By Jim Speirs, Executive Director, Arts South Dakota
One of the missions of Arts South Dakota is to remind people about the artists living in large and small communities across our state creating powerful and exciting new art. There’s no better way to introduce those artists to their neighbors than through the eyes of another artist—filmmaker Dalton Coffey.
Dalton’s first collection of short films sponsored by the South Dakota Arts Council and Arts South Dakota was so popular that we turned him loose to find new faces and new art to showcase in Panorama Series II, now available at artsouthdakota.org. Those encounters—after months of searching and “stumbling” onto fascinating South Dakota artists—resulted in five new short films, each a statement about discovery and the power of listening.
What makes Dalton Coffey films so interesting is the sense of wonder and creativity he brings to the craft. As you will see in his artist’s statement attached to the new films on our website, Dalton approaches each subject with an open mind, ready to listen and learn. That freshness makes it possible for each film to spotlight a unique individual and provide a look inside the creation of South Dakota art. We don’t pick the subjects or lock Dalton into any parameters, we just ask him to turn his cameras on the arts in South Dakota and make films people want to see—and Dalton’s vision does the rest.
We think you’ll be captivated by Morgan Fields, Jeff Paul, Sheldon Starr, Erin Murtha and Tim Rickett, the five artists introduced in Panorama Series II. We hope their stories—and Dalton’s images—serve as reminders of the vibrancy and diversity of the arts in South Dakota and their importance to our cultural future.
To watch Panorama Series II and learn more about the work of South Dakota artists, please visit https://artssouthdakota.org/panorama/.
