Betsy Johnson Welty, In Plein Sight® 2018

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Hildebrand Ranch Park by Betsy Johnson Welty

Betsy Johnson Welty, Denver CO

Betsy Johnson Welty attended Occidental College, majoring in fine art, with a focus in painting. She was a political cartoonist and graphic artist for the campus newspaper, and art director for campus publications after graduation. She returned to Denver to work in advertising as a graphic designer/art director, and opened her own studio in 1985. Along the way, Welty garnered numerous design honors and awards.

In recent years, Betsy has focused on her fine art, studying at the Art Students League of Denver, and has taken master classes with Kevin Weckbach. She has also studied with Susie Hyer, Mark Daily, Jordan Wolfson and Quang Ho.

Formation by Betsy Johnson Welty

Welty paints both en plein air and in the studio, in watercolor and oil. Welty’s paintings have appeared in many state and national juried art exhibitions. In 2017, she was invited to participate in the plein air event, “Capturing the Beauty of Open Lands” to benefit the Douglas Land Conservancy. Her painting, “Observatory Nocturne,” appeared on a commemorative poster for the 125th anniversary of Denver’s University Park neighborhood. Her work can be seen at Framed Image Fine Art in Denver.

For more information, visit www.betsyjohnsonwelty.com.

Betsy will be painting in the Open Space Parks as part of In Plein Sight 2018. Come and watch as she creates her lovely renderings of Jefferson County’s public parks, some of the finest in the country.

Betsy’s field schedule:

Monday 9/10 – Lair O’ the Bear Park, 22550 State Highway 74, Idledale

Tuesday 9/11 – Artists are on their own as we set up the Gallery

Wednesday 9/12 – Alderfer/Three Sisters Park, west trailhead, 5136 South Le Masters Road, Evergreen

Thursday 9/13 – Elk Meadow Park, Lewis Ridge trailhead, 2855 Bergen Peak Drive, Evergreen

Friday 9/14 – Centennial Cone Park, Ralph Schell (north) trailhead, 3956 Camino Perdido, Golden

Saturday 9/15 – Clear Creek in Golden (the booth will be opposite the Community Center and adjacent to the trail, at 10th Street and a small parking lot)

The works that Betsy creates will be on display and available for purchase at the In Plein Sight 2018 Gallery, Golden Community Center, Coal Creek Room (2nd floor), 1470 10th Street.

Gallery hours:

Wednesday 9/12 – 2 to 8 PM

Thursday 9/13 – 2  to 8 PM

Friday 9/14 – 2 to 6 PM (building closes at 6 PM)

Saturday 9/15 – 10 AM to 8 PM

Sunday 9/16 – 10 AM to 4 PM

Make plans now to join us for In Plein Sight 2018, and celebrate the beauty and wonder of our Jefferson County Open Space Parks.

VOLUNTEER FOR IN PLEIN SIGHT® 2018

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VOLUNTEERS FOR IN PLEIN SIGHT® 2018 NEEDED

Be a part of the most fun “Art in the Parks” event ever, join us as the 25 In Plein Sight 2018 artists create their renderings of our wonderful Jefferson County Open Space Parks! We need volunteers to help in the field and in the Art Gallery. You can register to volunteer at the following EventBrite sites, just choose which day(s) and time(s) suits your schedule.

In the Park volunteer:

Staff the PLAN Jeffco canopy, answer questions, assist artists is locating spots to paint, assist getting lunches to the artists, returning canopy and material to the Golden Community Center at the end of day. On Sunday the 16th, staff an information booth at the Golden Giddyup event in Lion’s Park, Golden.

Monday 9/10:  Lair o’ the Bear – https://tinyurl.com/ycmuejph

Choose 7:00 to 11:00 AM, 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM, 3:00 to 7:00 PM

Wednesday 9/12:   Alderfer/Three Sisters – https://tinyurl.com/y8bt6uf8

Choose 7:00 to 11:00 AM, 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM, 3:00 to 7:00 PM

Thursday 9/13:  Elk Meadow – https://tinyurl.com/ycpft3pu

Choose 7:00 to 11:00 AM, 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM, 3:00 to 7:00 PM

Friday 9/14:  Centennial Cone – https://tinyurl.com/ybrmvdx3

Choose 7:00 to 11:00 AM, 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM, 3:00 to 6:00 PM

Saturday 9/15:  Clear Creek – https://tinyurl.com/y7dzjl2r

Choose  7:00 to 11:00 AM, 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM, 3:00 to 5:00 PM

Sunday 9/16:  Lions Park, Golden – https://tinyurl.com/y7thtpfh

11:00 AM to 3:00 PM

In the Gallery volunteer:

Log in artist’s paintings, assist them in hanging the paintings, handle sales, answer questions. On Saturday the 15th, at 5:30 p.m. also assist with the evening reception. On Sunday the 16th, at 4:00 p.m., also assist the artists in removing the unsold paintings and disassembling the Gallery.

