FEATURED ARTIST: Caitlin Sappington

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Caitlin Sappington is an emerging artist and designer behind Disco Swell’s growing custom hat and apparel brand. Disco Swell was born on California’s coast and raised in Telluride. As CEO, Caitlin is creating her own genre unifying coastal and mountain culture.

 Drawing inspiration from her love for California’s 70’s Golden Era, each hat is made with soul and nostalgia sewn into the seams.

 Professionally trained in millinery and western cowboy hats, her expertise established in both trades ensures that each hat lasts for generations. Caitlin uses tried and true traditional handcrafted methods - from hat blocks, sewing in sweatbands, and shaping.

 She is a purveyor of the highest quality, creating wearable art that withstands the elements. Each custom piece is one-of-a-kind and serves as a canvas for her unique art.

We asked Caitlin a few questions…

What is your chosen artistic medium?

Wearable Art. Artisan bespoke custom hats and handmade jewelry hat bands that are built for mountain, river, and sea.

What are you currently working on?

Opening the Disco, a pop-up custom hat bar and local art gallery as a part of Society Telluride downtown on Main St. The Disco opens Mountain Film Weekend, Friday, May 24th.  

If you could have a conversation with one artist, alive or deceased, who would it be and why?

David Bowie. He was a driving force behind cultivating authentic community through inclusivity in his work and fluid style, which is what I strive for with Disco Swell. Disco Swell’s mantra “Wear Fluid  Art” is a nod to his song “Rebel, Rebel.”

What are your prep or practice rituals to get you into the artistic headspace?

Listening to vinyl and looking through vintage photographs from musicians on tour or style icons traveling back in the day. Admiring retro colorways, abstract patterns and free-spirited style bring me to a place of creating art rather than a product.  

Tell us about any upcoming events, releases, or anticipated projects!

Collaborating with Brooke Einbender of Mindbender Art and Alex Ferrari. Disco Swell is featuring one of Brooke Einbender’s mind-bending portals in its pop-up custom hat bar and art gallery, the Disco. This portal artwork is a digital collage, titled “Suspended on a Sunbeam.” In addition to showcasing this piece, the Disco will be featuring a photo series by photographer, Alex Ferrari for its grand opening this coming May.

FEATURED ARTIST: Warren Gilbreath

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Warren Gilbreath is originally from Tennessee and moved to Telluride in 2016 to chase a childhood dream of living in the box canyon. Warren plays a variety of instruments from banjo to electric guitar. As a 2023 Telluride Arts and Augment Music Grant recipient, he released his first EP, Commuter Rock: Music For Your Drive To Work. From Traditional to Experimental, his broad musical influences and willingness to explore textures with loops and effect pedals are showcased in his live performances.

We asked Warren a few questions…

What is your chosen artistic medium?

I've wanted to be a rockstar since Kindergarten, and the electric guitar would be my vehicle to play in-front of tens of thousands of fans at Madison Square Garden. While that hasn't happened, I've learned a variety of stringed instruments and can fake it on most of them. Except the violin. Atrocious. 

What are you currently working on?

I just released my first EP called "Commuter Rock - Music For Your Drive To Work" and preparing for a proper album release at Telluride Arts on 3/28 with my band, Atari Safari. Everything was written, performed, mixed, and recorded by myself in my home studio, and my friend Brett Neuman did the mastering. It was a lot of work, but hearing the response has been super rewarding. Physical copies are available through my website (warrengilbreath.com) or stream it where ever you stream music. I still have about 30+ originals that need to find their way into the recording studio. We'll see what happens

If you could have a conversation with one artist, alive or deceased, who would it be and why?

For those that know me, it may come as no surprise I would have loved to hang out in the Heartbreaker's Clubhouse with Tom Petty. Along with Paul McCartney, Petty was my first musical idol. His ease of writing songs and crafting hooks is what making music is all about for me. I love the songwriting process, and to pick his brain would be a dream come true. Check out the many documentaries that exist on the internet, and you'll see how he can pull a song out of nowhere. That dude is as close to a real magician as it gets. He also seems like a super cool dude, that would be fun to burn some reefer with, geek out on guitars and jam some tunes. I miss Tom Petty everyday.

What are you reading/watching/ or listening to?

Reading: Fretboard Journal and Emails

Watching: Spring Training Baseball, Curb Your Enthusiasm

Listening: Oh man... all kinds of stuff. Lately.... The Mermen, Tuatara, Tortoise, Brian Jonestown Massacre, Neu!, Bernard Purdie, Hailu Mergia, Fiona Apple, Nels Cline, Boygenius, Yo La Tengo, Richard Stoltzman, Wes Anderson Soundtracks. KOTO. I've really been enjoying Wilco's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot Super Deluxe Box set. I love outtakes, b-sides, and alternate takes. I've always been intrigued by the process. The Wildflowers Box Set. Beatles Anthologies. Go to Telluride Music, and check out the vinyl selection.... basically that.

What was a growth moment or barrier breaking realization for you?

In 8th Grade I discovered the Buena Vista Social Club. That's when I realized I will never be the next Stevie Ray Vaughan, and that that is OK. There are thousands of guitarists that can do that better than I ever will. So, why do I want to sound like someone else? You don't have to be "good" at your instrument to be "good". What is "good", anyway? Why do I care if people think I am "good"? Kurt Cobain wasn't a "good" guitar player. Willie Nelson got kicked out of Nashville for being a "bad" singer. It's more about passion and confidence. Not saying that the players on BVSC aren't good, they are phenomenal! But, the realization that you don't have to be played on the radio or MTV to be a successful artist came from that album. Make art for yourself, and if other people like it, great. If they don't, who cares.

What are your prep or practice rituals to get you into the artistic headspace?

None. I have some tricks to help me get out of the "Three Chord Rut" or navigate writer's block, but I firmly believe that songs/melodies are just kind of floating around, and its my job as an artist/musician to be aware when the moment strikes and capture it. Sometimes it's in the car (Commuter Rock, anyone?), the shower, hiking, sitting on the couch, or in the middle of another song. Petty talks about that a lot. About how you have to be open to whatever the universe is trying to tell you. Sometimes the song presents itself, and those are usually the best ones.

