The Community Fine Arts Center will celebrate its 50th anniversary this fall.
To help out, the Sweetwater County Library Foundation and the CFAC Advisory Board are hosting a reception Thursday from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the CFAC to kick off the fundraising campaign. Money raised will purchase a commissioned sculpture which will be unveiled at the Nov. 5 anniversary celebration.
With a set donation level, donors will be given a print of one of the collections more recognizable paintings. The large oil painting titled “The Worldly Chapel” was painted by Darryl Newton in 1978. The artist has given permission for the CFAC board to have prints made and will sign the prints at the event Thursday.
Newton grew up in Rock Springs, graduated from the University of Wyoming, and worked in the field of contract archeology. He witnessed the changes in his home town and this painting was a humorous response to the “60 Minutes” television depiction of the alleged corruption and vice taking place in his hometown.
Today, many visitors are intrigued with the lively bar scene but when first displayed in 1978, then again in 1985, many citizens were offended.
The controversy was reported in both local and state newspapers and one visitor to the gallery stated the painting was so bad, it should have been burned.
Our state has experienced many “boom and busts” in the oil and gas industry and this is the artist’s graphic depiction of the decadent lifestyle that developed in the mid-1970s in Rock Springs when workers with large paychecks had time off.
The CFAC was started due to the vision of one of Rock Springs High School teacher’s, Elmer Halseth.
He encouraged his students as far back as the 1930s to raise money and he helped them to purchase art to hang in their classrooms.
In 1966, he arranged for the expanded art collection to be on display for the public and the CFAC began to be an important feature of the town.
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