During the months of December 2019 and January 2020, Telluride Arts HQ Gallery presents Tara Carter's 'Birds of Telluride', a ceramic collection featuring a sample of hand-sculpted and painted birds that frequent Telluride. There will be a special holiday Art Walk opening reception on Thursday, Dec. 19, 2019, 5-8 pm. Come by again for 2020's first First Thursday Art Walk on Jan. 2, 2020, 5-8pm.
It was one of those rare times in an adult’s life when the world suddenly seems more magical rather than less. - Jonathan Franzen on birding in The Central Park Effect
This collection of Tara Carter’s sculpted birds is just a small sample of birds that frequent Telluride. Not all of them stay here year-round, but the hearty ones stick it out (we’re looking at you, Black-billed Magpie). Then there are the breeding warblers who make their annual trip to the box canyon. These beautiful little birds come to the area, create a nest, and abandon it until they return the next year. And you can't forget about the migrants who stop through town for some rest and recuperation on their larger journey. Much like the people who make up our community, all of these birds contribute in their own way to make Telluride a place we love to be in. Some may stick out more than others, but that's what keeps our little town so interesting.
“I made these sculptures for the same reasons that I enjoy birding. These days, it’s refreshing to open my eyes to a world that is more beautiful than I expected,” says Carter. “My goal is for the viewer to be drawn into the flashes of color, intricate feather patterns, and individual personalities by getting up close and examining birds that are typically out of view. Hopefully, seeing my work makes people more aware that the world may be larger than we think and that it’s worth opening our minds to a different perspective every now and then.”
Originally from Columbus, Ohio, Tara earned both her Bachelor of Arts in Ceramics and her Master of Business Administration from Otterbein University. Since graduating in 2011, Tara has been teaching ceramics classes, developing her own work by attending a variety of workshops, and exhibiting her wares. Currently, Tara works full-time at the Ah Haa School for the Arts as the Youth Curriculum and Ceramics Studio Manager in Telluride, CO. She fills her spare time making pottery and bird sculptures while enjoying the mountains of Telluride.
The show runs through January 2020 at Telluride Arts HQ Gallery, located at 135 W Pacific in Telluride, Colorado. Open daily from 12-6 pm, or by appointment.