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Last event for April! Open to the Public. Only $50! Mio Cirkovic was born in the mountain region of South Serbia. At a young age, his family moved to France where he lived in Paris for two years.  As a young teen, he went to school in Paris and learned to appreciate visual art. As a favorite style, Mio learned to recognize Impressionistic artists and their work. When he wasn't in school, he wandered around the streets of Paris, visited parks, art galleries and most of the City's museums.  It was a place where one could walk the streets for days and not be bored, but feel grateful and privileged to be so fully exposed to, and surrounded by such great works of art and architecture. Breaking News! Summer Workshop Added August 21-22: Randall Case Randall Case is presenting a mixed media class to help students attain abstract or realistic paintings in stunning colorations by employing simple techniques using acrylics along with oil pastels. He has been a VVAG featured workshop instructor in the past and we are fortunate to see him return to our series. Randall is known for his large scale abstract landscapes and florals and exhibits in top-notch juried art festivals in as many of his favorite travel destinations as possible. Level: Advanced beginner-professional Medium: acrylic and oil pastel 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM May Call for Submissions Monday – May 6th from 10am to 2pm Drop off Location: Eagle Gallery 108 W. 2nd Street Eagle, CO 81631 The themes for May are "The Beauty Myth" and/or "Blue". Please drop off up to three of your works that are your interpretation of one or both of these themes. If you have work that was displayed in March & April, please stop by to pick it up, even if you do not have anything to drop off. LIBRARY EXHIBITS FREE! Gypsum Public Library Exhibit Eagle Valley High School AP Art students All month during normal library operating hours Location: Gypsum Public Library 47 Lundgren Boulevard Gypsum, CO 81637 At the Gypsum Public Library, Eagle Valley High School AP Art students will present their portfolio exhibit. FREE! Avon Public Library Exhibit Battle Mountain High School AP Art students All month during normal library operating hours Location: Avon Public Library 200 Mikaela Way Avon, CO 81620 In collaboration with the Avon Public Library, Battle Mountain High School AP Art students will present their portfolio exhibit. Call for Artists & Photographers: The Vail Public Library community room is available for the month of May. Please let Chris Sena know if you would like to exhibit your work. cgsena5@gmail.com Available to single or multiple artists. FREE! Second Friday Gallery Night Friday - May 8th from 5pm to 8pm Location: Eagle Gallery 108 W. 2nd Street Eagle, CO 81631 Join us for a wonderful evening celebrating local art! March will feature work from artists and photographers and their interpretation of "The Beauty Myth" and "Blue".  Please stop by to see our newest exhibit and enjoy some light refreshments. Second Friday Gallery Night is brought to you in part by our Platinum Members, The National Endowment for the Arts, and Colorado Creative Industries. Board Meeting Monday - May 13th 3:30pm to 5:30pm Location: Avon Gallery 137 Benchmark Road Suite C2 Avon, Colorado 81620 Open to the Public. Only $50! Learn how to incorporate perspective into your abstract artwork with Margo Thomas. Whether you are curious about abstracts, you need a refresher, or you want the comradery of creating in a group, this workshop is for you! Check out her Tedx Talk on Perspective then sign up for the workshop. FREE! VVAG Member Meeting Monday - May 20th Social: 5pm (bring a snack or appetizer to share) Meeting: 5:30pm to 7:30pm Location: Avon Gallery 137 Benchmark Rd, Suite C2 Avon, CO 81620 Join us for: Intro to Artwork Archive – Artwork Management Software Platform with Tara Novak. FREE! Feeling overwhelmed with all your great work product? We have the solution! Tara Novak will be showing us how to use an online inventory system to track artwork and photography. FREE! Photography Meeting Thursday - May 28th Fellowship: 6:30 pm Meeting: 7:00pm to 9:00pm Location: Avon Gallery 137 Benchmark Rd, Suite C2 Avon, CO 81620 Join our lively photography group each month for various topics. Meetings are free for members. Breaking News! June Outing Just Added FREE! Members Outing to Powers Art Center in Carbondale and Korologos Gallery in Basalt. Friday - June 7th Join us for: A day trip outing to the Powers Art Center in Carbondale and the Korologos Gallery in Basalt. For carpooling, please contact Joann: 970-471-0653. We will be leaving the CMC parking lot, time to be determined. Please bring cash, in small bills, to pay for lunch in Basalt. This self-guided tour of the Powers Art Center is a great getaway experience. Currently on exhibit is "Wrapped" – An Artistic Study of Fabric – Featuring Works by Issey Miyake and Christo & Jeanne-Claude. APRIL RECAP April was a busy month for Guild members! Monthly Second Friday in at our Eagle Gallery Mini-Workshops (Watercolors with Elaine Kuntz) Free Member Meeting: Pastels with Joann Carhart Levy and Laura Moore Library Exhibit with Katie Dolan The Vail Valley Art Guild offers a full range of activities: from exhibiting your work, to taking a workshop, attending membership meetings (which feature an educational aspect), plein air painting days, photography ventures, to volunteering at Guild events... the opportunities for fun and service are plenty!

