The Art Lover's Guide to Collecting Fine Art in Colorado

Colorado is a place where you can have it all. March can see daytime temperatures of 70 degrees, while a winter wonderland where the peaks are covered in snow and primed for skiing is only short drive away. You can enjoy the urban experience in places like Denver—which has as much to offer as any major metropolis—and explore an artsy mountain town the same day.

“Colorful Colorado,” as it’s known by some, is above all, renowned for its natural beauty, and for that same reason, it has also become an epicenter for the arts—for what provides greater inspiration for artists than the natural world?

With so many artists and galleries who call Colorado home, art-centric opportunities and events are available year-round all over the state in the form of festivals, museum shows, art walks, fine art galleries and so much more.Durango, Colorado, is another thriving art town in the southwestern corner of the state.Denver has numerous cultural hot spots across the city including the River Art District on Santa Fe, where more than 30 art galleries and artists’ studios populate the neighborhood. The Golden Triangle Creative District is home to countless art galleries, cultural opportunities, architectural marvels and eight museums, including the Denver Art Museum, whose collection spans from the historical to the brand new and cutting-edge.

K Contemporary, an artist-centric gallery with a focus on contemporary and conceptual art, is located in the vibrant Dairy Block micro-district in the heart of Denver’s hip LoDo neighborhood, an area well-worth exploring.The Denver Art Museum is one of eight museums in the city’s vibrant Golden Triangle Creative District. Photo courtesy of the Denver Art Museum.Denver is surrounded by a satellite of art destinations, each with its own character and feel. Just to the west, situated among the peaks of the Rocky Mountains, is the ski town of Vail, which boasts dozens of fine art galleries and spectacular scenery. Only 15 minutes away is the slower-paced but equally beautiful town of Edwards, Colorado, where you will find treasures like Clagget/Rey Gallery, which displays both traditional and contemporary American art by artists working in an array of exciting mediums.

Summer in Colorado sees no shortage of art festivals, but Intersect Aspen is one of the state’s only large-scale, international contemporary art and design fairs. Set in the picturesque mountain village of Aspen in early August, the international art fair brings together a broad selection of outstanding galleries, collectors, curators and art professionals.Intersect Aspen is a cutting-edge contemporary art fair that takes place in the mountain village in early August. Photo courtesy of vGMgt LLC.Further afield in the southwest corner of the state is the charming town of Durango where renowned Santa Fe, New Mexico, establishment Blue Rain Gallery, has opened a second location in an equally beautiful locale.

With such immense diversity and cultural richness, we encourage you to explore all the Colorado art world has to offer. Read further to learn more about our featured Colorado galleries and artists.

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Blue Rain Gallery
934 Main Avenue, Unit B
Durango, CO 81301
(970) 232-2033
www.blueraingallery.com

Blue Rain Gallery, Aspen Shadows, oil on panel, 60 x 60", by Matthew Sievers.

Blue Rain Gallery, The Scythian Steed, elk head taxidermy mount with mixed media, 29 x 19 x 28", by Shelley Muzylowski Allen, a collaboration with Angela Swedberg.Santa Fe, New Mexico’s Blue Rain Gallery recently opened a new location in Durango, Colorado, located in the Historic Downtown on Main Avenue. Blue Rain Gallery represents established artists of diverse backgrounds working in a variety of mediums that include paintings, glass and bronze sculptures, pottery and jewelry. The gallery exhibits an inspiring collection of contemporary, regional and Native American art. Preston Singletary, Jim Vogel, Matthew Sievers, Robin Jones, Shelley Muzylowski Allen, and Sean Diediker are just a handful of the artists featured at Blue Rain and on view in the new Durango gallery. Jewelry by Belle Brooks and paintings by GL Richardson are both recent additions to Blue Rain Gallery and will also be featured regularly in the new location. Durango represents an exciting new chapter for the gallery. “We look forward to sharing our passion for the art business with the locals of Durango and its many year-round visitors, ” says the gallery. Blue Rain Gallery brings their diverse roster of talented artists to a new, second location in Durango, Colorado.

