local art.

The event is free and open to the public.

There will be speaking by university and community members followed by an open mic and live music from Pagosa Springs and Colorado Springs artists. Lots of Gerry memorabilia will be on hand including his fine art photography.

The community is invited to bring mementos such as objects and photographs to share at the the event. Persons wishing to bring items are asked to contact the Tribute Committee at friendsofgerryriggs@gmail.com for coordination details.

• Gazette: Art activist urged others 'to let their artistic side shine', Jan. 5, 2009
• Independent: 10 Years at the Heart of Colorado Springs Contemporary Art Community, from 2002 by Noel Black.
• Atomic Elroy remembers Gerry on his blog.
• You can learn more about Gerry at this tribute blog.

FAC makes the Post's Winter Arts Preview

In Kyle MacMillan's Winter Arts Preview for the visual arts, he gives the Colorado Abstract exhibitions the major emphasis, mentioning the Fine Arts Center's related exhibit, Colorado Springs Abstract, opening in February.

"Colorado artists have enthusiastically pursued abstraction since its emergence in the early 20th century, building a legacy that continues even as other styles and approaches have taken center stage. A series of exhibitions opening this month explores multiple facets of the state's contributions to abstraction, none more important than a pair of shows centered on a newly published book, "Colorado Abstract: Paintings and Sculpture."

"The Center for Visual Art is spotlighting more recent, primarily living artists, and the Kirkland Museum of Fine & Decorative Art is focusing on historical contributors such as Charles Bunnell, Mary Chenoweth, Vance Kirkland and William Sanderson."

The FAC contributed two pieces to the fabulous Kirkland from our permanent collection: Ken Goehiring's Landscape #1 (pictured) and Watson Bidwell's Song of the Last Act. So get up to Denver and check it out.

The book was written by frequent FAC visitors, Denver art writers Michael Paglia (Westword) and Mary Voelz Chandler (Rocky Mountain News), and the exhibits were curated by Paglia.

Art Knowledge News features Mikel Glass

Art Knowledge News, an online art magazine with over 700,000 subscribers worldwide, has featured the Mikel Glass The Discarded press materials, including two large photographs. The exhibition opens this Saturday at 10 a.m. in conjunction with Public Free Day. Credit: Mikel Glass - Full Bloom I, oil on canvas, 48" x 34," Collection of Dennis & Elizabeth Shea, Alexandria, Va.

Public Free Day: Bring the entire family to the FAC this Saturday

The Fine Arts Center welcomes the general public to visit our galleries this Saturday, Jan. 17, with no admission fee. And this Saturday is a good day to visit, because we are opening a new exhibition by Mikel Glass. The internal buzz for this exhibition is high; it's an entertaining, challenging, energetic exhibition that will be fun for the whole family.

Bemis registration now open to the public

A new session of art classes at Bemis School of Art begins later this month, with courses for adults and kids at all levels ... public registration begins today!

ArtDaily.org: Mikel Glass | The Discarded

From ArtDaily.org ... Mikel Glass’s art ranges from Realist paintings to postmodern sculpture of such items as a used pizza box or shipping box. The 12 sculptures, 23 paintings and an installation piece in Mikel Glass The Discarded reflect the artist’s Realist style. “Mikel’s painting and sculpture are a powerful intersection of contemporary themes rendered with astounding craftsmanship,” said exhibit curator Blake Milteer.

With this exhibit, the FAC is producing a 60-page catalogue with a foreword written by FAC President Sam Gappmayer, an introduction by Milteer and an essay by filmmaker J.J. Abrams.

“Mikel Glass approaches his work with a fearless passion,” writes American Artist.

To view a selection of works in the exhibition, see the FAC Mikel Glass slideshow.

Credit: Mikel Glass - Overnight Shipping Box, 2007 - Enamel on wood, 6 1/2 x 21 x 16 in. - Collection of Ron and Una Brasch

Denver Post: Designing Women is 'completely unexpected and wonderfully audacious'

Our Designing Women exhibition, which closes Jan. 25, has received its second positive review from the Denver art critics. We’ve heard from Michael Paglia of Westword, now Kyle MacMillan of the Denver Post gives his opinion.

“ … the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center has veered in a completely unexpected and wonderfully audacious direction.”

“The exhibition has no connection to the museum's permanent holdings, which are focused on Latino, Southwestern and modern art, and that's the point: something offbeat and startlingly different … (and) has gained the institution heightened credibility nationally. The Textile Museum in Washington, D.C., has just agreed to present the exhibition from May 15 through Sept. 12, 2010.”

“Boosting their appeal is the museum's handsome, viewer-friendly installation, with introductory wall panels on the three designers, each including a painted enlargement of one of their trademark patterns by exhibit designer Laurel Swab.”

Biddle's Portrait of Frank Loper on view now

George Biddle, featured recently on NPR, was a highly regarded and influential painter and muralist, who helped develop the 'American scene' in the 1930s and 40s. Currently on view at the FAC is Portrait of Frank Loper, a gift of the Friends of the Fine Arts Center in 1937. Loper was a slave for Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederate States of America. After the Civil War, he was released from slavery. He moved to Colorado Springs at the request of Jefferson Hayes Davis, grandson of Jefferson Davis and VP of First National Bank. For 20 years, Loper was a renowned doorman for the Antlers Hotel and in his later years was the doorman for the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center.

FAC artist George Biddle featured on NPR

From NPR's Morning Edition: "The Justice Department headquarters was built when America was struggling through the Great Depression. The country's most prestigious artists of the day competed to win commissions for paintings that would show how law and justice could make life better for everyone." George Biddle, FAC permanent collection portrait artist/muralist, is featured online and in a slideshow. To hear the story, see the pictures, visit NPR.

