Atsina This tribe conducted five ceremonies that were of distinct religious character. A very influential portion of them were intended to amuse as well, and they differed greatly by theme, but were very similar in their initiation and delegation. These ceremonies were executed by a member of one of the companies. “While all men whose […]
There are many parallels in the lives of Vincent Van Gogh and Edward Sheriff Curtis. Both men died practically unknown and penniless, but their work was saved by family. Both displayed genius in their craft, pursued it with passion and continued against crushing psychological odds. Both had a view of the world far greater than […]
A Facelift for Le Grande Dame of Aspen and the Entrance to Valley Fine Art Let’s face it, any Grande Dame who is 131 years old may need some work done. Her resplendent interior, with glowing wood textures and royal hues, was marvelously remodeled in 2015/2016 and updated with modern conveniences and a rejuvenated historicity. […]
These rare maps, photographs, and documents will take you on a visual tour through Aspen in the late 1880s. Give your house a sense of place with a beautiful map or hand-drawn survey. One important, original drawing from 1891 is “Town Site of Aspen,” from the estate of John H. Marks, which shows all […]
NOTES FROM “THE NORTH AMERICAN INDIAN” BY EDAWRD S. CURTIS VOLUME VI – NOTES ON INDIAN MUSIC “In the course of transcribing Indian melodies from phonographic cylinders for Volumes VI, VII, and VIII, one of the first things to impress me was the impossibility of representing these melodies accurately by means of our normal musical […]
Valley Fine Art Hosts Reception to Benefit the Curtis Legacy Foundation Opening reception February 14 & 15 from 5 to 9pm at the gallery Aspen is home to the most thorough collection of Edward S. Curtis photographs in the West. This unique and rare collection is a draw for collectors and historians alike. Mark your […]
Offered for Sale at VFA When an artist loves his craft, and creates for the joy of it, their relaxation and happiness radiates from their work. Painter Andrew Bolam would be the first to tell you that he paints for himself. “I’m excited that I’ve given myself the luxury of growing organically and doing whatever […]
At Valley Fine Art, our selection of Old Pawn Jewelry is the best in Aspen. We feature pieces from several tribes, including Navajo and Zuni. We offer rings, earrings, pins, bracelets, bolo ties, and Ketohs. We have a few Colorado bear claw necklaces with silver and turquoise. Our multi-strand turquoise necklaces with old-style squaw wrap […]
SHINING MOUNTAINS FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES FREE COMMUNITY EVENTS FOR THE UPCOMING FESTIVAL Aspen, CO (October 4, 2019): The Wheeler Opera House, Aspen Film, and Aspen Ute Foundation are pleased to announce community events for the upcoming documentary film festival, Shining Mountains Film Festival, on October 12-14, 2019. Tickets for Shining Mountains Film Festival start at […]
Andrew Bolam was fascinated with Native Americans as a child growing up in Northern England. As a professional painter, he has tapped into that curiosity to great acclaim in his artwork. Working in acrylic on panel, Bolam uses texture, color, and repetitive imagery to create bold and memorable paintings. His noteworthy pieces of art can […]
1) Charron packs his painting and camping supplies into the wilderness on the backs of his four llamas. He sets up his plein air studio in the field and paints from direct observation. He brings photographs of the subjects home for larger paintings done in his studio during the winter months. 2) His traditionally approached […]
PRESS RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE This summer Valley Fine Art is presenting an exceptional collection of original goldtone photographs by master photographer and ethnographer of the North American Indian, Edward S. Curtis. The sixteen-piece collection is comprised of Curtis’ most iconic imagery—An Oasis In The Badlands, The Vanishing Race, A Son Of The Desert […]
Though it differs throughout tribes, there are many similarities in Native American Medicine. The primary function of most medicine men is to secure the help of the spirits. Sometimes this help may be sought to heal illness, psyche, or to promote harmony between people or nature. Medicine men are not necessarily doctors or herbalists in […]
The epic battle of Little Bighorn took place in 1876 and remains shrouded in controversy to this day. Warriors of the Lakota Sioux, Northern Cheyenne, and Arapaho tribes clashed with men of the 7th Regiment of the US Cavalry led by the famous and well-loved General Custer. The battle was a bloody display of the […]
The Endangered Species portfolio was commissioned by Ronald and Frayda Feldman, longtime political and environmental activists. Warhol had always had an interest in animals and after a conversation with the couple about pressing ecological issues the idea arose to create this series. Using brilliant almost psychedelic colors and poignant expressions (suggestive of the animals fates) […]
With the support of President Roosevelt and the financial backing of J.P Morgan, Edward Curtis was able to produce a photo-ethnographic study that was (and still is to this day) widely regarded as the finest set of limited- edition books ever made in America. The North American Indian consists of twenty volumes and twenty portfolio sets. […]
Known as one of Edward Curtis’ favorite medium, he describes the medium beautifully: “The ordinary photographic print, however good, lacks depth and transparency, or more strictly speaking, translucency. We all know how beautiful are the stones and pebbles in the limpid brook of the forest where the water absorbs the blue of the sky and […]
Something in our brain responds when we look at a painting. That experience refreshes and changes us. Afterwards we are more creative and open to learning. We are less mentally fatigued. Our brains are primed for enjoying art. For longer than we’ve had the written word, humans have created and stared at images drawn onto […]
With utmost care and attention to every detail, Woodrow Blagg creates each of his drawings using only graphite and paper. Demonstrating a mastery of his medium, his photorealistic pieces depict dramatic scenes of life in the West. Growing up in Texas, Blagg developed a deep appreciation for the ongoing rituals of ranch life and cowboy […]
Widely considered to be Colorado’s’ finest landscape artist, Charles Partridge Adams had a deeply engrained love for the natural world. Adams wrote in his memoir: “I saw the Rocky Mountains as I had dreamed of them before I came west. Towering above a great valley filled with afternoon mists, their summits glistening with the pure […]
The painter Harold Joe Waldrum was born in Texas and came to New Mexico with an already-keen eye for the southwestern landscape. The color, texture, and character he found in Taos, however, exceeded his wildest imagination and the region became his lifelong muse. Waldrum’s journey to becoming a well-respected and established artist was fueled by […]
There’s no need to be daunted by contemporary art. Simply consider that contemporary art is a broad term used to describe artwork created in the 21st century. A contemporary artist must be living and working in our lifetime, regardless of the medium or subject matter. With that definition in mind, it is easier to overcome […]
When I think of the Plains Indian Photographs of Edward Curtis, the first images that typically come to mind are of his striking Native American portraiture. But, his images contain so much more than just faces. I find the scenery of the American West that he captures in conjunction with the Natives helps deepen the […]
A client came into our gallery the other day and asked us why Andy Warhol is considered so great. “I mean,” he said, “couldn’t anyone just take a picture of a soup can and put it on the wall?” He raised a worthy question. In many other artists’ work, their remarkable talent is immediately evident. […]