Valley Studio

Uplands and Valley Studio Memoirs

In the late 1960s The Uplands Arts Council developed a vibrant rural arts program in the Spring Green area, including local arts programming with invited visiting teachers and artists, including faculty and students from Lambuth College.

In 1970 Valley Studio and the Wisconsin Mime Theatre and School followed the Uplands Arts Council and ensconced themselves in Wyoming Valley only three miles from Taliesin. Their official doors were closed in 1979.

A few months ago I sent out a notice to people involved in those activities to contribute to a Valley Studio book of memoirs. We feel now that instead of a printed book we gather such stories on a web site, in which we could all continue to communicate with each other and at the same time tag on our own web pages and notices.

Therefore I ask former Uplands and Valley Studio students, staff, teachers, etc to write a brief memoir concerning something about their experience there [a humorous story, something perhaps learned, a poem, a profound insight]. Instructions for submitting material is here.
Also please include the specific classes and activities in which you participated and the time you were there. I would also like for you to include a short paragraph of your life AVS (After Valley Studio). Valley Studio photos as well as AVS pix are welcome.

I further ask that you send me any names and addresses which you may have or perhaps you could email this memo on to people on your mailing list.

At my age, any contacts with previous fellow travelers and earlier celebrations are greatly appreciated.

You can mail me at:
E. Reid Gilbert
5937 N Placita Del Baron
Tucson, AZ 85718
520-615-1717

You may be interested to know that Steve Wasson is returning to the Valley. After leaving Valley Studio, he went to Paris to study with Decroux and he and his wife, Corrine, were the last assistants of Decroux. They established a school based on the Decroux principles and moved it to London. They have now bought the Wyoming Valley Methodist Church and hope to have classes there next summer.

Jeff Jacobson has donated the Wyoming Valley School, which Frank Lloyd Wright designed, to a local non-profit organization. The school is being updated and will offer various educational and cultural events starting next summer.
Looking forward to hearing from you.