Denver Post: Top 10 Art Shows of 2008

Denver Post art critic Kyle MacMillan has named the Fine Arts Center's exhibition Walt Kuhn: An Imaginary History of the West as one of 2008's 'Top 10 Art Shows' in Colorado. Curated by Blake Milteer, this 29-painting suite of images of the old west is a part of the FAC Permanent Collection and is on display until Jan. 4.

Rubald earns Denver Post 'Ovation Award'

The Denver Post awarded its 2008 Ovation Award for 'Best Year by an Actor' to Mark Rubald, who played Sargeant Toomey in the FAC Theatre Company's production of Biloxi Blues this season. Rubald also played Mr. Potter in the Arvada Center's A Wonderful Life, among other fine performances. FAC Scenic Designer Christopher L. Sheley was nominated for his work on last season's Sunday in the Park with George.

Up next for the FAC Theatre Company, The Full Monty, which opens Jan. 23.

Margot Lane named FAC 'Living Treasure'

At the Dec. 18 Annual Member Meeting, Sue Tyson, Chair of the FAC Advisory Council, announced that Margot Lane was the recipient of the 2008 Living Treasure award for her outstanding contribution to the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center. Incidently, Sue Tyson was the 2007 recipient.

Denver Post gives the FAC a shout out

In Friday’s Denver Post, Kyle MacMillan wrote a full-page review with five photos about a new exhibit at the Kirkland Museum. In the lead – the opening paragraph – Kyle makes this comment about the Kirkland: “… the museum has joined the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center as one of the two key institutions researching, preserving and promoting the state's visual heritage.”

Public Free Day this Saturday

"It is required of every man, that the spirit within him should walk abroad among his fellow-men, and travel far and wide; and, if that spirit goes not forth in life, it is condemned to do so after death." -- Ghost of Christmas Future

Walk among your fellow art lovers at the FAC … for free ... or wait and walk the galleries after you die. It's your call.

P.S. FAC Members can walk through the galleries for free every day; it's a benefit of membership.

Photography connects us with the world

The photo director for National Geographic, David Griffin knows the power of photography to connect us to our world. In a talk filled with glorious images, he talks about how we all use photos to tell our stories from the inspiring website, ted.com.

Nick Madson takes his stand-up to Denver

Nick Madson, who played Lumiere in the Fine Arts Center's production of Disney's Beauty and the Beast last season, is performing his stand-up routine in Denver at Metropolis this Sunday. Tickets for "Nick Madson: One Fierce Box of Wine" are available for the 9 p.m. show by calling 325.6486. The Independent ran a feature on Nick in their Dec. 11 issue.

Gazette previews 'A Christmas Carol'

The Gazette interviewed director Alan Osburn for a piece entitled, "Christmas Carol stars will take flight at arts center," because in this year's FAC Theatre Company production you will see actors flying, but the show isn't just about special effects "You know, it's not about shopping. It's not about malls," says Osburn of the tale, which Dickens called "a whimsical sort of masque intended to awaken loving and forbearing thoughts. Dickens felt that Christmas was a time of rebirth," he says, "a time to gather together and figure out we did wrong and do it over. I think that's why (audiences) keep coming back. I think it's the rebirth factor." Tickets are available for this weekend.

Blake Milteer 'among the top art-world talents on the Front Range,' says Westword

Michael Paglia of Westword reviewed the Edie and Walt exhibitions last Wednesday, concluding "(Blake) Milteer's pairing of these two bodies of work is brilliant and reveals a young curator who is among the top art-world talents on the Front Range and one of only a handful in the region capable of putting on a great show — or, in this case, two of them.

Fine Arts Center turning 75 in 2011

In April of 2011, the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center will celebrate its 75th Anniversary as the heart of arts and culture in the Pikes Peak Region. As we take a look at our arts legacy, we have a question for you: If you were going to make a list of the top 75 most influential individuals or entities in FAC history, who would you want on that list? Alice Bemis Taylor seems like a pretty safe bet, but who else ... artists, administrators, supporters, educators, actors ... leave your suggestions as a comment on this blog post. Thanks.

Laura Gilpin Masterworks on display in Denver

An exhibition of photographs by legendary Colorado Springs photographer Laura Gilpin (1891-1979) opened in Denver at the Byers-Evans House Gallery, consisting of over 40 platinum and silver prints spanning Gilpin’s six decades as an artist in the American Southwest. Images from all periods of her career will be on display, including rare examples of her pictorial period and her exemplary documentation of the Navajo during the depression years and later. There are several Gilpin prints on display in the FAC Dickinson Gallery.

Pard Morrison debuts in Dallas gallery

Colorado Springs and FAC Permanent Collection artist Pard Morrison is featured with an exhibit in the Marty Walker Gallery in Dallas. New Work by Pard Morrison marks the artist’s first solo show with the gallery. Drawing from minimalism and geometric abstraction, Pard’s brightly colored aluminum box-like configurations function as both painting and sculpture. Two of Pard's works are also on display every day in the FAC Permanent Collection's Loo Gallery.

Indy: FAC announces free admission

Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center CEO Sam Gappmayer, who officially started on Oct. 6, brings with him good news for FAC members: They may now visit all FAC galleries at no charge, whenever they feel inclined.

The "membership stimulus package," as the museum has playfully named it, is aimed at motivating non-members to join the FAC while rewarding members. Current non-member admission is $10 ($8.50 students, seniors and youth); the tactile gallery, sculpture garden and FAC Modern are free to the public.

