FEATURED ARTIST: JEWEL

Jewel went from a girl who grew up with no running water on an Alaskan homestead, to a homeless teenager in San Diego, to an award winning, Multi-Platinum Recording Artist who released one of the best-selling debuts of all time. 

Through her career Jewel has sold over 30 million albums worldwide, earned 26 Music Award nominations, including The Grammys, American Music Awards, MTV Awards, VH1 Awards, Billboard Music Awards, and Country Music Awards, winning 8 times.  Jewel has been featured on the cover of TIME Magazine, Rolling Stone, performed on Saturday Night Live, at the Super Bowl, the NBA Finals, for The Pope and The President Of The United States. She has experimented with several genres over her career with top hits in Folk, Pop, Club, Country, Standards, Children's and Holiday music.

Mental health and mindfulness has been a lifelong passion of Jewel’s. She offers free mindfulness exercises and an online mental health community at JewelNeverBroken.com.

2020 marks a momentous year for Jewel — she is celebrating the 25th anniversary of her multi-platinum debut album, “Pieces of You” with an exclusive Anniversary package of the album to be released later this year by Craft Recordings. It will give listeners a vivid insider’s look at how this album came to be, collecting all relevant rarities and previously unissued tracks in one place. In addition, Jewel has been hard at work on a new studio album and a forthcoming book. Both will be released next year with a live tour to support.

We asked Jewel a few questions:

What are you watching?

I actually haven’t been watching a ton. My son is 8 and  with all of us parents taking on helping with school during quarantine, it’s sure been a lot! In our free time we tend to get outside, we are so lucky to be here in the mountains. I develop mental health tools, and work has really picked up during the pandemic, as the need is so great.  But if I do get a chance to sneak in a little television, I’m watching The Mandolorian with Kase.

What are you reading?

I actually have been working on a book and hopefully in the final stages of editing.  So when I read it’s usually research . If I do get a chance to pick up a book, I love reading Lucia Berlin’s short story fiction. What an American treasure. I especially love having my son read to me.

What are you listening to?

My son and I love vinyls.  We have a record player and I treasure the vinyls I found along my travels.  A lot of Led Zeppelin, John Prine, Beastie Boys, Neil Young.  Our taste in music is quite eclectic.  One morning we are listening to Loretta Lynn the next we are loving the Rolling Stones.

Any projects you're currently working on?

I have been working on several things.

First is a book. This is the second book I have written here. Telluride has been a wonderful place to write. This one is about how to change. It’s about how we create our reality and personality, and how to choose to change if we wish. We don’t get to choose what happens to us in life, but we do get to choose how it changes us.

Second, I am putting the final touches on a new album. I am really excited. I have a new song out that I just released called Grateful. 

Third, I am doing a live tv show from my house -about mental health and mindfulness called "Live from San Quarantine”. I feel what we are facing a nation and as a world is three fold - the virus, the economic fall out and the mental health fall out. Suicides drastically increases during recession, and support is needed to help us adjust to a new normal. Besides the physical ailments of a virus we also have to address how mentally consuming this has been for the world.  On Thursdays at 4 pm mst, we have amazing guests on mixed in with some laughter and music! 

Fourth is charity work. I have enjoyed supporting the Sheridan Opera House, The Mountain School and AHAA with fundraising concerts over the years, in conjunction with my own foundation Inspiring Children. It’s harder now than ever to raise funds for charities, so I have been very busy making sure our children stay fed and in housing during this uncertain time. 

What has changed for you?

Besides the obvious daily routines being uprooted, I love that there is a golden opportunity here for the world, for the human population, to slow down, to connect to our families, to see what’s important and to change.  This experience is happening whether we like it or not, so I may as well look for how I can make it work for me. What if staying home is a new form of activism? I have been amazed to see how much I can do from home- and seeing staying home as a new form of activism. Our planet is happy we are moving around less, so I am looking at ways to sustain some of what I am learning right now. Maybe I do more interviews from home, more meetings via zoom. Less runs to the grocery store. Learning how to evolve to stay in relationship to nature is important to me. This has been an eye opening experience. And I’m glad to be doing it here in such a beautiful place with such an amazing community to support my son and I. I love it here.

FEATURED ARTIST: JODIE SHIKE WRIGHT

Jodie Shike Wright is a creative thinker with 20+ years of experience as a designer, licensed architect and artist.  An endless enthusiasm for delineation was ultimately the magnet to her career in architecture.  This passion for drawing includes a sharp eye for capturing details in nature and thoughtful translation for use in the built environment.  Her many sketchbooks hold random thoughts, inspired sketches and endless project ideas.  She has a passion for life, illustration, photography, art, design and architecture and currently creates at One Architects, Inc. with Bruce, her husband and business partner.

Jodie is a co-founder of CampV, along with Bruce Wright and Natalie Binder.  Opening in late 2020, CampV is a boutique camp that combines art, history, architecture, design, outdoor recreation, and unique spaces to bring together rural communities and inspire connections. The 120 acres with 14 cabins, known as Vancorum was built by the Vanadium corporation to house the engineers who worked in the nearby uranium mine and mill in Uravan.  The local community is open to artistic expression and supports in this unique project rooted in art and authenticity.  Given the location, approximately one hour by car in between both Telluride, Colorado and Moab, Utah, CampV will be a picturesque getaway experience with endless outdoor opportunities and space to host fully furnished tents, van life areas, a refurbished vintage bus, and airstreams.

We asked Jodie a few questions:

What are you watching?

Apparently my phone.  Looks like my usage up roughly 8,000% since mid-March.

What are you reading?

Magazines.  Working through a heap of industry publications: Architectural Record, Metropolis, Residential Design.  Just finished 2014.  That last part is a joke.

What are you listening to?

My playlists, the radio, Sirius, Spotify and Pandora.  Drawing and music go hand-in-hand.

Any projects you're currently working on?  

Yes!  CampV is capturing the majority of my focus.

Specifically, our growing list of exciting creations: the walk-up movie theater on the historic baseball field, Tex’s Cairns, Solstice Groove, Patty’s Party Pad, The Crusher (framed view in 20k# of steel), Hogan’s Gates, Mini Power Swing, Shed Bar In Plain Sight, The BIG Coupling, Tank 1, Litter Labyrinth, Tank 2, Buried Bus and Tool Shed Surprise.  Today’s to-do is Patty’s Party Pad.  A magical 1965 GMC Superior transport bus that is ready to transform into its next stage of life… a lounge.  Designing in hanging day beds and laying out the large shaded deck are just two of the tasks at hand.  We are dreaming of a colorful old parachute to use for the deck shading.  Tomorrow’s predicament involves finding a way to get to Fun Island… 

What has changed for you? (besides the obvious)

Time.  Suddenly I feel like there is more of it.  This is just a shift in my perspective; however, I am deeply grateful for it.

