Dine for the High Line: Art Pull
Buy a unique and beautiful piece of art while supporting our beloved High Line Canal
Art Pull 2023 – Thank You
The Dine for the High Line 2023 Art Pull was a huge success! Talented local artists created and donated 71+ 8”x8” works of art inspired by nature and the High Line Canal. See pieces from 2023 via our online gallery below!
Thanks to these wonderful artists who donated their works of art, 100% of the sales benefit the High Line Canal Conservancy.
Pat Aaron
Whisper (oil on arches)
Patricia Aaron is an American painter best known for her gestural abstract landscapes composed of layers of encaustic pigments and mixed media applied to custom panels in her signature style painting technique. Her paintings fuse the raw beauty of nature, earthscapes, and urban culture. Aaron’s paintings are reflective, pure and honest often embedded with rich story lines.
Evan Anderman
Sun Star, Marjorie Perry Nature Preserve, 2020 (photgraphy)
Evan Anderman (b. 1964 Denver, CO) is a Denver based social-landscape photographer who seeks to challenge the intricate relationship between human development and the natural world. His aerial and terrestrial photography endeavors to bring into focus the difficult to see wide-spread elements of the way our society uses the land. His work can be found in the collection of the Denver Art Museum and many private collections across the country and has been exhibited at institutions nationally and internationally. He received a BSE in Geological Engineering from Princeton University and a MSE and PhD in Geological Engineering from Colorado School of Mines. He has served on numerous non-profit Boards and is currently the President of the Board of CENTER in Santa Fe, NM.
Sarah Anderson
Botanic Gardens 1 2023 (watercolor)
Sarah has been painting in the watercolor medium for 15 years. She currently lives in Denver, Colorado and was born and raised in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania. The principle theme of her artwork is interpreting the power of nature and the human form. In her approach to painting she looks for lines, shapes, colors and the individual subtleties in the subject matter to bring the subject to life.
Sarah Anderson
Botanic Gardens 2 2023 (watercolor)
Sarah has been painting in the watercolor medium for 15 years. She currently lives in Denver, Colorado and was born and raised in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania. The principle theme of her artwork is interpreting the power of nature and the human form. In her approach to painting she looks for lines, shapes, colors and the individual subtleties in the subject matter to bring the subject to life.
Sarah Anderson
Bachelor Gulch, CO 2023 (watercolor)
Sarah has been painting in the watercolor medium for 15 years. She currently lives in Denver, Colorado and was born and raised in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania. The principle theme of her artwork is interpreting the power of nature and the human form. In her approach to painting she looks for lines, shapes, colors and the individual subtleties in the subject matter to bring the subject to life.
Todd Bacon
Mesa Verde Sunset (photography)
Todd Bacon has been shooting for about 20 years, starting with Kodachrome slide film, then Fugi Velvia and finally switching to the incredible freedom of digital photography. Landscape photography was Todd’s first love, given all the wonderful outdoor scenes that presented themselves every time he picked up a fly-rod. Todd branched out into cross-country skiing as a natural extension. Living in Colorado, Todd began taking my camera to small rodeos, where he became intrigued by the people and the culture around rodeo. The architecture of the West became another attraction for Todd.
Lisa Baird
Monarch on the High Line (oil)
Lisa Baird is an oil painter living in Grand County Colorado. She enjoys painting creatures of all sorts and the landscapes they inhabit. When not painting, you may find her out hiking, cycling or skiing on area trails, or just kicking back and enjoying life with family and friends. Growing up in the Midwest she studied art and glassblowing at Hastings College. She has also studied painting at the Art Students League of Denver, dabbled in photography with John Fielder and oil painting with Don Sahli, Pem Dunn and Karen Vance.
Amanda Banfield-Vice
Moonlight Over Morrison (photography)
Mandy has been using a camera as her lens to view the world And the beauty around her. Capturing images has been a passion throughout Her life. Born in the Bay Area she moved with her family to Denver in middle School attending Jeffco schools, CSU and graduating from MSU with A BFA in Art History and studio Art working in jewelry making, printmaking, Clay and tile making, painting and photography, in addition she received a post Bac Licensure in K-12 Art Education from MSU. She currently guides her amazing students in her Art room at Highline Elementary in the Cherry Creek School District.
Duke Beardsley
TBD (oil)
Sixth generation Coloradan, Duke Beardsley has been drawing and painting the American west for as long as he can remember. Raised both in Denver, and on a 1000 acre cattle ranch in eastern Colorado, Duke’s “duel/dual” upbringing is the foundation for his unique blend of traditional western iconography and contemporary art sensibilities. An unapologetic fan of all “things cowboy” Duke spends much time on horseback, joining his many friends and family on some of the greatest ranches of the West. Duke rides with crews to participate, observe and document todays working cowboys and cowgirls in their element. Formally trained at The Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, Duke now lives and works with his wife and two daughters in Denver.
