FEATURED ARTIST: EMILY SCOTT ROBINSON

With her forthcoming album Traveling Mercies, Emily Scott Robinson offers a complex, thoughtful portrait of a real itinerant artist, one who carries the lessons of her past as she searches for a hopeful future. She and her husband live full time in a motorhome and spend long stretches on the road, turning chance encounters with strangers into stirring folk meditations on the human condition.

Though this is Robinson's first proper studio release (having already released a full-length album, Magnolia Queen, and a live EP), it's by no means her first introduction to the songwriting community. 

In 2015, she won American Songwriter's May/June lyric contest for Magnolia Queen cut "Marriage Ain't the End of Being Lonely." She followed that award with two more, notching a Kerrville New Folk Winner trophy in 2016 and a Wildflower Performing Songwriter Contest win in 2017. In an early nod to Traveling Mercies, AmericanaFest announced Robinson as an Official Showcasing Artist for the 2018 lineup in Nashville this September.

With Traveling Mercies, Robinson has announced herself as one of our important emerging voices in Americana and roots music. Beyond that, she's given us a beautiful album, a balm for trying times which shows, through intricately crafted melodies and hard-earned wisdom, that we all have the same struggles at our core, and there's no better time than now to take that to heart.

We asked Emily some questions:

Favorite ice cream?  Mint Chocolate Chip

First job?  Summer Camp Counselor -- I started singing and playing around campfires and learning Indigo Girls and Cat Stevens songs!

Currently reading? "Eudora Welty: A Biography" and Isabel Allende's "In the Midst of Winter"

What do you love most about Telluride? The creative community! Telluride Theater, Telluride Arts, Telluride Music Company (constantly drooling over guitars there) and my musician friends, the Ah Haa, Burlesque, the community of poets that Art Goodtimes and Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer nourish, Wilkinson Public Library, and the big-hearted and visionary people who live here! 

Spirit animal? Salmon.

Recent dream? I've been working on my new album release, so I keep having anxiety dreams about forgetting a deadline!

Who/what is your musical inspiration? My very first musical inspiration was Joni Mitchell. I was given her album "Blue" at age 16 and I felt like I'd discovered a new language. 

Favorite part about RV life? Exploring the beautiful and wild places of America

Favorite RV memory so far? Parking it on Sunshine Mesa and inviting our Telluride friends over for a dinner party and to watch the sunset over the Wilsons!

What’s next? The first single "Better With Time" from my new album drops on August 3rd! It's an homage to falling in love with my husband in Telluride. On August 17th, I'm a finalist in the Songwriter Showcase competition at Folks Fest put on by Planet Bluegrass! In September, I'm headed to Nashville to showcase my new album Traveling Mercies at AmericanaFest!

FEATURED ARTIST: COLIN SULLIVAN

Colin holds a B.A. in theatre arts and a Master’s Degree from Fordham University in teaching.  He has trained as an actor in the Actor’s Theatre of Louisville’s professional apprenticeship program and the Michael Chekhov Institute for Theatre Studies. He moved to Telluride in 2008 and almost immediately discovered SquidShow Theatre’s unique brand of original theatre. Within a year, Sullivan was a full-fledged company actor and had taken over the Managing Director position, overseeing the fiscal management of the company. Upon the merger of the two companies in 2011, Colin was chosen by the board to lead the larger united Telluride Theatre organization as Executive Director. He also acts and is a lead instructor and developer of the company’s unique education programs.

We asked Colin to answer some questions. Get a glimpse of Colin in his answers below:

Ocean or mountains? Ocean

Sweet or salty? Sweet

Morning or evening? Evening

Person from history to be your imaginary friend? Hunter S. Thompson

One thing on a deserted island? Mountainbike 

Favorite Telluride tradition? Shakespeare in the Park! 

Inspiration? Personally, I’m inspired by ordinary everyday Americans, particularly immigrants, pushing back against their government and this recent rash of unconstitutional policy decisions. Professionally -  poetry and the role of songs in storytelling, particularly as it relates to our Shakespeare’s Pericles, which I’m currently directing. 

