F E B R UA RY 2 022 | TH E LO C A L LOV E I S S U E
Maria Wimmer Persistent, Organized, Knowledgeable
where
KNOWLEDGE DEDICATION meets
Living in the Roaring Fork Valley for 20 years, Maria is truly knowledgeable of the neighborhoods and outdoor adventures the area offers. This, combined with a dedicated work ethic that can be attributed to growing up on a dairy farm in Minnesota, has made Maria a tried and true Realtor® here in the valley. In 2021 she closed 25 transactions and over 13 million dollars in sales. From listing 100-acre ranches in Rifle, to helping first time home buyers purchase a condo in Basalt, no transaction is too large or small for her to take on. 970.963.3300 | cbmasonmorse.com
COMMUNITY We are proud to support these local non-profits. Thanks to all local non-profits for the heart and hard work you put back into our families, schools and communities! Lets make 2020 better for all! Youth Zone
Holy Cross Cattleman’s Association
Lift Up
Strawberry Shortcut -Special Olympics
Valley Life for All
Youth for Christ
Symphony in the Valley
Rifle Animal Shelter
Aspen Community Foundation
Ducks Unlimited
Hoop D Ville
4-H Club
GWS Citizens Alliance
Advocate Safehouse
Habitat for Humanity
Youth Entity
Return to Dirt
GSHS Mock Trial
Kiwanis Club
Alzheimer’s Association
Roaring Fork Volunteers
Boy Scouts of America
Basalt Educaiton Fund
Lift UP
Rotary Clubs Epic Experience GWS Public Education Fund Feed my Sheep Literacy Outreach GlenX Career Expo Children’s Mini-College Two Rivers Community Foundation Windwalkers Riding Center
Project Healing Waters
GLENWOOD SPRINGS 901 Grand Ave., 970.945.7422 BASALT 655 E. Valley Rd., 970.704.1144 RIFLE 1200 Railroad Ave., 970.625.1266 • bankofcolorado.com MEMBER FDIC
LIFESTYLE LETTER
Hats Off
February 2022 PUBLISHER
Mel Miles | mel.miles@citylifestyle.com EDITOR
Caitlin Causey | caitlin.causey@citylifestyle.com
Don't you just envy those people who look great in hats? (Well, perhaps you're one of them—then kudos to you! Feel free to skip to page 14 and read about the Carbondale-made toppers we're featuring this month.) I sure do. Whenever I've put on one of those trendy numbers that everybody's wearing (you know the ones), the result is more "long lost cousin from 'Little House on the Prairie'" than "mysterious extra from the set of 'Tombstone'"...and not in a cute way. Yet after meeting the valley's newest hatter for our feature on her work this month, I might just give hats another try. Susan Jordan's wide-brimmed wonders are gorgeously Western, finely handmade, and irresistibly stylish. Every one of them is custom-fitted to each customer in her studio and steeped not only in Susan's love of process, but in the very essence of the Colorado lifestyle itself. And that's the beauty of a truly local product: it comes with a sense of place. This month, Roaring Fork is dedicated to all of the valley's makers and artisans. Turn the pages to find a few of their stories here, and join us in celebrating their unique talents. Hats off to our local creators!
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WATER RIGHTS • BUSINESS • REAL ESTATE
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FEB R UARY 2 0 2 2 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM/ROA R I N G F O R K
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F E B R UA RY 2 0 2 2
inside the issue The Local Love Issue
26
14
08
34
F E ATU R E D
D E PA RTM E NTS
08 Behind the Gems
4
Lifestyle Letter
8
Locals Only
14
Maker’s Studio
ST Y LE + B EAU TY
20
Money Matters
LI FE + C U LT UR E
22
Must See
26
Artist’s Palette
32
Events
34
Local Limelight
Fine Things Continues Its Tradition of Service, Expertise, and Unique Selection
14 True Character
Mariposa Hats and the Making of a Wearable Western Legend
26 Casting for Hope
Glassblower Martin Gerdin on Art, Recovery, and the Beauty of a Trout
34 Don't Worry, Bee Happy
Jan Schubert and the Art of the Sustainable Beeswax Candle
O N T H E C OV E R
Photography: Olive & West Photography Susan Jordan of Mariposa Hats in Carbondale works the felt of a custom piece.
