If you've ever wondered about the magic of a photographer's dark room or the hypnotic motion of a potter's skillful hands, The Great Mancos Arts Roundup offers the opportunity to tour local studios and learn about the artistic process.
So far, the third annual Roundup is set to feature about 18 artists of many mediums and backgrounds who have set aside June 14 to give free tours of their personal studios to explain their techniques.
The event draws in people from all across the region and offers an good networking opportunity, said Marilyn Kroeker, an event organizer and artist.
For Brian Killigrew, a fine arts photographer, the event offers the opportunity to rediscover crafts and share his passion for printing.
"People can lose their appreciation for things done by hand," he said.
Killigrew will give tours of his dark room, where he still produces black-and-white images by hand. He considers printing his forte after about 40 years of working with it.
"Printing to me is where you bring out the spirit of the image," he said.
He said he specializes in black and white because it helps him express the spirit of the subject without getting caught up in colors. As a photographer who uses a large-format box camera, he must carefully plan out his images.
"When I snap the shutter, that's the just the beginning," he said.
Among the painters on the tour will be Deborah Doty, who came to the area from Arkansas and got into painting professionally after working as a firefighter and home-schooling her daughter, among many other jobs.
She is now a member of Plein Air Painters of the 4 Corners and pours brilliant colors and her emotions to her landscapes.
"Hopefully that will translate into some sort of emotion for the viewer, hopefully they are inspired," she said.
Her gallery on Road G is itself architecturally interesting. The structure took Doty and her husband between six and seven years to build. The walls were made with straw bails that insulate the building.
Additionally, the building was designed to absorb as much passive solar heat as possible.
Potter, metal worker and painter Kroeker plans to have materials set up in her studio to demonstrate anything visitors would like to see, including enamel work and copper forming.
Kroeker developed her creative spark as a potter under the guidance of Winston Wigand in Mancos and developed the courage to leave a dysfunctional relationship.
"I dug right in like a tick and learned how to be a potter," she said.
She has since been selected for as the artist in residence at Mesa Verde for her work in watercolor and also works with copper. Currently, she is quilting wall hangings.
She said the opportunity to share ideas is one of the main reasons she enjoys the Roundup and encourages artists to get involved in the annual event while it is still in the building stages.
To be included as an artist in the Roundup registration is $60 and due by June 1. Contact Kroeker: 533-7464
mshinn@cortezjournal.com