What is your secret talent?

I am great at skipping laundry.

FEATURED ARTIST: Ashley Shupp

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Ashley is a long-time Telluride local. She graduated from Telluride in 2005 and then went to school for graphic design at the Art Institute. Her husband, two kids, and her live on Deep Creek Mesa raising horses, chickens, dogs, ducks, and a smuggled cat from Hawaii. 

She had been creating chalkboards and the occasional design piece here and there. In November 2023, a friend of hers named Lorena taught her how to make a simple pair of joggers and her mind just went running. Since November, she has upcycled dozens of joggers from old quilts, created her own pattern for long hooded jackets, and has since created over 20+ upcycled quilt jackets. 

When Ashley was in art school, she remembers seeing all the fashion kids displaying their pieces in the hallways. She said, “I remember thinking if I ever learn how to make clothes I'm going to show this fashion students how it's done.” Fast forward 15 years later, she is preparing for her first-ever fashion show line for TAB. Everything in the line has been upcycled. “It's ignited a passion in me and I've never been more in love with sewing”.

Ashley is looking forward to tackling new designs in the future and being a part of the slow fashion movement. 

Telluride Arts asked Ashley a few questions…

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE QUOTE OR SAYING?

"Well shit, I can't believe that worked". I say this all the time when making an article of clothing that I haven't done before. 

WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO?

Listening to Jungle, they are by far my favorite band and their music videos are insane. 

WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY WORK ON?

Lots of custom quilt jackets and lately I've been working on upcycled hockey jerseys. 

WHAT IS YOUR CHOSEN ARTISTIC MEDIUM?

Upcycling clothing followed by custom chalkboards. 

WHAT IS YOUR SECRET TALENT?

I'm good with kids and animals. 

WHAT WAS A GROWTH MOMENT OR BARRIER-BREAKING REALIZATION FOR YOU?

I remember right after Kim Lake started Camp Bird she said she wished she had done it sooner. In my mind, I thought making clothes would be so hard so I put it off for years. Kim's words were a huge influence for me to start creating. 

Instagram: Fox + Stag Creations

Website: www.foxstage.com

FEATURED ARTIST: Leticia Reza Carillo

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Leticia Reza was born in San Andres Chaminata, in the state of Jalisco, Mexico. She learned the Wixarika art form from her parents, as they did from their ancestors. Leticia’s mom taught her that Wixarika art is created to represent the collective memory of a people and to express the vital energy of their religion through abstract designs using colorful yarns and beads. 

Leticia moved to Telluride in 2010 and has been an active part of the community ever since. Starting in 2022, Leticia began to show Telluride the beauty of her art and her culture through her handmade, Wixarika art.

Telluride Arts asked Leticia a few questions…

Why do you make jewelry?

Because I like it, I entertain myself!

If you could have a conversation with any artist, living or dead, who would it be?

It would confidently be Frida Kahlo. I like the art of painting!

What keeps you engaged when creating art?

Well, I really like the colors when I'm making a necklace. I'm very happy with how the colors turn out, that motivates me!

Do you prefer summer or winter?

I like summer!

Where can someone buy your jewelry?

People can find me in Mountain Village in the summer at the market. Also, my jewelry is on Facebook at “Artesanía Original Wixarika.” You can also email me at leticiarezacarillo56@gmail.com.

FEATURED ARTIST: Josie George

Josie is a watercolor artist and design enthusiast. She grew up in Baltimore, Maryland where she first started her artistic journey as a young student at the Mitchell School of Fine Art where she took classes after school and sports. Josie completed her undergraduate degree at Johns Hopkins University, and then moved to Washington, DC where she continued her watercolor education at the Washington Studio School in the evenings. A few years later, Josie relocated to Colorado and lived in Denver and Frisco before settling into Telluride.

Art has been a passion and a hobby that she always came back to in some form or another whether it was making a personal birthday card for a friend, illustrating a wedding venue, or designing her family's Christmas card. Over the years, Josie says that art has presented in various ways to ground her in a particular moment or experience. Since moving to Colorado, those moments have become even more frequent as she finds inspiration by getting out into the landscape and enjoying the dramatic seasonal changes. Josie finds art all around her and decided to start a studio to help others find art around them, too. 

We asked Josie a few questions…

What is your chosen artistic medium?

Watercolor, and I'm just starting to explore into gouache. 

What are you currently working on?

Currently working on several venue illustrations for wedding invitations and a few home portraits. I'm also very excited about a project to create a map of my grade school in Maryland for an upcoming alumni event. 

If you could have a conversation with one artist, alive or deceased, who would it be and why?

I am a big fan of Jill Richie, a watercolor artist in Alaska who paints her environmental observations in plein air for conservation efforts. I also love Jenny Bloomfield's whimsical dog sketches. 

What is your favorite quote or saying?

"Paint what you see" - I always try to remember this because our instincts tell us to paint what we want to see, rather than what is actually there. For example, you would expect that snow should be white, and shadows should be gray, and dogs should have two ears. In reality, painting all the colors we see creates a more complete experience, and leaving out the ear that is tucked away will evoke a truer representation of the moment. I try to remember this when I get stuck. 

Tell us about any upcoming events, releases, or anticipated projects?

My artwork is printed on greeting cards at Bruno/Between the Covers, Crossbow, and Flowers by Ella & Lollie. Check out my website josiegeorgedesigns.com or my Instagram (@josiegeorgedesigns) for any upcoming events!

FEATURED ARTIST: Kim Lake

I am a milliner. I make one-of-a-kind, heirloom quality hats by hand using traditional hat making techniques. I didn’t grow up knowing I wanted to become a milliner, it just sort of found me. Hat making is a perfect medium for me since it blends the skills I have gained throughout my lifetime. I have worked with textiles in fashion and interior design, I am a painter, photographer, jeweler and sculptor. I believe dressing is a form of self-expression, and I enjoy helping others curate their own personal style. I am fortunate to live in Telluride, CO and I draw much of my inspiration from my surroundings. Nothing can compare to the colors and textures found in nature. I live in one of the most beautiful places in the world and I am the most creative after spending time on my bike in the summer or skis in the winter. I am grateful for the opportunity to express my creativity by making beautiful hats every day.