FEATURED ARTIST: CORY WIDAU

Jijnasu (pronouced Jig-na-su) means "seeker of truth" in Hindi, but to local jeweler Cory Widau, it goes even deeper. To him, it symbolizes a beautiful state of existence in which one follows their intuition, lives in an uncomplicated manner, and seeks authenticity and veracity in every aspect of life.
 
It is this heightened state that guides Cory's work, and inspired his company Jijnasu Jewelry.
 
A Telluride artist who started wire wrapping in 2017, Cory quickly got hooked on the meditative quality of the medium. With endless combinations possible, he finds that the medium compels constant learning, experimentation, and creative growth, resulting in each piece being one of a kind.
 
Cory is a yoga instructor, chef, and crystal collector, influenced greatly by consciousness, the cosmos, nature, creativity, healing and sharing energy with others.  He evokes the vibrational and transformative qualities of the crystals and minerals he uses and offers the stones to augment positive change and growth to the wearers, that will then transmit to others.

​We asked Cory a few questions:

 What are you watching?

I've been watching lots of documentaries! Crip Camp, Cheer, Dirty Money & Operation Odessa are a few that stand out.

What are you reading?

I'm currently reading A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving, Sometimes Brilliant by Larry Brilliant, and The Book of Joy by the Dalai Llama.

What are you listening to?

I've been trying to discover some new music lately. The Cave Singers, Polo & Pan, and the Fruit Bats are some new favorites that I've been mixing with some old favorites like the Grateful Dead, John Prine and Spearhead. Also, I am experimenting with some Solfeggio Healing Frequencies while I read.

 What projects are you working on?

I've been learning some chainmaille and viking knit techniques to make my own chains and incorporate them into my wire wraps. I have a series of mini-pendants in the works for some affordable jewelry options once everything starts to open back up.

 What has changed for you?

I'm personally treating this time off as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to slow down, check some things off the long-term to-do list, and to work on my physical and mental well-being. I've been meditating, doing lots of yoga, going on bike rides, cooking healthy meals, reading and playing guitar. These are all things I don't have much time to focus on during the hustle and bustle of “normal” life. 

FEATURED ARTIST: JILL WILSON

Jill Wilson moved to the Box Canyon of Telluride 8 years ago to become the Public Services Manager at the Wilkinson Public Library. Originally from the Hill Country of Texas, Jill never realized how much of a Mountain Girl she really was until she moved to Colorado. 

In her free time, Jill enjoys playing the ukulele (shout out to The Ukuladies), reading, cooking for others, soaking in hot springs, and going on hikes with her best buddies Cecelia (baby daughter friend), Bowie Arrow (goofy white Golden) and Sam Burgess (goofy loving husband).  

Jill Wilson is a 2020 Telluride Arts Small Grant recipient. In collaboration with artist, Abby Fox, Jill is creating a children’s book titled Telluride ABCs. The hardcover picture book will take the reader on a captivating journey through Telluride, one letter of the alphabet at a time. It will include a mix of local wildlife, historical figures, local landmarks, and natural phenomena that are all quintessential elements of Telluride, both past and present. 

We asked Jill a few questions:

What are you watching? 

For some weird reason, I’ve started watching cooking competition shows like The Great British Bake Off and Top Chef. It's a great way to turn off your brain at the end of a long day, but beware of watching them when you're hungry!

 What are you reading? 

I'm a little late to the game, but I am currently enjoying Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens. Fun fact: It was on the New York Times best seller list for 30 consecutive weeks and was the most check out book at the Wilkinson Public Library in 2019. Also, Cece and I just finished Pinocchio and are starting The Wizard of Oz next. So fun to return to the old classics once more. 

What are you listening to? 

ALL of the vinyl in our collection. 

Any projects you're currently working on? 

If there is one silver lining to all of this, it is that it has given me and my illustrator, Abby Fox, time to work on our upcoming book project, Telluride ABCs. Thanks to the incredible generosity of Telluride Arts, I am going to finally fulfill my dream of becoming an author! And it's not just for kids! This book will be a piece of art in and of itself with 26 original pieces of artwork done by the very talented Abby Fox. Our goal is to try and capture the true essence of what makes Telluride so special and we are working hard to do our little town justice. We are both so excited to present this book to all of you in 2021. Stay tuned for more updates! 

What has changed for you? (besides the obvious) 

Well, pretty much everything changed when our little Cecelia was born in our home down in Placerville in July of 2019. Our lives are pretty much solely focused on making sure she gets the richest experiences possible every day and it has been so much fun watching her grow and learn new things. I am so grateful to have her beaming smile and baby giggles to get me through this bizarre time we're living in right now. 

FEATURED ARTIST: BRIA LIGHT

Bria Light grew up romping around the woods near Eugene, Oregon before studying Romance Languages and Latin America at the University of Oregon. Upon graduation, she did the only sensible thing a restless recent college grad could do and turned down a job in her field to move to Telluride to be a ski bum. In the decade since, she's dedicated most of her time working in outdoor and experiential education leading groups of young people on educational programs throughout Latin America, India, the South Pacific, and North Africa. She believes stories are the building blocks of the universe, creativity gives one wings, and that there is nothing quite so blissful as a street taco in Mexico.

Bria was awarded one of the first Telluride Arts' Flash Grants to help fund Telluride Tiny Adventures. This project is a new non-fiction community storytelling platform, with the idea to make engaging, creative storytelling as accessible as possible for anyone in our community.

The Telluride Tiny Adventures project was inspired by the New York Times Tiny Love Stories, which are reader-submitted stories based on the theme of love (any kind of love) in 100 words or less. Bria thought our creative, adventurous, articulate, story-loving community could really enjoy participating in a similar story-telling platform, whether through simply listening to them on the radio, or writing and submitting one.

How it works: anyone in the community can write their "tiny adventure" story in 150 words or less, based on the theme "Life, love, and the great outdoors." Stories must be real from the writer's own life, and can truly be about any moment or experience. They then submit their story through the website, and all submissions will be reviewed. Stories chosen ( most of them will be!) will then be recorded and aired on Fridays after the news on KOTO. Submit your Telluride Tiny Adventure HERE.

We Asked Bria a Few Questions:

What are you watching?
Tiger King. I had to jump on the bandwagon to see what the hype was all about. And wow. People are CRAZY.

What are you reading?
The Overstory by Richard Powers

What are you listening to?
Recently listened to Dolly Parton's America, a podcast by Radiolab host Jad Abumrad. So good. You don't even need to be a Dolly Parton fan or know anything about her to be wowed by the storytelling.

What projects are you working on?
I received a Telluride Arts Flash Grant for my project Telluride Tiny Adventures! Head over to HERE to submit your story!

