Carbondale

CARBONDALE REPORT

Gradually getting greener . . .

By Raleigh Burleigh Sopris Sun Editor

As snow gently spiraled from the sky on Tuesday, Oct. 25, Carbondale’s Board of Town Trustees cozied up with a full agenda and all trustees present.

After approving a straight-forward consent agenda, the board heard from Debbie Wilde representing a regional partnership to establish a withdrawal management program (aka, detox facility) in Garfi eld County. Funded by Valley View Hospital, Grand River Hospital District and the governments of Garfi eld County, this service will be administered by Mind Springs Health. Mind Springs Health acquired property in south Glenwood Springs in 2019 and has reserved space for a new alcohol and drug detoxifi cation facility to assist the hospitals and police with sobering up individuals under the infl uence of alcohol and/or other drugs. Once an agreement is fi nalized, Wilde explained, Mind Springs Health will begin building with the aim to have the facility operational by spring of 2023. The trustees unanimously approved joining the agreement, committing $10,000 to the eff ort.

Next, the focus was green. Jeff Dickinson of Biospaces Energy Consulting and Zuleika Pevec with Clean Energy Economy for the Region (CLEER) presented on three topics: 1) adopting the 2018 International Green Construction Code (IGCC), 2) establishing a plan for making new construction net zero and 3) beginning to look at how to make existing buildings net zero. Dickinson began by explaining the benefi ts of electrifi cation. With utility companies independently greening grids, technology advancing that makes heat pumps eff ective and effi cient even at below freezing temperatures, and signifi cant funding to be made available through the Infl ation Reduction Act (IRA), the transition is becoming achievable. Trustees unanimously approved adopting the 2018 IGCC with amendments. This applies only to commercial buildings and will come into eff ect before the end of the year.

For residential construction, trustees unanimously voted in support of a roadmap to net zero beginning in 2023. Regarding retrofi tting existing buildings, “this will take more time and have more cost implications,” said Dickinson. CLEER and the Environmental Board were directed to work on a plan in 2023 that could come into eff ect in 2024. Appropriately, this discussion was followed by a check-in with the town’s Environmental Board (eboard) represented by its new chair, Hannah-Hunt Moeller. After recognizing Colin Quinn, the former chair, for his years of leadership, Moeller presented a list of nine action items established by the eboard and went into detail regarding two.

The Board of Trustees gave their support for joining GoEV City with the aim of electrifying transportation and installing more electric vehicle chargers. As far as hiring a sustainability manager, the second item highlighted, the trustees expressed reservations. “We’ve spoken about someone for grant writing in general,” said Trustee Marty Silverstein. “A grant writer, while aspirational — I don’t know if we have the money to have this right now.” Mayor Ben Bohmfalk thanked the eboard for pushing the town toward its green goals. “You’re defi nitely having an infl uence,” he said. Trustee Erica Sparhawk suggested that CLEER’s contract could be increased for now, to assist that organization with grant writing, while the town leans on Garfi eld Clean Energy for access to federal grants and other work.

After a brief break, the trustees heard from the Roaring Fork School District about their employee housing project on Meadowood Drive near the high school. Mayor Bohmfalk, an employee with the school district, recused himself from the discussion.

In preparation for the meeting, Town Attorney Mark Hamilton and Planning Director Jared Barnell discovered an agreement entered into in 2002 that may change the process for approval. Whereas the school district’s understanding was that project approval depended on the state, it may have to go through a more standard process that includes a public hearing.

Planner Bob Schultz was unphased, given that the project was designed to conform to the town’s code anyway. The goal, stated Schultz, is to break ground in the spring and have 50 units, with a mix of studio, one-bedroom, two-bedroom and three-bedroom apartments, ready to inhabit by fall of 2024. This would bring the district’s total number of employee housing units up to 116.

The fi nal item on the agenda involved checking in with the town’s public works and parks and recreation departments for 2023 budget considerations. Public Works Director Kevin Schorzman stated that conceptualization work has begun for a second roundabout, estimated to cost $3.5 million and slated for completion in 2024/2025. Looking at the list of upcoming projects, Trustee Colin Laird asked if it would be possible to work on Highway 133 crossings in 2023. After a brief discussion, it was determined that improving the crossing at Cowen Drive would be a priority. The trustees also committed to completing phase two of Eighth Street improvements in 2023 at a cost of $550,000. Trustee Chris Hassig questioned the value in lieu of other initiatives, to which Schorzman and Bohmfalk pushed back.

