Inside Longmont The Magazine - September 2014 by Inside Longmont

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September 2014

Hanlie Wessels

September 2014

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Tim King

John Minkler

Meet four artists from the 2014 Longmont Studio Tour starting on Page 38 Bobbi Vischi insideLONGMONT.com

September 2014

insideLONGMONT THE MAGAZINE

insidelongmontthemagazine@gmail.com EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Brian T. Wolf WRITING & PHOTOGRAPHY Brian T. Wolf Mari Wolf

MARKETING & ADVERTISING Mari Wolf insidelongmont@gmail.com

COVER PHOTO: Apple Tree at Rogers Grove by Brian T. Wolf insideLONGMONT The Magazine is published monthly by Inside Longmont, LLC. Copyright 2014 by Inside Longmont, LLC. All rights reserved. The entire contents of insideLONGMONT The Magazine are copyrighted and may not be reproduced without the express written consent of the publisher. Inside Longmont, LLC is not responsible for unsolicited materials.

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Contents 10

Business Profile: 300 Suns Brewing

Non Profit Spotlight: Longmont Sister Cities

Local Personalities: Payton Peterson

Music: Flynn & Co.

Music: Longmont Live

Theatre: HOPSCOTCH! the Musical

Arts: 2014 Longmont Studio Tour

Sports: Boulder County Bombers

Happening In Longmont

Upcoming Events

iL Business Network

iL Non Profit Community

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September 2014

Business Profile

300 Suns

Brewing

The culture of craft beer has really taken off in recent years and breweries in Colorado espe-

cially have been exploding all over the place. Unlike many other communities, Longmont has been slow to see new microbreweries open up, but that has finally begun to change this year. In February 2014, four friends, Dan and Jean Ditslear, Mark Lusher, and Candice Newcomb took their dream of owning a brewery and turned it into a reality when they opened 300 Suns Brewing. One of the first unique things you will likely notice when you visit 300 Suns Brewing is the bright, open space of their taproom. “We wanted a place where people could bring their families and feel comfortable to hang out for the afternoon,” said co-owner, Jean Distlear. They also wanted people to be able to come inside for a drink but still experience the beautiful Colorado weather on one of our 300 days of sun. As they say on their website, “Nothing pairs better with a beautiful sunny day than a fun, relaxing place to hang out and enjoy a craft beer.” An interesting part of the craft beer experience comes from witnessing the transformation of a “non beer drinker” into someone who is interested in trying a variety of beer styles. They may be used to trying a particular style of beer and they don’t like that beer, but then they come 10

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in and try a brown or a stout or a Belgian that has characteristics that are so different from the standard beer they are used to. “You can often convert people into a beer drinker if they try something different,” Jean told us. “That’s kind of the fun part.” And with 18 different recipes ready for production and up to 12 beers always on tap, there is bound to be at least one style to satisfy every palate. In addition to the variety of tasty brews, you will often find live music from local artists on tap at 300 Suns Brewing as well. Local favorites like The Prairie Scholars, Denny Driscoll, Nick O’Connor, and Seth Phillips have all played in the taproom, and new artists are always being sought out to perform original music. “We’re fortunate that we have a lot of bands in Longmont,” co-owner Dan Ditslear said. One of the many great things about 300 Suns Brewing is that there are always plenty of reasons to drop in all throughout the week. They

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frequently host Paint & Sip events where people can learn how to paint while enjoying a delicious beer and snacks. Every Wednesday is Ladies Night, which actually offers discounts for women on their beers all day long. And they have a Pour It Forward program where you can buy a beer for a friend who isn’t with you and have a free beer waiting for them on their next visit. It’s possible that you may have a free beer waiting for you, so stop by the taproom soon and be sure to look for your name on the Pour It Forward board. As true fans of craft beer, the four owners have developed a great way to create opportunities for local homebrewers. At various times throughout the year, homebrewers will be able to compete in themed Collabeerations for the opportunity to brew their recipe on 300 Suns Brewing’s 7 barrel system and have their beer on tap for a limited time. Earlier this year, the summer-themed Collabeeration Competition saw 20 entries and first place was won by Sean

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McCauley with his Fat Ol’ Sun Belgian Pale Ale, which is currently still on tap!

all the details. Entries will be due October 3rd through 10th.

Now with summer quickly coming to an end, 300 Suns will soon be taking entries for their winter-themed Collabeeration Competition. Entries will be judged by members of the community on flavor, aroma, mouthfeel, and other criteria. You must be 21 to enter and other rules apply, so visit 300 Suns Brewing’s website for

While they are busy creating opportunities for small brewers, they are also seeking out opportunities to reach new audiences, too. “We are excited about getting into other restaurants and selling in local places around town,” Co-owner Candace Newcomb said. Recently, 300 Suns announced that they have their very first beer available outside of their own taproom. You can now find their Old Burlington Stout on tap at Shoes & Brews in Longmont. So the next time you are looking for a cold beer, a girls’ night out, or a place to enjoy some great local music, head over to 300 Suns Brewing. Be sure to check out their list of upcoming specials and events at www.300sunsbrewing.com.

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Co-owners Jean Ditslear, Dan Ditslear, Candace Newcomb, and Mark Lusher.

