Join us for light supper or refreshments and a four-part film discussion series in Cheyenne, Gillette, and Lusk. The films Enron (unrated, 2005), Blow (R, 2001), Maxed Out (unrated, 2006), and My Name is Bill W. (unrated. 1989) examine various types of addictions, including power, risk, greed, drugs, consumerism and alcohol, from different perspectives. My Name is Bill W. explores recovery from addiction. Following each film, humanities scholars and health professionals familiar with addiction issues will facilitate a discussion on how the media and society portray addiction and influence our responses to it. Through the personal life stories depicted in these films, the audience will witness the experience of addiction when someone’s life is taken over by something more powerful than he or she is.

Visit the events calendar on the council website for dates and times, or contact Program Coordinator Sheila Bricher-Wade, (307) 721-9246, with any questions.

Reading Wyoming: Women of Mystery: Medicine Bow
Wednesday, September 1, 3:30 p.m., Medicine Bow Senior Center
This series features tough, smart, female private investigators who solve crimes involving social issues.  Margaret Garner leads the discussions.

Humanities Forum: Why We Took Off Our Corsets: Devils Tower
Saturday, September 4, 7:30 p.m., Devils Tower National Monument
In this presentation, Melanie O’Hara looks at East Coast women who traveled West, settled, and in the process, declared their independence from undergarments that impeded their new-found freedoms.

Splendid Heritage: Perspectives on American Indian Art: Cody
On view through October 31 in the Special Exhibitions Gallery, Buffalo Bill Historical Center
Splendid Heritage: Perspectives on American Indian Art features over 140 objects of American Indian art from the Northeastern Woodlands, Plateau, and Plains regions, all of unique artistry and powerful cultural expression. Organized by the Utah Museum of Fine Arts, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, from the collection of John and Marva Warnock. Funded at the Historical Center by a grant from MetLife Foundation’s Museum and Community Connections program, the Wyoming Humanities Council, and a donation from Naoma Tate.

The Perfect Fit: Shoes Tell Stories: Casper
May 1-September 12, Nicolaysen Art Museum and Discovery Center
This exhibition, which features more than 100 items from artists all over the United States plus Canada and Israel, explores the cultural meaning that shoes have. It presents imaginative objects of every size and art medium.

“Words,” presented by Radiolab and NPR, is a slightly more difficult video to describe! It’s a collage of visual representations of the various meanings of commonly used words (with the occasional homonym thrown in). The video moves almost seamlessly from definition to definition and word to word; ‘play,’ for instance, is illustrated by children playing, an umpire yelling “play ball!”, and a man playing a trumpet, and that final image serves as a transition into the word ‘blow,’ which then includes blown-out birthday candles, a blown fuse, and a boxer taking a blow to the head. It’s poignant and thought-provoking, a reminder that those worn-out words are linked to our rich and varied world. It makes them new.

Reading Wyoming: Writing Wyoming: Ranchester
Monday, August 23, 7:00 p.m., Tongue River Branch Library
The books in this series depict what it means to live in Wyoming and explore the myth and the reality of the people and the place.  Norleen Healy leads the discussions.

Reading Wyoming: Canine Companions: Pine Bluffs
Tuesday, August 24, 7:00 p.m., Pine Bluffs Branch Library
A reading discussion series of memoirs about the relationship between man and dog, facilitated by Elaine Hayes.

Reading Wyoming: Icons: Meeteetse
Wednesday, August 25, 2:00 p.m., Meeteetse Branch Library
This series features biographies of American cultural icons.  Laura Crossett leads the discussions.

Humanities Al Fresco! Jackson Hole Lecture Series: Grand Teton National Park
Saturday, August 28, 2:00 p.m., Teton Science Schools Kelly Campus
“Cattle and Conservation Conversation,” with Pete Simpson and Ken Thomasma.

Splendid Heritage: Perspectives on American Indian Art: Cody
On view through October 31 in the Special Exhibitions Gallery, Buffalo Bill Historical Center
Splendid Heritage: Perspectives on American Indian Art features over 140 objects of American Indian art from the Northeastern Woodlands, Plateau, and Plains regions, all of unique artistry and powerful cultural expression. Organized by the Utah Museum of Fine Arts, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, from the collection of John and Marva Warnock. Funded at the Historical Center by a grant from MetLife Foundation’s Museum and Community Connections program, the Wyoming Humanities Council, and a donation from Naoma Tate.

The Perfect Fit: Shoes Tell Stories: Casper
May 1-September 12, Nicolaysen Art Museum and Discovery Center
This exhibition, which features more than 100 items from artists all over the United States plus Canada and Israel, explores the cultural meaning that shoes have. It presents imaginative objects of every size and art medium.

