Sopris Sun Staff Report

Participating artists in the 35th annual Valley Visual Art Show have dropped off their artwork at the Launchpad, with an opening night reception slated for 6 to 8 p.m. on Jan. 23.

The Carbondale Council on Arts and Humanities show features the work of 60 Roaring Fork Valley artists, working in oil, acrylic, watercolor, photography, mono prints, clay prints, multi-media, sculpture and more.

“This is one of the longest outstanding community art shows committed to featuring local artists,” said CCAH spokeswoman Deborah Colley. “Valley Visual began in 1980 as a venue for local artists to share their artwork with the public.  The show still provides this opportunity, especially for artists new to the area and budding artists, but it has also become both a salute to the wide variety of artistic talents in our area and a time to bring the artist community together.

Added CCAH Director Amy Kimberly, “We are especially excited to host the first Valley Visual at The Launchpad. We are glad that a community show of such high quality will be so close to downtown and accessible to the public.”

As part of the Valley Visual tradition, CCAH invites the public to come view the art and cast their vote for the People’s Choice Award.

All 60 artists work will be hanging at the CCAH’s R2 Gallery at The Launchpad and a select number of works with hang in Bonfire Coffee on Main Street through March 7.

The show is open to the viewing public Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

In other CCAH action:

As part of the Artists Beat series, 3D printing expert Diego Madero (Anderson Ranch) will speak at the Launchpad from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on Feb. 5.

Cirque D’Sopris returns to Roaring Fork High School at 6 p.m. on March 31 and 2 p.m. on Feb. 1. This year’s theme is “The Chinese Zodiac.” The show brings together youth from Glenwood Springs and Carbondale, and as far away as Paonia. Now in its fourth year, Cirque D’ Sopris began as a youth fashion show that spun from sewing classes at CCAH and Second Shift’s after-school classes at Carbondale Middle School. “We soon realized that youth had imagination and talents that needed to be manifested beyond their fashion creations,” Colley said. “Though Cirque D’Sopris still features youth fashion, the show has grown to include so much more … Crystal River Ballet students will be performing along with martial arts students from Rising Crane.

CCAH winter classes are in full swing. For details, go to carbondalearts.com.