We have been invited as ‘Featured’ guest artists for the 2005 2nd annual arts festival, by the Curator of Contemporary Art at the Maryhill Museum Of Art in Goldendale, Washington. The invitation comes from the exposure gained by some of our members who have exhibited sculptures in the Museum’s yearly National Outdoor Sculpture Invitational. The dates are Saturday and Sunday, August 20 & 21.

 

We will go on Friday to set up our area on Maryhill’s lovely grounds, and can then have a grand time visiting with each other around the campfire that night.

As featured guests, we pay no fee and no commission on sales. In addition to having a display area for sculptures, we get an additional 50 x 100 ft. work area. They would like us to be working on pieces while guests watch, give a talk about stone sculpture, and encourage the guests to pick up a hammer and chisel to try it themselves.

 

Yes, this amounts to a kind of “mini’ symposium. It is suggested that we NOT bring large pieces since this is only a two day event, but have only smaller pieces, both because they can be priced reasonably, and they can be easily carried when sold. The NWSSA will be highlighted on the poster, advertised in newspapers, and published in other news releases.

 

Last year’s event, (the first one) was expected to draw only about a thousand guests. They stopped counting when attendance exceeded 2,400! Not bad, given that this museum is way out in the boonies.

 

There will be about 50 other booth vendors at this event. And Maryhill is providing a food court, a wine garden stocked by local vintners, hourly live music, and free activities for children. (The kids are the reason we will be using hand tools only.)

For those of you who have never been to the museum, this is a great way to see it for free while camping on the grounds for two nights as a group, or staying in local, nearby motels.

 

Think of it as a mini vacation. The Museum has one of the largest collections of original Rodin sculptures in the world. It is perched on a bluff above the Columbia River, with wonderful grounds and a sculpture garden. We can sleep in tents, campers, motorhomes, under the stars, or motels.

 

The Maryhill management would like to see 20 to 30 of us participating in this event. As exhibit chair, and having my own sculptures in the garden, I think this as an opportunity to demonstrate how good we can be at this kind of show. Success in August could possibly lead to a year long exhibit in the future, inside the museum! We would like to set a date for a discussion meeting with the curator, to show slides, and to discuss any questions. Please send your RSVP to me, so I can start a list. I need your committed replies ASAP, since newspapers and magazines are asking for names of participants for articles about this event and about us as sculptors.

 

Also, the curator needs slides, or photos of your sculptures ASAP, so that he can choose a sculpture to be featured on the events poster!  I saw last year’s poster, and it was awesome!  It really got your attention.  Send your slides/photos to Attn; Lee Musgrave, Maryhill Museum of Art, 35 Maryhill Drive, Goldendale, WA 98620.

 

Would you be so kind to let me know that you will be sending slides/photos when you reply? That way I can track the responses to make sure that we are proceeding in a timely manner. Also, consider this a reminder about our annual member’s exhibit in September at the Kirsten Gallery.  (Dates not set yet) Thanks Gang!  Feel free to contact me: Leon White, (206) 362-2231, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..