Susan Bell
Mesa Glow (oil)
Susan Bell is a painter of the contemporary west. A Colorado native and horsewoman, she grew up recording the changing face of the west, its land and animals through art. The fleeting moments of relationship figure prominently in her work. She spends a great deal of time painting en plein air and this shows in her familiarity with movement, light and the unique personality of each of her subjects. Her work has been featured in museums and collections throughout the US.
Rita Bhasin
Pink Blossoms (acrylic)
Rita was born in Kenya, has lived in many different countries, and now resides in beautiful Colorado. Risa brings her experience and appreciation of diverse cultures and landscapes to her artwork. A love of bold shapes, color and textures draws her eye: shapes formed by light and shadow, small and often overlooked objects, contemplate, experiment, and create. Rita feels lucky to be able to express herself through her art.
Mary Lou Blackledge
Heartbeep (oil)
Over the last 20 years, Mary Lou Blackledge has created a large body of experimental and color-centric abstract paintings derived entirely from her imagination. She has had two solo exhibitions in the last 10 years and have completed many significant commissioned works. May Lou’s paintings are in several public collections and many private collections.
Megan Carlson
Highline Light (Acrylic)
Megan is a Denver native with a strong connection to the natural beauty of our state, visual arts, and education. Megan has worked as an art instructor and advisor at New Vista High School for nearly 9 years.
Anne Cashman
A New Perspective (acrylic on wood)
As a child in Washington State, Anne Cashman would play for hours in the evergreen forests and wild blackberry brambles. A change in career for her father brought her family to the red sandstone cliffs of the desert southwest in her teens. Anne’s adult life has been spent in the blue, brown and deep green of the Rocky Mountains. Time stands still in the moments when Anne is watching the color, light and details of the wonder that surrounds her. She feels very grateful to be living in Colorado. Art has been the perfect antidote to a fast-paced corporate career in Marketing for a Fortune 500 Software Company. Anne hopes that her paintings evoke a memory of a person you love or a special experience you shared.
Margot Chalmers
Evening on the Ruby Horsethief (Watercolor)
Margot is an artist and landscape designer in Denver who draws inspiration from the wild landscapes she’s worked and played in throughout the country. A former working ranch cowboy and National Park Service ranger, she is interested in exploring working, multi-functional landscapes and the many ways people can form deep connections with place. Margot is a life-long horsewoman who enjoys riding, nordic and backcountry skiing, backpacking, climbing, and plein air painting as a means to experience the natural world.
Vera Coberley
Crossroads (oil)
Vera has had a lifelong interest in art, and she started to pursue it actively in 2019. What began as a fascination with tapestry weaving led to watercolor, then drawing and finally oil and pastel painting. Vera studied with Colorado artist Robin Cole, as well as with the online offerings of New Masters Academy and Marla Baggetta’s Pastel Painting class. Vera currently resides near Winter Park, Colorado.
Virginia Diaz
TBD
Diaz Saiki studied culinary arts in Peru before moving to Miami to study art. Her parents, believing the social scene in Miami was interfering with her studies, enrolled her in the BFA program at the University of South Dakota. There she studied under Lloyd Menard and fell in love with printmaking. She was working on an MFA at Louisiana State University when Hurricane Katrina cut her program short. She crammed everything she had into a minivan and moved to her brother’s in Denver. Today, in addition to her own prints, Diaz Saiki manages Dark Horse Press, the studio of Western artist Duke Beardsley, and produces his prints.
Connie Dines
100 Possibilities (photography / mixed media)
Passionate about the art and craft of photography, Connie Dines was hooked when she saw her first image in print on a large format printer. It was the beginning of a journey learning to use photographic images as part of an artistic expression. As an image based artist Connie works with compositions and composited images (using more than one image to make a piece of art) and hand pull the print onto metal, wood, acrylic or ceramic to create individual works of art. Working in physical layers allows the viewer to attempt to separate the images as they walk around a piece and then put it all together from the front. Connie prefers images in the abstract because of the random nature of life. In the lack of perfect control of the transferring of images to other surfaces, Connie embraces the randomness of life and therefore, the randomness of the art and the artistic endeavor.
Amy Dixon
Autumn (Acrylic)
Amy Dixon’s passion is painting. It’s in her DNA. The process of painting, defining and redefining her voice on the canvas has been an intuitive and authentic journey for 35 years working professionally as an artist…and counting. Direct observation of everyday life and a simple awareness of the world around her fuel ideas that “poof” into her head and then translate to the canvas. Inspiration and energy and friendship are endless and for this she is grateful.
Trish Donovan
Burst of Summer (oil)
Growing up in a family of painters and musicians, Patricia Donovan/TA Donovan developed an appreciation for and a devotion to art. However, her passion for the arts percolated for years as she pursued a career in education – first as teacher and then as a principal. While creating- with her faculty – an elementary school for the arts within the Littleton (Colorado) Public Schools, she began pursuing her own creativity. Studying first at the Denver Art Museum and later at the Denver Art Students’ League, she found her way to figurative and landscape painting. In her work, you will find the influences of Ron Hicks, Kim English and Michael Lynch, her teachers, who demonstrate movement, light, and drama in their paintings. Viewers find that stories unfold in TA Donovan’s paintings – as light and shadows drift across the canvases.
