Leon Loughridge; Colorado’s premier print maker

 

Leon Loughridge prints books the old-school way: by hand using an antique press. Working from watercolors, he creates woodblock prints, carving layer after layer away until nothing remains of the block but wood shavings.

Loughridge ranks as one of Denver’s most talented artists, and for years has been accepted into the prestigious Coors Western Art Show at the Denver Stock Show.

I reported on Loughridge for the Winter 2018 issue of Fine Books and Collections. Pick up a copy at your favorite newsstand.

Old skis repurposed as new furniture

Colorado/Photo by: Colleen Smith

Old skis never die: they turn into furniture

For avid skiers, after making countless turns in the rarefied air through the powder, over the bumps, around the trees, one’s sticks become like a couple of very close, reliable friends. When ready to retire a pair of skis, many keep their trusty planks out of the landfill and in their life by repurposing skis as wall mounts, fences, racks for coats or bottles of wine, even sleds.

As I wrote in my article published in The Denver Post, “Old skis never die. They turn and turn and turn and turn and then turn into furniture.

At least that’s the case at Colorado Ski Chairs in Manitou Springs. The small business founded by Adam Vernon and operated with his son Keagan Vernon repurposes up to 200 pairs of old skis per week.”

For more about repurposed skis that preserve mountain memories, here’s a link to my feature article:

 

 

 

 

Mala beads go mainstream in America

 

Americans wrapped up in mala beads

Malas, ancient meditation toola, are now going mainstream in America. You’re probably seeing mala beads. They’re showing up everywhere: long stands of beads with tassels worn as necklaces or bracelets.

I’ve practiced yoga more than 25 years, and for the past several years I’ve wanted a mala.  I tried on many yet never tried one on that quite felt right. My patience paid off. This past summer as a birthday gift to myself, I worked with my yoga teacher to tie a mala with my body/mind/spirit/ intentions. She had been to Nepal and learned from a Tibetan woman. She taught me to mediate with my mala using mantras — a powerful practice probably 8,000 years old.

Mala beads are beautiful, even artful — and I had the opportunity to write about mala beads for Art & Object. My sources include a Tibetan man and woman, as well as two Americans.

If you’re interested in the fascinating and lovely tradition of malas, here’s a link to my article. You don’t even have to meditate or change to benefit: just wearing one feels so good!

Just click here for more about mala beads in Art & Object.