The Art Base

Natural Impressions: Botanical Gel Plate Printmaking: with Kathy Pike
2026-10-17 10:00 - 16:00 (America/Denver) | The Art Base, 174 Midland Ave., Basalt, CO, 81621, United States
October 17, 2026
Saturday, 10:00AM – 4:00PM
All supplies provided
No experience necessary
$75
Discover the artistry of botanical Gel Plate printmaking as you transform leaves, flowers, grasses, and other natural elements into richly layered, one-of-a-kind works of art. Through a series of guided demonstrations and creative exploration, you will learn the foundational techniques of pulling successful prints, building luminous layers, working with color, texture, transparency, and creating beautiful ghost prints that add unexpected depth and visual complexity.
As your confidence grows, we will move into more advanced processes, including a rotational printing technique that produces elegant abstract botanical compositions. We will also explore how a variety of fine art papers respond differently throughout the printing process, allowing you to experience how surface, absorbency, and texture influence the final image.
Whether you are new to Gel Plate printmaking or an experienced artist seeking fresh inspiration, this workshop offers an engaging balance of technical instruction and creative freedom. Throughout the day, you will develop a collection of original botanical prints that can stand alone as finished artworks or become beautiful elements for collage, art journals, handmade books, greeting cards, mixed-media paintings, and other creative projects.
Beyond learning new techniques, this process invites curiosity, experimentation, and a deeper appreciation for the remarkable patterns, textures, and quiet beauty found in the natural world.
Students will leave with a strong foundation in botanical Gel Plate printmaking, expanded creative confidence, and a diverse portfolio of original prints ready to inspire future artistic exploration.
Register

Classical Oil Painting I: with Matt Hays
2026-10-15 17:30 - 19:30, 2026-10-08 17:30 - 19:30, 2026-10-01 17:30 - 19:30 | The Art Base, 174 Midland Ave., Basalt, CO, 81621, United States
Classical Oil Painting I
October 1 – November 5, 2026
Thursdays, 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM
$225
All Skill Levels
Supplies Provided
Explore the full painting process from start to finish, with an emphasis on using layers and light to create depth, atmosphere, and life. Learn surface prep and why it matters, then dive into underpainting, grisaille, and the slow build of color through glazing and finishing. With demos, guided practice, and individual feedback, you’ll strengthen values, form, and luminosity at every stage—great for oil beginners or painters refining their process.
Register

Classical Oil Painting II: with Matt Hays
2026-10-15 13:00 - 15:00, 2026-10-08 13:00 - 15:00, 2026-10-01 13:00 - 15:00 | The Art Base, 174 Midland Ave., Basalt, CO, 81621, United States
Classical Oil Painting – Part II
October 1 – November 5, 2026
Thursdays, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
All Skill Levels
Supplies Provided
Explore the full painting process from start to finish, with an emphasis on using light to create depth, atmosphere, and life. Learn surface prep and why it matters, then dive into underpainting, grisaille, and the slow build of color through glazing and finishing. With demos, guided practice, and individual feedback, you’ll strengthen values, form, and luminosity at every stage—great for oil beginners or painters refining their process. You will choose your own image to paint in this class.
Register

Gelli-Block Printing Series: with Pam Porter
2026-10-13 09:30 - 12:00, 2026-10-06 09:30 - 12:00 | The Art Base, 174 Midland Ave., Basalt, CO, 81621, United States
October 6, 13, 20, 27, 2026
Four Tuesdays, 9:30 AM – 12:00PM
All Skill Levels Welcome
$150
Celebrate the rich color and layered beauty of fall through the playful process of Gelli-Block printing. This class features Pam Porter’s signature hybrid technique, combining Gelli printing and linocut printmaking. Students will begin by creating vibrant, one-of-a-kind monoprints using a soft gel printing plate, acrylic paint, textures, and stencils. These expressive prints will then serve as background papers for linoleum block prints, offering a simple and satisfying way to bring depth, texture, and color into linocut work.
Over the course of this four-week series, students will create prints inspired by pumpkins, Indian corn, autumn leaves, aspen trees, and other seasonal imagery. The class begins with exploratory Gelli printing and then moves into carving simple linoleum designs to print over the layered backgrounds. By the end of the series, each student will have a collection of beautiful hand-printed cards. Open to all levels, this class emphasizes process over perfection in a relaxed, supportive environment that encourages experimentation, creativity, and personal expression.
For more information on Pam Porters: https://www.theartbase.org/about/people/
Register

