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| Fort Collins, nestled in the foothills of the Rockies. |
Being
a tried-and-true Midwestern gal (and hence accustomed to the flat expanses of
the region), I discovered a superb introduction to Colorado by way of Fort Collins.
My philosophy in choosing the picturesque city was that there was no need to overwhelm
myself with the Rocky Mountains right away. I was determined to slowly take everything
in, after having spent months rushing through the day-to-day pressures of work,
commuting and a constantly rotating (but never diminishing) stack of bills. Simply
put, I really wanted to relax.
Fort
Collins is equidistant from both Denver (50 miles south) and Cheyenne, Wyoming
(50 miles north). It's lined by the Cache La Poudre River and nestled in the foothills
of the Rocky Mountains. Originally a military stronghold in 1864, Fort Collins
evolved into a bona fide town in 1873. Traces of its rich history are scattered
throughout the city. The downtown area, referred to as Historic Old Town, still
has many of its original buildings, many of which are part of both national and
local historic districts.
The
community of 130,000 is a diverse one, embracing artists, athletes, and (like
most Colorado towns) the outdoors. In fact, Fort Collins embraces many of Northern
Colorado's most talented artists. The weekend I was visiting, I had the opportunity
to go to the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), which is located in the town's
former post office. It was also the weekend of the artists' studio tour, during
which 66 artists opened their homes and studios to the public. Fifteen dollars
purchased four adults a tour book and map. Jeanne Shoaff, MOCA's Executive Director,
said the tour helps educate the public about the wealth of artists in town by
letting them experience the dynamics that go into the work.
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| Art
by Fort Collins resident Rachel Weiss was a highlight of the studio tour. |
My personal
favorite (and first stop on the tour) was Rachel Weiss, a short, energetic young
woman with curly blond hair. One of her paintings was the first one to catch my
eye as I perused the museum the previous night. It was a cartoon-like young man
and his cat painted on an enlarged photograph of a factory. The industrial aspect
of it reminded me of my home in the Midwest. However, it was how the imagination
paired with reality that I liked the best - colorful characters living in a world
of black and white. (CONTINUE...)