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ST YLE + B EAU T Y
A RTS + C U LT U R E A RTS + C U LT U R E
A RTS + C U LTU R E
HELPING YOU PLAN AHEAD
Call to schedule a consultation with Jamie Roth or Paul Smith. • Tough and efficient trust and estate controversy representation • Sophisticated estate planning.
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970-366-3727 // jamie@tealaw.com Offices in Denver and Glenwood
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EAGLE | GARFIELD | PITKIN Your locally based, nonprofit home care and hospice provider. www.HCHOTV.org | 970-930-6008
FEB R UARY 2 0 2 2 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM/ROA R I N G F O R K
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ARTICLE BY FINN COLLIER PHOTOGRAPHY BY ELEPHANT MOUNTAIN CREATIVE
BEHIND THE GEMS After More Than 15 Years in Business, Fine Things Continues Its Tradition of Service, Expertise, and Unique Selection
S H OP: Fine Things OWN ERS: Tricia & Steve Pittman
OPEN SINCE: 2006
LOCATI ON : 8th Street, Glenwood Springs, between Grand
and Cooper Avenues S PE C IALI ZI N G I N : Fine jewelry, Western jewelry, wedding bands,
engagement rings, diamonds, birthstones, turquoise, rare semi-precious stones, men’s jewelry, bolo ties, custom designs, and more.
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LOCA LS ON LY | STY L E + BE AUTY
Sapphire
“I do love the unusual ones: the rutilated quartz, Montana sapphire, chrome diopside,” she says. “But sapphire is probably my most favorite. We like the blues.” -Tricia Pittman Diamond
Tanzanite
Blue Zircon
Behind every gem at Fine Things, there is the gemologist: Tricia Pittman. As the Glenwood Springs shop’s co-owner and resident expert in all stones bright and beautiful, she employs professional knowledge and decades of experience to ensure that every one of the store’s pieces meets a standard of excellence. “This shop is her baby,” says Steve Pittman, Tricia’s husband and business partner, lovingly. “This is exactly what she has always wanted to do.” Since opening Fine Things on 8th Street in the summer of 2006, the Pittmans have poured their hearts into creating a special place where customers can find unique and high-quality jewelry for all the special occasions of their lives. They say it’s been a labor of love, and also a dream fulfilled, to be able to serve the community through their passion for fine jewelry. It all started in the early 2000s, when their two sons graduated from college. Steve asked Tricia what might be next for them in life, as empty-nesters. “She said, ‘I want to go back and finish my degree from GIA,’” he remembers, in reference to Tricia’s partial schooling at the esteemed Gemological Institute of America. “And I had no reservations about that at all. At our age, I didn’t want us looking back on these years with any regrets. So she went.” In 2005, armed with a lifelong love of gemstones and extensive experience working in upscale jewelry stores since she was in high school, Tricia enrolled in a sixmonth graduate program at GIA. She relocated temporarily from her home state of Colorado to Carlsbad, California, while Steve stayed back and worked three jobs to support the family during her training. “Graduating from the program was a big step for me—and for us,” Tricia says. “I absolutely loved it.” Today, the gemologist evaluates all of the shop’s pieces for quality, color, brilliance, and more. She and Steve have curated an inventory of jewelry and collectables that reflect their personal taste and values, sourcing their wares from other small companies and jewelry artists near and far. When asked, Tricia struggles to pinpoint a favorite stone. There’s just too much to love about every one: the diamonds, the rubies, the emeralds… “I do enjoy the unusual ones: rutilated quartz, Montana sapphire, chrome diopside,” she says. “But sapphire is probably my most favorite. We like the blues.” CONTINUED > FEB R UARY 2 0 2 2 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM/ROA R I N G F O R K
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“No matter what’s going on in the world, people are still going to have birthdays and anniversaries. They’re still going to have weddings, babies, graduations, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and all the other milestones to be celebrated. Through the jewelry we have the opportunity to be a part of those great, positive moments in their lives.” -Steve Pittman Plus, she adds with a smile, displaying her left hand, “My wedding ring is sapphire.” Around the shop, glass cases of jeweled finery are set up like treasure boxes: one for gold and precious jewels, one for silver and semi-precious stones, one for men’s items like leather cuffs and pocket knives inlaid with turquoise. Each piece has a story, whether it was crafted by the Pittmans’ in-house gold and silversmith Pat Patterson here in Colorado or made with exotic minerals found only in remote areas elsewhere on earth (see: the silver bracelets and necklaces featuring Caribbean-blue Larimar, found only in the Dominican Republic). That’s all part of what makes the work so exciting for Tricia and Steve. And despite challenges that every small local business has faced during the era of Covid-19, the couple says that they have continued to find satisfaction in their ability to remain a special part of others’ lives. “No matter what’s going on in the world,” Steve explains, “people are still going to have birthdays and anniversaries. They’re still going to have weddings, babies, graduations, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and all the other milestones to be celebrated. Through the jewelry we have the opportunity to be a part of those great, positive moments in their lives that bring smiles and memories for their families.” He pauses, and continues: “But, at the end of the day, the biggest reward is our customers themselves. Truly. We wouldn’t be open right now without the support they gave us during the past couple years of Covid.” Tricia nods in agreement. She adds, “We’re so grateful for everyone who has continued to choose our shop, when there are all the other options out there. We have the best customers anyone could ask for—we really do. They’re the secret to our success.” Learn more about the Pittmans’ favorite gems, insiders’ tips on fine jewelry, and how to shop for your next treasure at FineThingsJewelryCollectables.com.