FAC Arts Legacy: South Facade Murals

When architect John Gaw Meem began planning the Fine Arts Center in the early 1930s, he consciously included spaces for public art in both the interior and exterior of the building.

Boardman Robinson was commissioned to paint the five murals over the main entrance. Robinson was a nationally known illustrator, muralist and art teacher at the Broadmoor Art Academy, who became the first FAC art school director in 1936 and stayed until his retirement as Professor Emeritus in June, 1947.

Painted in classic “true fresco” technique, the panels represent sculpture, theatre, dance, music and painting – a tribute to the first institution west of the Mississippi to combine so many artistic pursuits under one roof.

Robinson’s murals complemented the new building.

“They are busy young people, apparently having a rather good time at their work,” according to a 1936 Architectural Forum article. “It is something of this spirit that characterizes the entire building, a spirit that is the very essence of the new architecture.”

Over the years the original frescoes became faded, so in 1986, in celebration of the Fine Arts Center’s 50th Anniversary, the murals were completely repainted by Eric Bransby, a former student of Robinson, and a giant in the world of murals in his own right.

“Bransby masterfully enhanced Robinson’s original forms with his own details,” says current FAC Curator Blake Milteer.

“An oft-quoted Robinson statement that 'we unwind as we are wound' came to mind, as I was reminded that I was 'wound' by Benton, Charlot and Albers, as well as by Robinson,” wrote Bransby. “In the absence of any color reference, the color palette was strictly my own, as was the need to completely re-draw the figures from life.”

During the recent renovation, great care was taken to protect and preserve these original artworks, which are an important part of the Fine Arts Center’s legacy.

The Importance of the Arts

Sam Gappmayer, the new FAC CEO, spelled out his top five reasons the arts are important at his welcome reception last month.

• The arts function as a metaphorical town square where people can gather and discuss the issues relative to their time and place. Shared experiences in the arts pull us together as communities and provide a basis from which we can work together.
• Our participation in the arts sensitizes us to the needs of others. They help us see those around us with a greater degree of empathy and compassion and make us more effective in addressing pressing societal needs.
• Through the arts we are both challenged and reaffirmed in our core values. The result is an ongoing process that enlarges individuals and expands our capacity as communities.
• The arts feed the soul. Dr. Martin Luther King once said that while roads and bridges make us a civilization, the arts make us civilized. They provide an element to life that defies description and, without which, we would be poorer.
• Involvement in the arts encourages creative thinking and opens the door to new solutions and approaches.

So what do you think ... why are the arts important to you, especially in these challenging times?

Sam Gappmayer on Colorado Culture Cast

New FAC President and CEO Sam Gappmayer discussed his first impressions and future plans for the Fine Arts Center on Colorado Culture Cast Oct. 31 ... watch the interview here.

Gold Winner ... Reclamation of a Good View

The Independent's Best of 2008 issue recognized the 'Reclamation of a Good View' at the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center's Cafe 36:

“When Café 36 first opened last year, I couldn’t help but cheer. An exceptional building and pristine views waited for the perfect food match. Alas, it wasn’t to be. Dull menu items and bland dishes left a bad taste in my mouth and eventually closed the café for a short stint. But thanks to new overseer Garden of the Gods Gourmet, the sky is a little bluer, trees a little greener and the food a whole lot more exciting. Rising to the level of art, lunch is now worth talking about – and definitely worth eating.”

The Independent: Best of 2008

The Indy named the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center the city's best Cultural Attraction or Museum for the third year in a row, writing:

With new CEO Sam Gappmayer in place, and superb curators like Tariana Navas-Nieves and Blake Milteer – not to mention the staggeringly gorgeous, year-old, $28 million expansion to the one and only Southwestern Art Deco building – the Fine Arts Center’s livin’ as large as a Dale Chihuly bowl filled with ice cream and sparklers. Not surprisingly, this most high-profile member of our scene has won the Cultural Attraction of Museum award in each of the three years we’re offered it. It’s embraced a more collaborative spirit in recent programming, even inviting local artists to create works in conjunction with the Life as a Legend: Marilyn Monroe exhibit. By the way, the FAC’s not only the place to be for First Thursday wine tastings and gala show openings, but also for outstanding theater productions put on by the award-winning, in-house FAC Theatre Company.

FOX 21 Morning News in the FAC galleries

FOX21 Morning News reporter Meaghan Collier visited the Fine Arts Center to view art pieces with curator Tarian Navas-Nieves for the July 22 segment of "Meaghan Live."

Watch part 1: Picasso Etchings
Watch part 2: Permanent Collection

Picasso Opening Celebration

On July 18, Colorado Culture Cast was here for the opening celebration of Pablo Picasso: Etchings 1966-1971.

Watch the video here.

Be an Art Critic ... Morrison

Pard Morrison, The Cape in my Closet, 2007
Painted Aluminum

Tell us what you think about this Pard Morrison's work from the Fine Arts Center's permanent collection. Post your comments below

FAC home page

Be an Art Critic ... Sage

Kay Sage, Afterwards, 1937

Oil on canvas, 36” x 28 ¾”

Tell us what you think about this Kay Sage's "Afterwards" from the Fine Arts Center's permanent collection. Post your comments below.

FAC home page

Be an Art Critic ... Sargent

John Singer Sargent, Portrait of Miss Elsie Palmer or Young Lady in White, 1889-1890
Oil on canvas, 75 1/8” x 45 1/8”

Tell us what you think about this John Singer Sargent portrait from the Fine Arts Center's permanent collection. Post your comments below.

