Keep the Rio Grande Grand Art Benefit a Huge Success!

RiGHT would like to thank the participating artists, our dedicated Steering Committee and Host Committee, the greater San Luis Valley community, and all who attended for their energy and support.  Thanks to everyone's hard work the first annual "Keep the Rio Grande Grand!” art event was a tremendous success for our organization and our work to protect the beauty, wildlife, and agricultural productivity of the land and water along the Rio Grande and across the San Luis Valley. We look forward to seeing you all again next year! Mark your calendars for August 15, 2009 and check back here for more updates.

Scroll down to see photos from the event and a feature article from the Valley Courier:

KEEP THE RIO GRANDE GRAND” Art Event

A Success for Local Artists & Local Land Trust

 

SOUTH FORK, COLORADO, August 22, 2008– The beautiful art work of 26 San Luis Valley and Southwest regional artists transformed the South Fork Community Center into a fine art showcase on Saturday, August 16. Nearly 150 people attended the first annual “Keep the Rio Grande Grand” art benefit for the local conservation work of the non-profit Rio Grande Headwaters Land Trust (RiGHT). With nearly $50,000 in sales, the evening was a huge success for both the land trust, which receives 1/3 of the proceeds, and for the participating artists.

 

(Above) Master of ceremonies Fred Bunch interviews sculptor and event Steering Committee Co-Chair Jim Gilmore about his work and support for conservation of the Rio Grande.

 

“We are extremely pleased and gratified by the support of the artists and the community,” said Keep the Rio Grande Grand Coordinator, Rio de la Vista. “We thought that if we offered a show of the wonderful artists in this community and region, people would be interested. And the evening exceeded even our highest hopes for both the beauty of the art work and the response and support of our guests."

 

(Above) Food, wine, flowers, friends and abundant fine art transformed the South Fork Community Center for a magical evening at Keep the Rio Grande Grand.

 

(Left) Katherine Benke of InsightArtConnection.com served as an elegant Docent for photographer Joe Zinn and painter Randy Pijoan at the event.

 

“Hearing people call it ‘a magical evening’ was very heartening to our hopes of combining the arts and conservation here,” said de la Vista. “And it was only possible with the help of so many people, who served on our Steering Committee, people who helped with editing and designing the outreach materials and catalogue of the art work, Docents who helped guests learn about and understand the art, the people who contributed time, food and drink to the evening. There was also great support from local businesses and individuals who were financial sponsors of the event. It was a just a spectacular example of our community rallying to help RiGHT’s efforts to conserve the land and water that we all treasure here in the San Luis Valley—including our working ranches, our water resources, the river corridor’s wetlands and wildlife habitat, and the scenic beauty that define this area for residents and visitors alike."

 

“We hope that “Keep the Rio Grande Grand” will be something that people will look forward to again next August and in years ahead—along with treasuring the beautiful protected lands that will be kept intact through our conservation efforts.”

 

 

(Right) World-renown artist Dave Woodman of Alamosa draws a captivating caricature of Cathy McNeil, Board member and co-founder of the Rio Grande Headwaters Land Trust.

 

 

Information about the Rio Grande Headwaters Land Trust and the “Keep the Rio Grande Grand” Premier Art Event is available at www.riograndelandtrust or call the RiGHT office at 719-852-4015 or e-mail right@fone.net.

Special Thanks to Our Many Collaborators:

Patrons

       
 

Sponsors

 

 

                    Anonymous

   

            Richard & Cheryl Santi

 

 

 

 

Supporters

Farish & Hobbs, PC

Angela Hollingsworth

Pete and Lindsey Leavell 
 

Contributors

                 Colorado Council on the Arts

                             John Fielder

                             Ed Sandoval

                SLV Rural Electric Cooperative

                         SLV Federal Bank

       Southwest Liquor and Park Avenue Liquor

 
 

Contributions of Services and Materials:

Keep the Rio Grande Grand Logo Design by Kristian Gosar, Gosar Design

Graphic Design by Angela Hollingsworth, APH Creative Design, Lake City

Décor items contributed by Home Reflections and Mountain Lighthouse, South Fork

Lighting discounted by Brian Sinowitz, Hometown Evolution, Romansville, PA

Wine discount and Service contributed by Becky Medina of Southwest Liquor and Park Avenue Liquor, Monte Vista

Coffee Service contributed by Anna Ulrich of Wild Mountain Coffee and Books, South Fork

Diamond F Brand 100% grass-fed local beef contributed by the McNeil Ranch, Monte Vista

Goat cheeses contributed by Laze Ewe 2Bar Goat Dairy and the Knoblauch Family, Del Norte

And other delicious foods contributed by our friends and neighbors! 
 

Keep the Rio Grande Grand Steering Committee:

Cathy Morin and Jim Gilmore, Co-chairs

Jamie Colwell, Theresa Gilmore, Kris Gosar, Suzanne Gosar ,Matt Hobbs, Kam Matray, Cathy McNeil, Nancy Neal, Mary Rice, Marian Schlagbaum, Susan Shank,  Anna Ulrich  
 

Many thanks to all of our dedicated volunteers, docents, and contributors of valuable time and resources for our first annual Keep the Rio Grande Grand!