FEATURED ARTIST: LEAH HEIDENREICH

My name is Leah Heidenreich - I am the artistic director of The Sheridan Arts Foundation's Young People's Theater, where I produce theater year round with children from preschool through high school.

What is your chosen artistic medium?

My chosen medium is performance art. As a performer, I am a musician first, an actor second, and a dancer very last.. lol. As an educator, my chosen medium is all things performance art. I direct, music direct, choreograph, and produce full-scale shows for the kids. It is truly a dream come true that I get to call this my job - I can honestly say that I look forward to Mondays.

What and Who are your muses?

I have many muses, including the incredible kids I create art with. It blows me away that I am at the helm of a program that is non-competitive, non-audition based, and it always culminates into such a beautiful show. That speaks volumes about the passion the kids in my program hold. Of course, I have a few other muses including Barbra Streisand, Stephen Sondheim, Mariah Carey, Bernadette Peters, and Diana Damrau. I mean- can you call yourself a "theatre person" if you are constantly inspired by those folks?

What are your prep or practice rituals to get you into the artistic headspace?

This may sound tacky, but I feel like I'm always in an artistic headspace. I am constantly staging scenes and musicals in my head, I am never not singing and dreaming about how to help the next group of kids flourish to their absolute prime, and during my free time, I am almost always working on different aspects of my next production. I'm about as right-brained as they come, sometimes to a fault. My ultimate relaxation is karaoke in my living room with my husband. Lol.

What is your favorite awkward growth moment or barrier breaking time?

In my job, there is nothing cooler than seeing the kids let go of all self-conscious thoughts and take big risks on the stage. Sometimes they fall on their face, sometimes they discover something within themselves that they didn't know existed - but when every young thespian takes that inevitable leap, it's incredible to see how much light comes out of these young people.

What inspires you and/or keeps you engaged and moving forward?

It's all about the kids, and helping them discover a love for something as powerful as performance art. I can look back into my own 34 years on earth and see how music and theater have completely shaped me into the person I am today, and to get to help a kid love this medium the way I do, and to then watch them go into the world with that love is incredible.

What is your favorite quote or saying?

"I came to Hollywood without having my nose fixed, my teeth capped, or my name changed. That is very gratifying to me." - Barbra Streisand

That may seem like a silly quote to love but it's so reflective of what every artist dreams of- being held to a certain standard because of their talent and passion, not because of their conformity to what our society continually pushes on us in order to call ourselves a success. I try to instill that in YPT's kids, too.

Tell us about what’s next:

Next year's season for YPT includes "Beauty & The Beast," "Chicago," and "Peter Pan."

FEATURED ARTIST: REGINA LIBERTINA CIARFELLA

My work as a self-taught artist began in Hood River, Oregon, after grad school in San Francisco; majoring in English-Linguistics and teaching. I was on my way to Colorado. In Hood River I got to be part of the pioneer art scene. I started a co-op gallery with local artists featuring FUNctional art. Then I opened the Red Fish Gallery and after that The Red Fish Art Cafe, where I let my culinary creative art take over.

I always juggled different works, and was able to pay some bills as an artist; mostly as a muralist, commercial and private - large scale, sides of buildings, restaurants, kid's rooms, floor canvases, historic wall and ceiling art, specialty finishes, custom stencils, etc.

It took awhile, and a few more detours, but I made it to Colorado! I’ve been in the Telluride area mostly massaging and some arting and lots of playing for 11 years.

What is your chosen artistic medium?

My chosen artistic mediums are anything that inspires. The artistic mediums that I have exchanged cash money for are mostly painting and metal and design work.

What are your muses?

The human process, Honey bees, my massage work, everything and everywhere I love.

My deep connection to honey bees began when I had a sweet historic farm with pear and apple orchards. In my efforts to be an agripreneur, I jumped the hoops of organic status, to then find out the county used round up road side, with no plans to change. Then there were no pears. My heart broke. I was rudely awakened to colony collapse disorder and all it’s heart breaking life killing repercussions.

I painted my heart out for those honey bees. There was a successful art show with awareness and proceeds to the honey bees. Then everything changed. As it was meant to.. I turned my focus on my massage work. Over the past 15 years, my massage work has deepened into another powerful muse. I feel that I have been living in the creative process, despite taking a rest from painting. The human body and process are overwhelmingly beauty full, pain full, and magic full.

What are your prep or practice rituals to get you into the artistic head space?

Percolating ideas, sketching chalk on black canvas, making time, light, and music I feel....

What is your favorite awkward growth moment or barrier breaking time?

The sad lonely Christmas eve final closing of the Red Fish Art Gallery, a woman came in from the stormy night. Drawn to my work, I told her the story, in 3rd person, of the little pear hanging out on a limb (I am still awkward selling my own art). She chose to buy the painting. I processed her card, read her name, and smiled, feeling a warm fuzzy hug from the universe: 'Out on a Limb' was purchased by Faith.

What inspires you?

Life, the human process, healing, and love, and faith.

What is your favorite quote or saying?