FAC home page

Debutante Ball honorees announced

The 28 young women who will be presented at the 2008 Colorado Springs Debutante Ball were announced in the Gazette this weekend. For 41 years, the Debutante Ball has honored young women and their families who have made significant contributions to their schools and communities. The event, held at the FAC, benefits the Fine Arts Center's permanent collection acquisition fund.
read the article here

Be an Art Critic ... Marisol

Marisol (Escobar), John Wayne, 1963
Wood, mixed media, 104” x 96” x 15” (113” high with stand)

Last week we posted Richard Diebenkorn's Urbana #4 and heard about beach scenes, kitchen sinks, and abstract expression! Here's another favorite from the Fine Arts Center's permanent collection, a sculpture depicting John Wayne. What do you think? Post your comments below.

FAC home page

Be an Art Critic ... Diebenkorn

Richard Diebenkorn, Urbana #4, 1953
Oil on canvas, 66 ½” x 49 ½”

We want to hear from you! What do you think of this abstract painting from the Fine Arts Center's permanent collection? You don’t have to be an art expert, just share your opinion … and come back to see what other viewers have to say! Post your comments below.

FAC home page

FAC 'Best of the Springs' awards

The Fine Arts Center received 10 Best of the Springs titles from the Gazette, plus two readers' choice picks (The Gazette's 2008 Best of the Springs Edition).

Best Comedy … Fuddy Meers
“An excellent cast, an imaginatively nonrealistic staging, and a fresh story brimming with inspiration: The FAC Theatre Company’s production of David Lindsay-Abaire’s bizarre, madcap comedy was one of the season’s highlights.”

Best Actress … Leah Chandler-Mills
“She saved her best mother for last: Gertie in the Fine Arts Center’s Fuddy Meers – a beautifully nuanced portrayal of a person who has important things to say but just can’t get them out.”

Best Performance in a Musical … Mercedes Perez, Into the Woods
“… brassy, cynical and yet still somehow a vulnerable mother – all projected with a bright, powerful voice … “

Best Set … Sunday in the Park with George
“Chris Sheley and Brian Jude Beacom take the honors for the imagination with which they recreated Georges Seurat’s (painting).”

Best Dress … Carmen Mock, Sunday in the Park with George
“More kudos to FAC set designer Chris Sheley … a sublimely silly moment when her confining dress opened up to let her out.”

Best Art Museum … Fine Arts Center
“The best got better … “

Best Local Exhibit … Altered Space: 21st Century Installation Art
“ … contemplative, thought-provoking works … “

Best Traveling Exhibit … Impressionism and Modern Masters
“ … glamorous … truly great works … “

Best Arts Event … Extremely Grand Opening
“For one weekend in August, Colorado Springs felt like a huge city.”

Best Dramatic Exit … Michael De Marsche
“ … he exited with a bang …”

Readers’ Choice
Best Art Gallery … Fine Arts Center
Best Art Museum … Fine Arts Center

Reviews: Sunday in the Park with George

Cast, set paint artful play
By Mark Arnest, The Gazette (Feb. 1)

• “The Fine Arts Center Theatre Company’s production of “Sunday in the Park with George” ranks with the center’s best productions.”
• “It’s the most beautiful show I’ve seen on that stage…”
• “The orchestra, conducted by Sandi Shroads, has never sounded mellower or more delicate, shimmering colors matching the visual splendor.”
• “And the cast members — especially leads Brian Hutchinson and Carmen Mock — make Stephen Sondheim’s challenging music and lyrics sound as effortless as a walk in the park.”
• “Hutchinson’s voice combines beauty and power, and he’s equally convincing as the obsessive Georges and the vaguely dissatisfied George. Mock delivers Sondheim’s intricate patter with a bright, buoyant voice.”
• “You’ll be intrigued by this courageous and intelligent production of a courageous and thought-provoking piece — and the ticket prices ($26-$31) are cheap for a production of this quality.”

Sunday in the Park with George review
By John Moore, Denver Post (Feb. 1)

• “Director Alan Osburn's elaborate staging is capably performed to standards few area companies can match. The eight-member orchestra is as always a strength, and, for a show built on the concept of this being a canvas come to life, set designer Christopher L. Sheley has outdone himself, particularly in how he, like Seurat, toys with perspective and dimension in creating living stage paintings like "Bathing at Asnieres."
• “This all builds to a magical stage moment in which a fevered Seurat, employing all his artistic hallmarks of design, tension, balance and light, finally sees just how to place all of his pieces on canvas. Suddenly these real people (well, a few are pop-up boards) morph into clay models that Seurat manipulates into their final positions. It's a stirring, act-ending moment … “

Altered Space media previews from Gazette, Westword

Bold art alters space
FAC curators take on unpredictable exhibit
By Mark Arnest, The Gazette (Feb. 1)

• “Altered Space: 21st Century Installation Art” is the riskiest exhibition the Fine Arts Center has hosted in years, say curators Blake Milteer and Tariana Navas-Nieves. “We’re committed to balancing our traditional role as an anchor for the community and going out on a limb,” Milteer said. “Part of what a curator does is create a beautiful, cohesive exhibit,” he said. “This is different.”

Rooms with a View
FAC MODERN dedicates a show to installation art
By Susan Froyd, Westword (Jan. 31)

• “(Matt Barton) says, ‘I want the overall sense of the work to be positive, fantastic and wonderful while being woven with what can, on the surface, be thought of as dark.’ That means his room might be haunted by stuffed animals and found animated video clips or, somehow, a tornado. Hi-tech and lo-tech, heaven and hell.”