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Non Profit Spotlight

Longmont Sister Cities For 10 days this summer, Longmont hosted over a dozen student ambassadors visiting from

Chino, Japan and Ciudad Guzman, Mexico as part of the annual Student Exchange Program of the Longmont Sister Cities Association. This came after Longmontâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s two delegations returned from their own 10-day visits to Japan and to Mexico. Since 1989, Longmont has been the sister city of Chino with local government officials, students, and business representatives exchanging visits on a regular basis. In 1997, Ciudad Guzman became our second Sister City and Longmont has maintained this unique trilateral relationship ever since. Over the course of their stay in Longmont, student ambassadors and their chaperones from Japan and Mexico were welcomed into the homes of their host families and they all participated in a number of fun, daily activities that showcased the rich culture and beautiful scenery of Colorado to our guests. This included an afternoon of games in the park, a visit to the Denver Art Museum, a trip to Rocky Mountain National Park, and a special Thanksgiving in August celebration. From the beginning, the Longmont Sister Cities Association has participated in this annual Student Exchange Program, first with Chino and then with Ciudad Guzman. The goal of the program is to provide an opportunity for Longmont students and families to gain an understanding of the people from our sister cities and to learn more about their cultures through a family living experience. 14 September 2014 insideLONGMONT.com

Each year, up to 16 students from the St. Vrain School District are selected to participate in the Student Exchange Program, with half travelling to Japan and half to Mexico for a 10-day visit. The exchange also brings students from our sister cities here to Longmont for a similar 10-day stay.

go through the interview process. In the end, 2 chaperones will be chosen to travel with each delegation of student ambassadors.

Any student either living in or going to school in the St. Vrain School District and enrolled in grades 8-11 is eligible to apply for the Student Exchange Program. Students must submit a detailed application available on the Longmont Sister Cities website and then take part in a series of interviews conducted by a committee that will ultimately select those who will be invited to participate as ambassadors in the student exchange.

Once accepted into the program, ambassadors and chaperones will meet regularly from November through July to participate in fundraising activities, attend orientation training sessions, and promote the program within the community. Ambassadors and their parents are responsible for paying for their own airfare costs, so fundraising during this time is an important part of the process. Some financial aid can be available based on need. Following their trip to either Mexico or Japan, students are then expected to prepare a presentation for the Longmont City Council and to give at least three presentations within the community about his or her exchange experience.

In addition to the student ambassadors, adults also have the opportunity to participate in the exchange program. Like the students, the adults are required to submit an application and

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The approaching deadline for both ambassadors and chaperones to apply for the 2015 summer exchange is October 31.

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Students from all three delegations participating in celebrations at the Thanksgiving in August event.

As you can see, participating in the Student Exchange Program is a major commitment for the ambassadors and their families for nearly a year. And in return the rewards can be amazing. Exchange coordinators often see a tremendous growth in the children from when they first come into the program to when they finish. For some students, this truly is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Longmontâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s relationships with her sister cities go beyond just the annual Student Exchange Program. During the summer of 1994, Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko of Japan made a historic visit to Longmont. And in 2011 when Japan was devastated by the massive earthquake and tsunami, the Longmont Sister Cities Association raised over $7500 that was donated to Japan for relief efforts. Then last year, following our own disaster with the flood, our friends in Chino donated over $10K help relief efforts here. Longmont has also enjoyed multiple artist exchanges and cultural exchanges with both cities. Yes, after more than 25 years, Longmont has clearly developed strong ties with the people of our sister cities, Chino and Ciudad Guzman. You can learn more about the Longmont Sister Cities Association and their Student Exchange Program at www.longmontsistercities.com.

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Local Personalities

Payton Peterson

Age is just a number, it doesn’t have to be a limitation. No one is a more perfect example of this than

Payton Peterson. At only 19, he has already accomplished more than many adults twice his age, and it is clear to see that he is just getting started. So far Payton has established himself as a filmmaker and videographer, being one of only three people in all of Colorado with a steadicam and having worked on films and music videos across the country. He also offers tech consulting for churches and businesses, helping with internet and computer systems. He even runs a tech website called DorkTech.com that reaches thousands of people each day. And he is constantly looking for new opportunities to grow both as a filmmaker and an entrepreneur. Of course, getting to this point wasn’t easy. For a long time, his youth was an obstacle that Payton was forced to overcome. And yet he never let his age hold him back. He has made it a point to be willing to take risks, to do as much as he can to learn new things and to gain experience behind the camera, and to always be positive and easy to work with. And he does it all with the highest quality he can achieve. “I like to make things as perfect and professional as possible,” Payton told us. Payton’s passion for video started early when he found his dad’s old video camera and began making home videos. Then, when his brother began playing sports, Payton would take the video camera to his brother’s sporting events and film the action. Soon he realized that parents of the other kids would want copies of these games, so by 9 years old he was filming baseball and flag football games and selling DVDs of the games to the parents. This enabled him to start buying more equipment and expanding his operations. “One of the things I am most proud of this that most everything I have I bought with my own money,” Payton said. “My parents didn’t buy it for me.” Once he had three cameras and could film from multiple angles, he began filming weddings and by the age of 13 he was filming video for Boulder 18

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County. During this time, Payton’s church also had a big influence on his development. In the fourth grade, he started working on the tech team at Rocky Mountain Christian Church in Niwot. He ran cameras for them as their youngest camera operator and he learned how to rig lights with professional-level gear. Today he has been working with his church for a decade and is now the video director of their Frederick campus. When Payton was a Freshman in high school, one of his teachers, Mrs. Grandsaert, told him about the Google Fiber for Longmont Contest. At the time, Google was looking to put fiber optics in a town and the contest was to create a film that would showcase the city of Longmont to Google. Payton thought that sounded fun and entered the contest. The Longmont City Council voted on the finalists for the contest and Payton won. “I’m grateful to Mrs. Grandsaert because she changed a lot of my life,” Payton said. Following this success, he continued looking for other contests to enter. This experience also helped Payton make a number of connections with people on the city staff. Last year’s devastating flood also had a major impact on Payton’s life and career. On the first night of the flood he heard about the rising water in Boulder early on and when the flooding started to hit Longmont he wanted to go out and see what was happening for himself. So he took his cam-

