By KYREN GIBSON
Carnegie Arts Center is thrilled to announce the arrival of our new exhibit “From the Earth” in the Garwood and Skala galleries featuring two local artists. The exhibit will be on display from June 29 to August 7. The show features Rod Clause from Gering and Ray Schleyer of Alliance. Rodney Clause was born in Scottsbluff in 1957 and remained here in the valley until the journey of formal education began in 1992. After 9 years of college and living in Colorado for several years, Clause decided to come home to continue his artwork with the opening of the “Der Topfer Gallery and Studio in Scottsbluff. Clause’s work is definitely not staying in the lines. Explosion of colors, textures and the combination of organic, geomantic, and abstract elements help to create a unique piece of art. Rod’s formal Education includes BA in Studio Art, BS in Art Education and MFA in Sculpture with a Minor in Ceramics. Other “education” came from working in Bronze foundries, teaching at community centers, public school systems, local community colleges and Chadron State College.
Ray Schleyer was born in 1947 in Chicago, Illinois, and was one of the millions of baby-boomers to embark on a radical era in our country. An early art highlight in his life was in 5th grade when he was chosen to do the elementary school’s bulletin board monthly. This board was located just outside the school principal’s office which was terrifyingly distracting whenever he changed the themes. The only formal art class he attended was his freshman year of high school. After graduating in 1965 he joined the Marine Corps volunteer draft and completed a tour in Vietnam. This government provided “vacation” provided him with insights and learning experiences, some unwanted, into a different visual world. A far greater one took place some years later when he moved to Alaska in 1973 to work on the state’s oil pipeline project. He lived there for over fifteen years and experienced a much different “tour” of that area’s majestic offerings.
Until resettling in Nebraska in 2008 he had been an off and on artist. “The “on” was perhaps a few times a year and my productivity was at a minimum. Once here though, I began to be more prolific with my artwork revolving with different themes until settling on my current North American wildlife. I also volunteered at the West Nebraska Arts Center as well as working at the Carnegie Arts Center in Alliance where I presently reside. I feel that exposure at both art centers was a stimulant for my own work. For over the last several years my drawing table has been busy and always has a working piece on its surface. I hope that my remaining life will always have such a “burden.” -Ray Schleyer.
Don’t forget that Hastings, NE artists, Sydnie Waldron will be on display until July 24th in the Studio Gallery. Sydnie’s work is comprised multimedia techniques that blend traditional art forms such as sewing and stitching with painting and sculpture. For all our artists’ full bios, please visit “www.carnegieartscenter.com/exhibits/currentexhibits” to find out more! We want to thank our June and July exhibit sponsors who make arts opportunities for artists and patrons alike possible. Thank you to our June exhibit presenter WESTCO and our July exhibit presenters, Alliance Tractor & Implement, Parker-Hannifin Corporation and R.K. Nelson & Associates. Please remember to support our local businesses who support opportunities for your community! We also want to thank our grantors, The Nebraska Arts Council, Nebraska Cultural Endowment, Peter Kiewit Foundation, Dillon Foundation, Kimmel Foundation, Snow Redfern Foundation, Mission Store, and the C.A. Story Foundation.