Go fast, take chances! (cause it's fun and I'm a bit of an adrenaline junkie)

Tell us about what’s next:

The ReBirth project will be 11 paintings; 4 finished, 7 in process. The paintings will be hung as they are ready, with September as the finish goal. I've got buckets of horse shoes ready to be welded, a mural in Ridgway, my home massage office and art space 'The Bee Well Hive' is in perpetual creative process...

FEATURED ARTIST: MARTY WOLLESEN

Martin (Marty) Wollesen is a believer in the power of imagination and that creativity is core to the human spirit. A life-long learner, he brings over 25 years of innovative leadership in the arts and arts education having lead several multi-disciplinary performing arts organizations through significant expansion. As the Executive Director of Ah Haa School for the Arts, his wide-ranging curiosity and commitment to community engagement creates experiences for everyone to learn something new and share something meaningful about themselves. Marty has lived in New Mexico, Washington DC, California, Singapore, Philippines, Egypt, Portugal.

WE ASKED MARTY A FEW QUESTIONS…

IF YOU COULD HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH ONE ARTIST, ALIVE OR DECEASED, WHO WOULD IT BE AND WHY?

My grandmother whom I have never met. Her name was Rose Thorne. She was a poet, painter and composer who raised six children in the dust bowl during the depression. In her letters that I've read, it was clear she was a soul who was constantly searching, questioning, curious and restless...all things that were not valued in women then. I think she was not understood by people around her, especially her own family. I'd want to be there for her to listen, to engage in conversation, to let her know that her love of art and creativity lived on in her family, and finally that she had created visibility for those who needed to see what is possible.

WHICH ARTISTIC MEDIA INSPIRES YOU MOST?

Actually, I have always been engaged in multi-disciplinary art forms. I am an explorer by nature and so I like to try lots of things. I am inspired by the very process of learning, testing and responding. Recently I have engaged in writing, ceramics, jewelry making and bookbinding. All very different in the use of tools, creative imagining and techniques. What I love about it all is how it challenges and stimulates a different part of my thinking and physical ability. But I also love seeing how other people create and imagine. There is great pleasure for me reading, watching contemporary dance, films and listening to music of all kinds.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE AWKWARD GROWTH MOMENT OR BARRIER-BREAKING TIME?

There are always the awkward teen years, but I'm not sure that is my favorite. I certainly would not go back! I have lived in many places, and I really love the barrier-breaking experience of moving to a new environment with its specific cultures, histories and common practices. Every move I make I learn more about myself and my capacity for adaptation and resilience. Moving to Telluride a little over a year ago from Washington, DC has certainly been one of those opportunities to discover, explore and create anew. It is such a joy to be here in such a creative community.

WHAT INSPIRES YOU AND/OR KEEPS YOU ENGAGED AND MOVING FORWARD?

Creative people, new ideas, generosity, curiosity, sharing of perspectives, laughter, surprise. In short, artists.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR UPCOMING EVENTS, NEW RELEASES, OR ANTICIPATED PROJECTS?

This is Ah Haa School for the Arts' first full summer in our new home. We love it!! And we are introducing a new community art experience, the Ah Haa HAHA (July 15-17, 2022) as part of our fundraising initiative to support increased access and opportunity for people of all ages to experience high quality art experiences at affordable prices. You will experience vibrant, interactive art installations throughout our school, have access to purchase one-of-kind art and party with friends, neighbors and visitors on our Sky Deck. Of course, all year round we offer workshops and classes in a huge variety of art forms for kiddos, teens and adults. There is always something fun going on.

ANY OTHER DETAILS YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE?

I like ice cream.

SEE WHAT’S NEXT WITH MARTY AND THE AH HAA SCHOOL FOR THE ARTS - STAY TUNED AT AHHAA.ORG.

FEATURED ARTIST: BECCA WOLFF

Becca Wolff is a California-based director of theater & film. Her work has been seen at theaters across the country including ACT San Francisco, The Public, Theatreworks and Long Wharf. Her films have screened at festivals including Comic Con, the Brooklyn International Film Festival and Outfest. She is co-founder and artistic director of SCOTUS Theater. MFA Yale School of Drama. Member SDC.

Get tickets for Shakespeare in the Park, “All’s Well That Ends Well”, directed by Becca!

What is your chosen artistic medium?

Theater

Who/What/When are your muses?

The small towns I grew up in (Mancos, CO & Felton, CA.)

Art by artists that cross lines between the imaginary and the documentary & mythological: Agnes Varda, Charles Burnett, Lonnie Holly, Lucas Hnath, Reza Abdoh

Teen movies

The 90s

Hannah Arendt

What are your prep or practice rituals to get you into the artistic headspace?

Reading and studying text -- the text I'm working on of course, but also locating a section of the library with relevant subject matter and just scanning the shelves til I find something a book that sounds or vibrates like what I'm looking for. Sitting in the stacks and opening to random pages. Making discoveries and noting them in longhand or by taking photographs on my phone.

What is your favorite awkward growth moment or barrier-breaking time?

When the set for a production I directed got lost on its way to its NYC premier, and the producer asked me "what do you want to do?"

