CENTRAL CITY — The final afternoon of the Gilpin County Arts Association’s annual Member Show had an easy, conversational pace. Light refreshments were served, and I munched on some crackers as I made my rounds to view the art.

The closing reception, held Saturday, January 17, felt less like a formal sendoff and more like a shared exhale after weeks of seeing creativity on the walls. Inside the gallery at 117 Eureka Street in Central City, I moved slowly from piece to piece, hoping to meet some of the artists.

Barbara Schultheiss, who lives locally in Gilpin County, spoke about her mixed-media clay sculptures inspired by mushrooms and natural forms like leaves and lichen. Her sculptural work, delicate in appearance, is carefully sealed and preserved, but she advises gentle handling and dusting.

While she has been a photographer most of her life, Schultheiss' clay work is relatively new. She began creating the pieces after finally finding the ability to slow down and focus following a regimen of medication for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Landscape painter Marianne Billingsley, who lives in Coal Creek Canyon and previously lived in Eldora, discussed her oil paintings rooted in familiar Front Range terrain. She often works from photographs taken outdoors, using plein air studies as reference for larger studio pieces.

Cameras can’t fully capture the colors and values the human eye sees, Billingsley said, which is why returning to the landscape through paint feels essential. She last exhibited with the association in the 1980s and described being back in the gallery as both grounding and energizing.

Acrylic painter C.D. LaForce, who lives in Golden, spoke at length about his approach to reworking landscapes, monuments, and historic scenes. He said he intentionally removes haze and mist from many of his compositions, sharpening edges and intensifying color so viewers can experience the scene with a clarity the eye rarely gets in real life.

“There’s usually a haze,” he explained, “and I like to take that off.” By doing so, he said, forms become more dimensional and emotionally direct.

LaForce also shared a deeply personal story behind his journey into painting. After the death of his mother, he struggled to find his footing creatively. One day, his father showed up unannounced with canvases, brushes, and paint, told him simply to paint, and left.

He picked up the brush and hasn’t put it down since. Many of his works now draw from imagination and emotional recall rather than strict reference, particularly his paintings of birds, which he described as studies of personality as much as form.

Painted from memory, LaForce’s bird works reflect the humor, intelligence, and individuality he noticed while observing crows up close, giving each figure its own subtle character.

Elsewhere in the gallery, painter Pixie Morris, who lives in Indian Hills, talked about her background in watercolor and oil painting, her classical training, and her current focus on bold color and texture.

Morris said she often works with palette knives to keep her colors clean and expressive, especially when painting mountain towns and street scenes. She also spoke about teaching watercolor classes and plans for future workshops with the association.

As the reception wound down, attention turned to what comes next. Wall art pickup for the member show began after the reception on Saturday and continued Sunday, while some jewelry, pottery, and three-dimensional work remained on display.

Gallery staff confirmed the space will stay open during regular hours, Thursday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., even as light interior touch-ups and planning for future programs get underway.

The closing reception offered a chance to hear the stories behind the work before the walls were cleared. It was fascinating how closely tied the gallery is to the people who make the art—and to the places they come from.

For more information on upcoming exhibitions and events, visit gilpinarts.org.