A Beautiful Mess – Jillian Tomlinson

Artist Statement: The way we have impacted Earth’s natural processes overall has kept industry & development in mind these last few thousand years and it is beyond time to redirect resources towards the innate ability to heal and function as the synergistic wonder Earth is.

Sleeping Giant in Late Winter – Ann Feldman

Artist Statement: In keeping with the theme of the Insight event, I thought I’d create a painting using as many recycled materials that I could, and paint it in a way that would not use any of the usual paint solvents or cleaners that are typically part of the painting process. I headed over to the Art Depot and picked up some cast off oil paints and a black frame that normally may have gone into a landfill. On my way home from the Art Depot, I crossed over the bridge that looks up the Yampa River to Sleeping Giant. This beautiful scene stopped me in my tracks as it always does, and I knew I had the subject of my painting right there.

Soft Light – Gregory Effinger

Artist Statement: Fall leaves gather light from the canopy of pine trees, as the light filters through to the ground below. Summer vegetation hibernates and becomes mulch for the spring flurry of life.

A Hike Up Fish Creek Falls – Gregory Effinger

Artist Statement: Heavy Runoff after a snowy winter has made the signature falls a white water frenzy. These falls support the ecosystem, fish, local community and surrounding communities all the way to Utah.

Stars Are Woven Into The Night – Jill Bergman

Artist Statement: One thing I enjoy is to cut prints into strips and weave them. With a little added color and some planning, the new weaving becomes its own beautiful new work of art. To create Stars are Woven into the Night I took a big stack of prints that were flawed or not ever going to sell, painted some with gold or silver watercolor, cut them, and learned how to weave in three directions. This is called triaxial weaving, and it’s really hard! I love the way these woven stars show up against the black surrounding them, and I love that this new piece was made from my past work.

Monarch Migration – Jill Bergman

Artist Statement: Last summer when the International Union for Conservation of Nature placed the migratory monarch butterfly on their Red List as endangered, I cried. Monarchs are strikingly beautiful, have an unbelievable migration story, and aren’t polarizing or harmful. But through our misguided policies and lack of awareness, they are in trouble because of habitat loss, pesticides, temperature extremes triggering migration before milkweed is available, and other issues linked to climate change.

Always a Want, Always a Need – Madeleine Burrough

Artist Statement: Regardless of geography or socioeconomic differences, certain things remain constant with our needs and desires for fresh water, yet disparities exist. There are many people struggling to have their basic water needs met. The women carrying water on their heads, searching for any leftover drips in this watermelon eating scene are intentionally small. They are drawing your attention to water inequalities and water needs while the main character is eating watermelon enjoying a water-filled environment.

Bridging the Divide I – Missy Borden

Artist Statement: I often use painters tape to seal edges and create crisp lines in my work. It performs well, however it's a single use product. Once you peel it from the paper, it no longer sticks the same… I've tried with subpar results. The painters tape held the edges of my paintings, they were splashed with color and marked with lines. The tape in itself was beautiful; I couldn't wad the pieces up and throw them away. I HAD to do something with them. In an effort to reuse and repurpose the materials I use in my studio, I store used painters tape on sheets in a binder. When I have enough tape stored up, I collage them onto a wood panel and create pieces like ‘Bridging the Divide I’.

Friends of the Yampa – Cyndi Marlowe

Wild – Kathi Fresques

Artist Statement: I believe in Wild Places and Wild Animals, including our WiId Mustangs, a part of Western Colorado as well as the Western United States. It's imperative that we keep these wild Horses. Public Lands are a natural habitat. Tampering with natural ecosystems wreaks havoc.

All the Colors of the River – Sloane Speer

Artist Statement: The placement and balance of colors in nature is so stunning, it is often said Mother Nature is the world’s greatest artist. In this piece, I explored the variety of colors found in the beloved Yampa river as a tribute to the greatest artist herself. Appreciating the beauty and importance of the environment is the first step in generating support for climate action.

Mountain Grasses – Dedi Knox

Artist Statement: Paying attention to nature’s voice has helped me to be more patient and calm. The bluebird sitting on top of the thatched bird feeder remains still for several minutes. I can imitate his stillness. The sunset begins and I try to sit longer than the night before as the light changes color gracefully. My concentration on nature in my art is an example of creative form and color presentation. The contrast of colors, for example, red leaves next to green grasses, shows off the forms of nature’s objects. A western tanager form on a white textured watercolor paper allows the viewer to see color, shape and proportion all simplified in one painting. The background becomes a shape holding the subject matter.