What inspires you and/or keeps you engaged and moving forward?

The audience! I was so especially excited to come to Telluride because of what I know about Telluride Theater's connection to its audience. The idea that artists here encounter people around town who want to talk to you about your work is incredibly moving and inspiring. I live by those times when the people who come to see the show really want to engage about what it said to them.

What is your favorite quote or saying?

"What makes the engine run? Desire, desire, desire." -Stanley Kunitz

Tell us about your upcoming events, new releases, or anticipated projects:

We are anticipating that OUR COUNTRY at the 2023 Under the Radar Festival at the Public Theater in NYC (costumes by Telluride Theatre's own Melissa Trn!) We were featured in the festival in 2022, but it got cancelled due to the first Omicron surge.

Any other details you would like to share?

www.beccawolff.net IG:@beccathewolff

FEATURED ARTIST: CLAYBROOK PENN

Claybrook Penn moved to Telluride in 2004 and has been playing music in the Telluride vicinity long enough to not remember what exact year she got her start. A multi-instrumentalist and occasional songwriter, Claybrook currently plays in at least 6 local bands and delights in mixing up disciplines and genres within this small-but-mighty local music scene. In 2013, Claybrook received a Small Grant from Telluride Arts District to record and produce an album of original music, Fossil, released in 2014.

What is your chosen artistic medium?

I sing, I play acoustic and electric guitars, and I play drums. I also host Bootsie's Boombox, a bi-weekly funk and R&B show on KOTO radio.

What are your muses?

I'm deeply inspired by experiences in nature, and by the people I have known and observed throughout my life, from Southern grannies to Telluride woodsies.

What are your prep or practice rituals to get you into the artistic headspace?

I need a lot of quiet time both before and after performances, so I'm mostly found hanging out with my dog and cat at home. When I'm listening to music, I'm always listening for ideas and phrases to incorporate into my own performances.

What is your favorite awkward growth moment or barrier breaking time?

Gathering all my self-trust, dispelling doubt, and taking a new job working full-time at KOTO Community Radio in order to more fully immerse myself and take a more active, participatory role in the music community here in Telluride.

What inspires you and/or keeps you engaged and moving forward?

Meeting and playing with other musicians, whether it's my long-time musical partners or folks who are new to town and looking to jam. I love to find out what inspires other musicians, or what they're listening to, and getting to know those people by exploring their specific interests and backgrounds.

What is your favorite quote or saying?

"Mom, I am a rich man." - Cher

Tell us about your upcoming events, new releases, or anticipated projects:

Catch me this summer playing guitar and singing in my duo project with Tom Nading, grooving with original band Atari Safari, keeping the beat in Disco Fuego, and rocking out with Chrome Velvet!

Any other details you would like to share?

Keep Telluride live and loud by supporting live music and performing arts in our community!

FEATURED ARTIST: MATT HOISCH

Matt Hoisch is half of the news team at KOTO and a frequent participant in many Telluride Theatre productions. He also tries to do a bit of writing when he can. Beyond Telluride, his radio work has also been featured on NPR stations in Los Angeles and Boston as well as the nationally-broadcast radio shows Marketplace, The World, and Living on Earth. He came to Telluride just before the pandemic and is beyond grateful the universe led him to this quirky box canyon.

Telluride Arts asked Matt a few questions…

What is your chosen artistic medium?

I'm primarily an audio producer and actor, but the two often intersect. One of my favorite parts of radio journalism is how theatrical it is and the different ways you can tell a story through sound. 

Who + What are your muses?

The #1 inspiration will always be the musical theatre composer Stephen Sondheim. But I also have to say the Telluride region and my time in this place has had a massive impact on my philosophy of what I want from my life, and that can't help but translate into how I approach my creative pursuits!

What are your prep or practice rituals to get you into the artistic headspace?

Good music, a good night's sleep, a nice shower, and plenty of coffee. Plus maybe a bit of light stretching.

What is your favorite awkward growth moment or barrier breaking time?

In college I was set to direct an original jukebox musical adaptation of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar that I had put together and literally backed out the day of the first rehearsal. I had never directed a full production before—let alone an original musical—and was getting more and more nervous and overwhelmed as the process approached. I basically cancelled the show after we had cast it and assembled the full creative team. That was probably one of the hardest, and frankly most shameful, artistic decisions I've ever made. It was hands down an awkward gowth moment, and I thought a lot about it in the months after. I think I felt like I needed to have most of the show figured out before we even started—which I now know I didn't! Since then, I've worked hard to become more comfortable living in the uncertainty inherent in anything creative.

What inspires you and/or keeps you engaged and moving forward?

Whenever I make something that's meaningful to me and I hear from someone else that it was also meaningful or impactul to them, that's all you could ever ask for as an artist. It doesn't happen often, but when it does, it's a heck of a feeling.

What is your favorite quote or saying?

"The notes I handle no better than many pianists. But the pauses between the notes ah, that is where the art resides." — Artur Schnabel

Tell us about what’s next:

Máire Higgins and I are putting together a lightly-staged reading of a play called Lungs that's about whether or not to have children in the 21st century. We're aiming to put that up in early June. I'm also hoping to work on All's Well that Ends Well for Shakespeare in the Park this summer. And I'm constantly making work for KOTO News, so tune in weeknights at 6pm!

