This exhibit will feature hand-crafted gear and crafts made by Wyoming artisans for use in hunting, fishing, and celebrating the results of a successful hunt. Wyoming is home to highly skilled and creative artisans who create exquisite custom gear used in the hunt. These handmade objects are of the highest artistic quality and hold equally high monetary value in part because the artisans are also hunters and understand how their pieces must function. The artists employ skills and techniques passed down through generations of designing, crafting, and experimentation. The artists’ passion for beauty and perfection come from years of experience and field testing. The role of the maker as user gives these objects a level of precision and refinement that is well-recognized among contemporary hunters and fishers worldwide, and this exhibit will bring these artists to a wider audience.
The exhibit builds on the statewide fieldwork and popular public programs completed by the University of Wyoming American Studies Program and the WAC since 2007. Over 50 interviews have been conducted. Public programs include a traveling photo display of 12 craftsmen, two library exhibits featuring hunting and fishing gear, and several lectures, artist demonstrations, discussion panels, and workshops. This major exhibit will bring the results of this work to a statewide and regional audience, will highlight the work of Wyoming’s exemplary artisans, and show how creativity and design can be found in the everyday items a hunter uses.
Contact: Anne Hatch