Salida Art Walk
Salida, the one of the biggest secrets in Colorado. I have driven by there so many times, I never even considered that there was a downtown (One of the largest historical down town district in Colorado). I just thought maybe it was a dirt spot on the side of the road with a few business supporting weary travelers and rafters along Hwy 50, much like my home town in Nebraska. Man was I shocked when I got downtown. Beautiful buildings and the town seemed to be bursting at the seams with bikers, cyclists, kayakers, and tourists. 
So when I got to talking to people I found out that this weekend was their 19th Annual Art walk Salida. This event was not on the list that I was using for traveling to art festivals for this weekend so I just stumbled into a situation where some kind of art is on almost every wall, court-yard, and sidewalk in town. I only wish I could have stayed to whole weekend to see everything. There are 51 stops throughout Salida from cafe’s, restaurants, real estate offices, banks, the library, the yoga center, coffee shops, the community center and much more all hosting artist from miles around. 
The art mediums ranged from paintings and photography to sculpture, wood carvings, hand-made furniture, jewelry to garden art, virtual video art and music just about on every corner.
My first stop was Smalzel Ortman Gallery. Stephen’s biggest passion in art is nature and color and it definitely shows up in his paintings. 
Beyond his specific goals, the expression of natural beauty, there is the simple goal of enjoying the processes itself. Stephen thank you for your time even though I knew you were getting ready for the big weekend. 
That is Stephen up on the sign.
My next Stop was Brooks Gallery Art Photography. I met with Gail Brooks and we had a great talk about how she does half of the photography and her husband Lenny does the other half. She also is a potter and had some beautiful pottery on display in the Gallery. Photography of Colorado in droves, forest landscapes, animals, flowers, plus much more.
Terrific Stop. Next it was down the street to the Art Matters Gallery. 
Gloria Jean Countryman is an absolutely delightful lady who when we met was mixing paint and checking paint cans for the upcoming Art Walk. She was very excited about one of her projects called Street Sheet a community art mural. She called it the spontaneous combustion of creativity. This is a community art project were anyone to play, paint and create on a huge canvas mural that will auctioned off with proceeds going to support Youth Arts in Saldia. Right away I knew I was going to be spending some time with Gloria and some time with her gallery. The Art Matter Gallery was voted Salida’s Best Gallery of 2010. 
With over 50 Artist represented specializing in oils, water-color, acrylics, pastels, monotype, pottery and much more it took a while to get my brain around all the sensory input.
Well there was much more to see and do but I have to hit the road on my way to Vail. I dearly wanted to stay and get to know the fine people I met. I know one thing, this place is not far from Pueblo, and I am taking my wife to downtown Salida as soon as I can.
