The description of Shannon Castle’s installation, entitled “Seven”, states that she “honors the creative process in various aspects of her daily life…raising young children, building a home, growing a garden, cooking and teaching art. She makes art to process experiences, to explore relationships, to find peace, and to give thanks. She works in her home studio in Hotchkiss, Colorado. Shannon has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with an emphasis
in Ceramics, a K-12 Art Teacher Licensure, and a Master of Arts degree with a focus on Community Art. She has teaching experience at all levels and has sold her artwork in a variety of venues.
The work in this mixed media installation marks the seven year anniversary of her mother’s unexpected death. The pieces were made in multiples of seven; forty-nine clay wall tiles, ninety-eight crocheted nests, and three hundred and sixty four clay eggs. The themes of loss, protection, balance, love, and renewal are woven into the installation. The individual pieces are small, but each piece is one of many in a series. The size reflects the intimacy of the themes that create the artist’s personal narrative, while the multiples suggest universal stories. The small format supports
her practice of making art in-between the threads of her daily routine. The repetitive nature of making and remaking objects in a series is her visual prayer.”

Hotchkiss High School art teacher Jamie Roeber will present a collection of her work entitled “Wired to the West”. Her exhibit description states that “Art is a process of defining creative possibilities. My art is born from the homestead lifestyle of the
Colorado Rockies, combined with the historical perspectives of the ranching style. Using materials that are from and found on the ranch, I create larger than life sculptures made of chicken wire. This exhibit is my capstone masters project for Regis University.”
An over-sized wire cowboy boot, entitled “Size Matters”, illustrates again how scale can be used in the play of ideas. She writes, “Standing over five feet tall, this boot brings back the meaning that size matters, but deeper than that, it is an iconic
symbol of the cowboy. Spurs are worn not for looks, but for working a horse through long hard days, brush they don’t want to go through, creeks they aren’t in the mood to cross, and hours that become long and demanding. Slick heels wear the cowboy thin. Horses get days off; cowboys don’t. Detail is the key to developing the artistic side of these western pieces. Here horse shoe nails are welded together, then sewn into the chicken wire. The spur is in full motion, the rowel spins and the buckle tightens the spur strap, which is a swather chain.” The humor and specific elements of this piece contribute to it’s popular appeal; it won “Best of Show” at the County Fair.

In the  CHURRO GALLERY, glass artists  LORIN K. MIRRIAM  and  GARY W. HINES  of Chokecherry Studios in Grand Junction, and members of the Creamery Arts Center, will present a variety of stained glass art. Reflecting Native American motifs, their pieces are sometimes suitable for display in outdoor settings and often make use of natural materials. In 2005, they completed a two-year project creating the stained glass windows for the dome of St. Nicholas Orthodox Church in Grand Junction.  Over the past three decades, Lorin and Gary have been working in stained glass, and for the past twenty years, doing business as Chokecherry Studios.

Lorin and Gary describe their art: “Our artistic styles are reflections of our divergent but complementary personalities. Our work is a combination of decorative and interpretive arts. Much of our work has been influenced by traditional and contemporary Western and Native American cultures.  These ancient motifs, the natural environment, and the pioneer spirit give rise to a wide spectrum of modern themes and applications. Our pieces are sometimes suitable for display in outdoor settings and often make use of natural materials. Some of our favorite pieces are made for hanging in trees.

Most recently, we have explored working in contemporary mixed media, particularly creating pieces intended to be displayed on walls. Concurrently, we continue to create two-dimensional pieces for window spaces, as well as lamp work.”

Please come in and support our artists and these worthy non- profit organizations. Enjoy local wines and micro brews, tasty refreshments in our spacious galleries.

Connie Willett, Pennie Alexander, and Hendrika Cegielski once again join together in a three woman show titled: “Sisters of the Eleventh Moon” in the PEACH GALLERY. These three artists are members of the Creamery Arts Center and work successfully in a variety of media.

Connie Willett is an accomplished fiber artist and photographer, who moved to the area 16 years ago to escape the cold, bitter winters of Wisconsin. She currently lives south of Crawford, at the base of the West Elks with her husband. Wanting to capture the essence of the American west in her art, she began working with fibers. She is noted for using photos and images on pillows and wall hangings, which are a perfect outlet for her creativity and humor. The volume and variety of her work will attest to her evolution as an artist, and she is looking forward to further sharing her work. Part of her show will be photographs from her trip to Savannah, Georgia last spring.  The photos are from the graveyard “Bonaventure”. They are of cemetery statues, which were created many years ago. Connie is one of the founding members at the Creamery and her contributions to the organization are greatly appreciated.

As a stone sculptor for the past 16 years, Pennie Alexander has incorporated bronze into her stonework. She is inspired by Native American women and interprets them in a stylized manner that conveys their grace and beauty. A love of textures and colors has given Pennie the inspiration to weave clothing, warm throws, and saddle blankets using natural fibers. For this show, Pennie will be displaying her beautiful scarves and hats. For the past 29 years, she has also taken gourd carving to a new level. Using paints, metal, bone, feathers, and beads, she transforms a natural vessel into a work of art. Pennie is a treasured member and Gallery Manager/Co-Director of the CAC and her varied talents have graced the Creamery Galleries for five years.

Hendrika Cegielski uses a variety of media to express her art as well. She paints in oils and pastels, draws with pen and ink, and has been the recipient of numerous awards. Her love for Colorado’s outdoors is reflected in her work, and continues to inspire her with the subject matter that she incorporates into her art. Having worked with fur and leather for 30 years, Hendrika now takes leather and rawhide to a fine art form, as is evident in her pillows and lampshades. She realized that the simple gourd is yet another empty canvas, and uses it to express herself with carving, paint, ink, and natural decorations. Hendrika is a key CAC volunteer and is responsible for rearranging the entire gallery every month and assists in displaying the special shows.

Six weeks of Kids Summer Art Camp culminated in a plethora of excellent artwork. The students were taught by different teachers and completed several projects. The fruit of their labors can be seen during the Fall show in the Young Artists Gallery. Many accomplished young artists will display paintings, drawings and sculpture during the next few months.