Celeste Bickford + Susan b. McCormick

CITIZENS STATE BANK - CURATED BY TELLURIDE ARTS

LOCATION: with access from 201 South Fir Street, Telluride

Celeste Bickford

Celeste is a local southwest Colorado painter. She has become known for creating landscapes with radiant colors and bold shadows. Her paintings balance an impressionist sensibility for color with fidelity to the characteristics that make a landscape recognizable. Celeste’s landscapes are meant to feel familiar yet playful, and hint at the joy of connecting with a landscape in a personal way.

celestebickford.com | @celestebickford

Susan B. McCormick

Susan was born in Connecticut and raised in the Midwest, spending many summers in Colorado where her family has deep roots. She lived and worked in Telluride for 38 years, contributing to the community across multiple fields and remaining actively involved in the local arts, including exhibitions and service on the Arts Council Board. She now lives and paints in Montrose, maintaining a close connection to the San Juan Mountains and the Telluride landscape.

Susan paints for the love of color, exploring landscapes, florals, and abstracts inspired by winter light and the natural rhythms of the region. A longtime Telluride resident and avid high-altitude gardener, she spent many winters painting and imagining the life unfolding beneath the snow. Drawing from photographs taken while hiking near Telluride, her work reflects a deep connection to the valley, its shadows, and its seasonal transformation. She now paints from her Montrose studio, maintaining a lasting bond with the San Juan Mountains.