Riley Doyle
Winter Field (oil on panel)
Riley Doyle (b. 1990) was born and raised in Colorado. He attended Metropolitan State University of Denver for a BFA in printmaking. In 2014 he moved to Seattle to attend the 3 year Georgetown Atelier program. In the Summer of 2016 he attended the Hudson River Fellowship. In 2017 he was awarded a grant to produce large scale, multifigurative landscape compositions. In 2018 he was included in Southwest Art Magazine’s 21 Under 31 feature issue. And in 2020, he was awarded a Certificate of Excellence by the Portrait Society of America for his painting Moment in the 202 International Portrait Competition. His current work draws from both his figurative training as well as his plein air practice. He teaches part time classes at Gage Academy in Seattle, WA where he lives.
Maggie Elligot
Shiny Objects (mixed media collage on canvas)
Maggie is a graduate of the University of Colorado and has also studied classical techniques in painting at the Minnesota School of Botanical Art in Minneapolis. Having been both a military brat and military wife, Maggie has lived and traveled worldwide. She is a retired elementary art teacher and is currently creating and selling her mixed media paintings in Colorado Springs art galleries. Her work as a representational artist captures the beauty of Colorado flora and fauna.
Ken Elliot
Red Diagonal (Oil on Panel)
Ken’s involvement in the art business has now spanned over 40 years. He began as a picture framer in Houston, then worked alongside an art restorer, became an art dealer, and about 30 years ago, began to draw and paint. He has worked in a variety of media over the years and is now working primarily in oil and pastel. His artworks are in thousands of collections including large commissioned works in prestigious private and public collections.
Yi Ellis
Heart Snowflake (ink on paper)
Yi Ellis is an abstract painter who fuses the spirituality of Chinese traditional paintings with the expressiveness of modern western art. Born in Shanghai, China, Yi began formal dance and piano trainings at age four, and has performed extensively including the White House and the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts. Since age thirteen, Yi has lived in Colorado, New York, Italy, Baltimore, Minnesota, Santa Monica, and has traveled to over 25 countries. While images and experiences from her nomadic life provide inspiration for her paintings, her dance and music background infuse liveliness and vigor in her work. Currently, Yi is working on combining modern dance and painting together that creates a visual record of emotion, movement and rhythm. Yi exhibits locally and internationally, and has over 50 paintings in private collections across the United States, Asia and Italy.
Krista Falkenstine
Red Rocks (acrylic)
Krista Falkenstine is a local Littleton artist that specializes in abstract painting with some references to landscape and music. She has been exploring her artistic passion for over 20 years. Krista’s art gallery and studio is located in downtown Littleton. “Art is my way of speaking to the world. Different days produce different pieces and styles based on my experiences or those around me. So many now!”
Krista Falkenstine
Flowering Stream (acrylic)
Krista Falkenstine is a local Littleton artist that specializes in abstract painting with some references to landscape and music. She has been exploring her artistic passion for over 20 years. Krista’s art gallery and studio is located in downtown Littleton. “Art is my way of speaking to the world. Different days produce different pieces and styles based on my experiences or those around me. So many now!”
Karen Fletcher
Afternoon Aspens
Karen Fletcher is a self-taught painter working primarily in acrylics. A bit of a world traveler, Karen was born in Hawaii, grew up in California and Washington, and then lived throughout the US and Germany, before finally settling down in the Colorado Rockies. Although Karen enjoyed drawing as a kid, she didn’t pick up a paintbrush until a spring break painting night with my nieces in 2017. Karen fell in love with the excitement of turning a blank canvas into a world of it’s own! Now she spends most days in her studio (or outside with her easel) in Tabernash, CO, painting, learning and pursuing the elusive representation of light on canvas. Karen’s choice of subjects is varied, influenced by active pursuits in the mountains of Colorado and the deserts of Utah, her childhood love of horses and riding and growing up as a rural farm kid.
Mary Alice Fullerton
Barn on the High Line (oil)
Although a Colorado native, Mary Alice began painting in Wiesbaden Germany with noted museum curator Heinz Hertzfeld. Building upon this classical training she continued studies at the Art Student League of Denver. Tim Deibler, Michael Workman and Mark Nelson have greatly influenced her approach to her favorite subject of landscape.
Ted Garcia
Spring Sun Set On The High Line Canal (TBD)
Ted Garcia’s style grew out of commercial illustration mixed with a new-found joy of Russian impressionism. Ted has concentrated to develop the merging of the two styles to create the bold and vivid paintings for which he is known for. Ted finds that plein air painting brings a great opportunity to develop an emotional connection with the viewer. The beautiful thing is that the painting is a very personal statement of who the artist is, once a painting is completed. As an example, the simple yet bold brush strokes may take a painter a lifetime of painting to find their unique voice that only they carry.
