Arte Millinery & Haberdashery ~ Mixed Media / Fiber Art ~ I was fortunate to have been born into an artistic family so it seemed inevitable that I would find my own unique form of creative expression. I grew up and continue to live in Bailey Colorado hence it was with great anticipation and excitement when I was accepted as a member of River Canyon Gallery. My mother is a weaver and fellow member who taught me about fiber arts from an extremely early age. My father hand-crafts bamboo fly fishing rods and taught me about the importance of finishing a work. In my effort to find my own voice, I attended Emily Griffith School’s professional sewing program. As I have always had a focus on costuming and ensemble, hat-making seemed a natural addition to my skill-set. I quickly fell in love with the art form and have since designed my own patterns and learned free-form structure. With the exception of round or oval-shaped, full-size hats, all of my patterns are original. Millinery is a term typically confined to women’s hats, whereas haberdashery is typically associated with men’s wear. My designs are not necessarily gender specific. I believe that lies in the eye of the beholder. In either case, the method of construction remains the same. All of my hats and fascinators are made in traditional fashion: a buckram and wire base is covered with mull (usually felt, sometimes fleece) and finished off with...

L ike many a first generation Americans, I’m a blend of many cultures (Cuban, French and Austrian). I studied International Business and had a successful career in Corporate America for over 25 years ago. Over the years I searched for a creative outlet. I dabbled in various artistic hobbies, from painting, to charcoal, to wheel pottery. I had always been fascinated by metalwork and ability for a person to heat and mold a piece of metal into beautiful art form. I finally had the opportunity to take a class from a gifted gemologist, metalsmith and jeweler, Judy Hoch. ​ One class was all it took and I was hooked. ​ I’m lucky to live in a beautiful place, surrounded by 14,000 foot mountains, mountain lakes, rivers and streams. Inspired by the beauty that surrounds me and channeling my great-grandfather, a metalsmith who created beautiful sculpture in late 19th century Europe, I have begun to create my own look. I’m excited about this next phase in my life, using my hands to combine beautiful gemstones, silver and patinas — and to honor my great grandfather. I use geometric designs in many of my pendants, earrings, rings and bracelets, inspired by the incredible view from my window of the craggy rocky mountains that surround me. I hope you enjoy my work as much as I enjoyed creating it! ​ Michelle Pujol’s Website   ...

H ello, my name is Elaine Gosnell. Originally, I’m from southwestern Missouri, but I call Colorado my home. I have lived in one area or another of Colorado for over 45 years. I started painting abstracts as a child playing with color. My mother, a part time artist, encouraged me to focus on traditional painting and even though I’ve received several First Place award in oils, I find more satisfaction in abstracts/expressionist art. Color plays an important role in our lives and I love to see how color interacts with other colors, how color can set a mood, how one color can change a composition entirely, but most of all how color can inspire us. Color can be both therapeutic and inspirational and I hope you enjoy my art. ...

J ane Ericson lives in the forest of beautiful Bailey Colorado with her menagerie of cats, dogs and chickens. Her education and career have always been in the financial realm. With no formal art training, she accidentally tapped into her unknown artistic juices a few years ago. Since then, it’s become her passion. Finding inspiration in the abundant natural beauty that surrounds her, she incorporates a variety of organic-found items (sticks, pinecones, shells, rocks, feathers) into her ceramic pieces or depicting the natural world of plants and animals into her mosaics. Hopefully one of her pieces will bring a little bit of Colorado beauty into your home and bring you joy. ...

D ebra Grimm is from a family of artists and fine craftsman. And in growing up in a creative family, she was introduced to the wonders of art at a very young age. Her grandfather was a violin maker and her father, a luthier and an artist. Debra paints with oil on canvas and ‘found objects’. Two prints of her work are taken from open air paintings of scenes near her childhood home; “Roses in Bloom” and “Woodward Rose”. These prints have found their way into many homes across the United States. Her style is flowing with vivid colors and visions of natural beauty. It evokes in many a hearkening back to European masters values and their evocative subjects. Her paintings appears in a wide variety of venues; from rustic cabins to the walls and ceilings of fine homes, to the pages of “Southern Living” magazine. They are available for purchase in places like the Gilcrease museum in Tulsa, the River Canyon Gallery in Bailey Colorado, and original art emporiums such as the Velvet Otter in Eureka Springs. Debra enjoys the challenge of commission work and the satisfaction of designing art to fulfill the aesthetic desires of her patrons. Through all her projects and challenges she has come to find that the stress and strains of life can never put out the flame of that passion she feels for art and its beauty....

