Events

Terry Tempest Williams heads list of activists, artists and adventurers 
 
 The annual Mountainfilm in Telluride festival is always about much more than just powerful films. What really sets the event apart is the depth and breadth of its line-up of special guest presenters. The 33rd annual event, May 27 – 30, 2011, is no exception to the rule. Festival Director David Holbrooke feels that once again, the quality of the guests, plus the rare opportunity for audiences to engage and interact, will make the long weekend especially exciting and unique.
 
“Our theme this year is awareness into action,” Holbrooke said. “So we were particularly looking for special guests who can both motivate our audiences – engage and energize them – but also give them practical, hands-on help in actually becoming involved in critical issues. We want people to have much better tools for making a difference when they leave this year’s festival.”
 
Holbrooke is looking forward to welcoming Terry Tempest Williams back to Telluride.

 

[click "Play", Amanda and Katy talk to Susan about the Fashion Show]

 

 

Runway, 2010 TAB The Telluride Student Fashion Show, co-directed by Charlotte Delpit and Devin McCarthy, was a tour de force of directing and choreography, setting the bar pretty darn high for TAB's sold-out gala fashion show on Saturday, March 5. (Get on the waiting list and live in hope.)

Just how high? According to Telluride AIDS Benefit board member Sandy McLaughlin: "We just got our latest totals: we raised $8020 so far from show last night! Highest amount ever!"

Bravo ladies.

Now on to the Main Event.

[click "Play" for Susan's interview with Amy Goodman]

 

 

 

(ed. note: In the podcast Susan closes with "See you on Saturday." The event is Sunday morning)

kicker: Special "Breakfast with Amy" at the Sheridan Chop House before talk

Amy Goodman The idea behind Amy Goodman's whirlwind tour of Colorado is to help community radio stations such as Telluride's KOTOfm raise critical funds and public awareness as Congress flaps its jaw about whether to completely to pull the rug out from under public media and defund NPR, PBS – and by extension, KOTO.

Sunday, March 6, 10 a.m., KOTO community radio hosts Amy, the award-winning host of the daily internationally broadcast radio and TV program, "Democracy Now!", syndicated columnist and author. She is here to talk about threats to public media. Join her to stand up to the madness.

Prior to her talk at The Palm, the historic Sheridan Opera House, in conjunction with KOTO, offers a special "Breakfast with Amy," 8:30 – 10 a.m. That opportunity includes a meet and greet, breakfast buffet, copy of Amy's latest book, Breaking the Sound Barrier, and reserved seating at The Palm.

[click "Play" to hear Judy Kohin talk about trash to fashion]

 

 

Foam paper dress Note: Fashion Friday is Two Skirts' regular column about fashion trends and hot designers. But this week Kristin Holbrook generously turned over her real estate to the Telluride AIDS Benefit. Next week, look for our tribute to Two Skirts, celebrating its 10th anniversary.

For six year running, Beau Staley of Telluride's Dolce Jewels and Katey Brunini, a world-famous designer in his stable, have donated a line of Katey's bling to accessorize the clothes worn by the models on the catwalk of the Telluride AIDS Benefit Fashion Show. Not for nothing: the bold, beautiful line of silver warrior cuffs, shin guards, gold compass pendant, and Italian Renaissance sundial rings is all about  aggression and strength, attributes that underly TAB: The Telluride AIDS Benefit takes an aggressive stance towards the virus through prevention education, aided and abetted by its five beneficiaries, which also offer strong shoulders to people living with HIV/AIDS.

The Telluride AIDS Benefit in general and the fashion show in particular came into being as a tribute to the life of one man, Robert Presley, an outrageous, in-your-face, fearless, funny, fabulous fabric artist, who died in 1997 of AIDS. The man lacked the gene for moderation.

MD painting with signatures Telluride local Baerbel Hacke knows only one way to go and that's BIG.