Terry Gardner
Pinyon Near Bianca (oil)
Terry Gardner began his career in St. Louis balancing commercial and fine art. Early western films and television deeply influenced his interest in the American West. He moved to Colorado early in his career and eventually he parted from advertising to pursue painting full time. Gardner credits his growth as an artist, more than college or the commercial art industry, to Quang Ho and Mark Daily. He studied with both of these accomplished artists at the Art Students League of Denver. Gardner’s compositions are born from his surroundings but evolve in his studio to a place that is deeper, where mystery and contemplation are nurtured. His paintings are expressive and ethereal with color selections intended to encourage dialogue. Gardner has exhibited work throughout the west for 20 years. In 2019 he was the featured artist at the Coors National Western Art Exhibit in Denver. He has participated in this event for eighteen consecutive years. His work has been featured by the Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust, raising awareness and support for conserving Colorado’s western heritage. His paintings are in collections throughout the United States and Europe. He currently lives and works in Morrison, Colorado.
Jeanie Gebhart
Birds in Trees (Acrylic)
Painting with imagination, color and design is truly Jeanie Gebhart’s passion. Jeanie is excited by the creative process and problem solving. Her goal is to engage collectors and viewers to explore, wonder and use their imagination to find pleasure. Jeanie enjoys being there when viewers find different objects within a piece, fun for all!
Dancy Gould St. John
Cloud Nine – Sleeping Giant (Oil on Panel)
As a native of Colorado, Dancy Gould St. John has been interested in the natural world for as long as she can remember. Plein air painting, along with fly fishing, hiking and skiing, has proved to be the perfect expression for her affinity to the outdoors. Her work is currently showing at the Artists’ Gallery of Steamboat where she has been a part of numerous shows and has been exhibited and sold at a number of private shows in Denver, the Pirate Gallery, the Art Depot in Steamboat Springs and at various art fairs. Her work has been published in the Rocky Mountain News, the Steamboat Pilot and Today, Colorado Expressions Magazine and Steamboat Home Magazine.
Rosemary Hanratty
Contemplating Life from My Tail (acrylic)
Rosemary Hanratty has been dappling in art for years but never got serious about painting until she retired after 40 years as a marketing professional. With time on her side, she paints every day and because she is a passionate animal lover and defender, she began to paint some favorite animals and birds. Rosemary also paints those who need our protection most. She finds images from nature photographs of animals exhibiting an amazing profile or an extraordinary behavior to recreate on canvas. A portion of the proceeds from her sales go to wildlife nonprofits dedicated to saving animals.
Stephanie Hartshorn
Dry Ranch Road (Oil on Panel)
Recognized for her architectural portraits of rural America, Stephanie Hartshorn is a signature member of the American Impressionist Society whose work has been featured in national exhibitions and publications including Western Art & Architecture, Southwest Art, Western Art Collector and others. Hartshorn, a fifth generation Coloradan, depicts the quiet resonance of a life built on hard work and familial ties. From iconic barns, fields and criss-crossing power lines to motel signs and carnival rides, Hartshorn captures the strength of the American West unlike any other artist working today.
Sarah Horan
Highline Observer (acrylic and marker on pine board)
Art has been a lifelong love and hobby of Sarah’s that now finds its way into the small gaps of time when her son is sleeping. Most of Sarah’s art is expressed in acrylic paintings inspired by scenes of nature. Sarah is continuing to develop her personal painting style as well as improve skills in book illustration. In the last two years Sarah has illustrated two children’s books titled “Belinda Baloney Changes Her Mind” and “Benji Baloney Learns to Be Brave”.
Sarah is inspired to support the High Line Canal Conservatory because nearly every day of her pregnancy she walked the trail dreaming of what motherhood would be like. The beautiful connection to nature she finds on the High Line Canal trail makes her feel connected to life in all its forms. Now Sarah walks the trail with her son and they admire the wonders of our environment, the changing seasons, and all the new plantings. Sarah is so thankful for organizations like the Conservancy who are maintaining precious natural spaces and planting trees for future generations.
Kaye Hurtt
Poppy Power (acrylic on board)
Kaye Hurtt began painting in 1997 as a watercolorist doing botanical art and illustration. Her fine detailed renderings of plants and flowers took endless hours in the studio. Though she was passionate about her work, she yearned for the experience of painting outdoors. So in 2011 she “jumped ship” and began plein air painting with oils. She has been privileged to study with excellent plein air painters including, Liz Wiltzen, John Cosby, Jeni Prince, David Santillanes and Ruo Li. Plein air painting challenges the painter with wind, rain, sun and snow but offers nature in the present moment! This is the most exciting way to paint! She is so grateful to live and paint in Colorado and Kauai!
Susie Hyer
Spring Lilacs (oil on canvas)
Susiehyer has been drawing and painting since she was a child. “I remember drawing a pair of ceramic flamingos my mother used to keep on her dining room table when I was four years old”, she says. “I knew from that moment I would be an artist when I grew up.”
This award winning artist has been working professionally since 1976 and has been the recipient of a number of scholarships, grants, and awards for her work, including two international design awards. Her work has appeared in numerous galleries and national exhibitions, hangs in many private and corporate collections, and has been published in the celebrated books Art of the National Parks: Historical Connections, Contemporary Interpretations and Landscapes of Colorado. Susiehyer’s work has also been featured in Southwest Art Magazine, Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine, Art of the West Magazine, Plein Air Magazine, and on the covers of Art Life, Evergreen Living, and Mountain Country Life.
