Gazette NEIGHBORHOOD
WHEAT RIDGE | EDGEWATER | APPLEWOOD | MOUNTAIN VIEW | LAKESIDE
August 16 – September 20, 2016 • ngazette.com • FREE
RidgeFest Brings Back Festival Favorites, More Music n By
FREE
Elisabeth Monaghan
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hen the Ridge at 38 Leadership Committee was started four years ago, it brought together a combination of Wheat Ridge property owners, business owners, residents and stakeholders, that all wanted to see a main street area thrive. Shortly after it formed, the committee recognized that the best way to drive people to the City of Wheat Ridge was to come up with family-friendly events. With this in mind, the Ridge at 38 team held a grand opening that drew 1,500 attendees. Considering this worth revisiting, the committee brought back the event, this time calling it Wheat Fest. While the festival was unlike most other “taste of” events and drew a significant crowd, the name suggested it was focused more on harvesting wheat than on the uniqueness of Wheat Ridge, so in 2015 the name was changed a second time to RidgeFest. “This is the second year as RidgeFest,” said Britta Fisher, executive director for Localworks, a non-profit organization that partners with the City of Wheat Ridge, “but it’s the same event that has evolved over the past four years, with n
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MOLLY FLYNN OF WHEAT RIDGE jumps across the straw bale seating at RidgeFest 2015. The 2016 RidgeFest will take place Sept. 10 at the Green on Ridge at 38, 7101 W. 38th Ave., and will run from 3 to 8:30 p.m. PHOTO BY BRITTA FISHER
Be Inspired by the Wheat Ridge Studio Tour n
By Nancy Hahn
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he second annual Wheat Ridge Studio Tour will be on Saturday, Aug. 27. The tour offers the opportunity to see the work of 11 different local artists, and to look past the artwork to see just how and where those artists work. In addition to the artists, Metro Frame Works will offer demonstrations of correct framing of artwork and its proper care. The self-guided tour was introduced last year by the Wheat Ridge Cultural Commission. Commissioner Milly Nader, the event organizer, is pleased to see both returning artists and new artists, as well. What do you picture when you think of art and artists? Do you think of paintings in a gallery, sculptures of people or animals, stunning photographs, unusual combinations of materials, or surprising subjects? You may find just what you expect from the artists on the Studio Tour, but you will certainly also find surprises. Artists Juanita Gutierrez, Sina March, Sherry Veltkamp and Terry Womble all paint to create their work; but their styles and use of materials are each unique. Terry Womble is a performance artist and his acrylic paint splashes and races across his canvases. Sina March paints the colors, feelings and beauty of the world around her. Sherry Veltkamp and Juanita Gutierrez, also, will share their unique styles and paintings on the tour. Antonio Arguello, a shaman and artist, uses very many types of art to express his ideas. Several mixed media artists are included. Marie E.v.B. Gibbons works with
clay and other media and enjoys guiding others to try their hand at clay. Lisa Bonilla Panter is also a clay and mixed-media sculptor, often sharing her vision of animals and people. Maria Sands is a photographer and mixed-media artist, focusing our attention on the world around us. Katie Hartkopp uses photography and storytelling to create beautiful children’s books. The collages created by Laurie Waalkes develop through the layering of colors and materials. Karin Soderholm uses layering, stitching,
and coloring fabric to explore and express ideas about the world. The diversity of these artists’ visions and ways each share their point-of-view creates a rich experience for everyone on the tour. These varied artists also enjoy working in quite a variety of studios. Some studios are very sparse and orderly. Others are full and quite far from neat. Some artists have an area of their home portioned-off for their art, while a few seem to fill their home with
their art. Professional studio space separate from their home works best for others. Some enjoy working around others. Others want solitude. The way an artist works is just as unique as the art he or she creates. The Wheat Ridge Studio Tour is selfguided and begins at 9 a.m. on Aug. 27. Maps of the tour locations can be picked up at the Teller Street Gallery at 7190 W. 38th St. for $5. The artists and studios can be visited in any order and will be available until 2 p.m.
SPOTLIGHT ON COMMUNITY
A Night Out to Prevent Crime n
By J. Patrick O’Leary
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heat Ridge and Edgewater police departments set time aside this month to put their best face forward and bring crime prevention education to their communities. Wheat Ridge’s Aug. 2 National Night Out celebration, held at Haywood Park, included tours of the police facility, educational crime prevention displays, and a display of police vehicles including patrol cars, the SWAT van and Community Service vehicles. Edgewater will recognize National Night Out during its Aug. 27 community picnic, to be held from 6 to 9 p.m. in Citizens Park, W. 24th Avenue and Chase Street. National Night Out strives to heighten awareness and strengthen participation in local anti-crime efforts. According to the NNO n
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New Culture at the Celtic Harvest Festival
Toby’s Pet Parade & Fair Benefits Foothills
Businesses Giving Back to the Community
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