Friday's ArtStroll highlights photographers

The Second Friday ArtStroll in downtown Thermopolis, Oct. 14, 5-8 p.m. will feature the work of photographers. The event continues on Still Strolling Saturday, Oct. 15, during regular business hours. 

“We have assembled a great group of local artists to showcase and have on sale their creative work,” said Suzanne Samelson, a member of the Smoking Waters Art Guild.  Come stroll and see why the words of Dorothea Lange, a 20th century photojournalist, hold true — “A camera is a tool for learning how to see without a camera.”

Nature’s Corner is the host business for the evening and will feature Claudia Augustin, photographer and multi-media artist. Claudia’s artwork will be on display during the month of October. Other photographer artists include Michael Balog , Gail Carver, Ashley Griffin, Shailee Harvey, Lindsay Hensley, Gem Jackson, Jeb Schenck and Deb Stroppel.

Pick up a Stroll map at any Stroll business to find the location of photographers, other artists and musicians. Return the map to the host business at the end of Friday evening’s stroll to be entered to win a piece of artwork donated by the artists.

Flying Eagle Gallery’s featured artist is Christopher Amend. Christopher is a multi-media artist and 2015 Wyoming Artist Educator. Born in Superior, Wyo., in 1950, he was raised and educated in Worland. After earning a BFA and an MFA in Art from the University of Wyoming, Amend taught briefly at Bowling Green State University in Ohio.

Since 1978 he has made his home in Gillette, where he taught at Stocktrail Elementary, Recluse School, and Campbell County High School. He retired from full-time teaching in 2007, but continues to serve on the Wyoming Arts Council Artist Roster as a teaching artist. Amend has devoted his life to the quest for visual expression. Rooted in classical drawing, his work seeks to find universal truths by delving deeply into the idiosyncratically personal realms of his own inner visions.

The Hot Springs County Museum will be bustling with activity during this month’s ArtStroll. 

In addition to the photographers, Dick Termes, Termosphere artist, will lead a make it and take it workshop on Friday evening, from 6-8pm. Termes is in Thermopolis thanks to a residency sponsored by the Hot Springs Greater Learning Foundation and will be teaching in the middle school on Wednesday, Oct. 12 and in the high school on Thursday Oct. 13. 

At the museum on Saturday, Claudia Augustin, multimedia artist, will run a make it and take it activity. Come paint papier mache Halloween masks from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.  Also on Saturday Michael Till, author of “Along Wyoming’s US Highway 20” will have a book-signing at the museum at 2 p.m.

  This month’s ArtStroll and Still Strolling Saturday will include artists working in other medium, live music, refreshments and door prizes. Most downtown businesses are open during the event. Sallie Wesaw, Mike Howland, Joyce Fletcher, Andrea Linn, Jane Oldridge, Ana Moser, Harold Hutson, Cindy Toth, Stephanie Conrad and Stefanie Gilbert will all be on hand for the ArtStroll.

The Second-Friday ArtStroll and Still Strolling Saturday are organized by Hot Springs Greater Learning Foundation and Smoking Waters Art Guild with additional help from Main Street Thermopolis, Hot Springs Travel and Tourism and Pinnacle Bank.