My name is Laura Harwood and I live in Evergreen, Colorado with my husband and daughter. I have loved photography since the day I got a blue Fisher-Price camera when I was a kid. Since then, I have always been on the lookout for images to capture that people will enjoy. I love the many perspectives that can be captured through photography. More than that, I love how the astounding beauty of the world around us can be glimpsed through photography and how God is revealed in the world around us in details large and small. My specialties are landscape, nature and commercial photography – although I have been caught doing portraits from time to time. All in all, I love capturing the grand beauty and the things less noticed in the world around me. I hope you enjoy looking at a few of my pictures! If you would like to see more of my work, or are interested in commissioning custom work, please visit my website at www.mountaingirlphotography.net. You can “like” my Facebook page at Mountain Girl Photography Colorado. Laura Harwood’s Website          ...

Wood Carving/Sculpting   Polly is an artist who loves anything wood. She especially likes working with Cottonwood bark and Aspen found traipsing along streams and in forests in Colorado. Scandinavian lore speaks of spirits in forests – those we can generally feel, but rarely see except in the quick glimpse of a light casting a shadow. They are said to bring good luck! Polly teaches woodcarving around Colorado finding each new experience adds to her growth.   ...

W eaving has been an activity I have pursued my entire adult life, and now that it is my business, it is what I enjoy doing most. The methods I prefer cannot be replicated by industrial machinery. Band weaving, such as inkle and tablet, Navajo Style tapestry, and multiple harness weaves are the focus of my work. The materials I like to work with are natural animal and vegetable fibers. My small herd of rescue alpacas provide me with luxurious hair that is soft and warm and a joy to work with and to wear. Teaching weaving brings me as much satisfaction as the doing itself, as I want to share my passion for this art form. Keeping this fine craft alive through teaching and sharing with school groups ensures that future generations are in touch with the source of everyday objects, still created by hand, with an eye for the beauty of useful things. Select “Off” to stop the AddThis plugin from automatically adding tools above and below this entry. On...

Kim is a Colorado silversmith artist. She discovered a fascination for metalsmithing from a remarkable teacher and an exciting apprenticeship with internationally renowned goldsmiths. She then refined her techniques through teaching special needs students and years of creating artwork. In the Rocky Mountains of Bailey, her imagination is filled with design ideas and challenged with various possibilities for her hand-fabricated pieces. Many styles combine sterling silver, 14K gold, gems, crystals, or unusual items. Kim’s metal, bead and fiber work are available exclusively at River Canyon Gallery. Her unique arts are among an inspiring array of creations from all our talented artists. While her artistic experiences have been shared with the Colorado Metalsmithing Association, Society of North American Goldsmiths and American Craft Council, Kim volunteers for River Canyon Gallery and serves on the Cultural Council of Park County Board of Directors.  ...

It is most often during the night watches when sleep eludes me that God places ideas on my heart. He uses my experiences, thoughts and feelings to influence my work. That is where the creative process begins for me. It is not only the finished piece that gives me joy. I have learned that the journey, from start to finish, is full of surprising experiences. The journey is where I find the true reward. — Tom Lybeck Tom refers to his artistic style as American traditional realism. It incorporates a distinctive “palette knife” technique and vibrant color palette, honed over the years. Originally from Fargo, North Dakota, Tom settled in Denver, Colorado, in the early 1970s. He is a graduate of the University of North Dakota, with a BA in Fine Arts. Tom retired in 2010 from a 35-year career in the electrical industry, and he now pursues his passion for painting full-time. In the past, his work has been displayed at mountain galleries and in a number of regional art shows. He has won awards including the Best Drawing at the Western Art Rendezvous, and the William E. Snyder Award at the Gilpin Arts Annual. Currently, he is part of the River Canyon Gallery in Bailey, CO where a number of his landscapes and wildlife paintings are on display. Tom Lybeck’s Website  ...

Beginning his studies at the Miles School of Art, Robert Wise painted through high school. After an interlude of college and graduate school, he returned to the University of Central Oklahoma and studied painting under Michael Bacchi. An outstanding water colorist, Bacchi worked with Wise in oils, acrylics, and lithography. Wise completed a degree in fine arts from the university. Michael Bacchi continued to be a friend and source of encouragement for years. Robert Wise grew up in Deer Creek valley. Decades later he and his wife Margueritte returned to a home in Bailey. Passionately in love with the soaring peaks and rushing streams of Colorado, these beauties of nature often turn up in his work. Influenced by both impressionism and realism, he attempts to put significant meaning in his paintings. Often he attempts to portray reality in a human way. Wise uses bright, vibrant colors in praise of beauty. The author of 34 published books, Wise has traveled through more than 60 countries that often provide images for his paintings. He currently does portrait and figure commissions. If you have the subject matter, he had the picture for you. His email address is [email protected]. Facebook    ...

