On Jan. 3, Alya’s New Year Salon will take place at The Launchpad at 6:30pm. This event — curated by local artist Alya Howe and sponsored by Dance Initiative, Carbondale Arts, Connie Calaway, Alex Yajko and her partner, Don, as well as a myriad of “angel” donors — will include seven artists presenting pieces in […]
Arts & Entertainment
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Spruce Up The Sun 2025: Holiday Harmony
Picking up a Valley Journal tradition, The Sopris Sun has highlighted youth artwork in each holiday issue. Every year, The Sun comes up with a different prompt and young people (kindergarten through high school) submit associated illustrations. An ad-hoc committee judges the pieces based on quality and how well they match the theme. Participants submitted […]
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Delighting in the dark
At least 100 people sat together in the dark and silence for several long minutes on Dec. 20, accompanying Persephone’s underworld transformation. That may sound mundane — a room full of people doing ostensibly nothing. But it was, in fact, profound. Waves of discomfort rippled through the audience, now participants, in what felt for moments […]
Posted inColumns
5 Point spins a highlights reel —and asks you not to eat ice cream
In film, as in rock and roll, some things age poorly and some resonate. Old songs by the Rolling Stones still sound great. Last week I was reminded that the 40-minute “A Line Across the Sky,” from 2015, is one of the best climbing films ever. On Dec. 11, the Crystal Theatre in downtown Carbondale […]
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New Castle’s new gallery — small works, big beginning
Last Friday, a new exhibit titled “Mini-Masterpieces” opened at GogoArts, a new gallery in New Castle. The gallery sits on Main Street in a well-lit space that holds the promise of exceptional local art on its walls. It is the first gallery of its kind in town, and this exhibit features seven contemporary artists exploring […]
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Aspen Winter Words to center memory and human connection in 2026
From late January through early February, Aspen Winter Words will return to the Valley. The annual author series this year includes a special focus on memory and connection. All three 2026 events are held in memory of Wally Obermeyer, who passed away from cancer in May of 2025 at the age of 68. Obermeyer was […]
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At the Aspen Art Museum, Glenn Ligon inspects the record
Glenn Ligon’s exhibition, “Break It Down,” opened at the Aspen Art Museum on Nov. 21. The show explores the artist’s work over three decades, focusing on how a portrait of the self is created by examining external sources. As a Black man, Ligon consistently uses institutional documents to show the friction between his personal life […]
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Alphabetized, a new look at Jasper Johns
“Jasper Johns: a whole can only be a part” opened Dec. 2 at the Powers Art Center, marking a shift in the museum’s curatorial approach. Previously, exhibitions were curated in-house by the museum director. This exhibit is curated by the first Jasper Johns curatorial fellow, Jessica Eisenthal. The fellowship is a new program designed to […]
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Curated Calendar – Dec. 4 to Dec. 13
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4 ASPEN AIRPORTDrop by the Aspen/Pitkin County Airport to preview conceptual design options, ask questions and help guide the next phase of the process. Session 1 is from 11:30am to 1:30pm. Session 2 is from 4:30 to 6:30pm. Learn more at www.aspenairport.com/modernization STEM EXPLORATIONJoin the Aspen Science Center for STEM Exploration Hour at […]
Posted inYouth News
Upstage Productions makes its markwith second student-produced play: “The 39 Steps”
This theater review comes by way of The Sopris Stars, a new monthly youth publication powered by The Sopris Sun. “The 39 Steps,” produced by Upstage Productions and directed by Sam Stableford and Iggy Richardson, was a fully student-run play that graced the stage at Roaring Fork High School from Nov. 6 to Nov. 8. “The […]