Arts News

ART AUCTION ALERT!

We can’t wait for the Ah Haa School for the Arts’ summer fundraiser, its iconic art auction. Virtual again this year, viewers and bidders can check out what’s on offer via Ah Haa’s website (ahhaa.org) from July 16 until Aug. 5 — an end date that coincides very nicely with the August Art Walk. The artwork will also be exhibited in the SilverJack building, located at Pacific Avenue and Fir Street, for the duration of the event. Supporters of Telluride’s local arts education hub will know that Ah Haa is putting the finishing touches on its new home at the SilverJack, one of many exciting developments that include the arrival of new Executive Director Marty Wollesen and a diverse and compelling summertime program of classes.

savor every bite

Melissa Plantz

TELLURIDE ROCKS

Take a closer look around town and you might notice colorful painted rocks in random places. The brainchild of longtime local Luci Reeve, Telluride Rocks encourages anyone who is feeling a little creative to paint a rock and leave it in a place where it might catch a child’s eye, bring cheer to someone having a bad day, or figure in a photo perfect for Telluride Rocks’ Facebook page.

WALK THIS WAY

On the first Thursday of each month is Art Walk, a popular and lively Telluride Arts initiative that sees more than 20 participating galleries and venues throw open their doors for an evening of art, conversation and refreshments. This summer, fans can expect organizers to make inventive use of outdoor spaces so that compelling, relevant works of art can be viewed in tandem with the stunning scenery — surely a win-win for eventgoers.

ART + WINE

Terroir is the key word in an exciting collaboration between Gunnison-based Buckel Family Wine and Telluride artist Eunika Rogers. New venture Red Dirt Studio and Gallery + Buckel Family Wine has taken over the former Telluride Truffle spot on North Fir Street to offer a tasting room, art gallery and artist’s studio. The Buckel family prides itself on making wines with minimal intervention, which in turn allows the terroir (in oenology, the term refers to the natural environment, including soil and topography) of their Colorado-grown grapes to truly express itself. And Rogers paints with clays of all colors and types for stunning works inspired by nature and the land. Says Shamai Buckel, “It really is a terroir-driven space.”

THE ABCs OF TELLURIDE

Hot off the presses this summer is The Telluride Alphabet, the creation of locals Jill Wilson and Abby J. Fox. This clever and colorful book links the ABCs to the people, wildlife, places and events that make this corner of the San Juans so special and unique. The publication, a hardcover book due for release on July 11, was the brainchild of Wilson, an educator and much-loved Wilkinson Public Library librarian. “One night I had a dream about it,” she says. “I could not go back to sleep. I was thinking of all the letters and Telluride things — Astonishing Ajax, Booming Bridal Veil, Captivating Columbines — I love the alliterative nature of words and I kept going through the alphabet in my head.” Wilson gave up on sleep that night, eventually getting up and making notes. She then put the concept on the back burner for a few years before reaching out to Fox, a friend and highly regarded local artist. The pair successfully applied for a 2020 Telluride Arts grant and got to work, Wilson fleshing out her notes with lively and informative descriptions to accompany each letter and Fox providing beautiful, highly detailed and engaging illustrations. Says Fox, “It was a challenge in a way to make it a book that would be good for children and of interest to tourists and accurate for locals.”

The Telluride Alphabet certainly does that, at once eminently accessible, fun and educational for young readers courtesy of its age-appropriate format, but genuinely enlightening and entertaining for grownups too, thanks to the well-researched text and illustrations that even got the thumbsup from the Telluride Historical Museum for their authenticity. The hard work complete, Wilson and Fox say they are looking forward to the July launch of their book, which, as of press time, will be available for purchase at Between the Covers, Hook and the Telluride Historical Museum, as well as online at thetelluridealphabet.com. Brava!