Wednesday 9/12: https://tinyurl.com/ybhtm43l

Choose 2:00 to 5:00 PM, 5:00 to 8:00 PM

Thursday 9/13: https://tinyurl.com/y9t9nx8t

Choose 2:00 to 5:00 PM, 5:00 to 8:00 PM

Friday 9/14: https://tinyurl.com/y8nmj8k7

2:00 to 6:00 PM

Saturday 9/15: https://tinyurl.com/yb5awzhe

Choose 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM, 1:00 to 5:00 PM, 5:00 to 8:00 PM

Sunday 9/16: https://tinyurl.com/y9fhmxhr

Choose 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM, 2:00 to 6:00 PM

Alana Ruby, In Plein Sight® 2018

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Spring Run Off at Emerald Lake by Allana Ruby

Allana Ruby, Evergreen, CO

Allana is an artist living in Evergreen, Colorado. She primarily paints in oil and enjoys painting en Plein Air as well as still life in the studio.

Kent’s Ford Tractor by Allana Ruby

Allana is currently exhibiting at the Framed Image gallery, Happy Canyon Shopping Center (5066 East Hampden Avenue, Denver)  Blue Monday Show, through August 31st. She is a member of Plein Air Artists Colorado and is showing at the PAAC exhibition in the Sorrel Sky Gallery 2018 Show Catalog (https://bit.ly/2Ldqxpb).

For more information about Allana visit https://bit.ly/2MBc0IC

Allana will be painting in the Open Space Parks as part of In Plein Sight 2018. Come and watch her as she creates her lovely renderings of Jefferson County’s public parks, some of the finest in the country. Her schedule:

Monday 9/10 – Lair O’ the Bear Park, 22550 State Highway 74, Idledale

Tuesday 9/11 – Artists are on their own as we set up the Gallery

Wednesday 9/12 – Alderfer/Three Sisters Park, west trailhead, 5136 South Le Masters Road, Evergreen

Thursday 9/13 – Elk Meadow Park, Lewis Ridge trailhead, 2855 Bergen Peak Drive, Evergreen

Friday 9/14 – Centennial Cone Park, Ralph Schell (north) trailhead, 3956 Camino Perdido, Golden

Saturday 9/15 – Clear Creek in Golden (the booth will be opposite the Community Center and adjacent to the trail, at 10th Street and a small parking lot)

The works that Allana creates will be on display and available for purchase at the In Plein Sight 2018 Gallery, Golden Community Center, Coal Creek Room (2nd floor), 1470 10th Street.

Gallery hours:

Wednesday 9/12 – 2 to 8 PM

Thursday 9/13 – 2  to 8 PM

Friday 9/14 – 2 to 6 PM (building closes at 6 PM)

Saturday 9/15 – 10 AM to 8 PM

Sunday 9/16 – 10 AM to 4 PM

Make plans now to join us for In Plein Sight 2018, and celebrate the beauty and wonder of our Jefferson County Open Space Parks.

Welcome Returning Artists to In Plein Sight® 2018

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Windy Platte River by Cliff Austin

On Monday, September 10th, 2018, 25 plein aire artists will descent upon Lair O’the Bear Open Space Park, in the opening act of In Plein Sight® 2018. Nine of these artists are returnees; they were part of the first In Plein Sight® event in October 2016. PLAN Jeffco proudly welcomes them back.

Cliff Austin, Littleton CO

Windy Platte River by Cliff Austin

Windy Platte River by Cliff Austin

Cliff Austin is a graduate of Denver Institute of Technology and The Rocky Mountain School of Art. An award-winning Colorado artist, Cliff has been painting and illustrating since 1980 and is affiliated with several Colorado art organizations including the Pastel Society of Colorado, Plein Air Artists of Colorado, Oil Painters of America and American Impressionists Society. The core of Cliff’s art is the relationship of light on shape using line and tone and color as it wraps and flows around the landscape, cityscape and figures. His work can be described as colorful, impressionistic and abstract. For more information, visit www.cliffaustin.com.

