SMAHC Dates and Deadlines
for
the 2011 Fiscal Year
posted below.
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2010 Prairie Star
Bill Gossman
The
Southwest Minnesota Arts &
Humanities Council Board of
Directors has selected Bill
Gossman of New London as the
recipient of the 2010
Prairie Star Award. This
award was established to
honor a distinguished artist
whose work exemplifies the
highest quality of art in
the SMAHC region. Gossman's
art has enriched countless
individual lives and
strengthened the cultural
life of the region and the
entire state of Minnesota. SMAHC
welcomes this opportunity to
recognize the years of
effort and persistence that
have culminated in Gossman's
current accomplishments and
influence. SMAHC reviews
open nominations for the
Prairie Star Award from its
eighteen-county service
area.
New
London artist Robert Mattson
nominated Gossman for this
award. Mattson wrote, "Bill
grasps and practices the
essence of what it means to
be an artist and lives it
day to day. He has traveled
the world studying and
working in various places
with various artists from
Africa to Denmark where he
was declared the Danish
National Throwing Champion;
no mean feat for a
foreigner. He has served in
what might be considered an
"apprenticeship" period
working as a production
potter at a number of
different potteries.
Knowledgeable ceramists
consider this to be an
essential building block, a
solid foundation, for
progress and growth as a
ceramic artist. His hard
work, patience and
perseverance paid rich
dividends. Bill now
operates Gossman Pottery in
New London, Minnesota where
he turns out work of the
most profound beauty and
elegance such as I have
rarely seen in my many years
as an artist and teacher.
Simply put, Bill is the
finest potter I have ever
known. His work equals or
surpasses that of others the
world over."
Letters in support of
Gossman's nomination were
received from Robert
Briscoe, Richard Bresnahan,
Jr., Andrew Nordin, Fred
Cogelow, Barry Carlson, Paul
Morris, Denise Morris, Julie
& Glenn Joplin, Bob Carls &
Amy Sharpe, John & Louise
Mack, and Marjorie Nilssen.
The
Prairie Star Award is
intended to act as a
catalyst and an incentive
for other area artists and
to make known the high
regard in which SMAHC holds
artists who have given of
their lives and talents to
create and sustain the arts
in southwest Minnesota.
Past recipients have been
novelist Frederick Manfred,
visual artist Robert Remick,
visual artist Edward Evans,
photographer Henry
Kyllingstad, poet Leo Dangel,
visual artist Agnes (Bobbi)
Alsgaard Lien, theatrical
director Bernie Aaker,
writer Bill Holm, wood
sculptor Fred Cogelow,
visual artists Gene and Lucy
Tokheim, writer Joe Amato,
visual artist Franz Richter,
musician and conductor Pat
Kadlecek, and rosemaling
artist Karen Jenson, concert
pianist Daniel Rieppel,
composer Robert Whitcomb and
visual artist Robert
Mattson.
Please
join the Southwest Minnesota
Arts & Humanities Council
board of directors, staff,
members and volunteers in
honoring Bill Gossman for
his contribution to the arts
in southwestern Minnesota.
SMAHC Executive Director
Greta Murray will make a
brief presentation at the
artists' reception of the
Willmar Area Arts Council's
Bill Gossman Family Art
Exhibit at the WEAC gallery
from 4 to 6 PM on Thursday,
August 19. The award will
be officially presented to
Gossman at the 36th SMAHC
Anniversary Celebration on
October 30, 2010 at the Crow
River Golf Club in
Hutchinson, MN. This award
is made possible with funds
provided by the McKnight
Foundation.
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