RADAR / SCENE
#INSTACRUSH
@awk_clayworks
WHO: Alyssa Westenbroek-Koster, a Boulderbased potter who handmakes platters, serving boards, vases and other clay creations through her ceramics business, AWK Clayworks. WHAT: Instagram followers get a peek at daily life in Westenbroek-Koster’s barn studio. In-progress shots reveal the artist’s materials and process, while images of finished work highlight her minimal, contemporary aesthetic.
IN HER WORDS: “I want my feed to be as authentic as possible: The studio might be dusty, a piece might not have survived the firing process or my dog might be distracting me. I want my followers to have an idea of who I am as an artist. After all, in a sense, I am my work.”
CHECK IN
HOTEL INDIGO DENVER Downtown Denver’s newest boutique hotel is on a mission to help guests have a perfect day in the Mile High City. Completed in February, Hotel Indigo Denver secured an ideal location just steps from Union Station and an easy walk to sites like Coors Field and Larimer Square. The LEED-certified hotel—designed by Atlanta- and Shanghai-based John Portman & Associates—is punctuated by glass walls, perforated-metal screens and a rotunda-like lobby with wood-paneled walls. Inside, 180 guest rooms mix industrial and rustic materials with elements like polished-concrete ceilings and sliding barn-style doors. Visitors may be tempted to stay on grounds thanks to an on-site restaurant, a fitness center and pet-friendly amenities, but Hotel Indigo encourages exploration: A staff of local experts is on hand to tailor itineraries to any interest. indigodenver.com
THE INSIDER ROSS BEARD
When Clay Adams built a wooden dining table for his wife, he didn’t intend to start a business. But requests for commissions began pouring in, and he soon founded Rustic Trades, a handmade furniture company based in Atlanta. In 2015, the small brand expanded west when woodworker Ross Beard, Adams’ brother-in-law, moved to Denver to open a showroom there. Inspired by master craftsman Sam Maloof, Beard uses new and reclaimed materials to produce custom furnishings, from dining tables and desks to sliding barn doors. “It’s remarkable how much enthusiasm there is for design in Colorado,” Beard says. “There is so much appreciation for handmade items, a commitment to local sourcing and a vibrant, growing community of designers and artists who support, encourage and share with one another.” Here, he introduces us to a few of his favorites. rustictradesfurniture.com Go-to tabletop accessories: Sterling & Steel’s high-quality flatware, hand-forged in Salida, has a beautiful modern appeal. I also enjoy the simplicity of Mcbeard Ceramics’ tableware, made in Colorado Springs. And for under the table, I love the highend rugs from Artisan Rug Gallery, which has shops in Crested Butte and Denver; they complement our designs perfectly. For distinctive furnishings: Designwright Studios’ new showroom in the River North Art District is an incredible resource for furnishings. On South Broadway, Reclaimed DesignWorks offers unique reclaimed wood for custom furnishings and flooring and can often trace the lumber back to its source. And I could spend hours at Eron Johnson Antiques on South Lipan Street, which has an extensive collection that includes architectural salvage, paintings and 18th-century furniture. Ones to watch: Jewelry designer Colby June Fulton, the fine art cinematographers behind Basecamp Visual and the Denver Chair Lady, Ashlee Lampshire, who does beautiful custom upholstery. Interior designer Erika Dowe Fitzgerald of Dowe-Studio is doing some really exciting things, and I also love the work of Denver-based Megan Kane Interiors.
134 / luxesource.com
WRITTEN AND PRODUCED BY CHRISTINE DEORIO
instacrush photos: courtesy awk clayworks. the insider photo: kate doerksen. check in photo: chad chisholm.
WHY: Westenbroek-Koster’s work might challenge your preconceived notions about pottery. She decorates graceful forms using a Korean technique called mishima, in which black lines and patterns are inlayed into the clay, rather than drawn on it.