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Danita Dempsey Avon Town Coucil Through my work at the Town of Avon, leading the Culture, Art & Special Event Committee and my volunteer service on local and regional Boards and Advisory Committees, I strive to be an inclusive, collaborative, and coaching-based leader in the local and regional community. Leading with integrity, humility, service to others and honesty has provided me wonderful opportunities to bring others together!

Raymond Bleesz Historiographer Raymond Bleesz is an American original, and by that, I mean something specific. “American originals,” whether they be musicians, politicians, writers, artists, or photographers, have something in common: they tend to be attached to places, patches of land (even though they may travel far and wide), and their work has a strong regional flavor. At the same time, no matter how local their interests, they always seem to seek qualities that are universal, that could be understood and appreciated by anyone — a city slicker from New York or Paris, say, or an immigrant recently arrived, or an astrophysicist with her newly minted Ph.D. from Berkeley. Is this universal mode of address all just an illusion of American optimism? I think it’s worth consulting Raymond’s photographs for the answer. First of all, he has been looking at a large patch of land in Colorado and points west for a very long time. So he is sensitive to its physical moods and textures, its spaces, and its theatrical shifts of light. There’s plenty of visual interest in his landscapes, made even more dramatic by the contrast of his favored black and white. But unlike Ansel Adams’ west, Raymond’s is populated. People make their marks on it, build there, and travel through. Just when you might be inclined to take all this metaphysical panorama too seriously, however, the photographer will show you an outhouse, or a goofy road sign. So much for human hubris, ambition, and the taming of the west. That sense of humor reveals what might be most important of all about this photographer, more important even that the extensive catalog of Colorado scenes he has imaged– a valuable visual history. It is a quality of sympathy. This is especially clear in his portraits. Very often what you see in photographic portraits is an artifact, usually of the photographer’s control and desire to make some kind of statement about his hapless (usually) victim. In Raymond’s portraits, something else is revealed. His portraits rarely seem forced even when they are formal because what he really captures is something that passes back and forth between himself and his subjects. I am not sure how to put that into words. Call it respect or affection or trust, it yields portraits that are distinct and particular as a signature but as common and familiar as a nearby relative. He accords them dignity, but he lets them breathe. For many reasons, these are fraught times to call yourself American. Look at these pictures, and take it easy. It’ll pass. We’ll get together again, put aside the internet-stoked grievances, and recognize that we’re all together in the same leaky boat. We may even laugh at each other’s jokes. Raymond Bleesz absolutely guarantees it. March 23, 2019 – These words, sentences were written by Lyle Rexer. Rexer is an author, teacher, photo critic, and curator. Bleesz has worked with Rexer as a mentor. Rexer is a faculty member of the school of visual arts, NYC.

Rick Spitzer Photographer Rick is a Colorado native and grew up in Greeley, Colorado. He completed a BS degree in Biology with a minor in Chemistry at the University of Northern Colorado. He taught various science courses in grades 7 through 9 and later taught high school biology and photography. He had the first district computer in his science classroom and after receiving a Masters Degree in Educational Technology from the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs in 1991 he became the first Director of Technology and Information Services for Widefield School District #3 in Colorado Springs. Rick also taught educational technology courses at the Univ. of Colorado, Colorado Springs. He moved to Eagle County in 2001 and was the Director of Technology for the Eagle County School District until he retired in 2006 after 36 Years in Education. Rick served on numerous boards that promoted technology education in Colorado. He was a board member of Colorado Technology In Education Conference for 12 years, chairing the conference two years and serving as board president for two years. Rick was a co-founder and board member for the Pikes Peak Education Connection that created and provided free Internet access for 10 Pikes Peak area school districts. His favorite job was 15 summers as a Seasonal Supervisory Park Ranger Naturalist Rocky Mountain National Park. During his park service summers he sold prints through many gift shops in Grand Lake and Estes Park. He published “Focus on Photography: A Simple Guide to Better Pictures” and recently completed a book titled "Colorado Mountain Passes: The States Most Accessible High Country Roadways," published by Westcliffe Publishers. His hobbies and interests include hiking, biking, skiing, travel, and photography. Rick is a Colorado native and grew up in Greeley, Colorado. He completed a BS degree in Biology with a minor in Chemistry at the University of Northern Colorado. He taught various science courses in grades 7 through 9 and later taught high school biology and photography. He had the first district computer in his science classroom and after receiving a Masters Degree in Educational Technology from the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs in 1991 he became the first Director of Technology and Information Services for Widefield School District #3 in Colorado Springs. Rick also taught educational technology courses at the Univ. of Colorado, Colorado Springs. He moved to Eagle County in 2001 and was the Director of Technology for the Eagle County School District until he retired in 2006 after 36 Years in Education. Rick served on numerous boards that promoted technology education in Colorado. He was a board member of Colorado Technology In Education Conference for 12 years, chairing the conference two years and serving as board president for two years. Rick was a co-founder and board member for the Pikes Peak Education Connection that created and provided free Internet access for 10 Pikes Peak area school districts. His favorite job was 15 summers as a Seasonal Supervisory Park Ranger Naturalist Rocky Mountain National Park. During his park service summers he sold prints through many gift shops in Grand Lake and Estes Park. He published “Focus on Photography: A Simple Guide to Better Pictures” and recently completed a book titled "Colorado Mountain Passes: The States Most Accessible High Country Roadways," published by Westcliffe Publishers. His hobbies and interests include hiking, biking, skiing, travel, and photography. Artists Artwork Collection

