As temperatures warm and spring embraces the Yampa Valley, the art galleries and venues of Steamboat Springs will once again come to life with the March edition of First Friday Artwalk.

This month’s event, set for 5 to 8 p.m. March 7 in galleries throughout Steamboat, will feature a dynamic and diverse mix of exhibitions, interactive workshops and student showcases.

The Depot Art Center: “Toxic Blooms” and the Yampa Valley Crane Festival Student Art Contest

The Depot Art Center, at 1001 13th St., will present Nell Potasznik’s “Toxic Blooms” in Bliss Hall. Inspired by the likes of French botanist Gilles Clement, this thought-provoking collection by the Dallas-based artist explores the connection between human influence and nature through highly detailed burlap tableaus.

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“Potasznik’s work transforms burlap, a material tied to agricultural commerce, into striking visual narratives that challenge perceptions of sustainability and environmental impact,” said Robin Miller, the operations manager for Steamboat Creates. 

Miller explained that the textile-based pieces in “Toxic Blooms” will provide viewers with the opportunity to contemplate the constrasting connections between “cultivation and conservation, growth and decay and intention and chance.”

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“My work explores the territory where human influence meets natural systems,” said Potasznik in a news release. “Through these textile compositions, I aim to create a visual dialogue about our role as both stewards and potential threats to environmental balance.”

Potasznik will also lead an embroidery workshop from 4–6 p.m. Sunday, in which participants can create their own nature-inspired burlap bag designs. The workshop, which will take place at The Depot Arts Center, welcomes artists of any ability level who are over age 12.

March will also feature the art center’s presention of “The Yampa Valley Crane Festival Student Art Contest” in the Platform Gallery. Coinciding with the annual return of the region’s legendary sandhill cranes, this celebration of both written and visual art places the perceptions and talents of local students on center stage.

“Colorado Crane Conservation Coalition initiated this contest in 2018 as a writing contest,” said CCCC President Nancy Merrill. “All high school seniors in Routt and Moffat counties were invited to submit an original piece of writing inspired by the Rocky Mountain greater sandhill cranes.”

Young artists will be in attendance during FFAW to share inspirations that led them to create their artwork. They will also speak about the artistic methods used to capture the stunning beauty of the spring migration and mating rituals of the sandhill crane, while also celebrating conservation efforts that have led to the species prevalence throughout the Yampa Valley. 

“The objective is to to raise awareness and appreciation of our Rocky Mountain sandhill cranes and to encourage engagement in the arts among the younger generations,” explained Merrill. “We hope that the students who participate in the contest will also become the crane conservationists of the future. The contest has heightened interest in and appreciation of sandhill cranes among high school students, faculty, and families of the students. The general public, who has attended the annual art show displaying the contest entries, has also experienced heightened awareness and appreciation of these iconic birds that share the valley with us.”

In April, the gallery will announce the winners of contest, who will be awarded with scholarships. 

The scholarships include:

• $4,000 for first-place winners in writing, poetry/song and visual media
• $2,000 for second-place winners in each category
• $1,000 for two honorable-mention winners from any of the three categories

Scholarship awards are contingent on the winner’s acceptance into a continuing education institution.

Steamboat Creates and The Depot Arts Center has additional information available at SteamboatCreates.org/depot-art-center/. More information on the Colorado Crane Conservation Coalition is at ColoradoCranes.org/.

Schoonover Gallery: Faye Crowe’s Architectural Expressionism

This month during FFAW, the Schoonover Gallery, 929 Lincoln Ave., will unveil works by Faye Crowe, an award-winning architect based out of Golden. Faye, who is described as “fearless” and “exciting” by gallery owners Ray and Patie Schoonover, combines the art of structure with painting to provide viewers with a thought-provoking visual display created with a wide range of materials and media. 

The diverse landscapes and environments of Colorado, combined with her professional work as an architect, form together to create an enduring theme within her works. 

Selected works from Crowe’s collection will be on display during a FFAW reception, which will be held at the gallery from 5–8 p.m. Images of her paintings can also be found online at SchoonoverGallery.com/.

Pine Moon Fine Art: “The Best of Pine Moon”

Pine Moon Fine Art, located at 117 Ninth St., is using March’s FFAW to celebrate its station as one of Steamboat’s premier collective art galleries with “The Best of Pine Moon,” an all-gallery member show featuring some of the most celebrated works from its extensive roster of artists.

For several years, Pine Moon has been voted as the Best Art Gallery in the Steamboat Pilot & Today’s “Best of the ‘Boat” competition. Many of its artists have also been recognized in the Best Artist category, as well.

The “Best of Pine Moon” will highlight some of the most compelling works from each artist’s collection, providing a unique opportunity to see a wide range of mediums and perspectives in one collective show. The opening reception, which will take place 5–8 p.m. Friday, will offer art lovers an engaging experience in a space known for community-based artwork.

More information on Pine Moon Fine Art and its artist collective can be found at PineMoonFineArt.com/.

Tread of Pioneers Museum: A Continued Focus on the Yampa River

As the ice on local rivers and streams gives way, the Tread of the Pioneers Museum, 800 Oak St., continues its celebration of the Yampa River watershed with an exhibit titled “Lens on the River: A Photographic Journey on the Yampa River.”

John Fielder, an environmentalist and award-winning photographer whose works celebrate the Yampa River’s beauty, is a featured artist. His artwork has brought continual awareness to ecologically important waterways, resulting in measures that have protected important aspects of Colorado and, by extension, the American West. 

More information on the Tread of Pioneers Museum is at TreadofPioneers.org/.

With a range of exhibitions spanning environmental themes, architectural expression and student creativity, March’s First Friday Artwalk will be a journey of inspiration and celebration. The event, which is free and open to the public, will provide a perfect opportunity to explore the creative pulse that sustains the art-based communities of the Yampa Valley.

More information on the First Friday Artwalk, and the galleries and venues that participate in it, can be found at Steamboatcreates.org.