What has changed for you?
I very rarely put on so-called "real clothes" anymore. Also - It has made me so aware of all the things in my life I have to be grateful for - my household, my health, access to our beautiful backyard, and TIME! And thank you, Telluride Arts, for the Flash Grant to help get the Telluride Tiny Adventures project out into our community!

FEATURED ARTIST: JACQUE GARCIA

Jacque Garcia is a writer, desert enthusiast, and founder of The Dust Magazine. After falling in love with the southwest originally in Moab, she relocated to Telluride with a mission to highlight the network of small town creatives in the Four Corners region.

What are you watching?

Honestly, I'm living for the weekly release of this season of Top Chef. I'm so used to binge watching TV series that it's sort of refreshing to have to live in anticipation for each new episode. Plus it provides a lot of home cooking inspiration.

What are you reading?

I'm bouncing around between a couple of novels, both by authors I really admire: House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende and Dance, Dance, Dance by Haruki Murakami. I'm also slowly savoring my way through Virga & Bone by Craig Childs, whose book of essays is both invigorating and also somewhat torturous in a time when I feel so close to the desert and so unable to access it. Lastly, I'm reading a book of poems by Rainer Rilke, whose lndustrial Era German poetry is serving to remind me that other times and places do exist, and that there is a familiar course of human emotion that runs through all of them. 

What are you listening to?

I'm listening to the KOTO daily updates, NPR, and the This American Life podcast. Musically, I'm finding comfort in the old familiar music of my childhood and adolescence, primarily Stevie Nicks, Death Cab for Cutie, and Joni Mitchell. 

What are you currently working on?

One project I'm really excited about is collecting firsthand accounts from writers in the Four Corners region during this time of uncertainty and change, which is being published this week with The Dust (www.thedustmag.com). 

Personally, I'm continuing to work on a collection of poems I've written over the past few years. It's called Red Wine & White Lies and is split into sections all named after different types of wine. It's been a perfect time to reflect on how I've grown and changed over the past few years, and focusing on this book has been a great lens through which to do so. 

A brand new project I'm working on (thanks to the new guitar I picked up from the Telluride Music Company TODAY) is taking my poems and putting them to music, which I have vague aspirations of collecting into an album to be called Red Wine, White Lies, and the Blues.

What's changed for you?

I'm realizing (somewhat unexpectedly) that it feels like I am both where I want to and where I need to be right now. In the past year and a half, Telluride has come to feel like home in a way I haven't experienced in years of traveling and living seasonally. So, I suppose what's changed is that I'm no longer looking for my next move to the next place. So many things are uncertain right now but, amidst it all, I'm relaxing and becoming comfortable, for once, right where I'm at. 

FEATURED ARTIST: MELISSA SUMPTER

Melissa Sumpter has spent the majority of her life in Colorado, calling Pagosa Springs home for 8 years before moving to Telluride in '99. The art scene in both of these small towns helped her grow into one creative individual. She has dabbled in every crafty process one can imagine from beading to burlesque.

The twists and turns of Melissa's creative process lead her to adventures with theatre — first in Durango and then Telluride. She has enjoyed being involved behind the scenes, costuming several shows and helping to teach burlesque. Sharing her love of all things fabric, as well as the thrill of being onstage, has taken her experiences in town to a whole new level. Melissa is grateful for the support she has received from Telluride Arts and its small grant program. The grant enabled Melissa to purchase a sewing machine, which is helping her keep up with the costume and clothing needs of her community.

We asked Melissa a few questions:

Why Telluride?

This tiny valley holds my heart. The dramatic landscape inspires me. The community it attracts has accepted my creativity in such a supportive way that I have been able to push my process and explore beyond my perceived limitations. I have been honored to have been provided me with so many magical opportunities. 

Favorite thing ever created?

That's a hard one. Each piece holds a special place for me and I try to love the thing for what it is. That being said I'm most proud of the fabric living wall I crafted for Art & Architecture. 

What are you up to these days?

So much of my time has been going into Burlesque- helping students, working on costumes, practicing my routine. Let the countdown to our performances begin! I've been involved in sewing products for Carry On Reusables. And... I'm a Mom so that's a big part of my life experience. My daughter is my favorite piece of art.

Creative Heroes?

Heroes to me are people who haven't been trained formally in art but dig deep to explore the creative process. I am deeply inspired by the artists in our community. We are surrounded by powerhouses and it's fun to enjoy the collective forces out there. I'm also inspired by fabric artists who are taking the refashion process to deep creative levels. 

Happy Place?

Water. I find solace and joy in lap after lap of a pool. Hot springs are the place for me to quiet my mind and reboot. And then there's snow. I love skiing and swooshing through the woods. 

FEATURED ARTIST: POE NICODEMUS

Poe Nicodemus is a mixed media artist influenced by natural sciences, science fiction, and myths—but they rely, most of all, on their wild imagination. Poe has been working in theatrical design for more than a decade. Nothing pleases them more than to make an impossible, imaginary thing real; to hold it in one’s hand, or see it move and come alive. Viewers may have seen their work featured in stage productions from Telluride Theatre, Young People’s Theatre, and the Palm, as well as in Telluride Aids Benefit’s Fashion Show in 2017 and 2018. Poe has a studio at Voodoo Studios, a program of Telluride Arts.

Photo by Sarah Schwab.

We asked Poe a few questions:

3 words to describe your work:

Naturalistic, Flowing, Otherworldly

Where do you find inspiration?

The short answer is that I go for walks, and I’ll invariably imagine some fantastical creature. More truthfully, it’s a long journey from concept to completion. At first, their forms are ethereal, and it’s unclear precisely how they would move, sound, feel to the touch, and so forth. I spend weeks or months mulling them over, revisiting their image until I can picture them in great detail. I like to make objects that seem alive, or that have the feeling of their own history. I look to natural sciences, like paleontology, and nature photography for reference in hopes that the final piece feels more like an artifact than an artwork.

Eventually, there comes these emotional moments in which I am struck by a vision of a complete design: its meaning to me, its identity, its form in perfect clarity. I fall in love with it, and I need to build it so that I can feel it under my hand and show it to other people. Each sculptural piece is rather time-consuming to make, so I invest a lot in my choice of what to build next. It’s an emotional decision, as I will spend the time in construction processing my feelings of that month, season, or year in which the design became clear to me. In hindsight, I consider all of my creature designs to be metaphorical self-portraiture; a sort of cryptozoological record of my mental and emotional state.

Favorite thing ever created?

