Sculptures, ceramics, paintings and other artwork will fill the grounds of the Redstone Inn this weekend for the Redstone Art Foundation’s 30th annual art show.
The first art show was held in January 1996 at the Inn, where a group of Crystal Valley artists brought the exhibition to life to showcase their work.
Past organizers wanted the show to represent the heart of Redstone: pieces that capture the Crystal River Valley’s beauty and small-town feel. Today’s organizers share a similar sentiment.
Dione Holt, president of the Redstone Art Foundation’s board, said the town’s small size lends itself to “a real community feel.” She added that although the show’s ethos has stayed largely the same three decades later, the art landscape in the Crystal River Valley is changing.
“There’s definitely not just one genre,” Holt said. Abstract and collage art are prominent fixtures this year.
Ceramic and mosaic artists, as well as sculptors, jewelers and painters, will also round out the exhibit.
“I think it does continue to change each year that we have the art show,” Holt said.
The foundation recently received a $6,000 grant from Colorado Creates to help fund this year's show, as well as some other artistic activities in the Crystal River Valley.
The foundation has also created a scholarship for local students who plan to study art in college. Since its founding, it has raised almost $100,000.
“We’re really at a crossroads here,” Holt said. “We're really looking for the next generation of folks that will be involved.”
Younger artists, as well as those who have been with the show for decades, will display their work at the Redstone Inn from Friday to Sunday.
In addition to the art show, the Redstone Historical Society will open the doors of a historic home that was built when the town was first founded in 1898.
Tucker Farris chairs the historical society, which manages the property.
He said visitors will see 150-year-old artifacts from the Crystal River Valley — a true testament to the town’s longevity.
“Redstone had such a chance in the early 1900s to be abandoned and become another ghost town,” he said. “But because people keep being part of its history, it's still here, and it's still thriving.”
There will also be an anniversary celebration, art demonstrations, live music and history tours of the Koch ovens and the town’s historic Main Street throughout the weekend.
The art show begins Friday and runs until Sunday at the Redstone Inn.
