Story, Kathryn Retzler
Photos courtesy of the artists

[Copyright San Juan Publishing Group. Exclusive to San Juan Silver Stage] 

Cedaredge, Colorado 

FEATURING THE WORK OF GALLERY OWNERS Barbara Torke and Mary Ellen Miller, this bright, cheerful gallery also carries work by other local artists. Here you will find original paintings, pottery, jewelry, sculpture and clever, hand-designed tee shirts. The gallery also offers art supplies and art classes. 

It is a delight to visit. Hung on the walls, from ceiling to floor, Torke’s works in bold, vivid splashes of color contrast nicely with the serene works by Mary Ellen Miller. Cases of jewelry, stacks of tee shirts with whimsical, colorful designs and displays of pottery and two-dimensional work entice the visitor to wander around, peer, peek and touch. The gallery-offered classes are popular with locals, both beginners and practiced artists, and the gallery also carries an extensive line of art supplies.

Barb Torke
An artist of many media, Barb describes herself as: “a painter of allegories, of stories, of mind and soul portraits.” Using pastels, clay, watercolor, oils and poetry, Barb reflects on today’s world and projects onto tomorrow’s. “Art makes social and political statements. It provides links to the past: Picasso’s Guernica, for example, and to the future, as in Salvador Dali’s work.

“Communication is the purpose of art,” she explains. “Look at the work of Roee Rosen or Tom Sachs—paintings from the Holocaust, both in the Museum of Jewish Art. They portray the horrific. Or you can read “The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich” and get another sense of history.”

Barb taught in Denver-area public schools for twenty-five years before moving to Cedaredge and partnering in Cedar’s Edge Gallery. She still gives lessons in oils, pastels and pottery. “Art is instant consumption,” she says. “Every day, every moment we are aware, we are infused with art. It is apparent in the design of our cars, clothes and houses.”

Barb’s art extends to pottery, music and poetry. “I am a lyrical imagist, working with rhythm, accent, harmony and unity: making music with color,” she says.

“The arts heal,” she says. “We teachers are like the wounded Chiron. Our inability to heal ourselves and our constant need to be useful urges us to ease someone else’s suffering and assist them on their creative journey.”

Barb may be contacted at www.artisansofcolorado, or Cedars Edge Gallery www.cedsrsedgegallery.com.
 
 

Mary Ellen Miller
Mary Ellen’s work inspires tranquility. “I draw and paint to express the peace and joy I experience from the natural world in a way that others might also find pleasure and respite from today’s frantic pace.”

Those who view the colored pencil and watercolor landscapes and wildflowers of Mary Ellen Miller are transported from the hectic to the tranquil. Her colors capture life and blend it with memories and dreams, providing the viewer with a delightful experience.

Mary Ellen’s talent has been recognized by juries in shows where she garnered first places, and other awards. Her work has been published in “Best of Color Pencil II” and may be found in public and private collections throughout the United States and the world.

An Ohio native, Mary Ellen lived in Florida and Wyoming before settling in Colorado. She works with clay and oils, in addition to colored pencils and watercolor, which is her favorite medium. “Art is just as much a part of my life as my existence,” she said.

She had neither encouragement nor opportunity as a child to pursue artistic endeavors. As a young adult, however, that changed. Why art? “You can’t live without it,” she said. “It is as important as bread or anything else.”

In addition to creating her own work, Mary Ellen teaches classes in watercolor and drawing. Her work may be seen at Cedars Edge Gallery in Cedaredge, Colo.

Cedars Edge Gallery, 255 SW 7th St.,  mailing address P.O. Box 14, Cedar Edge, CO. 970- 856-4615. www.cedsrsedgegallery.com  Summer hours,  Wed. thru Sat. 10:00 am to 5:00 pm,  Sun.  noon to 4:00
pm.