Kris Ilitis
White Place
Growing up in Japan, Kris’ asthetic was influenced by the woodblock prints her mother collected. She borrows heavily from their flattened perspectives, patterns and simplified shapes. Her paintings are said to jump off the canvas and into the room. Whether painting en plein air or in herstudio, the celebration continues.
Bronwen Jones
Afternoon Hike (mixed media)
Although Bronwen has spent her professional life as a teacher and in sales, she has always had the need to be creative. Bronwen Jones is a painter of memories. Every painting is a story of a place, person or event.
Bronwen likes to pay special attention to unusual points of view and paints from her own photos. Shapes and connections are a key element in all of her work. She looks for interesting subjects to incorporate the strong contrast of light and shadow. The spontaneity and color mingling inherent in watercolor, allow her to paint a variety of subjects offering the viewer a fresh perspective. She enjoys the process of planning, choosing colors and mapping out her painting. Her paintings have won awards in both local and national shows and have sold both nationally and internationally.
Millicent Kang
Afternoon Hike (mixed media)
Millicent’s art is an offering to step more into yourself in ways that matter to you and engage with others in ways that improve the lives of others. She lives in Boulder, Colorado with her husband and 2 dogs. Her 3 grown kids are in the world creating the lives they want.
Emily Knight
Mountain Storm (Oil on Cradle Wood)
Emily Knight is a long time art educator with a BFA in painting. Emily takes time to push some paint…traveling without leaving.
Sheila Laurienti
Irenia (Acrylic)
Sheila currently lives in Colorado where she moved in 2003. Her love of hiking led to her adoration of aspen trees. Shedding her past and opening her heart to the spiritual dimension of trees has been the catalyst for profound healing in herself. She has become stronger and more beautiful, full of life giving qualities. She has learned to take all the negativity around her and turn it into oxygen for easy breathing. Her custom paintings now grace the homes of many across the country.
Sheila Laurienti
Petaluna (Acrylic)
Sheila currently lives in Colorado where she moved in 2003. Her love of hiking led to her adoration of aspen trees. Shedding her past and opening her heart to the spiritual dimension of trees has been the catalyst for profound healing in herself. She has become stronger and more beautiful, full of life giving qualities. She has learned to take all the negativity around her and turn it into oxygen for easy breathing. Her custom paintings now grace the homes of many across the country.
Kimberly Leversedge
A Bend in the Canal (watercolor)
Kimberly Leversedge has always been an art history dork and even attempted to paint in College, but life seemed to in the way. After being diagnosed with MS in 2021 Kimberly’s life went into a tailspin and her father encouraged her to take up painting again. Sadly, Kimberly lost her father unexpectedly 02.22.2022. His passion throughout his life was the out of doors. He is survived not only by his loving family, but also by his Charity THE UPPER COLORADO RIVER ALLIANCE (UCRA). 100% of the proceeds from Kimberly’s Art work goes straight to her father’s charity with the hopes of preserving the health and beauty of the Colorado River and its surrounding habitats for years to come.
Kimberly Leversedge
A Bend in the Canal 1 (watercolor)
Kimberly Leversedge has always been an art history dork and even attempted to paint in College, but life seemed to in the way. After being diagnosed with MS in 2021 Kimberly’s life went into a tailspin and her father encouraged her to take up painting again. Sadly, Kimberly lost her father unexpectedly 02.22.2022. His passion throughout his life was the out of doors. He is survived not only by his loving family, but also by his Charity THE UPPER COLORADO RIVER ALLIANCE (UCRA). 100% of the proceeds from Kimberly’s Art work goes straight to her father’s charity with the hopes of preserving the health and beauty of the Colorado River and its surrounding habitats for years to come.
Kimberly Leversedge
Canal Colors (watercolor)
Kimberly Leversedge has always been an art history dork and even attempted to paint in College, but life seemed to in the way. After being diagnosed with MS in 2021 Kimberly’s life went into a tailspin and her father encouraged her to take up painting again. Sadly, Kimberly lost her father unexpectedly 02.22.2022. His passion throughout his life was the out of doors. He is survived not only by his loving family, but also by his Charity THE UPPER COLORADO RIVER ALLIANCE (UCRA). 100% of the proceeds from Kimberly’s Art work goes straight to her father’s charity with the hopes of preserving the health and beauty of the Colorado River and its surrounding habitats for years to come.
Beth Lindsay
Walking the Dog (Acrylic)
Beth was born in Evanston, IL to an artist and interior designer mother and art collector father. She has fond memories of tagging along to galleries, museums and exhibits in the Chicago area before moving to Evergreen, CO in 1971. Beth has a BS in Early Childhood Education from Colorado State University and spent her early career teaching and working as an interior decorator while finding time to paint and raise three amazing kids. Her true passion for contemporary abstract art is a result of participating in art classes, workshops and open studio groups as well as several years working in an art gallery.