Something you could re-watch as if it were your first time: The Muppet Movie

Recent Dream? I had a dream I was performing in Macbeth and didn’t know any of my lines and had to improv everything. Orson Welles was directing and he was not pleased. It was terrifying. I have these dreams every time around this year. 

Happy place? In my new home in Placerville with my wife and young son, or on stage. 

FEATURED ARTIST: MOLLY PERRAULT

Molly Perrault graduated from Louisiana State University, receiving a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a major in Digital Art as well as minors in Painting & Drawing and Art History. She took an extensive month-long printmaking study in Florence, Italy in 2013. In 2014/2015, she worked for Iron 27, creating graphics for a multi-platform video game: Heroes of Shadow Guard, a turn-based RPG game. After a series of fortunate happenings, Molly now resides in the mountains of Telluride, Colorado, being constantly inspired by the landscape and locale.

We asked Molly a couple of interview questions to better get to know her.

greatest fear?

Infinite boredom


greatest extravagance?

Probably the new pair of roller skates I just ordered. 


which talent would you most like to have?

Always remembering names.


most treasured possession?

Good memories.


spirit animal?

The majestic penguin.


favorite song?

“Bound for Glory” by Tedeschi Trucks Band or “Love You Madly” by Cake. Or the entire “Rent” soundtrack if I get to sing along. 


winter or summer?

Definitely summer


greatest regret?

I started playing the clarinet in grade school band - wish I had kept that up or taken the time to learn another instrument. 


motto?

There’s a line in the Bright Eye’s song, “At the Bottom of Everything” (another favorite): And into the caverns of tomorrow with just our flashlights and our love, we must plunge, we must plunge, we must plunge. Not sure if that totally qualifies as a motto, but I like it. 


greatest achievement?

Moving to Telluride! 

FEATURED ARTIST: COLLEEN THOMPSON

Colleen Thompson is a widely inspired Telluride, CO local who creates jewelry best described as "earthy elements combined with Southwest style”. The San Juan Mountains, dubbed the Range of Light by Muir, are rife with magical realism — Colleen harnesses this magic in her handmade pieces, using elements, ores, and stones found in within the region. Building and sculpting with crystals, recycled leather, sterling silver, feathers, fools gold, and bullets shot by real Colorado cowboys, Colleen imbues each item with the spirit of the colorful West. Her work allows anyone to carry a small piece of the San Juans with them wherever they go, embodying the whimsical energy of the mountains and shaping it into tangible, wearable art.

We asked Colleen to answer a couple of questions: See below

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 Your idea of happiness

I’m living it. Making art for a living in the mountains. Being part of a community. Feeling valued and being surrounded by inspiring people! 

If not yourself, who would you be
 

myself. (see above)

Favorite color

silver

Winter or summer

I peak in the fall.

On what occasion do you lie

I’ve definitely been caught speaking confidently and making eye contact.. even when I have no idea what I’m talking about. I wouldnt say I lie, but my best/worst characteristic is blind self-confidence. 

Which words or phrases do you most overuse
 

There’s a running joke in my circle of friends… if you wan’t your phrase repeated, just say it to Colleen— she’ll make it popular. I like to think they mean it’s because I’m a trendsetter, but I have a sneaking suspicion that it’s simply because I’m often the loudest person in the room.

What is your greatest regret

Any time I didn't feel or express enough gratitude. 

Spirit animal

Treasure troll. Or maybe a Labrador Retriever. I’m friendly & loyal, but hyperactive and super annoying if I dont burn off enough energy.

Hunter or gatherer

I’m a hunter at my core, but I live to collaborate. Often that means turning the ego off and taking instruction from someone else. I’m happy to gather for the right cause. 

Most treasured possession

My hands. I know they aren't exactly a possession, but working with my hands makes me feel alive. I don’t know if I could do anything else. Working with silver is really hard on my hands, so I take good care of them. I think about how grateful I am for them every single day.

