Jennifer Livingston, Nederland. Nederland’s recent snow event regaled the Art at the Center event last Thursday, February 6, 2020, in a quietly sparking atmosphere. The Nederland Community Center’s parking lot was completely full, and inside the love of art and local artists, scrumptious snacks and fine wine, created an atmosphere of warmth and light. 

Volunteers (including a few of the artists themselves) spent over eight hours developing and installing a new and professional way to hang art. Even more volunteers helped make sure the food and wine were laid out and served with white tablecloths, and the dishes cleaned afterwards. The brilliant and intriguing art varied from photography to paintings of all sorts and was accompanied by the sweet and soulful sound of young and handsome Desmond Hugo singing and playing his guitar. 

Dori Stickles enjoyed first place in the People’s Choice Award for her stunningly detailed watercolors of nature. She says her art is an expression of gratitude for the natural environment and born of keen observation and detailed appreciation. Her renderings of local landscapes inspire quiet attention and an almost ecstatic awareness of beauty. She taught high school art in Baltimore, Maryland, before retiring to this area. 

Second place was awarded to Serene Karplus whose nature photography is bright, brilliant and playful. Her work is a joyful exploration of the special little things made big, bold and beautiful. One favorite was entitled Cuddle Bugs wherein Karplus spied two beetles spooning complete in the exact yellow middle of a vivid violet wildflower. It’s an incredibly humanizing and intimate photo. The bright fuzzy yellow of a bee could be heard buzzing in her sundrenched daisy, and the intricacies of a momentarily perched dragonfly were also included in her collection. 

Virginia Unseld received the third place People’s Choice Award. She can often be seen on the roadside in Gilpin painting plein air landscapes that convey a deeply visceral and identifiable sense. Her mastery verges on sublime and certainly embodies a sense a place beyond the mere paint and canvas. Her pro-tip: “color gets all the glory but value does all the work.” She taught at Clear Creek High School in Idaho Springs. 

Dennis Quinn was given the Coordinator Choice award and especially recognized for the depth and emotionality of his work as well as for his long-term commitment to local art and artists. The painting he brought was a fresh one, paint literally still drying. He also has one of Snyder’s Garage, which he later shared especially for The Mountain-Ear. 

As always, special thanks to the many volunteers and Community Center staff that make this event a reality enjoyed by quite a crowd, even on a wintry February evening.

(Originally published in the February 13, 2020, print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)