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era and went to Sunset Bridge to film the rising water. While he was there, the water continued to rise to the point where he was nearly trapped. Payton managed to get to safety by crossing Sunset Bridge even though water was now coming over the bridge, and within another 30 minutes the bridge was washed out by the river. Once he was safe, Payton contacted a member of the city staff and offered to help answer phone calls in the emergency operations center to help inform people what was going on. He spent the rest of that first night answering phone calls and updating the city maps as roads were flooded all across town. Early the next morning, Payton heard that the city wanted to send a helicopter up in the air to survey the situation, making multiple trips with various city department heads on each trip. Again he offered to help, this time by taking his camera up in the helicopter on a single trip to film the scene for everyone to view. So that morning Payton was one of the first people to go up in the air and see the full extent of the damage. At the time he thought, “This is my town, how can this be happening? How can this possibly be real?” The footage was then rushed back to the emergency center where the city officials were able to watch together and make real-time decisions based on that video. Throughout the day, Payton continued going up in the helicopter to shoot more footage. Soon his videos were being shared on the internet and networks like ABC, NBC, CBS, and

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the Weather Channel were all wanting to air Payton’s footage on TV because of the exclusive coverage he was getting. People around the country and across the globe were seeing his footage, but most importantly his efforts helped the city government make direct decisions during some of the most critical moments of the flood. Another milestone for Payton was his instrumental role in bringing the film “Dear Eleanor” here to Longmont. This was a multi-million dollar film starring Jessica Alba and directed by Kevin Connolly that brought over $150K into our community. Through his own initiative, Payton photographed a number of locations around Longmont and helped convince the producers that this area would the perfect location for their film. He was subsequently made Location Manager for the film, responsible for everything from scouting locations and getting permits to coordinating parking for the crew and equipment, and even got to shoot some steadicam footage for the movie. And with the successful production of “Dear Eleanor” we can look forward to seeing more movies filmed in Longmont. Payton filming on location with Trenton Hoshiko, Owen Maldonado, Marlyssa Chhay, and Melinda Jordan.

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More recently he has been hired as the director for the upcoming 2014 Fireball Run and is helping to shape the coverage of this year’s race. There will be both a live stream element of the show as well as a film element to make a final video at the end. With 10 camera operators and filming for both elements going on at the same time, the planning for this 8-day race has been complicated. Payton has been involved in making a number of strategic changes to how the Fireball Run is presented to the audience as well as designing the different team missions and coordinating the show’s social media marketing. Even though the race will not be going through Longmont this year, Team Visit Longmont with Frank Oliver and Sean Owens will be racing again, so keep up with the action at www.fireballrun.com. We can’t wait to see Payton’s vision for this year’s race as well as the antics of Frank and Sean.

“If more people thought outside the box, there could be so much more potential in this world,” Payton told us. “Don’t be afraid to dream, don’t limit your imagination. If you work hard enough, you can make your dreams come true. Treat people well, make friends, dream, and be the best you can possibly be.”

We also look forward to seeing much more from Payton Peterson over the coming years and we hope that he continues to bring exciting new things to Longmont.

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September 2014

Music

Flynn & Co.

Longmont is quickly becoming a major source of great local music in Colorado and one of the

newest bands to emerge recently is Flynn & Co. With Sean Flynn on guitar and lead vocals, Melissa Joy on upright bass, and Brooks Steele on electric guitar, this trio describes their music as “acoustic/electric folk rooted in soul.” Performing a mix of original songs and covers, their musical inspirations range from country and bluegrass to soul, rock, and jazz. Musically, each member of the band brings a very different element to the group. Melissa is very folk oriented, Brooks used to play in metal bands, and Sean is the bridge that connects them all together. One might think that their styles would conflict, and yet somehow they manage to find the complementary sound that brings out the best in each of them. The key seems to be that there truly are no egos in this group. Instead they try to keep everything light and fun. “It’s fun, right?” Brooks said. “That’s why you play music.” During the past couple of years Sean played with several different musicians, but it wasn’t until March of this year that Flynn & Co. truly took shape. Scheduled to perform for a benefit in Cheyenne at the time, Sean was looking for a band to play with when he asked Melissa and Brooks to join him for the show. Sean knew Melissa from playing with different groups and Brooks happened to be Sean’s roommate, though they had never performed together. The first time all three rehearsed 22

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as a group was the afternoon before they drove up for the show. Right away they all felt like this was something special. Sean told us that they said, “Hey, why don’t we keep going with this?” And so they did. Following this first performance they continued to get more comfortable singing and playing together. Over time, each of them has begun to find a specific role within the band. “As you get to know somebody musically,” Melissa told us, “you can hear where you think they are going in a song. It’s still definitely evolving, but we’re getting there.” A drummer at heart, Sean is the rhythm guy that keeps everything going. For his part, Brooks finds the rich, nuanced tones with the electric guitar, creating much of the depth to their music. And Melissa fills in the rest by adding a solid bass line to each song. “It’s great to play with musicians who are in it to have fun and are okay with not being perfect all the time,” Brooks said. “It’s in those moments that we end up finding the coolest stuff that we are able to do together.” However, as adults there isn’t always a lot of time available for music. Things like day jobs, private lives, and other obligations take time. insideLONGMONT.com

