Missy Borden

›› Missy Borden’s artwork is as abstract as it is reflective of her Steamboat Springs’ roots.

Two of the West’s most-accomplished painters, Richard Galusha and Chula Beauregard, introduced Borden to painting at Steamboat Springs High School, where they both were faculty members. From them, Missy learned the basics of oil painting and the process of color mixing, as well as the foundations of traditional realism. But for Borden, the style was confining.

“It’s too tight,” she says. It didn’t allow for creative intuition and spontaneity to shine through.”

Subsequently, as a student at Colorado Mountain College, Borden studied with MB Werner and Keri Searls, who encouraged her to try new techniques. “I’m so lucky that just in this community, I was taught by some really great artists.”

Her artistic endeavors took a back seat to her role as the mother of two daughters and a son until late 2015, when she rented studio space and began making art her career. When she joined Pine Moon Fine Art in 2021, Borden’s artwork took off.

“My career has grown since I became an artist-owner of Pine Moon. I’ve learned the business side of it, and I’ve been surrounded by other artists. I’ve learned from each of them. There’s room for collaboration, and there’s room to try out different styles of work. I like having the freedom to showcase my voice,” Borden says.

While Borden’s artwork doesn’t depict specific elements of Northwest Colorado, there is no doubt that the beauty of her surroundings has influenced her work. “It’s so gorgeous outside and freedom lies just beyond our backyard,” she says. “It inspires me to capture my emotions and feelings in a way that is not representational but allows me to be myself.”

Being an abstract artist can feel a bit lonely in Steamboat, where the market tends to be focused on traditional Western art, Borden says. “Sometimes I feel like I don’t really fit in, but for the last year and a half, since I joined Pine Moon, that’s been changing.”

Along with the Steamboat art scene, Borden’s own work is becoming more refined, more individualized, as she gains self-confidence and experience. “I’m pulling further away from representational ties, working more with layers, more interwoven concepts,” she says.

Common motifs in Borden’s work include stripes, mark-making, foliage and color blocks.

Recently, she has recognized the influence that artists like Pete Mondrian and Joan Mitchell have had on her, if only subconsciously. “I can see an influence,” she says. “They make me see myself a little differently.”

Borden goes beyond being a leader in the local abstract art community; she shares her gifts with others through You Out Loud, a Routt County organization that fosters positive self-image and mental wellbeing among high schoolers through public art projects. Although Borden enjoys the solitude of being an artist, she says she truly loves having meaningful conversations and encouraging others to find a personal way to express themselves. She hosts several art groups at her studio through the year for adults looking to add art into their lives.

In March, Borden joins fellow artists Jennifer Baker and Sandi Poltorak for a three-person exhibit with a black-and-white theme at Pine Moon Fine Art.

For more information about Borden’s art, visit www.missyborden.com or www. pinemoonfineart.com. ■