Issue No. 4 | November 24, 2025

Weekly Edition Sponsor

A Note from Publisher, Denise Leslie | This week in Eye on the Arts!

As the season shifts and we settle into this November issue of Arts Perspective, I’m reminded of how much creativity lives quietly and boldly across our region.

This month’s 'Spark Story' highlights Becca Conrad-Whitehead, whose thoughtful, grounded approach to art and community shows how meaningful work often begins with simply being present.

We also shine a light on the 20th anniversary of State Street Ballet’s Nutcracker at the Community Concert Hall. I’ll never forget my own first performance of The Nutcracker—fourth grade, a bus ride from my Indiana hometown, and the moment the curtain rose on a world of music and movement I had never experienced before. That same sense of wonder still finds me every year here in Durango, especially with the San Juan Symphony and Durango Children’s Chorus now part of the performance.

You’ll also find a feature on Western artist Jim Rey, whose lifelong connection to the West continues to shape a body of work that resonates far beyond our region. And in 'Creative Voices', I share a personal reflection sparked by John Denver’s “Durango Mountain Caballero”—a song that once made me feel that Colorado had opened its arms and said, Welcome home.

As we head into the holidays, I’m inspired by the makers, musicians, and storytellers who keep this creative landscape moving.

Call for Creators

Are you an artist, writer, musician, or storyteller with something to share?

Send your news, work, or ideas to dleslie@artsperspectivemag.com.

I want to hear your story.

— Denise Leslie

With appreciation and joy,

Denise Leslie

Publisher & Editor, Arts Perspective

Becca Conrad-Whitehead | Durango Visual Artist

Home from school and recovering from pneumonia, I was about seven years old, propped up on the pull-out couch in the living room, papers spread all around me. By afternoon, I had worked through the entire pad, exhilarated by the color explosion before me.

VISUAL ARTS | PAINTING| sponsored by Sorrel Sky Gallery
A Heart for the West: A Personal Glimpse into the Art of Jim Rey

by Denise Leslie, publisher

Some artists paint the West. And some artists live it—quietly, steadily, with a reverence that shows up in every brushstroke. Durango artist Jim Rey is one of those rare creators whose work feels less like an image and more like a memory you’ve always carried.

I first met Jim in 2018 when I was working at Sorrel Sky Gallery. Every December, without fail, he brings in his annual western-themed Christmas painting. These pieces have a magic to them—snow swirling around cowboys and horses, lantern light glowing softly against winter skies. Collectors look forward to that painting each year as a holiday tradition, and it usually finds a new home almost immediately.

Read the entire story here...

CREATIVE VOICES | sponsored by Jimmy's Music & Supply
John Denver’s “Durango Mountain Caballero”: A Timeless Ode to the San Juans

Long before drones and GoPros could capture the mountain light, John Denver embodied the spirit of Southwest Colorado with just his voice, a guitar, and that signature wide-open-hearted wonder. One of the sweetest examples is a little-known video clip of him singing “Durango Mountain Caballero,” a playful tune that feels like a love letter and a wink to our rugged peaks.

When the Curtain First Rose

By Denise Leslie| Originally Posted: Issue #24, Spring 2010

In 1972, a vast stretch of orange nylon billowed across the Colorado sky. Suspended high in Rifle Gap between two rugged cliffs, Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s Valley Curtain lasted just 28 hours before strong winds forced it down. Yet, in that brief moment, it left an impression that would endure for decades — not only on the art world but on the landscape itself and on how we view creative beginnings.

READ THE STORY HERE...

EVENT SPOTLIGHT | sponsored by Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College

Twenty Years of Wonder at the Community Concert Hall

Certain moments in Durango clearly mark the start of the holiday season, and for me—and many families across the region—State Street Ballet’s Nutcracker at the Community Concert Hall is one of those. This year, we celebrate a significant milestone: twenty years of this beloved production gracing our stage. The Concert Hall is honoring it in the best way possible—with a fundraiser that feels more like a gathering of old friends than a formal event.

Thank you to our Weekly Edition Sponsor | "It could be YOU!"

Each week, Arts Perspective keeps an eye on the arts with curiosity, joy, and heart—spotlighting the people, performances, and places that make our region shine. As a Weekly Edition Sponsor, your name appears right here, alongside the stories that celebrate creativity across the Four Corners.

Want to learn more? Visit Denise at 1309 E. 3rd Ave., Suite 110, in Durango, and feel the hum of our creative community in action.

Quote for the Week " I just wanna stop and thank you, baby." - James Taylor

Your Eye on the Arts is free to read and share. We believe stories about creativity should be accessible to everyone, which is why there’s no paywall. If you find value in our work, we welcome donations or ongoing support through our Buy Me a Coffee platform — every contribution helps bring more stories to life.

Thank you to all who supported Arts Perspective magazine this month on "Buy Me a Coffee" - YOU ALL ROCK!! Thank you, Aunt Victoria and Jim!