The Wyoming Humanities Council’s board of directors annually gives more than $80,000 in grants to non-profit groups and government agencies throughout Wyoming to pursue humanities projects of their own design.

The Wyoming Humanities Council staff is available to answer questions and offer assistance to grant writers at any time. We strongly recommend you submit a draft and work closely with Jenny Ingram to complete your application:  jingram(at)uwyo.edu or 307-721-9247.

Any nonprofit organization or public agency in Wyoming may apply for council funding. Nonprofits outside Wyoming whose programs will occur in Wyoming are also eligible. Grants are not awarded to individuals.

The humanities must be central to the project, and a humanities professional must be integrally involved in the planning and development of the project.

All application deadlines are postmark deadlines, unless otherwise noted.

Regular Grants: $2,001-$10,000
(with up to an additional $2,500 possible in matching funds)
Deadlines: April 1 for programs starting June 1 or later, and October 1 for programs starting December 1 or later. Reviewed by the Grants Committee. Applicants are notified of council’s decision approximately six weeks after deadline.

Mini Grants: up to $2,000
Deadlines: first working day of each month except July, for programs starting on or after the 15th of the following month. Reviewed monthly by council committee. Applicants are notified of committee’s decision approximately three weeks after deadline.

Planning Grants: up to $2,000
Provide funds for travel and meeting expenses of humanities professionals and others involved in planning content and format of larger humanities projects. Deadlines: first working day of each month except July, for programs starting on or after the first of the following month. Reviewed monthly by council committee. Applicants are notified of committee’s decision approximately three weeks after deadline.

Opportunity Grants: up to $750 for speaker or discussion leader expenses in public humanities programs
Deadlines: must be in WHC office at least two weeks before proposed program. Provide funds for programs that seize an unforeseen opportunity, such as speakers whose presence in the state could not be anticipated in time to meet the deadline for a mini-grant application, or humanities programming related to an unexpected local, national, or international event. Opportunity grants are not meant to take the place of mini-grants and are not intended for use to help defray the costs of annual events or events with enough lead time to apply for a mini-grant. An organization is limited to one opportunity grant per year. Reviewed throughout the year by WHC board president and grants committee chair. Applicants are notified within seven working days of proposal’s arrival in WHC office.

The Humanities
According to the 1965 National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act, “The term ‘humanities’ includes, but is not limited to, the study of the following: language, both modern and classical; linguistics; literature; history; jurisprudence; philosophy; archaeology; comparative religion; ethics; the history, criticism and theory of the arts; those aspects of social sciences which have humanistic content and employ humanistic methods; and the study and application of the humanities to the human environment with particular attention to reflecting our diverse heritage, traditions, and history and to the relevance of the humanities to the current conditions of national life.”

Humanities professionals
The council defines a humanities professional as someone with an advanced degree in a humanities discipline who is currently working in (or retired from) that field. We will also consider people who might not hold an advanced degree but who have advanced training, acquired expertise, or an established reputation in a humanities discipline, such as tribal elders. All projects except planning grants must include a public element and must be free (or provided at a reasonable charge) and open to the public, and advertised as such.

Further details and application forms are available on the Wyoming Humanities Council website.

Reading Wyoming: Distant Neighbors: Upton
Thursday, August 19, 7:00 p.m., Upton Branch Library
These books offer different perspectives on twentieth-century Mexican history and culture, from the early days of the revolution to the end of the century. Betty Strong leads the discussions.

Reading Wyoming: Books That Endure: Baggs
Friday, August 20, 3:00 p.m., Little Snake River Valley Library
The books in this series – classics – address the great, recurring questions about human nature. Mary Karen Solomon leads the discussions.

Humanities Forum: Rails and Shutters: Devils Tower National Monument
Saturday, August 21, 7:00 p.m., Devils Tower National Monument
This presentation by Chavawn Kelly explores the role of early photographers such as A.J. Russell, William Henry Jackson and F.J. Haynes in the development of Wyoming and the West.

Splendid Heritage: Perspectives on American Indian Art: Cody
On view through October 31 in the Special Exhibitions Gallery, Buffalo Bill Historical Center
Splendid Heritage: Perspectives on American Indian Art features over 140 objects of American Indian art from the Northeastern Woodlands, Plateau, and Plains regions, all of unique artistry and powerful cultural expression. Organized by the Utah Museum of Fine Arts, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, from the collection of John and Marva Warnock. Funded at the Historical Center by a grant from MetLife Foundation’s Museum and Community Connections program, the Wyoming Humanities Council, and a donation from Naoma Tate.