Denver Post: Special art in our midst

Special art in our midst
Springs show whets the appetite for big Impressionists exhibit
By Kyle MacMillan, Denver Post (Jan. 31)

• “Lovers of impressionism should not overlook a notable group of such works that are part of a broader exhibition continuing through March 9 at the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center.”
• “it is a solid, engaging show with enough strong selections to make the drive worthwhile. Perhaps best of all, there are examples by artists rarely seen in Colorado”
• “this exhibition shows off the wonderfully accommodating special-exhibition galleries”
• “the old-master works are exquisitely showcased. One of the most successful aspects of the addition, this huge room — about 38 by 100 feet with a 19-foot ceiling — allows for sweeping vistas and ample dialogue among the selections.”
• "Impressionist and Old Masters" is a perfect excuse for a road trip and a pleasant way to spend an afternoon.”

Over the River ... The Rocky covers Christo and Jean Claude visit to the Springs

Christo’s river project is still flowing
By Mary Voetz Chandler, Rocky Mountain News (Jan. 26)

“An exhibition on Over the River, including drawings, anchors, fabric and other objects related to the project, will open in October at the Phillips Collection in Washington D.C. The show will travel, including a visit to the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center in 2011.”

Roberta Jacyshyn wins 2007 Denver Post Ovation Award

On Dec. 30, the FAC Theatre Company’s Musical Director Roberta Jacyshyn earned a 2007 Denver Post Ovation Award for “Best Orchestra” for Into the Woods; the production garnered nine nominations, including “Best Musical,” “Best Ensemble,” and “Best Director.” In 2006, the Company earned the Ovation Award for “Best Musical” with Pirates of Penzance.

Jacyshyn, the Musical Director or musician or both for every single FAC musical since 1984’s Bye Bye Birdie – about 80 productions – is saying goodbye to Colorado Springs. Jacyshyn will be playing keyboards for Sunday in the Park; it will be her farewell performance as she and her husband, Mark Rose, will be moving to Florida. Rose has been the primary reeds player for the Theatre Company for a number of years.

“Roberta and Mark will be greatly missed,” said Alan Osburn, Producing Artistic Director of the FAC Theatre Company. “Both have played integral roles in the legacy of our musical success and we wish them well in their future endeavors.”

FAC website stats impressive for December, 2007

December was the second-best month ever for traffic to csfineartscenter.org for visits and visitors, doubling the totals from December 2006.

December
Page Views
2007 ... 46,486
2006 ... 22,162
Increase ... 109 percent

Visits
2007 ... 13,485
2006 ... 6,567
Increase ... 105 percent

Unique Visitors
2007 ... 11,751
2006 ... 5,046
Increase ... 133 percent

Year-End

Page Views
2007 ... 492,953
2006 ... 287,350
Increase ... 71.5 percent

Visits
2007 ... 138,581
2006 ... 92,543
Increase ... 49.7 percent

Visitors
2007 ... 117,738
2006 ... 74,163
Increase ... 58.7 percent

Bemis: Nurturing Kids' Appetites for Art

We got three-and-a-half pages of Bemis School of Art coverage in the January/February issue of Colorado Springs Style magazine, including five photos, telling the story of how the Bemis School of Art contributes to this community by writer Linda DuVal. Congratulations to Director of Education Tara Thomas, her teachers and staff for all the good work they do for the FAC and our community.

2007 Fine Arts Center highlight reel

Check out our 2007 Year-in-Review video, featuring all the highlights of the past year ... the grand opening of our new building, award-winning theatre productions, groundbreaking exhibitions, special guests and more!

Denver Post: Center's treasures revealed

The Fine Arts Center was featured on the front page of the Denver Post A&E section Sunday, complete with four articles and eight photos. About the FAC Permanent Collection, art critic Kyle MacMillan wrote, "The return of a little more than 200 permanent works to public view is among the most exciting aspects of the arts center's newly opened addition ... No comprehensive story of Colorado art, which for much of the 20th century was centered in Colorado Springs, can be told without including selections from the arts center's extensive collection."

"A major boost to those holdings came with the July announcement that 67 paintings from the extraordinary Colorado Springs collection of Katherine and the late Dusty Loo would be given to the institution. A selection of 27 pieces is on view.

"The Loos were highly discriminating in their purchases, managing to find a, if not the, definitive example of virtually every artist represented in their collection."

Center's treasures revealed: Rediscovering the Collection
Curating the Future: What's next for the Fine Arts Center
Miro and Monet: Impressionist and Modern Masters

Cheyenne Edition: 'Exhibit ... will make your heart swell'

On Dec. 14, Cheyenne/Woodmen Editon columnist Lisa Matthews wrote of the Impressionist and Modern Masters exhibition:

"The newest exhibit at the Fine Arts Center will make your heart swell with pride. In a word, it is simply, “Wow!” Even the FAC security guards concur, “This is our finest exhibition bar none.” And they should know, it is their job to keep these million-dollar masterpieces safe.

"A painting by Claude Monet first greets you at the entrance. From there, you’ll find works by many of the major artists from the past 300 years including Picasso, Degas, Renoir, Gauguin, Matisse, Pollock and even Georgia O’Keeffe and Wassily Kandinsky. An oversized painting of Marie Antoinette – in its original frame and once hung in the Palace of Versailles – will virtually blow you away.

“I’d expect to be in Paris or New York, okay even Denver to see such works of art,” said one proud attendee. Truly something Colorado Springs has worked hard to achieve. “We’ve transitioned from a place with dust in the corners to something as elegant as this,” said Ann Winslow, a past FAC board of trustee member.

