ECAG 2024 Year in Review

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Elbert County News - September 24 ,2024 - Elbert County Artists Guild goes full speed ahead  (Click Here)

Elbert County Artists Guild goes full speed ahead

Grand opening of gallery in Elizabeth draws crowd for wine, snacks, exhibits

by Nicky Quinby - Special to Colorado Community Media

September 24, 2024

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Elbert County Artists Guild founder and president Cynthia Thye stands behind the ribbon before she cuts it to officially open ECAG's gallery. Credit: PHOTO BY NICKY QUINBY

The nonprofit Elbert County Artists Guild has grown by leaps and bounds in mere months. Newly formed this spring, ECAG hosted its Gallery Grand Opening and Artist’s Reception on Sept. 6.

The event at 338 S. Main St. in Elizabeth drew 51 attendees who enjoyed wine and snacks as they viewed the art exhibits. Two copies of local author Carmen Swick’s new book, “Lattie’s Unexpected Friend,” were the gallery’s first sale.

Local photographer Jeff Struthers has owned the building, originally the Denver and New Orleans Railroad section house, for about 15 years. Construction of the D&NO Railroad Line reached Elizabeth in 1882 and this section house was built shortly thereafter to house railroad employees. The house is the only remaining section house from the D&NO and was used as a private residence for many years.

Jeff Struthers Photography will still be permanently on display but the gallery will now also feature a new artist every month. On opening night, Doug and Sharon Shatto and Amy Perez displayed their artwork.

Lily Mahoney attended the opening of the Elbert County Artists Guild gallery with her mother, Jo Ann Mahoney. Lily created her own paper dragon mask to show off at the event. Jo Ann attended and enjoyed ECAG’s free watercolor classes hosted at the Elizabeth Library. Credit: PHOTO BY NICKY QUINBY

Struthers says he met ECAG founder and president Cynthia Thye at a town networking function. At the time, Thye and a few other board members were looking for a commercial space to rent. It was becoming clear rent prices were prohibitively high when Struthers called and asked to meet to talk about ECAG utilizing a room in his building. “So his timing was amazing,” Thye exclaimed. “We agreed this would be an ideal place for a gallery and ECAG functions,” Struthers added.

Thye spoke at the grand opening after the ribbon cutting. She made particular mention of community businesses and organizations that have helped and supported ECAG. These included the Carriage Shoppes, Pines & Plains Libraries, Son and Reins Ranch, the Elizabeth Area Chamber of Commerce, the Elizabeth Brewing Company, Ziggi’s Coffee and the Small Business Development Center.

Thye explained that she assumed she’d have to “go beyond Elbert County” to support the organization but was pleasantly surprised to find there are “enough amazing artists right here.”

“We exist for all residents and artists in Elbert County. We try to give back where we can … we’re giving free art lessons at the library and then we just recently applied for a grant where 10% of the proceeds would benefit the Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma. We’re really trying to give back and partner with people,” she said.

An attendee at the Elbert County Artists Guild gallery opening points toward one of Jeff Struthers’ photographs. The wall the photographs are mounted on has a mural of a train with the words “The Denver & New Orleans Railroad Company,” in honor of the building’s history as a D&NO Railroad section house. Credit: PHOTO BY NICKY QUINBY

Thye shared a report from the National Endowment for the Arts, which stated rural art organizations draw in more people than similar urban organizations. The hope is that the guild can help create economic opportunities for artists in Elbert County to make a living.

One of the guild’s upcoming goals is to incorporate musicians into their organization and future events. Along those lines, ECAG will partner with the High Plains Singers at a concert on Dec. 14.

The gallery’s featured artists will change on a monthly basis and the artist’s receptions are invitation-only. The October artists will be Dorothy Stone and Connie Lehman; the November artists will be Danie Kelly and Jeanette Wallace.

Cissy Simms, an oil painter herself, admires the work of Amy Perez at the Elbert County Artists Guild gallery opening. Perez is a self-taught resin artist from Elizabeth. Perez says the medium has taught her to relax and “go with the flow.” Credit: PHOTO BY NICKY QUINBY

ECAG is an all-volunteer organization, open on Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays are by appointment only. In the near future, ECAG will be selling prints of artists’ work online.

ECAG has been making connections and partnerships with several community organizations and has been up to all manner of creative things. Courtney Tice, ECAG exhibition and education director, has been busy teaching two and a half months of free art classes at Pines & Plains Libraries. ECAG is hoping to sponsor more free classes at least twice a month, one for kids and one for adults, taught by guild members.

Tice said the Elizabeth Library has been very receptive to ECAG. “As a learning facility,” she shared, “they thought incorporating art for their summer reading program would be great. I chose two Fridays to do with their local historical theme and we were off.” The community enjoyed watercolor painting and the two watercolor classes were packed. Tice used the classes as an opportunity to spread the word about ECAG and get community feedback.

ECAG is also working on creating a children’s mural at the Elizabeth Library. The theme will be “Pines, Plains and Animals.”

“The mural project is going to be in the children’s area and reflect the natural habitats of Elbert County, with animals, bugs, birds and native plants,” said Tice.

Elizabeth photographer Jeff Struthers chats with attendees at the Elbert County Artists Guild gallery opening as they snack in a room showcasing Struthers’ photos. Credit: PHOTO BY NICKY QUINBY

For more information about the Elbert County Artists Guild, visit tinyurl.com/elbertarts or email ElbertCountyArtistsGuild@gmail.com.

To learn more about ECAG membership, visit tinyurl.com/elbertartsmember.

Elbert County News previously wrote about ECAG here: tinyurl.com/elbertartspast.

ECAG Grand Opening of Art Gallery on front page of Ranchland News September 12, 2024. 

ECAG Grand Opening of Art Gallery on front page of Ranchland News September 12, 2024. 

Ranchland News - March 13, 2025

Elbert County News - April 21, 2024 -  Artists add their touch to Elizabeth Library (Click Here)

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