Art, Healing + Hope: with Sheri Gaynor
2026-10-10 09:30 - 11:30 | The Art Base, 174 Midland Ave., Basalt, CO, 81621, United States
October 10, 2026
Saturday, 9:30-11:30AM (registration opens October 1 @ 8:00AM)
Open to all skill levels
Bring your own journal, all other supplies provided
Experience the power of visual journaling at The Art Base—an uplifting, FUN process for healing, stress relief, and decompression. Explore your inner world through paint, color, and images, making connections and drawing insight from within. All levels welcome; the focus is on process, not the end result. Bring a sketchbook/journal (or purchase one for $20). Supplies included. We can’t wait to see your creativity come to life!

Register

Stitch & Style: Embroider Your Own Clothing: with Chris Dolan
2026-10-07 18:00 - 20:00 | The Art Base, 174 Midland Ave., Basalt, CO, 81621, United States
Wednesdays, October 7, 14, 21
6:00 – 8:00PM
All skill levels welcome
Embroidery supplies provided (bring your own clothing)
Bring new life to a favorite piece of clothing in this creative adult embroidery class. Participants will learn simple embroidery stitches and design techniques while embellishing jeans, a jacket, shirt, tote bag, or another fabric item of their choice. We will explore line, color, texture, and pattern to create a one-of-a-kind wearable artwork.
Register

Event: Light & Color - Pastel Painting Techniques Series: with Doug Graybeal
2026-10-06 13:00 - 16:00 | The Art Base, 174 Midland Ave., Basalt, CO, 81621, United States
October 6, 13, 20, 27, 2026
Tuesdays, 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Open to all skill levels
Supplies provided
This hands-on, four-week class explores pastel painting using a watercolor underpainting to build depth, color harmony, and expressive marks. Learn pastel types, surfaces, composition, layering, and techniques like blending, glazing, and texture. Each three-hour session includes demos, guided practice, and individual support as you work toward finished pieces in a relaxed, encouraging studio.
Register

Language of the Soul™: Art Journaling for Self-Care — 2-Day Deep Dive: with Margie Woods
2026-10-03 10:00 - 16:00 | The Art Base, 174 Midland Ave., Basalt, CO, 81621, United States
October 3 and 4, 2026
Saturday and Sunday, 10:00AM – 4:00PM
$375
Supplies Included, Open to all skill levels
This immersive two-day workshop explores art journaling as a powerful tool for self-care, emotional processing, and creative renewal. Participants learn how to use simple materials and intuitive art-making to release stress, quiet mental noise, regulate the nervous system, and reconnect with inner clarity. Through guided exercises, demonstrations, and generous time for personal exploration, the focus remains on process rather than producing polished artwork. The workshop also introduces a variety of fun, accessible techniques including layering, texture, collage, color exploration, and expressive mark-making, offering both structure and freedom for discovery. Suitable for all experience levels, this supportive environment encourages play, experimentation, and self-expression while helping participants loosen perfectionism and creative blocks. Attendees leave with practical tools and a sustainable art journaling practice that can be used anytime for grounding, emotional support, and a lasting boost in creativity.
Part of the For the Love of Bookmaking Series sponsored by the Ritvo family.
For more information about Margie Woods: https://www.theartbase.org/about/people/
Margie Woods Website: https://www.languageofthesoul.com
Register

Opening Reception: Michael Kinsley "Sensuous Landscapes"
2026-10-02 17:00 - 19:00 | The Art Base, 174 Midland Ave., Basalt, CO, 81621, United States
On view: October 2 to October 30, 2026
Opening Reception: Friday, October 2, from 5 PM- 7 PM
Artist Talk: Friday, October 2 at 5:30 PM

