Tim Brown
Interim Executive Director

Dana Higbie
Studio Manager

Dana Higbie has spent her life surrounded by art, design, and beauty. A native of Michigan, and later Aspen, Dana received her design degree from Colorado Institute of Art an her BFA from California College of Art. For many years, Dana was a principal in the Denver-based Partners in Design, an award-winning graphic design studio. For 15 years after that, Dana lived and traveled with her family in Mexico and Central America, sourcing native artwork and artisan wares for her retail business, La Tiende (The Store), with locations in Mexico and Honduras. Dana currently resides in Basalt.

Jess Gray
Gallery + Shop Manager

Jess Gray is a fourth-generation Coloradan, born and raised outside of the town of Montrose. She is an abstract artist working in many realms of mixed media. Jess is a published independent author of three books for youth: Trinity Stone, Under Siege, and The Wide Mouthed Hog. She is currently working on a fourth book for adults, Lights on Red, about the notorious red-light district of Silverton, Colorado. Jess is a Master Medical Aesthetician and permanent makeup artist and has owned several businesses. Her family is of the utmost importance to her and you can almost always find her enjoying one of her favorite little mountain towns in Colorado. She’s elated to be working at the Art Base and hopes to bring a new, fresh perspective to the gallery and shop.

Claire Jefferies
Program Manager

Claire Jefferies moved to Basalt in 2022 from Raleigh, NC with her husband Jason, who manages Explore Booksellers in Aspen, and 7-year-old son Van. Prior to joining the Art Base, Claire oversaw training and development at The Little Nell. In Raleigh, she managed leadership and career initiatives for the MBA Program at NC State University and served as Program Manager for the MA in I-O Psychology Program at Meredith College. She holds a B.A. in English, an M.A. in Higher Education Administration, and has extensive experience in program management, event planning, and leadership development. When she’s not at work, you can find her reading, biking, hiking, art journaling, and doing all kinds of messy crafts with her son.

Stephanie Gale
Gallerista

For the past 40 years, Stephanie Gale has immersed herself in multiple art disciplines- design, fine contemporary art, and luxury fashion.

She holds a BFA from Georgia State University and has a strong business background. These credentials and her personal enthusiasm have brought her enviable positions from coast to coast. Stephanie brought her passion for art and design wherever she worked, whether it was Saks Fifth Avenue, Gucci, and Escada in New York City, or Harry Winston and Frette in Beverly Hills.

When Stephanie and her Husband, Arnie, first moved to the Roaring Fork Valley, she quickly connected to the Art Base, first working as a volunteer and now as a member of the staff.

It’s been a successful match.

Ann Mason
Gallerista

Hailing from back East and ever-proud of her Virginia roots, is Gallerista Ann Mason. Newly retired and seeking to stay connected after 22 years of living and working in Basalt, Ann happened into the Art Base in early 2022 to inquire about volunteering and was instantly scooped up for a “real job.”  Ann can now be found three days a week in the gallery happily conversing with patrons regarding happenings in the Roaring Fork Valley, local politics, vignettes of town history, and even a bit about our art and artists!  Never taking herself too seriously, Ann’s gift of gab and passion for the community make her an ideal member of the Art Base team.