Trying to choose a favorite feels distasteful to me. I sincerely feel that the next piece is always the most exciting. In part, this is because the next will always be the most emotionally resonant, but also because I am still so far from the technical skills that I hope to one day bring to this work. At the time of construction, each design becomes an obsession; my favorite while I’m building it and in those glorious moments when I first behold it finished. I always feel depressed after completing a piece. When that magic moment comes again and I fall in love with a new concept, it becomes the most beautiful and wonderful thing I’ve ever imagined, and my new favorite.

There is something very special to me about the wearable art I’ve made for TAB the last two years: a hulking, rattling tree creature called Dogwood Spirit in 2018, and the Raven Exosuit in 2019, a metal bird with an articulating 11’ wingspan. I am at my happiest, practically vibrating with excitement when I’m building full costumes—what are in essence giant puppets—because that comes closest to realizing what I most wish to do with my life as an artist. I don’t want to make sculptures, per se. I want to make real the creatures in my head, and see them move as though they were alive.

Why Telluride?

People say that Telluride is a good place to come to heal, and that has certainly been true for me. I have drawn so much strength and inspiration from this valley, from these peaks, and especially from the forests blanketing the area. The beauty and wildness here has made me a better artist. There is always some naturalistic detail nearby to awaken ideas in me, and each piece I’ve made while living here has felt like putting down another root. I can return to specific spots on our walking trails and point to the exact place where I first pictured, with perfect clarity, one design or another. When I pass by, I’m still struck by intense memories of what it was like to encounter them there. I’m deeply moved by the idea that in time, these focal points will grow in number until I’m surrounded by such spots; delightful visions of my most beloved imaginings, swaying at me like so many trees whenever I step outside.

 
What's your next project?

This upcoming Art Walk and through the end of February, I have work on display inside ETHOS, the lovely new retail store/ meditation space/ gallery. My current favorite project is a wearable art design for the upcoming TAB Fashion Show, which will fit this year’s theme of illumination. I am extremely grateful to have the support of Telluride Arts through the Small Arts Grant program, which has helped me to afford supplies for this ambitious build. Construction is currently underway, and the glowing, creeping spectre is on my mind waking and sleeping. This creature, whose precise appearance coalesced on a walk through a recent blizzard, is one which I am very much looking forward to sharing with you.

FEATURED ARTIST: Brandon Berkel

Brandon Berkel’s education in the arts started early. His father is a master sheet metal worker and drummer. His mother home-schooled him with an art-based curriculum. Instead of going to college, Brandon spent his college years living in a small town and writing a novel, and when that was published wrote a second one. The process taught him how to give life to his imagination through pen and paper.

In fact, when he moved to Telluride a few years ago, he spent his first months bent over scratching ink into paper until realized he would rather be looking up instead of looking down all day. He tucked the story away and started hiking. A flatlander from St. Louis Missouri, the epic San Juan Mountains felt surreal, giving him the sense he was living in a movie. It was this sensation that inspired Brandon’s next creative endeavor; creating imaginative landscapes in collage, which is a growing body of work that is still underway.

You can find Brandon, and his collage works, at There Bar. You can also find his work on a pair of Wagner Custom skis, on the new Wilkinson Public Library card, and on postcards. In the summer, you can find Brandon stationed at his “Tell aI Write Telegrams” booth at the Farmer’s Market, or collaborating with artists and helping with arts events around town.

Brandon has a studio at Voodoo Studios, a program of Telluride Arts.

We asked Brandon a few questions:

3 words to describe your work:

Mixed Media, Collage, Surreal

Do you collect anything?

I collect old typewriters & different illustrations of JM Berries Peter Pan. I've been collecting family and friends’ art over the years. My prize piece is a 1950s Tom Cassidy abstract painting.

Why Telluride?

Telluride has taken me under its wing since day one. I came here in search of new inspiration & creativity. The town, place & community has provided more support than I could ever have imagined. Telluride is a dream; a dream I hope to stay awake in.

Favorite Adventure?

My favorite adventure is hiking high in the mountains looking for Alpine Lakes. I like those kinds of hikes because they take up most of your day. You're only worries are getting from A to B & not getting any injuries. It's you & your imagination high in the sky surrounded by nature’s beauty.

What are you looking forward to in the new year?

My first project of 2020 will be doing a big collaboration with Mary Kenez Telluride Photographer; famously known for her piece "Gondogola". I am also starting work with Ah Haa as a new teacher for their SKART program. Last but not least, getting ready for my gallery show at Telluride Art Districts HQ in March! Looking forward to the many new projects 2020 will bring.

FEATURED ARTIST: ALEX PAUL

Alex grew up on the Front Range and moved to the San Juans about a decade ago. Music has been a substantial part of his life for the last 20 plus years and just keeps becoming even more of a focus and priority.  His trajectory really shifted and gained some momentum last year after receiving a Small Arts Grant from Telluride Arts District and then winning the Blues Challenge at Blues and Brews fest. 

Since then, he’s started a band project with two of his best friends called Birds of Play and they’ve been touring all over the Western half of the country. They also released their debut album this past summer at the Transfer Warehouse thanks in large part to the support of Telluride Arts District. 

We asked Alex a few questions:

Who/what is your musical inspiration?

Mostly mama nature and the belief that songs have the capacity to heal and move people. I like to write about feeling feelings and being joyful, but I feel the most substantially inspired by this magnificently beautiful world. 

Describe your creative process?

It varies wildly but these days I’ll have an idea for a song’s narrative arc and just kind of chew on it and play with words and sentiments in my head for a couple of weeks before I put pen to paper. Other times, I’ll just be fiddling about on the guitar and then something enigmatic will happen and I’ll think to myself, “Alex! Look at you go! You’re writing a song! Great job, pal!” It’s all very strange and mysterious. 

Do you collect anything?

Really good people. Not in a creepy locked-up-in-my-basement kind of way - partly because I don’t have a basement. I feel very fortunate to be surrounded by so many hilarious, fascinating, big-hearted weirdos. 

Why Telluride?

The only thing I like less than a nice long summer is a lung-full of oxygen. This place just ticks the boxes. The soul-stirringly beautiful land and my heartbreakingly supportive and funky-to-the-bones tribe of humans are just the cake’s icing. 

Favorite Adventure?

5 years ago I rode my motorcycle (with a guitar strapped to it) from Durango to Belize with some of my nearest and dearest friends and then lived in Belize for a few months playing music. Then I rode all the way home, all by myself. It got weird. Good weird, sure, but weird no less.  

What are you looking forward to in the New Year?

I think I’m going to be at least a little bit better at being me next year. Also, next year will be the first time that the numerical representation of the year will line up with the numerical representation of my vision… That should be neat. Also, also, I’m working on an art non-profit called Augment Project that helps up and coming musicians on their paths towards sustainable careers in the music industry. Also, also, also, Birds of Play will be doing lots of touring and creating and we’ll be releasing our second album sometime next summer!