Rooted in traditional representational painting, Kinsley’s style has evolved to amplify Nature’s sensual forms, some obvious, others obscure. One curator calls his work “voluptuous.”
In oil, he paints his smaller pieces plein air. Larger pieces begin as field sketches that establish composition, which he amplifies in the studio as sinuous natural shapes. These two-steps allow him to see on-site the convergence of subtle shapes that photos often miss, then interpret and refine the shapes more deliberatively in the studio.
His primary subjects are Western Colorado and the Utah desert, mostly from the Roaring Fork Valley. Influences include Canadian modernists Emily Carr and Franklin Carmichael. Also, Edgar Payne, Maynard Dixon, and Cezanne, plus friends Dan Young (Silt), Tania Dibbs (Basalt), and the Hermitage Group (St Petersburg, Russia)
Currently, his paintings are on display at Aspen’s Wind River Gallery. Since the 90s, they have appeared in 14 galleries and in over 20 local community exhibits, including juried shows. Institutional collections include Parc Aspen Restaurant, Colorado River Conservation District, Valley View Hospital, and Rocky Mountain Institute.

Thank you to our generous 2026 Annual Exhibition Sponsor, Alpine Bank

Opening Reception: David Clark "Mt Sopris in Black and White"
2026-10-02 17:00 - 19:00 | The Art Base, 174 Midland Ave., Basalt, CO, 81621, United States
Opening Reception: Friday, October 2 from 5 PM- 7 PM
Artist Talk: Friday, October 2 at 5:30 PM
On view: October 2 to October 30, 2026

This exhibition features a curated selection of 12-14 of the artist’s most compelling black-and-white photographs of Mount Sopris, captured over the past 15 years. Each image is presented as a metal print ranging from 20×30 to 30×45 inches, including both horizontal and vertical compositions, with several works offered as multi-panel installations. The display will also highlight a series of distinctive ‘Raised Texture Ink’ metal prints, which introduce a subtle three-dimensional quality to otherwise traditional photographic surfaces. The final arrangement will occupy approximately half of the gallery space, with the number and scale of works tailored to the exhibition layout.

Thank you to our generous 2026 Annual Exhibition Sponsor, Alpine Bank

Exhibition: Michael Kinsley "Sensuous Landscapes"
2026-10-02 11:00 - 2026-10-30 17:00 | The Art Base, 174 Midland Ave., Basalt, CO, 81621, United States
On view: October 2 to October 30, 2026
Opening Reception: Friday, October 2 from 5 PM- 7 PM
Artist Talk: Friday, October 2 at 5:30 PM

Rooted in traditional representational painting, Kinsley’s style has evolved to amplify Nature’s sensual forms, some obvious, others obscure. One curator calls his work “voluptuous.”
In oil, he paints his smaller pieces plein air. Larger pieces begin as field sketches that establish composition, which he amplifies in the studio as sinuous natural shapes. These two-steps allow him to see on-site the convergence of subtle shapes that photos often miss, then interpret and refine the shapes more deliberatively in the studio.
His primary subjects are Western Colorado and the Utah desert, mostly from the Roaring Fork Valley. Influences include Canadian modernists Emily Carr and Franklin Carmichael. Also, Edgar Payne, Maynard Dixon, and Cezanne, plus friends Dan Young (Silt), Tania Dibbs (Basalt), and the Hermitage Group (St Petersburg, Russia)
Currently, his paintings are on display at Aspen’s Wind River Gallery. Since the 90s, they have appeared in 14 galleries and in over 20 local community exhibits, including juried shows. Institutional collections include Parc Aspen Restaurant, Colorado River Conservation District, Valley View Hospital, and Rocky Mountain Institute.

Thank you to our generous 2026 Annual Exhibition Sponsor, Alpine Bank

Exhibition: David Clark "Mt Sopris in Black and White"
2026-10-02 11:00 - 2026-10-30 17:00 | The Art Base, 174 Midland Ave., Basalt, CO, 81621, United States
On view: October 2 to October 30, 2026
Opening Reception: Friday, October 2 from 5 PM- 7 PM
Artist Talk: Friday, October 2 at 5:30 PM

This exhibition features a curated selection of 12-14 of the artist’s most compelling black-and-white photographs of Mount Sopris, captured over the past 15 years. Each image is presented as a metal print ranging from 20×30 to 30×45 inches, including both horizontal and vertical compositions, with several works offered as multi-panel installations. The display will also highlight a series of distinctive “Raised Texture Ink” metal prints, which introduce a subtle three-dimensional quality to otherwise traditional photographic surfaces. The final arrangement will occupy approximately half of the gallery space, with the number and scale of works tailored to the exhibition layout.