FEATURED ARTIST: EVAN ROSDAHL

My name is Evan Rosdahl and I started my small jewelry business Top Knot Concepts in Chicago in August of 2014. I have been residing and working in Telluride now for the past 4 years and travel to gem shows and festivals to share my creations. I accepted my fate as a starving artist at an early age. Since high school I have worked in the food service industry to fund my artistic endeavors and keep me fed until I finally registered my business and have been a full time creator for the past two years.

What is your chosen artistic medium?

I specialize in making a variety of jewelry out of fine metals, precious gems, and minerals. Everything from pendants, to rings, bracelets, and more. My main focus is high end silver wire wrap jewelry. At the beginning of the pandemic I had to adapt and began making electroformed jewelry (fancy word for copper plating) which allows me to incorporate natural and ethically found materials like an acorn husks or butterfly wings and turn it into jewelry, as well as chainmail bracelets & chains to cope with the world being on a tighter budget.

Who + What are your muses?

First and foremost my Muse is my amazing partner Krissy who has a collection of pieces dedicated to her inspiration. 

Much of my design inspiration comes from my fascination with the small details of the natural world and my obsession with the complexity of sacred geometry. Also tying my ancestral roots I incorporate Norse & Celtic knot work, imagery, & lore into the majority of my work. I absolutely have to give a nod to the infamous work of Carl Faberge because I draw a lot of inspiration from his approach to crafting masterpieces.

What are your prep or practice rituals to get you into the artistic headspace?

I love the design process of jewelry so I spend a lot of time sketching designs and putting together aesthetic stone combinations, which has drastically improved the paper to final product process of my creations. However I tend to find my artistic motivation comes from being in the process rather than getting myself into the headspace before beginning.

What is your favorite awkward growth moment or barrier breaking time?

I think my favorite awkward growth moment was the first time I attended the Tucson Gem & Mineral Show. I had been making jewelry for a little more than two years and heard about a music festival called Gem & Jam in Tucson, AZ that had a big focus on gems and jewelry. Growing up with metal heads for parents I was more interested in the theme than the music, but knew it would symbolize my commitment to the craft. So I headed off to the desert, alone, with a pocket full of money, to spend all of it on rocks. After meeting a few of the fellow jewelers I looked up to and buying a bunch of stones on the festival grounds, I discovered the real treasure of this adventure which I was previously unaware of. The entire city of Tucson gets taken over for a month with gem, jewelry, fossil, & art dealers from every corner of the world! Fast forward five and a half years later, my mind is a gemstone dictionary and I’ve never been more obsessed with every facet of the gem & jewelry world.

What inspires you and/or keeps you engaged and moving forward?

I pull inspiration from everything around me and all that I do, but what keeps me engaged and moving forward is the drive to bring people a truly artisan heirloom that has a story. My ultimate goal is to be able to ethically mine my own gems, cut them to my desired shapes & sizes, and set them into a unique piece of jewelry that you can trace every piece of material back to the source, either direct from me or other artisanal miners & artists around the world. Being able to share that knowledge and experience with others is what drives me!  

What is your favorite quote or saying?

“It’s not normal to be normal.”

My Visual Perspective Professor (don’t remember his name)

Tell us about your upcoming events, new releases, or anticipated projects:

I am going to be kicking it into overdrive this year as I intend on doing a lot of extensive mining and rockhounding, creating a lot of my crowd favorite wire wrap designs, and will be making the transition from wire wraps to fabricated jewelry. As well as extending my home studio so I can start doing Lapidary work (stone cutting) as well!

Follow Evan and Top Knot Concepts…

www.topknotconcepts.com

www.facebook.com/topknotconcepts

www.facebook.com/evanrosdahl

www.instagram.com/topknotconcepts

FEATURED ARTIST: EUNIKA ROGERS

Tell us about yourself…

My name is Eunika and I paint with clay ... and now other natural materials. I collect and forage for these on my hikes and travels - it is part of my life and creative process. Painting with clay is a technique I created while in graduate school getting my MFA in ceramics and mixed media. I was digging and using red clay and noticed that it was staining my clothes. I just took it from there and added other colored clays to my palette.

I was born and raised in Eastern Europe and has lived in Memphis / Mississippi for most of my life. I've been a graphic designer, graphic design professor and now a full time artist and Telluride resident.

What is your chosen artistic medium?

Clay - I dig it up on my travels and hikes. This is mine main medium that started my painting process. The medium is expanding to include, mushrooms, flowers and wine - natural pigments. Calling it 'Terroir Painting'.

What are your muses?

I am inspired by changes in time and how they affect us/me. I am inspired by nature and its processes as well as how it relates to me and makes me feel. Painting with clay gives me the ability to feel closer to it, to feel connected to it on a universal level.

What are your prep or practice rituals to get you into the artistic headspace?

