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[click "Play" to listen to Lauren Metzger on the Ah Haa auction]

Auction_poster On Friday, July 24, starting at 5 pm, Telluride's Ah Haa School for the Arts holds its 17th annual art auction. The fun-raiser is one of the biggest and best parties of the summer season. The theme, "Celebrate Art: Be the Artist You Want To Be," reminds us what the school is all about. "Ah Haa" is an interjection of success – but success can be defined in any number of ways.

Success to Alpine Bank, the title sponsor of the auction, is not just measured in terms of assets on hand. The institution, unique among banks, is all about sustainable growth and supporting non-profits such as Ah Haa that make a difference in the greater community. Success might be a sibling catching his brother or sister in a lie: "Ah Haa! gotcha." Success may be getting the punch line of a joke: "Ah Haa! I get it." Success may be seeing someone or something in an altogether different light.

24 July, 2009 /

Auction_poster Telluride's Ah Haa School for the Arts is community arts center and, from time to time, a place of celebrity. In years past, General Norman Schwarzkopf has shown up for the event, even contributed military paraphernalia and art work. Rumor has it the emcee of this year's event, tonight, July 24, 5 p.m., 300 South Townsend, is none other than Pop artist Andy Warhol, at one time the Michael Jackson of the art world. In the 1960s, it was Warhol who was running the company store when the art world began shedding its idealist trappings and started morphing into the Great American Art Industry. Overnight, Campbell's soup cans and Brillo became icons. Warhol is expected to be accompanied by an entourage.

Also on hand at this year's Ah Haa auction is actress and part-time local Susan Saint James, who created three major works of art in collaboration with painter/teacher Robert Weatherford. Joining her on the runway for the live auction, starting at 7 p.m., are the following artists/donors:

24 July, 2009 /
[click "Play" to hear Susan's interview with Sally Simpson]

IMG_1104_3 For Telluride local and board member, Ah Haa School for the Arts, Sally Simpson, it was simply a matter of connecting the dots.

Born and raised in Lake Oswego, Oregon, Sally Simpson holds a BA in secondary art education and a masters degree in education from the University of Oregon. She taught art at the middle and high school level in the Oregon public school system for 12 years.

23 July, 2009 /

Summerhours_smallposter The movies at the Nugget Theatre in beautiful downtown Telluride for the week of July 24-30 are "UP", the Disney/Pixar animation, and "The Hangover".

"Summer Hours" will play next Thursday as the second movie. Set in a French country house, directed by  Olivier Assayas, "Summer Hours" is the story of three adult siblings wrestling with the disposition of their recently deceased mother's high end art works and furnishings. Reviewers have raved about this film, calling it a real jewel.

Reviews and trailers can be found on the Nugget website. See movie times below.

23 July, 2009 /
[click "Play" to hear Susan's conversation with Evan Tueller]

Evan_tueller The work of recent Telluride High School graduate (Class of 2009) Evan Tueller reminds us that a bond with the natural world is often an essential aspect of great art, particularly landscapes.

Evan is the youngest of 16 established artists whose work is featured in the live auction at Telluride's Ah Haa School for the Arts' 17th annual fundraiser. The event takes place Friday, July 24, the old Depot, 300 South Townsend, starting at 5 p.m.

22 July, 2009 /
[click "Play" to hear Steve Stagner on Americana Music]

In Telluride, Grammy winner Tim O'Brien is the poster child for a hodgepodge of country, folk, bluegrass, blues, rock, and swing simply described as Americana music. The rootsy genre tends to have a comfortable back porch feel – but with a modern twist. Something like a Pendleton blanket fashioned into a jacket by Ralph Lauren only better.

Portrait_EricBibb
Eric Bibb

At the Sheridan Opera House this weekend, starting July 23, Austin native Steve Stagner adds other names to the list of singer-songwriters and multi-instrumentalists who take old music and serve it up as something familiar yet fresh, be it a honky tonk shuffle from the 1950s or an original bluegrass-inflected tune. The line-up for the 3rd annual Telluride Americana Music Weekend includes North Carolina native Shannon Whitworth, two of Austin's best songwriters, Kevin Welch and Walt Wilkins, troubadour Slaid Cleaves, Tift Merritt, Nashville writer Irene Kelley and acoustic blues musician Eric Bibb.

Steve Stagner is a part-time Telluride local. In Austin, he and his wife, both music buffs, built a small amphitheater in their backyard (seating for 125 give or take) for house concerts featuring friends who happen to be acoustic musicians. Several years ago, the couple started bringing some of their talented friends to Telluride to play the Sheridan Opera House. Stagner is passionate about Americana music, which he defines as "Story-driven acoustic music." KOTO musical director Suzanne Cheavens sums up in her blog:

22 July, 2009 /

Lana_photo Say the words "quick draw" in a Western town like Telluride and images of smoking guns pop into mind.

Quick Draw has a whole other meaning, however, in the context of the Sheridan Arts Foundation's annual Telluride Plein Air event, an art show that has become an integral part of Telluride's Fourth of July celebration.

The Quick Draw is a 90-minute, on-site painting demonstration and competition held on Main Street, this year on July 2, 10:30 – noon. The contest is open only to the 30 top plein air artists in town for a week to paint Telluride's urbanscapes and landscapes. The Ah Haa School for the Arts supplies  the judges. This year,
Lana Rak took home the blue ribbon for her image, "Bon Appetit."

20 July, 2009 /

Mannyshow208 Telluride Film Festival, September 4-7, 2009, presented by National Film Preserve LTD., and The Library of America, are pleased to announce a special program in honor of artist and film critic Manny Farber.  "The Celebration of Manny Farber," will be presented at this year's 36th annual celebration of the art of filmmaking.

The three-part program includes an intimate bookstore signing of The Library of America's September 2009 release "Farber On Film: The Complete Film Writings of Manny Farber," with editor Robert Polito and Farber's wife and collaborator, Patricia Patterson. An interactive panel discussion on Farber's life and contribution to film criticism is planned between the audience and special panel guests Jean-Pierre Gorin, Kent Jones, Greil Marcus, Patricia Patterson, Robert Polito, David Thomson and Robert Walsh. There is also to be a screening of one of Farber's favorite films with special guests in attendance, all of which will be announced with the rest of the program on Opening Day, September 4, 2009.

20 July, 2009 /

[click "Play" to hear Eileen's conversation with Emma Hill Telluride's Sheridan Opera House will host rising folk star Emma Hill and her Gentleman Callers tonight, Saturday July 18th at at 7pm.  Hill was born in a small Alaskan village with virtually no cultural influences. For...

18 July, 2009 /

Meredith Nemirov is among the more than 100 artists featured in the silent auction at Telluride's Ah Haa School for the Arts' 17th annual fundraiser, Friday, July 24, 5 p.m., 300 South Townsend. Meredith Nemirov has inspired Ah Haa students for years, teaching them...

18 July, 2009 /