Thank you to our generous 2026 Annual Exhibition Sponsor, Alpine Bank

Hues + Brews - Motivational Watercolor: with Sophie Catto
2026-09-22 18:00 - 20:00 | The Art Base, 174 Midland Ave., Basalt, CO, 81621, United States
Tuesday, September 22, 2026
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
All levels welcome
Supplies included
Welcome back to Hues and Brews! In this watercolor workshop, we’ll create art that feels genuinely encouraging—because inspiration should be personal.
Using the familiar “motivational poster” concept as a starting point, participants will explore the images, words, and ideas that truly motivate them. Rather than relying on generic designs, you’ll create expressive, personalized watercolor cards and posters that reflect your own sense of humor, hopes, and sources of encouragement.
These pieces make meaningful gifts, but more importantly, they’re reminders made for you. If you’re looking for a creative outlet with a positive twist, this workshop is for you.
4th Tuesday LGBTQIA+ Art & Social Night
On the 4th Tuesday of each month, local LGBTQIA+ community and allies gather to socialize, make art, network, and have fun—optionally with an adult beverage. Enjoy a rotating mix of creative projects in a variety of media; no art experience needed. Come as you are, meet new friends, and explore creativity in a welcoming, low-pressure space.

Sponsored by ASPEN OUT

Register

Week of Watercolor: with Sarah Peterson
2026-09-21 10:00 - 2026-09-25 15:30 | The Art Base, 174 Midland Ave., Basalt, CO, 81621, United States
September 21 – 25, 2026
Monday – Friday, 10:00 AM – 3:30 PM
Join artist Sarah Peterson for a weeklong immersive watercolor class that deepens your understanding of the medium’s materials, methods, and magic. Embrace watercolor’s unpredictability while learning strategies to guide and refine it, including Alla Prima (wet-on-wet) for fresh, translucent results. With individualized instruction and hands-on guidance, beginners feel supported and returning artists feel challenged. Come expand skills, loosen up, and enjoy dedicated creative time.
Register

Plants, Printing & Paint: with Hunter Hogan
2026-09-19 12:00 - 16:00 | The Art Base, 174 Midland Ave., Basalt, CO, 81621, United States
September 19 – 20, 2026
Saturday and Sunday, 12:00PM – 4:00PM
$145
All skill levels welcome, supplies provided
Create beautiful layered botanical artworks using real plant and flower clippings, tea bag paper, and acrylic paint.
In this workshop, participants will print delicate garden foliage onto tea bag paper and then layer the cured prints over small acrylic paintings. As the paper is adhered to the surface, it becomes translucent, allowing the botanical images to appear as though they are floating above the painted background. Additional paint can be applied over the layers to enhance color, texture, and depth.
Please bring a small produce or zip-top bag filled with soft plant clippings from your garden, yard, or a favorite walking path. Ideal materials are approximately 5–6 inches long and should be flexible and non-woody. Please avoid thorny plants, thick stems, or heavily textured foliage. Additional plant materials will be provided.
Register

Art Lunch: Sam Harvey, Hunter Hogan, and Sara Ransford
2026-09-18 12:00 - 13:00 | The Art Base, 174 Midland Ave., Basalt, CO, 81621, United States
ART LUNCH with the artists Sam Harvey, Hunter Hogan, and Sara Ransford
Friday, September 18
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
In the Art Base gallery

Join us for Art Lunch with our exhibiting artists, Sam Harvey, Hunter Hogan, and Sara Ransford, as we dine and discuss art and anything else! This is a great chance to walk through their current exhibition, A Sense of Place, and ask questions or connect.
Art Lunch is our routine excuse to gather around the table. Bring a bagged lunch and let conversation roam. Some weeks we’ll toss in a discussion prompt to get things rolling, but mostly it’s about food, company, and a potluck of ideas.