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LOCA LS ON LY | STY L E + BE AUTY
A B OV E : Tricia and Steve Pittman have been married since 1990, and opened Fine Things after Tricia earned her degree in Gemology. O P P O S I T E TO P - L E F T: Gold earrings featuring pink tourmaline, one of scores of different color-drenched gemstones offered in the shop. O P P O S I T E TO P - R I G H T: A trio of necklaces in opal: pendant with gold and two stunning beaded strands. O P P O S I T E B O T TO M : Fine Things' ever-popular Sopris pendant, handcrafted by goldsmith Pat Patterson, can be customized with a diamond and made in white or yellow gold.
FEB R UARY 2 0 2 2 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM/ROA R I N G F O R K
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COLDWELL BANKER MASON MORSE
MARKET UPDATE The following analysis represents recent sales activity in the Aspen Glenwood MLS from 12/1/21 to 1/6/22 with prices starting at $650,000.
Carbondale & Redstone Neighborhood
Original List
Sold Price
Sopris Park Meadows
$6,750,000
$6,025,000
Spring Park Ranch
$5,600,000
Aspen Glen
$3,699,000
Aspen Glen
% Sold/
Days on
Original
Market
89%
181
$5,300,000
95%
615
$3,495,000
94%
98
$2,995,000
$2,830,000
94%
457
Aspen Glen
$2,370,000
$2,300,000
97%
Aspen Glen
$2,320,000
$2,100,000
91%
River Valley Ranch
$1,880,000
$1,880,000
River Valley Ranch
$1,850,000
Hendrick Ranch
$1,795,000
Beds
Full
Half
Bath Bath
4
Sold Price/ Sq. Ft.
4
1
$1,088.92
5
5
0
$1,117.44
4
3
1
$978.72
4
5
1
$575.67
78
6
4
1
$351.84
63
5
3
1
$668.36
100%
201
3
2
1
$755.63
$1,854,448
100%
539
4
4
1
$506.68
$1,795,000
100%
27
4
1
1
$425.96
None
$1,975,000
$1,647,500
83%
141
5
4
0
$435.85
None
$1,862,500
$1,575,000
85%
280
3
3
1
$325.55
None
$1,900,000
$1,500,000
79%
248
4
2
0
$381.78
River Valley Ranch
$1,395,000
$1,370,000
98%
91
3
3
0
$530.19
Crystal River Park
$1,195,000
$1,165,125
98%
46
4
3
1
$450.38
Lions Ridge
$1,150,000
$1,125,000
98%
63
6
3
1
$286.11
River Valley Ranch
$1,079,000
$1,086,818
101%
515
3
3
2
$426.37
Kings Row
$925,000
$890,000
96%
76
3
2
0
$358.73
Thompson Park
$800,000
$833,674
104%
503
3
2
1
$458.31
Crystal Village
$775,000
$821,000
106%
52
3
1
0
$545.88
Donita
$670,000
$665,000
99%
51
5
1
1
$395.83
CARBONDALE SINGLE FAMILY HOME TRENDS Avg Inventory & Avg Sales Price December YTD
$1,699,503 $1,018,499
116
$1,329,893
65
2019
2020
49 2021
Carbondale & Redstone Featured Agents TARA ADIS
JEREMIAH AKERS
BILL BLANTON
PATTY BRENDLINGER
NANCY EMERSON
NICK HOUGH
BRIAN KELEHER
KONNIE KRAHN-PROSENCE
CHRIS LAWRENCE
TESSA MAIZE
SARAH MURRAY
ANNA OLSON
CARLY PASSCHIER
JACK PRETTI
ADRIANNE RHEIN
GABRIELLA SUTRO
BECKY CIANI
ELISSA MARKOYA
JEROME "SARGE" WHALEN
REDSTONE 9 7 0 . 9 6 3 . 1 0 6 1 • CARBONDALE 9 7 0 . 9 6 3 . 3 3 0 0
JIM CARDAMONE
JAMIE MAYBON
MARIA WIMMER
cbmasonmorse.com
Basalt Neighborhood
Original List
Sold Price
% Sold/
Days on
Original
Market
Beds
Full
Half
Bath Bath
Sold Price/ Sq. Ft.