Pet peeve

I try really hard not to have pet peeves. If something bugs me, I make a serious effort to embrace it. I hated making rings for a solid year, forced myself to do it, and now they’re all I want to make. I guess my only pet peeve is poor work ethics. 

FEATURED ARTIST: CRAIG WASSERMAN

After growing up in St. Louis MO, Craig moved to Bethlehem, PA, then Fort Collins, Durango, Ignacio and then Telluride, CO. He taught art to middle and high school students for 20 years until he quit academic teaching last year. He recently opened The Drop Boardshop and Printlab in the Winter of 2018, as a response to 10 successful Summers running Telluride Skate Camp, the lack of a skate/snowboard shop and youth/community center in the region, and a strong urge to spread the love deeper and wider. He now teaches art and skateboarding at The Drop, tries his best to be a good husband and father, and works hard to become a better artist/snowboarder/skater/person every day.

Craig draws what he sees, which is heavily affected by how he feels. He loves to work with, but is scared of, color, because there is already so much to learn and do in black and white.  He loves Gustav Klimt, Egon Schiele, Kathe Kollwitz, Claude Monet, and Alphonse Mucha, as well as anyone who makes moving, honest art. Craig strongly believes that art will save the world… someday…maybe.

Your greatest extravagance?

Custom Footbeds

Your motto?

Good things happen to good people

Hunter or gatherer?

Hunt to gather

Best talent?

Breakdance backspin

Game show host voice

Drawing beautiful things creepy

Inspiration?

Gustav Klimt

5-Year olds who drop-in pool coping

Nature

Where would you most like to live?

Right here.  Right now.

Ski or snowboard?

Surf

Greatest achievement?

Playing a game of pingpong in front of the crowd as the co-keynote speaker at THS graduation. Designing and leading HS students on Experiential Education Expeditions to Mexico, Costa Rica, Peru, India, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, and Austria.

Winter or summer?

Winter.  Until the snow melts. Then Summer.

Favorite dream?

Standing on top of Kant Mak m with a foot of fresh snow…oh wait, that just happened!

 Current state of mind?

Stoked

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LINKS

thedropboardshop.com

FEATURED ARTIST: KORAL DELATIERRA

Koral Delatierra is a California born / Colorado grown singer/songwriter, organic farmer, life coach, permaculture designer and activist.  Growing up in a conscious community and having been exposed to the majestic San Juans at a young age, Koral always had an appreciation and reverence for the wild. While at Humboldt State she became involved in the fight to prevent the extinction of one of the last remnants of the magnificent Redwood forest that once stretched 400 miles from southern Oregon to the Big Sur coast.  She went on to study organic farming and permaculture design and ended up living in South America for 5 years, making her way by selling her artwork and street performing while volunteering at farms and ecovillages across the continent. It was in 2010 that she moved back to the Western Slope to manage the fields and intern program at Shining Mountain Herbs in Ridgway. In 2014, she was approached by local musicians Tom Mann, Mikey G and Bassie to be a part of a new reggae project they were getting started. That project is now the 9 piece reggae band, NICENESS! Koral's lyrics are a reflection of the life she's created, embodying a message focused on love, personal responsibility, interdependence, and sustainability. Art in action! 

We asked Koral to respond to a couple questions: see her answers below.

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Are you more of a hunter or a gatherer?

I can't say I am more one than the other. I know what I want and am not afraid to go after it. At the same time, I am not solely focused on the end goal but recognize the bounty that can be gathered during the hunt. Whether I'm on the hunt for an elk or a gig at Red Rocks, I'll be picking berries and enjoying building community while enriching my life playing music along the way. 

What inspires you?

Nature! Nature's diverse spectrum of life on Earth is infinite and perfect in its chaos, having a profound influence on all of us. Every sentient being on Earth deserves a healthy environment and the fundamental benefits that nature provides. The planet is rapidly changing, and for us to thrive, we need to act now to preserve not just the tangible benefits, but also the insight, inspiration, and awe by which nature transforms us all.

Who inspires you? 

Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela, Rigoberta Menchú Tum, Malala Yousafzai and all people standing up with courage in the face of adversity.