What are you currently working on?

I am producing a winter readymade hat collection. These are hats you can walk in and try on and purchase. They are completely handmade in my studio and represent a wide range of styles I like to make, from traditional western, to western fused with modern finish work, to modern styles with a bit of whimsy. I am really enjoying letting my creativity take over.

What was a growth moment or barrier breaking realization for you?

When I started my company, I was working out of a small rental house. I didn’t have a storefront; I was not in a commercial district. I didn’t know how clients were going to find me or if I was going to need to sell my hats to stores. My business took off so quickly and so many people wanted what I was making, I was blown away. I realized quickly that I was going to be successful. I also realized my company is all about me and the authenticity of what I am making. My reputation is my work and I will never compromise my quality to make more hats. Most hats are made in overseas factories and shaped in front of clients. What I am making is truly different.

What are your prep or practice rituals to get you into the artistic headspace?

I like to wake up and look at my day as a whole. I need time in nature. I like to have flexibility built into my day for a bike ride or a few hours skiing. I also need to get dressed everyday. I’m not going to leave the house for work in leggings or sweatpants. I believe in presenting myself as a professional. Plus, I think getting dressed is fun.

What is your favorite quote or saying?

It’s kind of funny that I can’t easily answer this question. I ask clients to come up with an inscription or mantra for the inside of their hatband. When asked this, I don’t have one favorite. For me, I think it needs to have some humor.

FEATURED ARTIST: Edith Willey

Hi, I'm Edith! I moonlight as a visual artist when I'm not surrounding myself with other peoples' creations at the gallery where I work (MiXX projects + atelier). I love oil painting and every form of drawing, but I've dipped my toe in everything from fiber art to large-scale installation pieces. I (usually) love the act of making things, but my favorite thing about being an artist is being able to connect with other people. I like to make things that are funny, especially with the aim of lightening the impact of some of the heavy or shitty things I (and lots of others) sometimes deal with. If my work can make you laugh - or at least make a weird face - I feel like I've succeeded. 

What is your chosen artistic medium?

I've done a little bit of everything, and I like to stay open to experimenting with new things, but oil painting and drawing are the two big ones I always come back to. Even when I do work with other media, my projects almost always begin with drawing. It's a great creative exercise to revisit a medium you've worked with for years and years and continually try to pull something new and exciting from it. 

If you could have a conversation with one artist, alive or deceased, who would it be and why?

I don't know, one of the really rich ones? That's the kind of scam I need to get in on.

What are your prep or practice rituals to get you into the artistic headspace?

More often than not, I don't have a super hard time finding inspiration, but the process of actually starting something new usually feels a little daunting to me. I find it really helpful to break down the task ahead of me before getting started, and then identify whatever the easiest first steps are. Then if I know that all I have to do to get going is google reference images, or clear off my workspace, or nail down the palette I want to work with, it's not so overwhelming to ease myself into the process, and before I know it I've already made it to the third step.

What is your secret talent?

I'm really good at crossword puzzles. It's not a cool one. I have to work very hard to remember things like my family's birthdays or when I need to renew my car registration, but my brain is like flypaper for random, generally useless trivia.

What is your favorite quote or saying?

I don't have an all-time favorite, but I've been spending a lot of time this year with the Joan Didion quote "We tell ourselves stories in order to live." It's about the human impulse to create narratives about the world around us - and especially its harsher, more difficult aspects - in order to try to draw meaning from an existence that can easily slip into feeling chaotic and senseless. It's been really good food for thought during a difficult moment in my life. It also has a very fun second life on the internet as a straightforward, loving send-up of books and fiction, which I love. I don't know that Didion would have found this as charming and funny as I do, but I also don't think she spent a lot of time on Pinterest, so she probably had no idea anyway.

Check out Edith’s website here!

FEATURED ARTIST: Julie McNair

Julie McNair grew up in Louisiana and Texas and studied sculpture at North Texas State University and the University of Wyoming. Julie taught ceramics and sculpture at Mississippi State University until 1983. In Houston, TX, she worked as the Director of the Art League of Houston.

She moved to Telluride, CO in 1985 and operated her own gallery until 2003. Julie has been involved with the Ah Haa School as staff, instructor and volunteer since 1991 and framed for Telluride Gallery until recently. Julie has been featured and represented by numerous galleries over the Southwest United States and in Texas.

While her expertise is multi-faceted, her work of recent has been in clay sculpture with mixed multi-media. Her human-like figures often come to express ironic, personal, humorous and universal themes, but are always done with a magic that defines the work.

We asked Julie a few questions:

What is your chosen artistic medium?

Clay is my preferred medium because it lends itself to my intuitive creative process. “The clay literally guides me and takes me someplace new. Generally the work becomes a puzzle for me to solve.” Once the form is created and fired, then it is a blank canvas without a clear narrative. It is in the finishing that everything comes together. I incorporate some glazing with oil pigments, acrylics, stolen ink (gel medium transfers), graphite, Prisma colors, fire and anything that might create an interesting effect.

What was a growth moment or barrier breaking realization for you?

My latest series is different in a number of ways. Originally working in bronze and aluminum and using patinas, I would try to do the same with clay, always tarnishing the finish with a torch and combustible materials. Now the mixed media finishes are bright and playful. While I love the very grounded feel of the larger standing figures, the newest work hangs on the wall. As a sculptor, I was working as large as my kiln would allow. I am comfortable offering these more detailed, intimate figures. Additionally, instead of being motivated by a discomfort between man and nature, the latest series has a more harmonious union.

What keeps you engaged and moving forward?

I have been a working artist for 45 years and I cannot image life without the creative process. It is the greatest gift in my life! Not to discount the multitude of influences and people in my life, in the studio it’s just me and the materials and the desire to explore something I’ve never seen before. Sometimes the energy that flows through me is quite a rush! 

What are your prep or practice rituals to get you into the artistic head space?