Meet Your Artist: Katie Dolan Get to know your Vail Valley artists Entertainment ENTERTAINMENT | Apr 12, 2024 Tricia Swenson tswenson@vaildaily.com Photographer Katie Dolan says she always takes her camera with her to capture the unexpected. Katie Dolan/Courtesy photo Q: How long have you lived in the valley and what brought you here? A: My husband and I moved to the valley 15 years ago to be close to the ski slopes and close to my sister in Denver. It turned out to be even better than we expected, as we discovered new hiking trails, the Back Bowls, sharing the beauty of the valley with grown kids and grandchildren, and the joy of being in the woods with our two Newfoundland dogs. Q: Where did your passion for art and photography come from? A: My father was a great amateur photographer who spent hours (and many dollars) buying bulky underwater photography equipment. After he ran out of film or his lights needed recharging, he would ignore the beauty of the coral reefs and immediately head for the surface. I share his desire to try to capture on film what I see and, as a result, have way too many shots of the sunrise over the Gore Range. But it sure is breathtaking! Stop in and see Katie Dolan’s photography on display at the Vail Public Library during the month of April. Katie Dolan/Courtesy photo Q: Describe your style of art. A: I particularly enjoy close shots of animals, clearly seeing the eyes creates a special intimacy and beauty. I use a long lens, so I can get images of wild creatures without getting too close. I also love the serendipity of wildlife photography and bring my camera wherever I go. As a fellow photographer has said, “My camera is like a third arm.” Katie Dolan hopes that her photography helps people appreciate the wonder of Colorado’s wild places and animals. Katie Dolan/Courtesy photo Q: Who are your favorite artists? A: Among photographers, I admire Rick Spitzer’s ability to find the rare and wonderful wild animal shot. Sabra Field, who is a fellow Middlebury College graduate, creates stunning and colorful block prints of natural scenes, mostly in Vermont. I love the vibrancy of her work. In addition, I recently had two of my photos in the Side-by-Side exhibit and loved working with the talented Hazel Murray and Laurie Bower. Q: Tell us about one of your favorite pieces that you’ve worked on. A: One very cold January evening, a fellow photographer and I lugged our tripods and cameras out to capture the rising Wolf Moon over the Gore Range. The resulting photograph is one of my favorites. I like the way the moon is cradled by the dip in the range and love the memories of that very frigid but fun adventure. Katie Dolan photographed the Wolf Moon rising over the Gore Range east of Vail on a cold January night. Katie Dolan/Courtesy photo Q: Who has helped you along the way? Who/what inspires you? A: The local photography group has been a wonderful way to learn new skills and find new places to photograph. The group meets monthly and sets up trips to special places around Colorado. I’ve photographed bison at the National Armory, Denver’s holiday lights, and Monte Vista’s sandhill cranes with fellow members of the group. I especially like wildlife photography and have been grateful to Rick Spitzer and Melissa Lipton for sharing their ideas and help. I teach a Conservation Storytelling course to veterinary medicine and conservation biology master’s students, and we study the impact of photographs in shaping opinions. Research shows that good pictures of wild animals, especially youngsters, encourage conservation values and behavior. That belief led me to write several illustrated children’s books about wildlife issues, using photographs of local landscapes and animals. Dolan dedicates time to conservation organizations and uses her talents to help spread the word about conservation issues. Katie Dolan/Courtesy photo Q: If you weren’t an artist, what would you be doing? A: When not photographing, I volunteer for several conservation causes, teach and write about conservation issues, Newfoundland dogs and climate change. Fortunately, living in the Vail Valley lets me pursue these varied interests at the same time. However, my dogs do get a little tired of all my stops to take photographs each morning on our hike. Q: What do you hope people take away from your work? A: I hope my photographs help people appreciate the wonder of Colorado’s wild places and animals — cougars, moose, 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. I will be donating all profits from sales during the exhibit at the Vail Public Library to local wildlife conservation efforts. Q: Where is your work shown (a local gallery) or how/where can people view it? A: An exhibit of my photography is currently at the Vail Public Library during the month of April. People can also go to my website katielangedolan.com to see my work. Reposted with permission from the Vail Daily

