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Personalities

[click "Play", Susan has a chat with R.J. Rubadeau]

 

3 D Gatsby Cover small file BFRI Cover final March 10 6 X 9 On December 7, Telluride's Wilkinson Public Library hosted a reading of local author Bob Rubadeau's latest mystery: Gatsby's Last Resort: A Telluride Murder Mystery, released on December 1. Over the past week, the book has captured headlines and attention, with our town's avid readers trying to guess who the local prototypes for the colorful characters really are.

Rubadeau’s award winning non-fiction book about his life as a world-class ocean racer and sailor was released on November 1 to raves. And in most places outside Telluride, Bound for Rocque Island: Sailing Maine and the World, is matching his novel's sales book for book.

17 December, 2010 /
[click "Play" to listen to Seth Wescott's conversation with Susan]

 

 

Seth Wescott There's gold in Telluride's Victorian past. And a very special group of prospectors returns this week with plans to dig deep for more, hoping to get lucky. One of the men is two-time Olympic gold medalist, 34-year-old Seth Wescott of Carrabassett Valley, Maine, arguably the most influential man in the sport of snowboardcross.

Watch for Wescott and his team, December 16 – December 18, when the Telluride region hosts the VISA US Snowboardcross Cup for the second year in a row. Teams from around the world were drawn back to the region by the world-class snowboardcross venue created by Olympic builder Jeff Ihaksi, the cold winter weather offset by warmth of the towns of Telluride and Mountain Village.

Last year, was up and down for Wescott. Part of the down was Telluride, where the snowboardcross superstar experienced multiple crashes. But Wescott came back in the X Games, winning second place. He topped that performance big time in Vancouver, successfully defending the gold he won in Torino, Italy, in 2006, when Wecott became the first Olympic champion ever in his event.

14 December, 2010 /

The world claimed him, but Telluride loved him.

Tonight we learned of the death of Ambassador Richard Holbrooke. Telluride, his nation, and the world have lost a friend and champion. The loss of Richard Holbrooke will be felt on the world stage, but in this small town, it is very personal. The Holbrooke family has had a Telluride connection for over 20 years. Richard's sons David and Anthony are members of the community in their own right: David as a filmmaker and current Festival Director of Mountainfilm in Telluride, and Anthony as an artist who shows his work in the Telluride Gallery of Fine Art and the Ah Haa School for the Arts.

Richard Holbrooke gave generously of himself, not only as a public servant with decades of service, but in Telluride as a friend and counselor.  David Holbrooke's position with Mountainfilm in Telluride has meant that Ambassador Holbrooke from time to time led Mountainfilm roundtable discussions on issues of global importance.

13 December, 2010 /
[click "Play" to hear Paul DiStefano's conversation with Susan

 

 

kicker: Ames Conservatory's big production takes place this weekend, 12/10 – 12/12

Polar Homeboy Paul DiStefano is a Telluride success story:  He grew up in Telluride, became a street magician and is now poised to become a dancer on the world stage.

In September 2009, Paul showed up at the Telluride Dance Academy, now the Ames Conservatory. His idea was take classes with former prima ballerina and artistic director Valerie Madonia. Within six months of intense study, pedal to the metal (or toes to the boards), Madonia felt confident enough in Paul's emerging talent to recommend him for an audition at the Joffrey School of New York, where Valerie regularly taught.

10 December, 2010 /

 In his ongoing series about breeds of dogs, Ted Hoff of Cottonwood Ranch and Kennel has omitted one major breed. Until now. Watch the video as Ted talks about the Black Lab, in this case illustrated by his...

10 December, 2010 /

[click "Play" to hear R.J. Rubadeau's conversation with Susan]

 

Gatsby_CVRdj_front_300 Telluride local Bob Rubadeau is familiar with launches. He is, after all, a major league ocean sailor, a Cape Horn veteran. But Rubadeau is also an author of both fiction and non-fiction works of contemporary literature. This time we are talking books – or book – not boats.

On Tuesday, December 7,  6 p.m., in the Program Room of the five-star Wilkinson Public Library, Bob finally shows his hand, revealing the final chapters in his protagonist Wit Thorpe's trials to find the real killer in his latest novel: Gatsby's Last Resort: A Telluride Murder Mystery. Seems Wit, a Telluride native and the local Peeping Tom for hire, has been charged with 1st degree murder of a quick succession of victims, all linked as major shareholders in an attempt to acquire the Valley Floor. And despite what the local Sheriff may think – he describes Wit as "our own Ted Bundy" –  Wit admits that he "probably didn't do it."

Rubadeau's readers across the country have tracked Wit closely over a nine-month publishing odyssey in part on Telluride Inside... and Out, a key partner in the author's premier Community Publishing 101 project. Other partners include the Wilkinson Library, Between the Covers Bookstore, The Telluride Writers Guild, and Beacon Hill Publishers. The latest addition to this stellar lineup is artist Roger Mason, who donated the cover art.

06 December, 2010 /

by Tracy Shaffer

Riva Opening
Tracy, Riva, "Heaven & Earth"

Cool morning, bright day. I sit down for tea with artist, Riva Sweetrocket, in her gorgeous Ballpark Neighborhood loft. She meets me at the door and takes me into her studio, a clean and spare space which reflects the clarity of her thought and vision. A 44 x 38 inch paper is affixed to a Plexiglas wall; the striking image of a crimson cushion with an oversized, gold satin bow hovering above it is in progress. There is nothing else in the room but light, a small cart holding art supplies and a larger blank sheet of paper on another wall, awaiting inspiration.

The precision of Sweetrocket’s work is extraordinary. Many times I’ve stood before her works at Denver’s Plus+ Gallery, mesmerized and wondering “How does she do that?”  It was my privilege to find out. We spoke of images, what strikes the eye and how these fascinations reach the gallery wall. “I keep a file of photographs, things I see and the colors and textures I find appealing. Most of the time I photograph them myself, but others come from memory. When I get an idea about what I want to put together, it all comes alive in Photoshop” says she. I get a sense that there is a lot of silence and rumination in this woman’s daily life, and a fair amount of chalk dust. Riva’s works are created in soft pastel on paper and have a luxuriant quality that is radiantly defiant of the medium. “Once I’m happy with the image, I begin the work on paper and that is when it starts to really come alive” she continues. 

06 December, 2010 /
[click "Play" to hear vintage Roger Mason on painting and book covers]

 

Gatsby_CVRdj_front_300 If you live in the R-1 school district, you know the name "Rubadeau." But I am not talking about her. I am talking about him. After a nine month publishing odyssey tracked closely by Telluride Inside... and Out, author Bob Rubadeau just completed his latest mystery, Gatsby’s Last Resort: A Telluride Murder Mystery. And the author picked the work of another Telluride celebrity, Roger Mason, for the cover art.

On Tuesday, December 7, 6 p.m. in the Program Room of the Wilkinson Public Library the final chapters in Wit Thorpe’s trials to find the real killer will be unveiled - along with Mason's deliciously dark image.

04 December, 2010 /

 In this week's episode, Ted Hoff, Cottonwood Ranch and Kennel, talks about the Rhodesian Ridgeback, a breed used for hunting lions in Africa. Ted is working with Canyon, a young Ridgeback. He makes a point of the importance...

26 November, 2010 /