FEATURED ARTIST: KATHLEEN MORGAN

Kathleen Morgan was born in New Zealand, raised in upstate NY and has been living in Telluride for 28 years. Coming to America by ship set her up for a life of global adventuring and wondering about how people live, interact, create and communicate. Her family is rich with artists and creative spirits. Kathleen got involved with archival photography in high school and set up the photo archives at her small college in western NYS. She graduated as an English Lit major with minors in Spanish and fine art. These days, Kathleen enjoys taking photos and working as much as possible with natural light. 

Kathleen has a master’s in language teaching and she has been working with the immigrant population in the Telluride area for over 20 years. 

We asked Kathleen a few questions:

What are you up to these days?

I’m dipping my toes back into mosaic and getting excited about TAB’s Wearable Art theme LUMENS!

What inspires you the most?

The natural world and how it is reflected in human design. 

Teaching or learning?

One cannot exist without the other. 

Favorite thing ever created?

All of my condom creations for the Telluride Aids Benefit. Every year is a new challenge to come up with something original and fabulous. 

Best thrift store or free box find?

A functioning sewing machine found in the FreeBox in the early 90’s. It led me to Robert Presley who rocked my world by teaching me how to use it and how to create without boundaries. 

Why Telluride?

I moved here sight unseen from Japan with no friends and met two Kiwis my first week from my childhood neighborhood who were friends with my family. There was no leaving after that!

What are you looking forward to?

Figuring out what papercuts to put in the desk calendar I make every year to share with friends and family. 

FEATURED ARTIST: SEAN MAHONEY

SEAN MAHONEY is a musical theater writer, guitarist, and DJ. He holds an MFA in Musical Theater Writing from NYU-Tisch School Of The Arts and a BA from UNH. As a songwriter, his work has been performed at Joe’s Pub, 54 Below, Birdland, Ars Nova, Merkin Hall, Bruno Walter Library at Lincoln Center, The Laurie Beechman Theater, ACT- Tokyo, and Symphony Space. Shows include FACTORY GIRLS (with Creighton Irons); Prep School Musical (with Sam Forman) Sweetwater (with Patricia Noonan), The Invincible Three – The Origin of Butch Cassidy (book, music, and lyrics), Sweet Cassandra – A Greek Rock Opera (with Amy Burgess) and the ten-minute musical Diaper Derby (with Janet Allard). He plays in a few bands, DJs at the Liberty once a quarter, and coaches U12 soccer for the Telluride Soccer Club.

We asked Sean a few questions:

Ideas and Inspiration?

I tend to follow my heart whether it’s picking new projects or finishing old ones. I honestly tend to wormhole down into Wikipedia topics that I find interesting. I’ve found a few great ideas in there. 

Creative Heroes?

Musically - Stephen Sondheim; The Beastie Boys; Robyn; Duane Allman

Spirit Animal?

Locally- Porcupine. Globally - Butterfly

Favorite thing about Telluride?

Knowing that we all appreciate this magical place and actually knowing everyone here as well. The longer I’m here, the more I appreciate off-season and getting to catch up with all of the locals and iconoclasts who still roam the streets once the laminates fade away.

What can you not live without?

The love of my family; fresh air; Stratocasters; friends around a fire; dumb dad jokes.

Favorite saying? / Motto?

“Let my inspiration flow, in token lines suggesting rhythm, that will not forsake me, til my tale is old and done.” RIP Robert Hunter

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

Sitting on the big rock in my front yard growing up in North Conway, NH, with an ice cold New Coke after having mowed the lawn listening to Led Zeppelin’s Physical Graffiti at full blast.

Best advice you've received? Given?

The best advice I received was from a former teaching colleague to finally leave the teaching field where I wasn’t thriving and to commit to theater writing as full-time as I could. Best I’ve given – “Are you sure you want another round of Flatliners?”

What is your greatest challenge as an artist?

Corralling big ideas for musicals into more manageable pieces and not getting too ‘lost in the clouds’ on any idea.  I also struggle at times being so far from the heart of my craft in NYC, but after a few days of slogging around back there, I’m hungry for the mountains again. 

Do you get writer's block?

I try to lean into my ADD nature and do something active, like going for a quick lap on the Wiebe or taking a few runs by myself, when I get stuck creatively. Luckily, our idyllic setting here in Telluride lets me off the hook pretty quickly. 

What's Next?

I just returned from the world premiere of one of my shows in Tokyo and Osaka, Japan; a rock musical about the Industrial Revolution called FACTORY GIRLS which was my thesis in grad school 12 years ago.

Next up, I am deep into re-writes for my Butch Cassidy bank robbery show The Invincible Three, which will be staged as a radio play (co-sponsored by Telluride Arts Small Grants) At the Palm Black Box Jan. 17-18. It’s super exciting to get to work here at home with a bunch of my friends and fellow musicians to tell a story that is relevant both geographically and historically. I’ve never written a radio play either, so it’s forcing me to really focus on the power of sound as opposed to theatrical staging, lights, costumes, etc. I can’t wait to share it with all of you.

FEATURED ARTIST: JACOB DEVANEY

If you live in Telluride you have probably seen Jacob Devaney's art for the last 20-plus years but never knew who was behind it. Jacob creates the giant puppets that we see each summer at Telluride Bluegrass, Jazz, and Blues and Brews. He is also one of the stilt walkers who accompanies these creations with a band of costumed-kids at various parades. Jacob plays piano as a past-time, enjoys making public art, sews appliqué’ beadwork, and loves exploring remote places in nature. The inspiration for his work comes from having a deep connection with the oral traditions of native people from Northern Europe, and New Orleans. For the past 2 decades he has worked closely with various tribes, including Hopi where he helped to develop cultural exchange programs that reach as far south as Peru.

He started Culture Collective in 2006 as a place to integrate indigenous wisdom, community art, environmental advocacy, and organic values into educational media for distribution online via social media. He is a Co-Founder of the popular Unify Network that boasts a following of 1.8 million fans, while hosting globally synchronized meditations and promoting various wellness and sustainability campaigns like World Water Day throughout the year. 

Read some of Jacob’s writing on his Facebook Authors' Page, learn about his giant puppets, and if you’d like to collaborate with Jacob visit his Patreon Page.

We asked Jacob a few questions:

Your Inspiration?

I am very inspired by Native Prophecies. The Eagle and Condor Prophecy is about integrating ancient, indigenous wisdom with modern science and technology. Thus, beadwork and social media are two ends of my creative spectrum. I also do my best to always explore all forms of music, and visual art, along with nature as sources of mental well-being and inspiration.

Favorite Book?

