Our goal with the Winslow Studio Artists gallery at Affeldt Mion Museum is to rotate shows annually. In mid-October 2024, we opened LIFE MASK exploring the creative world of artist Paul Ruschá. Now it is time to start planning the next exhibit. We are pleased to announce the development of a show featuring the work of Dan Lutzick, who is an integral part of La Posada Hotel and Affeldt Mion Museum. In addition to his sculpture and paintings, the exhibit will also share the evolution of Snowdrift Art Space. the home and studio of Dan and wife Ann-Mary.
MEETING ONE – NOVEMBER 2, 2024 – ONE YEAR UNTIL EXHIBIT OPENS
Allan and Tina, along with AMM Creative Director Lori met with Dan and Ann-Mary at Snowdrift in early November to hear ideas of how they envision this show coming together. The meeting happened to fall on the same day Arizona Highways TV came to Winslow to feature Affeldt Mion Museum and the Winslow Studio Artists spaces.
The Initial Ideas
Dan is an avid consumer of books, art, and creative processes and had a well-researched table of ideas to explore. Ann-Mary, who is the Director of Old Trails Museum, is a meticulous curator of language and objects. Together, they have a specific vision of what they would like this exhibit to convey.
A key component for Dan is the process of putting the show together, something we plan to share along the way, starting with Dan’s thoughts after this first meeting.
NOTES FROM DAN
Our first studio meeting to design the Snowdrift Array sparked a number of ideas that will help the exhibit evolve. If you look at my “summer office” where the meeting was held, you will notice layers of reference material, maquettes, photos, mementos, and slide shows visible in the space. It is my way of keeping ideas and influences in front of me, and planning the exhibit will be another source of inspiration throughout the year.
Like many artists, I can find it difficult to begin the process of creating something. But if I can start one sculpture, I quickly find myself starting two more sculptures and a painting, taking photos of everything, and researching the ideas I have about it all in my library (which I consider to be the “external hard drive” of my brain).
There are two ways the exhibit will directly affect my work in the next year:
ONE: I was involved with the installation of Paul Ruscha LIFE MASK, and while I like the creative ideas that surround that exhibition, I will be driven to create an entirely new environment for the Snowdrift Array and thus have a sense of what I will NOT do for the next exhibit.
TWO: I will commit to moving a large number of pieces (at least 30 large sculptures) to the Snowdrift Array at Affeldt Mion Museum, which means I will be rehanging new work in Snowdrift Art Space to fill in the gaps. It will be the first time I have done a major rehang of the space in ten years, and the new combination of artwork and space is likely to inspire new work and lengthy discussions between Ann-Mary and myself about how it should be displayed.
Primary Points Discussed:
- The general theme
- The show name
- Incorporating sound and lighting
- Making this an experiential exhibit
- Expanding the exhibit beyond the walls of the WSA Gallery
- Creation of an exhibit film
- Creation of a printed element for the show
- Creation of one-off art books
These are the early days of exhibit planning, when many ideas are exchanged. It is where the fun begins. We hope you follow along with this inside peek of the process to create this very ambitious show, the SNOWDRIFT ARRAY, opening November 2025.