The Perfect Fit: Shoes Tell Stories: Casper
May 1-September 12, Nicolaysen Art Museum and Discovery Center
This exhibition, which features more than 100 items from artists all over the United States plus Canada and Israel, explores the cultural meaning that shoes have. It presents imaginative objects of every size and art medium.

Leach introduced his fifty-state tour in November 2009 to call attention to the need for civility in public discourse. “Civilization requires civility,” says Leach. “Words matter. Polarizing attitudes can jeopardize social cohesion.”

Leach began his four-year term as NEH chairman in August 2009 after serving 30 years in the U.S. House of Representatives. As a congressman representing southeastern Iowa, he chaired the Banking and Financial Services Committee, the Subcommittee on Asian and Pacific Affairs and the Congressional-Executive Commission on China. He founded and co-chaired the Congressional Humanities Caucus. Cosponsors for the events are the Buffalo Bill Historical Center; the Heart Mountain, Wyoming Foundation; and the Wyoming Humanities Council.

Leach’s visit will also launch the Wyoming Humanities Council’s year-long civility initiative, which will include an innovative lecture and discussion series, a visiting scholar, and grants for civility-themed projects.

Of course, the fridge is a relatively new home for words. If you prefer something a little more tried and true, you can always visit Letterheady an “an online homage to offline correspondence” (and a sister site to Letters of Note, which was highlighted in an earlier post). Letterheady in an impressive (and still growing) collection of interesting and/or historically important letterhead. It’s like an online museum! Their most popular letterhead? Nikola Tesla’s. They also feature the personal and professional stationery of the likes of Marie Curie, Bruce Lee, Harry Houdini, Johnny Cash, Jean Harlow, and Adolf Hitler (three versions). Definitely worth a look!

Along the same lines, check out this collection of book plates at Dark Roasted Blend. Some of the book plates date back to 1480! You can also check out book plates belonging to (among others) Charles de Gaulle, George Washington, Sigmund Freud, Greta Garbo, and Charlie Chaplin. Fun stuff!

Impressions on Wyoming Lecture Series: Casper
Wednesday, July 21, 7:00 p.m., Fort Caspar Museum
“Finding the Battle of Red Buttes,” with Danny Walker.

LandEscape: A Symposium on Nature, Landscape, and Painting: Casper
July 23-24, Nicolaysen Museum
A two-day symposium on how landscape and nature have been portrayed in American art. Registration required by July 19!

Splendid Heritage: Perspectives on American Indian Art: Cody
On view through September 6 in the Special Exhibitions Gallery, Buffalo Bill Historical Center
Splendid Heritage: Perspectives on American Indian Art features over 140 objects of American Indian art from the Northeastern Woodlands, Plateau, and Plains regions, all of unique artistry and powerful cultural expression. Organized by the Utah Museum of Fine Arts, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, from the collection of John and Marva Warnock. Funded at the Historical Center by a grant from MetLife Foundation’s Museum and Community Connections program, the Wyoming Humanities Council, and a donation from Naoma Tate.

Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Warriors: Photographs by Gertrude Kasebier: Cody
April 10-August 8, Buffalo Bill Historical Center, John Bunker Sands Photograph Gallery
In 1898, New York photographer Gertrude Käsebier embarked on a deeply personal project, editing a set of prints that were among the most compelling of her celebrated body of work. Käsebier was on the threshold of a career that would establish her as both the leading portraitist of her time, and an extraordinary art photographer. Her latest undertaking being inspired by viewing the grand parade of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West troupe en route to Madison Square Garden in New York. Within weeks, Käsebier began photographing, formally and informally, the Lakota (Sioux) people traveling with the show in her 5th Ave. studio. Since 1969, more than 100 of these photographs have been preserved in the Photographic History Collection in the National Museum of American History. Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Warriors: Photographs by Gertrude Käsebier represents the first time this important collection has been displayed together in over a century.  Also included are related ledger art drawings by Lakota artists, historical camera equipment, and more.

Allen True’s West: Casper
May 1-July 25, Nicolaysen Art Museum and Discovery Center,
Approximately 55 works by Allen Tupper True (1881-1955), regarded as one of Colorado’s premier native-born artists, are featured in this exhibition. True – who made a name for himself as an illustrator, fine-art painter and muralist – also left his unique mark on Wyoming state government, literally. In 1917 True painted the eight murals that adorn the House and Senate chambers of the Wyoming Capitol Building in Cheyenne. In addition, in 1935, True also designed the state’s license plate that features Wyoming’s unique bucking horse and rider.

The Perfect Fit: Shoes Tell Stories: Casper
May 1-September 12, Nicolaysen Art Museum and Discovery Center
This exhibition, which features more than 100 items from artists all over the United States plus Canada and Israel, explores the cultural meaning that shoes have. It presents imaginative objects of every size and art medium.