The entryway to Carbondale’s new City Market promises to be as aesthetically pleasing as it is serviceable. When the store opens this fall patrons will be greeted by a 16×5 foot mural, created by local artists, that will include both historic and contemporary aspects of the town as well as the Crystal River Valley’s most iconic symbol — Mount Sopris.
The mural’s creators — artists Reina Katzenberger and Andrew Roberts Gray —had their entry chosen in April from among 15 entries after a call for submissions by Carbondale Arts and The Kroger Co.
“Andrew and Reina’s submission was selected because of its beautiful layering of local imagery that spoke to the character of the community,” said Bo Wachendorf, Art Project Manager for The Kroger Co. in a news release.
The foundational element of the mural is Mount Sopris, and Katzenberger said she was initially hesitant to include it because it’s so commonly used in local art. But she eventually came around to the idea.
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“I think the way we’re addressing it is really unique as far as style,” Katzenberger said. “So I love Sopris being the centerpiece as far the landscape and as a landmark that means a lot to a lot of people, and it’s just incredibly gorgeous, and an amazing sightline to work with, especially at that scale.”
The mural is the first collaboration between Katzenberger and Gray, who both maintain studio spaces at Carbondale’s Studio For Arts + Works.
“We have similar sensibilities artistically,” Katzenberger said. “I did a really large piece in January that’s now at the CMC campus in Aspen, and I think that really piqued his interest – seeing my scale go much larger. It opened doors for us.”
When the call for submissions came up for the City Market mural project, the two artists began chatting about what they were looking for and how each would address that problem.
“I think we both wanted to create something that was visually stunning and also interesting,” Katzenberger said. “We’re bringing in some informational graphic elements and we’re trying to capture Carbondale, not only from our own perspectives but from others’ past and present.”
Katzenberger said they talked about including elements depicting the history of the region — from the Ute Indians to the miners — as well as the evolution of Carbondale into its current status as the Valley’s creative district.
“We were trying to blend a piece that touches on a lot of things over, not only time but also over experience,” she said.
“A lot of things that we’re putting in there might not be obvious at first viewing, but that also was very important to us because we want it to hold interest over time. People will start seeing things after the second or third viewing that speak more to those elements.”