Nine Denver Post Ovation Award nominations for Into the Woods

The Fine Arts Center Theatre Company's production of 'Into the Woods' was nominated for nine 2007 Denver Post Ovation Awards, including "Best Musical," "Best Ensemble" and "Best Director."

In a May 25, 2007, review entitled, "Colorado Springs troupe's Broadway-worthy musical," Denver Post critic John Moore wrote: "(W)ith its latest big-bang, big-bucks to-do, the FAC again proves that nobody, but nobody, does musicals like they do musicals to our south.”

Out of 154 productions reviewed or observed by Denver Post critics, 'Into the Woods' was the second-most nominated production in the state.

The nominations included:

Best Musical
FAC Theatre Company's Into the Woods

Actor, Musical
Kelly Walters, (The Baker)

Director, Musical
Alan Osburn

Supporting Actress, Musical
Mercedes Perez, (The Witch)
Sally Lewis Hybl, (Cinderella)

Ensemble
FAC Theatre Company's Into the Woods

Best Band
Roberta Jacyshyn

Musical Number
“Opening," Mary Ripper Baker and Roberta Jacyshyn

Set Design
Christopher L. Sheley

Finalists were culled from Colorado productions opening after Jan. 1, 2007, that were either reviewed or observed by Denver Post critics. Winners have been selected by theater critic John Moore and will be published Dec. 30. Readers can go online now and vote for their favorite in major categories for "Readers Choice" selections at denverpost.com/theater.

Gazette: New FAC exhibition is 'jaw-dropping'

Fine Arts Center masters the masters
Gazette // Mark Arnest (Dec. 6)

If the sheer size of the Fine Arts Center expansion and its first post-expansion exhibit made a good impression, get ready to be really impressed.

Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, Pablo Picasso, Claude Lorrain: With its jaw-dropping, masterpiece-packed new exhibit “Impressionist and Modern Masters,” the Fine Arts Center solidifies its new position as a major player in the state’s art scene.

RMN: Eclectic exhibit benefits from center's expansion

Rocky Mountain News art and architecture columnist Mary Voelz Chandler reviewed "The Eclectic Eye: Pop and Illusion" in today's paper.

"In short, the addition that opened in August, designed by David Owen Tryba Architects, offers beautiful spaces to view art, whether the more traditional Western pieces in "Colorado Sublime," or the numerous glass sculptures (and bright orange chandelier) the center acquired from artist Dale Chihuly, or the adventurous and provocative pieces from Weisman. It helps that the detailing is pristine, and the flow simple and direct."

"In "Eclectic," organized with a fair amount of wit by the late collector's wife, Billie Milam Weisman, the overall effect is, fittingly, a little bit of everything."

Read the complete review here.

'Into the Woods,' 'Katrina' earn PPAC awards

The Pikes Peak Arts Council honored the Fine Arts Center Theatre Company's production of 'Into the Woods' and the FAC MODERN exhibition, 'Katrina: Catastrophe and Catharsis,' on Sunday night at the SaGaJi Theatre, during its 7th Annual Awards for Excellence in the Arts ceremony.

'Into the Woods' earned two awards, including Sally Hybl for "Best Actress" for her portrayal of Cinderella and director Alan Osburn for "Traditional Production." The FAC's Roy Ballard also won for "Behind the Scenes: Set Design" for his work on '1940's Radio Hour' and 'The Last Night of Ballyhoo.'

"For someone who was raised on the FAC stage, to be recognized by the arts community in such a meaningful way is an incredible honor," said Sally. "Truly, being a part of 'Into the Woods' was an honor in itself, and the award is really a testimony to all of those involved in this amazing production."

The 2007-2008 FAC Theatre Season opens on Oct. 12 with a production of Neil Simon’s “Brighton Beach Memoirs.”

“Katrina: Catastrophe and Catharsis” earned an award in the Visual Arts category of "Out of Town." The exhibition was the first in the nation dedicated to the works of internationally respected artists responding to the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, debuting at the FAC MODERN in March.

The current exhibition, “Frida Kahlo: Through the Lens of Nickolas Muray,” closes on Sept. 30 and is followed by “Faces in the Crowd: Portraiture from the FAC Permanent Collection” on Oct. 12.

Tell us what you think in our online poll

On Wednesday we included a short online poll in our weekly email newsletter. We've been getting such great response that we decided open it up to our web visitors as well. So take 15 seconds to share your opinion with the Fine Arts Center! Here are some the comments with FAC responses.

Want to add your two cents? ... click here to participate

An interview with John Waters

For their 5oth segment, Springs Culture Cast covered the Fine Arts Center's Extremely Grand Opening; touring our inaugural traveling exhibition, The Eclectic Eye: Pop and Illusion - Selections from the Frederick R. Weisman Art Foundation, as well as interviewing filmmaker John Waters:

Gazette: FAC opens with a bang

The Gazette's Emily Voigt reviewed the 14th annual Masterpiece Gala.

“I was more excited about this than my prom,” said Bettina Swigger, who manages the Summer Arts Festival at Colorado College.

Swigger gushed about the intimacy of the building and the high quality of the exhibitions. “It feels like you’re going over to a ritzy friend’s house and they happen to have a lot of art,” she said.

In fact, Billie Milam Weisman, the director and curator of the Weisman Collection of pop and illusionist art, said she had been overseeing the hanging of the traveling exhibition in the second-floor galleries herself.

A gray-haired woman stood studying the results in the cavernous El Pomar Gallery. It was Nancy Wirth, the daughter of the building’s original architect, John Gaw Meem.

