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Leaving a legacy: Warren Miller performing arts center
Published
12 years agoon
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AdminBy Abbie Digel Explorebigsky.com Editor
This article was originally published in the Winter 2012 edition of Mountain Outlaw magazine. Read the full version here.
BIG SKY – It’s school picture day at Big Sky’s
Ophir School. Teachers and students
sit on stools in front of cobalt blue backdrops
and smile for the camera. They’re
in the “gymnecafeterium,” the old
gym, now used for overflow classes and
as a small cafeteria and kitchen.
This space is set for a major renovation,
and by 2013 will take on new life as
the Warren Miller Performing Arts
Center. The renowned ski filmmaker
has embodied the lifestyle that Ophir
students embrace: dedication to hard
work and outdoor activities. He’s made
Big Sky his winter home for more than
a decade.
The vision for the new arts center grew
alongside plans for Lone Peak High
School in 2007, and support has been
strong. The facility will be available for
receptions, chorus and piano concerts
and other performances, placing Big
Sky among the ranks of resort towns
with prominent arts cultures.
With 302 seats, the space will be
similar to Bozeman’s Ellen Theater,
said Anne Marie Mistretta, the school
district’s previous superintendent
and secretary of Friends of Big Sky
Education. FOBSE, a foundation that
supports Ophir School district projects,
is organizing the fundraising.
Donations and seat sponsorship pledges
from the 2011 Strings Under the Big
Sky annual fundraiser, which usually
raises money for Ophir’s music
programs, were dedicated solely to the
new facility. That event, sponsored by
FOBSE, included musical performances
from Ophir students and the Muir
String Quartet, as well as a teary-eyed
speech from Mr. Miller himself.
Miller expressed deep gratitude that
the performing arts center would carry
his name. He was thrilled when FOBSE
asked if he would accept the honor.
“We’re very pleased for the school and
the community that this is going to be a
reality,” Miller said.
“This is our chance to honor him,” said
Loren Bough, president of FOBSE.
Miller and his wife Laurie also run the
Warren Miller Freedom Foundation,
a non-profit that educates students on
principals of entrepreneurship. Lone
Peak High School students have participated
in the program.
“Warren Miller’s lifetime of work wonderfully
reflects the values of our community:
the arts, education and skiing,”
says Jill Bough, a member of Friends of
Big Sky Education. Other key members
of the fundraising team are Doug and
Henrietta Gale, Marilyn Hill and Jolene
Romney.
Construction of the center began in
2008, but was discontinued when
funds came up short. Work should
resume in summer 2012.
“The clincher is that we’re already a
quarter of the way finished,” Mistretta
said. Repurposing the building will
consist of carpentry work, acoustics and
lighting. Prugh and Lenon Architects
and Martel Construction, Bozemanbased
companies, are in charge of
design and building.
There’s still plenty of work to do. The
improvements to the school—the gym,
weight room, science and technology
labs—were finished as part of the
original plan for the high school. The
remains of initial construction for the
performing arts center are in storage.
Mistretta worked with Prugh and
Lenon to hire Doug Brekke of Black
Box Design as a consultant on sound
and lighting systems, including baffled
walls and pillowed ceilings for acoustics,
and storage areas for instruments
and sets.
Offering Ophir students a well-rounded
education remains the top priority,
Mistretta says.
“We want our kids to have it all.”
Upcoming Events
april, 2024
Event Type :
All
All
Arts
Education
Music
Other
Sports
Event Details
Children turning 5 on or before 9/10/2024:
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Children turning 5 on or before
9/10/2024: Kindergarten
enrollment for the 2024-2025 school year can be completed by following the
registration process now.
Children
born on or after September 11, 2019: 4K enrollment is now open for
families that have a 4-year-old they would like to enroll in our program for
the 2023-2024 school year. Please complete the 4K Interest Form to
express your interest. Completing this form does not guarantee enrollment into
the 4K program. Enrollment is capped at twenty 4-year-olds currently
residing within Big Sky School District boundary full time and will be
determined by birth date in calendar order of those born on or after September
11, 2018. Interest form closes on May 30th.
Enrollment now is critical for fall preparations. Thank you!
Time
February 26 (Monday) - April 21 (Sunday)
Event Details
Saturday, March 23rd 6:00-8:00pm We will combine the heart-opening powers of cacao with the transcendental powers of breathwork and sound. Together, these practices will give us the opportunity for a deep
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Saturday, March 23rd 6:00-8:00pm
Time
March 23 (Saturday) 6:00 pm - April 23 (Tuesday) 8:00 pm
Location
Santosha Wellness Center
169 Snowy Mountain Circle
Event Details
We all are familiar with using a limited palette, but do you use one? Do you know how to use a
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We all are familiar with using a limited palette, but do you use one? Do you know how to use a limited palette to create different color combinations? Are you tired of carrying around 15-20 different tubes when you paint plein air? Have you ever wanted to create a certain “mood” in a painting but failed? Do you create a lot of mud? Do you struggle to achieve color harmony? All these problems are addressed in John’s workbook in clear and concise language!
Based on the bestselling “Limited Palatte, Unlimited Color” workbook written by John Pototschnik, the workshop is run by Maggie Shane and Annie McCoy, accomplished landscape (acrylic) and plein air (oil) artists,exhibitors at the Big Sky Artists’ Studio & Gallery and members of the Big Sky Artists Collective.
Each student will receive a copy of “Limited Palette, Unlimited Color” to keep and take home to continue your limited palette journey. We will show you how to use the color wheel and mix your own clean mixtures to successfully create a mood for your paintings.
Each day, we will create a different limited palette color chart and paint a version of a simple landscape using John’s directives. You will then be able to go home and paint more schemes using the book for guidance.
Workshop is open to painters (oil or acrylic) of any level although students must have some basic knowledge of the medium he or she uses. Students will be provided the book ($92 value), color wheel, value scale and canvas papers to complete the daily exercises.
Sundays, April 14, 21 and 28, 2024
Noon until 6PM.
$170.
Time
14 (Sunday) 12:00 pm - 28 (Sunday) 6:00 pm
Event Details
Everyone is invited to join us in celebrating 2 years of arts education in the BASE Art Studio with us! Take a tour
Event Details
Everyone is invited to join us in celebrating 2 years of arts education in the BASE Art Studio with us! Take a tour of the studio, meet our instructors, and meet other artists of all levels in our community. We’ll be getting creative and you’ll have the chance to make your very own artful button pin.
Stick around for our Volunteer Appreciation and Social beginning at 6:30 p.m.!
Time
(Thursday) 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm
Location
BASE
285 Simkins Dr