ISSUE NO. 28 | MAY 11, 2026

Publisher’s Note | from Denise

This week’s stories move through memory, compassion, poetry, and performance. Visit Durango brings the Colorado’s Scenic Byways exhibit, and Cindy's Shadow Short series continues with "The Selfless One" to another thoughtful installment of A Few Lines with Larry. We’re grateful to continue sharing creative voices and reflections from across our region. We’re also highlighting Come From Away, presented by Thingamajig Theatre Company this summer in Pagosa Springs — a production that feels especially meaningful right now.

As always, thank you for reading, sharing, and supporting the artists and storytellers who help shape the cultural heartbeat of the Four Corners.

FOLLOW THE THREAD: A small ask as you read: don’t stop at the preview. Click in, take a moment, and spend time with the full story.

And if you haven’t yet, tune in to KSUT on Saturdays at 11:58 am, just after This American Life, for the 'Eye on the Arts Minute '—a quick listen and another way to stay connected to the stories we’re sharing each week.

Thanks, as always, for being part of this.

With appreciation,

Denise

HEALING ARTS | SHADOW SHORTS

The Selfless One

There is a quiet kind of exhaustion that can come from always being the one who takes care of everyone else. In this thoughtful new piece for Healing Arts, “The Selfless One,” we explore the hidden weight carried by those who learned early in life to stay helpful, agreeable, and needed — often at the expense of themselves. It’s a compassionate reflection on people-pleasing, identity, and the long journey back to honoring your own needs with the same care you offer others.

VISUAL ARTS | PHOTOGRAPHY sponsored by Visit Durango

Where the Road Remembers

Some roads do more than lead us somewhere — they carry stories, memories, and pieces of the people who traveled them before us. In “Where the Road Remembers,” we reflect on the landscapes of the Southwest not simply as scenery, but as living archives of history, culture, and connection. It’s a reminder that every winding highway, mountain pass, and quiet overlook holds traces of human experience waiting to be noticed.

EVENT SPOTLIGHT | sponsored by Hideaway Marketing Agency

Come From Away

Some stories remind us what people are capable of in moments of uncertainty, heartbreak, and unexpected connection. In “Come From Away,” the stage becomes a place where strangers become neighbors and kindness quietly changes lives. This moving production by Thingamajig Theatre Company at the Pagosa Springs Center for the Arts brings a deeply human story to Southwest Colorado this summer — one that feels especially meaningful in a world still searching for connection.

LITERARY ARTS | POETRY sponsored by Sorrel Sky Gallery

There is Grace in Solitude

I feast on solitude,

yet I am a well-lived man.

Like many,

my memories,

my writing,

are the fountain of my youth.

Read the Entire Poem

Out of the Shadows", artist Mark Keathley, oil on canvas

Mark's work can be seen at Sorrel Sky Gallery

Beyond Our Corners...

• Sometimes the most familiar works of art still hold quiet surprises. This thoughtful reflection on Vincent van Gogh’s Bedroom in Arles invites readers to slow down, look closer, and reconsider the small details that can deepen our connection to a painting we thought we already knew.

→ Read More

• Artist Brianna McQuade reflects on the deeply personal nature of creating work that feels honest, intuitive, and emotionally grounded. This thoughtful interview explores the quiet balance between vulnerability and creativity — and the courage it takes to trust your own artistic voice.

→ Read more

• From Barbra Streisand to Idina Menzel, this celebration of Broadway’s most unforgettable voices explores the power, emotion, and sheer force behind the performers who helped define generations of musical theater. A nostalgic and inspiring reminder of how one voice can leave a lasting mark on audiences long after the curtain falls.

→ Read more

And as always, you’ll find the stories unfolding closer to home at artsperspectivemag.com.

WEEKLY EDITION SPONSOR | VISIT DURANGO

Some roads stay with us long after the drive is over. This season, Visit Durango invites visitors and locals to experience the Scenic & Historic Byways Exhibit at the Durango Welcome Center — a celebration of the landscapes, history, and communities connected through Colorado’s scenic routes, including the San Juan Skyway and Tracks Across Borders Byway.

The exhibit is on display at the Durango Welcome Center, 802 Main Avenue. Learn more at Durango.org.

Please support our sponsors! They help us keep Arts Perspective stories flowing. ♡

Quote for the Week: There’s power in looking silly and not caring that you do.” – AMY POEHLER

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Thank you all, Barbara Grist, Shell Simonson, Heather Freeman, Tad Smith, Moni & Jonas Grushkin, Milt Beens, Aunt Victoria & Jim, Cinda Wassmer, Randy Hays, Patricia Burk, Sharon Abshagen, Mary Zaleski, Jan Wright, Charles Shaw, Linda Barnes, Julie Cooley, Beth Drum, Hilarie Strong, Charles Leslie, Cary Lindley, Ilze Aviks, Gina Rosato, Candace Leslie, Angie Zbornik, Cindy Schmidt, Nancy Peake & Chandler Strange!