Featured Artist Interviews
2023
2022
2021
D-Vo describes his comedic style as entering into a “mind-state”, in which he connects with the audience, and expresses his perspectives on situations and experiences. Whether he’s pulling crowd-sourced paper slips from hats at the Wood Ear, or making awkward eye contact with audience members on the Big Sur stage, D-Vo always thinks on his feet to spin a joke.
2020
Mary Kenez owns and operates Kamruz Gallery, which sells photography, local paintings, and gifts. Much of the photography is her own, such as the beloved Gondogola series, images of local landscapes, and more! Read her interview below to learn what Mary has been up to these past few months.
Growing up in the Front Range of Colorado in a loving and supporting family, creativity and the outdoors was never far away from Michael Mowery. He has always been interested in photography, but took a different path in life and became a software engineer (aka logic poem writer). Telluride has been Michael's home since 2004, and he is inspired daily by the amazing creativity and talent here in the Telluride Arts District.
In addition to being a huge plant nerd and outdoor recreationalist, Laura Vallo has been busy rediscovering her love of painting. Laura graduated from Kansas State University with a Masters in Landscape Architecture and a minor in Horticulture. She moved to Colorado Springs after graduation but still needed more mountains, ultimately leading her to Telluride. Unfortunately, after a wrist injury in June 2019, she had been avoiding anything artistic since drawing and writing for long periods of time left her hand cramped. However, with a lot of newfound free time, Laura decided to let go of expectations and ease back into painting. To her surprise, she has found that holding a brush with a lighter grip allows her to paint for much longer, so Laura has been embracing the cathartic energy of creating art!
2019
2018
2017
Longtime local, Art Goodtimes, has been a staple in the Telluride community not only as a former County Commissioner for San Miguel County but as a poet and writer. Art serves as the Master of Ceremonies and poet laureate of the Telluride Mushroom Festival. Additionally, Art is the Founder and Director of Talking Gourds. In 2010, he was named the first Western Slope Poet Laureate at the first annual Karen Chamberlain Poetry Festival in Carbondale. Art's multitude of literary accomplishments also includes longtime journalist and editor for Telluride Watch and Cortez’s Four Corners Free Press, as well as poetry editor of several publications, including Fungi magazine, Mountain Gazette, Wild Earth, and more.
Valerie Madonia has lived her life through dance. At four years old she began ballet lessons, which eventually led to a 20-year professional dancing career. She has been a part of noble dance companies such as the National Ballet of Canada, the American Ballet Theatre, and the Joffrey Ballet, and performed throughout the Rocky Mountains + Southwestern Colorado with her own project based company, Alpine Dance. She has appeared in six PBS Dance in America Specials and is featured in four dance books.
Anton Viditz-Ward has been a Telluride resident for over 20 years. A welder by trade he is also a trained architect and artist. He is the founder and manager of Deep Creek Experimental, an artist collective operating out of a decommissioned limestone mine just outside of town. He has brought to life this giant hole in the earth repurposing it for storage, studios, and event space. Here he works on his steel-welded, human-powered, kinetic sculptures and other projects.
Abby Fox is a Colorado native who earned a BFA in printmaking and BA in Spanish at Colorado State University. After graduating, she taught art, ate papusas, and climbed volcanoes in Latin America for 18 months, before landing in Telluride. In her eight years here, she has taught art and Spanish to a variety of ages, and currently teaches at Telluride Mountain School. Abby is also studying at Western Colorado State University, and will graduate in 2018 with a Master of Arts in Education. She prioritizes printmaking and backpacking in her free time, and completed a solo thru-hike of the 500-mile Colorado trail last summer.
Craig Childs is an author, performer, traveler, and science writer. He received his minor in Women's Studies from the University of Colorado, along with a less useful but appreciated major in Journalism. His masters degree is in Desert Studies from Prescott College, Arizona, where he remains the only student to have received that particular degree. He has written more than a dozen books in the walker writer tradition, his style narrative, the topics scientific and adventurous. He currently lives outside of Norwood.
Greta Neumann originally grew up near Chicago, IL. She received her BFA in sculptural ceramics from the University of South Florida in 2006. She spent time after graduation teaching children's art classes in Western North Carolina as well as learning the craft of throwing pottery. She uses techniques such as slip-casting and paper-clay sculpting, and themes from nature are widely present. Prior to moving to Telluride in 2012 she spent four years living in Argentina and Europe. She currently teaches ceramics at Ah Haa School for the Arts.