Tara Novak Chair Mountain girl, artist, entrepreneur… A Vail Valley resident for over 25 years, Tara’s abstract paintings depict the textures and ever-changing colors in the mountains and waterways of Mother Nature’s landscapes. After attaining her degree from RIT, Snowboarding took over her world in 1994. She spent several years competing in pro circuits and teaching at Vail and Beaver Creek Resorts, where she fell in love with the pure joy of riding in the Aspen glades. Tara’s main bread n’butter is her company, Custom Creations Inc. Working with contractors, interior designers, and homeowners in the resort communities of Vail, she provides artful solutions for decorative wall finishes, woodwork and antique restoration, and fine art commissions. Tara founded the art cooperative ARTSPaCE workshop+gallery. This space is Tara’s home studio, while also continuing to grow as a thriving hub for local artists and community collaboration. In 2020 and 2021, Tara was awarded public art projects in the Vail Valley – decoratively painting six benches in Avon and a utility box in Riverwalk in Edwards as part of a community vitality installation. Most recently, Tara won awards for the 2021, 2022 and 2024 “Best of Vail Valley” competition: Best Visual Artist and Best Art Gallery.

Natalie Chudacoff Mixed-Media Natalie Thompson, of The Knitten Cat, is a self-taught independent yarn dyer and spinner. Her work includes one of a kind small batch color stories on a variety of yarn weights, hand-spun yarn from her hand-dyed natural fibers, and hand made gifts. Natalie studied art therapy in college, and taught children in a variety of settings including summer camp, middle school and library programs. Natalie has lived in the Vail Valley for more than 15 years and proudly calls Avon home with her husband Brian, new son Norman and their cat D’Artagnon. She is so thrilled to be a part of VVAG and to be the artist in residence at the gallery in Avon. Natalie Thompson, of The Knitten Cat, is a self-taught independent yarn dyer and spinner. Her work includes one of a kind small batch color stories on a variety of yarn weights, hand-spun yarn from her hand-dyed natural fibers, and hand made gifts. Natalie studied art therapy in college, and taught children in a variety of settings including summer camp, middle school and library programs. Natalie has lived in the Vail Valley for more than 15 years and proudly calls Avon home with her husband Brian, new son Norman and their cat D’Artagnon. She is so thrilled to be a part of VVAG and to be the artist in residence at the gallery in Avon. Artists Artwork Collection

Vail Valley Art Guild Calendar of Events March 2026 Today Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 2 10:00 AM Call For Submissions 3 4 5 6 5:00 PM First Friday Gallery Night 7 11:30 AM Photography Group Outing- Leadville Ski-Joring 8 9 3:30 PM VVAG Board Meeting 10 11 6:00 PM Mastering iPhone 12 13 14 1:00 PM Mastering iPhone 15 16 5:00 PM Art Talk: Kelle Roberts- Hidden in Plain Sight: Little - Known Woman Artists and the Legacies They Shaped 17 18 10:00 AM Winter Mini Workshop: Squeegee Art with Cindy Duncan 6:00 PM iPhone Camera 19 6:00 PM Photo Group Monthly Meeting - Raj Manickam - The Art of Observation: Storytelling with Photography 20 21 1:00 PM iPhone Camera 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 10:00 AM Workshop: Becky Kiser’s Rain-Sticks 29 30 31 1 2 3 5:00 PM First Friday Gallery Night 4 5 6 10:00 AM Call For Submissions 7 8 9 10 11 10:00 AM Workshop: Play with Color Theory with Cindy Duncan

Patti DIXON Painter, Sculptor, Mixed-Media An an interior designer for many years, I have always loved color and art. I am so fortunate to express my passion of art in my free time. I love the medium of house paint, acyric and oil paint. I also dabble a bit in alabaster stone sculpture. It's so fun just to play in the art studio without a care in the wold. An an interior designer for many years, I have always loved color and art. I am so fortunate to express my passion of art in my free time. I love the medium of house paint, acyric and oil paint. I also dabble a bit in alabaster stone sculpture. It's so fun just to play in the art studio without a care in the wold. Artists Artwork Collection