Uprooted – Grant Knisely

Artist Statement: Grant describes the impact of photography this way: “The best photographs are the ones you can continue to look at for a lifetime. There’s always something new to discover. A detail or facet within the frame that you never fully saw or appreciated before. I believe the best photographs should inspire and invoke a sense of awe and wonder. They should transport you to a different place.

Mother of Pearl – Paulina M. Johnson

Artist Statement: I work solely with paper because I believe it is a humble, versatile, sustainable and beautiful medium. Throughout history paper has served as a vessel for documenting, spreading and sharing ideas. These have thread together the breath of human thought from science, art, culture and history, to meaningful personal narratives. I believe paper can be more than an empty vessel. I believe it can be both the story and the storyteller in a work of art. ‘Mother of Pearl’ depicts the hair of a woman wearing a mother of pearl brooch. The strands of hair flow behind her, turning into a mountain landscape.

Yampa #2 – Laura Tamucci

Artist Statement: With this piece, I tried to stretch what can be done with salvaged thread and stitches to suggest the idea of the Yampa River. All materials in this piece are scraps, mainly cut off bits of thread from other projects. As I was trying to show the line and shape of the Yampa River, I found I couldn't precisely control the materials I was using and it felt like a metaphor for the river, always moving and changing and deciding its own path.

Riverbend Sun Seekers – Tony Urbick

Coming back from shoulder surgery made the experience of resilience personal to me and informed my work. Strengthening while experiencing this big snow year, runoff season, I observed examples of our land and water's resilience, of life finding a way, abounding. For the piece, I sought to capture the feel of budding growth, carving a niche, rising up from the river bottom towards the turbulent flow of the water and the promise of the glowing sun between the overhanging trees and thickets. The simple shapes were chosen to promote depth of field and rhythm of motion, and the areas of chaotic ice dye were steered to evoke the prismatic and kaleidoscopic play of light filtering through the overhanging leaves, branches, river currents and eddies from above. The fluorescent coloring on parts of the design bring interest under different lighting and enhance the vibrancy of the design.

Yampa Wave Plein Air – Silas Axtell

Artist Statement: When I arrived at River Fest this June I noticed the overcast skies totally changed the hue and transparency of the water in the Yampa. I was excited to capture the river in a manner that we who live here do not normally see. The river is an ever shifting lifeline here in the west. It is our duty as stewards to take care of the Yampa and the rest of our wetlands and waterways so we may continue to benefit from them for generations.

The Standing Dead Triptych: Wildfire, The Standing Dead, and Rebirth – Silas Axtell

Artist Statement: “Wildfire” symbolizes the commonality of what we face, the wildfire which has become much too prevalent. Fires consume, leaving behind the standing dead where a lush old ecosystem existed. “The Standing Dead” is an ecosystem laid bare. In the background green forests remain, and a bleak future awaits them if we do not change now. “Rebirth” is a hope for a future, where we change our ways as humans. The forest may return, the soil improves, and life returns to its symbiotic relationship. It symbolizes one of the many futures we may have.

Eventuality – Will Cowman

I felt inspired by the zero waste prompt because it's something near and dear to my family. Digital art is a great way to be creative and produce little to no waste. My childhood memories of seeing a hot air balloon in the air in the mornings before school was my inspiration for this piece.

No Escape – Simone White

Artist Statement: The piece aims to address the importance of unity when facing an issue as large as climate change.

Overflow – Simone White

This year has been the first year in many years that we have gotten this level of precipitation. It is the extreme years like this that really highlight the impact climate change has had on our community. A common misconception about global warming is that years like this represent a healing climate, when in reality it's the extreme disparities between years that is part of the issue. It seems especially apparent when we follow up a year full of drought and wildfires with a year where the banks of the Yampa are flooded. My hope is we can address these problems before they continue to grow in extremity.

Throw Our Shadows Down Just to Get Around – Kristina Petrash

Artist Statement: Our ecosystem shows us how we should be living, in connection and harmony. Trees have a lot to teach us about community. Their roots are connected to one another and they support one another through sickness and health. We are just as connected to the Yampa Valley and river as the trees are to one another. It is reliant on us to keep our water and soil clean, to provide more support than damage. In return, the land and water will keep providing us beauty, life and growth.

Ambulance Hole – Attila Feszt

Artist Statement: Having been inspired in my art by the natural world around me in the Bahamas, it has been a natural step to continue this journey in the mountains of Colorado. As an avid surfer and waterman my attention was brought to the importance of recreation and the general health of the valley around the Yampa river. By bringing awareness to the beauty that surrounds us, it is my hope that my work also brings awareness of certain causes such as that of the Yampa Valley Sustainability Council.

