The Art Center of Estes Park was established in 1987 and offers an extensive collection of fine art including painting, photography, jewelry, ceramics, glass, fiber, and woodworking. In addition, we present opportunities for education in the visual arts, and act as an advocate and partner for community arts development.
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This was the vision of several local artists, many of whom are still participating members. We are dedicated to education and excellence in the visual arts, and is operated through artist and community volunteers, membership, sales, and donations. Our mission is to provide a facility that supports and promotes regional artists; to present opportunities for education in the visual arts, and to act as an advocate and partner for community arts development.
The Center now represents local and regional artists from across the Rocky Mountain area. We feature the high-quality artwork of 40 local Colorado artists in a broad selection of media. Whether you’re searching for a large piece of fine art or photography to enhance your home, or the perfect gift of jewelry, fiber, pottery, or a notecard for a friend, we have it.
We feature a new exhibit approximately every six weeks, opened by a public reception featuring refreshments and entertainment. We invite you to come and view these fine artists' work and to shop for additions to your home or business collections.
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about us
Member Artist
Chris Crews
I’m from Greeley, Colorado, and I grew up hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park. I originally became interested in photography in high school during a trip to Monteverde Cloud Forest in Costa Rica. I remember the days of film in the early ‘90s taking rolls of film to be developed at the grocery store, putting them in the envelope, and waiting a day for development anticipating a beautiful photograph. Of the photographs I took, only one or two out of several hundred were quality. My mother insisted we enlarge them and frame them. I still have a nice one from Costa Rica, but in a new frame. I also was limited to 36 exposures per roll of film, and a set ISO usually 200.
Now with digital photography, there is no limit, thousands of exposures, change the exposure compensation, f/stop, and ISO. With unbounded opportunities to produce the finest photographs imaginable, the expectations have also skyrocketed. Can anyone actually appreciate a photograph that hasn’t been edited in Lightroom or Photoshop? My mentor and friend Eli Vega said to me on numerous occasions that the best photography is done in the field, and editing should be just that, editing.
My main area of photography is landscapes. I have traveled to eight national parks since 2018 including Rocky Mountain, Black Canyon, Yosemite and Channel Islands in California, Grand Teton in Wyoming, Zion and Bryce Canyon in Utah, and Glacier in Montana. I have hiked some of the most iconic trails in our national parks and am overwhelmed by their magnificence. I sometimes ask myself if I’m able to capture the grandeur and magnificence around me in photographs. Often times, I can only capture a small portion of what I’m experiencing.
Email: chriscrews89@yahoo.com