Meredith
$6,900,000
$6,900,000
100%
126
7
3
2
$1,568.54
Sopris Mountain Ranch
$5,450,000
$5,150,000
94%
388
5
4
2
$946.69
Vagneur
$2,450,000
$2,200,000
90%
127
5
4
1
$587.76
Basalt Ridge
$2,300,000
$2,050,000
89%
189
4
3
1
$588.74
$1,750,000
$1,750,000
100%
27
2
2
0
$1,365.05
Frying Pan
$1,599,999
$1,450,000
91%
145
3
2
1
$467.74
Aspen Junction
$1,395,000
$1,185,000
85%
163
6
3
1
$274.56
Shadowrock
$1,075,000
$1,100,000
102%
56
3
2
1
$528.34
Seven Castles
$1,150,000
$975,000
85%
27
3
1
0
$428.76
Blue Lake
$986,000
$951,000
96%
43
3
1
1
$479.33
Seven Castles
$995,000
$950,000
95%
133
5
3
0
$245.60
Ruedi Shores
$785,000
$765,000
97%
67
2
2
0
$321.43
Triangle Park
$750,000
$750,000
100%
67
2
2
0
$751.50
El Jebel
Basalt Featured Agents
9 70. 9 2 7. 3 0 0 0
ASHLEY EBERLY
JASON HODGES
PETER MCNALLY
STEPHANIE MCNALLY
LESLIE NEWBURY
ROSHNI SLALI
HILARY STUMPUS
Glenwood Springs Neighborhood
Ironbridge 4 Mile Ranch
Original List
Sold Price
$1,194,123
$1,345,987
% Sold/ Original
Days on Market
113%
177
Beds
Full Half Bath Bath
4
2
Sold Price/ Sq. Ft.
1
$441.02
$1,350,000
$1,255,000
93%
57
4
4
1
$330.09
Ironbridge
$1,127,250
$1,227,334
109%
72
4
2
0
$460.19
Ironbridge
$1,109,000
$1,083,210
98%
289
4
3
0
$406.15
$950,000
$951,500
100%
35
4
1
1
$342.27
$1,495,000
$950,000
64%
176
4
1
0
$673.76
Park East None Pinyon Mesa
$949,000
$930,000
98%
68
4
3
1
$343.55
Glenwood Park
$720,000
$700,000
97%
37
3
1
0
$433.17
Solstice Townhomes
$625,000
$699,000
112%
451
3
2
2
$288.25
Town Site Glenwood
$719,000
$665,000
92%
78
4
1
1
$307.87
Solstice Townhomes
$595,000
$650,000
109%
443
3
2
2
$269.93
Solstice Townhomes
$595,000
$650,000
109%
440
3
2
2
$269.93
Solstice Townhomes
$595,000
$650,000
109%
450
3
2
2
$269.93
Glenwood Park
$650,000
$630,000
97%
48
3
2
1
$420.56
Solstice Townhomes
$625,000
$625,000
100%
443
3
2
2
$258.80
GLENWOOD SPRINGS SINGLE FAMILY HOME AVERAGE SALES PRICE December YTD
$877,508 20.6% YOY
Glenwood Featured Agents 970.928.9000
ERIN BASSETT
JENNIFER BURR
TROY KAMPE
TAMMY REID
JOY WHITE
INGRID WUSSOW
Market comparisons and analytics represent data from Aspen Glenwood Springs MLS for YTD December 2021 compared YOY. InfoSparks Market Stats © 2021 Showing Time.