Wow, so many! Fingerprints of the Gods by Graham Hancock, Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda, Cosmos and Psyche by Rick Tarnas, as well as The Alphabet vs. The Goddess by Leonard Shlain, Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke, Man and His Symbols by Carl Jung, and everything Joseph Campell wrote! I am currently reading America Before by Graham Hancock

Creative Heroes?

Endless... Top of the list is Big Chief Tootie and Joyce Montana, who taught me how to do beadwork. Brian and Wendy Froud who gave me great inspiration and tips on building giant puppets. Cyril Neville and Doctor John who are my favorite examples of people who are cultural heroes but most people only know of them as musicians. Joe Bonner was a musical mentor and friend who taught me what impressionism sounds like on the piano. Julia Cameron, whose book the Artists Way has been a creative Bible for me over the years. Zipcy, Bret Blevins, Jessica Perlstein, Elizabeth Banker and Amanda Sage are some of my favorite visual artists. 

Free Box Find?

Once I found a pair of Oakley sunglasses that were barely scratched! I have also found some great outfits for the annual Free Box Fashion Show that happens in Town Park each year before the Bluegrass Festival.

Happy place?

Telluride Bear Canyon. I am also in love with Sedona and the Big Island of Hawaii which are two places that I have been fortunate to live in.

FEATURED ARTIST: MICHELINE KLAGSBRUN

Micheline Klagsbrun is a visual artist whose painting and multi-media work focuses on transformation. She studied in Paris with Alfredo Echeverria and at the Corcoran with Gene Davis and Bill Newman.  She has exhibited widely, and is in private collections nationally as well as in Europe and the Middle East. 

Klagsbrun was born and raised in London. A graduate of the University of Cambridge, she received a clinical doctorate in psychology (D.C.P.) from the Tavistock Institute of Human Relations. Subsequently she worked at the Center of Family Research at George Washington University.

She is President and co-founder, with her husband Ken Grossinger, of CrossCurrents Foundation (CCF) which as part of its mission sponsors art to promote social justice and to heighten public engagement with key social issues.

In addition to CCF, she serves on several boards, including the Phillips Collection (DC), Transformer (DC), American University Arts Advisory Council (DC), the Vera List Center for Art and Politics at the New School (NYC) and Telluride Arts (CO). Through the Corcoran Outreach program, she served for a number of years as a mentor for inner-city youth. 

For the month of August 2019, she will be exhibiting selections from the Transit of Venus series at Gallery 81435 in Telluride. Her work is also carried by Studio Gallery (www.studiogallerydc.com), William Ris Gallery (NY) and Adah Rose Gallery (MD)>

We asked Micheline a few questions:

How has your education background in psychology influenced your art? 

My work is about transformation. I allude to the everchanging cycles of life in nature and in humankind. For many years I immersed myself in Ovid’s Metamorphoses, and through his stories I explored moments of transformation itself, moments of chaos when all is in flux and new forms are born. My background probably drew me to these timeless dramas of human passion. My education was in psychoanalytic psychology and therefore focused on the unconscious and on layers of consciousness. Now my work has become less narrative but it is still about the processes of change in all of us, and still very layered. 

Can you tell us about the inspiration behind your latest body of mixed media work?

This work originated in a found object. I was hanging out in a friend’s antique store, chatting, when I saw an old musty book lying on the floor. It was an old ledger with “Transit of  Venus” stamped in gold on the cover, containing observations of the 1874 Transit of Venus, a phenomenon occurring every 243 years when the planet Venus moves twice across the face of the sun. I was attracted by the title, since it combined transition/transformation with classical mythology, and proceeded to embark on a research into centuries of astronomy, dating back 5000 years ago to the Sumerians, who also observed Venus.

I take the Transit of Venus as an entry point into contemplation of a variety of inter-related phenomena, celestial and astronomical, scientific and mythological.

Ever since antiquity, astronomers have studied the 13 phases of Venus, from her rise as the morning star, to her descent into darkness and invisibility, and her re-emergence in the evening sky. These phases occur over a 19-month cycle, marking both a physical and a spiritual passage. Each phase is expressed here in a different work.

Describe your creative process: 

First there is a gathering phase. I gather ideas (as I did with the Transit of Venus), thoughts, poetry, images, textures. Whatever attracts my attention. Then I start to work, but without too much planning. I let my unconscious, or the right side of my brain, take over. Typically I stop every couple of hours to engage the left side of my brain and look at what I have done so far. It’s a back-and-forth movement. I also work on several pieces at once, and typically with numerous layers.

I explore different media, always experimenting. For the Transit of Venus, I began many pieces with a 19th century photographic printing technique, cyanotype, which results in deep indigo blue backgrounds that I use to evoke the depths of cosmos and ocean. Then I went beyond the traditional use of this medium in a couple of different ways. I used it to “print” my own drawings rather than solid objects, and then I added further layers to the captured images with more drawings in ink and pencil.

My sculptural work was another result of several years of experimentation creating ephemerally light vessels composed of drawing fragments bound together in a version of papier-mache. These have evolved over the past few years into large and small-scale sculptures, many of which incorporate organic elements.

Do you collect anything?

 My studio looks like a Museum of Natural History! Shells, roots, bark, mushrooms, bones, anything organic that inspires me in its form and texture. The remains of the natural world fascinate me, seem to contain supernatural significance. Also I collect ideas and books: Borges’ Book of Imaginary Beings, a field guide to hybrid orchids, a scientific treatise on chimera, a book on Celestial Navigation.

What is your dream of happiness?

I feel extremely fortunate to be very happy right now. Of course I have to balance my personal happiness against the state of the world and the pain and injustice that pervade so much. 

What are you most looking forward to?

There is a saying, the next painting is the best painting. I’m always looking forward to my next work.

What is your motto? 

Work until you surprise yourself.

FEATURED ARTIST: RICHARD LOWENBERG

Richard Lowenberg has been a pioneering media + new-forms artist for 50 years, and continues to work at the forefront of eco-cultural initiatives locally and globally.   He serves on the Board of Santa Fe based CURRENTS: International New Media Festival. Based in Telluride from 1979 to 1996, Richard worked on Mountain Village and regional planning, facilitated the community’s earliest involvements in digital and networked media arts, and with Telluride Institute, initiated the InfoZone and worked for over 12 years to bring the best in global culture to mix it up at 8745’+.

Richard and Morgan Barnard are teaming up with Dan Collins of ASU/Deep Creek Arts and holographic artist, August Muth, to present a new, site-specific digital media arts presentation designed for the July 3rd evening party at the Telluride Transfer Warehouse and to celebrate Telluride community’s cultural future. This project is funded by the Telluride Arts District with support from the National Endowment for the Arts.

We asked Richard a few questions:

Your Inspiration?

What is information?   What is this information revolution?  Where is the art in information?

