Palmer Land Trust enlists OCC ArtWalk, others in conservation awareness effort
According to Hunter-Wolff Gallery owner
Sharon Wolff, an example of artists valuing nature can be seen in the Westside's
Willow Bend Studios, which offers pieces combining fiber with clay, metal or
stone. One such Willow Bend product is shown here.
Courtesy of Willow Bend Studios
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In cooperation with the Palmer Land Trust, the 15 Old Colorado City ArtWalk galleries and stores plan to emphasize conservation themes in August and September.
Titled “Forever Yours, The Land,” the awareness effort will be evident in various works on display during the First Friday ArtWalks in OCC Aug. 3 and Sept. 7, according to Sharon Wolff, owner of the Hunter-Wolff Gallery.
“I believe in conservation,” said Wolff, who organizes the monthly OCC event from 5 to 8 p.m. in conjunction with the downtown, Manitou and the Cultural Office of the Pikes Peak Region (COPPeR). “I moved to Colorado because people here respect the land and water. People need to be reminded these are fragile resources, especially this year, with the drought and floods.”
The free, monthly ArtWalk typically includes artist demonstrations and/or refreshments at most locations.
After being approached by the Land Trust about Forever Yours, Wolff said she shared the idea with artists and gallery owners. “I never got a negative response,” she exulted. “Everyone jumped on it, even those from other parts of the country.”
According to a press release from Palmer Land Trust spokesperson Amy Triandflou, the conservation theme will be featured at “over 70 local venues” in the Pikes Peak region and will continue into September. She added that the concept “marries art with nature and will leverage the local creative community as a platform to celebrate conservation.”
No official fundraising plan is involved, at least in Old Colorado City, but Wolff said she wouldn't be surprised if various art buyers didn't donate to the Land Trust in response to the theme.
Formerly located on the Westside, the non-profit Land Trust was established in 1977, originally as the William J. Palmer Parks Foundation, in recognition of Palmer's actions in setting aside land for parks and open spaces. The entity holds conservation easements on scores of properties in the region, as a way of protecting them from development.
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