Why Has Vail Valley Art Guild Become So Successful in Our Community? ...You! As the only visual arts non-profit serving all of Eagle County, we rely on you: partners, donors, and volunteers to help achieve our mission: enriching lives by fostering and promoting artistic growth and building awareness of the visual arts in Eagle County. Without their support, we would struggle to sustain our operations and make a meaningful impact for our members and our community. Together we create opportunities for our members and community by providing outreach & education programs, and building awareness of the artistic talent in Eagle County. "When I moved here, I didn't know where to start with my interest in photography.  The Guild helped me get established and provided the confidence for me to show my work at local libraries." -Guild member What Does That Look Like? Our partnerships include other non-profit organizations, businesses, government agencies, and community groups. They provide valuable support and resources, such as access to funding, increased visibility and reach, and the ability to leverage different skills and strengths. This is essential for amplifying our impact and creating positive experiences for our members and community. Donors are organizations or individuals who provide financial support or products to help achieve our mission and goals. We rely on the generosity of donors to continue our work and make a positive impact for our members and community. Did you know you could become a Premium or Sponsor Member today? By doing so, you receive all of the member benefits plus the satisfaction of knowing you are supporting our mission!  Contact Us if you'd like to convert your current membership. Volunteers are Guild members who provide the gift of time for catalog building, managing our galleries and events, technology support, content authoring, member services, teaching, and communication. Mission Possible By partnering with Vail Valley Art Guild, you are joining us in establishing and maintaining a vibrant community of visual artists and photographers that spans all ages and backgrounds. With your help, our mission to enriching lives by fostering and promoting artistic growth and building awareness of the visual arts in Eagle County, can continue to soar. We thank you!

The Vail Valley Art Guild is committed to equitable pricing for Eagle County underserved kids. After careful research and selection, we are excited to announce our collaboration with Hotchpotch Academy! Classes will be offered to local kids this summer in our Eagle and Avon locations. Hotchpotch Academy's Mission: Art enrichment classes for the masses. We are a woman founded and owned art program in the Valley. We run mobile exploratory workshops and camps designed to delight ages 3 to 100! We incorporate mindfulness and self-compassion into all of our classes and camps. Click anywhere on the list to browse more detail and register. (Sorry registration is not available on our VVAG site). Register ASAP for Spring Break classes – April 22-26 in Eagle. Register online: www.hotchpotchdreams.org. Please direct all questions directly to www.hotchpotchdreams.org. Scroll to the bottom of their page to send an email.