“It’s so fabulous,” said Wirth, explaining that she’s emotionally attached to her father’s work and had only now come to see the new wing. “I think he’s up there smiling,” she said.

'Colorado & Company' features the FAC

On August 3, a segment of 'Colorado & Company' on Denver's 9 News featured the Fine Arts Center's expansion and renovation. Dr. Michael De Marsche discusses the building's history and future, as well as this weekend's grand opening events.
Click here to watch.

The FAC hits Times Square!

It's like MOMA in the mountains.
The newly expanded Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center.
csfineartscenter.org

Mark Arnest, The Gazette: "Amazing"

The Gazette gave the FAC unprecedented coverage with a 1A story, online interactives and a first-ever "State of the Arts" special section.

· As opening nears, backers predict ‘wow’ moments
· Local artists give nod of approval to new wing
· Director made dramatic changes, and quickly
· Interactive Map of new FAC galleries
· State of the Arts overview
· Thomas Hoving: The man behind the big art show
· Alan Osburn: City offers plenty of variety
· Schedule of Events

More Denver media reviews of FAC expansion

>> Mary Chandler, Rocky Mountain News: “Superb” "A Harmonious expansion"

>> Cheryl Meyers, 5280 Magazine: “A perfect centerpiece to a day trip in Colorado Springs”

· Springing to Life: The renovated Fine Arts Center makes Colorado Springs worth another visit (full-page article with five photos not available online)

>> Denver Post, Colorado Sunday: “If it's true that nothing succeeds like excess, the three Dale Chihuly chandeliers practically guarantee that the new two-story wing of the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, opening this week, will be a contender for a future round of world wonders.”

· Lighten up! The Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center

Michael Paglia of Westword: "Magical"

“During construction, Tryba also oversaw various improvements and restorations to the Meem, such as the careful and excellently carried out refurbishing of the spectacular theater and the removal of the offensive and ugly wheelchair ramps that had been added to the El Pomar Corridor. The elegant space, restored to its original splendor, hierarchically descends in stages, lending the area a ceremonial presence while also following the contours of the hillside on which the building sits. The ramps are now tucked away in what had been a set of galleries on the south side of the El Pomar, where new restrooms and a bar, the Deco Lounge, have been also located. For the first time in memory, the windows in these spaces, with their stunning aluminum elements, have been opened up, and the effect, in the Deco Lounge in particular, is magical.”

Well Done: The new Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center expansion gives plenty of reasons to applaud.

Denver Post: Running Lines with Joel Grey

Denver Post theater critic John Moore interviews theater legend (Cabaret, Chicago, Wicked) Joel Grey, who will be a special guest on Aug. 4 at the Fine Arts Center’s Extremely Grand Opening. Dr. Michael De Marsche will talk with Joel Grey on stage about everything from Cabaret and Wicked to his latest career as a photographer.

Tickets are still available for all of our special guest appearances! Buy tickets online or call 719.634.5583.

Listen to the Denver Post podcast here.

Gazette: The man behind the big art show

Michael De Marsche has introduced Colorado Springs to the big honking art exhibition: Chihuly, Warhol, Peter Max — shows with mass appeal. It’s appropriate that in choosing his first speaker for the Fine Arts Center’s reopening, the center’s president and CEO went for the guy who invented the blockbuster art show: Thomas Hoving. Read the complete article here.

Bruce Guenther praises FAC expansion: "Masterful and exciting"

Bruce Guenther, the nationally-renowned Chief Curator of the Portland Art Museum, recently lectured at the Fine Arts Center and had this to say about the new addition:

“The Fine Arts Center expansion is one of the most masterful and exciting remodeling projects I have seen in recent years. The new gallery spaces are beautifully proportioned and elegantly restrained in their detailing…a perfect setting for the collections.

"The sensitivity with which the Center and its important historic rooms have been restored and extended with the new addition speaks volumes to me about the value placed on heritage and the future for the arts in Colorado Springs.

"I congratulate the leadership of the Center and their architect, David Tryba, for bringing this venerable institution and its magnificent collections into the new century in such grand style.”

More Early Reviews
John Hazlehurst of the Colorado Springs Business Journal wrote on his blog: "Tryba's addition is … both a subtle, perfectly rendered, and utterly sympathetic addition to John Gaw Meem's great masterpiece and, amazingly, a transcendent piece of architecture in its own right."

"Conclusion: a triumph that few of us could have imagined before Mike DeMarsche arrived almost exactly four years ago. Better still, it should cure the local arts community of Denver envy. The new FAC is an infinitely better, more user-friendly, and more beautiful building than the renovated Denver Art Museum … " The full article can be found here.

The front page banner headline of the Woodmen/Cheyenne Edition (July 20) was "In a word, spectacular!" Written by Dave Vickers, it begins with "Colorado Springs should get ready to be amazed." The full article can be found here.

John Waters' Hairspray comes full circle

Hairspray was a successful movie for director John Waters in 1988; and then was adapted into a very successful Broadway musical in 2002. Now another incarnation, starring John Travolta in the role originated by Waters’ regular, Divine, and featuring Mr. Waters in a memorable cameo, will be released, as a musical movie, on July 20. And Waters' film, Cry-Baby, is being reworked into a musical for the stage, debuting at the La Jolla Playhouse in November. John Waters is one of many very special guests attending the FAC Extremely Grand Opening Aug. 2-5.

Alexander Calder in Focus at MCA Chicago

Alexander Calder, an influential artist credited for inventing the mobile, and who designed and built set pieces for stage productions at the original 1936 Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center grand opening, will be featured at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago in "Alexander Calder in Focus" from July 28, 2007 – April 2008. Calder is one of many fascinating and talented personalities who have shaped FAC history.