Describe your art:

A lifelong body of creative works, across many media and arts disciplines (photography, theater, digital media, music, text, +), addressing the questions above, presenting an ecological understanding of the information environment.

Future work?

A laser interferometry (holographic)  installation to fine-tune sense economic dynamics,  just as the LIGO project is detecting gravitational waves.

Creative Heros?

Leonardo.   Bucky Fuller.    Elinor Ostrom.

Happy place?

Telluride.   Santa Fe. The Colorado Plateau.

Motto?   

The best defense is a cultural offense.

FEATURED ARTIST: BROOKE EINBENDER

Brooke Einbender is a San Francisco, CA native who has also spent time living in New Mexico, North Carolina, and New York. She was awarded the Presidential Scholarship for Visual Arts at Wake Forest University which led her to pursue her artistic passion seriously. As a student, Brooke could be found at 2 AM painting late in her studio making a colorful mess with the music on full-blast. In 2017, she graduated with a BA in Studio Art and a concentration in oil painting. After a year of working in the art world in New York City, she finally succumbed to the voice in the back of her mind that was telling her to ‘make your own damn art.’

Brooke moved to Telluride last September 2018 during Blues and Brews Fest and, like many, fell in love with the magic of this place. She integrated into the Arts community taking classes at Ah Haa, securing an art studio at Voodoo and receiving a small artist grant to purchase Virtual Reality equipment.

There are many exciting things on the horizon for Brooke: her paintings will be on display at Ghost Town Coffee in August/September, her Virtual Reality paintings will be featured at Art/Architecture Week, she was selected as an ‘artist in collaboration’ for the ski brand Phunkshun, and her first solo exhibition will take place at 81435 Gallery in March 2020!

We asked Brooke a few questions:

3 words to describe your work: Multidimensional, colorful, mind-bending

Describe your process: When starting a painting, I have no vision what the end result should look like. I let my intuition guide me as my process shifts between chaos and order, organic and geometric shapes, irregularity and symmetry, and frustration and satisfaction.

What sparks your interest? I love looking closely at reflections of objects and how light bounces off things to create shadows. A few things I am interested in: fractals, geometry, mandalas, crystals, color theory, symmetry, optical illusions, and visionary art

Where do you think Virtual Reality can take you? Virtual Reality painting is mind-expanding. When wearing the VR headset, you are fully immersed in the virtual realm and the creative opportunities are endless. I’m interested in translating my oil paintings into virtual space so they become experiential. As with painting, I no longer have to create an illusion of space on a 2D surface; instead, I can draw sculpture, meander around a line suspended in space, and walk through layers of virtual paint. I think that my virtual reality painting ‘experiences’ will lead to site specific  installation work in the near future… aka taking my virtual spaces and bringing them back into our concrete reality.

Do you collect anything? I love anything and everything spicy. Growing up in New Mexico, green and red chile were staples in my diet. Now I am slowly building a collection of exotic hot sauces. My favorite hot sauce currently is Truffle Hot Sauce.

Most looking forward to? Two things… 1) My first summer in Telluride! Doing all the outdoorsy things and experiencing all the fun, quirky festivities. 2) Getting to know the local artists in Telluride and working on some cool future collaborations

Most Recent Book You Read? Celestine Prophecy, which contained the answers to so many questions floating in my mind.

Favorite childhood memory: I was 8 years old and living in Santa Fe at the time. My extracurricular activities were as weird as they were cool... I had ‘best in show’ guinea pigs that I competed with in 4H, I took traditional Japanese sumi e ink painting classes, and had a gold medal in the Irish jig.

FEATURED ARTIST: TARA CARTER

Tara was born and raised in Columbus, OH where she received her BA in Ceramics, Sculpture, and Photography at Otterbein University. She later added a Printmaking concentration to the mix during post-graduate studies in Art Education and earned a Master of Business Administration while teaching summer art classes and launching her own photography and ceramics businesses. She made the move to Telluride in October of 2016 to pursue her passions of the arts and the outdoors and, in her words, has been living the dream ever since. Currently, Tara works full time as the Youth Curriculum Manager at the Ah Haa School for the Arts and has begun selling her pottery and ceramic sculptures online and locally at HOOK and the Ah Haa School. You can also find some of her work on display at The Clay Studio in Philadelphia, PA and Companion Gallery in Humboldt, TN as part of their current juried exhibitions. 

We asked Tara a few questions:

Go-to dessert? I eat a lot more ice cream than I'd care to admit. I also love to bake - cookies, breads, macarons, the works.

Book? Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer is life-changing.

Off season plans? I'll be making as many bird sculptures and pinch pots as possible and enjoying the lack of a wait at Brown Dog.

Guilty pleasure? Anything related to true crime. Podcasts, books, and Netflix specials for sure, but I also love a good Forensic Files episode from the 90s. 

Festival? It's tough to pick, but I'd have to go with Blues and Brews. It takes place soon after the kids summer camps at Ah Haa end and feels like the perfect way to celebrate another art-filled summer.  
Childhood memory? My brothers and I used to go to the dollar store every week with our babysitter. Each of us was allowed to buy one toy and my brothers would always get something different to play with each week. I would bee-line it for the Crayola Model Magic (air dry clay). Every. Single. Time.

Time of day? Early mornings are my favorite. Is there a better way to start your day than sharing coffee with someone you love?

Free box find? I now have the first, fourth, and seventh Harry Potter books. Fingers crossed for the full free box set!

Throw or wheel? Neither! After about my 400th pinch pot demo while teaching, the forms starting looking better and better. Now, they're pretty much all I make. The work has started getting some recognition nationally from the ceramics community, and I can't wait to see where it goes next.

Next steps? Make, make, make. Right now, I'm busy with preparing for a local sculptural show this December and January and keeping my Etsy shop regularly stocked. The best way to stay in the know with what I'm up to is to follow me on Instagram or Etsy @youpinchityoupotit. 

FEATURED ARTIST: KIRK DROGSVOLD

John "Kirk" Drogsvold is a musician and 3D artist based in Telluride, Colorado. 

Kirk plays nylon-string guitar. He improvises the sound of flamenco and samba, a style known as, Alpine Flamenco. To complement the craft of music, he is also pushing the limits of Computer Assisted Design (CAD), CNC machining, and 3D printing through his sculpture installations. His work looks organic and mimics forms found in nature. 

He currently showcases his work at MiXX Gallery in Telluride, in Snowmass, and through an increasing number of private commissions. He was awarded "Best Individual Artist" at Art + Architecture in 2018, and has since been accepted as one of 35 designers worldwide to participate in Wanted Design Launchpad in Manhattan this May. He is currently preparing to show work in Austin, Texas, and NYC.

We asked Kirk a few questions:

Spirit Animal: Octopus

Happy Place: Setting off on an adventure!

