Arts & Culture

Claudette Carter ARTMentors program offers local students, professional artists fresh perspectives on the creative process

Aspen Public Radio | By Kaya Williams

Published April 18, 2024 at 3:20 PM MDT

A collection of 16 portraits by Edie O’Byrne is on display at The Art Base in Basalt for an exhibition that highlights the Claudette Carter ARTMentors Program. The initiative pairs local students like O’Byrne with professional artists like figurative painter Shawna Miller; the show is up through May 10, 2024.

At the Art Base gallery in Basalt, one annual program pairs a few local students with experienced working artists. The “Claudette Carter ARTMentors” initiative culminates in a mixed-media exhibition at the gallery, opening this weekend, with technicolor paintings and monochrome sculptures on display.

Glenwood Springs High School freshman Edie O’Byrne created 16 portraits of the same subject — her best friend — and painted each iteration in a different color. The concept was “Warhol-esque” at the outset, and evolved into a collection of images that also represents different emotions, O’Byrne said.

She wanted to create something “collective” that would help her grow as an artist.

“I've learned a lot throughout the whole process of it, and more than I expected of this, which is the whole point — I wanted to be able to gain something more than just what I could do with my hands,” O’Byrne said.

Her mentor, Shawna Miller, said she learned a lot through the process too. By encouraging O’Byrne, Miller found advice that resonated with her own practice as an artist.

“Hey, working up to the last minute is okay. And, you know, changing ideas and changing conceptions is all fine and part of the process,” Miller said.

“It's comforting to share that information with another person when often we need to hear it ourselves,” she added.

An exhibition at The Art Base in Basalt features paintings and mixed-media sculptures created by local students. The participants were mentored by professional artists in the community; their work will be on display through May 10, 2024.

O’Byrne said there have been some “ups and downs” along the way, but she recognizes that it’s all part of the creative process.

Plus, she appreciates the mentorship and insight Miller provided.

“Being able to work with… someone who knows how to do this, at a professional level more than I do — any more than I've ever been exposed to — has been amazing,” O’Byrne said.

Miller, who usually works alone, said she’s grateful for O’Byrne’s perspective, too.

“I found it to be a fun challenge, to work creatively and think creatively with someone else's needs and interests,” Miller said.

The Claudette Carter ARTMentors exhibition opens this weekend, and will be up at the Art Base through May 10th. There will be an opening reception on Sunday from 3 to 5 p.m.

It’s named in honor of the late Claudette Carter, and supported by her husband — local painter Richard Carter.

A collection of paintings hangs on the walls of The Art Base in Basalt for an exhibition focused on the Claudette Carter ARTMentors program. The works were created by a local student, who was paired with a professional artist for the program; the exhibition is open through May 10, 2024.