A movement to support rural brands & founders doing rad things in the outdoor industry because rural is rad!

It all started with the desire to host an art show at REI—a tall dream, no doubt. Well, when you put that energy out into the universe, you would be surprised by what comes back your way. Recently, I've had the great opportunity to sell some of my products at the Glenwood Springs REI. This opportunity has formed a great relationship with their local buyer, Chayla. And because of this growing friendship, I've had the chance to bend Chayla’s ear with my wild ideas. She has been very receptive and downright supportive, and I can’t thank her enough.

Right now there are efforts to establish this area as a National Monument. That means it will be protected from resource extraction and kept wild and scenic for future generations.

The artwork created here is in the spirit of an already establishment National Monument ;) and was sold in support of that effort.

Residents of Colorado’s Grand Valley are profoundly lucky to nestle up to the Colorado River, and to receive our drinking water from the largest flattop mountain in the world, the Grand Mesa. However, the ability to drink, grow food and thrive in this arid landscape is dependent on the snowpack that blankets our high Rocky Mountain peaks and the regional climate more broadly. Warming temperatures that produce longer, more intense droughts are threatening our way of life, making it harder to manage water resources and plan for the future. The artwork created in this study reflects a 21st century perspective of natural water supplies in the Upper Colorado River Basin with a focus on three types of drought: meteorological, hydrological and snow.

This fellowship entails an exhibit at the state capitol telling the story of how Coloradans are experiencing the challenges of fire, drought, and air quality in their communities. We first partner up with a CU Boulder scientist to build our knowledge about our chosen area. Then we let the creative juices flow as we create with more informed narratives and inspired motives. The exhibit will be installed sometime in May of 2023!

Wednesday’s are like, eh, middle of the week hump. Awkward spelling, really just a mediocre mundane day. Until now ahah! Every last Wednesday of the month is a day to get outside, soak up that sun and do some good for Mother Earth. Specifically, I’m talking about a river cleanup session that ends in art making, collaborating hooha. Think of it as a cocktail hour cleanup with some art making! :) 

The act is simple; we meet at a boat launch at 5:30 the last Wednesday of every month and spend half an hour cleaning up the riversides. Then we regroup and spend another half hour separating the litter and collaging it into a community art piece.

Is an art exhibit created around the thought that we are currently at war with our planet. The way we treat Earth can be considered hostile. Pollution, deforestation, climate change, are just a few battles we must resolve to better our future.

This exhibit explores works inspired by nature, geometry, propaganda and the future. It is designed to enact thoughts of peace and more harmonious practices.

Love Your Mother darn it! She deserves it! So this illustration was cooked up through a project collaboration with a new friend. An amigo with an alike appreciation for the great outdoors. I’m talking about the very talented, Jose Manzo, a badass clean-lined creative over in Sacramento.

Jose and I met through Instagram over a few comments that lead to conversations around nature, climbing, aspirations and experiences. There was an instant interest in collabing so I shared some Earth loving ideas to get it going. Jose is a killer designer and I knew with our powers combined we would create radness! Here is a little process.

Without knowing it I had gathered almost 33 years of inspiration for this Earth Energies art and design series. All those hours spent under the sky, filling my brain with its wide wonder. A store of lovely visuals to guide my hand. The works in this series are spread through time in their creations. The congregation of it all, the reason for sharing, is tied to something other than playing in the outdoors. Actually from a months time coaching session with Scotty Russell at Perspective Collective. That impromptu hot seat on zoom, in front of my fellow peers lit the light of action. I’ll say my biggest takeaway from that month of listening and building, is that I now understand that accountability is my number one motivator. Being a part of a supportive community and that commitment of creation, brought this series to the physical realm. Hope you enjoy, many thanks to Scotty, nature and the supporting community that held me accountable.

My philosophy in life is that everything is a combination. There is no result contrived of just one action. It is a combination of elements that cause an outcome. Same could be said about how we combat climate change. I came across this article by Craig Oxford on Medium that gets into the idea of reviving the Civilian Conservation Corps. (An early 1930s voluntary public work relief program, focusing young civilians on the manual task of conservation and development of natural resources in rural lands. A legacy by the late president Franklin D. Roosevelt.) Check out what he said!