What’s the craziest dare you ever took? 

When it comes to 'Truth or Dare' I've always been more of a Truth person. I've never been scared to reveal my truth, whereas the thought of doing something just 'cuz someone dared me to seems silly. I will say though, that when I was 15 and working as Junior Camp Counselor, the kids dared me to eat a raw crawfish and well... how could I turn down a dare from a dozen 6 and 7-year-olds? To this day, thinking back on their reaction tickles me. 

If you could blink your eyes and be in a favorite place right now, where would that place be?

Singing to a pod of dolphins playing in the wake of our sailboat, feet dangling from the bow, my lover at the helm, wind filling our sails and sunshine = heaven. 

Featured Artist: James Hayward

James Hayward made his Telluride debut in July 2017 with a solo exhibition at the Telluride Gallery of Fine Art, and currently curates group exhibitions. The California-based artist has been a force amongst the Post-war Minimalist Abstract Artists in the Los Angeles area for over 35 years. “Hayward’s command of paint, ranging from blissful spontaneity to profound control, separates him from artists who are lured into a signature style...He is a true independent, with his own fearless vision of the kinds of paintings he wants to make and see,” described art critic, Frances Colpitt. His works have been featured in numerous prestigious museums including the Los Angeles County Museum of Art; the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles; the Denver Museum of Modern Art; the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and the Minneapolis Institute of Arts.

We asked Jimmy to answer a few questions, and his answers were as delightfully colorful and textured as his paintings. We're captivated by this man and his work, and hope you will be too. 

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What color has the most meaning to you/your artwork?

As a young painter I would be chastised for, “Failing to control your palette.” I would tell them that I loved these weird muddy greys (made by combining opposites, like Egypt Violet and Sulphur Yellow and a little white). This is one of my favorite greys. This is a grey that is not a combination of black and white. A complicated grey. I love making greys out of 7 or 8 different colors, especially using colors like cobalt violet and cadmium yellow. Nobody, in their right mind combines these colors, so that when one does, one might reasonably deduce that this color has never been realized before, because no one is that dumb. Taking a bow.

When are you the most creative?

I love being by myself: alone without interruption. I feel free to do as I please. This is a fun place. 

Dogs or cats?

I am allergic to cats. I have always had dogs and usually more than one. I wrote a short story titled, “Allergic to her cat: addicted to her pussy”. It is unfinished as the relationship remains open ended.

What would your superpower be?

I would love the ability to shit in other peoples' pants. What fun that would be.

Take a guess... what were you doing 40 years ago today?
   
I would have been married for the third time by then. I was madly in love on each and every occasion, but relationships are far more difficult than anyone imagines. I still believe in the specialness of marriage, but I’m now aware of the difficulties involved. Under the right circumstances, I would do it again.

The most unusual thing you've ever eaten?

That would be Sea Slugs, Jelly Fish or pussy.

As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I always wanted to be  Emiliano Zapata. Did you ever see “Viva Zapata”, directed by John Houston, screen play by John Steinbeck. It is a romantic masterpiece about the duties and obligations of an idealistic hero. It’s my favorite Marlon Brando flick. Loved it. I still live the fantasy of disappearing into the mountains on horseback.

If you had the opportunity to go to Mars, would you? Why/why not?

I have no desire to go anyplace that does not have an art museum. I travel to wander thru art museums. It is one of my favorite things in life.

New Year's resolution?

I am 74 years old and slowing down. I need more help and help costs money. So I resolve to slow down sufficiently to allow success to jump my ancient bones. And I think I may get married yet again. Salute!