Schorzman also emphasized the higher cost and limitations of an electric street sweeper. He encouraged trustees to buy a diesel-powered sweeper “one more time” while the technology evolves for an electric sweeper with higher battery power and the ability to vacuum and not just sweep.

The trustees’ next meeting, on Nov. 8, will occur at the Third Street Center to allow for election work at Town Hall. On Nov. 15, the board will discuss adopting the Comprehensive Plan Update that has been underway for more than a year.

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As noted in a Sept. 14 Sopris Sun article, “Carbondale Report: Full Panel, full agenda, full audience”, Carbondale’s “Public Arts Commission (CPAC) voted to remove Stephen Lock’s deteriorating ‘Helping Hands’ sculpture located next to the Near New at Third and Main since 1991.”

The news trickled out to the community, and some have expressed their discontentment over the decision. Tucker Farris, for instance, commented on Facebook, “Sad to see it come down. This has been a hallmark staple of town for my entire life.”

A Jan. 23, 2020 article in The Sopris Sun, “Sculptures past to present”, details the origins of Helping Hands, but here is a quick recap.

Helping Hands was created by Stephen Lock a few years after he moved to the Valley from England. The artist was commissioned by Carbondale Council on Arts and Humanities, known today as Carbondale Arts, to create the piece.

It symbolizes Lock’s impression of Carbondale: a place where people regularly lend a helping hand to one another.

On Sept. 9, CPAC met for a public meeting at Town Hall and unanimously agreed to “deaccession” the sculpture. The board packet referred to the piece as the “climbing” sculpture. Some board members who were present seemingly joked about seeing what it's worth in scrap metal or simply giving it to the town of Basalt.

Luis Yllanes, the board of trustees’ liaison to CPAC, noted that it’s not uncommon to deaccession public art.

“Last year, I would say, with sussing out how the artist would like to have that restored — if they wanted to — they did not care,” then-chairperson Britini Johnson conveyed to the rest of the board. “So, it fell to the town and CPAC to decide and it was very expensive to restore it … it’s also moderately dated.” According to the board packet, the cost was estimated to be no less than $2,500.

Lock reported, however, “It came as a huge surprise and disappointment that the town had decided to ‘deaccession’ the sculpture with no plans to relocate [it].” He added that to his knowledge, the piece was the first commissioned art installation for the town of Carbondale, “and I believe it started the desire for more art around town.”

Noting CPAC’s intention to incorporate the location within its annual rotation of Art Around Town, by laying a foundation for new installations, Lock questioned, “Why not leave Helping Hands in its historical location and put the new marble base somewhere else?”

Yllanes acknowledged the sense of permanence the sculpture holds in town. He also pointed out that the sculpture predates Art Around Town, which provides more artists with the opportunity to have their works displayed prominently.

Lock concluded, “It has been in place for 31 years, but if it has to move, then I believe it is important that it remains in a downtown location.”

The morning of Friday, Oct. 21, The Sopris Sun was notified by a reader that the sculpture was to come down that day. The same day, Laurie Lindberg, director of public works and staff liaison to CPAC, reported that the sculpture would not come down then, but added, “maybe next week.”

On Wednesday, Oct. 24, Lindberg informed The Sopris Sun that the deinstallation had been postponed, “because Public Works is busy and removing the sculpture isn’t a high priority.” It’s unclear when Helping Hands will come down. Lindberg stated that Lock is to take possession of the sculpture once it is removed.

She reported that the board has been discussing the sculpture for a long time and that CPAC has been in touch with Lock over the years.

The 2020 article in The Sopris Sun reads, “CPAC and Lock have been in touch regarding a ‘facelift,’ as Lock puts it, of the sculpture. The refurbishment would likely require a powder coating. Lindberg recalls one bid for powder coating the sculpture being $1,200.”

The article continued, “There is also some talk about relocating the statue. Lock says he loves where it is now but is open to the possibility of it being moved. He added, ‘as long as it remains in Carbondale and is accessible that’ll be fine.’”

Lindberg is not aware of any public sculpture in Carbondale which predates Helping Hands.