True Character MARIPOSA HATS AND THE MAKING OF A WEARABLE WESTERN LEGEND
ARTICLE BY CAITLIN CAUSEY PHOTOGRAPHY BY OLIVE & WEST PHOTOGRAPHY Susan Jordan steps into her tiny Carbondale studio on a cool late-autumn morning. Wooden hat blocks line its walls, and a hefty sewing machine sits ready to stitch near the door. Measuring equipment and all manner of hand tools lay sunlit by windows on the counter. Spools of rich velvet ribbon and leather cord are stacked like little luxuries in a corner, and rows of felt hat bodies—made with fine genuine beaver, rabbit, and nutria fur—impart a faint sweetness in the air. Here, in her shop, Jordan makes real what is arguably the greatest symbol of Western mystique: the wide-brimmed hat. “A hat, or more specifically a Western hat, conjures up feelings of connection to a place: open spaces, the wild, and to our past and present,” she says. “Those of us who live in Colorado now, we’re not all out driving cattle and riding horses like in the movies. But to have a good hat, that’s real and handmade by a real person, can give you a small piece of that ‘dream’ of the West.”
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M AK E R’S ST U D IO | STY LE + BE AUTY
On this particular day, Jordan herself is sporting a handsome specimen of her own handiwork as she moves about the studio. The wide, dove gray dress-weight fedora sitting atop her silver curls is trimmed with a band of raw silk ribbons. Her creation is a work of wearable art, and you’d never guess it was only a few years ago that Jordan signed up to take her very first hatmaking class. “It was August 2019, when my interest really started developing,” Jordan recalls. “I started seeing hats on social media, and discovered several female hatters who were inspiring. I dove into learning very fast; the whole process of hatmaking intrigued me.” Finding someone to teach her was no easy feat, however. “It’s interesting because there is a lot of secrecy in this business. People don’t always want to share their techniques or where they source their materials,” she says. “It’s a very old craft, taught from person to person.”
Jordan did end up finding and completing a few multiday workshops. After that, she was hooked. Soon she was experimenting on her own and making hats for friends at cost. She officially launched her business, Mariposa Hats. And suddenly she had her hands full. Hands: two necessary tools for making a proper hat. And, for Jordan, a very important part of her entire professional life. “Just as I started up Mariposa Hats, I was winding down my previous career as a massage therapist,” she says. “I love working with my hands and also working with people. Hatmaking allows me to continue in the same manner, working with my hands, from blocking the hats to sanding, sewing, and shaping the hat.” Watching Jordan’s fingers work with delicate dexterity as she forms new creases into the steamed crown of some lucky customer’s hat, it is clear that this transition CONTINUED >
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M AK E R’S ST U D IO | STY LE + BE AUTY
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was a natural one. And those customers are quite pleased with the results. “I love serving my community, nothing makes me happier than making a hat for a local,” she says. “I love seeing the excitement in their eyes as we talk about the whole process: choosing the color, the weight, and style. I think we all have stories and connections to the West; a hat symbolizes this. It allows us to be a part of that history.” Every one of Jordan’s hats are custom fit and custom designed in an age-old collaboration between maker and wearer. Her creations are durable, heirloom-quality pieces intended to stay with their people for years—the very antithesis of everything
18
M AK E R’S ST U D IO | STY LE + BE AUTY
we’re accustomed to in our modern fast fashion-saturated wardrobes. And here is where the hatter finds her greatest satisfaction: bringing someone together with a belonging of true character, one worthy of its fabled stature in Western mythology. “I think we’re in the midst of a shift, where people are wanting to invest in things that last, and to support artists by purchasing something made to last,” Jordan reveals. “That’s been a wonderful thing to be a part of.” In 2022, the hatter is looking forward to expanding her small business, offering hat parties, and introducing a brand-new website at MariposaHats.com. You can also find her on Instagram at @MariposaHats.
23400
two rivers rd suite 50
BASALT, CO
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info@marissalinspilates.com FEB R UARY 2 0 2 2 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM/ROA R I N G F O R K
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ARTIST DAY MONET SHARES HIS PATH TO CREATIVE AND FINANCIAL FREEDOM
Monet performing with a hang drum.
Every creative must learn: you’ve still gotta pay the bills. Local musician, artist, yoga instructor, and globetrotter Day Monet spent his young adult years wandering the world in search of a free-spirited life he could believe in. But after years scraping by financially, he decided to get ‘creative’ about finding a way to live his dream while supporting himself comfortably. Nowadays, he puts his business degree and experience with corporate banking to use as a bookkeeper, accountant, and and personal finance expert. He recently shared some insight with Roaring Fork on how he has been able to strike a balance in life, art, and money. Find him at TheTaxGuru.org.
