Wyoming Breezes

Running on Time an original mural - not a reproduction by Jerry Antolik August 2017 I finally managed to find the final mural on the visitor's booklet list, but it wasn't easy. The booklet gave the location as 4700 Airport Road, which should have been easy to locate, as the road dead ends at the airport terminal. I entered the address in my phone and headed out to snap some photos. Hmmm, the GPS indicated the mural was located in a large vacant field on the west side of the road. I meandered around the area and saw no sign of the large mural. The day that Sue and I toured the foundry in Lander, we made a big loop back to Riverton. Sue entered the mural's address into her phone, and the GPS indicated the mural was on the west runway. Clearly, the address in the booklet was incorrect. I drove in the area of the old terminal and there was the mural on the north side of an adjacent building. There was no way it could be seen by someone casually driving by or from Airpor...

I had the opportunity to snap photos of the murals that have recently been hung around town, and thanks to the recent edition of Wind River Country, they can be properly identified. Riva San Biagio Venice by Maurice Prendergast 100 W. Main, Riverton, WY Man with Crossed Arms by Paul Cezanne between N. 2nd E. & N. 3rd E. Riverton, WY The Mounties Always Get Their Man by Charles M. Russell 2441 Peck Ave. - C.E.S. Building Saddlestring Cavvy by Bruce Graham Broadway at Main St., Riverton, WY Contemporary Sioux Indian by James Bama Broadway at Main St., Riverton, WY murals hanging at Broadway and Main Riverton, WY There are a couple more murals that I need to photograph. Hopefully, I will be able to do that soon while it's still on my mind. Other murals can be seen here: (some are grouped together in the posts)     Carson's Men     The Wind River     Still Life - Plate of Peaches     Luncheon of the Boat...

postal boxes Riverton, WY February 2017 According to the Riverton Museum website, the Riverton Post Office construction started in 1940 and was completed in 1941 as a part of the recovery projects implemented by President Roosevelt during the New Deal act. The purpose of these projects was to put people back to work, and the intent to make projects that would have an enduring contribution to the states and the nation. Work on the building began in 1938 but was halted in December 1938 due to no available funding from Washington, D.C. Several other setbacks occurred that prevented the construction of the new federal building, namely the preparations of new plans and specifications for the enlarged structure delayed the construction of the building for nine months. In January of 1940 bids were finally opened in Washington, D.C. for contractors. The Jensen Construction Company won the bid for construction of the Riverton Post Office, submitting the lowest bid of $94,789.00. The...

The Wind River by John Cox Mural on the east side of the Riverton Ranger building Riverton, WY March 2016 I can't remember when this large mural was mounted on the wall facing the post office, but it has been quite a while. Last week, I went to the post office early to mail a Quilt of Valor, and the street was void of vehicles, so I snapped a couple of photos. The scene is pretty typical of a Wyoming river bank in late Fall, which is probably why it is so appealing to me Another "new" mural (it's been in place for over two years) is on the A.D. Martin storage building, but I have yet to take a photo because it's in an awkward position on Main Street. I've avoided getting a photo because of its position and the traffic. Maybe someday the time will be right.

outdoor mural recently place at the Riverton Middle School Riverton, WY March 2016 A new art banner was recently affixed to the exterior gymnasium wall at the Riverton Middle School, and as a retired Language Arts (English) teacher, I couldn't be happier with the subject of this banner. I taught several of Shakespeare's plays during my teaching career: Julius Caesar, Hamlet, King Lear, and Romeo and Juliet . I think it is important for students to be exposed to Shakespeare's writing and the language that he uses. Many teenagers are surprised that much of the phrases we use were actually penned by Shakespeare in the 1600s.     • dead as a doornail     • eaten out of house and home     • a laughing stock     • in a pickle     • tower of strength     • all that glitters is not gold     • come what may     • bag and baggage Other phrases can be seen here . Art banners can be found all ove...

Madame Subercasseaux by John Singer Another outdoor mural was recently added to the collection on display in Riverton. This one is quite elegant. You can read about this mural on this County 10 post . December 2014 Riverton Public Library Riverton, WY I've posted about the other murals in the Riverton community here .

Riverton High School July 2012 I am delighted that two additional art murals were hung on school buildings this month. According to the local paper, these banners were donated by a group of volunteers in cooperation with the Vancouver B.C. Art Museum and the Houston Museum of Fine Arts. "Fin D' Arabesque" Edgar Degas "Self Portrait" Vincent Van Gogh The Degas and Van Gogh are hanging near the Renoir that stirred up a bit of controversy  in this small community. The Renoir is beginning to droop in the lower right corner; I hope it will be stretched a bit before it is ruined. Other paintings on display in Riverton can be seen here and here .

Aelbert Cuyp: Portrait of a Young Man , c. 1651 This large painting appeared on the side of the Middle School before the end of the school term.  Can you help me identify the artist and the title of this piece? Thanks to  Paula TheQuilter , the painting has been identified. The original can be viewed at the  Vancouver Art Gallery , as it is on loan from the City of Amsterdam. This mural joins several others in my community, featured in previous posts: here ,  here , and here .

Luncheon of the Boating Party by Pierre-Auguste Renoir displayed at Riverton High School The mural-sized painting, mounted on the exterior of the local high school has been the topic of numerous Letters to the Editor in past weeks. Those who shared their views state this painting with wine bottles is not appropriate for a school that has zero tolerance for drugs and alcohol. Who knew that a painting created in the 1800s would cause such a controversy in 2011. Eventually, someone involved in the project wrote a response. She invited those who voiced their opinions to take a "Walk on the Art Side" and view the other works of art in the community, some of which I already featured here . The project has exposed the community to a diverse collection of art. They include: Pitcher with Bowl of Fruit by Pablo Picasso displayed at school district administrative office (the painting is hanging sideways for some reason) Pitcher with Bowl of Fruit by Pablo P...