Ah Haa’s Live Auction: “To-Hell-U-Ride, The Wild Years”

16 Jul Ah Haa’s Live Auction: “To-Hell-U-Ride, The Wild Years”

For over 20 years, Ah Haa’s annual fundraiser has been the must-attend event of the summer season. Art lovers and community members support the Ah Haa School by bidding on a wide range of work created by artists from near and far.

This year’s theme is “To-Hell U Ride, The Wild Years,” (click on hotlink for tickets) meant to conjure the  schizophrenic spirit of 1970s in the region, which came in like a lamb with its tail between its tail between its legs (Idarado mine closing for good, historic buildings like the Sheridan Opera House in ruins) and went out like a lion, with the development of the ski area (thanks to Ron Allred and Jim Wells, who purchased the resort from Joe Zoline in 1978).

The big event takes place Friday, July 19, 5 – 10 p.m. under a tent at the Ahh Haa’s home base, the historic Depot building, 300 South Townsend.

More than 100 artworks, plus myriad services and excursions donated by the region’s artists, businesses and supporters of the school are auctioned in live and silent auctions. Many of the pieces on the auction block were specifically made for the event by the community’s talented artists, including Allred’s opus magnum, created with the help of nationally renowned artist and Telluride local Judy Haas.

(See related post for the overview: https://www.tellurideinside.com/2013/07/ah-haa-art-auction-allred-the-wild-years.html).

Awesome food and drink, dance party, performances and the great party mood put the “fun” into this very special fundraiser.

For the warm up to the Big Night, on Thursday, July 18, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m., Ah Haa hosts a Guest Artist Talk & Sale featuring six artists, including two who grew up in Telluride, Werner and Gardner Catsman – plus, Jane Goren, Ingrid Lundahl, Judy Mulford, and Rob Schultheis. (Appetizers, fine wine and spirits are included in the price of entry to both events, $35.)

Details about Thursday evenings artists/items as follows:

Gardner Catsman: Handmade wood wine rack with bottles of high-end wine donated by Todd Brown and Catherine McNamee

Value: Priceless

Gardner Catsman was born and raised in Telluride in the 70s. After attending college in the East, he returned to the Colorado. Gardner is a fine furniture maker and has a wood shop in Durango, where he lives with his family.

Werner Catsman: Box of hand-tied flies, custom fly rod and a full-day guided fishing trip

Value: Priceless

Born and raised on the San Miguel River, Werner Catsman continues to call the Miguel his home. Having managed the Scott Fly Rod Company for 10 years, he had a long and distinguished career in the fly fishing industry.  In 2006 Werner co-founded Finbro Construction and switched from building fly rods to building custom homes and condominium projects.

An avid writer, Werner has had articles published in Fly Tyer, Telluride Magazine and a chapter in the recently published book, “Why Liberty?” Werner’s main passion remains spending as much time as possible rowing rivers and catching fish. Despite his busy construction career, he still finds time to guide various local rivers including the San Miguel, Dolores, Gunnison Gorge, Roaring Fork and Colorado. When the rivers drop, he can be found collecting mineral specimens in the San Juans. He spends the fall chasing elk and grouse.

Jane Goren: “Gold Hill,” painted window

Value: $3800

Jane Goren often uses recycled objects and observations as a metaphor for survival in an edgy world. She finds inspiration in things others discard and often works with these resources, raising issues of materialism and relative value.

Goren was born and educated in New York City, where she was part of the art and theatre scene until she moved to Los Angeles. After LA’s last earthquake, she began collecting discarded windows, which she painted on the reverse side of the glass, in an attempt to heal and restore order to the disoriented city. The technique of reverse glass painting challenged her technical skills and allowed her to examine issues of voyeurism, surveillance and the deceitful nature of appearances.

Travel has always played an important part in Goren’s life and work, and has been essential to her artistic development, informing her work with a multicultural dynamic charged with personal meaning. She lived and worked in Berlin, Germany in 1997 and in Hangzhou, China in 2000. She has also spent time painting in India, Brazil, Italy and Jamaica.

Jane Goren has exhibited extensively in the United States as well as internationally. Her work has been included in such public collections as Mercedes-Benz, the national Public Library, the LAUSD Child Abuse Prevention office and the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, as well as the private collection of President Fidel Castro.

