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Forbes
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
A Is For Aspen Anderson Ranch For The Arts
View of Anderson Ranch Arts Center and James Surls, 'Three and Ten Flowers', 2014, part of Anderson Ranch Arts Center 2024annual outdoor sculpture exhibition Courtesy Anderson Ranch Arts I've been going to Aspen since I was a teenager. At first, it was just for the skiing. Then I discovered that, as is true with most ski resorts, there is more to do there in the summer. Over the years, summer in Aspen has grown to have a dizzying array of activities, from seminars at the Aspen Institute and the Aspen Festival of Ideas, the Aspen Music Festival, the Food & Wine Classic, the Aspen Museum AIR Festival, to name but a few of the summer events. With summer, hiking, biking, dining and shopping become full time sports, in what I like to call the Switzerland of America. However, until my recent visit to Aspen and to the Anderson Ranch Arts Center in Snowmass Village, I never realized the extent to which Aspen has become a center for contemporary Art or the extent to which art is part of Aspen-Snowmass' DNA. The Anderson Ranch is a four-and-a-half-acre art center that offers classes in pottery, ceramics, sculpture, painting, printmaking, 3D fabrication, woodworking, and metalworks, to people of all ages and all abilities. At the same time, artists come to the ranch as a retreat or to experiment in new mediums, to give lectures, workshops, and to hold public conversations about their work. Anderson's cross-disciplinary and welcoming pluralistic approach to arts education is part of its and Aspen's DNA. While in Aspen I met with (and got to hang out with) Peter Waanders, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Ranch, Liz Ferrill, Artistic Director of Painting, Drawing & Printmaking (and who leads the Artist in Residence Program and the Critical Dialogue Program), and Evan Soroka, an Aspen native who is the Ranch's digital media manager, each of whom struck me as incredibly happy to be able to be part of the Anderson Ranch. 'Aspen has always been about the meeting of mind, body and the spiritual,' Waanders told me. The story of Aspen begins with Walter Paepcke, the son of German immigrants who took over his father's lumber mill and box-making company in Chicago. Paepcke built the company into the highly successful Container Corporation of America which, in turn, became known for commissioning great graphic designers and artists for their campaigns including Herbert Bayer, Laszlo Moholy-Nagy, Fernand Leger, Leonard Baskin, Ben Shahn, Joseph Cornell, and Willem de Kooning. In 1946, Walter and Elizabeth Paepcke founded the Aspen Skiing Corporation, opening a chairlift on Aspen Mountain that same year. In 1951, seeking to create a forum for his passions, Paepcke founded the International Design Conference in Aspen (IDCA), which was modeled on the Bauhaus philosophy of collaboration between modern art, design, and commerce, and was led by Bauhaus member Herbert Bayer, with attendance by such design and art luminaries as Josef Albers, Louis Kahn. And Charles Eames. Paepcke believed that good design was good business, and he invited fellow tycoons such as Stanley Marcus of Neiman Marcus, and other executives to attend. The IDCA was soon joined by sister organizations, the Aspen Institute and the Aspen Music Festival. Paul Soldner leads a ceramics class at Anderson Ranch Courtesy Anderson Ranch Arts In 1966, as they were preparing to open the Snowmass ski area, the Paepckes decided Aspen needed an arts center. They turned to American ceramicist Paul Soldner who chose an old sheep farm The Anderson Ranch near Snowmass Village as the location for his center. Soldner brought in friends, colleagues, and other artists, including Peter Volkous who had taught ceramics at Black Mountain College and would go on to found the ceramics department at Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles. Today, those early days are looked on fondly as the era of 'hippie potters.' Soldner and Voulkos were the mainstays of the ceramics center which they called 'The Center of the Hand.' They were soon joined by Cherie Hiser's photography program, called 'The Center of the Eye.' In the years that followed David Ellsworth launched a woodturning program, and a painting workshop was offered as well. Sam Maloof taught a woodworking workshop. In 1978 a printmaking studio was established. The Anderson Ranch, Waanders said, 'is a makers organization' that prioritizes 'process over final product.' In the 1980s, not only did the Ranch become a year-round center with winterized barns, but the Anderson Ranch was deeded all its property and buildings (which is as amazing as it is fortunate – imagine owning almost five acres of land in Aspen today!), and a visiting Artist program began. Over the years visiting artists have included Laurie Anderson, Christo, Takaski Nakazato, Starn Twins, Dennis Hopper, Maya Lin, James Rosenquist, Sally Mann, Larry Bell, and Jennifer Bartlett. In the 1990s a digital media lab was launched. Other artists who have participated in Anderson Ranch programs include Steve McQueen, Mickalene Thomas, Catherine Opie, and Frank Stella, Each summer