Posts Tagged ‘Stephen Quiller’

Good Reasons to Stay Local

December 12th, 2011 by Gail

This of us who live in and around Creede year round are doing some of our holiday shopping in town. We frequent the same shops our guests enjoy when they stay at our Colorado Family Guest Ranch in the summertime.

Stephen Quiller during the 2011 Painting Workshop at 4UR.

Bristol Yarnworks Studio is a favorite with the knitters and weavers among us. Many of the natural fibers and yarns sold there are handspun and hand-dyed at the studio, and their quality is  unsurpassed. When we don’t feel like clacking the needles or threading the loom ourselves, we treat ourselves to a Teri D. Inman original masterpiece.

It’s always fun to spend a snowy afternoon at the Creede Beadery with our own Damon and Kiera Gibbons. Beading may not be described by many as “thrilling”, but it can be; sometimes we don’t know what we’ll create until the creation is complete. How wonderfully mysterious.

Anyone who participated in the Painting Workshop with Stephen Quiller last summer will know the Quiller Gallery. The gallery is open by appointment only at this time of year, but Stephen’s work can be viewed any time at his website. We’re already looking forward to the 2012 Painting Workshop with Stephen Quiller next June.

We always like to stop by The Holy Moses before Christmas. Hand crafted wooden toys and hand-thrown pottery are just two of the attractions. It’s a great spot to find unique gifts.

Guests of our Colorado Family Guest Ranch don’t always take the time to head into Creede to browse the shops of Main Street. We understand; folks come here to immerse themselves in the splendor of the mountains. Yet guests who do find their way into Creede always enjoy the time they spend there, whether they browse the shops and galleries mentioned above, or take in a show at the Creede Repertory Theatre.

 

 

Quiller Workshop 2013

November 16th, 2011 by Gail

Our workshop with Stephen Quiller was so much fun last year that we’ve decided to have another one this year. It will be the season opener at our Colorado Fishing and Dude Ranch, June 1-7, 2013.

Stephen Quiller has lived and worked in Creede for more than 40 years. The beauty of our surroundings inspires much of his art. During the workshop, he’ll guide participants through the process of creating working sketches in a beautiful outdoor location and paintings back in the studio. He’ll discuss composition and format, color relationships, medium, and types of paint application.

When not working on art, participants may enjoy the amenities and activities of our Colorado Vacation Ranch: horseback riding, swimming, relaxing in the warm waters of our mineral hot springs. We’ll work hard, learn a lot, eat well, and have fun. At the end of the week, we’ll have a painting.

Please visit Quiller Gallery to learn more about Stephen.

To reserve a spot in the 2013 workshop, please contact 4UR.

Below are scenes from the 2011 workshop with Stephen Quiller.

2011 Participants working in the studio.

2011 Participant's landscape ranch vista.

A busy studio in 2011.

2011 Artists at the 4UR Stephen Quiller Workshop

Busy Days at our Colorado Dude Ranch

June 3rd, 2011 by Gail

These are busy days here at our Colorado Dude Ranch in the Southern Rockies, as we ready ourselves for the even busier days ahead. Our staff has all arrived, with the exception of returning wrangler Spencer Johnson, who is finishing a semester of college in California. Kathy is back from a cruise through Alaska’s Inside Passage, and was relieved that the pile on her desk isn’t as large as she feared it would be. We miss the Lees, but have heard that they are happily adjusting to life in Idaho, where there is still a good deal of snow.

Bring your boots to our Creede Colorado Dude Ranch this summer!

Chef Wray Warner’s wife Sarah has been visiting from Charlotte, North Carolina, where they live. Chef Wray will work tirelessly during the season, and is enjoying this time with Sarah before they have to part for the summer. Kiera Gibbons has taken the adorable baby Adelaide to visit family in Cincinnati, and Head Wrangler Damon sure misses them; luckily he has too much to do to be able to be too lonely. On a more cheerful note, Kate and Kyle are having fun driving around in their new, green 4-wheeler, which the Christensens have been eyeing with envy.