Part of my creative process is getting my medium, which involoves a hike or some adventure. There is time - lots of quiet time that allows me to think and observe to see what moves me. I take mental notes and then plan it out. A lot of time is spent just on the planning of the next piece. Once in progress its just finding a good chunk of time to dive into the painting with my mud and good playlist.

What is your favorite barrier breaking time?

For most of my painting 'career' - my painting was a secret. Only few people knew what I was doing. I kept my paintings in storage out of the public eye with few exceptions. My paintings are sort of personal documentation and observation. Then I opened up Red Dirt Studio Gallery. It is a bit terrifying to have it all out for people to see and ask me questions about it. I am a quiet type - I feel like my work should speak for itself. There is obviously depth to it - it's personal.

What inspires you and keeps you engaged and moving forward?

I like creative challenges and new ways to interpret the world and how I see it. There are questions; where I come from and where I am going. I turn to nature to help me understand them and connect the missing pieces many of which were left behind in my native country of Slovakia and Karpethian Mountains where I was born and raised.

What is your favorite saying?

There are so many - I sort of collect them depending on my mood and situation - today ... 'Don't call it a dream, call it a plan'.

Tell us about what’s next…

I don't have any events planned at the moment. Right now just enjoying the peace and quiet of this amazing landscape - planning. Speaking of quiet - currently working on winter aspen painting. It is a diptych - trying to expand my size and scope of the visual experience. I started new series last year - 'Reclamation Project' - (paintings for rock formations and mountains that surround us). The idea is to 'restore' these rocky landscapes using materials they were formed with - clay and pigments eroded over time. I find these pigments down valley, deposited there through its natural erosion process. I recreate these landscapes in the moment they caught my attention.

Stay tuned with Eunika via her website and follow her on Instagram @red_dirt_girl

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FEATURED ARTIST: MELISSA TRN

Melissa Trn is currently serving as the Interim Producing Director for Telluride Theatre. She’s been working with TT as a costume designer for over 10 years, and finally moved to Telluride full time last June after 9 years in LA. She spent the past 20+ years devoting herself to making theatre, travel, art and her daughter, Sylvia.

We asked Melissa a few questions…

What is your chosen artistic medium?

I've been designing costumes for and making theater for the last 25 years, but any medium that helps a story be told is of interest to me.

Who are your muses?

My daughter, my teachers, and all the creative and brilliant women present in my own life who are trying to make their mark....and also Johnny Cash...

What are your prep or practice rituals to get you into the artistic headspace?

I have a deep meditation and spiritual practice that keeps me plugged in to both myself and the universe. Without the discipline there, accessing my creativity is much harder.

What is your favorite awkward growth moment or barrier breaking time?

I love the moment when I can look at all of the reasons I can't and see them as nothing more than expressions of fear. It's liberating to be able to acknowledge when fear is an obstacle. Once you can name it, you can move through it.

During COVID times, what inspires you and keeps you engaged and moving forward?

We have all gotten an intense taste of the toll that divisiveness, and isolation can take. In the face of that, I believe it is more important than ever to be with each other, to connect, to tell our stories and to be part of one another's stories as well.

What is your favorite quote or saying?

“It is not enough to stare up the steps, we must step up the stairs.” - Václav Havel

Tell us about what’s next:

2022 is a year of healing and change for the world at large. I'm looking forward to facilitating more of both through art. I'm excited to bring comedy and tragedy via the stage with all of the talented collaborators of Telluride Theatre. We can't wait to share this season with you.

See what’s next with Melissa and the Telluride Theater - stay tuned with all the Magic and Possibility at telluridetheatre.org.

FEATURED ARTIST: INGRID LUNDAHL

Ingrid Lundahl has been a Telluride photographer since Christmas Eve 1977. Read her story below:

I was the only guest of the new Sheridan Hotel. Once I walked into the historic Sheridan Bar, I knew I had found my people. I chronicled the next 40 years or so of this wild little mountain town: festivals big and small, Rep and Opera House productions, outdoor weddings and portraits, spontaneous and larkish occurrences, such as Unruh in Diapers and Bad Boys on Bike.

What is your chosen artistic medium?

Photography.

I was paid to be a Nashville/Dallas copywriter for seven years before I discovered Telluride. I didn’t seriously revive my writing skill until I created my Telluride Outlaw book, photos and writing both by me.

Who are your muses?

I have always loved the joy and movement within a Lartigue or Cartier-Bresson image. Delightful. Modern day, Annie Leibovitz, though I never wanted to mess with studio lights. And why?…with Telluride as your subject...

I devoured the black-&-white photos in my parents’ LIFE and LOOK magazines.

And my Nashville-era compadre, Dana Thomas, who taught me the magic of the darkroom and the beauty and precision of a manual film camera.

What are your prep or practice rituals to get you into the artistic headspace?

Well, before shooting a seven-hour wedding, I would slam the Ignatia.

Other than that, for candid photography, there is little prep. Grab it while it’s happening.

Though actually, positioning yourself, learning to slither quickly through a festival crowd, avoiding busy backgrounds, even anticipating the shot with the proper lens... that is all part of being a candid photographer.