Arisen – Amelie Wild

Artist Statement: “Arisen” incorporates diverse materials and aims to convey numerous messages. My siblings are competitive snowboarders, and because of their intense training we go through a lot of snowboards very quickly. As more and more tired snowboards piled up in my garage, I began to see the potential to create art out of them, and I knew that that idea aligned well with YVSC’s waste management goals. As for the actual image, my bedroom window overlooks Sleeping Giant, and I have always been fascinated by the wildflowers that surround the mountain and the rattlesnakes that guard its base. One theory surrounding the crowd of rattlesnakes is that the Utes who lived in Steamboat found Sleeping Giant to be a very sacred place, so when the white fur trappers arrived they spread rattlesnakes at its base to protect the land. I was inspired by this very story and created a piece that shows a Ute woman (based on Chipeta, an admired Ute peacemaker and leader) as the Sleeping Giant, rising from her slumber. She is surrounded by the beautiful wildflowers and trees well-known to the Yampa Valley, plants whose roots are ingrained in the Ute natives and the resilient natural environments that were here long before we were. Those roots should be celebrated, as they are how Steamboat grew to be what it is today.

To Be Amongst the Ancestors - Madeleine Greeson, Owner-Artist of Sister Yarrow

Artist Statement: When I was first invited to participate in this event, I knew exactly which piece I wanted to show. 'To Be Amongst The Ancestors' is a striking example of the different types of creatures that live among us in both Colorado and the West — many of which are directly impacted by the effects of climate change. In my artistic exploration, I delve into the intricate tapestry of the Western United States' flora and fauna, unveiling the captivating narratives of its diverse inhabitants. The canvas of the Western United States is adorned with an array of extraordinary creatures and living beings, each playing a crucial role in maintaining the delicate equilibrium of their respective habitats. From the misunderstood desert snake to the beautiful and long-lasting moss and lichen covered evergreens found in Steamboat Springs, these 'ancestors' embody the spirit of resilience and adaptability that has endured for centuries.

Aspens – Jim Steinberg

Artist Statement: Jim Steinberg is a travel, nature and natural history photographer who seamlessly moves between the roles of photographer, instructor and mentor. He has a natural talent for putting his students at ease while opening their minds to new approaches to photography in an entertaining and nurturing manner. Jim was the first director of the National Geographic Photography Workshops and has taught for The Center for Natural Photography and Arizona Highways Photo Workshops. His work has been published in National Geographic, Backpacker, National Parks, Audubon, Nature Conservancy and Nature’s Best magazines.

What is the Next Path – Juan Diego

I recall revisiting places from my youth after years of absence, noting the destruction and contamination of nature. Through time and observed destruction of animal habitat, it makes Juan nostalgic to think about the world that we want for our children. What happens if the animals disappear? Maybe if people are reminded of these beautiful animals, the destruction will stop.

Elkhead Rock Schoolhouse, Hayden – Cindy Wither

The Granary, Hayden – Cindy Wither

February Willows – Cindy Wither

Elk River Hay Bales – Cindy Wither

Eve of the Wolf – Ryan Scheer

Ryan Scheer is a photographic artist based in Steamboat Springs, Colorado using photography techniques from the late 1800s to produce western- themed dioramas. Using the Wet Plate Collodion process, Ryan brings images to life that are inspired by his youth and his love of the western lifestyle.

Portraits of a Forest – Marguerite Pilon

margueritepilon.com

Yampa Celebration – Joanne Orce

Artist Statement: I am visually inspired by our stunning Yampa Valley every day. I wanted my piece to be a colorful celebration of the Yampa River and the gravity flow of the snowpack into the Yampa that gives life, sustenance and enjoyment to animals, birds, fish, plants, trees and humans. It is resilient through harsh long winters and scorching dry summers. This year the snowpack is particularly giving to our river and that is worth celebrating.

I Thank the Yampa for That – Marguerite Pilon

Artist Statement: There is a constant flow of life that moves around us and within us, the subtleties almost undetectable but ever-so interconnected and powerful. The same snow we ski on in the winter flows to become the water we raft and fish on in the summer, the same water that seeps into the soil and sustains our ecosystems and life. This piece was made in reflection of my favorite memories spent high in Colorado’s mountains, near to the headwaters of our greatest rivers that will one day flow all the way to reach the sea. I find solace in the Yampa’s original bends and curves, water that will flow from high and the beautiful riparian habitats she sustains that we too can help keep healthy. The Yampa embodies this all, and for that, I thank the Yampa.