The state of Colorado is known for its ski resorts, winter retreats and astounding natural scenery, but it also offers many great arts and culture destinations. The many national parks, and more notably the Rocky Mountains with its awe-inspiring snow topped peaks, has inspired many artists and has given rise to many art attractions throughout the state. Visitors can expect to find art festivals, museums and fine art galleries that keep the spirit of Colorado alive and well.
Vail Valley, Colorado. © Vail Local Marketing District. Photo by Jack Affleck.
The state capital of Denver has an abundance of creative hubs such as the Art District on Santa Fe, one of the most concentrated art areas, which offers more than 30 art galleries and artists’ studios depicting an array of styles and mediums. The Denver community also contains another significant art scene known as the Golden Triangle Creative District, that not only has a plethora of art galleries, entertainment and stimulating scenery, but is also home to eight of Denver’s museums. The Denver Art Museum, for instance, has varying cultural collections and exhibitions, but also hosts their annual symposium in January, with new topics every year relating to the art of the American West.
Skiers in Vail Valley, Colorado. © Vail Local Marketing District. Photo by Andrew Maguire.
Slightly to the west is the small town of Vail, a visual beauty populated with ski resorts and surrounded by the White River National Forest. While this year’s event has been canceled, Vail annually welcomes more than 60 artists from all over the country to exhibit at the Vail Arts Festival. In June, artists display works ranging from fine art paintings, to digital art and fashion.
Another ski town of note is Aspen, which is home to the fine art fair Intersect Aspen, formerly Art Aspen. Last year it was held as a virtual event, but typically is a boutique-style fair with around 30 dealers exhibiting in July at Aspen Ice Garden.
Denver Art Museum exterior. © Denver Art Museum.
To the northwest of the state, Steamboat Springs contains the popular Steamboat Art Museum. They’ve remained dedicated to “presenting fine art that reflects the culture and heritage of northwest Colorado.” Not only do they have ongoing exhibitions throughout the year, but they also host events such as their annual Plein Air Event and Exhibit. Featured this year starting September 17, the event brings artists from all over the country together to paint on location. Items will remain on view and for sale through November 6.
With such immense diversity and cultural richness, we encourage readers to visit Colorado to further embark on artistic adventures. In the following pages, collectors will get a taste of some Colorado galleries such as Abend Gallery, Claggett/Rey Gallery, Gallery 1261, Knox Galleries and Mary Williams Fine Art. Also view the work of artist Greg Dye out of Castle Pines.
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Abend Gallery
1261 Delaware Street, Suite 2
Denver, CO 80204, (303) 355-0950
www.abendgallery.com
Abend Gallery, established in 1990, has been a staple in the Denver art scene for 30 years. The gallery offers an extensive collection of fine art from fresh, contemporary works to traditional, representational paintings by local, national and internationally recognized artists. Abend currently shares a space with Gallery 1261 and is located in the Golden Triangle, two blocks West of the Denver Art Museum. 
Abend Gallery, Through the Lens, oil on masonite, 20 x 24", by Kevin A. Moore.
Abend Gallery, Take Five, oil on canvas, 30 x 30", by David Kammerzell.
The gallery’s programming includes exhibitions at the gallery and outside venues, pop-ups in Los Angeles and other locales, art fairs, gallery takeovers, as well as online-only exhibitions. This year, Abend will continue its weekly series of solo shows with a handful of group shows, including the 31st annual Holiday Miniatures show in December, which will feature 150 artists and over 500 artworks. 
Abend Gallery, The King of the Farm, oil on panel, 20 x 10", by Lindsey Kustusch.
“We are currently open by appointment only and plan to be until pandemic conditions improve,” Abend Gallery co-owner David Ethridge explains. “Over the 30 years we’ve been open, online sales became 80 to 90 percent of our total sales. After the onset of the pandemic, they now comprise over 95 percent of our total sales.”
Abend has more than 3,500 works available on their website at any given time and sell all over the world. Collectors in the Denver area, can give the gallery a call and they can set up a viewing, but for collectors outside of their area, the website is a tremendous resource.