Michael Hefferon Photographer, Mixed-Media, Digital-Artist I live in the space between dreams and reality, on the edge of the matrix inside the glitch , constantly dancing between what is, what was, and what has yet to be. I push the boundaries of possible and impossible in pursuit of what it truly means to be alive. Attempting to live a life rooted in truth, beauty, freedom, and above all else, love. To love my life through expression of a feeling, a motion, a memory, a thought, or a fleeting moment. My work is about shifting perspective, capturing fragments of life and experience, gathering bits of visual data and energy as they move through the universe, and turning them into something you don’t just see, but feel. That pursuit has led me to create large format artifacts, physical objects, digital works, visual motion, moving light, and vibration, both visual and audible. My art exists across the tangible and intangible worlds. Some pieces you can own, hold, and touch, while others live in a virtual space, experienced only through sight and sound. Each work begins as an image, a video, or a sound fragment that evolves through vision, adaptation, and artistic stylization, bringing the digital into the physical through unique layering techniques and material transformation. The result is work that feels alive, holding movement even in stillness. I’m driven by an unwavering desire to grow, to expand my understanding of what’s possible while I’m here, and to leave behind a body of work that lives beyond me. At its core, my art is about connection, creating visuals that speak to others, stir something inside them, and move them to act. It’s about loving your life, accepting the moment, and having the patience and courage to create anyway. I live in the space between dreams and reality, on the edge of the matrix inside the glitch , constantly dancing between what is, what was, and what has yet to be. I push the boundaries of possible and impossible in pursuit of what it truly means to be alive. Attempting to live a life rooted in truth, beauty, freedom, and above all else, love. To love my life through expression of a feeling, a motion, a memory, a thought, or a fleeting moment. My work is about shifting perspective, capturing fragments of life and experience, gathering bits of visual data and energy as they move through the universe, and turning them into something you don’t just see, but feel. That pursuit has led me to create large format artifacts, physical objects, digital works, visual motion, moving light, and vibration, both visual and audible. My art exists across the tangible and intangible worlds. Some pieces you can own, hold, and touch, while others live in a virtual space, experienced only through sight and sound. Each work begins as an image, a video, or a sound fragment that evolves through vision, adaptation, and artistic stylization, bringing the digital into the physical through unique layering techniques and material transformation. The result is work that feels alive, holding movement even in stillness. I’m driven by an unwavering desire to grow, to expand my understanding of what’s possible while I’m here, and to leave behind a body of work that lives beyond me. At its core, my art is about connection, creating visuals that speak to others, stir something inside them, and move them to act. It’s about loving your life, accepting the moment, and having the patience and courage to create anyway. Artists Artwork Collection

Soodi Kick Painter, Mixed-Media Love of nature, gratitude for life and passion for creating arts. I started painting when I realized my ability to communicate with others, was a lot more sincere through artwork. I could draw from an unconscious space touching the creative side of me that was much more collective and coherent than my verbal communication. My head could be confused and crowded with thoughts but my creativity was simple, clear, and kind. So naturally it was for me to choose to be an artist. Love of nature, gratitude for life and passion for creating arts. I started painting when I realized my ability to communicate with others, was a lot more sincere through artwork. I could draw from an unconscious space touching the creative side of me that was much more collective and coherent than my verbal communication. My head could be confused and crowded with thoughts but my creativity was simple, clear, and kind. So naturally it was for me to choose to be an artist. Artists Artwork Collection