She lives and works in LA and spends as much time as possible in her studio in Telluride, Colorado.

Ingrid Lundahl: “Ingram in a Dream”

Value: $1800

“Telluride, Colorado has been my home base since 1978. It is arguably one of the most dazzling places on Earth. Especially during the outlaw years of 1978-88, Telluride locals and the occasional tourist could find me in the heart of town, above the Nugget Theatre, in my black-&-white darkroom. A corporate drop-out I was, having escaped several advertising creative departments, out in the real world.

“Telluride locals felt that I captured the spirit of a person or event. I shot informal outdoor portraits, as I do now, and wild happenings as well, including Telluride’s long litany of summer festivals. Now I feel lucky to have shot ski sacrifices, the unchaining of the Opera House, the ‘Save Our Pigs’ Benefit, and other delightful cultural aberrations of outlawish, outlandish Telluride.”

Judy Mulford: “Coronet  Creek,” rock, raffia, beads, willow

“Each piece I create becomes a container of conscious and unconscious thoughts and feelings: a nest, a womb, a secret, a surprise or a giggle. And always, a feeling of being in touch with my female ancestral beginnings. My work is autobiographical, personal, graphic and narrative. Instead of clay for this format, I use gourds as a base to integrate my photo images, drawings, script and babies in pouches. The gourds are surrounded by knotless netting – an ancient looping technique – symbolic because it is also a buttonhole stitch historically rooted in the home.

“Infrared film, its painterliness and mystery, caught my fancy in 1986. I’ve captured the Southwest and, most recently, Ireland with this technically challenging and highly rewarding film.”

Rob Schultheis: Woman Gazing at the Moon,” mixed media on paper

Value: $2000

Rob Schultheis is the author of six books, including “The Hidden West” and “Fool’s Gold,” the latter about the changing face of his home town, Telluride, Colorado. Since 1984, Rob has covered the wars in Afghanistan for Time magazine and other periodicals, also freelancing as cameraman for the networks. Over the years, he has written for “The Washington Post,” “National Geographic Magazine,” and “Outside” magazine. Rob is also an accomplished painter.

And featured in the live auction on Friday:

1. Tapas and Cocktails: Two reservations at a food and wine experience with Mike Guskea of Aemono Catering, July 26 from 6-8 p.m. At a private home in Mountain Village. Value: $230

2. Portrait of your Pet: Artist Lauren Metzger will paint a custom portrait of your pet. This original painting will capture your beloved furry friend for eternity. Value: $900

3. Story Theater Workshop and Party Workshop for 10 kids with thespians Sally Davis and Angela Watkins (while parents enjoy a two-hour wine tasting). Story Theatre performance followed by a pizza party by Brown Dog and homemade cake by Cheryl. Includes two suitcases of costumes you can take home tonight! Value: $2200

4. Quick Draw Winning Painting for the SAF’s Plein Air Festival. Value: $800

5. Mango Cottage, Maui, Hawaii: One-week stay for four at the ocean-front Mango Cottage off the Hana Highway in Maui. Value: $1500

6. Seasons of Telluride: Photography in the San Juan Mountains. Hand-bound leather binding by Monique Lallier, photographs by Ryan Bonneau. A collaboration between the Telluride Tourism Board and the American Academy of Bookbinding. A one-of-a-kind fine leather binding of more than 100 pages of stunning photography. Value: $3500

7. Mango 15 Wine Rack and Wine. Wine rack by artist Lisa Issenberg filled with selections from Catherine McNamee and Chris Miller’s (Silverado Vineyards) personal wine cellar. Value: $3000

8. Exclusive Mountain Package for two: Shadow the Telluride Ski Patrol, ski with historian Johnny Stevens, meals, lodging at Lumiere, massages and hang out with the Ski Patrol at the legendary Lizard Lounge. Value: Priceless

9. Preserving the Jewel:A mixed media piece by Ron Allred with assistance from artist Judy Haas. Value: Priceless!

10. To-Hell-U-Rider Camper. 1963 International Camper designed by artist Mike Doherty. Value: Priceless!

For a preview of the auctions, watch Clint Viebrock’s video.