Leon Loughridge
TBD
Leon grew up on a Northern New Mexico ranch, exploring the mountain sides with his older brother in search of adventures. At an early age, his grandmother’s involvement in Northern New Mexico art circles exposed him to the arts. Later, study at the Colorado Institute of Art along with private study reinforced his abilities. While in the army, stationed in Germany as anillustrator, he was able to travel extensively throughout Europe, visiting museums and maintaining sketch journals. In addition, he studied the painting techniques of the old masters for two years culminating with on-site study at the Stuttgart Stattsgalerie Art Museum. Long having had an interest in pen and ink, etching took on a special meaning after seeing the museum’s collection of prints. On his return to Colorado, Leon began to study the intaglio techniques and selling the prints in mountain galleries. In 1998, Leon purchased his first letterpress and received immediate success with the woodblock prints he produced. In 2005, he started printing using the Japanese method of printmaking. The versatile layering of color in the woodblock process allowed him to better capture the atmospheric qualities of the Southwestern landscape that has such a strong meaning for him. Leon has continued to develop his printmaking skills and currently owns a publishing company, producing his reduction style woodblock prints as well as limited edition books. His woodblocks are exhibited nationally and collected by numerous museums.
Linda Lowry
Naiad (oil)
Linda grew up on a beautiful piece of land in Connecticut that belonged to two of her three artist great-grandparents. Land, water, architecture and art inspired Linda. In graduate school, she began painting interiors of older architecture with a contemporary sensibility. Her work has always been based in observation and narrative. It changes as life and art experiences change. In 2012, she had a solo show of thirty-two oil paintings called “Water Nymphs” with imagery of water and figures playing and contemplating in water. Shortly, thereafter, she worked with four different master printers and her work went in new directions. Monotypes and monoprints felt spontaneous and playful to her. Painting is often employed in Linda’s printmaking. She combines the two and moves between the two. Linda likes to tell and invent stories as an entry point. Printmaking allowed her narrative to become more invented and playful. After visiting the Acropolis Museum, she was inspired to create her own version of the evolution story, beginning with plants.
Laurel Malenke
Fancy Free Blue (Original Handmade Monoprints)
Laurel Malenke’s goal is to create artwork that induces a smile, promotes happiness, feels magical, lifts spirits, and brings some much-needed whimsy into people’s lives. She love portraying our struggles, achievements, flaws, challenges, losses, failures, self-image, and those we love through the eyes of quirky critters and unexpected heroes.
All of Laurel’s pieces are one-of-a-kind handmade, hand-drawn, and hand-printed originals. Laurel uses a combination of drawing, doodling, painting, mark-making, stamping, and a monoprinting technique using a gelatin plate.
Laurel Malenke
Fancy Free Pink (Original Handmade Monoprints)
Laurel Malenke’s goal is to create artwork that induces a smile, promotes happiness, feels magical, lifts spirits, and brings some much-needed whimsy into people’s lives. She love portraying our struggles, achievements, flaws, challenges, losses, failures, self-image, and those we love through the eyes of quirky critters and unexpected heroes.
All of Laurel’s pieces are one-of-a-kind handmade, hand-drawn, and hand-printed originals. Laurel uses a combination of drawing, doodling, painting, mark-making, stamping, and a monoprinting technique using a gelatin plate.
Sandy Marvin
Creekside Tapestry (pastel)
Sandy is primarily a representational painter with a strong abstract tendency.She works in soft pastel with a dash of other media mixed in. Her inspiration comes from the natural world as well as the world of things. She is particularly attracted to intriguing shapes, lyrical line, interesting juxtapositions and color relationships. She likes to look close; at trees, objects, intimate corners of the landscape. She hopes to communicate the poignancy and beauty that strike her in the visual world; the elegance of a simple tool, the graceful arch of a branch or the jubilance of a bowl of freshly-picked tomatoes.
Elizabeth Marvin
Bird (oil on board)
Elizabeth describes herself as an artist of many mediums. Oil Painting, Needle Arts, Flea Marketing, and Flower arranging are some of her favorite past times. Colors and Textures thrill her and she is inspired everyday by nature, gardens, flowers and life. She lives in Denver, Colorado with her kitten, Angel.
Michele Messenger
3 Orange Flowers (encaustic paint)
Michele Messenger is a Denver-based freelance graphic designer with a full roster of lovely clients. And when Michelle needs to make something with a mouse-free hand, she turn to encaustic wax and pigments. She is a member of the Art Students League of Denver as well as the Encaustic Art Institute in the Santa Fe, NM area. Michelle’s work is in two Denver-area galleries and she participates in a couple of art markets every year.
Haley Mirr
Ornaments (acrylic on canvas)
Haley Mirr grew up on the High Line Canal. Although it was always a love hate relationship (timed lacrosse runs vs. morning dusk walks with her pups), it has always been a part of her life. Haley’s job as a broker at Mirr Ranch Group takes her to legacy private and conserved spaces around the West, yet her favorite open space remains the High Line Canal.
Kristen Larson Moore
Queen or Hearts (Acrylic)
Kristen Moore is a giant in exuberance, which may explain why this diminutive artist seems larger than her 5 feet, high tops not withstanding.