Watch the Chihuly Chandelier time lapse

On May 30, the Dale Chihuly team began installing the Orange Hornet Chandelier, the third Chihuly chandelier in the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center collection. Two full days later, 384 pieces, each resembling a hornet’s nest and ranging in length of 6 inches to 3 feet, were hung. The entire chandelier measures nine feet tall, weighs just over 1,200 pounds, and resides permanently on the first floor of your FAC.

Hoving pens Picasso article for L.A. Times

Thomas Hoving, a very special guest at the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center's Extremely Grand Opening, Aug. 2-5, penned a story in the Los Angeles Times recently entitled, "Nothing Like This Picasso."

"PABLO PICASSO's great "Les Demoiselles d'Avignon" is 100 years old this spring," writes Hoving. "Starting Wednesday, New York's Museum of Modern Art will show it after a painstaking cleaning, along with nine rarely seen pre-studies.

"I remember my first thought on seeing it for the first time. "Ugly!" The painting exploded in my eyes like some kind of pink, blue and beige bomb. I was shocked by its teeth-shattering primitiveness and downright brutality."

Read the whole story here. | Buy Thomas Hoving tickets here.

Local arts & culture online calendar launches

A brand new web site, PeakRadar.com, launched today. Thesite will serve as the Pikes Peak region's ultimate guide to art, culture and fun and will feature the region's most comprehensive calendar of events, arts organizations, venue and individual artist directories, classified listings and more!

Downtown80903.com launches

Our friends at the Downtown Partnership has launched a new website, called Downtown80903.com, which highlights the benefits of working, living and playing in downtown Colorado Springs. Naturally, visiting the FAC MODERN and Fine Arts Center at 30 W. Dale St. are listed under “Play.”

Independent: Looking Forward

A&E Editor Pete Freedman discusses the state of visual arts in Colorado Springs in an Independent cover story (April 26-May 2). “The Springs' newest visual arts advocates are optimistic about the future,” he writes. “Are they on to something?” FAC’s Dr. Michael De Marsche is quoted and says that with a little vision and confidence Colorado Springs could one day be on par with Seattle or Portland, Ore., when it comes to arts culture.

CSBJ: Separate and nowhere close to equal

The Colorado Springs Business Journal’s John Hazlehurst looks at public funding for the arts in Colorado Springs compared to Denver in this April 27 column. Dave White of the Colorado Springs Economic Development Corp., said that arts & culture plays a major role in attracting new business to the area. “Executives who are coming from L.A. or New York are used to a big, diverse cultural scene — we can’t just sell rock climbing and fly fishing,” he said.

Gazette: New state cash expected to lift Springs tourism

The FAC was mentioned prominently in Bill Radford’s April 18th look at the new money, $19 million, being invested in Colorado tourism. Terry Sullivan, Experience Colorado Springs’ CEO said, “The Fine Arts Center will become a world-class asset to this community.”

Independent: FAC is best cultural attraction

In the 2007 Independent’s Annual Manual: A Guide to Living in the Springs, the FAC is listed in the “Best of Attractions” section as the Cultural Attraction or Museum to visit. Did you know that the Indy has named FAC this city’s “Best Cultural Attraction” in 2005 and 2006?

Gazette: Building Blocks

The local chapter of the American Institute of Architects has named the FAC as one of the 20 greatest structures in the Pikes Peak Region. "This building won architect John Gaw Meem the coveted Pan American Prize of Architecture in 1940 by fusing art deco and traditional New Mexican Pueblo architecture. "

Success of the Springs video

Klayton Kendall from Springs Culture Cast interviews some of the talented people behind the Colorado Springs Dance Theatre's Success of the Springs, held right here at our very own Fine Arts Center's SaGāJi Theatre.

KRCC: Springs art scene at a tipping point

The FAC’s Tariana Navas-Nieves participated in a panel for the “Incubator” series at the UCCS Gallery of Contemporary Art on April 12. KRCC’s Noel Black was there, and he filed this report. Has Colorado Springs reached a tipping point? The FAC and the Extremely Grand Opening in August were mentioned as catalysts to move the arts scene forward in the right direction. “That’s what I’m hoping that the Fine Arts Center will really become a synonym or symbolic of a new era, a new renaissance in the arts in the Colorado Springs area,” said Navas-Nieves.
Download (5:51) | Listen:

KRCC is having their annual open house this Saturday and Sunday from 1-3 p.m. at the station at 912 N. Weber. They’ll have BBQ, bands and a bounce-house and it’s all free.

Tariana Raises a Ruckus

Mark Arnest of the Gazette recently profiled four new curators in Colorado Springs, including the FAC’s own Tariana Navas-Nieves. Mark quotes Tariana in his blog, Colorado Springs Artsblog, “I’m hoping to cause some ruckus and reaction,” she said. “Colorado Springs is kind of a traditionalist city. I want to celebrate that but also to expand it. This city is ready to be challenged and pushed in new directions … Art is not for curators or scholars or a small group. It is for you — it is for the public.” Read the entire piece here.

2005 Chihuly TV Commercial

View the television commercial from our blockbuster exhibition, Chihuly at the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center from 2005. This historic exhibit of paint and glass caused an explosion of art interest in the Rocky Mountain region with nearly 80,000 visitors attending; the FAC membership tripled in that one memorable year. Our newly expanded gallery space at the FAC will feature $2 million worth of Chihuly art from our permanent collection.