I start by grounding and allow ideas, words and images to flow. Next I attempt simple sketches to see physically how things might work together. Once I have a notion of a direction, I begin forming in clay and allow the clay to help define my concept.

If you could have a conversation with one artist, alive or deceased, who would it be and why?

I have long appreciated the work of Patti Warashina and actually attended a workshop of hers in 1977. I was still working in bronze in those days but was later hired by Mississippi State to run their ceramic program and create a sculpture program. Never receiving money for the foundry, I became a clay artist. Patti Warashina’s work has always inspired me with her intricate details and narrative story telling. I would love to learn more of her techniques.

FEATURED ARTIST: JOANNA YONDER

Joanna Yonder (she/her) is a public librarian, working writer, and nondenominational ordained minister. She also lives as caretaker on a 200-acre ranch outside of Telluride, CO, where she communes with the mountains, a sizable garden, bees, livestock, and no small parliament of great horned owls.  Joanna came to this corner of the wild west following a fierce love of climbing ice and rock, and stayed to work at Telluride’s library. She is currently the Poet Laureate of San Miguel County.

Joanna found poetry at a very young age, when she realized it gave her freedom. She’s been chasing that ever since. We asked Joanna a few questions:

WHAT IS YOUR CHOSEN ARTISTIC MEDIUM?  

Words. Primarily. 

WHAT ARE YOU READING/WATCHING/OR LISTENING TO?

As a librarian, I'm always bringing home books that rotate through my nightstand stack. I'm currently reading an unexpectedly great meditation on seasonal change by British gardener Marc Hamer—Seed to Dust—and also bell hooks' All About Love: New Visions.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE AWKWARD GROWTH MOMENT OR BARRIER-BREAKING TIME? 

Honestly, I'm in it! Being selected as our county poet laureate has been a huge honor and I also try to talk about the impostor syndrome that comes with it. This role has been enormously expanding and joyful and intimidating by turns. I've presented at least two public poetry projects since January of 2022, and you know what I've learned? I love being on stage, sharing or publishing writing—but even more, I love to pass the mic. I love to help facilitate other folks' journey into expressing themselves. It's been a revolution!

WHAT KEEPS YOU ENGAGED AND MOVING FORWARD? 

I'm amazed by the ways our community evolves and shifts over time. Working at the library, I have the privilege to collaborate constantly with so many individuals, nonprofits, social institutions, and other creators who shape our spaces every day. It makes me really proud and grateful to do work here. 

Also, on that topic, I really celebrate being a working writer: it's by no means my paid job to be a poet or to write. All my other work—as a librarian, as a community social organizer, as a facilitator, and as a caretaker & rancher—deeply informs what I write. Even if someday in the future I could make it my full-time practice to write, I would still want to be working in other realms. It keeps me out of the vacuum, you know? 

TELL US ABOUT YOUR CURRENT AND UPCOMING EVENTS, RELEASES, OR ANTICIPATED PROJECTS! 

I'm amped for the annual Mycolicious, Mycoluscious, Mycological Poetry Show, a collaboration between the Mushroom Festival, Talking Gourds Poetry Program, and the Wilkinson Public Library. That's coming up this Friday 8/18 at the Sheridan Opera House, and it's always a beautiful show featuring writers & performers from all over the nation & world. We'll celebrate nature, fungi, and their relationship with humanity. If you love the spoken word, the natural world, and a rowdy time with amazing and creative minds, then come stomp and clap and yodel with us!

I'm also working on an online space where more of my poetry, prose and performances can be found. My website, wordswesterly.org, will be live very soon, where I'll be publishing never-before-shared works, old works and excerpts from my yet-to-be-published desert lovers' book. Fun stuff like that. 

FEATURED ARTIST: Alex Ferrari

WHAT IS YOUR CHOSEN ARTISTIC MEDIUM? 

Photography and Video

WHAT ARE YOU READING/WATCHING/OR LISTENING TO? (FEEL FREE TO PICK ONE)

Most recently, Captain Fantastic. A few friends recommended it to me so I watched, and then I watched it again. One of my favorite films I’ve seen in a while. Another great film I recently watched is “Playtime”: a comedy by Jacques Tati made in 1967. I also binged “Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories” on Netflix the other week and it’s been inspiring my cooking as of late.

IF YOU COULD HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH ONE ARTIST, ALIVE OR DECEASED, WHO WOULD IT BE AND WHY?

I’ve always really loved Sally Mann’s work and her approach to capturing photos. Her photographs are so raw and wildly captivating for me. To maintain the innocence of a subject and scene while still telling a full story in a single frame is, to me, a reflection of the photographer, who they are as a person and how they approach life. With all of that, I think I would really enjoy having a conversation of life and art with Sally. 

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE AWKWARD GROWTH MOMENT OR BARRIER-BREAKING TIME?

I’m in one right now! A little over a year ago I left the industry I had been working in commercially for 10 years and took a leap to find new direction and purpose for my work. It’s been extremely refreshing and has re inspired me in my photography and how I’m viewing the world around me. It’s never easy to change up what you’re doing but for me it has always lead to growth in amazing forms. 

WHAT INSPIRES YOU AND/OR KEEPS YOU ENGAGED AND MOVING FORWARD?

My innate curiosity has always lead me towards where ever I end up ,and, photography is how I know to communicate best. These two traits combined keep me wanting to get out and capture images continuously. 

WHATS ONE OF YOUR FAVORITE PAST PROJECTS OR EVENTS?

I’ve been lucky to work on some incredible projects with many amazing artists and musicians over my time as a photographer and director. One of my all time favorites though would have to be filming a music video for Maren Morris’ “The Bones”. I’ve worked with Maren a lot and she’s always extremely trusting of me to capture something true and authentic. On this project she and the record label set me loose on Maui for a 10 days with a bunch of rolls of film. They really allowed me to make what I felt for the song with out many notes or interjections, which really never happens in the commercial world like that. It was one of the most free and fun projects I’ve ever made. I’m extremely proud of the the final result and how the one and the video pair together.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR CURRENT AND UPCOMING EVENTS, RELEASES, OR ANTICIPATED PROJECTS!