The Pittsburgh-born Colorado mom has much art-world experience: She opened and ran two Colorado galleries, now works as a country club designer, and, as often as life allows, paints in her basement studio in the company of girl-heavy Spotify mixes.
Her work is a happy accumulation of figurative forms, feisty humor, folk art elements, bits of Picasso, and lots of bold color. Pink ponytails, yellow horses, a well-dressed blue doll that has “How you doin’ doll?” written in the background—these are trademarks of the Moore vernacular.
Kristen Larson Moore
Thief of Hearts (Acrylic)
Kristen Moore is a giant in exuberance, which may explain why this diminutive artist seems larger than her 5 feet, high tops not withstanding.
The Pittsburgh-born Colorado mom has much art-world experience: She opened and ran two Colorado galleries, now works as a country club designer, and, as often as life allows, paints in her basement studio in the company of girl-heavy Spotify mixes.
Her work is a happy accumulation of figurative forms, feisty humor, folk art elements, bits of Picasso, and lots of bold color. Pink ponytails, yellow horses, a well-dressed blue doll that has “How you doin’ doll?” written in the background—these are trademarks of the Moore vernacular.
Johanna Mueller
Bird High Line 2023 (Printmaker)
Enhanced by printmaking’s history of narrative, Johanna Mueller’s work explores the shared histories of humans, as told by animals. These compositions are full of animals within animals, a reference to animal cognition and spirits within animal bodies. Personal narrative is woven with mythical symbols and stories which make these pieces both familiar and challenging. Animals have no race, religion, or creed, can be as easily feminine as masculine or somewhere in between. Therefore, they can tell universal stories which weave anthropology, art history, and spirituality – our shared humanness – better than their human counterparts. In our ever changing and sometimes frightful present day, we need to be reminded of the universality of all things, including the human race.
Madeleine O’Connell
Crane (oil)
Madeleine O’Connell is a third generation artist. She sold her first piece of art, illustrated a song book and won a drawing competition by age five. Today she is a professional artist living in Denver, known for her richly patterned and colorful paintings. Her studio is full of vases, exotic fabrics, wallpapers, bowls of fruit and flowers from her garden. She is more interested in creating a space that is completely unique and exciting, rather than representing the world precisely as it appears. To her, this type of imagery provokes a deeper emotional response. Madeleine’s enthusiasm for color, and the joy she feels when painting is clearly visible in her finished work, passing on that delight to the viewer. “To me, this is what it is all about,” she says.
Madeleine has branched out in textile design. Her paintings are often inspired by fabrics and patterns, she then takes portions of her paintings and creates textiles completing the circle.
Madeleine has a fine art and art history degrees from the University of California at Santa Cruz. She has exhibited in numerous galleries across the country and has work in both private and corporate collections in the US and abroad.
Susan Schulte
Colorado Colors (oil)
Inspired and influenced by her youth in New Mexico and her travels throughout Italy, Susan’s whimsical and insightful eye creates thoughtful, compelling images. Utilizing a palette rich in color and a loose, impressionistic style she evokes special moments and memories filled with light and magic. Susan resides in Denver, Colorado and continues to refine her art as her eye and heart direct her.
Rick Sigler
Muke (watercolor)
Rick Sigler is an art teacher at St. Annes, he joined the staff in 1987. He had a BFA in visual arts and loves teaching at St. Anne’s because he have the opportunity of working with students through a six-year period where they grow up together as people and artists. There is much to learn and experience, and Rick and his students really get to know each other as humans. The culture at St. Annes is nurturing for children, and there is real connection between adults and children. Rick teaches because he loves making art, and loves kids, so making art with kids is the perfect place for him to be.
Melinda Smith Haymons
Back to Nature (oil)
Energetic and passionate about her love for expression on canvas of the outdoors, Melinda Smith Haymons is inspired by color and the simple but complex act of transposing paint onto the palette and onto the canvas. She paints en plein air and is inspired by color and is fascinated with design. Whether Haymons is capturing a cloudscape in Wyoming, a seascape in Mexico, figures in the Italian sunlight or the endless possibilities of subjects that might grab her on any given day while working in the field, Haymons continues to be transfixed by light and shadow while mixing paint on her palette.
Daniel Sugar
Bubalus Arnee (Ink and Colored Pencil)
Daniel is a passionate artist and landscape designer at Dig Studio in Denver. He believes in the power of design as a vehicle for social change and is inspired by different cultures, language, and all kinds of artistic expression. Specifically, he’s focused on creating mindful urban transformation through the intersection of art and landscape design.
Kim Sullivan
Cosmic Bluebird Sky (Acrylic on Wood Panel)
Kimberlee Sullivan’s abstract paintings are inspired by phenomena found and exposed within the natural world. This influence has remained an endless wellspring throughout Sullivan’s painting career. It is the entry point from where Sullivan begins her imaginative exploration of underlying patterns, structures, and perplexities found in nature. In her earlier works, Sullivan chose to depict such occurrences like cellular patterns of plant life or cast shadows of trees in a more realistic manner. Now, Sullivan chooses to convey such environmental wonders organically through abstraction.