Opening Reception: Friday, August 28, from 5 PM- 7 PM
Artist Talk: Friday, August 28 at 5:30 PM
On view: August 28 to September 25, 2026
The Art Base is pleased to present A Sense of Place, a new exhibition featuring artists Sam Harvey, Hunter Hogan, and Sara Ransford. Though each artist works from a unique perspective, the exhibition reveals the many ways place can be interpreted as something deeply personal and continually evolving.
For Hogan and Ransford, artists who have spent decades living and working in the Roaring Fork Valley, the landscape is far more than scenery. Mountains, rivers, gardens, and canyon walls become points of departure for work that explores both the external environment and the internal landscapes of experience and identity.

Sara Ransford’s paper clay sculptures emerge from years of exploring the mountains, rivers, and canyons of the American West. Influenced by the forces of erosion, deposition, and water’s relentless ability to reshape the earth, her layered forms mirror both geological time and the emotional accumulation of lived experience. The repeated building, exposing, and revealing within her sculptures echoes the ways personal histories become embedded over time. Also debuting in this exhibition is a new series of ceramic trays developed during artist residencies over the past four years, where experimentation with multiple clay bodies and remnants of Japanese processes opened new avenues of exploration.
Hunter Hogan approaches place through observation of the living world. Her paintings are built from drawings, digital studies, and layers of gouache that evolve through an intuitive process in the studio. Recent works were inspired by three months spent in South Africa, where gardens, vegetation, and patterns found in nature became catalysts for abstraction. Rather than painting landscapes directly, Hogan distills the experience of being immersed in them, creating works that evoke the quiet complexity of the natural world.

For Sam Harvey, making is a way of responding to space and place. Working without a predetermined outcome, he allows each object to emerge through an ongoing dialogue with clay, testing ideas through making, remaking, and refining. Practical realities, including the scale of his kiln and the physical limits of the material itself, become active collaborators in the work. Clay, drawn from the earth, is both responsive and unpredictable; it can bend, break, or fail, reminding us that some aspects of making can be controlled while others remain unknowable. Harvey continually asks how far a form can be pushed in a particular time and place, inventing techniques as needed while exploring volume, body, and structure. His sculptures often recall walls, vessels, monuments, and ancient built forms, where hard edges retain the softness inherent to clay and become anchors for the space they occupy.
Although their practices differ, meaningful connections emerge throughout the exhibition. Ransford’s layered geological forms, Hogan’s botanical abstractions, and Harvey’s sculptural objects each explore how place is built, remembered, and experienced. Together, the artists reveal that our relationship with place is never static; it is continually shaped by time, experimentation, limitation, discovery, and renewal.
A Sense of Place invites viewers to slow down and reflect on their own connections to the spaces they inhabit and the places that continue to shape and inspire them.

This exhibition is generously sponsored by CCY Architects and Kathy Honea

Thank you to our generous 2026 Annual Exhibition Sponsor, Alpine Bank

Elements of Landscape Painting in Watercolor or Acrylics: with Dave Notor
2026-09-15 10:00 - 12:30 | The Art Base, 174 Midland Ave., Basalt, CO, 81621, United States
September 15, 22, 29 and October 6, 2026
Tuesdays, 10:00AM – 12:30PM
$150
No experience required
Supplies provided

Explore the essential elements that bring landscapes to life in this four-session painting series. Working in either acrylics or watercolors, students will learn how to design composition, mix colors, create depth and add finishing touches. Through demonstrations, guided exercises, and individual instruction, artists of all levels will develop the skills and confidence to paint compelling landscapes from reference photos or imagination.
Register

Week of Watercolor: with Sarah Peterson
2026-09-14 10:00 - 2026-09-18 15:30 | The Art Base, 174 Midland Ave., Basalt, CO, 81621, United States
September 14 – 18, 2026
Monday – Friday, 10:00 AM – 3:30 PM
Join artist Sarah Peterson for a weeklong immersive watercolor class that deepens your understanding of the medium’s materials, methods, and magic. Embrace watercolor’s unpredictability while learning strategies to guide and refine it, including Alla Prima (wet-on-wet) for fresh, translucent results. With individualized instruction and hands-on guidance, beginners feel supported and returning artists feel challenged. Come expand skills, loosen up, and enjoy dedicated creative time.
Register

