Opening Reception Friday, March 11, 5:00 – 7:00 PM,
The Art Base Annex, Basalt, Colo.
Aspen/Snowmass, Colo. (March 2, 2016) — Anderson Ranch Arts Center, a premier art making destination and catalyst for critical dialogue in the contemporary art world, announces a special exhibition, “Supporting Artistic Excellence: The Dee and Charles J. Wyly Collection,” featuring a selection of locally made works curated from the Wyly’s private collection. The exhibition kicks off a year of special Anderson Ranch 50th Anniversary programs and events, and is presented in collaboration with the Art Base. Works will be on view at the Art Base Annex in Basalt, Colo., March 11 – April 2, Tuesday – Saturday, 12:00 PM – 6:00 PM. The public is invited to a special opening reception taking place Friday, March 11, 5:00 – 7:00 PM. A toast honoring Dee Wyly will take place at 6:00 PM.
“Dee and Charles Wyly have contributed significantly to the Roaring Fork Valley’s visual arts community, helping it to grow and thrive,” said Nancy Wilhelms, Executive Director of Anderson Ranch Arts Center. “Anderson Ranch is a direct recipient of their generosity, and this exhibition reflects the Wyly’s steadfast support throughout the years. It is an honor to collaborate with the Wyly family to showcase some of the amazing works from their home in recognition of our 50th Anniversary.”
“Thank you to the Wyly family for their support of the arts and our community—they were instrumental in the founding of our organization, and we could not have done it without them. We are honored to continue their legacy and proud to announce the naming of our main campus exhibition space the Charles J. Wyly Gallery,” said Genna Moe, Executive Director of the Art Base. “It is a true pleasure to work in collaboration with Anderson Ranch and celebrate 50 years of artistic excellence in the valley.”
The “Supporting Artistic Excellence” exhibition celebrates the Wyly’s sustained commitment to locally made art, featuring artwork that spans nearly five decades, from the early 1970’s to today. From paintings to sculpture to ceramics and more, the exhibition showcases works by 20 artists who have an affiliation with Anderson Ranch, including James Baker, Dick Carter, Doug Casebeer, Isa Catto, Kris Cox, David Ellsworth, Mollie Favour, Gail Fredell, Linda Girvin, Sam Harvey, Alleghany Meadows, Brad Miller, Takashi Nakazato, Jill Oberman, Sara Ransford, Jason Schneider, Paul Soldner, James Surls, Michael Wisner and Dee Wyly.
This exhibition is the first in a line-up of Anderson Ranch 50th Anniversary events, which include a special 50th Celebration Week (July 17 – 22), symposia, lectures, workshops and other exhibitions throughout the year honoring the Ranch’s legacy and its future.
For more information, please visit andersonranch.org or call 970/923.3181.
About Anderson Ranch Arts Center
Founded in 1966, Anderson Ranch Arts Center is a premier destination in America for art making and critical dialogue, bringing together aspiring and internationally renowned artists to discuss and further their work in a stimulating environment. Nestled in the Rocky Mountains of Aspen/Snowmass, Colo., the Ranch hosts extensive workshops for aspiring, emerging and established artists in eight disciplines, including Photography & New Media, Ceramics, Painting & Drawing, Furniture Design & Woodworking, Sculpture, Woodturning, Printmaking, and Digital Fabrication. In addition to the Summer Series: Featured Artists & Conversations, the Ranch also hosts engaging events throughout the year including: the Recognition Dinner (Thursday, July 21) honoring the National Artist Award and Service to the Arts Award recipients; the Annual Art Auction & Community Picnic (Saturday, August 6), a thirty-six-year-old tradition which features works of local, national and international artists; and the Artists-in-Residence Program, fostering artistic growth for emerging and established visual artists. In 2016 Anderson Ranch celebrates its 50th anniversary, furthering its mission to enrich lives with art, inspiration and community. Learn more at www.andersonranch.org or 970/923.3181.
About the Art Base
Established in 1996, the Art Base (formerly the Wyly Art Center) fosters creative expression in the visual arts for all ages and abilities—providing a base of operations for artists in the Roaring Fork Valley through education, exhibitions and events that support and stimulate the vitality of our community. Two gallery spaces, the Charles J. Wyly Gallery and the Art Base Annex, exhibit Colorado-based student, emerging, and established artists. In addition to their diverse exhibitions schedule, the Art Base hosts two opening receptions and art talks every month. They pride themselves in free community events and a vibrant schedule of arts classes for adults and youth (both in school and outside of the classroom). Through growing partner and outreach programs they strive to make art accessible to the at risk and underserved, including the developmentally disabled, teen parents and youth in addiction recovery. Learn more at www.theartbase.org or (970) 927-4123.