I’m so stoked to be working on a piece for HAHA (July 14-16) with Brandon Berkel. It’s been our main focus since March and I’m so excited to get it out into the world!! Debuting my work in Telluride, in collaboration with an incredible and established Telluride artist, with a piece made specifically for Telluride, is easily the top of the list of anything else I’ve been able to do in my career. 

Beyond this show, I have a few other projects in the beginning stages that will be out towards the end of this year and beginning of next. 

Between now and then my goal is to pick up my camera more often and shoot more intentional portraits and document this time in Telluride. Let’s shoot!

FEATURED ARTIST: Tammi Brazee

Tammi Brazee is a full-time professional artist who creates artwork in series that revolve around various concepts. For June 2023, her series, Tame Your Marmots, is on display at the Telluride Arts HQ West and was funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts and Colorado Creative Industries. For this series, marmots are used as metaphors for self-deception and the unconscious biases and beliefs that drive our behavior.

We asked Tammi a few questions!

What is your chosen artistic medium?

Paint! I use both oil and acrylic but prefer the sensuality of oil paint. I work on stretched canvas and sometimes paper but am beginning to noodle around with digital painting. However, digital painting doesn’t hold the same pleasure for me as pushing and pulling real paint around a canvas so I use a digital medium more out of necessity than desire. Sculpture is also great fun. I enjoy modeling in clay, mold-making, and casting resin. Generally, I’m happy when creating in nearly any medium, and I hope this joy never leaves.

What are you reading/watching/or listening to? (feel free to pick one)

I always have a couple of books going at once, usually one of each, non-fiction and fiction. I’m currently working through Rudolf Arnheim’s Art and Visual Perception, which is about how we psychologically process visual information, and I just started Toni Morrison’s book, Sula. Her mastery of language, narrative, and descriptive finesse is incredible! She’s the literary equivalent of a master painter; she paints with words.

If you could have a conversation with one artist, alive or deceased, who would it be and why?

This is a strange choice for a painter, but I’d like to meet and chat with children’s book author and illustrator, Oliver Jeffers. He began his artistic career as a painter and continues to paint, but he’s best known for his wonderful picture books. They are funny, heartwarming, quirky, and thought-provoking, the kinds of books that adults like to read to their kids. I find it interesting that he’s managed to keep one foot in the Art World and the other in kid’s books and does so with agility and grace. My dog, Ollie, is named after Jeffers.

What is your favorite awkward growth moment or barrier-breaking time?

Ha, that question makes me simultaneously laugh and squirm! Grad school was both awkward and barrier-breaking for me. Weekly critiques by professors and visiting artists were a process of tearing down and rebuilding. It was a time of tremendous artistic growth but having a highly respected artist tell you that your artwork is terrible is extremely awkward! However, it forced me to re-invent myself and lean into failure and criticism. It was both painful and wonderful, and I’m deeply grateful for the amazing people that helped me grow.

What inspires you and/or keeps you engaged and moving forward?

I’m completely enamored with people and how wonderful and weird we are. I constantly poke at the question, “Why do we do that?” and then find ways to express this question visually. Since we humans are so interesting, I’ll never run out of material to explore. I’m not a psychologist because it’s far more interesting for me to ask questions via visual satire expressed through an artistic medium than to seek answers through monotonous research. If I were a psychologist, I’d be far better off financially but wouldn’t be having this much fun.

Tell us about your current and upcoming events, releases, or anticipated projects!

I’m currently re-organizing my business to produce steadier income through e-commerce by offering prints of original paintings and redesigning some of my prior work into graphics for t-shirts and greeting cards. I’m also learning to write and illustrate picture books (hence the desire to meet and chat with Oliver Jeffers).

As far as my next body of work/paintings, I’m not sure. The last year and a half have been extremely busy. I’ve had 4 solo exhibits in thirteen months and have produced a ridiculous amount of artwork in a very short period of time. I needed rest after this massive creative output and took a four-month break from painting. However, new ideas are beginning to surface, and I plan to start painting again in July, so stay tuned!

FEATURED ARTIST: BEN ENG

Ben Eng is a freelance photographer based full-time out of Telluride, CO since 2011 (part-time since 2004). As a graduate of Fort Lewis in nearby Durango with no formal photography training, Ben found his way in life through his camera and a passion for being on snow. Being a product of 90’s snowboarding and skateboarding has influenced the content of Ben’s art as well as the aesthetic. He says, “the intent of this collection is to simply show some of the local pros getting after it in our own backyard.”

IF YOU COULD HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH ONE ARTIST, ALIVE OR DECEASED, WHO WOULD IT BE AND WHY?

Frank Kozik immediately comes to mind since he passed away the other day.

Which artistic media inspires you most?

Illustration and painting. Obviously I have seen a lot of photography in my life that fascinates me, but something about a person being able to conjure up what is in their brain with nothing but a pencil is pretty mind boggling. The more subversive and sardonic, the better; for that reason I have a thing for alot of the artists that were/are intertwined in the skateboarding and music worlds, particularly the ones who emerged in the 80's through mid 90's.

What is your favorite awkward growth moment or barrier-breaking time?

One time in the late 90's while skating, my friend Roger Seliner showed up at the skatepark in some flamboyant manner that I can't recall, but when I said to him something along the lines of "I don't get you," he responded "that's because you're a photographer, not an artist." That was a real punch in the face from an actual artist. So I started trying to understand him. It's been a lifetime project...

What inspires you and/or keeps you engaged and moving forward?

The threat of homelessness. Just kidding (kind of). Snowboarding (and the lifestyle/people) inspires me. Being out in the mountains with those that do it well inspires me to suffer the extra weight in my pack. Generally speaking, almost no one who makes a living as a photographer is an expert on photography, but more an expert on their subject. Would marine wildlife photographer Paul Nicklen have had the career he has if wasn't an actual marine biologist? Probably not.

Tell us about your upcoming events, new releases, or anticipated projects.

I currently have a snowboard/ski show at the Telluride Arts HQ Gallery West through the end of May 2023. Currently nothing concrete beyond that, just unsolidified ideas rattling around in my head.

