This Wednesday, Fort Collins Museum of Art Executive Director Lisa Hatchadoorian, will give us a brief history, and share details of the museum’s current exhibit, the art of Nancy Judd.  The exhibit includes a glamorous dress made of crushed glass and salvaged upholstery fabric.  Programs Co-Chair Dave Stewart will introduce Hatchadoorian. 

Can a beautifully made garment also carry an environmental message? Artist Nancy Judd thinks so!  At first glance, her creations are stunning and dramatic, appearing as fine couture and refined garments. A closer look takes us deeper into her message. An elegant dress is constructed from drycleaner, grocery and newspaper plastic bags. Titled “The Jellyfish Dress”, it tells us to be mindful of marine life when discarding plastic as they can be fatal to sea creatures.  Why fashion? Judd loves the challenge of making cast-offs elegant and inspiring people to look differently at waste.

The Fort Collins Museum of Art was originally incorporated in 1983, and moved into its permanent home in the Old Post Office building in January 1991.  Built in 1911 for $89,000, the Old Post Office building is a three-story Second Renaissance Revival structure designed by James Knox Taylor, the US Treasury’s Supervising Architect. Described at the time as the “finest building in the city,” the Post Office building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a designated Fort Collins local landmark.

 

Hatchadoorian received a B.A. in Art History and Music from the University of Virginia and an MA in Curatorial Studies of Contemporary Art from Bard College. Her experience in arts administration, curating, public art projects and fundraising has ranged from the corporate to academic, municipal and non-profit venues. She has over a decade and a half of experience in curating, conceiving, and writing about contemporary art exhibitions and artists. She has been a visiting lecturer at Casper College, Casper, WY, and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute in Fort Collins, and has taught art appreciation at Rowan University in Glassboro, NJ.  Lisa was originally born and raised in Wilmington, DE and has lived in New York City, Charlottesville, VA, Wyoming, Illinois and Colorado. She and husband Steve Keim live in Fort Collins.

This past week former FBI agent and City of Fort Collins Master Naturalist, Brian Carroll presented the homesteading history of the Soapstone Prairie area.  According to Carroll, the first ‘homesteaders’ were Ice Age PaleoIndians more than 12,000 years ago.  More recently the Homestead Act of 1862 allowed settlers in good standing with the US Government to claim 160 acres for their own.  Carroll was introduced by his brother-in-law, RCFC Programs Co-Chair Dave Stewart.

Of the many who claimed land at Soapstone, Carroll asserts that only two succeeded.  The rest either abandoned their claim or sold it to others.  Life was harsh due to winds, dry-land conditions, and distance to any town or supplies.  When homesteaders left, neighbors often claimed windows, doors, or any other useful materials.  Later ranchers would destroy any remaining buildings to minimize any taxes.  

Today the Soapstone Prairie Natural Area is bordered on the north by the Wyoming state line, and is home to a purebred American Bison herd.  

Carroll has also been actively involved with several Fort Collins Boards and Commissions, including twelve years as an active Volunteer with Fort Collins Natural Areas Program.  There he has focused on the relationship of human culture with the natural environment.  

 

As you probably already know, this year’s Fort Collins Peach Festival will be on Saturday, August 19, in downtown Fort Collins, at Civic Center Park and Washington Park.  This is the eighth year of the festival that is growing each year.  It’s organized and put on by the four Rotary Clubs in Fort Collins.  Once again this year, the Rotary STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) committee will receive funds as will each of the four clubs.  The funds raised continue to grow, so each club can help more worthy local and international projects.  In order to make this happen our club needs your help! 

 

We have 372 volunteer slots to fill.  To fill all the slots, almost all of the Fort Collins Rotarians must pitch in!!!  As we have in past years, we’re using Signup.com to facilitate registering.  Here's how it works in 3 easy steps:

1. Click this link to go to our invitation page on SignUp.com:http://signup.com/login/entry/11270077987548200117
2. Enter your email address: (You will NOT need to register an account on SignUp.com)
3. Sign up! Choose your spots - SignUp.com will send you an automated confirmation and reminders. Easy! 

Notes:

1.       All the volunteer slots are all on August 19.

2.       Some of the positions are similar to past years, but many are different, so be sure to read the position description provided with each slot to make sure that you know you’re in for if you volunteer.

3.       Once you sign up, not only will you receive an email confirmation of your registration, you will receive a reminder of what your slots are two days before the Peach Festival!

4.       SignUp.com does not share your email address with anyone. If you prefer not to use your email address, please contact Gary Turner at geeturn@comcast.net or 970-217-1232 and he can sign you up manually.  However, if you don’t use your email address, you won’t receive any of the notifications from SignUp.com.

5.       You can sign up friends and family.   It's a fun day for all!  Everyone will receive a Peach Festival Volunteer t-shirt if they don't already have one! (It’s best if you use their email addresses so that they get the email notifications.)

 

Thanks in advance for your support this year!  Please register soon, as we only have a few weeks until the festival!!!!!

Tuesday, August 1 from 10-12 AM Brian Carroll will interpret about bison, homesteads, and early peoples living on Soapstone Natural Area (http://www.fcgov.com/naturalareas/finder/soapstone). Brian was our most recent Rotary Speaker about homestead days in the area. You should arrive by 9:45 with water, sunscreen, closed-toed shoes, and a lunch to eat after we finish.  About 1/4 mile is extent of the walk.  Let Del Benson know of your interest and total numbers in your party (delwin.benson@gmail.com, 227-8286, or sign in at Rotary).  If you want to carpool, meet no later than 8:30 behind Jax on North College Avenue. This is your Fellowship Committee at work connecting you with nature.  A total of 20 persons may be accommodated.

 

See the site link above for more detailed driving directions if you plan to self drive. Soapstone Prairie is 25 miles north of Fort Collins, allow about an hour travel time. From Fort Collins, take Hwy 1/ Terry Lake Road to County Road 15 north (towards Waverly). From CR 15, turn north onto Rawhide Flats Road and continue north to the entrance station. There are nine miles of gravel road that can be dusty, rough and bumpy. Please respect our neighbors and be safe by observing the speed limit.

The dates have been set for TIPS training for this year.  They are as follows:

Both sessions will be held at First Bank on Mountain Ave & College Ave in the lower level conference room.

Just a reminder that if you have been trained in the past two years, you do not need to go through training this year.  All training is valid for three years.

I will pass around a sign-up sheet at next weeks Rotary meeting for those interested.

If you have questions, please don't hesitate to contact me.

Chuck Rutenberg