Barbara Lawlor, Nederland.   It was difficult for High Peaks Art Festival owner Cathy Stiers to hold back the tears as she presented the John Burnett Memorial Award. Burnett passed away this year and the artists who have been regulars at the HPAF voted to present an award in his memory to one of this year’s artists. Cathy Stiers handed the ribbon over to her husband, jeweler Rocky Stiers, who was known to be someone who always helped his fellow artists, generously sharing what he knew with others.

Cathy, in her large sun hat and Dalmatian dog plastic handbag, walked through aisles at the High Peaks Art Festival on Saturday afternoon, carrying ribbons of all colors, awards to chosen artists entered in the juried show. This is the 18th year of sponsoring the art festival that brings in people from all over the country. And each year, fair workers and artists check out the morning skies, hoping the blue sky and white puffy clouds hold until the fair was over.

Cathy visited each owner, surprising them with the announcement that they had won an award. Nederland mayor Kris Larsen and an entourage of sponsors followed her trek through sparkling jewelry, tinkling chimes, oil, acrylic and water paintings as well as the wood carvings, metal sculptures and exquisite fabrics, as she handed out ribbons and checks.

Doug Felkley of Boulder presented the Dave Felkley Memorial Award to flint knapper, Mike Moore, saying Mike’s work represented the old time Colorado skill of the mining days. Moore also received a hand carved eucalyptus walking cane, in honor of Felkleys home town, Catalina Island. Felkley was a well-know hiker, snowshoer and event announcer in Nederland.

Best of Show presented by Mike Massa to Carmel Walden who creates hand-deckled Giclees of aspens, special printed paintings of landscapes.

The Best of Nederland Award went to Alyssa Koster whose ceramic work was deemed the best in the category. SockWood Press awarded Koster the prize.

Peak to Peak Counseling sponsored the wildlife photography prize which was awarded to Tonia Lowe.

Once again, Bruce White won the Best of Fine Art Award, which he has won before, for his popular watercolor landscapes which have a surreal feel as the paint fades into the background of the landscape.

Realtor Eleanor Yeager presented the award to Bruce White.

Best of Colorado Award went to the ceramic chimes of Paula and Frank Messenger. High fired, stone wear chimes played tunes with the breezes throughout the fair.

And the Best of Ceramics went to Shane Porter.

The Festival has become renowned over the past 18 years and in spite of a Sunday afternoon downpour, the vendors and the public had a good time, found good deals in fine art and were able to the feel the spirit of a mountain day in Nederland.

(Originally published in the June 28, 2018, print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)