20
M ON E Y M AT T E R S | L IFE + CULTURE
ARTICLE BY FINN COLLIER
Walking A Delicate Line
Day Monet
Artist, musician, and global citizen who finds stability in his personal finance/ bookkeeping business, The Tax Guru.
HOW DID YOUR ARTISTIC LIFE BEGIN? My life as an ‘artist’ started on a tropical island in the Philippines. I was a young 20-something deeply immersed in the world of backpacking. One evening, a rowdy group of Australians arrived, accompanied by an arsenal of glitter packets. At first, I felt some grief in the eradication of my peaceful morning hours, but soon I became a curious spectator. Eventually, they asked me to join them. Several months later I was appearing at events around the island, hired to draw glitter art on attendees. I didn’t become an artist for art’s sake. Rather, it was the connections themselves that inspired me to dive deeper. IN YOUR OPINION, WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO LIVE A CREATIVE LIFE? The challenge with being a creative, for me, is balancing that creative side with all the other aspects of myself. It’s easy to bugger off into the wilds and make mud art, but it’s also easy to plug into the ‘matrix’ and slave away. There’s a delicate line to be walked between these two realities.
HAVE YOU HAD AN ‘AH-HA’ MOMENT IN SEEKING THAT BALANCE? When I eventually returned to the United States with a yoga teacher certificate, I hoped I would be able to live a life that honored all aspects of me. But earnings from my classes would barely scratch away at my bills. Something dawned on me as it did when I was a traveling street musician in Asia—that this lifestyle might not be conducive for attaining what I consider to be necessary comforts. ANY ADVICE FOR OTHER ARTISTS WHEN IT COMES TO FINANCES? Don’t focus on the money flowing out (expenses) as much as the money flowing in. Figure out how to maximize your revenues while delivering the best product to your clients. Focus on the categories you do really well—don’t add superfluous offerings that aren’t your strong suit. Surround yourself with people who inspire you, and don’t get lost in the pursuit. FEB R UARY 2 0 2 2 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM/ROA R I N G F O R K
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M UST SE E | A RTS + CU LTURE
bright hearts ON VALENTINE'S DAY WEEKEND, ILLUMINATE YOUR LOVED ONES' HEARTS WITH A ONE-OF-A-KIND EXPERIENCE IN DOWNTOWN CARBONDALE ARTICLE BY CAITLIN CAUSEY
Falling about halfway between the winter solstice and spring equinox, there is Valentine’s Day. When the days are cold and the nights still come early, the holiday can be a bright spot in the season— especially when celebrated with not only our sweethearts but our children, parents, neighbors, and friends. For one weekend only, the downtown Carbondale section of the Rio Grande trail will fill with light—and valentines of all kinds are invited to enjoy the uplifting spectacle together with the community. “Light the Night with Love” is presented this year by the Carbondale Creative District, KDNK Community Radio, and True Nature Healing Arts. From 5-7:30 p.m. on February 11 and 12, attendees should plan to bundle up and stroll along the trail, which will be illuminated with special farolitos designed by locals in honor of their loved ones. (Also called luminarias, these candlelit paper lanterns are a traditional fixture in Southwestern holiday and wintertime festivities.) Poetry readings, performances, artist installations, and other surprise delights will also brighten the path as participants make their way through town. “This event brought so much joy to those who experienced it last year, we are excited to bring it back,” says Amy Kimberly, executive director of Carbondale Arts. The route begins at 4th Street and Main, and
includes a path through True Nature’s gardens before ending past the Clay Center. The True Nature section, Kimberly notes, “will really add immense beauty and performance space” to the walk. Attendees can expect an array of lightfilled artistry by local creatives, including pieces like “The Luminous Mandala” by Nico Heins and Corey Miller, “Neon Winter Wonderland” by Hannah Beal, “Ice Luminaries” by Thomas Barlow, “The Flames of Love: Sacred Dance” by CoMotion, and more. One particularly heartening installation is titled “Love Letter”, by artists Zakriya Rabani and Esther Nooner. “This Love Notes project will bring support, love, and healing to LGBTQ youth in the Roaring Fork Valley by inviting community members to share affirming messages of support for youth,” Kimberly says. The messages will then be combined “into a mosaic to be displayed in school lobbies and libraries across our valley during LGBTQ Health Awareness Week/Month in March 2022.” Proceeds from “Light the Night with Love” will benefit the Carbondale Creative District and KDNK. For complete details, visit CarbondaleCreativeDistrict.com. Tickets ($20/adult, $15/minors and seniors) are available for purchase online.