The Artist’s of the River Canyon Gallery welcome you.  ...

H erb inherited his carving tools and bit of talent from his father – a master carver from Austria. Herb’s hobbies had always been outdoor oriented. Skiing, hiking, biking, and just being in the Colorado mountains. He inherited additional woodworking tools from his father in law in 2001 and he then started carving – the first love affair. To be a better carver drawing lessons followed and to his surprise he did quite well. He is particularly adept at getting likeness of people, which led to drawing portraits. In 2005 he bought a lathe and the second love affair started turning a variety of bowls, vases, and lidded boxes. His advice? “I’m living proof of finding a passion and some talent in the arts. Take some classes and find if you’ve got some hidden within you. As much as possible he tries to salvage wood that has been cut and is going to the dump. If you get him a chunk of wood, there will be a free bowl in it for you. Herb Dreo’s Website (303)...

G rowing up in close proximity to New York City, the artist spent her youth exploring the major museums and art galleries of this iconic art mecca. This formative exposure to the masters inspired Anne to study art history as an undergraduate student at Boston University, and later to be awarded a Master’s Degree in Fine Arts, Sculpture, from Colorado State University. The artist has traveled to major cities and archeological sites around the world, and these experiences have served to broaden and inform her artistic vision. In addition, the artist has taught sculpture, drawing, design, and art history at major universities and colleges in Colorado. Her work is in collections throughout the U.S., including those of universities, libraries, and individuals in Illinois, Massachusetts, Colorado and Wyoming. The artist hopes that the viewer will accompany her on a journey of discovery, an exploration of what is experienced with the inner and the outer eye, of what is both seen and felt. Many experiences exist at the borders of our consciousness and understanding. The artist hopes to explore and express this intersection in her artwork. ...

Susan is known throughout the area as “The Bead Lady.”  Susan Kriz is a Colorado native and has lived in the Bailey area for 30 years.  From an early age, Susan’s mom encouraged her to become a proficient in all types of needlework. It wasn’t until her children were adults that she became interested in bead work. One of her first projects was a beaded shirt for a friends birthday.  Each shirt is hand-beaded with its own unique design.  The Bead Lady works with her own designs as well as being commissioned for special projects and teaches classes in bead work. Her artwork is in 40 states and abroad including Germany, Holland, Canada, China and Japan.  For her daughter’s wedding she created the bouquets for the bride and the attendants, along with the boutonnieres and corsages for the wedding party.  In 2004, The Bead Lady won the Bead Challenge at the Rocky Mountain Bead Society with a shirt showing Dolphins splashing out of the water. In 2010, Susan Kriz won first place for a wearable art with a shirt of pansies in the shape of a heart.  In 2014 and 2015, Susan Kriz won awards for her gold beaded necklace in the Fiber Show in Fairplay, Colorado.  I enjoy my bead work. It’s relaxing to me. Its very rewarding to see people wearing my shirts.          ...

I aspire to be a fine art nature photographer. I pursue the creation of images to share the experience of a place, or a feeling, or a mood. Or to express a thought or condition. The creation of an image is a process for me. It usually starts with an image I visualize, or a feeling I want to express. While “in the field” I tend to move slowly; I pay attention to the lighting, the clouds, the colors around me; and how I feel about what I’m seeing. While composing an image I get completely immersed in what I’m doing. I get lost “in the zone”. When I’m back in the comfort of my home office/studio, I process the images with the same slow, contemplative approach. I am in love with the whole image-creating process - from visualization to final completion. Roger’s Website      ...

Roberta has been in business creating hand-blown glass art since 1986. She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Colorado State University and served an apprenticeship with another glass blower for two years. She has traveled extensively through Italy visiting Venice, Rome, and Florence studying the great works of The Masters. All of the items at Blue Moon Glass have been designed and made by Roberta herself. Most of my pieces are made using borosilicate glass that is specifically designed to take variances in temperature quickly. After each piece is finished, it is oven annealed for superior strength. Annealing is a process where the glass is heated thoroughly and cooled slowly to prevent cracking and make the glass stronger. There are several ways to color glass. The glass I use has different metal oxides added to the glass itself to give it different colors. For instance, cobalt oxide turns the glass a deep blue, iron or chromium oxide turns it green, and gold changes it to a light red. All of my columbines and hummingbirds are made from this exotic glass that will not fade or change color so you can enjoy them for years to come. All of the items sold at Blue Moon Glass are made in my studio using the centuries old technique of lamp working. Using a torch, a few simple tools, and the refined and practiced movements of the craft, each piece is tae culmination of years of...