For many people, the town of Basalt, Colorado is identified with rivers and fishing. Located at the confluence of the Frying Pan and Roaring Fork Rivers, Basalt is a mecca for fly fishermen who come from all over the country to these gold medal waters. When they stop at the gallery in their hip waders after a day on the river, they are often drawn to works of art that speak to their recent experience.
The cool colors, deep shadows and languid motion of the river inspire peaceful and evocative art. From the monochromatic and exquisitely drawn copper plate etchings of Joel Oslind to the colorful oil paintings of Dan Young, the artist’s personal experience with the tranquility of the river is reflected. “Some days, I don’t know whether to fish or paint,” Young has remarked. Gordon Gund has rendered the slippery shapes of fish in elegant sculpture and Brett Scheifflee captured a recent encounter with a wild brookie in a unique round painting.
For many people, fishing offers a great deal more than the pursuit of fish. It is an opportunity for communion with nature in spectacular settings. The art produced from the experience can bring back ongoing memories of blissful days on the river.