FEATURED ARTIST: DALLAS LILLICH

Dallas Lillich is a creative director and filmmaker who arrived in Telluride from Brooklyn in June of 2020. A versatile editor across the commercial and avant-garde worlds, his experience with every step of video production, from inception through filming and finishing as a Flame artist, is sought after by national brands.  He is presently preoccupied with shooting high-concept films in Southwest Colorado. 

IF YOU COULD HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH ONE ARTIST, ALIVE OR DECEASED, WHO WOULD IT BE AND WHY?

I’m not sure artists have much to say to each other, but in the interest of having a good time, I would choose Philip Roth. I would like to have witnessed his stand-up routines before they hit the page. Sabbath’s Theater is one of the wildest books I’ve ever read, so I’d start there.

Which artistic media inspires you most?

It’s probably an even split between literature, music, and painting. That’s what I love about working in film: all the art forms come together, and the effect is something other than the sum of its parts. 

What is your favorite awkward growth moment or barrier-breaking time?

I got a job photographing a VIP event at the White House Press Correspondents Dinner during the Obama era. There was a photobooth that printed out red carpet portraits. I thought it was a brilliant idea to make my holiday cards while we waited for the celebrities to arrive. I really went for it. 

Only when the event was well underway did I realize that the photos were also being projected onto a giant screen in random order. I had taken so many ridiculous portraits that the sequence was me, a celebrity, then me, and another celebrity ad infinitum. I figured this was unforgiveable, but the glitterati reacted enthusiastically, and the client was thrilled with the photos. I can’t think of a better example of “fake it ‘til you make it.”

Osama bin Laden was caught the next day, so it all got buried. 

What inspires you and/or keeps you engaged and moving forward?

The environment surrounding Telluride is a perpetual source of energy and fascination – locking into the feeling of the American Southwest fires my imagination. The drive to create imagery I’ve never seen before leads to jamming disparate ideas together until something new bubbles up. Watching it all come together is intoxicating!

Tell us about your upcoming events, new releases, or anticipated projects.

Elena Levin, Stash Wislocki and I recently started a film production company called Tiny Empire. We’ve just wrapped shooting a “Proof of Concept” film that we are confident will attract outdoor brands to work with us here in Telluride. We shot local talent who gave incredible performances, and the result is something gripping and unusual.

I’m equally excited about a character-driven short film idea in the early stages of gestation. 

Aside from that, I’ve spent a fair amount of 2023 trying to combine my love of country music with grunge to create something I’m calling “Crunge” music. 

FEATURED ARTIST: CARLY HODES

Carly Hodes is a contemporary artist who works with paint, paper mache, ceramics, and text. They received their BA in Art Practice from Saint Mary’s College of California in 2022 and have been living and working in Telluride since. They have since been involved in Telluride Theatre and the Telluride AIDs Benefit, performing as an extension to their visual arts practice. Carly currently works as the head youth and teen instructor for visual arts at Ah Haa School for the Arts.

IF YOU COULD HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH ONE ARTIST, ALIVE OR DECEASED, WHO WOULD IT BE AND WHY?

I would converse with Bread and Puppet Theatre’s co-founder and director Peter Schumann. The groups' puppetry-filled, politically-infused performances evoke personal and social reflection. I’d ask him about his philosophy surrounding his folk-inspired puppet works - specifically, I’d like to know how his unique visual language came to fruition and how its surrealist quality reflects the Theatres’ political and social focus. 

Which artistic media inspires you most?

My inspiration fluctuates depending on the media I am working with. If I’m focusing on painting, I look at paintings, mostly those of Philip Guston and Christina Quarles. If I’m making sculptures/puppets, I look at Schumann’s work or relics of Telluride Academy’s own Mudd Butts Mystery Theatre Troupe and the creations of artists Sally Davis, Kim Epifano, and Mike Stasiuk. This constant flow between different mediums offers flexibility in my making process and provides a constant stream of information to pull from. 

What is your favorite awkward growth moment or barrier-breaking time?

Breaking creative barriers occurs in activities outside of my personal art-making. My growth occurs in performance. The purpose of the performer is to embody and confront what hinders their full expression, and embodying this expression as a character transfers into life off of the stage. Though the performer themselves has acted within a world of fiction, it is the essence that they tapped into that the body latches onto as a catalyst for growth. This transformation, while taking place outside of one’s actual life (within the world of the stage), disperses into all aspects of the performers’ life — personal, artistic, spiritual, etc. — and creates more room for the artist to engage fully in their life and in their work. Personally, in my paintings, my mark-making and fictional characters aim to capture this essence conjured during the act of performance: my works are an embodiment of this moment of personal discovery within the human condition. 

What inspires you and/or keeps you engaged and moving forward?

Being in creative environments and engaging with fellow artists provides constant engagement. Exposure to media, specifically movies and television, further moves me to store information that I access in moments of creation. 

Tell us about your upcoming events, new releases, or anticipated projects.

I am planning on a pop-up soon for my recent painting and ceramics works and am planning the release of 3 new paintings and 5 ceramics pieces. I share information about other upcoming events and updates on my Instagram @hodesart. You can also visit my website, www.carlyhodes.work, to see my past works. 

FEATURED ARTIST: KELSEY TROTTIER

Kelsey Trottier is a multimedia artist who primarily works in the realms of performing arts, video, installation art and spoken word. She graduated from Massachusetts College of Art and Design with a BFA in Interrelated Media. She has worked with a variety of dance companies from Boston to the Bay Area, in production/operations management with several film festivals, and has also worked in experiential and outdoor education. She currently directs the Telluride Dance Collective, is the program coordinator for Palm Arts Dance, and is an ensemble member of Telluride Theatre. When she is not working as an arts administrator, teaching dance classes, performing or directing a show, you can also find her ski instructing on the mountain. 

IF YOU COULD HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH ONE ARTIST, ALIVE OR DECEASED, WHO WOULD IT BE AND WHY?

Anna Halprin. She was a dancer and choreographer that played a major role in postmodern dance as well as developing dance as a healing art. Her work has been a big inspiration for me. I would love to listen to her personal life stories of the path she paved. I wish I could spend time with her and listen to her perspective of what it was like to live through the century of immense change that she experienced.