the Anderson Ranch hosts a series of public artist lectures and Q&A sessions. Past participants include Marina Abramović (2013), The Haas Brothers (2016), Doug Aitken (2017), Njideka Akunyili Crosby (2018), Sanford Biggers (2019, Liz Larner (2022), Mickalene Thomas (2023), and Charles Gaines (2024), among others. Touring the facilities at the Anderson Ranch, it is hard to imagine any artist having access to as great a range of tools, machines, programs, and the people who can administer them. I walked through a large room that contained kiln after kiln: large ones, small ones, huge ones, wood fired, and gas powered, as well as 3-D clay printers. It is no wonder that so many artists want to come to the Ranch to experiment, learn, and extend their practice. The week before I arrived, Rainer Judd and Flavin Judd who administer the Donald Judd estate were there, and in the following weeks there would be lectures, conversations and visits with Kelly Akashi, Shepard Fairey, Catherine Opie, Dawoud Bey, Mickalene Thomas and Issy Wood. The Summer Series is curated by Summer Series Creative Director and CULTURED magazine founder and Editor-in-Chief Sarah Harrelson. Aspen today is very much home to the wealthy. The joke/not-really-a-joke is that in Aspen the Billionaires are pushing out the Millionaires. No question that housing for those that work in Aspen is no longer affordable. You only need to walk the well-maintained streets of Aspen to find yourself surrounded by luxury brand retail store after retail store, such as Valentino, Prada, Dior, and Loro Piano. That being said, Aspen has always been a place, like New York and Los Angeles, where people who have been financially successful elsewhere choose to have a second home. Aspen's summer residents come from all over the country and are often art collectors themselves who appreciate and support The Ranch. During my visit I met dedicated ranch board members from Indianapolis, Houston, Chicago, Davenport, and Los Angeles. The Ranch also holds an annual fundraising event, which is the culmination of Ranch Week, with a live and silent auction of artworks, as well as having an International Artist Award honoree, who for 20025, is artist, filmmaker, and philanthropist Titus Kaphar, a 2018 MacArthur Grant Award recipient. Conversation between Titus Kaphar and Susan Wrubel following screening of Exhibiting Forgiveness in Aspen, Colorado Courtesy of Anderson Ranch Arts Kaphar is both an extraordinary artist as well as an exceptional human being. During Ranch Week, Kaphar held a screening of his feature film Exhibiting Forgiveness at the iconic and recently restored Isis Theater. Exhibiting Forgiveness is a very poetic, sensitive, and visually beautiful account of an artist's struggle regarding the father who traumatized and abandoned him, starring Andre Harrell and Anda Day. It is also an investigation of the lead character's relationship with his mother, his wife, his own son and how his inner turmoil plays out in his paintings, his choice of subject matter, as well as in his relationships with his gallerist and his collectors. After the screening, Kaphar was in conversation with Susan Wrubel, Executive and Artistic Director of Aspen Film where they discussed how the film, which can be seen on Hulu, is about 'correcting generational trauma,' Titus Kaphar and Deby Wisch in conversation at the Anderson Ranch Courtesy of Anderson Ranch Arts The following day, in conversation with documentary filmmaker Debi Wisch, Kaphar discussed his journey from Michigan to California, his discovery of art history, and the many attempts he made before being accepted into Yale's MFA program in art. Kaphar is known for his works that investigate art history and the erasure of Black lives. Kaphar said that he sees his work as 'neither Demonizing, not Deifying.' This was followed by a lunch where Kaphar discussed his NXTHVN (Next Haven) project, a not-for-profit arts studio located in two former manufacturing plants in the Dixwell neighborhood of New Haven, Connecticut that opened in 2019, offering studio internships to local high school students over 15, and to visiting artists who mentor them. Kaphar is hoping to create NXTHVN centers all over the country. Kaphar often tells his interns about their work: 'I don't care how many likes you get, if everything you make succeeds, then you are not trying hard enough.' Inside the Woody Creek Tavern Photo by Tom Teicholz I would be remiss if I didn't mention that Aspen offers other art experiences as well. There is the Hexton Contemporary Art Gallery right in the center of Aspen which just ended an exhibition of new work by Andy Millner, and the Aspen Art Museum which has a wonderful Sherrie Levine exhibition (Levine's work remains perplexing); and striking installations by Solange Pessoa and Carol Rama. The Aspen Art Museum's own annual auction ArtCrush is live online through August 2nd, with works by Anni Albers, Alex Katz and Michael Stipe. And, finally, no visit to Aspen is complete for me without checking in at the Woody Creek Tavern, Hunter Thompson's old hangout, where the burgers are as great as ever. Aspen in the summer can become the best of habits. This was my first visit to the Anderson Ranch. It won't be my last.