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Claggett/Rey Gallery
216 Main Street, Suite C-100
Edwards, CO 81652
(970) 476-9350
www.claggettrey.com
Claggett/Rey Gallery is proud to be a part of the movement to help Colorado artist Jane DeDecker promote and create sculptures that honor the strong women who have shaped American history. Over the past three years, DeDecker has been delving deep into the historic measures of one of the largest movements in our country’s lineage—the passage of the 19th amendment; women’s right to vote. 
Claggett/Rey Gallery, Ripples of Change, clay studies for the Seneca Falls, New York, monument, by Jane DeDecker. Photo by Jane DeDecker.
Claggett/Rey Gallery, National Women’s Suffrage Monument, bronze concept, 11½ x 15 x 15", by Jane DeDecker. Photo by Jane DeDecker.
DeDecker’s vision has taken her to new heights and recognition as she prepares to complete four sentinel suffragist figures for Seneca Falls, New York (the birthplace of the 19th amendment). Meanwhile, she maps a plan to fulfill an unanimously passed Congressional Bill (HR-473 “Every Word We Utter”) sponsored by Colorado Rep. Joe Neguse. The bill authorizes DeDecker to create and place a 20-foot tall National Women’s Suffrage Monument in the confines of Washington, D.C. 
Claggett/Rey Gallery, Stand, bronze, detail shot of life-size version, by Jane DeDecker. Photo by Jane DeDecker.
Studies of these legacy projects are available for purchase through the gallery or collectors can be a part of the movement by supporting the National Women’s Suffrage Monument.
“We need to be reminded that women’s participation in our democracy did not come easily and that rights for women need to be continually fought for and expanded upon,” DeDecker explains. “The work is not done, and we need this commemorative monument to keep the vision alive in the continued efforts toward equality.”
Visitors can see DeDecker’s body of work and her empowered women collection at the new Claggett/Rey Gallery location in Edwards, Colorado, or they can check it out on the gallery website.
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Gallery 1261
1261 Delaware Street, Suite 1
Denver, CO 80204, (303) 571-1261
www.gallery1261.com
Gallery 1261, established in 2004, is one of Denver’s premier galleries, and features some of the top artists in the representational market. The gallery shares the same space as Abend Gallery and is located two blocks from the Denver Art Museum. Gallery 1261 is dedicated to presenting excellent work reflecting the artists’ most creative side, done without marketability constraints in mind.
Gallery 1261, Rift, oil on linen, 12 x 12", by David Cheifetz.
The vision of Gallery 1261 is one of enhanced freedom in the experience of art for both artists and appreciators of art, meaning it is driven not by commercial tastes or market standards but rather by pure expression and artistic talent. Gallery 1261 is the brainchild of artist Quang Ho, who wanted a place where artists he knows and admires can show significant work, done without constraints of marketing strategies and sales quotas.
Gallery 1261, Red Ritz, oil on board, 18½ x 23", by Scott Fraser.
Gallery 1261, Rainbow Six Pack 3, oil on canvas, 30 x 40", by Jason Walker.
“It’s about the art. It’s about pure artistic expression. It’s about the work an artist creates for their soul. Pure, genuine expression,” says Ho, who is also the curator for the gallery.
“Our online channels were accounting for the majority of our sales before the pandemic, and even more so now,” says gallery owner Chris Mileham. “Our website is a great resource for our collectors across the world, and we plan to continue to improve upon the online buying experience for our collectors.”
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Greg Dye
8795 Mesquite Row
Lone Tree, CO 80124
(303) 502-7743
www.gregdye.com
Artist Greg Dye’s home and studio are nestled next to the canyons of Castle Pines in Colorado. He is a self-taught artist and after many years working as a freelance illustrator, he finally achieved his lifelong goal of becoming a professional oil painter. His art is a reflection of his passion for the landscape, animals and figures.
