Public Library Exhibit - Katie Dolan

In collaboration with the Vail Public Library and the Vail Valley Art Guild, photographer Katie Dolan will exhibit her work.

I hope my photographs help people fully appreciate the wonder of Colorado’s wild places and animals -- cougars, moose, mountain goats, big horn sheep, elk, mule deer, ptarmigan, pikas, and wolves. As the world and the Vail Valley get more crowded, we need to work harder to co-exist with wild creatures and find better ways to sustain healthy populations.

The Rocky Mountains -- the largest mountain system in North America -- hold a special place in the human imagination. Revered by native peoples, feared by westward bound pioneers, loved by skiers, hikers, and visitors from around the world, the sharp, snow-capped peaks captivate. One moment, the mountains serve as gentle backdrops to the animals living in their midst. In the next instant, winds howl and animals, including people, seem dwarfed by the mountains’ immensity.

I’ve photographed mountain vistas from the Lamar Buffalo Ranch in Yellowstone, from our home looking west to the Shining Mountains of the Gore Range, in 10th Mountain division huts, and on hiking trails around the state. We’ve seen marmot, ptarmigan, and mule deer along the way. Hikes with my Newfoundland dogs echo, in a small way, the exploits of Seaman, the docile watchdog on the Lewis and Clark expedition through the Rocky Mountains.   -Katie Dolan