Marla Sullivan
The Giving Tree (acrylic)
Marla’s paintings are hybrids, combining aspects of still life, abstract and landscape painting. She believes in the totality of painting and sees the emotional connection of the painting to the viewer as the critical element. Her ideas come from some actual experience or some place in her life. Those places are the main sources of the memory material she works with.
Tina Suszynski
Stemburst (sculpture)
Tina Suszynski was born in Philadelphia and raised on a barrier island in southern New Jersey. Her youth was full of exploration, sisters, sports and art; she developed a love for drawing as soon as she was given access to pencil and paper. Early on, Suszynski became a student of a local artist and art educator. This relationship lasted through elementary and high school and it allowed her to experiment with media not available in the typical public school art class.
Suszynski has spent a lot of time honing her technique by attending the highest quality workshops and classes whenever possible. She has taken figure drawing at the Art Institute of Chicago, figure sculpture (and many other classes) at the Evanston Art Center, and workshops given by Robin Hopper, Eric Jensen, Jun Kuneko, Paul Soldner, and Lana Wilson. She recently spent two weeks at the Anderson Ranch Art Center in the ceramics department (with Stan Welsh and Benjamin Lira as her instructors) and one week in the sculpture department (Rick Parsons).
Dawn Thompson
Birds of the High Line (watercolor)
Dawn Thompson is a long-time art educator and lover of the great outdoors. She is honored to have been asked to help with painting the High Line Birds for this year’s table decor.
Mary Thompson
In My Barn (acrylic on wood)
Mary Thompson is a lifelong artist who resides in Pinedale, WY.
Vienna Vitek
A Little Life (Acrylic and Hand Picked Pressed Flowers)
Vienna Vitek is a Denver native, multidisciplinary artist and photographer who grew up exploring the High Line Canal. Her art education includes The Art Institute of Chicago, University of Michigan School of Art and Design and University of Denver. Vienna’s mixed media work explores the connection between energy, nature and the human spirit. The layered paint in this piece and others creates depth and movement while evoking otherworldly visuals and feelings.
Cora Sexton Wheeler
Scotch Thistle (acrylic)
Cora Sexton Wheeler, a Colorado artist, lives with her husband and three young children in Denver. She is heavily influenced by her heritage and upbringing in both the city and on a ranch in Durango, Colorado. Her paintings tell a story that reflects American history, especially in the West. Her work continues to grow and change in both the size and subject matter, always with a western nod and appreciation for her native Colorado upbringing.
Anita Winter
Afternoon Exploration (watercolor)
Anita Winter has been interested in art since childhood. She was the student who embellished every paper. Growing up in Michigan and Mexico City enabled her to experience diverse cultures and environments. Consequently, she enjoys painting both landscapes and cityscapes. She is a long time resident of Colorado and avid hiker and backpacker.
Kate Woestemeyer
Black Capped Chickadee
Kate grew up in Houston, Texas, but Denver has been her home since 2009. She started painting in 2012 when she attended the Marchutz School of Art in Aix-en-Provence, France. After graduating from The University of Denver with degrees in Art History and Finance, Kate worked at the University’s Art Collection and then decided to pursue a painting career. She is now in her third year of painting studies, which have been primarily under Quang Ho and Kevin Weckbach, and I recently went to study in Italy at the Florence Academy of Art. Kate paints mostly scenes and subjects from her travels in the Western United States where she enjoys fly fishing, horseback riding, and the occasional bird hunt with herdogs.
Kate Woestemeyer
Marjorie Perry Preserve After a Rain Storm (oil)
Kate grew up in Houston, Texas, but Denver has been her home since 2009. She started painting in 2012 when she attended the Marchutz School of Art in Aix-en-Provence, France. After graduating from The University of Denver with degrees in Art History and Finance, Kate worked at the University’s Art Collection and then decided to pursue a painting career. She is now in her third year of painting studies, which have been primarily under Quang Ho and Kevin Weckbach, and I recently went to study in Italy at the Florence Academy of Art. Kate paints mostly scenes and subjects from her travels in the Western United States where she enjoys fly fishing, horseback riding, and the occasional bird hunt with herdogs.
Women of Steele
2023 Collaboration – TBD ON TITLE (mixed media; photography, sculpture, oil metal)
Photographer, printmaker, artist. Connie Dines was drawn to the craft of photography as a way to express the way things seemed in life and then fell in love with making prints. The world of paper was fun, but when Connie was initiated into the world of alternative printmaking she knew she had found her passion. Read more about Connie Dines.
Amy Mower has been making jewelry for the past 10 years utilizing many different techniques to produce unusual styles. Read more about Amy Mower.
Tina Suszynski has spent a lot of time honing her technique by attending the highest quality workshops and classes whenever possible. She has taken figure drawing at the Art Institute of Chicago, figure sculpture (and many other classes) at the Evanston Art Center, and workshops given by Robin Hopper, Eric Jensen, Jun Kuneko, Paul Soldner, and Lana Wilson. Read more about Tina Suszynski.
