GILPIN COUNTY ART ASSOCIATION OPENS DOORS TO NEW SEASON by Pam North Now in its 56th year, the Gilpin County Art Association opened its doors last Sunday, June 22nd, to another summer's operation. Established in 1947 with the purpose of encouraging art appreciation and encouraging education, this nonprofit organization has grown steadily, offering a dazzling showcase for the artists of Colorado. The Gallery has a unique, Old West ambience, complete with a sluice box flowing with running water, and an incorporated flowering garden-space. The Gallery actually consists of five individual galleries, with rough-hewn stone walls and wooden floors. The featured works of each season - paintings, sculptures, pottery, photography, textiles and jewelry - are illuminated by natural light from the building's tall windows and skylights, with additional controlled lighting as well. A juried show is an annual highlight, with $2,000 in awards distributed among the winners in the various art media. Judges this year include Lydia Brokaw-Nelson, Scott Dressel-Martin and Davis Beumee. The exhibited pieces were judged prior to the opening, and awards were presented at a reception last Saturday. A silent auction also was held at the reception. Each January, the Association distributes its prospectus to art galleries, museums, art supply houses, and other places where artists go, inviting participation in its annual exhibition. All artists can submit their work for acceptance for inclusion in the exhibit. All art pieces are for sale, and the gallery has a special area featuring unjuried items that are very affordable in price (such as matted, shrink-wrapped prints and photographs, and jewelry), giving those who don't have massive dollar amounts available for purchasing art the chance to own interesting and original works. Artists also have signed up to give public demonstrations in pursuits such as painting and drawing during each week of the summer season. The gallery affords an excellent opportunity for art patrons to view fine arts in a historic setting, with natural beauty as a backdrop. It's open from June 22nd through August 10th for its annual Art Show and Sale, and its hours are Tuesday through Sunday, noon to 6:00 p.m., with extended hours until 8:00 p.m. on opera performance evenings. The Gallery is located in Washington Hall (a historic building that once served as the courthouse and jail for Gilpin County, and the oldest building in continuous use in Colorado) at 117 Eureka Street, across from Central City's Opera House. As an added note of interest regarding the Art Association, it is artists in that group who paint the attractive scenes each year on Central City's vacant storefronts. And a final news item: Saturday's Gallery reception was interrupted for a short period when a gas leak was suspected. Inspection by Central City's police and fire departments found nothing, and it finally was deduced that the aroma from a food item, containing cabbage and served at the reception, was the source of the problem.