What is your favorite awkward growth moment or barrier-breaking time?

1986 was a good year for me. I shot many classics then, including Jimmy Stewart, Robin Williams, Madonna.

I got the job of shooting the Film Fest for the LA Times. Upon visiting an ex-Tellurider out there who was a PA for a Madonna video shoot, I got some killer shots and took them into the LA Times. They bought them immediately and said yes, you can shoot the Film Fest for us.

I learned from that score.

During the period of social distancing and quarantine, what inspired you and kept you engaged and moving forward?

I didn’t shoot much. Culling through the archives has been my focus. Editing and identifying all the darkroom proof prints and exposure strips from 1978-2004, that took time. Now you can see the results as the featured installation at Telluride Arts HQ Gallery in December…

I also edited, reprinted, identified, and readied photos of all sizes, both darkroom and digital. These prints are available also at the Telluride Arts HQ Gallery.

I had shot but never printed my image of the Budweiser horses jangling down Main Street.

Clydesdale Christmas • 2002 Telluride is the featured photo of the Telluride Arts exhibit.

What is your favorite quote or saying?

"In truth, fair Montague, I am too fond."

( I was an English Lit major)

Here’s one of mine:

"Photography is a curious combo of logic and magic."

Tell us about your upcoming events, new releases, or anticipated projects:

I am creating a second book. The best of all I have shot. That’s Telluride, yes, but also New Orleans and Ireland and Dallas dazzle, and Santa Fe and many musicians shot elsewhere: Chuck Berry and my all-time best seller: Stevie Ray’s Encore.

Any other details you would like to share?

I am wishing Telluride Arts a Happy 50th Anniversary. The non-profit has burgeoned into a vital and progressive force in the Telluride Arts community. Telluride Arts is a true friend and supporter of the artist. Thank you, Telluride Arts, for this December slot, and for the wonderful 2014 Opening that introduced my photo book:

Telluride | The Outlaw Spirit of a Colorado Town. This book, too, is available thru December at the venerable and lively Telluride Arts HQ Gallery, across from the Library.

Listen to Ingrid Lundahl’s December 2021 KOTO interview: HERE

Checkout her current exhibition at Telluride Arts HQ Gallery: HERE

FEATURED ARTIST: HOTTEA

I am HOTTEA pronounced like the drink hot tea. During my early years of HOTTEA I did typography on fences using yarn. As my work progressed I started doing hanging installations using yarn and site specific installations. I have done installations for clients big and small as well as private commissions. To this day, I still install un-commissioned pieces in public spaces along with my commissioned work.

What is your chosen artistic medium?

I initially started working with yarn. I chose yarn because I wanted the work I do as HOTTEA to be different than the work I used to do as a graffiti writer in the late 90's early 2000's. As a graffiti writer I felt like I was always stressing out about the fact that I could go to jail or get arrested for my artwork. I never felt fully comfortable doing artwork as a graffiti writer. When I started using yarn, I would do my work during the day to make myself vulnerable and to create opportunities for viewers to stop and talk. Over the years I have experimented with flagging tape, doing experimental typography with wood, projections, dance and performance art, magnets as pixels and even spray paint but in a much different way.

Who are your muses?

My muses are typically my family members. Over the years it has grown to involve my close friends and then finally I started doing work about my personal experiences. Currently I am looking to complete strangers as inspiration. I want to start telling other peoples stories.

What are your prep or practice rituals to get you into the artistic headspace?

I am constantly listening to music. I find that music helps calm me down. Each installation has its own obstacles. No one space is identical and sometimes the unknown can be stressful. Music helps with that stress. I listen to alot of electronic music, mostly house. I do love disco, 90s alternative, 90s rap and a little bit of country. One of my favorite musical acts to listen to before installing is Soulwax. They are a mix of electro and alternative music.

What is your favorite awkward growth moment or barrier-breaking time?

Well, that would have to be a non-art growth moment. I mean I have had plenty of moments where I consciously knew I was growing as an artist but one of the most important moments of growth was when I realized I was gay and what role that would play in my life. I was never too confident with my body so figuring out I was gay made me even more self-conscious at first. Over the years, I have come to accept my body and my sexuality and I believe that confidence has helped me in life and also to have a more clear headspace for ideation... so I guess in a way it was a moment of growth for my art as well. I stand corrected.

During the period of social distancing and quarantine, what inspired you and kept you engaged and moving forward?

I have always been extremely self-motivated. You kind of have to if you really want to make it as a full-time artist. Every day during quarantine I worked on projects that could be installed after quarantine was over. I spent a lot of time trying to figure out how to expand on what I have already built with HOTTEA. I started doing more projections and using materials other than yarn. I live in the twin cities, so during quarantine there was a lot happening regarding police brutality. That also motivated me to create more socially aware art and to educate myself more on the topic.

What is your favorite quote or saying?

"Time without purpose is a prison."

Tell us about your upcoming events, new releases, or anticipated projects:

I am currently working on a project where I create typography on other peoples’ garage doors using magnets as pixels. The property owner chooses the word and so, in a sense, I am telling their story via my artwork. It's something I have been wanting to do for a while, to tell other people’s stories. I am also working on a new installation for Miami Art Basel that will be part of the SCOPE art fair and a few other private commissions.