Patty Dwyer, Littleton CO

Image 9723 by Patty Dwyer

Image 9723 by Patty Dwyer

Whether working “en plein air” or in her studio, a sublime connection with nature permeates Patty Dwyer’s paintings, which have been described as expressive, joyful, textural, colorful and ebullient. A self-taught, life-long artist who works primarily in oils and soft pastels, Patty only recently began showing and selling her work. Patty is a member of Plein Air Painters of Colorado, Pastel Artists of Colorado, Greater Castle Rock Art Guild and the Denver Art Students League. As the founding member and chairperson of the Arts Committee at Cherokee Ranch & Castle in Sedalia, she is very involved in building long-term arts and programs at this historic castle and ranch. For more information, visit www.pattydwyerartist.com.

Shelley Howard, Denver CO

Golden Overpass by Shelley Howard

Golden Overpass by Shelley Howard

Originally from Ohio, Shelley Howard received a BFA in drawing and painting from Bowling Green State University, and later an MA in visual arts education from The University of Northern Colorado while teaching art in the public schools in Colorado. From the beginning, her work has been inspired by the architectural landscape in Colorado and New Mexico. The interplay of edges with expressive brushstrokes, or in Shelley’s case, mark making in pastel, helps unify the works while creating a feeling of rhythm throughout each piece. Shelley regularly exhibits her work as an active member of the Pastel Society of Colorado, the Plein Air Artists of Colorado and the Plein Air Painters of New Mexico. For more information, visit www.artistshelleyhoward.com.

Janeice Linden, Littleton CO

Storm at Red Tail Overlook by Janeice Linden

Storm at Red Tail Overlook by Janeice Linden

Painting landscape and wildlife has been Janeice Linden’s passion for more than 20 years. She has participated in the Southeastern Wildlife Art Show, Natureworks Art Show and Out West Art Show, and her work has been featured at OPA Salon Show of Traditional Oils, OPA Western Regional Show, Society of Animal Artists Exhibition, American Miniatures and Small Works Great Wonders. Additionally, Janeice’s paintings have been exhibited at Horizon Art Gallery, Settlers West, Wildhorse Gallery and the Beverly McNeil Gallery. For more information, visit https://artofsunshine.com/.

Norbert Nagel, Lakewood CO

Morning Serenity by Norbert Nagel

Morning Serenity by Norbert Nagel

Norbert Nagel is an award-winning plein air artist. Originally from Cincinnati, Norbert moved west to study at Colorado State University. Norbert is an Art Teacher at Jefferson County Public Schools, and he currently teaches art for the City of Lakewood. He currently serves as co-president of the Pastel Society of Colorado. Most of his painting is done en plein air, working to capture the feeling of a landscape more than copying it. Follow Norbert Nagel on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/norbert.nagel.5.

Rodgers Naylor, Denver CO

7:30 AM by Rodgers Naylor

7:30 AM by Rodgers Naylor

Rodgers Naylor takes a strong interest in the effects of light and shadow and warm/cool colors, and is intrigued by the interplay between the landscape and its human inhabitants. Each painting is both an abstract composition of light and dark shapes, and the starting point of a story whose details and conclusions may be imagined by the viewer. Rodgers completes some work “alla prima,” in one painting session, and others as a part of a group of paintings done together over a period of weeks. He paints both in the studio and en plein air. Rodgers is a member of the American Impressionist Society, the Art Students League of Denver, Oil Painters of America and Plein Air Artists Colorado. For more information, visit http://RNaylorStudio.com.

Mike Ray, Littleton CO

South View Red Rocks by Mike Ray

South View Red Rocks by Mike Ray

Mike Ray paints about half of his work on location, outdoors. He has received numerous national and international awards for his pastel painting work and is a Master signature member of the Pastel Society of Colorado. Born and raised in Colorado, most of Mike’s subject matter comes from front range locations west and south of Denver. For more information, visit www.mrray.faso.com.

Jennifer Riefenberg, Castle Rock CO

Aspen Impressions by Jennifer Riefenberg

Aspen Impressions by Jennifer Riefenberg

A fourth-generation Colorado native, born and raised in Jeffco, Jennifer Riefenberg has degrees in engineering and mathematics and is an award-winning plein air artist who feels most at home outside with nature and oil paint. Jennifer is a board member of Plein Air Artists of Colorado (PAAC) and member of the American Impressionist Society, Women Artists of the West, and Oil Painters of America.  She has been juried into national shows with her plein air paintings, including PAAC and WAOW, and has received several awards in area plein air competitions including Best of Day and Award of Excellence (Plein Air Magazine) in Fairplay, Best of Show at Paint the Town in Florence, Best of Quick Draw in Meeker and others. For more information, visit www.artofsunshine.com.