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Sean works as a science teacher, Brooks is a chef, and Melissa is a nurse. And yet somehow they find a way to make it work. “We were lucky to find three people who play well together and enjoy it and are able to make a fair amount of time to pursue this,” Sean said. “It’s a pretty rare thing. We’re not in college anymore just hanging out. It takes a lot of dedication.” Part of that dedication centers around writing meaningful songs, but that has been a relatively recent development. Sean, the primary songwriter, only started writing original songs this summer. The process, which started out a catharsis as he was facing some difficult times in his personal life, became something truly powerful when he shared his songs with Brooks and Melissa. Each of them added a new musical layer to Sean’s story and, bit by bit, well-rounded songs began to emerge. Having that musical support and collaboration has been a significant change for Sean as a songwriter and he continues to write more new songs every day. With all of their new original songs adding up, Flynn & Co. are looking to book studio time in the fall to work on their first album. “There are so many people out there who are willing to help us and who have done great work with other people,” Sean told us. Their goal is to have a finished album out later next spring and then play as much as possible in venues throughout Colorado. If you haven’t had a chance to see this trio live, you are missing out on a rocking good time. They will take you on a musical journey through every emotion imaginable but at the end of your destination, you will feel uplifted and triumphant. Be sure to keep up with all of their upcoming performances by following them at www.facebook.com/flynncoband and also www.reverbnation.com/flynnco.

Sean, Melissa, and Brooks rehearsing in the living room before a late evening show.

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Music

Longmont

e v i L

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It was another great night of music and art as the second Longmont Live of the year was held in

conjunction with the Southend Downtown Block Party on September 6. This installment of Longmont Live featured over 3 hours of music with performances by Jackson Cloud, Flynn & Co., and Nick O’Connor. As always, all three acts closed out the show by taking to the stage to perform a final song together. As the headliner, Nick O’Connor chose the classic song “For What It’s Worth” by Buffalo Springfield. The Longmont Live series was developed as a way to bring up-and-coming musicians together with more established artists for a single night of live performances. The show consists of three musical acts, with each one taking the stage for a 45-minute set in front of a live audience. This is an wonderful opportunity for rising talents who are new to the music scene to gain more exposure and learn from working with more experienced musicians. And for the more established artists, it is a way for them to continue to showcase their music while also supporting musicians who are just starting out. Each Longmont Live event is free to attend, however audience members are encouraged to make contributions during the show, which then get split at the end of the night between the first and second acts. The final Longmont Live of 2014 will be November 8 at Kay Carol Gallery & Priscila Working Studio (364 Main Street). The three upcoming artists have not yet been announced, but we will keep you posted as the details develops. Look for updates for this event in our online Calendar of Events at www.insidelongmont.com. insideLONGMONT.com

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The first artist of the evening was blues guitarist Jackson Cloud, with his father Jeff on bass. Jackson started playing the guitar in 2nd grade and now, at age 13, performs with a skill well beyond his years. A student at Sunset middle school, he plays guitar in the jazz band and bass in the orchestra. He also currently takes voice lessons at Mojoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Music in Longmont. We see a bright future for young Jackson and look forward to watching him grow as an artist.

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The second performers of the evening to take the stage were Flynn & Co. This musical trio has only been performing together since March, but are quickly making a name for themselves as a great local band. Bandmates Sean Flynn, Brooks Steele, and Melissa Joy are featured musicians in this monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s issue, so get to know them better here and then look for your next opportunity to see them perform live in our online Calendar of Events.

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The final performer, and headliner for the event, was Longmont singer/songwriter Nick O’Connor. Nick entertained the crowd with a collection of original tunes ranging from songs he had written in high school to tracks off his latest CD, Fly Away. During his set, Nick was joined by Lorelei Suzanne on piano and violin. Jackson Cloud also briefly returned to the stage to perform with Nick. Nick O’Connor was our featured artist in the July issue. If you missed his story, we encourage you to go back and read more about this talented artist. You can also follow Nick O’Connor and listen to his music at www.nickoconnormusic.com.

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September 2014

Theatre

HOPSCOTCH! the musical Last month we introduced you to HOPSCOTCH! The Musical, a full-fledged musical being produced

right here in Longmont by local playwright and songwriter, Robbie Kudla. With an opening night slated for January 2015, we plan to use these next few months to offer a peek behind the scenes and show how it is all coming together. Along the way, we will introduce the actors, musicians, and “true life characters” who are all working together to tell this tale. This month, we will explore the music that is the driving force behind the story of HOPSCOTCH! The Musical. The storyline of HOPSCOTCH! The Musical was inspired by the lives of the people Robbie worked closely with during her career as a counselor and victim advocate for those affected by domestic violence. The show looks at emotions and feelings that develop during times of trauma as various characters are taken on journeys of self-discovery, redemption, acceptance, and faith. These journeys are not smooth and it is partially the music that helps them deal with the many bumps in the road. “There are some songs in there that also help us vent our anger. There’s a place for that,” Robbie said. “It’s the effect of fear and hurt. Music gives those feelings a safe place to be.” Music and songwriting have played a role in Robbie’s life from a very early age. When she was in her teens, her mother hired a neighbor to teach Robbie piano lessons and it was her piano teacher’s brother who introduced Robbie to songwriting. In fact, HOPSCOTCH! includes one of the first songs she ever wrote. 34

