Return to “Normal”

I recently returned home to Durango from 8 days in a “Big City” visiting family. What a relief!  I sat in stagnant traffic often and observed a lot of what I interpreted as anxiety and frustration among the masses. With no disrespect to our nation’s “Big Cities”, our quality of life and pace of living here in Southwest Colorado is, I feel, so much healthier. Since moving here over a year ago, I have come to find I get just as much done as I did before but enjoy the process more. That means taking more time stopping to taste the coffee, smell the roses and really, really take in the beauty that surrounds us. Here at Sorrel Sky Gallery it is such a treat to watch our guests move slowly thru the gallery. I believe the environment of an art gallery promotes a slower approach to enjoying the surroundings but I also believe that Durango itself sets the pace for the people who live here and those who visit.  After 8 days away and an exhausting flight I couldn’t help but feel so lucky to be back to Sorrel Sky Gallery and to call Durango home!

Kay Ford
Marketing Director
Sorrel Sky Gallery

Art With Purpose

Art for the pure enjoyment of art is often why a person purchases a particular piece from Sorrel Sky Gallery.  Then there are times when art serves a specific purpose.  The oil paintings of local artist Sharon Abshagen transport the viewer away to the mountains and valleys, rivers and Aspen groves of our region.   A physician from the East Coast visited Sorrel Sky Gallery over the weekend and selected a wonderful piece by Sharon for just that purpose; to transport his patients to another place far away.  For many patients, art in the waiting or exam room can often lend a peaceful dimension to a stressful environment.  We are honored to know that a vision of Durango’s surrounding majestic landscape will serve such a comforting purpose. Kay Ford, Marketing Director, Sorrel Sky Gallery

Sunshine, Durango and Art – What Could Be Better?

The sun is out, it’s a great day to be in Durango and I’m surrounded by
art.  Does it get any better than this?  The value of the sun and the location go without saying, but did you know that viewing art has health benefits?  One of our customers just made the comment that “coming to Sorrel Sky Gallery is like getting a massage”.  I knew exactly what he meant, but he went on to explain that it is a relaxing place to visit.  A gallery, versus a museum, is a place where one can invest in the fine art and jewelry on view.  But it also means that visitors are welcome to simply amble thru the gallery taking in all that the art on view offers in terms of reflection and beauty and interest.  We so enjoy sharing the stories of the paintings, pottery, sculpture and jewelry and of the artists whose extraordinary talents we represent.  Enjoy Durango for the natural beauty that surrounds us in the landscape and in the diverse offerings of our talented artists.

Moore’s A Gate at the Stairs

For some of us, there’s nothing quite like curling up with a really great read after a day of playing in the snow.  Long winter nights, or even chilly days by the fire, create just the right excuse for digging deep into a new book.  I recently read Lorrie Moore’s A Gate at the Stairs—listed in the New York Times as one of the 10 Best Books of 2009, * and loved, loved, loved it.  Moore, mostly known as a short-story writer, brings us twenty-year-old Tassie Keltjin, a college student on winter break in the Midwest, looking for work.  She finds it as a nanny for a quirky white couple who have adopted a black baby girl.  Beautifully written, A Gate at the Stairs tackles big issues—racism, family, love and war–with humor, grace and wisdom.  On my bedside table now?  The Girl Who Fell From the Sky by Heidi Durrow (due out February 16)**.  Flying through it, curled up under a warm blanket.   Stop by Maria’s Bookshop to ask me or any of my well-read colleagues for more recommendations of books we love!  We’re at 960 Main Avenue from 9:00 to 9:00 every day, or at www.mariasbookshop.com day or night, whatever the season.