Beverly Thomas, Denver CO

Rocks at Gunnison by Beverly Thomas

Rocks at Gunnison by Beverly Thomas

Most of Beverly’s larger paintings start out as sketches , watercolors or small studies out in the field, where color and shapes are enhanced intuitively. Bev has been a life time painter, teaching for a while in Rhode Island before moving to CO in 2014. Bev’s work can be seen at Artists on Santa Fe in Denver. For more information, visit www.bevthomasonline.com.

Please join us on this opening day of In Plein Sight® 2018, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Women conquering barriers – Bold Betties, Title Nine and Team Evergreen

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Lise Aangeenbrug, Jennifer
Barbour

Alexia O’Connor

How women can identify and reduce the traditional barriers to women’s full participation in outdoor sports was the theme of “Celebrating Visionary Women,” part of the Jeffco Conservation Summit Series.

The free, public conference was sponsored by Jeffco Open Space and PLAN Jeffco and held June 30 at the Boettcher Mansion near the Jeffco Nature Center on Lookout Mountain. The craftsman-style cottage and popular wedding venue was the perfect setting

The event included complimentary breakfast and lunch, speakers, a panel discussion and audience participation, concluding with an hour of yoga. Some 50 people, mostly women, listened to inspiring stories and shared their experiences facing the fears and obstacles involved in outdoor sports.

The speakers represented an element of the outdoor recreation industry that is attempting to become more sensitive to the needs of women to enable them to get more active.

Lise Aangeenbrug, executive director of the Outdoor Foundation, formerly of Great Outdoors Colorado, said the introduction of the iPhone in 2007, which led to a general increase in the amount of screen time, has caused an alarming decline in outdoor activity. Aangeenbrug cited a 2017 Yale study showing that 50 percent of people are active outside only once a year.

Niki Koubourlis

Niki Koubourlis, founder and CEO of Bold Betties, said one of the major obstacles women face is the popular marketing image that sports are for extreme athletes who like such things as hanging from rocks upside down.

Another obstacle is typically women are taught to be “neat, sweet and in their seats,” Koubourlis said.

Based in Denver, Bold Betties is an online startup that aims to provide outdoor activities for women of beginning skill level.

By maintaining a website (boldbetties.com) the company helps connect women to 200 mostly free outdoor adventures in 36 cities, with the goal of expanding to 50 cities in a year.

Activities are advertised through social media and meetups and are designed to be supportive, safe, inclusive, uncritical and respectful. Operating principles include “no ridicule” and “no mean girls.”

Koubourlis described how she evolved from an unhappy, obese corporate over-achiever to a long-distance cyclist. She said her outdoor experiences gave her the confidence and the mental stamina to become an entrepreneur.

Alexia O’Connor of Title Nine, a women’s apparel company, told the story of founder Missy Park, who started the firm in her garage with only 56 orders, 49 of which were from her friends.

This was in the days when women were still forced to wear men’s gym shorts and athletic shoes. “She had no idea how she was going to do it but she started anyway,” O’Connor said.

Title Nine aims to encourage women of all ability to get active by featuring “real women who all have day jobs” in their catalogs. Title Nine also sponsors a local hiking series called Summit Sisters for women who want to hike and do a 14er at the end. Starting Block is a grant program to help women start group activity programs for the young or disadvantaged.

Jennifer Barbour, executive director of Team Evergreen, a cycling club and organizer of the famous “Triple Bypass” bike race,  which is held in mid-July, praised the virtues of persistence and determination for women interested in the outdoors.

She encouraged them to “ignore the governor,” referring to an inner voice that wants to impose irrational limits.

But she also said there is a  time to stop. “You can say you don’t have to be there, if it’s not serving you. It’s OK to quit and move on.”

She advised getting comfortable with the idea of seeking assistance. “Drafting (or riding behind another cyclist to reduce wind resistance) can be a good thing. Use other people to help you if you can,” she said.

A concluding panel discussion gave the audience a chance to share stores about barriers to outdoor participation and how they coped with the challenges.

Visionary Women is the first of a series that will address visitorship, stewardship and enjoyment of our open space parks. Future topics will be announced.

Conservation Summit Comes to Jefferson County

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PLAN Jeffco and Jeffco Open Space are proud to announce the Jeffco Conservation Summit Series, a series of talks that will address visitorship, stewardship, and enjoyment of our Open Space Parks while enhancing the understanding of how open spaces must be managed for the benefit of all – the land, wildlife, and park visitors.

The first session of the Conservation Summit series, “Celebrating Visionary Women”, will focus on issues surrounding gear disparity, self-perception, and inequity in the outdoors.

