The Durango Area Tourism community supports the arts, particularly local and
regional artists. We are pleased to share with you the artwork from Susan Tait,
John Ninnemann, and Jan Goldman, our 2004 Durango Tourism Art Contest Winners.
Susan Tait
I believe I have been a painter for as long as I can
remember. Luckily, I had very tolerant parents, an understanding husband and
children who made their own messes and stayed out of mine. Over the years,
my work has changed and I now concentrate on watercolor. Unlike some artists
who wish to paint with a broad brush and give sweeping impressions, I find
the detail most interesting. The patience of the woodworker shown in architectural
detail and the intricacies of lace are fascinating to me. However, the detail
in nature is almost beyond my comprehension. That a tiny seed can produce a
flower of endless and minute parts surely speaks to a creative mind greater
than man. This faith and a little “left
brain” scientist continue to be a major influence in my work.
ScissorTail Studio has been the scene of many classes in
drawing, design, painting, calligraphy and fine craft over
the years. Sharing the excitement of creating art is both
an inspiration and a challenge.
Paintings from my studio have received numerous awards
and are found in collections throughout the country. My work
has been exhibited in the Vacaville Fine Arts Center (Vacaville,
CA), Museum of the Shortgrass Prairie (Altus, OK), Museum
of the Western Prairie (Lawton, OK), The Springfield Art
Gallery (Springfield, VA), George Mason University Fine Art
Gallery (Fairfax, VA), The National Christian Fine Art Exhibit
(Farmington, NM), The Animas Gateway Museum (Farmington,
NM) and The Durango Arts Center. Each year I also participate
in a number of juried shows and art festivals.
I am represented by Termar Gallery, Durango, CO; The Purple
Iris, Silverton, Co and The Golden Eagle, Carefree, AZ.
Every now and then, I think I’ll take a little time
off from “art.” I find it an absolute impossibility.
It would be like taking time off from life.
333 Fir Drive
Durango, CO 81301
(970) 385-1702
John Ninnemann
I have a deep affection for the Colorado Plateau. The drama
and mystery of its landscape have made it my favorite place
to be and to make photographs. I am basically a landscape
photographer. My photographic quests have included the canyons,
ruins, and changing weather of the region, picturesque historic
structures such as one-room school houses and the mining
heritage of the San Juans, and recording the often unintentional
combinations in the landscape that provoke imagination or
response.
I photograph, develop, print, mount, and frame all of my
own work, allowing me to control the entire photographic
process to produce the desired result. I especially enjoy
experimenting with darkroom and presentation techniques,
printing on various surfaces including paper, cloth, and
sandstone, combined with toning and other post-printing modifications.
Technically, I use Hassleblad and Olympus OM cameras, most
often with Ilford Delta 100 film. Developing is carried out
in Rodinal to minimize grain, and then negatives are printed
using Ilford fine baryta papers developed with Kodak Dektol
developer. Final prints are toned fro permanence using selenium
or sepia toners.
I hope that you enjoy the results!
Durango, CO 81301
(970) 382-9099
blackdog@frontier.net
Jan Goldman
Jan Goldman is a local pastel painter
who is inspired by the beauty of the Four Corners area. After
spending more than two decades in Atlanta, Georgia surrounded
by the color green, she found a more colorful existence in
Durango. She has combined her two passions -- hiking and
painting. Each work reflects a "road less traveled" either
en plein aire or in the studio from photos captured trailside
throughout the area.
Goldman's focus continues to be one of exploring and seeing
nature from a different perspective...condensing the landscape
to give the viewer a more intimate feel of her
subject matter.
Goldman is a member of The Plein Aire Painters of the Four
Corners and the Pastel Society of Colorado. Her work has
shown regionally in members' exhibits and in annual juried
exhibits such as the Four Corners Commission.
PO Box 2605
Durango, Colorado 81302
(970) 385-4724
