Ten years celebrating art and jazz – together

Vail Valley Art Guild and CMC Vail Valley ready for show and reception on Sept. 22

Sept. 14, 2023– Vail Valley Art Guild and Colorado Mountain College Vail Valley at Edwards are setting the stage for the 10th annual Vail Valley Fine Art Show and Art & Jazz Reception on Sept. 22 at the CMC campus.

The Art & Jazz Reception will kick off the 10th Annual Vail Valley Fine Arts Show, which is free and open to the public. Food and spirits will include south Indian fare by Mukund Gopalakrishnan and a generous donation of a case of Italian white wine by Riverwalk Wine & Spirits. Kathy Morrow’s band “3 for All” with a special guest star Sean Flanigan on trombone will play during the reception. There will be more than 160 pieces of art created by nearly 40 CMC students and staff, and members of the Vail Valley Art Guild.

The event opens the six-week long exhibition highlighting paintings, drawings, sculptures, ceramics and photography. Artwork will be available for purchase at the Sept. 22 reception.

The Vail Valley Art Guild was formed in 2014 to fill a need in the Vail Valley for an organization created by and for visual artists. Now nearly 150 members strong, the nonprofit guild, alongside CMC Vail Valley, provides arts education while building awareness of the visual arts in Eagle County.

Andrew Pranger is CMC Vail Valley’s campus coordinator of enrollment and community services. He served as the president of the art guild for four years, has been on the art show committee for six years and has a master’s degree in arts management.

“It’s a great night out,” Pranger said. “Amazing art, good food, good drinks – both of which are free by the way – live music and you can buy most of the art that you see.”

Although the evening is “on the house,” organizers are asking that attendees register in advance at Eventbrite.

Rosalind Reed, former Vail Valley Art Guild president, has generously underwritten the show in honor of Marc Brennan, CMC vice president and Vail Valley’s campus dean. Additional support comes from CMC Vail Valley, the Vail Valley Art Guild, CMC ArtShare and the El Pomar Foundation.

The jazz reception and art show will run from 5-8 p.m. at CMC Vail Valley, 150 Miller Ranch Road, Edwards on Sept. 22. For more information, contact the Vail Valley Art Guild and at CMC, Andrew Pranger at 970-569-2906, ampranger@coloradomtn.edu.