LARAMIE - A group of 31 Laramie artists will transform a local hotel into a series of small art galleries the weekend of Nov. 15-16.

The artists have booked an entire wing of the Ramada Center Hotel - originally the Holiday Inn - south of Interstate 80 at Third Street. They will convert 22 rooms into mini-galleries showing sculpture, photography, jewelry, multi-media works and paintings of all sorts, according to Ken Driese and Tony Guzzo, two of the artists participating in the event.

Some of the larger sculpture pieces will be displayed in an atrium area at the hotel, and rooms will also be available for hospitality, snacks and purchasing art works.

After an invitation-only opening Friday night, the galleries will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Nov. 15 and 1 to 5 p.m. on Nov. 16.

Entitled "Touchstone Laramie," the event is a reprise of a similar show two years ago.

"That event was very successful," Driese said. "People really enjoyed exploring all of the artist's rooms, socializing and having a chance to see some of the art that is produced in Laramie. It's very festive and a good way to kick off the holiday season and do some shopping for Christmas."

Driese, a photographer, said the group hopes to invigorate the art scene in Laramie and attract art enthusiasts from around the state.

Jerry Glass and Linda Lillegraven are two of the better-known artists who will be showing works, Guzzo said.

Guzzo himself will be showing 20 pieces including paintings in pastel and oil as well as sculpture in stone and bronze. His wife Sandra will share his 'gallery' and show about a dozen paintings, mostly in watercolor.

Guzzo said the Albany County Tourism Bureau and the Wyoming Arts Council are among numerous private and public contributors to the project.