The Guardian
10-07-2025
- The Guardian
Sauce Boss the rodeo bull becomes latest US animal escape artist
Animals that have proven themselves to be escape artists as of late in the US have included a terrier and nearly four dozen monkeys. And now a rodeo bull reportedly referred to by the names of Sauce Boss and Twinkle Toes can join their ranks after breaking free from his handlers and spending four days at large. The bull in question was being unloaded in preparation for the Snowmass Village, Colorado, rodeo on 2 July when he somehow got away, local police chief Brian Olson told the state's Aspen Times. Olson suspected the creature found and forced his way through a gap in the fencing that was being used during the unloading. Authorities spent several hours looking for the taurine fugitive, but he eluded them, primarily by heading into tall brush and trees in the village's Horse Ranch neighborhood, Olson said. Police then issued an alert asking the public to call them if they saw the escaped rodeo bull – and to avoid either approaching the animal or letting pets get near him. Olson said the bull came in and out of view while remaining in that brush in the coming days. A local homeowner told CBS Colorado that cowboys roped the bull at one point during the animal's abscondence – but, as it rained heavily, he managed to slip away. The bull on Sunday then 'did make himself visible' for a longer period than had been usual and let cowboys working for his owner approach him. Olson said that was when the bovine's owner's cowboys finally caught him, and they began planning on him to soon make his debut at the rodeo – which is held every Wednesday during the summer. There were conflicting reports about the bull's moniker. CBS Colorado reported he went by Sauce Boss. But, in an interview with Cowboy State Daily, Snowmass Village police officer Zach Wilcher said he understood the bull's name to be Twinkle Toes. Whatever the case, corners of the internet dedicated to lighthearted news stories seized on Sauce Boss/Twinkle Toes's time on the lam. News consumers in the US are fascinated by tales of pets or animals in captivity making daring dashes for freedom. For instance, a wiry terrier named Scrim earned a reputation as New Orleans's most ungovernable dog after he bolted his adoptive family's yard in April 2024 and spent about six months on the run. After he was caught, he escaped again in November by chewing through a window screen on the second floor of his new adoptive home, leaping 13ft to a driveway and going on the run for another three months before being captured again. Both hunts for Scrim were elaborate, involving people equipped with traps, nets and tranquilizer guns. He earned a measure of social media stardom as users posted videos from cellphones and security cameras that recorded him jaunting through the streets to the distress of those searching for him. Meanwhile, as another example, in November, 43 rhesus macaque monkeys earned international headlines by escaping from a South Carolina research facility into nearby woods after an employee failed to fully lock the animals' enclosure. It took until January for the last of those monkeys to be recaptured. Most were lured back into captivity with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Julius Constantine Motal contributed to reporting
The Guardian
09-07-2025
- The Guardian
Sauce Boss the rodeo bull becomes latest US animal escape artist
Animals that have proven themselves to be escape artists as of late in the US have included a terrier and nearly four dozen monkeys. And now a rodeo bull reportedly referred to by the names of Sauce Boss and Twinkle Toes can join their ranks after breaking free from his handlers and spending four days at large. The bull in question was being unloaded in preparation for the Snowmass Village, Colorado, rodeo on 2 July when he somehow got away, local police chief Brian Olson told the state's Aspen Times. Olson suspected the creature found and forced his way through a gap in the fencing that was being used during the unloading. Authorities spent several hours looking for the taurine fugitive, but he eluded them, primarily by heading into tall brush and trees in the village's Horse Ranch neighborhood, Olson said. Police then issued an alert asking the public to call them if they saw the escaped rodeo bull – and to avoid either approaching the animal or letting pets get near him. Olson said the bull came in and out of view while remaining in that brush in the coming days. A local homeowner told CBS Colorado that cowboys roped the bull at one point during the animal's abscondence – but, as it rained heavily, he managed to slip away. The bull on Sunday then 'did make himself visible' for a longer period than had been usual and let