Fall Wellness Series - The Language of Personal Treasures: with Ingrid Magidson
2026-09-13 10:00 - 12:30 | The Art Base, 174 Midland Ave., Basalt, CO, 81621, United States
An immersive mixed-media workshop hosted in The Art Base Gallery
September 13, 2026
Sunday, 10:00AM – 12:30PM
Most supplies provided
No experience necessary
Every treasured object tells a story.
Join mixed-media artist Ingrid Magidson for a soulful morning of creativity, reflection, and discovery as you create a one-of-a-kind keepsake box filled with personal meaning. Through guided meditation, thoughtful prompts, and the layering of vintage papers, meaningful words, and carefully chosen embellishments, you’ll transform an ordinary wooden box into a beautiful expression of your own journey.
Inspired by the idea that life’s smallest objects often hold our deepest memories, this workshop invites you to slow down, reconnect with yourself, and celebrate the beauty found in collecting moments, symbols, and stories.
No artistic experience is necessary—only an open heart and a willingness to explore. You’ll leave with a finished keepsake box that serves as a lasting reminder of your personal treasures and the unique story only you can tell.
Register
Register for entire Series (SAVE $60):
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Ingrid Magidson
Ingrid Magidson is an internationally collected mixed-media artist whose work celebrates transformation, memory, and the beauty found in life’s treasured fragments. Through layered imagery, vintage objects, and storytelling, she creates evocative works that invite viewers to reconnect with wonder and the meaningful moments that shape us. Her work has been exhibited in galleries and museums, including her recent Master of Metamorphosis exhibition at the Oklahoma State University Museum of Art, and is held in private collections around the world. Ingrid lives and creates in Carbondale, Colorado, where she is passionate about inspiring others to discover their own creative voice through art that nourishes both the heart and the imagination.

Art, Healing + Hope: with Sheri Gaynor
2026-09-12 09:30 - 11:30 | The Art Base, 174 Midland Ave., Basalt, CO, 81621, United States
September 12, 2026 (registration opens on September 1 @8:00AM)
Saturday, 9:30-11:30AM
Open to all skill levels
Bring your own journal, all other supplies provided
Experience the power of visual journaling at The Art Base—an uplifting, FUN process for healing, stress relief, and decompression. Explore your inner world through paint, color, and images, making connections and drawing insight from within. All levels welcome; the focus is on process, not the end result. Bring a sketchbook/journal (or purchase one for $20). Supplies included. We can’t wait to see your creativity come to life!

Register

Watercolor Wednesdays - Techniques, Methods & Creative Exploration: with Rebecca Stirling
2026-09-09 10:00 - 12:30 | The Art Base, 174 Midland Ave., Basalt, CO, 81621, United States
September 9, 16, 23, 30, 2026 (4 classes)
Wednesdays, 10:00 AM – 12:30 PM
All Skill Levels Welcome
Supplies Provided
Discover watercolor’s versatility in a skill-building, creatively rich course. Learn wet-on-wet, wet-on-dry, salt texture, and wax resist, plus paint handling, layering, and composition. Build confidence with guided exercises, then create finished pieces: a landscape, floral portrait, and expressive watercolor collage. All levels welcome—experiment, refine your style, and deepen your understanding of watercolor as a medium of personal expression.
Register

Young at heART - Every Thursday
2026-09-03 12:45 - 14:15 | Eagle County Community Center, 20 Eagle County Dr, El Jebel, CO, 81623, United States
Thursdays, 12:45 PM – 2:15 PM
$10 supply fee suggested
Eagle County Building in Willits/El Jebel
Unleash your creativity in a fun, engaging, and inspiring senior art class where the only limit is your imagination!
Each session focuses on playful and easy-to-learn techniques, including watercolor painting, acrylics, pastels and more! Classes are perfect for all skill levels. Enjoy a stress-free artistic outlet designed to nurture your creativity while having fun.
No registration necessary. Just arrive the day of ready to create!

