Issue No. 2 | November 10, 2025

Weekly Edition Sponsor

A note from Publisher, Denise Leslie | Welcome back to Eye on the Arts! This week, I’m especially delighted to feature our 'Spark Story' on artist and friend Heather Freeman, whose creative journey reminds us how imagination can lift us higher — both in art and in life.

We’re also revisiting a beautiful piece from the Arts Perspective archives — “Flying”, a short story by Marcy Cummins, illustrated by Miki Harder, initially published in Issue #32, Spring 2012. It’s a timeless reflection on courage, freedom, and the quiet power of taking flight — themes that still resonate deeply today.

In our Event Spotlight, we celebrate the Colorado Pro Photographer Showdown at the Community Concert Hall — an evening where breathtaking images meet music and storytelling in motion.

And finally, a heartfelt thank-you to KSUT Public Radio for giving artists, musicians, and venues across the Four Corners a platform to be seen and heard. Your dedication continues to inspire us all.

With appreciation and joy,

Denise Leslie

Publisher & Editor, Arts Perspective

Heather Freeman | Joy Expressed in Every Layer

I’m a contemporary abstract artist based in Durango, Colorado. My work is known for its joyful use of color and expressive layers that aim to inspire calm, confidence, and connection. Before I became a full-time artist, I worked as a health educator, and that background continues to shape my creative process.

LITERARY ARTS | SHORT STORIES
Flying by Marcy Cummins
Illustrated by Miki Harder | Originally Posted: Arts Perspective | Issue #32, Spring 2012

I figured out how to fly. I don’t mean something crazy like jumping off the roof with a towel safety pinned to my shoulders. I would soar through the air above the heads of teachers and kids. The slide was right next to the seesaw, making it perfect for creating the greatest stunt ever conceived by a fourth grader. I could see Ed Sullivan inviting me to repeat the feat on his Sunday night show. The audience would be hushed in anticipation. I would be dressed, not in a brown corduroy jumper and saddle shoes, but in a silver costume with gold flames down my arms.

Read the entire story here...

VISUAL ARTS

Chuck Middlekauff | Painting the American Story with a Wink and a Smile“

I want my paintings to be fun — for me and for collectors — and to evoke a rich nostalgia for things that may soon be gone,” says artist Chuck Middlekauff. “I hope viewers will be entertained and reminisce with me as I paint what I grasp from all that nostalgia, with puns and twists in the combinations of shapes, colors, textures, subjects, and titles.”

READ THE STORY HERE...

CREATIVE VOICES | sponsored by Jimmy's Music & Supply

KSUT: Where the Arts Find Their Voice
Last week, I found myself in the cozy hum of the KSUT studio — microphones glowing, guitars tuned, that shared hush of anticipation before the music begins. KSUT’s own Chris Aaland, always calm, thoughtful, and genuinely curious, was preparing to go live with two remarkable artists: Grace Pettis and Natalie Price, in town for the Community Concert Hall’s Backstage Pass Concert Series.

It’s an intimate setting — a few chairs and a handful of cables — when the red light came on, the energy in the room expanded. Grace and Natalie took turns performing stripped-down versions of their songs, laughing between takes, and speaking candidly about the stories behind their music.

READ AND LISTEN HERE...

EVENT SPOTLIGHT | sponsored by Durango Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad

Colorado Pro Photographer Showdown

It’s not your father’s slideshow! The Colorado Pro Photographer Showdown transforms the traditional photo presentation into a high-energy celebration of image, sound, and storytelling. On Tuesday, November 19, five award-winning photographers—each with distinct voices and visual styles—will project their best work on the giant screen of the Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College. Paired with dynamic music and curated editing, these 10-minute showcases promise a night of awe, emotion, and inspiration.

Thank you to our Weekly Edition Sponsor | "YOU! Call me!"

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 ain't a-saying you treated me unkind. You could have done better, but I don't mind. You just kinda wasted my precious time. But don't think twice, it's all right" – Bob Dylan, Don't Think Twice

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Thank you to BARBARA GRIST for becoming an "Arts Advocate" and supporting Arts Perspective magazine!