Sun Valley News | Online Idaho Newspaper

3 more bat attacks in valley go to article

Three more people in the Wood River Valley have been vaccinated for rabies during the past week after direct encounters with aggressive bats.

ITD: Wider highway will shorten commute go to article

Even at lower speeds, the Idaho Transportation Department expects that motorists can make a daily northbound commute through the Wood River Valley faster once the state Highway 75 expansion project is finished.

In letter, Donoval demands debates go to article

Though candidate forums and debates are common occurrences during the election season, rarely does a local candidate attempt to organize his or her own set of debates.

Artist Valerie Stuart talks about her artistic style, stunt-driving and Dennis Hopper. go to article

When did you become involved in the arts?

When I was 8 years old, I had begun to exhibit certain artistic traits.  My mother was not really sure what to do with me and put me in The Flemish Art School where I was the youngest student there by ten years!  It was in this school that I first learned to work with oil glazes that I still use in my work today. 

My parents had always exposed me to art.  After returning from a year spent driving all over Europe with my mother and getting a different sort of education, she soon realized I just did not fit in the conventional school system and was smart enough to put me in the Hollywood Professional School (HPS). 

You found yourself in Peru on the set of Dennis Hopper’s infamous movie “The Lost Movie”.  How did that come about?

While I was attending HPS and taking classes at UCLA, I was making a living as an actress; working on commercials and dancing on shows like “Hullabaloo“.  I met Kris Kristofferson and soon began dating.  Kris was close friends with Dennis Hopper who invited us to work on his movie in Peru. While there, Kris even wrote two songs about me and our time in Peru.  It was an amazing time to say the least!

 Life there was wild.  If you think about who was involved in that movie: Dennis Hopper, Bob Rothwell, Owen Orr, Jim Mitchum, and John Phillip Law. It really was a scene…out there in the middle of the Andes! I was so naïve, now that I look back on it.  Yet, I had made long lasting friendships with many of them.  I was close with Dennis and he exposed to all the amazing artwork he collected.  His garage was like a museum – filled with works by Warhol, Basquiet, Richard Prince and so many others. 

What are some of the other jobs you had in Hollywood?

After working on Dennis’ movie in Peru, I stumbled into becoming a sort of stunt-woman. I started as a stunt rider in a couple movies – back then there were really no women doing stunts. Then I eventually began stunt driving, doing stunts in “Diamonds are Forever” and “Fuzz”, where I was a stunt-double for  Raquel Welch - even though I looked nothing like her.  Like I said, no other woman was doing this kind of work, so it was really wild that I was getting these parts and that I was doing the actual stunts without necessarily having the training.

 During this time though, I never stopped enjoying art.  Eventually, I left the acting world took classes in California in textile design. With a friend I opened of a high-end women’s clothing boutique in Malibu called “Amazon”. I was drawn to the business because I was able to travel to Europe a couple times a year and attend the fashion shows, which were very theatrical back then.  I ended up designing the dress for Margot Kidder that she wore to the Oscars.

What brought you back painting?

 Though I was making money in Hollywood as an actress and then designer, I gave up my painting.  I soon met my then husband, another actor, and we had children.  With kids, my life changed and I no longer wanted to travel so much to keep up with the Hollywood lifestyle.  I wanted to spend more time with my children and decided to focus on painting –– I believe it is what has always kept me grounded.

What inspired your aesthetic?

It was my early exposure to old world painters that inspired me.  I don’t know if it was because of the Flemish Art School or all my trips to Europe as a child.  Visiting Pompeii at a young age also left an indelible mark.  But later in life I became more fascinated with color, its complexity.

I took a fresco class at UCLA so I had knowledge of how to use marble dust and plaster. I was creating large murals in homes when my son Devin told me I should start creating canvas works. He is the one who pushed my art and led me to creating “old world” works that have a more contemporary feel.  From then on it was really a process of trial and error, with heavy emphasis on the error part.

Stuart's work will be on exhibited at Gilman Contemporary in Ketchum from September 1-October 9th.

An opening reception will be held with Valerie Friday, September 3rd from 5-8pm. 

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Labor Day Weekend 2010 in Sun Valley! go to article

Labor Day Weekend 2010 in Sun Valley! Lots to do all over the Wood River Valley this weekend and Sun Valley Resort is no exception!

The final Sun Valley Ice Show of the summer featuring Olympic Silver Medalist and 2X World Silver Medalist Sasha Cohen with a cast of world-class skaters will sizzle on the ice Saturday night at dusk. Tickets on sale now online at: mySVfun.com or call 622-2135

International superstar pianist Misha Dichter will perform a benefit concert for the Sun Valley Artist Series at the Sun Valley Pavilion on Sunday night at 8pm. Tickets on sale now online at: mySVfun.com or call 622-2135 Sun Valley

Silver Car Auction Saturday & Sunday from 8am – 6pm Featuring vintage classics, sports cars, exotics, luxury and muscle cars. There may be some great deals this year, so don’t miss out! Located on the lawn next to the Sun Valley Pavilion.