Opening Reception: Sam Harvey, Hunter Hogan, and Sara Ransford
2026-08-28 17:00 - 19:00 | The Art Base, 174 Midland Ave., Basalt, CO, 81621, United States
Opening Reception: Friday, August 28, from 5 PM- 7 PM
Artist Talk: Friday, August 28 at 5:30 PM
On view: August 28 to September 25, 2026

The Art Base is pleased to present A Sense of Place, a new exhibition featuring artists Sam Harvey, Hunter Hogan, and Sara Ransford. Though each artist works from a unique perspective, the exhibition reveals the many ways place can be interpreted as something deeply personal and continually evolving.
For Hogan and Ransford, artists who have spent decades living and working in the Roaring Fork Valley, the landscape is far more than scenery. Mountains, rivers, gardens, and canyon walls become points of departure for work that explores both the external environment and the internal landscapes of experience and identity.

Sara Ransford’s paper clay sculptures emerge from years of exploring the mountains, rivers, and canyons of the American West. Influenced by the forces of erosion, deposition, and water’s relentless ability to reshape the earth, her layered forms mirror both geological time and the emotional accumulation of lived experience. The repeated building, exposing, and revealing within her sculptures echoes the ways personal histories become embedded over time. Also debuting in this exhibition is a new series of ceramic trays developed during artist residencies over the past four years, where experimentation with multiple clay bodies and remnants of Japanese processes opened new avenues of exploration.
Hunter Hogan approaches place through observation of the living world. Her paintings are built from drawings, digital studies, and layers of gouache that evolve through an intuitive process in the studio. Recent works were inspired by three months spent in South Africa, where gardens, vegetation, and patterns found in nature became catalysts for abstraction. Rather than painting landscapes directly, Hogan distills the experience of being immersed in them, creating works that evoke the quiet complexity of the natural world.

For Sam Harvey, making is a way of responding to space and place. Working without a predetermined outcome, he allows each object to emerge through an ongoing dialogue with clay, testing ideas through making, remaking, and refining. Practical realities, including the scale of his kiln and the physical limits of the material itself, become active collaborators in the work. Clay, drawn from the earth, is both responsive and unpredictable; it can bend, break, or fail, reminding us that some aspects of making can be controlled while others remain unknowable. Harvey continually asks how far a form can be pushed in a particular time and place, inventing techniques as needed while exploring volume, body, and structure. His sculptures often recall walls, vessels, monuments, and ancient built forms, where hard edges retain the softness inherent to clay and become anchors for the space they occupy.
Although their practices differ, meaningful connections emerge throughout the exhibition. Ransford’s layered geological forms, Hogan’s botanical abstractions, and Harvey’s sculptural objects each explore how place is built, remembered, and experienced. Together, the artists reveal that our relationship with place is never static; it is continually shaped by time, experimentation, limitation, discovery, and renewal.
A Sense of Place invites viewers to slow down and reflect on their own connections to the spaces they inhabit and the places that continue to shape and inspire them.

This exhibition is generously sponsored by CCY Architects and Kathy Honea

Thank you to our generous 2026 Annual Exhibition Sponsor, Alpine Bank

Exhibition: Sam Harvey, Hunter Hogan, and Sara Ransford
2026-08-28 11:00 - 2026-09-25 17:00 | The Art Base, 174 Midland Ave., Basalt, CO, 81621, United States

Hues + Brews - Pastel Landscapes: with Brooke Bartlett
2026-08-25 18:00 - 20:00 | The Art Base, 174 Midland Ave., Basalt, CO, 81621, United States
Tuesday, August 25, 2026
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
All levels welcome
Supplies included
Bright colors, soft textures, and beautiful landscapes—what’s not to love? Come explore the magic of soft pastels as you learn easy techniques for blending, layering, and creating vibrant scenery. This relaxed, no-pressure class is perfect for trying something new and having fun with art.
4th Tuesday LGBTQIA+ Art & Social Night
On the 4th Tuesday of each month, local LGBTQIA+ community and allies gather to socialize, make art, network, and have fun—optionally with an adult beverage. Enjoy a rotating mix of creative projects in a variety of media; no art experience needed. Come as you are, meet new friends, and explore creativity in a welcoming, low-pressure space.

Sponsored by ASPEN OUT

Register
