Pioneer spirit of Escalante Canyon

Hank Lohmeyer

Published on Wednesday, 02 December 2009 00:00

Looking down-canyon to the north, guests on the tour enjoy the same vista that the Musser family often saw as they worked their pioneer ranch.

Take an absolutely stellar October weekend day in western Colorado.

Combine that with a van full of friendly folks who all share an interest in local landscapes and the early days of Delta County.

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Paonia artist finds inspiration in faces

Pat Sunderland

Published on Wednesday, 25 November 2009 00:00

SETH WEBER AND HIS 4-year-old son Isaac spend time in a studio which has space for Seth’s paintings, wife Chelsea’s pottery, and an art table for their two kids. “We like to involve our kids in whatever we’re doing,” he says. The studio occupies the upper level of a barn adjacent to the Webers’ home on Lamborn Mesa.

E very face is a work of art to Seth Weber, who sees people as the beautiful creation of God — in his opinion, God’s best creation. When he paints, he feels like he’s capturing a little piece of God on canvas, that little bit of His character that’s in every one of us.

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Great way to see Colorado

Bob Borchardt

Published on Thursday, 19 November 2009 16:58

When asked why he climbed Mount Everest, British mountaineer George Mallory answered, “Because it’s there.”

Barb Churchley and friends edge their way along the “Knife’s Edge” as they work towards the summit of Capitol Peak in August. The climb capped off a long term goal of summiting all 58 of Colorado’s Fourteeners — peaks higher than 14,000 — by age 58.

His response has become the standard cliché often used by modern day mountain climbers.

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Seeds of hope

Verna Barr

Published on Wednesday, 11 November 2009 00:00

Over 300 pounds of seeds contributed by Lake Valley Seed Company were packed and shipped to Kenya, along with activity and school supplies collected by members of All Saints Lutheran Church. They gathered up over 50 pounds of crayons.

Money raised at a spaghetti dinner, held this past July at All Saints Lutheran Church, paid shipping expenses for 11 50-pound bins of donated items with enough left to purchase a pump and irrigation pipe for a hard working native, Bernard.

Because of deaths (due to illness and war) of men in his extended family, Bernard is responsible for 32 people, 20 of them are children.

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Art of spinning is done ‘shovel up’

Kami Collins

Published on Thursday, 05 November 2009 16:27

Jean Eichheim demonstrates spinning wool into yarn. She and her husband raise sheep, and spin and dye their own wool. Jean takes it a step further and uses the yarn she’s made to create area rugs, stuffed animals and other creations.

Jean and Tracy Eichheim are sheep people. They live near the Black Canyon in Crawford, on a private piece of pastoral farmland.

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The making of a bike race

Hank Lohmeyer

Published on Thursday, 29 October 2009 18:14

A youth group leader looking for a fund-raising project is likely to think in terms of concession sales, booths at a local street fair, or maybe even a carnival if the group is big enough to handle one.

A race contestant glides down a swift descent, one of the smoother ones on the 15-mile race course for the first “12 Hours Behind the Prison” mountain bike race held in September.

But not many youth leaders would commit to taking a personal passion and turn it into a unique fundraiser for their youth group, and also for an essential, local volunteer first responder organization.

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A-tisket A-tasket A talent for making baskets

Pat Sunderland

Published on Wednesday, 21 October 2009 01:00

d08_bp1 Every Thursday, three friends get together at Carol Haskett’s home near Eckert. They visit about the goings-on in the community as they pull out pattern books, coils of reed and half-completed baskets.

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Crafting custom boots

Verna Barr

Published on Thursday, 15 October 2009 16:26

An interest in history led Jim Sigle to Pioneer Town where he has served as a volunteer rover, leading tours during the summer season.

Sigle makes his custom ordered boots from raw materials from start to ﬁnish. Here, he is crimping vamps, a procedure that takes the stretch from the leather and pre-shapes the leather that will be the foot of the boot.

When he was asked to stage a "shoot-out" for Heritage Day, he called on James Strouss (featured on the Back Page in July).

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Carving his own niche~

Kami Collins

Published on Thursday, 08 October 2009 17:07

Todd Wellman has carved out a niche for himself - literally and ﬁguratively - by creating works of art using drywall mud.

Todd Wellman, a commercial drywaller for 10 years, recently began adding a creative touch to his work. He specializes in creating intricate, 3D affects out of drywall mud, and has done everything from business logos to ceiling-height aspen trees. His work can be seen in businesses and homes in Delta and Montrose counties. He’s standing here in front of a wooden-looking beam he carved from drywall.

He's been a professional drywaller on and off for the last 10 years or so, but for the past four years he's been building a portfolio of art done for clients who want more than regular old spackle, paste and paint.

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