Matt Adams studied art at the University of Colorado, apprenticed at Moravian Pottery and Tile Works and then went on to receive an MFA in ceramics from the Rhode Island School of Design. Before moving to Telluride last December, Matthew lived in Taos, New Mexico, making art and teaching clay at the University of New Mexico for the past 15 years.
Flair Robinson is a Telluride-based mixed media and mosaic artist working primarily with ceramic tile, hand-cut glass, and recycled materials. She is informally educated, collecting knowledge from the traditional to the unusual, and is most influenced by visionary, self-taught and outsider art.
2016
This month we feature southern transplant Adam Carlos. As a graphite pencil portrait artist, Adam Carlos’ drawings are highly detailed and large in scale. He prides himself on realistic works which accurately reflect and capture the spirit of his subject, whether it be a child, a prize-winning Thoroughbred or a Telluride vista.
This month we feature Pepper Raper, Telluride Arts’ newest employee. Pepper moved to Telluride in 2011 sight unseen seeking a mountain town with a strong community and music scene. Immediately she found herself enthralled with our busy little community and hasn’t looked back since.
This month we feature dancers Danielle Jenkins and Stephanie Osan, who are on the brink of debuting their project, The Way Between. This original show is funded in part by the Telluride Arts' Small Grants for Artists program, and so with great pleasure, we ask them a little about themselves and their favorite things.
This month we feature an artist couple, happily married Allie and Nathan Scherich. To shake things up a bit, we asked them to answer the questions for each other to just how well they know their spouse. But first a little background from Allie.
Elissa feels lucky to call Telluride home (but don't we all!). She moved here in 2008. Came to ski, stayed for the library, the famous WPL bumper sticker was actually based on her life. She did stay for what the library represents, which to her is the curiosity, kindness, and creativity of all the unique souls that make up the vibrant Telluride community. She was introduced to slam poetry in college and has been writing ever since. Recently, she was selected as the poet laureate of San Miguel County. In her free time, she enjoys performing with Telluride Theatre and is also an avid mountain biker, rock and ice climber, rafter and skier. When she grows up, she hopes to be a river otter.
Her advice to fellow artists, "Hang out with kiddos more often, its my favorite way to get inspired. Their perspective is as fresh as morning dew glistening on the hindquarters of a voluptuous marmot damsel basking in the sunlight of another new day. Also, believe in yourself, that's the hard part, don't ever say anything negative about yourself in your head or out loud. Life's too short for that nonsense."
Here is Haiku to You with Elissa Dickson.
This month we feature the brilliant life and spirit of Elaine Fischer. She graced the presence of Telluride Arts not only by serving as a powerful and dedicated board member, but also by frequenting her studio at the Stronghouse. Taking a break from her painting only to have a quick lunch and read the Daily Planet, she was daily inspiration to all our staff and fellow artists.
Stash moved to Telluride in 1992 after a serendipitous series of events that included, getting laid-off, the Blizzard of Aahhh's and an in-flight magazine. Ten years later he had his first film in Mountainfilm. Twenty-four years later you can still find him here, skiing, biking, heading up operations at Mountainfilm and just being, well… cool. If you know him, you love him. When I asked Stash what his favorite thing about the Telluride community was, his answer as poignant and introspective. “Telluride is bigger than it is. It has a large impact for being such a small town.” He was speaking simply of the brilliant minds that create here, the thriving community that survives here, and the unpretentious identity that Telluride maintains even as it grows and changes.
Sasha is a Telluride staple. Her passion for Theatre and the arts have brought a vibrancy and excitement to our community that concurrently bled its way into our hearts and the hearts of anyone who has experienced one of her productions. Actress, director, screenwriter, she is a woman of many talents. This month, we are excited to highlight Sasha and dig up a bit from her past.
Here is, “For the First and Last Time!” with Sasha Sullivan.
Robert moved to Telluride in '77 because he thought it would be a great place to raise a couple of kids. Today, he not only paints regularly in his own studio but also claims to receive more gratification all the time from the privilege of teaching painting at the Ah Haa School. Quite to those he just meets, but boisterous in personality and life, we want to know, “What inspires you most?”