Any other details you would like to share?

I love my partner Aaron. He is one if not the best thing that has ever happened to me.

See HOTTEA’s installation April 5th at the Telluride Transfer Warehouse. Follow on social @hotxtea.

FEATURED ARTIST: MICHAEL FORTENBERRY

My name is Michael Fortenberry, Telluride as a portal to the mountainous region and tight knit community raised me to who I have become today and created guidelines for my approach to creative expression. The trajectory of my work has followed symbols of natural processes integral to the growth of an ecosystem. I’ve recently been grappling with fungal forms that emulate the Matsutake Mushroom as an emblem encouraging coexistence for a healthy future of human and nature longevity and fertility. The Matsutake mushroom is the first to pop up in areas of human disturbance, which creates a foreign comparison to the surroundings that it does not belong to, plagued with the industrial twinge of Man.

What is your chosen artistic medium?

I work mainly with manipulating raw materials such as wood and steel. Recently, I’ve been exploring the usage of other mediums that engage the viewer through sensory response, using light, sound, vibration, and interactive response technology to guide the audience.

Who/What/When are your muses?

Artists such as Martin Puryear, Alice Aycock, Yayoi Kusama, Olafur Eliasson, Anthony Gormaly, etc., have opened my eyes to manipulation of material and movement that pulls a viewer in. No human can create aesthetics like nature, so I’m constantly trying to pull a sense of constant movement and organic use of space into my work. Entering a flow state in the outdoors, at the skatepark, or in day to day activities enables me to create and find center in my work.

What are your prep or practice rituals to get you into the artistic headspace?

I’d like to say I have a ridgid day to day process that allows me to sit down and create, but that’s not who I am. I need to reach equilibrium in my body and mind to create, which I find in cooking food and the creation of a mediation practice that I maintain twice a day. Most of my artistic inspiration is documented on the spot from moving through life, drawn on coffee cups, books, and my arms that I later might transcribe to a more permanent spot.

What is your favorite awkward growth moment or barrier breaking time?

Sheesh, I would have to say I spend a lot of my life trying to reach the standard of the society mold, and then one day I just realized I need to throw that idea in the trash and make art.

During the period of social distancing and quarantine, what inspired you and kept you engaged and moving forward?

When covid was bestowed upon us I was in the last semester of undergrad, working on my thesis art show, told to basically go home and play with sticks in your backyard and photograph it for an online exhibition. It turned out to be a blessing, I’m a very social being and it provided isolation to create and maintain a simple lifestyle. No expectation, no distraction, just a time to focus on self. Two of my housemates left to be with their families, and one remained who happened to be a musician. Our days consisted of waking up, taking a few hours for coffee and a full breakfast and then we parted ways to both create until we came back together for a slow dinner. Since then I’ve seeked out opportunities that enable me to create in similar conditions of life.

What is your favorite quote?

“It is not me who is the clown, but this monstrously cynical and so unconsciously naive society, which plays the game of seriousness in order better to hide its madness.”

- Salvador Dali

Tell us about your upcoming events, new releases, or anticipated projects.

Stay tuned, I have just moved to New York to get a MFA in sculptural design at SUNY New Paltz to push my technical abilities and use of technology. The program is known for its push towards eco-sculpture and vast fabrication possibilities. Looking forward to emulating natural environments to create a bridge between humans and the natural world in efforts to make symbols of coexistence to encourage the healing of our earth. 

 

Any other details you would like to share?

We are nature, you don’t need to go find it elsewhere.

Follow and explore: WEBSITE

FEATURED ARTIST: DANIEL KANOW

Daniel Kanow is a visual, kinetic artist living and working in Telluride. Kanow creates dynamic and contemplative works using paint and mixed media – including acrylics, oils, canvas, wood, plexiglass, and various non-traditional tools. Drawing on inspiration from an apprenticeship in Taos, NM, lots of time spent outdoors, eclectic musical greats, and abstract expressionist artists, Kanow creates layered compositions that bring energetic motions onto a two-dimensional surface - his active marks deconstruct and reconstruct his pieces’ visions and narratives, revealing landscapes of pure abstraction.

Kanow’s muses are the people in his life, such as his family and students, as well as the prospective adventures of future travel destinations. He embraces Asian philosophical and spiritual concepts in his creative process, such as detachment, impermanence, creation and destruction, and beautiful imperfection.

When he is interacting with and producing an artwork, Kanow has an energy-invested and dynamic practice – sometimes elevated and physically demanding, and other times deeply grounded and spiritual. To get into the artistic headspace, Kanow sets intentions and uses poetry or stream-of-consciousness writing to break into the narrative of his work.

For Kanow, everything was reprioritized during COVID-19. He notes that social distancing and relative isolation provided a new opportunity to dive into and re-envision his art and professional goals. Kanow currently has a studio space at the Voodoo Studios – stop by and see his latest creations, or visit his website to explore ongoing projects.