Favorite Job: Artistic Risk Taking

Mountain or Ocean? Mountains

Trail: Sneffles Highline

Inspiration: Aspen Trees

Movie: O brother where art thou

What's Next?: Just an endless commitment to creating as beautiful and big as possible

FEATURED ARTIST: EMILY PALMQUIST

Born and raised in northern Illinois, Emily’s artistic quest began as early as her love for the woods, nature, and their quiet sense of connection. Twenty nine years later, this cocktail of passions has matured into the backbone of her existence. From the Midwest, to New England where she achieved her BFA in painting and a greater appreciation for the outdoors, to Colorado where these life-long pursuits find a growing sense of harmony and potential, Palmquist continues to practice painting and the art of rural life as her guide from here to there. Emily just moved back to Colorado and is showing her work for the month of March in Gallery 81435.

We asked Emily to answer a few questions:

Flavor? Honey, Honey

Favorite city? Chicago, as it played a large part in bringing up the artist in me as a child, taking the train in to dream with my old friends at the Art Institute and memorize the streets that I then envisioned playing some part in my future.  Alas I haven’t devoted enough of my adult life to exploring city life to haven't found one to replace the special fascination, anticipation, and beckoning that Chicago once filled me with.

Currently reading? Just finished “A Glimpse of Nothingness” by Janwillam van de Wetering.

Recent dream? Set in the middle of a harvested field of corn, two boats of different shapes towing in opposite directions, but tied to one another and held still.

Inspiration? The constant transformation of a landscape, a personal search for balance in all things, painting for someone or with someone in mind.

Fascination? Chickens! Everything from the morning a hen lays her first egg (and what color it is?!) to the social standing of a rooster, I find it all so theatrical. They are such fragile creatures, yet regularly offer up the utmost example of resilience. I have learned so many lessons from keeping a flock where I can.

Show? I have never been so excited to share a body of work. While a couple pieces were near finished or in progress when I signed up for this show last November, the majority were started and finished in the last three months. Asking myself to produce this quickly demands a level of focus as well as detachment. There isn’t a lot of time to second guess or even premeditate. I’ve let one thought lead to another, left myself open to whatever dreams or memories chose to stick, and the result is “Home Fire.”

San Juan activity? While I cherish hiking and the incredible trail-riding I’ve done in the area, I have to say living on the mesa is my biggest connection to this land. It is truly a gift to have such a front row seat to nature’s display.

Recent endeavor? I moved back to Colorado this fall after spending a random year and a half in Connecticut. I bought a small utility trailer off Craigslist to haul my damn stretcher bars and studio furniture. My best friend since second grade flew out from the Midwest to help me, my dog, and two cats make the drive. She kept the critters calm while I manned my 35-year-old Jeep Cherokee. At the end of each day, we smuggled the animals and a litter box into the backdoors of hotels, jay-walked until we found margaritas, and longed for the hot springs of Colorado. We cried we laughed so hard. I slammed the hood too hard and had to ratchet-strap the sucker down in a snow storm. The jeep nearly gave up its ghost on every mountain pass. Alas we rattled up the mesa road and made history together.

What's next? I’ve already got new paintings in mind. With all of this momentum, my instinct is to just keep painting. But I am also looking forward to sheering off my mesa hermit hat and enjoying a more social and adventurous spring and summer. Perhaps a bit a both.

FEATURED ARTIST: GEOFF HANSON

This month, Telluride Arts proudly features long time local, Scrapple star, KOTO host, Geoff Hanson as the Featured Artist of the month. Get a glimpse of Geoff through his answers to a few questions we asked him:

Early Telluride Memory:
I walked into the Telluride Times Journal in December 1990. I had only been here a few weeks. I showed the editor Marta Tarbel an article I wrote on The Neville Brothers in college and told her it was a sample of my work when it was in fact the only article I wrote in college. She told me Rasta Stevie was heading out on the road with his Reggae band 8750 and asked me if I would like to write the column while he was gone. I’ve been writing about music ever since.
 
Book: The Alchemist, Paolo Coehlo, (if room for more…) The Universal Baseball Assoc., Robert Coover, Jitterbug Perfume. Tom Robbins, The Summer of 49 David Halberstam, The Art of Fielding Chad Harbach, The Brothers K , David James Duncan, The Confederacy of Dunces, Soldier of the Last War Mark Helpern
 
Favorite Moment on Set; We were shooting our fictional pig roast in Ophir and we were a little light on extras. I asked, “Is there anything going on today{that would explain why there were so few etras}?” And someone replied. “There’s a {real) pig roast happening in Ilium.” We went down there and shot some footage including the shot of the pig on the spicket that appears in the film– no animals were hurt doing the shooting of “Scrapple.” Life was imitating art. As filmmakers, we saw ourselves as conematic miners, trying to hit the vein of ‘70s life in Telluride and that was the kind of moment that affirmed that we were hitting the main line. People who were here in the ‘70s pretty much all say we nailed it.
 
Song: “Further on down the road” by Taj Mahal. It was the song I had in my mind when I sat down to write “Scrapple” – a guy riding a motorcycle with a pig in the sidecar set to that song. I also produced a version of it with Taj and The Phantom Blues Band that I think stands up to the various versions of that song.
 
Morning or Night: The first cup of coffee is the best part of every day. Other than that, night.
 
Favorite Interview: My favorite interview was the one I did backstage at the Bill Graham Mid-Summer Music Festival in 1991 with Taj Mahal. I was in a room with four other journalists in a panel kind of setting and it was clear none of the other people knew anything about him. It became a conversation between Taj and me and we really connected. It was the beginning of a very meaningful relationship.
 
Favorite Show: If I had to pick a single show in Telluride it would be Pearl Jam at The Ride in 2016. Here’s a Telluride Top 10 I put together, of a column and when you look it, you can’t help but be blown away by the quality of music we get in Telluride. 
1. Pearl Jam, 2016

2. Allman Brothers, 1991 

3. Neil Young, 2016 

4. JJ Cale, 1994 

5. Robert Plant, 2018

6. Steve Winwood, 2014/2017 
7. The Band, 1994 

8. Johnny Cash, 1997 

9. Sturgill Simpson, 2018. Widespread Panic, Little Women and Blues Traveler, late night show at the Sheridan Opera House, 1991 

10. Gregg Allman/Sharon Jones, 2015
 
Favorite View: I love the way the mountains change as your perspective changes. For instance, when you look at Wilson from the ski area, Lizard Head is on the left. But from other vantage points, it appears on the right. I love the way light and clouds change Ajax every day, and the way sunsets light up the Wilson range. I love driving down Keystone Hill and Wilson and Sunshine appear on your left and then they disappear. You can live here for decades and see the mountains differently every day.
 
Inspiration: Creativity