"New Charter at Beaver Creek renovation features artwork by locals" - by Tricia Swenson Vail Daily dated 03/22/2024 Artist and Vail Valley Art Guild member Amy Dose's painting entitled 'Spirit - A Dance Between Worlds' is featured in the main lobby at The Charter at Beaver Creek as part of a new partnership between the property and the Vail Valley Art Guild. Vail Valley Art Guild/Courtesy photo Last show of the ski season is Tuesday, March 26 from 3-6. Featured artists include Soodi Kick, Tara Novak, Amy Dose, Elke Wells, and Beth Levine. The Charter at Beaver Creek has a whole new look and feel. From The Charter Steakhouse restaurant featuring panoramic mountain views and an elevated mountain casual menu to the spa and pool area with saltwater hot tubs and a saltwater outdoor pool, the entire property has a new energy about it. But to complete the aesthetics The Charter at Beaver Creek added the works of local artists to adorn the walls of the resort’s largest condominium complex via a partnership with the Vail Valley Art Guild. Housing the art of local talent didn’t happen overnight. This project started during the Avon Art Celebration in the summer of 2021. The Charter Homeowners Association president, Garrett Pepel, met artist Margo Thomas at the show. That’s where the idea of partnering with the Vail Valley Art Guild to provide local artists with a unique opportunity was propelled into motion. Through a partnership between the Vail Valley Art Guild and the newly remodeled Charter at Beaver Creek local artists are featured throughout the property, including ‘Bisons in the Snow’ by photographer Allan Finney. Vail Valley Art Guild/Courtesy photo Thomas got a call in the spring of 2023 and became the art curator for the project. Everything fell in place just in time for 2023-24 ski season. Works can be found in the main lobby, lower lobby, restaurant and ceremony lobby. Some works are part of the property’s private collection. Others are for sale and benefit local artists and local nonprofit offerings. Proceeds support the Vail Valley Art Guild’s nonprofit outreach programming and scholarship programs. “The Charter at Beaver Creek made a considerable donation as part of their private collection acquisition,” Thomas said. “We are especially grateful to The Charter at Beaver Creek homeowners association selection committee for their tireless work in choosing artwork and artists: Garrett Pepel, Lisa Dimoulas, Jane Eisenberg and Mark McDermitt. Additionally, Ryan MacLachlan and Rob Sinclair of East West Hospitality provided leadership to make this opportunity happen.” Local photographer Raj Manickam poses next to his photograph, ‘Snow Covered Butterscotch’ in the lower lobby of The Charter at Beaver Creek. Vail Valley Art Guild/Courtesy photo The Vail Valley Art Guild has hosted Art Walks each month since December and the last one of the season will be on March 26 between 3-6 p.m. Enjoy complimentary cocktails and appetizers while touring the property and meeting the featured artists. For more information, visit VVAGCO.org and view the events calendar page. “The Vail Valley Art Guild members who were selected by The Charter at Beaver Creek’s art committee are thrilled to see their works displayed as part of the property’s renovation,” Thomas said. “Our members benefit from exhibit opportunities such as our gallery shows, local libraries and the annual Vail Valley Fine Art Show at Colorado Mountain College in Edwards. But this opportunity at The Charter is unique because their works are seen by hundreds of The Charter’s guests who visit from all over the world.”

Mark your calendars - We have a lot of exciting things happening in April! You can always check out Upcoming Events on the VVAG website to see individual events or go to the Event Calendar to get an overview of the month. If you have any questions please reach out to service@vvagco.org Public Library Exhibit All month during normal library operating hours Location: Vail Public Library 292 W Meadow Drive Vail, CO 81657 Guild Member Katie Dolan will exhibit Rocky Mountain photographs to "help people fully appreciate the wonder of Colorado’s wild places and animals." Reception: April 3, 2024 from 4:00 to 5:30 pm in the Community Room. Tea and refreshments will be served. To learn more about the exhibit, please click here April Call for Submissions Thursday - April 4th from 1pm to 5pm Friday - April 5th from 1pm to 5pm Thursday - April 11th from 1pm to 5pm Drop off Location: Eagle Gallery 108 W. 2nd Street Eagle, CO 81631 April is an Open Theme month.  Please drop off up to three of your works that are you are excited to exhibit! If you have work that was displayed in March, please stop by to pick it up, even if you do not have anything to drop off. Board Meeting Monday - April 8th 3:30pm to 5:30pm Location: Avon Gallery 137 Benchmark Road Suite C2 Avon, Colorado 8 Second Friday Gallery Night Friday - April 12th from 5pm to 8pm Location: Eagle Gallery 108 W. 2nd Street Eagle, CO 81631 Join us for a wonderful evening celebrating local art! April will feature work from artists and photographers of their choosing. Please stop by to see our newest exhibit and enjoy some light refreshments. Second Friday Gallery Night is brought to you in part by our Platinum Members, The National Endowment for the Arts, and Colorado Creative Industries. Watercolors 102 with Elaine Kuntz April 13, 2024, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM Location: Eagle Gallery 108 W. 2nd Street Eagle, CO 81631 Whether you are curious about watercolors, you need a refresher, or you want the comradery of creating in a group, this workshop is for you! There are still 2 spots open - to learn more and buy a ticket click here VVAG Member Meeting Monday - April 15th Social: 5pm (bring a snack or appetizer to share) Meeting: 5:30pm to 7:30pm Location: Avon Gallery 137 Benchmark Rd, Suite C2 Avon, CO 81620 Join us for the fun activity of Intro to Soft Pastels with Joann Carhart Levy. Click here to Learn more and RSVP VVAG Photography Meeting Thursday - April 25th Fellowship: 6:30 pm Meeting: 7:00pm to 9:00pm Location: Avon Gallery 137 Benchmark Rd, Suite C2 Avon, CO 81620 Join our lively photography group each month for various topics. Meetings are free for members. Landscape Painting 101 with Mio Cirkovic April 27, 2024, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM Location: Eagle Gallery 108 W. 2nd Street Eagle, CO 81631 Whether you are curious about landscape painting with oil paint, you need a refresher, or you want the comradery of creating in a group, this workshop is for you! There are still 4 spots open - to learn more and buy a ticket click here