Which artistic media inspires you most?

This is a tough one because inspiration comes to me in so many ways and through different forms. I would have to say music, dance, theatre, spoken word, poetry, and books bring me the most inspiration – not necessarily in that order.

What is your favorite awkward growth moment or barrier-breaking time?

So many of those moments fell between the time period of me uprooting my life to San Francisco after having built a strong network in Boston, and all the ups and downs that come with reinventing yourself. And then from there, coming to Telluride and settling into this little snow globe town that has such a strong creative community. All these barrier-breaking moments melded together and created the moment I’m in now.

What inspires you and/or keeps you engaged and moving forward?

What keeps me moving forward is my need to process the human experience. I’m not sure how I could live in this crazy world if I didn’t have creative outlets to channel through and process life.

Tell us about your upcoming events, new releases, or anticipated projects.

It has been a busy winter of creative endeavors. My latest event involved co-directing and choreographing 'Sustenance'- a collaborative show with Telluride Chamber Music and Telluride Dance Collective-that took place at the Palm at the end of January. The show went really well and was a natural collaboration bringing musicians and dancers in the community together. I'm excited because it has sparked a new project I have in the works now. I am working with Travis Fisher and some of my high school student dancers on an experimental piece. Travis is accompanying (on piano) a class that I teach and he improvising a score of music as my students learn new choreography I have been working on for them. It has been a fun platform to play with. This new work will be showcased at the end of March at the Palm. I also have some fun performances coming up in March including Gay Ski Week and Telluride Theatre’s Burlesque. Once I get through ski season I will start working on a short film series that will premier later this year in October at Mass Movement (TDC's annual performance on the Palm main stage).

FEATURED ARTIST: DONAVAN DAILEY

Guitarist Donavan Dailey is an innovative classical/jazz guitarist, composer, arranger and teacher. He has carved out an interesting niche for a nylon string guitarist. As a classical guitarist, Donavan holds a degree in Classical Guitar Performance from Middle Tennessee State University. He has studied under Dr. William Yelverton and Roger Hudson and has performed in master classes with Anna Vidivich, William Kanengaiser and Jason Viuex. Over recent years he has pursued his passion for teaching by starting Telluride Music School. Donavan can be found teaching and performing regularly in the Telluride area.

IF YOU COULD HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH ONE ARTIST, ALIVE OR DECEASED, WHO WOULD IT BE AND WHY?

Andrés Segovia because he changed the destiny of the Classical Guitar. I would like to thank him for that.

Which artistic media inspires you most?

Currently...light and crystals particularly light shining through crystals. I think there's endless beauty there.

What is your favorite awkward growth moment or barrier-breaking time?

Nothing really comes to mind right now. Well, I'm sure there were very distinct formative moments in my evolution. It's really been pretty gradual and even keel.

What inspires you and/or keeps you engaged and moving forward?

Inspired, forward moving, engaged, I do have brief glimpses of these qualities in my life. The more they happen the better. For me, I think it's reflecting upon, and looking at the deeper life goals that I came to in my youth when I remember promises I made to myself early on. For example, you're young right now, you have your whole life ahead of you. Maybe you should commit to learning something, mastering something, striving for perfection at something. I really wanted to understand music and perfect the craft of wielding a fine instrument.

Tell us about your upcoming events, new releases, or anticipated projects.

I'll be playing the Telluride Chamber Music happy hour at the Telluride Arts HQ Gallery on Main Street. I'm pretty excited to unleash a four original Jazz tunes. My friend and duo partner Dan Dallesandro will be joining me on the saxophone for half of the concert. On January 29, I'll be joining the Sustenance concert for Telluride Chamber Music. Joining me on that and I'll be playing a Flamenco piece by Paco de Lucía called “Mediterranean Sundance.” I have Danny DAlessandro on Sax, Danny, Desantis on Violin and Dr. David Homer on bass.

I’m also gearing up for a music video with my violinist, Annie Foxen for my duo. I will also be shooting a video with my jazz trio in the spring and gearing up for a great summer of live music and beautiful gigs and beautiful places.

FEATURED ARTIST: TARA CARTER

Tara is a ceramic artist living in Telluride, CO. Originally from Columbus, Ohio, she earned both her Bachelor of Arts in Ceramics and her Master of Business Administration from Otterbein University. Since graduating in 2011, Tara has been teaching ceramics classes, developing her own work by attending a variety of workshops, and exhibiting her wares. Currently, Tara works full-time at the Ah Haa School for the Arts as the Ceramics Program Director and manages a pottery co-operative, the Wheel House. She fills her spare time making pottery and bird sculptures while enjoying the mountains of Telluride.

IF YOU COULD HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH ONE ARTIST, ALIVE OR DECEASED, WHO WOULD IT BE AND WHY?

I would love to pick Judy Chicago's brain. As a female ceramic artist, The Dinner Party had a huge impact on me during my undergraduate studies. I imagine she has some entertaining stories about how this feminist masterpiece was received at the time.

Which artistic media inspires you most?

Ceramics inspires me most because of the give and take involved. This medium forces you respond and let the material itself have a heavy influence on the form and finish of each piece. At a certain point, you have to give your work up to the kilns and accept whatever happens during the firing. The lack of control can be humbling or rewarding and constantly pushes you to accept, learn, and grow.

What is your favorite awkward growth moment or barrier-breaking time?

The marbled pottery I've been developing came about by accident! I was experimenting with some different materials around the Ah Haa ceramics studio and decided to add mason stains to clay. I had been playing with pinch pots after doing about a thousand demos during the previous summer's kids camps and thought the stains would add some depth. They looked pretty awful after the first kiln firing, so the unfinished pots ended up sitting on a shelf for months. I only added a clear glaze to fill up a glaze kiln for student work and was pleasantly shocked to see how they turned out. 

What inspires you and/or keeps you engaged and moving forward?

The mental health benefits involved with creating art keeps me engaged. Whether it's sculpting a bird I saw while on lift 9 or pinching a pot during my lunch break, finding ways to keep my hands in clay keeps me happy and moving forward.

