3 minute read
Discovery + Possibility
The Ah Haa School for the Arts celebrates new digs, new director
BY LINNE HALPERN
Melissa Plantz Sunshine beams through the oversized windows and the scent of freshly baked sweets wafts through the air. Welcome to Ah Haa School for the Arts, a community art center that facilitates creativity and exploration for students of all ages.
“The light and transparency in the lobby is very intentional,” shares Marty Wollesen, Ah Haa’s newish executive director. “We want to make sure the arts feel accessible and visible here.” Ah Haa moved into its thoughtfully designed and purpose-built, 10,000-square-foot space at Pacific Avenue and Fir Street last year. The combination of the new building and Wollesen’s appointment marks a new chapter in Ah Haa’s 30-year history, allowing the art school to go deeper, think bigger and reach farther, Wollesen says.
Wollesen cites the school’s name as a reason for accepting the position and uprooting his life in Washington, D.C., to move to Telluride. “The very fact that the school is named that — honoring the specific moment of discovery and spark of possibility — says everything about what this organization is,” he says. The new building features three floors of various classroom, gallery and studio spaces named to celebrate the spirit of their usage: the
Possibilities Room (for kids’ art classes), Curiosity Shop (where, “magically curious things happen”), Transformation Studio (for painting), Launch Pad (a rooftop community gathering space) and more.
The building pays special attention to health and wellness with forward-thinking design like roof sensors that track sunlight and automatically darken windows, impeccable ventilation, “snorkels” that come down over work tables to suck away paint fumes and an employee changing room that encourages mid-day hikes or ski laps. “I believe that people who are close to nature are also closer to their creative voice,” remarks Wollesen.
Ah Haa pulls from a rich well of local and regional talent to staff their courses and present workshops. “Any visitor to Telluride will feel an automatic sense of the connection between our beautiful environment and the deep artistic spirit that exists here,” he says.
And while Ah Haa has long offered classes in the visual and decorative arts, the new space presents opportunities to expand into divergent disciplines. Wollesen and his team are building the school’s culinary program from scratch, finding that their recent culinary arts classes for kids and teens have been wildly popular.
In addition to their designated class schedule, Ah Haa is developing community programming, such as a weekly lunch series hosted by a rotating array of area chefs and a monthly singles mixer focused on the pottery wheel. Further utilizing their comprehensive space, the organization now offers an open studio program that allows community members 24/7 access to the ceramics and paintings studios.
“Our goal,” says Wollesen, “is to bring people together to explore their potential and find confidence in their voice. Whether you’re here for a few days, a few months or all your life, we want this to be a space where you can come to participate and engage with others who share your curiosity.”
He adds that Ah Haa is also a must for visitors seeking to authentically enhance their Telluride experience. “Use your time here to also explore creativity alongside the natural wonders. Connect with the people here, learn a new craft — that’s what will make your visit unforgettable.”
ART AUCTION ALERT
The Ah Haa School for the Arts’ annual art auction, an iconic local event that this year celebrates its 30th anniversary, takes place July 15-17. Titled Ah Haa HAHA, the first in-person summer fundraiser in the school’s new building supports programming and tuition assistance, while promising to challenge perceptions of sight and touch.