We have added two more Mini Workshops to our spring line up at the Eagle Gallery. These workshops will be taught by Mio Cirkovic and will focus on oil painting and landscape painting with oils. All supplies are included for these three hour workshops through a generous donation by The Charter at Beaver Creek. Oil Painting 101 with Mio Cirkovic: Saturday, March 16th from 10am to 1pm Landscape Painting 101 with Mio Cirkovic: Saturday April 27th from 10am to 1pm To learn more and by tickets go to www.vvagco.org or click on the button below

We are happy to announce we have added more workshops to the 2024 line up! Back by popular demand, we have Christian Dore coming for a one day workshop July 8th. We also have several Mini Workshops lined up at the Eagle Gallery this spring. We hope to add a few more - keep a look out in your email for further offerings. If you have questions, please reach out at service@vvagco.org Christian Dore Workshop: Abstract Drawing & Painting Learn from the esteemed Christian Dore and his amazing techniques! Christian will show you his unique and structured sketching techniques moving on to acrylic abstracts. All levels are welcome! Tickets go on sale tomorrow (March 1st @ 10:30am) We are excited to announce a series of Mini Workshops at the Eagle Gallery. Workshops are open to everyone and every skill level - all supplies are included! Whether you are curious about a medium you've never worked in, you need a refresher, or you want the comradery of creating in a group, these three to four hour workshops are for you! Tickets go on sale tomorrow (March 1st @ 10:30am) The Mini Workshop Series is brought to you by a generous donation from The Charter at Beaver Creek!

We have a lot of exciting things happening in March so please mark your calendars! You can always check out Upcoming Events on the VVAG website to see individual events or go to the Event Calendar to get an overview of the month. If you have any questions please reach out to service@vvagco.org March Call for Submissions Thursday - February 29th from 1pm to 5pm Friday - March 1st from 1pm to 5pm Monday - March 4th from 10am to 2pm Drop off Location: Eagle Gallery 108 W. 2nd Street Eagle, CO 81631 The themes for March are "Emotions" and/or "Red". Please drop off up to three of your works that are your interpretation of one or both of these themes. If you have work that was displayed in January & February, please stop by to pick it up, even if you do not have anything to drop off. Gypsum Public Library Exhibit All month during normal library operating hours Location: Gypsum Public Library 47 Lundgren Boulevard Gypsum, CO 81637 In collaboration with the Gypsum Public Library, Guild member Ben Stevens will present his work. To learn more about the exhibit, please click here Second Friday Gallery Night Friday - March 8th from 5pm to 8pm Location: Eagle Gallery 108 W. 2nd Street Eagle, CO 81631 Join us for a wonderful evening celebrating local art! March will feature work from artists and photographers and their interpretation of "Emotions" and "Red".  Please stop by to see our newest exhibit and enjoy some light refreshments. Second Friday Gallery Night is brought to you in part by our Platinum Members, The National Endowment for the Arts, and Colorado Creative Industries. Board Meeting Monday - March 11th 3:30pm to 5:30pm Location: Avon Gallery 137 Benchmark Road Suite C2 Avon, Colorado 81620 VVAG Member Meeting Monday - March 18th Social: 5pm (bring a snack or appetizer to share) Meeting: 5:30pm to 7:30pm Location: Avon Gallery 137 Benchmark Rd, Suite C2 Avon, CO 81620 Join us for the fun activity of Zentangle with Pam O'Hara. Click here to Learn more and RSVP VVAG Photography Meeting Thursday - March 28th Fellowship: 6:30 pm Meeting: 7:00pm to 9:00pm Location: Avon Gallery 137 Benchmark Rd, Suite C2 Avon, CO 81620 Join our lively photography group each month for various topics. Meetings are free for members.