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Casting for
Hope
Glassblower Martin Gerdin on Art, Recovery, and the Beauty of a Trout 26
A RT IS’TS PA LE T T E | ARTS + CULTURE
“My rock bottom was really close to dying,” says classical Italian glassblower Martin Gerdin. “I don’t know how I got there, or what led up to it. A week fueled by whiskey and benzodiazepines. I ended up in the hospital with no skin on my back. Towards the end, I wasn’t even able to work because I was so sick during the day and so checked out at night.” Long before the onset of his struggles with substance abuse, Gerdin was a curious young Colorado Rocky Mountain School (CRMS) student, and an assistant to artist-in-residence Dave Powers who helped teach glassblowing. “I started blowing glass in this studio when I was 13,” he says. “I was enthralled. It’s this magical material that moves and has a mind of its own— the wildest thing I’d ever seen. Every free period: I came after school, I asked questions, learned. I proceeded to take the class eleven times.” Upon entering Jacksonville University in Florida after high school, Gerdin had mastered more foundational glass skills than most seniors in the program. Today, at 28 and teaching again, Gerdin fills the studio with six-feet-nine-inches of sober thrill. His career is fulfilling, lucrative, and fun. But it was no joy ride getting here. He hunkers down to examine a damaged crucible and speaks further of his own brokenness. “Jacksonville was gnarly, kind of inner-city ghetto. I struggled with moving, with leaving everything I knew growing up here. It was a downward spiral; full-blown alcoholism and drug addiction by the time I was a sophomore. I knew there was something wrong in my head, I just didn’t know what it was.” Despite ongoing addiction, Gerdin returned to the valley and purchased his first home, near a confluence on the Roaring Fork. “The whole reason for that in my addiction-addled brain was to rent out the bedrooms so that other people would fuel my lifestyle.” Existing blackout to blackout, Gerdin reached out to the Carbondale treatment center Jaywalker Lodge when he got a DUI in August 2019. Unable to commit, he was kicked out. A month later, his back still oozing and crusted CONTINUED >
ARTICLE BY GENEVIEVE VILLAMIZAR PHOTOGRAPHY BY RENEE RAMGE FEB R UARY 2 0 2 2 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM/ROA R I N G F O R K
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“I had found that getting involved with my hands helped calm my head. That’s a big reason why I became so attached to the glass studio. When you take glass out of the furnace, for me, nothing else exists.”
-MARTIN GERDIN
from the injury sustained during his ‘rock bottom’ week, Gerdin met with clinical manager Kim Reil of A Way Out in Aspen. The nonprofit works to help provide equitable access to treatment when other avenues have failed. “I was so sick, I was in danger of death from withdrawal,” he says. “She [Reil] said, ‘We’re going to fill out this paperwork right now, and you’re going to be on your way to Salt Lake City on Monday.’” It was in 40 days of rehab there that Gerdin was finally diagnosed: bipolar, with ADHD. His life experience and challenges finally made sense. It was also in Salt Lake that he began Alcoholics Anonymous, which he totally dug. “Sobriety is sick,” he grins, meaning sick in the good way. “You’re never gonna build a ‘tolerance’ to happiness. All addicts are chasing that first high. The more it
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A RT IS’TS PA LE T T E | ARTS + CULTURE
progresses, the less you can enjoy anything. In recovery, if I have an incredible day, my next incredible day isn’t going to feel any less because of that previous one. I’ll never build a tolerance to stoke!” Renewed, Gerdin has immersed himself in living—which has included a return to his first passion of glassblowing. “In my younger years,” he confides, “I had found that getting involved with my hands helped calm my head. That’s a big reason why I became so attached to the glass studio. When you take glass out of the furnace, for me, nothing else exists.” He’s also discovered genuine, robust friendships. A wholesome love interest. He’s helped to rebuild the CRMS glass studio with the newest artist in residence. And he’s become as obsessed with fly fishing as he is glass, putting in 300 days a year on the river and guiding for Jaywalker.