FEATURED ARTIST: LVDY

In honor of Women’s History Month 2021, we are featuring LVDY!

HOW IT ALL STARTED…

Aubrey Mable and Kathleen Hooper met in 2012, while studying abroad in New Zealand. It was one of those chance encounters where kindred spirits resonated, which launched the beginning of a beautiful friendship and their musical partnership: LVDY (pronounced “lady”). While living in Denver, the duo started busking on the streets – slowly discovering their sound and enchanting audiences with their storytelling and folk-style voices.

In the last two years of producing music together, LVDY has travelled and performed around the world – including places like London, Paris, Dublin, Bristol, as well as all around the United States. Aubrey and Kathleen lovingly call their internationally-based, devoted fans the “LVDY Mob”, a following that grows exponentially every time these charismatic women set foot on stage.

LVDY POWER & GOALS…

The LVDY name – with the “V” – is a homage to historical symbols of womanhood. Aubrey and Kathleen use their voices and their platform to promote the feminine - digging deeper to recognize and celebrate femininity and beauty. With every gig they play, LVDY supports and endorses female-owned businesses, venues, and aspirations. They are an entirely self-managed and female-run enterprise; hiring female professionals on all levels of the industry, including: music recording, PR, musical back-up, and so much more.

STYLE & INSPIRATION…

On the whole, LVDY is inspired by nature, and seeking spiritual and sound alignment with powers higher than the self. As Kathleen expresses, LVDY’s songs are “heart anthems” and it is their purpose as musicians to “create light and love through sound, [since] music is one of the most powerful forms of connection”. For this LVDY duo, their muses include artists such as Rising Appalachia, Maggie Rogers, Lake Street Dive, Joy Oladokun, Sara Bareilles, and Joseph.

Aubrey and Kathleen speak to learnings gathered from performers across all genres – especially their “command of the stage and presence, and how they interact with the audience”. They also shout out to cultural and political feminist icons, and the women (cis- and transgender) who helped pave the way - including but not limited to: Stacey Abrams, Laverne Cox, Oprah, Ellen, their moms, and many more brave, courageous, funny, and wise lady trail-blazers.

FAVORITE SPACES & PLACES…

Some of LVDY’s favorite performance venues include the Wisconsin Arts Lab in Milwaukee, Hostetter’s in Steam Boat Springs, Hotel Utah in San Francisco, and Main Street in Telluride. Colorado will always be home and where the heart is for LVDY (check out their 303 Magazine interview here).

This last summer, LVDY got creative with open-air performances and conducted a Front Yard Tour in the Denver region: 7 front yards, pop-up shows every hour, performing for passersby and fans who travelled to see them play. Aubrey and Kathleen express their love of live audiences - especially during these socially distanced days when musicians are mostly performing for computer screens or remote applications. As Aubrey notes: “the energy shared with a crowd is what makes live music magical.”

LATEST & GREATEST…

“Everything has changed with live music, and it will take a while for things to come back around with the music scene,” Kathleen notes, “We want to be part of spearheading the movement and momentum.” Aubrey and Kathleen used this year of transition to be proactive in creating music, finishing an album via Zoom and Facetime collaboration – making it happen despite the physical distancing and various challenges presented.

LVDY’s album Gold will be released on April 16th, 2021 – available for purchase and streaming on all music platforms – check out their website and Instagram to purchase merchandise and stay in touch with the most recent news. LVDY is also the ecstatic recipient of an Augment Musician Grant (more info here), which they will use for their independent production efforts.

If you want to help support Aubrey and Kathleen with their self-managed musical production/performance endeavors - and provide financial backing for a collective of powerful, beautiful women - contact them here.

FEATURED ARTIST: DEAN ROLLEY

Dean Rolley came to Telluride from the Chicago area in 1986 for a year, and here he is over 33 years later. He most definitely found a niche. Dean ran the Public Access TV station for 15 years. He has co-produced documentaries on Telluride in the 70s, (The YX Factor), on skiing in the Telluride region before the ski area was started, (We Skied It), and on historic building preservation, (Rock, Paper, Scissors, & Hammer) with Amy Levek.

Dean and his wife, Vicki Phelps, run Dragonfire Productions, providing A/V support for most of the Festivals. As he inches towards semi-retirement, Dean's focus will be shifting to still photography. While he has taken still photos on and off for the past 35+ years, Dean's main visual production has been in video. With the advent of digital photography, Dean has returned to taking stills for fun. He shoots mostly landscapes in color, black & white and in infrared sepia tone. You can check out his work on Facebook. 

We asked Dean a few questions:

What are you watching? 
The hair grow in my ears (and a lot of nature documentaries)

What are you reading? 
The Facebook, all of it.

What are you listening to?
A lot more birds chirping.

Any projects you're currently working on? 
Just finished a new “slideshow” to run before the movies at The Nugget Theater when it reopens. Lots of projects around the house (a patio, some light fixtures, converting a powder room into a pantry)

What has changed for you? (besides the obvious) 
I lost my excuse for procrastination “I’m too busy”. Now I say “I’m waiting for the parts”.