"Helping Hands," as seen in 1991. Courtesy photo

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In an essay titled “The Study of Color in Nature”, published in the 1896 edition of The Observer: An Illustrated Monthly Magazine, naturalist and artist F. Schuyler Mathews noted: “Color in Nature is illimitable; there is positively no end to its complexity.”

The essay offers the reader a few simple color theory experiments to perform, to which Mathews concludes, “... it goes to prove that there is more color in Nature than we at first supposed. If then, we take the pains to search for it, no doubt our efforts will be crowned with some success.”

Isa Catto Studio’s founder and creative director, Isa Catto, has captured some of that success in her lush watercolor designs that often incorporate elements from nature.

The studio, located in Woody Creek, is cradled in nature’s paintbox, now with its golden, orange and red hues of autumn trees, set against an evergreen-filled Elk Mountain Range backdrop.

When you see the view, you understand that Catto’s creations are reflections of the surroundings with its ever-changing seasonal color palette.

Catto and her full-time studio crew — Jennifer Roberts, Ted Maertens and Savanna LaBauve — are getting ready for a series of events called Willits Weekend, which will introduce the public to new Catto textiles and art.

Kicking off on Friday, Oct. 28, from 5 to 7 p.m., a community open house will celebrate Decorative Materials’ new space with a cocktail and hors d’oeuvres reception. Located at 900 E. Valley Rd. in Basalt, Decorative Materials is a home design and custom-made tile and stone showroom.

The view of the Elk Mountain Range from the second floor of Isa Catto's studio workspace. Roberts said the natural surroundings provide inspiration for her designs. Photo by Jeanne Souldern. Catto's desk is surrounded by icons of a creative mind, from the ceramic mugs splayed with watercolor brushes and bulletin boards with images of muses and her daughter's paintings and photographs. Photo by Jeanne Souldern

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Catto Studio director Roberts shared, “We're going to pair some [of Isa’s] artwork with their beautiful and colorful tiles to create a curated exhibit.”

Also, at Decorative Materials on Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., a pop-up shop of Catto Studio art and textiles, including scarves, accessories and housewares, and original art and prints, will be available to purchase.

On Oct. 28-30, during regular store hours, Bookbinders Books in Basalt will showcase a new collection of journals, notebooks and wrapping paper and an opportunity to meet and chat with Catto on Saturday from 4 to 6 p.m.

In a tour of the two-story Isa Catto Studio, led by studio director Roberts, you fi rst notice an abundance of natural light streaming through the large windows, creating an atmosphere that invites instinctive creative fl ow.

Roberts said Catto’s Bird Flight series was inspired by Catto “watching all the birds up here and creating her artistic interpretation of their fl ight patterns,” including the lazy loops of a turkey vulture, the diving descent of a falcon and the nimble darting of the hummingbird.

The Bird Flights designs are also featured on sets of notecards, journals, and a new, more compact reporter notebook.

Earlier this year, Catto and her team did their fi rst-ever collaboration with Aspen Public Radio to create the hummingbird-design canvas tote bag and matching notebook, given to donors as a gift during APR’s summer membership campaign.

Catto’s textiles on display include women’s scarves and wraps made from lightweight chiff on, super-soft wool and a modal silk blend. The Italian silk scarves are printed in Italy, then sewn in New York with hand-rolled hems.

Roberts said they found a location in India, a country known for its cotton production, to make fabric for their organic cotton scarves. However, a careful vetting process was completed “to ensure that we found a reliable place that has the right certifi cations for fair labor practices and organic cotton that's been certifi ed,” she explained.

A new product is a journal with 80-pound paper and an exposed spine, so it lays fl at when opened, which “is perfect for use as an artist’s journal,” Roberts said.

In November, they will open “the notebook bar,” where studio visitors can design and assemble a notebook with covers that aren’t part of the regular collection and a variety of papers, including lined, dot-grid and plain sketchbook paper. “It's just a fun interactive thing for people to do,” Roberts explained.

To learn more about Isa Catto and her design process, visit isacatto.com

Catto’s workspace, located on the second fl oor, has a large picture window that unveils a color-popping mountain landscape, proving that, as Mathews said, “there is more color in Nature than we at fi rst supposed.”

Given the careful attention that Catto infuses into her designs, she may have been awarded the crown.

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Isa Catto sits outside the entrance to her studio. Visits to the studio can be scheduled on the studio's website. Courtesy photo by Michele Cardamone Photography