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Claggett/Rey Gallery
216 Main Street, Suite C-100
Edwards, CO 81632
(970) 476-9350
www.claggettrey.com

Claggett/Rey Gallery is nestled in the heart of the Colorado mountains in the quaint town of Edwards, Colorado. This adorable town is the energized heart of the Vail Valley, surrounded by fabulous restaurants, retail offerings, a bookstore and arts center with convenient parking for patrons.Claggett/Rey Gallery, Sanderson Gulch, oil, 24 x 30", by Daniel Sprick.

Claggett/Rey Gallery, Jane DeDecker and Derek Penix exhibition, March 2022.

“Claggett/Rey represents some of the finest men and women artists working today,” says gallery co-owner, Margaret DeDecker. “Each has spent decades with their chosen medium and the spark which makes them unique in the world of fine art is why we are here. We love to educate and inspire our gallery visitors with the many treasures on display.” She continues, “We know that today’s art collector is faced with many challenges, from monumental art installations to estate planning and the topic of the day—‘heirlooms without an heir.’ We are a source of comfort and expertise; we assist in the challenges, excitement and exploration of possibilities, all while helping our clients enjoy the process.”Claggett/Rey Gallery, Ready to Harvest (detail), oil, 24 x 36", by Quang Ho.

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K Contemporary
1412 Wazee Street
Denver, CO 80202
(303) 590-9800
www.kcontemporaryart.com

K Contemporary is an award-winning gallery that brings engaging contemporary art to Denver, and has made a name for itself by recontextualizing how we experience art. The gallery fosters an environment that allows artists to develop their ideas and produce artwork with depth and cultural significance. K Contemporary is a platform that provides its artists access to a national and international stage, representing local artists like Kristopher Wright, nationally-known artists such as Suchitra Mattai and internationally recognized artists like Viktor Frešo.Daisy Patton, Untitled, oil on archival print mounted to panel, 90 x 60"

Interior of Denver’s K Contemporary.This artist-centric gallery focuses on conceptual and contemporary art informed by a historical context while providing its patrons with engaging exhibitions, pop-ups and art interventions. These immersive and experiential activations have made K Contemporary a catalyst for engaging discussion about the role of contemporary art in society.Marc Dennis, The Forest of My Ancestors, oil on linen, 61 x 70"

Whether K Contemporary artists are exploring the complexity of American values, the subtle power of iconography, technical processes and materiality, personal histories, human connection or contradiction and perception, ultimately all return to a similar conclusion—that art, no matter how it is rendered, provides a sanctuary for the soul.

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Raitman Art Galleries
223 Gore Creek Drive
Vail, CO 81657
100 N. Main Street
Breckenridge, CO 80424
421 S. Main Street
Breckenridge, CO 80424
(970) 547-8399
www.raitmanart.com

Raitman Art Galleries curates with a sensibility to the natural world, working hard to find artists who make preservation of art and the environment a priority. The galleries enjoy exploring mankind’s connection to the earth and our place within it through visual storytelling in the form of painting, bronze, glass and many other exciting mediums. The many decades of cumulative experience between the Raitman family and the galleries’ sales consultants brought them to an important understanding: Art is a beacon of light and hope in what can be an otherwise troubled world.Raitman Galleries Vail location. The gallery also has two locations in Breckenridge, Colorado.

Raitman Galleries, Awaiting, acrylic on linen, 60 x 32", by David V. Gonzales.Raitman Art Galleries operates with the belief that art should represent place and memories. Art can and should reflect our lifestyles. Brushstrokes shall speak of beautiful moments. Colors and materials shall preserve our amazing world. Art should make us remember, sometimes, even make us cry. Above all, art should make us smile. The pieces we surround ourselves with in our homes, places of work and public spaces have power. The power of great art is a timeless gift, one cherished in the moment, held onto in our thoughts and preserved for future generations. Thus, a great deal of consideration is put into every piece visitors discover in the Raitman Art collection. —Raitman Galleries, Ski School II, bronze, glass and wood, 11 x 24 x 5", by Clay Enoch.