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“It’s my theme song in the show. It’s a song called Breaking Away that I wrote when I was sixteen years old with Gary Witt. I have been singing that song my whole life. It’s been my children’s lullaby, the song they grew up with. And now my daughter sings it in the show.” Over the years, Robbie continued to capture moments and feelings in her life through songwriting, collecting boxes and boxes of original songs along the way. As HOPSCOTCH! began to emerge, these boxes began to play a significant role. “It’s as if everything I had done over thirty years was meant to come to me at this moment. These songs were a summary of my life and they fit into the story, probably because the story of the show is a summary of my career and the people in it. There is a parallel.” Even though the songs fit the story perfectly, Robbie knew that there was still something missing. “With this music I had always thought, arrogantly, that I was a pretty good songwriter,” she admits. “But there is this piece of me that says I need to make it better.” Robbie knew that she needed additional help, and that is exactly what she found. First, Cecil Lewis, an accomplished instrumentalist and conductor who performed at four presidential inaugural celebrations and is now an adjunct professor of band studies at Arapahoe Community College, joined the production to help form an orchestra and become its conductor. Then, Ryan Sequin auditioned for the role of Aaron, but it soon came out that he also had a background of arranging music. It wasn’t just ability that made him a perfect fit, it was also what was in his heart for wanting to be a part of this production. Ryan not only won the role of Aaron in the musical, he is also now the show’s Musical Arranger.

the real healing comes from sharing. As she continued to write the show, Robbie’s energy and focus has turned more towards this concept of sharing. “Now, when I give a song to a singer, I say to them, ‘Don’t sing it like I do. This is not my song anymore, this is yours. I’ve given you this part. It’s about you; a marriage between what I wrote and what you bring.’” With more and more pieces falling into place for the production, Robbie sees sharing her songs and story as a gift. “When you are creative, you really want people to share in what is emotionally important to you as a person - a connectedness,” she said. “It’s about wanting to leave a gift behind. To leave something better than what you found. This is to help people heal and let them know they are not alone.” Like the music itself, this concept of leaving something better than how you found it is at the core of HOPSCOTCH! The Musical. Over the coming months, we will bring you more stories about HOPSCOTCH! The Musical leading up to their big debut in January. You can find our more information, including cast and crew, on their website www.hopscotchthemusical.com.

However, the process of turning her musical creations over to others is something that Robbie has had to grow into as an artist. These songs were created out of sheer emotion and catalog personal moments that she has lived through herself, making Robbie very protective of her music. In fact, she has even turned down multiple offers to sell her songs. Now she has discovered that instead of holding on tightly to the songs she has written, insideLONGMONT.com

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Arts

2014 Longmont Studio Tour Would you like a behind-the-scenes look at how your favorite Longmont artist works?

During the weekend of September 27-28, the Longmont Council for the Arts is sponsoring the 2014 Longmont Studio Tour, a fantastic way for artists to interact with and engage the community through workshops, demonstrations, and open studios. This year, there are 55 artists in Longmont who will take part in this free, self-guided tour. Over the course of the weekend, you can meet each artist and learn more about their art directly from them. Many of the artists will open their working studios so that you can see where they create their pieces and learn about the processes and equipment they use. And you will also have the opportunity to purchase original art directly from the artists. You can pick up a copy of the Longmont Studio Tour Map at the Muse Gallery (356 Main Street). While you are there, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t miss the preview exhibition on display that showcases pieces from each artist on the Tour. This preview exhibition will run until September 28. You can also find the full Tour Map at www.longmontstudiotour.org. As an additional preview, over the following pages we profile four artists from the Tour who work in four different mediums. This is just a sample of the amazing artists in our community, so take the Longmont Studio Tour and get to know more about our thriving arts community. insideLONGMONT.com

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Meet the Artist

Hanlie Wessels Painting

With so many talented painters in this year’s Longmont Studio Tour it was difficult to choose

who to highlight, but there was something about the paintings of Hanlie Wessels that captured our eye. Her most recognizable works are paintings of African wildlife, including elephants, lions, rhinos, and giraffes, all created with beautiful colors and a unique blend of abstract and represational styles. Originally from South Africa, she enjoys painting these wild animals that remind her of her home country. Since moving to Longmont nearly 20 years ago, Hanlie has also embraced living in Colorado which is reflected most in her paintings of landscapes. “I love painting aspens,” Hanlie told us. “I just think they are gorgeous. And our fantastic mountains.” As a painter, Hanlie works primarily with watercolors and oils. She loves the lusciousness of thick oils and the scent of linseed oil that is “like smelling perfume.” With watercolors, she enjoys the way that the paint flows and bends, something she just doesn’t get with oil. She also uses pastels and charcoal, doing the base layer in watercolor and then the highlights in pastels or charcoal. “Real charcoal is the most amazing thing.” An advocate for drawing, Hanlie puts a large amount of effort into the process of creating a painting. Like planning out a good trip, she prefers to plan out many of her pieces. Often the 38