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LINKS:

Telluride Gallery of Fine Art

Art.sy

Wikipedia

FEATURED ARTIST: DAVID BYARS

David Garrett Byars is a former financial analyst who left his job in 2008 to pursue his, then nebulous, dreams. He is now a filmmaker living in Telluride, Colorado. Byars’ focuses on feature-length documentaries, but he also creates branded pieces as a freelance filmmaker. As part of Reel Thing Productions, he released the feature-length documentary Uranium Drive-In (Mountainfilm 2013). In 2013, he wrote and directed his first narrative short, Self Storage, which is a quirky dark comedy that follows a worker at a self-storage facility as he struggles to pay off the medical debt stemming from his unlucky brew of common cleaning agents. The result is a delicious brew of its own, filled with black humor, endearing characters, and smart storytelling. Byars coins it as “a story of conscience, existential dread and redemption.” Byars is the director of No Man's Land (Mountainfilm 2017), the incredibly candid film that follows the once-occupiers of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. 

Favorite childhood movie?

 Karate Kid 2
 

 
Ghosts or aliens? 

Aliens, always aliens. 

 
Objectivity? Is it a thing?

No such thing. In practice or in concept. Impossible to separate our minds from the sum of our experiences.
 
 
Financial analyst to filmmaker? connection?

Glutton for punishment, high tolerance for rejection, and boyish good looks. And attention to detail. More generally, in finance and in film, you're really just trying to sell a good story.
 
 
Favorite director(s)?

Werner Herzog, Wes Anderson, Suzan Beraza.
 
 
Best advice you've received? Given?

Received: Understand people's problems rather than scrutinize their solutions.
Given: Always be yourself, unless you can be Batman. 
 

Who would play you in a film?

Fat David Spade or the lovechild of Zach Galifianakis and Matt McConaughey. Or Uncle Traveling Matt from Fraggle Rock. Shit, tough question.
 
 
What's so great about Telluride?

The self-celebratory atmosphere. ;) In all seriousness - the potential for active collaboration. Everyone in the arts in Telluride is so down to put in a tremendous amount of time and work into a collaborative effort. And it's world-class high-quality work.
 
 
What's next?

More movies! So many movies. A few feature docs in the works and a whole slew of ill-advised and costly fiction endeavors.

FEATURED ARTIST: MARGARET RINKEVICH

Margaret Rinkevich has been a resident of Telluride for 16 years. She holds a B.A. in Art History from the University of Arizona, where she specialized in the Italian Renaissance. She has been dedicated to the arts and has taught Art History to university students and museum docents. She is the author of several publications about tribal art and culture. In 2015, Margaret participated in Ah Haa School for the Arts: Second Annual Juried Exhibition of Regional Artists, BEST OF 2014 and contributed to The Telluride Painting School lecture series with a talk entitled, “Art of the ‘So What?!’: The History of Still Life Painting”.  In 2016 she was one of three jurors for the 3rd Annual Exhibition of Regional Artists. Her work hangs in numerous private collections throughout the US.

Who are some of the influences that most move you?

Joan Mitchell is a favorite.  She was an American Abstract Expressionist painter living just outside Paris, her painting style was very tumultuous and completely fearless.  Also, Richard Diebenkorn, a Bay Area painter who began as an Abstract Expressionist in the 40s and 50s, and, then, gave it up because he thought it was too easy.  He later returned to it and is probably most known for it, particularly his Ocean Park Series.

Do you paint from your dreams?

No, I’m far too cerebral for that.  Though there is something of an intrapersonal element to Abstract Expressionist art, I prefer to approach a canvas with no preconceptions.  The evolution (and its inherent struggle) is the best part.  I love the physical act of painting.  It has been said that Abstract Expressionist painters do not paint pictures but rather an event.  I agree.

What was an epiphanal moment in your life?

For the BLUE series it was when, while reading, I stumbled across a passage about pearls.  Pearls in antiquity were called margarites.  The most highly-prized pearls were found in mollusks with blue interiors.  While I was already developing a deep affection for the color, I feel in love with the concept that the origin of my name was mantled in it as well. 

Are politics important to you and does it work its way into your art?  

I love politics and I’m a complete news junkie but I don’t paint from this space.

What're your favorite things about living in the mountains? 

Their steadfastness and their unpredictability.  They are the constant in our lives here, they are there when we wake up and when we go to sleep.  Yet, they control the weather, they are a catalysts for our local patterns and we never know exactly what atmospheric conditions will occur.  The evolution is the best part.