Where Art Thou features local artists, eclectic styles at new Grand Lake gallery

Where Art Thou’s gallery director Mikey Cross (left) stands alongside the gallery’s proprietor Jennifer Brown (right) after opening the shop for business Monday morning.
Lance Maggart / lmaggart@skyhinews.com

Where Art Thou, Grand Lake’s newest art gallery, is something of a hidden gem.

Located right in the heart of downtown Grand Lake the gallery is nestled into the second floor space above The Mountain Gal boutique and overlooks the quant Town Square Park just to the north. The shop features an eclectic mix of local, regional and state artists offering stunning and evocative pieces in a variety of mediums from photography and woodworking to fused glass and pencil drawings.

Jennifer Brown and Steve Kudron, propritors of the Mountain Gal and the Quacker Gift Shop, own Where Art Thou but it is the couple’s longtime employee, Grand County native Mikey Cross, who serves as the gallery’s director. The idea for the shop developed serendipitously earlier this year out of a conversation Cross had with Brown.

“After I graduated with a bachelor of fine arts degree Jennifer and I were talking about working together to illustrate a children’s book,” Cross explained. “One day she asked what I thought about opening a gallery that featured local artists. The idea stuck.”

Cross and Brown kicked off the process of establishing Where Art Thou in February. They began by reaching out to local artists in the Grand Lake area seeking submissions and used their connections to those local artists to expand their search for high quality artwork in Middle Park. They officially opened the gallery for business on May 25.

Mikey Cross, Where Art Thou gallery director, looks over several of the pieces that are available to patrons at the gallery in downtown Grand Lake.
Lance Maggart / lmaggart@skyhinews.com

There are currently 27 different artists featured at Where Art Thou. The gallery puts a special emphasis on artists from Grand Lake though there are numerous Grand County or Colorado based artists that also display their works at the gallery.

“Our focus is Grand Lake and Grand Lake talent,” Brown said.  “We were truly amazed at the amount of talent that came to us.”

Cross echoed her sentiments.

“The talent in Grand County alone is insane,” she said. “This opportunity and process has allowed us to discover all sorts of talent that lives in Grand County.”

Brown and Cross confirmed that Where Art Thou’s gallery space is currently full though the gallery is always looking for new talent to feature.

“We have a waiting list,” Brown said. “But we are open to looking at new talent.”

Mikey Cross shows a visitor around the new Where Art Thou art gallery in Grand Lake Monday morning.
Lance Maggart / lmaggart@skyhinews.com

The local artists featured at Where Art Thou include works from photographers Mike Long and Konstantin Bereczki, paintings by Linda Gardner and Rick Koller, fused glass sculptures by Candace Cole and much, much more than can be listed in one article. Patrons will find a wide variety of mediums and styles that include austere, almost haunting wildlife drawings, colorful, vibrant and eccentric painting selections and a myriad of pottery pieces, custom woodwork and hand made jewelry.

“We are very excited for the summer,” Cross said. “We are excited to meet lots of new people and to have them check out the beautiful artwork here.”

Where Art Thou

Sunday through Thursday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

1036 Grand Avenue, Grand Lake

970-798-8014

via:: Sky-Hi News