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process begins when she sees something that grabs her attention and makes her feel the need to sketch it. She will sketch the same scene again and again with multiple variations, sometimes including things, sometimes excluding things, until she finds the composition that she likes the best. In addition to composition, color is another major consideration. As you will see in her work, Hanlie does not always use realistic colors, but rather looks for certain color combinations that she likes. She may paint a rhino using gray and yellow one time, and then another time using purple and orange. In order to come up with new color combinations, she finds it helpful to go through magazines looking at clothing, bedding, and towels and filing away the pages for future use. These are all things she uses as her road maps. Hanlie has recently started down a new path by painting portraits of people. Some of her most recent works in this style will be on display as part of the Studio Tour. Much like wild animals, the human body has lines, curves, and angles that inspire her to paint. And like her wildlife portraits, these pieces are not strictly representational but more about depicting the essence of the subject. In the case of people, Hanlie’s work focuses on the sensuality of the body combined with an element of playfulness. As she continues to explore this new area, look for more exciting new pieces around town or on her website www.hanliewessels.com. Having participated in all the previous Longmont Studio Tours, Hanlie will once again be part of the Tour this year. For the second year in a row, Hanlie will be showcasing her work at Katy Diver’s studio with several other artists. “That was so fun to hang out with the other girls and you draw more people in because there are more of you. It made the time fly.” In addition to Katy and Hanlie, artists Carol Garnand, Lisa Nesmith, and Charlotte Zink will also be at this stop on the tour, making this one of the more diverse groups for people to visit. insideLONGMONT.com

September 2014

Photo provided by Hanlie Wessels

September 2014

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Photo provided by Hanlie Wessels

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September 2014

Meet the Artist

John Minkler Ceramics

There are only a few ceramics artists in this year’s Longmont Studio Tour, and we wanted to

make sure that this artform did not get overlooked. While ceramics are often thought of for their functional use, there is no doubt that the pieces made by John Minkler are also works of art. From the unique designs and beautiful colors to the painstaking detail and amazing craftsmanship, every piece is handmade from start to finish. “This is more than just a bowl or a plate,” John told us. “It is something beautiful to look at. That’s the goal for me.” John produces a variety of functional stoneware that includes casserole dishes, serving bowls, cups, and dinnerware. You can find many more examples on his website, www.minklerpottery. com. Because they are glazed and fired to a high temperature, each of his pieces is meant to be used. You can put them in the oven or in the microwave and they won’t chip easily. And because each piece is thoughtfully made by hand, any piece can be put on a shelf or hung on a wall as decoration. Of course, some things are more decorative than others. The large platters are the best examples of bridging the gap between artwork and craft. 42

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Over the past 15 years, John has strived to perfect his craft. “A lot of pottery when you are first starting out is putting it into the kiln and having no idea what you are going to get and either being surprised or disappointed.” Many of the forms that he produces today are actually forms that he started back in high school. Of course, these forms have evolved over time, but the ideas behind them have stayed relatively the same. John makes all of his glazes himself from the raw materials and uses many of the colors that he found in college. “Part of my process now is still refining things that I’ve been making for awhile.” He may have an idea in his head that he is trying to fulfill, but because there there are so many steps in the process from throwing to firing to glazing that any number of things can go wrong along the way. “I feel like I am striving for the perfect piece in a design.” During the upcoming fall, John plans to work on developing some new designs. Sometimes he will get suggestions from other people or he will look for new pieces that he has not yet created, like a butter dish. Other times this starts by going back to the techniques and looking for news ways to make something functional. If you have any suggestions, be sure to mention them to John when you stop by on the tour. This year marks a return to the Longmont Studio Tour for John. He participated in the Tour several years ago, but stepped away from it in recent years. Since then he has remodeled his studio and has a new setup for his kilns, so this will be a great opportunity for anyone interested in seeing how ceramics are made. The studio will be open to visitors and John will be walking people through his current process, so definitely make this one of your stops along the Tour.

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Photo provided by John Minkler

Photo provided by John Minkler 44

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Photo provided by John Minkler

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September 2014

Meet the Artist

Bobbi Vischi Glass Sculpture

Looking through the many mediums represented by the artists of the Longmont Studio Tour, the most unique just might have to be glass sculpture. Using heat and gravity, Bobbi Vischi transforms smooth, flat glass into layers of multi-colored, textured glass sculptures. Through various techniques, she can create functional pieces like bowls, vases, and even lamp shades, or she can create abstract works of art suitable for display. “To me, glass is a medium of mystery and reflection, which can reveal how ideas, energies, thought processes, movement in multiple dimensions, and soul are all intrinsically tied together.” You can find more examples of Bobbi’s art on her website, www.bobbivischi.com. Creating her sculptures involves elements of both planning and random chance. Bobbi begins by designing layers of colored glass in various shapes and then placing them in the kiln to melt into a single flat piece. Then, using a variety of molds to help shape the piece, she returns the glass to the kiln for a second firing and lets heat and gravity work on their own to create the final look of the sculpture. “The kilns and gravity are my collaborators – together we make large sculptural forms that embody silent, flowing narratives.” Creating these sculptures is also physically demanding as it requires grinding glass and lifting large heavy pieces and dealing with the inevitable cuts that come with working with sharp glass. This is not a medium for the faint of heart. 48

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When designing her sculptures, Bobbi focuses most heavily on the color relationships within the piece and what colors she wants to use. Two years ago, she travelled to Venice, Italy during a time when the area was experiencing severe flooding. This inspired her to create a series of pieces that featured blues and greens as the primary colors. This series was named “Aqua Alta”, meaning “high water”. Land formations can inspire her as well. One sculpture was created in order to reflect the sunset in a canyon. “I wanted to capture some of the texture of the walls of the canyon and how the red light comes down,” Bobbi told us. Since moving to Longmont from the East Coast 5 years ago, Bobbi’s work has continued to evolve based on the world around her. Influenced by the surrounding mountains and walls of rock, her pieces have become more substantive, taking on a similar thickness and heaviness. More recently, she has become interested in a new style that is all opaque and textured similar to a stone wall. This was inspired by trip to Europe where she saw the stone walls of the old farmhouses. She is already working on her first piece in this style, and you may have a chance to see it during the Tour. Still relatively new to Longmont, this is only the second Studio Tour for Bobbi. She will be opening her home studio to visitors so they can see how she designs her pieces and the kilns she uses for firing the glass. While her studio may be the farthest destination from Downtown Longmont, it is well worth the trip to include this stop on your Tour.