“Once I was fly fishing, I realized the fish I had been making didn’t even look like trout!” he chuckles, a former spin fisher. “Every time I catch one now, I note its colors, form, structure. And trout have such incredible colors, like glass—such a wonderful material for fish. In its natural state, if you don’t do any surfacing, it looks like a wet fish. It’s the perfect marriage of form and passion.” So much so, that Gerdin’s glass trout are currently backordered through June 2022. “Hope is important,” he says. “It felt hopeless for me and it felt hopeless for my family. All it takes is that first step and being willing to listen to the people who have done it before you. There is hope. I am surrounded by an incredible supportive group of people my age and younger. There’s a lot of us around. You just have to find us.”
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F E B R UA RY 2 0 2 2
events A curated selection of the most intriguing upcoming events in the city.
F E BRUA RY 4 T H, 1 1 T H , 1 8T H, 2 5T H
F EB RUA RY 1 1 T H
Friday Afternoon Club
GL EN WOOD CAVER N S ADVENT UR E PA R K | 4 :30 P M Ride the gondola up to the Adventure Park and enjoy live music in the Lookout Grille every Friday in February! Winter on the Mountain is also still going strong, with thousands of lights adorning the park. Catch musical acts Chasing Avalon (Feb. 4), Stone Kitchen (Feb. 11), Wild Flight (Feb. 18), and Shady Lane (Feb. 25). GlenwoodCaverns.com
Andy Warhol Exhibit Tour
POW ERS ART CEN TER | 11:00 A M Join Redstone Art Foundation members and guests for a tour of this exceptional exhibit in Carbondale. Register by February 7 at RedstoneArtFoundation.org.
F EB RUA RY 1 2 T H
Western Winter Games: Nordic
ARG ON AUT FAR M | 8 :30 AM Special Olympics Colorado presents the winter games in Glenwood Springs, including snowshoe and cross-country skiing events. Opening ceremonies at 8:30 a.m., with awards to follow the competitions in the afternoon. For additional information, contact Susan Foege at sf@specialolympicsco.org. To volunteer, visit SpecialOlympicsCO.org .
F EB RUA RY 1 4 T H
Valentine's Day Comedy
TACAW | 8 :00 PM Celebrated comedians Noah Gardenswartz and Ester Steinberg bring the laughs on Valentine's Day. Gardenswartz is a New York-based comedian and writer on Amazon's award-winning show, "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel". Steinberg is one of the hottest comedians in Los Angeles and has appeared in numerous shows and specials. Tickets: $30 advance, $40 day-of. TACAW.org
F EB R UA RY 2 3 RD
Naturalist Nights
VIRTUAL | 6:00 PM Wilderness Workshop and the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies (ACES) host a fascinating discussion on "Using Goats for Habitat Restoration on Public Lands". The speaker is Hilary Boyd, wildlife biologist in the BLM’s Colorado River Valley Field Office. Free and available to the public online. Register at WildernessWorkshop.org .
F E B R UA RY 2 7 T H
Rat Bike Face
SUN LIG HT MOUN TAIN RES ORT | 8 :0 0 A M Calling all fat tire fanatics! Sunlight is bringing back fat bike racing this season. Long and short courses offered, incorporating groomed trails, aspen groves, heart-pounding uphills, white-knuckle descents, and tons of fun. Entry fee is $40. Find the race and register at BikeSignUp.com .
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DON’T WOR RY,
bee happy
Photo: Mark Burrows
ARTICLE BY CAITLIN CAUSEY
Jan Schubert and the Art of the Sustainable Beeswax Candle
jan schubert CANDLEMAKER
Jan Schubert has an affinity for the magic of bees. Having formerly lived for years on a California apiary, the Carbondale maker behind Bee Happy Candles imbues her love and respect for the creatures into every piece she makes. Sourcing pure beeswax from Colorado Mountain Honey in Silt, Schubert creates candles with her own handmade molds. All of her designs are inspired by the organic forms of nature: pomegranates, oranges, acorns, apples, pears, persimmons, pinecones, and of course, flowers. "What the bees do to actually produce their wax, is beautiful," says the artisan. "I try to be very careful with what they've made for us, and never waste." Schubert has been making clean 100-percent beeswax candles for some 25 years, and has been operating out of her studio here in the valley for about four. Her goods can be found at select local artist markets (such as "Deck the Walls" by Carbondale Arts every December) and in her online shop at BeeHappyCandles.net. SEE SCHUBERT'S WORK ON FACEBOOK AND IG: @bee_happy_candles
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