Catherine Frank is fabulous. Jet-setter, fashionista, successful business woman, and artist. She’s does it all and then some. She moved to Telluride in 1993 from Denver after many wild and joyous visits to Telluride to visit her ski-bum girlfriends. Shortly after moving here, she opened Studio Frank, which is now celebrating 20 years of successful design and a killer staff.
And so naturally, what we want to know from Catherine is… “What are some of you favorite things?”
Patty Denny is a busy lady. Between owning and growing her own business and occasional troubles with peanut butter mousse, we are lucky to get a moment of her time to ask a few questions. This month, not only is she our featured artist, but will also be making time to host a chocolate tasting class at the Ah Haa School for the Arts in which she will share chocolate from her favorite chocolatiers, including a number of famous chocolate companies found on prestigious “best chocolate company” lists. Yum!
Here is 10 minutes with Patty Denny. Owner and head chocolatier of Telluride Truffle.
2015
Kevin is the Stronghouse Studios resident student artist, taking advantage of Telluride Arts' Studios for Students program. In his past two years making art in his elevator studio, we have watched him grow and develop as an artist, have his first solo show at the Stronghouse in 2015, and most recently, launch an apparel line. This month, we are proud to feature him as our December artist (and are super excited about his new clothing designs!).
Here is... FILLING IN THE BLANKS. With Kevin Pashayan.
Ashley is a long-time Telluride local, who you have most likely seen on stage with Telluride Theater, listened to on KOTO, or bumped into on the streets talking history with large groups of people rocking a sweet cowboy hat. There are many reasons to love Ashley, and if you don’t know time, well, it’s him you do.
Katy first came to Telluride the winter after she graduated from college to be a ski bum for a winter. She then returned a couple summers later for a summer season, which is when she first learned about the Telluride AIDS Benefit. Katy donated clothing to the benefit for a couple years and then was hired as their Choregrapher for two and Director for 4. And from there, she's ended up being in Telluride the majority of her time over the past two years. Katy transitioned from acting (where her favorite job was being Tina Fey's double on 30 Rock) into wood working and this town seemed like a good fit.
David Holbrooke has been in and around Telluride since 1988 when he first came to visit with his father and brother. He recalls, ”We drove through a snowstorm from Grand Junction in a Buick LeSabre on Christmas night pulling in around 3am without our luggage since it was lost. Loved this place ever since…”
Many of us know David as Festival Director for Mountainfilm or that tall guy riding around on his fat bike. But you should also know David as a filmmaker, and for his new documentary, The Diplomat. Currently, he is busy getting the film out on the festival circuit. After he gets the documentary out to the world, he plans to see what it would be like to have just one job for a while.
New to town but already jumping right into the arts in Telluride, Carlin Power is making waves. You might recognize him from this year's sold out Shakespeare in the Park on the Town Park stage.
Haven't met him yet? Well, luckily, he's filling in some of the blanks for us.
SLURP duo Brittany Hale and Trang Pham are taking Telluride by storm, one Phở cup at a time. But, who are they and where did they come from? And what is Phở anyway?
Julie just recently created the awards for this year's Mountainfilm festival and stays busy showing her works across town and throughout the states. She moved to Telluride from Houston in 1985, purchasing a gallery and frame shop with her partner at the time. The shop sold 17 years later allowing Julie to pursue her primary goal as a sculptor. Julie calls the Ah Haa School her second home and you can find her teaching, exhibiting, programming and hanging at the school with her artistic family. She stayed in Telluride, for as her father put it, “Honey, I think you have finally found your element”.
And so, what better to ask the one and only Julie McNair than... "What is your favorite?"
Ben Knight hardly needs an introduction. And although he now calls Salida his home, he will forever be a Telluride artist in our eyes. For those of you who haven't had the chance to know and love Ben, we hope at least you have had the opportunity to check out his latest film, Damnation. If not, stream it now on Netflix!
In the meantime, here is a little bit of THIS OR THAT, with Ben Knight.
Telluride Arts is excited to announce our newest Exhibits and Events Manager, Austin Halpern! After interning with us in 2017 and exhibiting his work at the HQ Gallery in 2018, we're excited to have him back on our team. Austin recently graduated from Colorado College with a degree in Film and Media Studies, and is a talented photographer. Find his photographic work at his website or Instagram.