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September 2014

Photo provided by Bobbie Vischi

September 2014

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Photo provided by Bobbie Vischi

Photo provided by Bobbie Vischi insideLONGMONT.com

September 2014

Meet the Artist

Tim King Sculpture

One of the more visually impressive art forms has to be bronze sculpture, and so we just had

to include the work of Tim King in this artist series. Spend a little time admiring Tim’s work and you will quickly notice a few themes that run through the majority of his sculptures: family, children, and dance. As one of his mentors told him early on, “Sculpt what you know or what you are passionate about,” and that is exactly what he has done. Having two kids of his own, family is clearly an important factor is his life. Tim has also spent a significant amount of time working with children creating commissioned pieces for churches and schools as well as teaching sculpting to kids. And with a daughter who spent 16 years in dance, being around dance families, watching recitals, and seeing many young dancers grow up has certainly influenced his work, too. You can find more examples of Tim’s work at www.kingsculpturestudios.com. For Tim, the most important elements in a sculpture are the emotion and the feeling of the piece. He is especially drawn to movement, which can come from the wrinkles in the clothing, flowing hair, or the curve of the body in motion. Even more significant, though, are the faces, especially with sculptures of people. “I really want to make sure that draws a person in.” Every sculpture also has to strike a certain balance. It has to look good enough from a distance that people will want to go see it, and and when they are looking at the inner portion the details have 52

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to be there, too. “After you’ve drawn someone in, when they start to see more details, you want them to appreciate it and feel connected.” So, as an artist, he has to think of each piece as being seen both from a distance and up close. For any who are not familiar with bronze sculpture, the entire process actually begins with the creation of a sculpture out of clay. In fact, it was the nature of working with clay that first drew Tim to sculpture. Throughout the rest of the process to create the final bronze sculpture, Tim works closely with Art Castings of Colorado in Loveland, who casts his pieces. “I can go up to the foundry and work with them every step of the way,” Tim said. “It is really important for me to have my hands on it all throughout the process. Everything I have done in clay has to show up in wax in order for it to show up in metal.”

A perpetual student, Tim is always looking for something new to learn or a new way of tying technology in with traditional arts. He has recently begun to learn more about digital sculpting and 3D printing and how these tools can best be used through the course of a 10-step process of creating a traditional bronze sculpture. Tim is also currently working on his first commission of someone’s pet, a golden retriever. This is a project he has been working on for just over a year and something you will likely be able to see on the Tour. Over the years, Tim has participated in nearly all of the Longmont Studio Tours, welcoming the community into his home studio. He sees this as an opportunity to really talk to people and explain his process and also to provide exposure to the arts for children through demonstrations. Tim always has clay out for the children to make something that they can take home with them, so this is a perfect stop along the tour for the kids. insideLONGMONT.com

September 2014

Photo provided by Tim King

September 2014

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Photo provided by Tim King

Photo provided by Tim King insideLONGMONT.com

September 2014

Sports

Boulder County Bombers

The

Boulder County Bombers Roller Derby League hosted their final home bout of the season on August 30 at the Boulder County Fairgrounds. This bout featured the Bombshells taking on the 10th Mountain Roller Dolls out of Eagle, CO. While the Bombshells struggled throughout the bout, they made an amazing comeback late in the second half that ended in a real nail-biter. Unfortunately, the rally wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t enough to close the gap as the Bombshells lost to the Roller Dolls 201-207. This was a rare loss at home for the Bombshells and it was still such a great performance that it brought everyone in attendance to their feet in the final moments. Never a dull moment during a night of roller derby! The MVP Blocker for the game was Fleur de Beast and the MVP Jammer was Sauce. The evening also included a themed mix-up bout of league skaters as the Nerds took on the Jocks (see page 59), with the Nerds coming out on top. We have had a blast covering the Boulder County Bombers this season and canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t wait to do it all again next year! If you missed out on any of the action this summer, you can look back through our previous issues to see highlights from earlier bouts and learn more about the league. They are always looking for new skaters and officials to join the league, so if you want something new and exciting to try, visit www.bouldercountybombers.com to learn more. 56

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Mix-up Bout Nerds vs. Jocks

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September 2014

Happening In Longmont

Tractors On Parade

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The 29th Annual Yesteryear Farm Show at the Dougherty Museum last month featured dozens of antique tractors in a fun and entertaining tractor parade. One of the many great things about Longmont is the pride in our history, and the tractor parade was a wonderful opportunity to experience our rich agricultural history in person. The highlight of the tractor parade for us was seeing the 1909 Case tractor owned by Jim DeBacker (see photo next page). It was amazing to see this fully restored and operational tractor that ran on steam power. If you missed it, look for this fantastic machine at next yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s show.