"Meet Your Artist" - by Tricia Swenson Vail Daily dated 02/16/2024 Meet Your Artist: Soodi Kick Get to know your Vail Valley artists The Vail Daily is showcasing area artists in a series called “Meet Your Artist” so you can learn more about those who create and what inspires them. If you are an area artist and would like to be featured in the series, email Tricia Swenson (tswenson@vaildaily.com). How long have you lived in the valley and what brought you here? We have been residents of the valley for the last 15 years and the reason we moved to this area was to be closer to our daughter and her family. It turned out that we loved the location and loved the people and groups we met. Where did your passion for art come from? The passion for art grew in me when I went to England for college and realized that I could communicate better by drawing than talking. At the time, I was learning English and not very fluent in it, that was many, many years ago. I finished my education in architecture and then switched to art in real life. Describe your style of art. My style of art is expressionistic. Many of the masters of painting that I love had discovered that colors and shapes transformed the emotion and raised interest. Who are your favorite artists? My favorite artists are Cecily Brown, Chagall, Paul Klee and Monet. Tell us about one of your favorite pieces that you’ve worked on. One of my new favorite pieces is the one I did on commission for The Charter at Beaver Creek. It is hanging in the front lobby, and it’s Colorado from an expressionist perspective. Powerful and descriptive. Who has helped you along the way? Who/what inspires you? Nature is my most relevant inspiration. I just love to see the world in fused sections of color patches playing their part in light and darkness. If you weren’t an artist, what would you be doing? If I wasn’t an artist today I will be a naturalist. What do you hope people take away from your work? I hope people take away a sense of mystery and love for what we see around us, for the gifts that we have been given daily by the fact that we can discover with our senses and visualize with our mind. Where is your work shown (a local gallery) or how/where can people view it? My work is at The Charter at Beaver Creek and the Vail Valley Art Guild Gallery on Second Street in Eagle, Blue Goat apothecary in Gypsum and Color Coffee in Eagle Ranch houses a large, beautiful piece that was inspired by hiking in Cordillera. I also have pieces at Gallery C in Raleigh, North Carolina.

We are happy to announce our 2024 Second Friday themes for the Eagle Gallery! Thank you again to everyone that filled out the survey last fall. We took the feedback we received and used it to develop a lineup that has open themes, specific themes and themes that are open for interpretation. We also added a color to the months with themes so that we can have as many artists and photographers as possible showcase their work at the Eagle Gallery! We will send out email reminders at the end of each month along with drop off dates and times. If you have any questions, you can reach out to elke@vvagco.org

Celebrate National Bird Feeding Month with VVAG Photographer Rick Spitzer! Did you know that February is National Bird Feeding Month? National Bird Feeding month was established by Congress in 1994. Rick Spitzer will be presenting "The Birdlife of Eagle County" at two of our pubic libraries in conjunction with National Bird Feeding month. Rick will present and show images about the incredible variety of bird life around us in Eagle County. There are many interesting and unusual facts about these birds. He will also provide some photography tips and information about where these birds can be seen in Eagle County. Gypsum Public Library February 22, 2024 5:30pm to 6:30pm 47 Lundgren Blvd, Gypsum, CO 81637 Avon Public Library February 28, 2024 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM 200 Mikaela Way, Avon, CO 81620