The Summit will feature local women and outdoor enthusiasts:

Jennifer Barbour, Executive Director of Team Evergreen Cycling, http://teamevergreen.org/organizer/jennifer-barbour/

Niki Koubourlis, Entrepreneur and founder of Bold Betties, http://www.freshtrackswithkellyrobbins.com/employee-to-entrepreneur/niki-koubourlis-story-employee-entrepreneur-low-bold-betties/

Alexia O’Connor, Health Coach & Postural Therapist, Lead Sales for Title Nine, https://www.titlenine.com/

This event is free, but reservations are required. Go to EventBrite to make your reservation now!

“Celebrating Visionary Women” will be presented at Boettcher Mansion and the Lookout Mountain Nature Center on Saturday, June 30th, from 8:30 AM to 1:30 PM.  Continental breakfast and lunch provided, post-lunch yoga instruction by NamasteWorks Yoga + Wellness, http://namasteworksyoga.com/

Boettcher Mansion, 900 Colorow Road, Golden, CO 80401
720-497-7630
https://www.jeffco.us/1658/Contact-Us

Youth Engagement With The Outdoors – Learning About Wildlife

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Encouraging everyone to learn about and engage with the outdoors is part of the mission of PLAN Jeffco, and if we can capture the imagination of a youngster, get them excited about the outdoors and the critters that live in the wild, we figure we’ll have wilderness and open spaces advocates for a lifetime.

Rachel Martin was helping her class of youngsters understand and appreciate wildlife when they ran across our website and the wildlife articles we’ve posted (http://www.planjeffco.org/experience-open-space_articles.html).

One of her students, named John, was so excited by the find that he went home and did more web searches on his own. He found the website for the International Wolf Center* in Ely, Minnesota and a great wolf-cam page that he shared with Ms. Martin.

We at PLAN Jeffco were very pleased to hear that young John and his classmates had been studying wildlife and open spaces, and when the kids asked if we could add the link to the wolf-cam to our website, we were thrilled. So here it is: “Using Video Surveillance to Advance the Survival of Wolf Populations – A Case Study”

Thank you, Ms. Martin, for helping the next generation know, understand and love nature.

 * The International Wolf Center advances the survival of wolf populations by teaching about wolves, their relationship to wildlands and the human role in their future. http://www.wolf.org/

In Plein Site Artists to Return to Jeffco Sept. 10-16

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SAVE THE DATE! Experience plein air painting and celebrate the beauty of open space in the glorious fall season. Twenty-five select professional artists will be painting in various locations in Jefferson County Open Space parks and along Clear Creek in Golden the week of Sept. 10-15. Their fresh works featuring local scenery will be available for purchase in the Golden Community Center September 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16.

PLAN Jeffco successfully staged the event for the first time in 2016 and we look forward to doing it again. Everyone is invited to watch the artists as they work and to purchase a work of art. Part of the proceeds benefit PLAN Jeffco.

The following parks will be featured: Lair o’ the Bear (9/10), Alderfer-Three Sisters, barn parking lot (9/12); Elk Meadow – Lewis Ridge parking lot (9/13); Centennial Cone – North trailhead (9/14); Along Clear Creek in Golden (9/15). Artists’ choice on 9/11.

Painting is “Mount Falcon Hills” oil by Robert Moore.

Possible bike link from town of Morrison to Red Rocks

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Mountain bikers are working with Jeffco Open Space to create a trail link between Morrison, Red Rocks and Matthews/Winters Park.

 

The Canyon Courier reported March 7 that the Colorado Mountain Bike Association submitted a proposal to build a multiuse trail from the town of Morrison to Dinosaur Ridge and Red Rocks entrance along Highway 93 and potentially north to Matthews/Winters.

 

COMBA is in discussions with the Morrison Town Board and Planning Commission to get a plan approved. Some of the land involved is part of Denver Mountain Parks.

 

For more information on this development see http://www.canyoncourier.com/content/open-space-launches-e-bike-pilot-program

Volunteers needed to build Floyd Hill trail June 9 and beyond

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  The Mountain Area Land Trust in Evergreen is working with Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado this summer on Floyd Hill Open Space trail building projects.

 

Thanks to Clear Creek and Jefferson County open space programs and The Trust for Public Land, a significant portion of Floyd Hill is open to the public and with these projects will eventually offer a number of hiking and biking trails on 108 acres near the I-70 exit.

 

Trail building dates are set for June 9, July 7 and Aug 25

 

To learn more and register see voc.org, Trail Construction at Floyd Hill Open Space, http://www.voc.org/project/trail-construction-floyd-hill-open-space

 

For more information on the Mountain Area Land Trust see http://www.savetheland.org/floyd-hill-open-space