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September 2014

Happening In Longmont

Prospect Trucks & Tunes

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Every Monday evening during the summer, Prospect Place is the place to be for this weekly gathering of gourmet food trucks featuring live music and different family-friendly activities. With summer coming to an end, the final Trucks and Tunes of the year will be on September 22. On September 1, Trucks and Tunes featured the sounds of Boulder Big Band, #18 M&M from Joe Gibbs Racing, and special guest Stock Car Champion Driver Cris Muhler. The activity of the evening was the LongMONTE Carlo race, with adults racing on large bigwheels. Following qualifying rounds, four men competed for the final win and the winner was (surprise!) Cris Muhler, who celebrated with a shower of champagne. To learn more about this fun event, visit www.trucksandtunes.com.

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September 2014

Upcoming Events

September Events September 21 Friends of the Library Book Sale

September 10 Downtown Farmers’ Market

“Driving Miss Daisy”

September 12 Longmont Studio Tour Opening Reception

The Prairie Scholars Happy Hour September 22 Prospect Trucks & Tunes

2nd Friday Downtown Art September 13 Longmont Farmers’ Market

September 24 The Prairie Scholars in the Clubhouse

Paws in the Park Sandstone Saturday Grandparents Day

September 25 Colorado’s Wild West!

September 14 “Blame It On Hoboken” Live!

September 26 Longmont Oktoberfest

KCP Gallery 2nd Friday pARTies!

“Driving Miss Daisy”

September 15 Open Mic at the Tasty Weasel

September 27 Longmont Farmers’ Market

Prospect Trucks & Tunes

Longmont Oktoberfest

September 17 Live Music: Seth Phillips

2014 Longmont Studio Tour

September 18 Friends of the Library Book Sale Live Music: Esther Sparks

“Driving Miss Daisy”

September 19 Longmont Library Book Sale Lunch Music at Georgia Boys BBQ

Sweet Taste of Longmont

September 28 2014 Longmont Studio Tour The Prairie Scholars: Tequila, Tunes, & Tacos “Driving Miss Daisy

“Driving Miss Daisy”

September 29 Open Mic at the Tasty Weasel

September 20 Firnds of the Library Book Sale

September 30 The Prairie Scholars: Dinner Music

ArtWalk Rock & Soul Our Center Benefit Live Music: Defunkt Railroad “Driving Miss Daisy”

For details on these events and many more, visit our on-line Calendar of Events at www.insidelongmont.com 66

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October Events October 2 Tarot at the Library

October 17 Live Music: Nick O’Connor

October 3 Realities FORE Children Golf Tournament

Friends of the Library Book Sale “The Rocky Horror Show”

“Driving Miss Daisy” October 4 Centennial Pool’s Birthday Bash

October 18 Friends of the Library Book Sale

Veterans Helping Veterans Now Spaghetti Dinner

Live Music: NIck O’Connor Live Music: The Prairie Scholars

“Driving Miss Daisy”

“The Rocky Horror Show”

October 5 Family Harvest Festival

October 19 Friends of the Library Book Sale

“Driving Miss Daisy”

Live Music: The Prairie Scholars

October 9 Monster Movie Fest: “Dracula”

October 20 Live Music: Nick O’Connor

October 10 2nd Friday Downtown Art

October 23 Live Music: Nick O’Connor

Live Music: Nick O’Connor Longmont Dance Theatre October Showcase

October 24 “The Rocky Horror Show”

October 11 Taste of Wellness Fair

October 25 38th Annual Halloween Parade

Pumpkin PIe Days Antique Show

“The Rocky Horror Show”

Longmont Dance Theatre October Showcase

October 26 Live Music: The Prairie Scholars

October 12 Pumpkin Pie Days Antique Show Live Music: The Prairie Scholars BLAME IT ON HOBOKEN, Live!

October 28 Live Music: The Prairie Scholars October 30 Live Music: Nick O’Connor & Jessica Eppler

October 16 Arts and Ales The Prairie Scholars Happy Hour Friends of the Library Book Sale

For details on these events and many more, visit our on-line Calendar of Events at www.insidelongmont.com insideLONGMONT.com

September 2014

Visit www.insidelongmont.com

And Learn More About The Great Businesses In Our Online

Business Network

September 2014

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September 2014

Visit www.insidelongmont.com

And Learn More About The Caring Non Profits In Our Online

Non Profit Community

The Family Garden is a resource hub offering education, inspiration and networking for families throughout pregnancy, birth and early childhood. Many different philosophies and approaches to child birth and parenting are presented without judgment or advocacy for a particular view.

The Inn Between strives to help families and individuals who are facing homelessness in our community to be self-sufficient and sustainable to no longer be homeless. By providing housing and critical services, we work with our residents to develop the skills, knowledge and confidence needed for self-sufficient living.

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Longmont Dance Theatre strives to enliven and to elevate the human spirit by means of dance, specifically ballet. A technique of movement born in the courts of kings and queens, ballet has survived to this day to become one of the most elegant, most adaptable, and most powerful means of human communication.

Mountain States Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Home extends Christian services to wounded children in an effort to meet their physical needs, heal their emotional hurts, challenge their minds, and teach them moral principles in order to reach the goals of reuniting them with their families or preparing them for independence.

The OUR Center helps people move toward self-sufficiency by unifying community resources. The organization provides emergency services to help people through short-term financial crises and also works in partnership with our clients to develop case plans for those needing longer-term assistance.

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September 2014

DON’T MISS A SINGLE ISSUE! You can now find all of our monthly issues at www.insideLONGMONT.com! 72

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