It is Baerbel's big personality that brings second homeowners to the Telluride Gallery of Fine Art, where she is director, to find out what's happening in town. Baerbel sings big with her all-woman rock group, The 525s. When she turned 60 last month, she threw herself one big party, packing the historic Sheridan Opera House with family and friends, some of whom came all the way from Baerbel's native Germany to celebrate.

On Friday, March 4, Baerbel returns to the Opera House to host the silent art auction she puts together annually for the Telluride AIDS Benefit. The idea is to raise lots of money so that TAB can continue to support five other non-profits from Colorado to Africa, all of whom work on prevention educations and helping individuals and families living with HIV/AIDS. The event starts at noon. The bidding ends at 9 p.m. (And while you are at the Opera House, don't miss the work in the downstairs gallery. It is produced by families and kids affiliated with the Children's Immunodeficiency Program or CHIP, based at the Denver Children's Hospital. CHIP is one of TAB's beneficiaries.)

Hockney art prints 1
Hockney prints at TGFA

Telluride's First Thursday Art Walk is a monthly meet-and-greet, an invitation to locals and guests to find out more about Telluride's vibrant cultural scene. Art venues on or near Main Street (Colorado Avenue), as well as retail outlets stay open on that special night late until 8 p.m. Participating restaurants, including The Cosmopolitan, La Cocina de Luz, La Marmotte, The Llama, The New Sheridan Chop House and Pescado, offer Art Walk specials.

Thursday, March 3, is the last Art Walk of the winter season. We suggest the following line of march:

 

[click "Play" to hear Charlie Hunter talk about his music with Susan]

 

 

CharlieHunterPressPhoto2010 Any time guitar phenom Charlie Hunter shows up in Telluride, the producers have to shoehorn his fans into the room.

The Telluride Jazz Celebration welcomes Charlie Hunter back to town for two encore concerts, Friday, March 4 and Saturday, March 5, at The Llama, where he performs with his trio: Eric Kalb (Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings and John Scofield) on drums and John Ellis on sax, bass clarinet, and Wurlitzer. The concert will be streamed live, part of the Telluride Jazz Celebration's Live from the Llama webcasts to give music lovers from around the world a chance to enjoy concerts emanating from one of Telluride’s premier live music venues.

Reddrumandtambourine Sponsored by the Telluride Council for the Arts and Humanities, the last First Thursday Art Walk of the winter season 2011 happens this Thursday, March 3. At the Ah Haa School for the Arts, 300 South Townsend, the spotlight is on Telluride local, painter Ron Patterson and his show, "Black & White in Colors."

Anyone who looks at a Patterson image is first struck by the riot of color on canvas. But color is not the point. Color is in the service of what is the point: relationships. Relationships with pets, with the natural world, with others. And because the relationships Ron depicts tend to be joyful, so are the colors: reds, purples, yellows and oranges dominate, lifting the more somber blues and restful greens.

Dream big Let's start with the something more. Anyone who knows him knows Stash Wislocki, the Telluride AIDS Benefit's executive director, operates on all four burners. When an idea catches his hair on fire, he pursues it until it happens. For years, there has been a disconnect – perceived or real – between what happens at TAB's fashion show extravaganza and the work of the five beneficiaries. Between the glam slam on the catwalk and life on the front lines dealing with individuals and families living with HIV/AIDS. Long-time model Molly Wickwire Sante had an idea that would help bridge that gap.

Similar to the mentorship model established by Telluride-based One to One San Miguel Mentoring Program, TAB's models would "adopt" kids, even families, who are part of the Children's Hospital Immunodeficiency Program (CHIP), a clinic with the Denver Hospital. If Stash has his way, this pilot program will grow into something bigger and more comprehensive.

[click "Play", Susan talks with Jesse James McTigue and Rick Fusting]

 

 

Christmas Card11 Last week's post on Telluride Inside... and Out described the fundraiser: the world-renowned Harlem Ambassadors take on a local team. The event, a slam dunk fun time, is scheduled to take place Wednesday, March 2, starting at 5:30 p.m., at the Telluride Middle School/High School.

This story is all about why we want to attend. It is all about the cause: One to One San Miguel Mentoring Program.