When flying into Denver from the East, it’s hard to determine where the great plains of Kansas end and the state of Colorado begins. But while driving from the Denver airport to the city center, the Rocky Mountains rise high above their surroundings, diminishing everything else in sight.

It’s no wonder, I thought, that American Indians have such reverence for this land. As herds of mule deer and wild rams roam the mountains and their valleys, one is struck with a sense of wonder and trepidation. I’ve never experienced anything so massive and majestic in my life.

My travels to Colorado last week wound me through the Rockies from Denver to Salida to Colorado Springs and back to Denver. Naturally I chatted with artists throughout, spending the bulk of my time at the photography dinner and AWP conference.

Though none of the artists I talked to capture this domineering landscape directly in their work, elements of it and its influences are pervasive in subtle ways. For some artists Colorado becomes the backdrop for their creative endeavors. And for others, the sense of community and spiritual power that the land provokes is embedded within business practices and artistic mission.

Writer Julie Lence portrays Western towns and cowboys in her historical romance novels. And photographer Jackie Shumaker documents how humans can command and manipulate the land through her stunning construction photography.

Photographer Mark Stout and communications guru Susan McConnell each talked to me about the importance of meeting client expectations. Not unlike the surrounding mountains, their professional aspirations reach far beyond creating high-quality work for clients. In order to ensure the longevity and success of the artist’s career, the artist must intentionally develop a long-term, trusting relationship with the client. This relationship should respect both the wishes of the client and the artist, and all agreements should be documented in mutually understood contracts.

Graphic designer David Veal and photographer Kim Cook discussed similar business goals, but also talked about the importance of mentoring young artists. An aspiring professional artist should look for a mentor, while those already established in their careers should be willing to encourage young professionals. These symbiotic relationships are what grow an artistic field as a whole and ensure that high-quality work and business practices are passed on to future creators.

Mike Conway, who develops role-playing board games, talked about the importance of collaborative relationships, but in the context of how he would like his work to be used. Though Mike fully supports the need for artists to maintain complete ownership of their creative works, he prefers that others can use some basic elements of his games in order to develop their own creations. Mike says that the synergy that comes from this level of artistic interaction can help grow the field of role-playing games.

Community relationships are the basis for the Park Hill Community Bookstore, which is managed by Michael Stickney. Not only does the coop owned bookstore freely give back to the community through volunteering time and by donating books, but it also sells jewelry and handmade cards by local artists and organizations.

Visual artists Linda Frances and Steph Brady both talked about the struggles and joys of being an artist that owns and runs her own gallery. Each discussed the importance of all gallery owners to work together, creating a common goal of promoting other galleries and forging new partnerships. Success in the small town of Salida comes from developing an artistic community as a whole by working together, as opposed to working against one another.

Though Colorado might be best known for the Rocky Mountains, it is the people who really make the state dynamic. The creative community in particular provides a vibrant pulse that can move mountains.

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This entry was posted on Friday, April 16th, 2010 at 9:14 am by Lucinda M. Dugger and is filed under creators, culture, events. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.