cowboys working for his owner approach him. Olson said that was when the bovine's owner's cowboys finally caught him, and they began planning on him to soon make his debut at the rodeo – which is held every Wednesday during the summer. There were conflicting reports about the bull's moniker. CBS Colorado reported he went by Sauce Boss. But, in an interview with Cowboy State Daily, Snowmass Village police officer Zach Wilcher said he understood the bull's name to be Twinkle Toes. Whatever the case, corners of the internet dedicated to lighthearted news stories seized on Sauce Boss/Twinkle Toes's time on the lam. News consumers in the US are fascinated by tales of pets or animals in captivity making daring dashes for freedom. For instance, a wiry terrier named Scrim earned a reputation as New Orleans's most ungovernable dog after he bolted his adoptive family's yard in April 2024 and spent about six months on the run. After he was caught, he escaped again in November by chewing through a window screen on the second floor of his new adoptive home, leaping 13ft to a driveway and going on the run for another three months before being captured again. Both hunts for Scrim were elaborate, involving people equipped with traps, nets and tranquilizer guns. He earned a measure of social media stardom as users posted videos from cellphones and security cameras that recorded him jaunting through the streets to the distress of those searching for him. Meanwhile, as another example, in November, 43 rhesus macaque monkeys earned international headlines by escaping from a South Carolina research facility into nearby woods after an employee failed to fully lock the animals' enclosure. It took until January for the last of those monkeys to be recaptured. Most were lured back into captivity with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Julius Constantine Motal contributed to reporting
CBS News
07-07-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Rodeo bull "Sauce Boss" recaptured after five-day search in Western Colorado
While it took some time to make it happen, "Sauce Boss" is now back in "ranch hands" after a tour of Snowmass Village when he escaped from the rodeo while crews were unloading last Wednesday. The bull was found a few times (including by a homeowner) roaming around in thick brush behind the Horse Ranch Neighborhood, but crews had difficulty trying to actually get the bull down. Sauce Boss, the bull, had escaped from the Snowmass Rodeo. Snowmass Village Michelle Lubetzky, playing volleyball near the rodeo Sunday, was familiar with the bovine search. "Apparently it has blended well with, with the scenery in Aspen, I don't know," Lubetzky said, laughing. One homeowner told CBS Colorado the bull had actually been roped before his eventual capture Sunday, but because of heavy rain, he was able to escape once again. Sunday cowboys took horses again up the trail to try and find the bull, and succeeded, leading him down and back towards the rodeo at the bottom of the hill. Homeowners tell CBS the bull is expected back in the rodeo for Snowmass Village next Wednesday.
CBS News
03-07-2025
- CBS News
Bull escapes Colorado rodeo, still roaming mountain town
A rodeo bull broke free of his handlers mid-day Wednesday and, almost a day later, has yet to be found. Snowmass Village Police Chief Brian Olson told the Aspen Times the bull was being unloaded in preparation for the Snowmass Rodeo. He speculated the animal found a gap in the fencing being used during the unloading and forced its way through it. "We have stopped looking and will wait for a credible sighting before attempting to secure him," Olson told CBS Colorado on Thursday. "Probably out of nervousness and being unfamiliar with surroundings, he is remaining secluded intentionally. He has plenty to eat (grass/water) so we are not concerned with his welfare, for the moment." The town issued a warning to citizens not to approach the bull if they see it, and to keep pets away from it as well. A bull escaped from the Snowmass Rodeo yesterday afternoon and remains on the loose in Snowmass Village. Out of caution,... Posted by Town of Snowmass Village on Thursday, July 3, 2025 The bull is believed to be hiding out in the Horse Ranch subdivision on the north side of Snowmass Village and near the rodeo grounds. Cowboys on horseback searched the neighborhood immediately after the bull's escape but had to return in the evening to help with the rodeo, per the Aspen Times. Police also used drones to search for him. The Snowmass Rodeo is held every Wednesday night from mid-June to mid-August. The event is celebrating its 51st year of operation. An undated file photo of a bull at a rodeo. Getty Images Anyone who sees the bull is asked to notify police dispatch at (970) 920-5310.