Tell us about your upcoming events, new releases, or anticipated projects.

The best way to stay in touch and find out about upcoming exhibitions and projects is to follow me on Instagram @youpinchityoupotit. You can also check out my website at taracarterceramics.com. 

FEATURED ARTIST: EMMA KALFF

What is your chosen artistic medium?

Oil paint! I worked on canvas for years until I recently realized I like wood a lot better, so now I work on wood panel. I cut a larger piece down to the size I want, sand the edges, and prepare it with several layers of gesso.

What and Who are your muses?

Oh gosh there are so many. Definitely all the people I’m so lucky to have in my life who are loving and true, who always shoot from the heart and don’t take themselves too seriously. And my mentor and painting teacher, Auseklis Ozols. I studied under him at the New Orleans Academy of Fine Arts and he really changed my life. I will always be grateful to have been able to receive a rich education from such a formidable person.

What are your prep or practice rituals to get you into the artistic headspace?

I listen to a lot of trance music. On a good day I’ll get into this groove where I’m lost in a painting for hours – it feels kind of like if you’ve ever just completely let go in a bar or something and danced all night without a care.

What is your favorite awkward growth moment or barrier breaking time?

I used to live in New Orleans, and I sold my art in the French Quarter. New Orleans is so special that way – if you have a license you can show up any day of the year, hang your art on this huge fence in the French Quarter, and sell it.

I was about 21 and I started going out there whenever I wasn’t working at one of my side jobs. I was so bad at it. I made maybe 20 bucks a week. I remember watching the other artists really making a living out there and feeling like they had some secret, that they’d figured something out and I hadn’t. At the time I was sort of miserable about it but looking back, I learned so much from all those hours of observing the other artists – about consistency and how hard the world can be, about the precious reality that failure is really a gift.

What is your favorite quote or saying?

Nulla dies sine linea!

Tell us about your upcoming events, new releases or anticipated projects?

I have an upcoming feature in the November issue of American Art Collector magazine that I’m really excited about. I’m also transitioning into working full-time as an artist. I’m producing a lot of new work right now. Starting November 1st I will be taking commissions for the holidays as well. My website is www.emmakalff.com.

FEATURED ARTIST: JUDY HAAS

Born and raised in Aspen, Colorado, Judy Haas moved to Telluride in 2006. She has been a professional artist since 1985, and is well known in the fly-fishing world for her trout paintings. She has worked in many mediums throughout the years including pastels, ceramics, digital imagery, photography and collaborative poster art.

We asked Judy some questions…

What are your muses?

I am a self-taught artist. I am inspired by numerous artists from different eras, some known and many unknown. I spent hours in the libraries studying books and biographies of artists throughout the years.

What are your prep or practice rituals to get you into the artistic headspace?

An inspirational walk in nature begins my day. Throughout the many hours of a day while I am working I like listening to audible books and music.

What inspires you and/or keeps you engaged and moving forward?

I am inspired with the work of other artists in all mediums. I am motivated by anyone who has put their in “10,000 hours” to become a master of their chosen profession. I am encouraged to be better at my artistic expressions through experiencing the quality workmanship and imagination of people all around.

What is your favorite quote or saying?

I feel there is nothing more truly artistic than to love people.” Van Gogh

I have so many favorite quotes!

Tell us about what’s next:

I opened a gallery in 2021. I am happily engaged with commissions and new work. I want to teach a few dedicated people to assist with my work so I can develop ideas for new mediums and for exhibitions in the future.

Stay tuned with Judy’s work and updates on her website, or follow her on Instagram & Facebook @JudyHaasArt

FEATURED ARTIST: LEAH HEIDENREICH

My name is Leah Heidenreich - I am the artistic director of The Sheridan Arts Foundation's Young People's Theater, where I produce theater year round with children from preschool through high school.

What is your chosen artistic medium?

My chosen medium is performance art. As a performer, I am a musician first, an actor second, and a dancer very last.. lol. As an educator, my chosen medium is all things performance art. I direct, music direct, choreograph, and produce full-scale shows for the kids. It is truly a dream come true that I get to call this my job - I can honestly say that I look forward to Mondays.

What and Who are your muses?

I have many muses, including the incredible kids I create art with. It blows me away that I am at the helm of a program that is non-competitive, non-audition based, and it always culminates into such a beautiful show. That speaks volumes about the passion the kids in my program hold. Of course, I have a few other muses including Barbra Streisand, Stephen Sondheim, Mariah Carey, Bernadette Peters, and Diana Damrau. I mean- can you call yourself a "theatre person" if you are constantly inspired by those folks?

What are your prep or practice rituals to get you into the artistic headspace?

This may sound tacky, but I feel like I'm always in an artistic headspace. I am constantly staging scenes and musicals in my head, I am never not singing and dreaming about how to help the next group of kids flourish to their absolute prime, and during my free time, I am almost always working on different aspects of my next production. I'm about as right-brained as they come, sometimes to a fault. My ultimate relaxation is karaoke in my living room with my husband. Lol.

What is your favorite awkward growth moment or barrier breaking time?

In my job, there is nothing cooler than seeing the kids let go of all self-conscious thoughts and take big risks on the stage. Sometimes they fall on their face, sometimes they discover something within themselves that they didn't know existed - but when every young thespian takes that inevitable leap, it's incredible to see how much light comes out of these young people.

What inspires you and/or keeps you engaged and moving forward?

It's all about the kids, and helping them discover a love for something as powerful as performance art. I can look back into my own 34 years on earth and see how music and theater have completely shaped me into the person I am today, and to get to help a kid love this medium the way I do, and to then watch them go into the world with that love is incredible.

What is your favorite quote or saying?

"I came to Hollywood without having my nose fixed, my teeth capped, or my name changed. That is very gratifying to me." - Barbra Streisand

That may seem like a silly quote to love but it's so reflective of what every artist dreams of- being held to a certain standard because of their talent and passion, not because of their conformity to what our society continually pushes on us in order to call ourselves a success. I try to instill that in YPT's kids, too.

Tell us about what’s next:

Next year's season for YPT includes "Beauty & The Beast," "Chicago," and "Peter Pan."