PRIVACY POICY Last Updated: March 2026 The Vail Valley Art Guild (“VVAG,” “we,” “our,” or “us”) is a Colorado-based nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting artists and fostering a vibrant creative community. We respect your privacy and are committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how information is collected, used, stored, and shared when you visit or interact with our website, including our membership features, artist marketplace, and ecommerce services. Information We Collect Information You Provide to Us When you create an account, make a purchase, submit artwork, or communicate with us, we may collect: Name, email address, phone number, and mailing address Account login credentials (passwords are encrypted) Artist profile information, images, and submissions Purchase and transaction history Communications, inquiries, feedback, reviews, or form submissions Payment Information Payments on our website are processed securely through Wix and its approved payment providers. VVAG does not store full credit card numbers or sensitive payment data. Automatically Collected Information When you visit our website, we may automatically collect: Internet Protocol (IP) address Browser type, device information, and operating system Pages viewed, time spent on pages, and navigation behavior Cookies and similar technologies required for site functionality How We Use Your Information We collect personal and non-personal information to: Operate and maintain the VVAG website and marketplace Create and manage member and artist accounts Process purchases, donations, and transactions Provide customer support and respond to inquiries Communicate service-related updates and administrative notices Send marketing or promotional communications where consent has been provided Improve website performance, functionality, and user experience Comply with legal, nonprofit, and regulatory obligations VVAG does not sell, rent, or trade personal information. Cookies & Tracking Technologies Our website uses cookies and similar technologies to: Enable essential site features such as login, security, and ecommerce Remember user preferences Analyze website traffic and performance Cookies are provided primarily through the Wix platform and related services. You may control cookie preferences through your browser settings; however, disabling cookies may affect site functionality. Website Hosting & Data Storage Our website is hosted on the Wix.com platform, which provides the infrastructure for our online services, including memberships, artist profiles, and ecommerce functionality. Your data may be stored through Wix’s databases and applications on secure servers protected by industry-standard safeguards, including firewalls and encryption where appropriate. Payment Security All payment gateways available through Wix comply with PCI-DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards). These standards ensure the secure handling of credit card information by our website and its service providers. Communications We may contact you for purposes including: Account setup, verification, and support Transaction confirmations and receipts Important service or policy updates Legal or administrative notices Marketing or promotional communications (only where consent has been provided) Communications may be delivered via email, phone, text message, or postal mail, depending on the nature of the communication and your preferences. Your Rights & Choices (U.S. & Colorado Residents) You may request to: Access the personal information we maintain about you Correct or update your information Request deletion of your data, subject to legal or operational requirements Opt out of marketing communications at any time Requests can be made by contacting: service@vvagco.org GDPR-Lite Notice (International Visitors) While VVAG primarily serves U.S. residents, we respect privacy rights recognized under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) for visitors from the European Union. If applicable, you may have the right to: Request access to or correction of your personal data Request deletion or restriction of processing Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent To exercise these rights, please contact service@vvagco.org . We will respond within a reasonable timeframe and in accordance with applicable laws. Data Retention We retain personal information only as long as necessary to: Provide services and maintain active accounts Fulfill nonprofit, legal, accounting, or reporting obligations Support marketplace transactions and artist participation Policy Updates We reserve the right to modify this Privacy Policy at any time. Updates take effect immediately upon posting to the website. The “Last Updated” date at the top of this page reflects the most recent revision. Contact Information For questions about this Privacy Policy or how your information is handled, please contact: service@vvagco.org

ARTIST MARKETPLACE Welcome, Name Thank you for being a part of the Vail Valley Art Guild. Your commitment to the vision of sharing the arts is greatly appreciated! We couldn't do this without you. YOUR MARKETPLACE PROFILE YOUR MARKETPLACE ARTWORK Your membership allows you to submit # of pieces to the VVAG Artist Marketplace. If you would like to upload more pieces. Simply upgrade your Membership Plan. UPGRADE MEMBERSHIP Membership upgrades are not prorated. You may upgrade at any time, but any unused time on your current membership will be forfeited. To avoid this, you may wait until your membership renewal date to upgrade. No refunds or credits are issued for unused time. Curated Representation. Expanded Visibility. The Vail Valley Art Guild Artist Marketplace is a member-only program offering two levels of curated representation for original works by local artists. Both online and within our community or rotating brick & mortar gallery exhibitions. This is not an open marketplace. The Guild acts as curator and sales partner, presenting your work to collectors, visitors, and the community while managing the sales experience on your behalf. What’s Included Dedicated artist storefront within the VVAG marketplace Professional gallery-style presentation Sales processing and artist payouts Monthly rotating inventory through calls for submission 30% gallery commission BECOME A MEMBER TODAY BROWSE OUR ARTIST MARKETPLACE Filter by Price $26 $12,000 Sort by Quick View Dream Works Blush of Golden Price $1,800.00 Quick View The porch light is on but ain't nobody home Price $300.00 Quick View Nervous as a Cat Price $300.00 Quick View BLESS YOUR HEART Price $450.00 Quick View Galaxy Price $150.00 Quick View Groovin on a Sunday afternoon Price $3,800.00 Quick View "I LOVE YOU" Price $325.00 Quick View "I'm watching you" Price $425.00 Quick View Circle of Life Price $4,100.00 Quick View Rainbow Trout Price $1,500.00 Quick View Mt. of the Holy Cross Trail Price $2,500.00 Quick View Moose in Autumn Price $8,000.00 Quick View Sunlight Price $1,500.00 Quick View Orientation 2 Price $5,600.00 Quick View Freedom Night Price $850.00 Load More

Christine Sena Secretary At an early age, Christine was encouraged by her mother, an artist, to take classes at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. With studies in Landscape Architecture from UMass Amherst and Virginia Tech, her artistic skills were employed when creating sketches and renderings for various design projects. She then moved on to environmental work and eventually ended up as a manager for national and international judicial programs. After 32 years working in the public sector, she retired in 2002 and relocated to Edwards, CO, to be closer to her daughter and her family. The Guild has given her the opportunity to coordinate with our public libraries, private venues and Colorado Mountain College to develop exhibits which display our members' work to their best advantage.