Anderson Ranch Arts Center celebrates Recognition Week with dinner, art auction, and community picnic
Over 150 pieces of art are up for auction
Regan Mertz/The Aspen Times
The typically serene five acres of Anderson Ranch Arts Center were awash in multicolored fabrics and white tents on Thursday afternoon.
The hustle and bustle of set-up crews overtook the campus as they prepared for several events happening over the next few days: the Recognition Week dinner, the annual art auction, and the community picnic.
Recognition Week runs from Monday, July 8, to Saturday, July 13. This year, three individuals were recognized for their contributions to contemporary art during the Recognition Week dinner at the ranch.
“The week is really in honor of these people who have had big contributions to the art world and to the ranch,” Lindsy Fortier, director of Marketing and Communications at Anderson Ranch, said. “It kind of all comes together for this big gala event that we have, where our donors and supporters purchase tickets to attend.”
The 2024 International Artist Award went to Charles Gaines, and the 2024 Service to the Arts Award went to Barbara and Bruce Berger.
Gaines is a conceptual artist, as well as a speaker at the ranch’s summer series. He recently retired as a professor of more than 30 years at CalArts School of Art in Los Angeles. His work can be seen in New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, and London.
Barbara Berger joined the Anderson Ranch Board of Trustees in 1993. She went on to serve multiple terms and became an Honorary Trustee in 2015. She also helped to initiate the Summer Series program at the ranch.
Bruce Berger, with a passion for food, opened BB’s Kitchen in Aspen in 2010. For as long as anyone can remember, he has grilled the hotdogs at the annual community picnic. He also served on the Anderson Ranch Board of Trustees.
“Bruce and Barbara are receiving the Service to the Arts Award for their support and contribution to the Ranch and arts world as a whole,” Fortier said. “They are a real community staple.”
During the dinner, more than 150 auction items donated by artists, galleries, faculty, students, and staff were available for preview and initial bids in the Anderson Ranch Arts Center Patton-Malott Gallery, a wooden building with lots of windows nestled into the right corner of the acreage.
The proceeds made from the auction sales support Anderson Ranch’s educational programs. Art available for purchase includes photos, paintings, sculptures, and more.
And to close off the week, the community picnic, the ranch’s largest community event, will take place Saturday.
The picnic is open to the public and takes place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The auction will remain open at 11 a.m. Anyone can place a bid on the artwork until 2:30 p.m.
Free hot dogs, popcorn, snow cones, lemonade, and iced tea will be available. Guests can also buy a $16 wristband for all-you-can-eat food, as well as $6 drink tickets for beer, wine, and cocktails. There will be live music, a photo booth, face painting, caricatures, lawn games, and kid’s art activities.
“This event has been going on for over 40 years, so it’s really a staple in Snowmass, in Aspen,” Fortier said. “People come from the whole valley to enjoy it.”
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