Greg Dye, Desert Dream, oil, 48 x 48"
Dye says, “I start with a quick thumbnail sketch of an idea, then go directly to canvas. Once I know where the lighting is coming from, the rest is a playground of abstraction. Using a palette knife, I start to apply spontaneous strokes of thick oil paint, one on top of the other. I don’t think about it, I just react to the paint and the emotional energy within myself. After applying many layers of paint, new shapes, colors and images appear, and a buffalo or rugged mountain landscape starts to emerge through the paint.”
Greg Dye, Garden Gods, oil, 30 x 36"
Greg Dye, Mountain Lake, 36 x 48"Dye’s goal is to convey constant motion, spiritual energy and show absolute beauty in creating his own personal vision of the southwestern United States. His advice to any new art collector is to “simply buy what you love, something that really speaks volumes to you on an emotional level.”
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Knox Galleries
46 Avondale Lane, Beaver Creek, CO 81620
(970) 949-5564
www.knoxgalleries.com
Knox Galleries is one of the nation’s premier monumental bronze sculpture galleries. Deane Knox opened and established Knox Galleries in 1980. The Knox Galleries in Beaver Creek, Colorado, opened in 1985 and Harbor Springs, Michigan, in 2006. Knox has 35 years of experience in assisting satisfied clients, and has installed sculpture gardens for several metropolitan areas and at private residences. 
Knox Galleries features bronze monumental sculptures and other works of art.
Knox Galleries displays the exquisite works of Glenna Goodacre, Cammie and Mark Lundeen and other remarkably talented sculptors including Gary Alsum, Gerald Balciar and Ed Conder, to name a few. They also show wood sculptures by Jay Chester Armstrong, along with etchings and works in oil by Edward “Ned” Aldrich, Nancy Andresen, Dean Bradshaw and Pem Dunn, and many other fine artists. 
Knox Galleries, Apollo 11, bronze, 24", by George & Mark Lundeen and Joey Bainer.
Knox Galleries, Still Waters, egg tempera, 11 x 29", by Mark Thompson.Gallery artist Mark Thompson has been creating egg tempera paintings and wowing collectors for over 40 years. Not only is his subject matter of still life and the female figure captivating from a distance, but up close, his detailed brushwork is just as fascinating. The egg tempera medium he creates using fresh egg yolk yields brilliant, opaque color and absolute realism.
Knox Galleries hosts artists and displays historical, classical fine artwork that tells a story and will stand the test of time. They suggest collectors buy artwork that will tell their personal story.
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Mary Williams Fine Arts
Boulder, CO, (303) 938-1588
info@marywilliamsfinearts.com
www.marywilliamsfinearts.com
Mary Williams Fine Arts is a fine art gallery that opened in 1996, in Boulder, Colorado. They specialize in the representation of some of America’s finest artists and also offer fine custom framing. Within the last eight years, Mary Williams has been invited to host national salons that have included Oil Painters of America, Plein Air Artists Colorado, and Women Artists of the West. The gallery was also voted Boulder County Gold’s 2020 People’s Choice Award for best art gallery.
Mary Williams Fine Arts opened in 1996 and offers custom framing in addition to its fine art selections.
“As we enter our 26th year of doing business, and with the pandemic still affecting small businesses, we are deeply grateful for our business enjoying a brisk economic existence,” says owner Mary Williams. “Unlike the Great Recession of 2008, where America saw the closure of 50 percent of its art galleries, the pandemic has made people really take stock of their surroundings. This new appreciation for our spaces and sanctuaries has resulted in more business for many art galleries.”
Mary Williams Fine Arts, Streams of Turquoise, oil, 20 x 16", by Jeremy Goodding.
Mary Williams Fine Arts, Spring Lilacs, oil, 12 x 9", by Ann Larsen.
The gallery's inspiration and passion for being part of the fine art community stems from the sincere belief that art matters on many levels. “It beautifies our homes and gives us something far richer and deeper than sheer decoration,” Williams furthers. “I have always considered being an art dealer a deeply rewarding occupation.”
The gallery’s advice to buyers and collectors is to buy what makes you stop in front of a given work of art and marvel at the connection you have to it. The second piece of advice? If you snooze, you lose! And, finally, “remember that art matters. It can transform the very energy within your home and or office.” —
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