Tesla Motors will be in Sun Valley Saturday & Sunday from 10am-4pm offering test drives of the new Tesla Roadster to prospective buyers. This is an electric sports car that goes from 0-60mph in 3.7 seconds! Check out the Tesla Roadsters in the Sun Valley Village bus turn-around.

Hungry for something new? Take the Gondola to the Roundhouse for lunch all weekend. Indoor or outdoor seating. Open from 10am-4pm First come, first serve. Gondola tickets may be purchased at the River Run Lodge ticket office. For information call: 622-6136

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September Angling in the Rockies go to article

Synopsis

Fly fishing the Northern Rockies in September is an extremely enjoyable experience. With the heat of summer mostly behind us, the shorter days and cooler temperatures bring out new hatches and a return to larger insects such as the Western Red Quill, the Mahogany Dun and October Caddis. The Fall Baetis, although diminutive in size, becomes a behemoth in the feeding selection of local trout, not only on Silver Creek but on our local freestones as well. Tricos, though dwindling on Silver Creek, become more numerous on the Big Lost River and the lower Big Wood as well. September may mean the beginning of hunting season and back to school for the kids, but it also signifies a change in local entomology toward one of the most productive periods of the calendar year.

The Creek continues to fish well, especially in the mornings, with a continuation of the Trico spinner fall and Baetis emergence (both in size 20). Later in the morning, good numbers of PMDs (size 16) have been seen eliciting aggressive attacks. The Callibaetis (size 16) will continue to create great opportunities especially on breezy days creating a slight wind chop on the water and eliminating the sunlight-refracting effect of tippet. Often on these windy days, casting and stripping Callibaetis nymphs can lead to some impressive strikes sub-surface. Hoppers are still an option midday at the Creek, both on the preserve waters as well as on the north side of the highway. Look for the eventual emergence of the Mahogany Dun (size 14-16), a prime food source for the trout as they stock up for winter.

The Wood has continued to fish well in the latter half of summer…perhaps the best summer fishing in years. However, September will open a new chapter for the Wood, as we see a return to large insects, particularly the Western Red Quill and the October Caddis. The Red Quill (size 12-14) is a true harbinger of autumn and presents itself very much like the Green Drake of July. In fact, Green Drake patterns left over from earlier in the summer will work wonderfully as an imitation for this sizable mayfly. In addition, especially on the lower Big Wood, look for a continuation of Tricos (size 20) and potential blanket hatches of the Fall Baetis (size 20) in the mornings and a significant Grasshopper presence in the midday and afternoon.

The Lost is flowing at a very fishable 318 cfs and will continue to improve over the next few weeks. September is a great time to fish this conglomerate of spring creeks, alpine tributaries and tailwater as the September Trico spinner fall can be as prolific as any in the region. When the petite black and white mayflies are not present in the air, try nymphing with large mayfly nymphs such as Prince Nymphs (size 12-16) or Flashback Pheasant Tails (size 12-16) with a black, red, or brown Zebra Midge trailing behind (size 20). With the large brown Cranefly still present in good numbers, try the standard quartering-down presentation and skate the fly back across the river with the help of the current. Above the reservoir, the Kokanee are running in strong numbers making for added excitement and gorgeous photographs!

The Upper Big Lost is still fishing well although the freezing nighttime temperatures will soon begin to chase fish downstream as their food sources diminish. Attractor patterns will continue to work well here, especially cream Elk Hair Caddis (size 14), Parachute Adams (size 16-18), Adams Irresistibles (size 14-18) and foam hoppers in a number of sizes.

The South Fork of the Boise is fishing well with Fall Baetis (size 20) in addition to the remaining Pink Alberts (size 16). Now that the river is at a prime walk and wade level, the increased access should amount to some superb fly fishing. Grasshoppers are still pulling fish up from the depths and can be fished on 3X and 4X tippet. As always, nymphing can be effective especially when imitating the Baetis and Pink Albert nymphs. Also, Woolly Bugger and Streamer fishing can pull some of the more picky fish out from behind boulders or from the deeper holes.

The Salmon is truly a spectacle right now, not just for the Trout and Whitefish angling, but also due to the return of the Chinook salmon. These King salmon, some of which tip the scales at over 40 pounds, are now appearing in the shallow gravelly runs as they complete their life cycle, laying eggs in the same locations where they were once conceived. Currently, floating is closed on the bulk of the river above the SNRA, so trade in your 10 weight for a pair of binoculars and revel in the beauty of these well-traveled fish.

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Video: Grouse hunting in Idaho go to article

Beauty and the basin: Check out Idaho's Copper Basin go to article

Copper Basin at the base of the Pioneer and White Knob mountains east of Sun Valley between Idaho 75 and U.S. 93 encompasses hundreds of square miles of mountain streams, peaks, sagebrush and forest.

Zimo: Graham road a challenge to drive - and a chore to fix go to article

Unique backcountry road closed by washout