We’ve been bustling about clearing trails, fencing (as in fixing fences, not playing with swords), training, cleaning, washing, dusting, and painting. It feels good to flex some muscles and get things done! Winds have been high, which has slowed things down a bit; it’s hard to paint outside in strong winds, and as it’s a drag to eat with dirt in the food, we’ve had to cancel some cookout practice sessions. Still, it’s beautiful here and it is feeling more summery with each passing day.

Our annual community dinner was a great success. Each year we invite members of the community to come for dinner as part of our staff training. The food was wonderful and the service impeccable. We also hosted a rehearsal dinner for 65 people that went off without a hitch. The Mai Tais were flowing thanks to a tropical theme – be sure to try one when you come to our Creede Colorado Dude Ranch this summer. Finally, our new Sous Chef Blake Bond won the Creede Cook-off competition over Memorial Day Weekend. 4UR has won 4 out of the 5 years we’ve competed. Way to go Blake!

We are all looking forward to a fantastic 2011 season at our Dude Ranch South Fork Colorado filled with horseback riding, fly fishing, and more.

Business as Usual at the Dude Ranch

January 20th, 2011 by 4ur admin

It’s quiet here at this Colorado Dude Ranch during the off season. Those of us who live and work here year round are busy in the office, maintaining the ranch, and spending time with our families. This morning when we dropped the kids off at school in Creede we saw a beautiful red fox and a small herd of elk – nothing too unusual for these parts, but lovely all the same.

Owners Pete and Lindsey Leavell and Head Wrangler (and new papa) Damon Gibbons are away at the annual Dude Ranchers Association Convention, held this year in Tucson, Arizona. The Dude Ranchers Association, established in 1926, works to preserve the integrity of the Dude Ranch. In order to become a member, ranches must undergo a rigorous two year review; guests are guaranteed an outstanding experience, from the riding to the food and lodging. We expect they’ll learn lots about the industry as the Dude Ranchers Association celebrates 85 years of “Horses, Hats, History, and Hospitality”, and hopefully have a good time as well.

While Damon, Pete, and Lindsey are away, the rest of us are handling bookings and staffing the ranch for next season. We still have a few openings for the Quiller Workshop in June and the “Two for One” Special for Kids weeks in June and August, but they’re filling fast. It’s always an exciting moment when we realize we’re booked for the season – at that point, opening day of our Colorado Dude Ranch seems just around the corner.

Dreaming of summer at our Colorado Vacation Dude Ranch.

Stephen Quiller Workshop at Colorado Vacation Ranch

January 5th, 2011 by 4ur admin

We are pleased to announce that we’ll open our 2011 season with a special workshop at our Family Vacation Ranch in Creede, Colorado. Local artist Stephen Quiller will lead the workshop Working Sketches to Finished Water Media Paintings the week of June 5 – 11, 2011.

Stephen Quiller is a gifted artist and teacher who has lived and worked in Creede for more than forty years. Participants will spend time painting both in the studio and outside in the glorious mountainous setting of our Colorado Guest Ranch. Working sketches created in the field will be brought back to the studio and used to develop large finished works.

When not working on art, participants will have time to enjoy the many amenities of our vacation ranch. Hike, horseback ride, bike, and fish your way through your free time. Play a round of golf at the Rio Grande Club, soak in our hot spring spa, or unwind with a massage. We’ll do all we can to make your stay enjoyable and unforgettable.

Please visit Quiller Gallery for more information on Stephen Quiller and to see examples of his work. Contact the ranch for more details or to sign up for the workshop with Stephen Quiller at our Colorado Vacation Ranch.

Stephen Quiller Gallery in Creede Colorado

August 27th, 2009 by 4ur admin

As the summer approaches an end, it can be fun to start thinking about the fun crafts that keep us entertained during the long winter months. For those of us that are artistically inclined, one place you will want to visit in Creede, CO is the Quiller Gallery. Artist, owner and teacher Stephen Quiller is renowned for his work on color theory and watercolor media. His studio is open for classes, has artist supplies and his books for sale and of course pieces of his work for sale. He is best known for his innovative approach to watermedia painting: watercolor, gouche, acrylic, casein and their combinations, and for his use of color. He has written five books in the years from 1983 to 1999, including Color Choices, Acrylic Painting Techniques & Painter’s Guide to Color.

Quiller’s research and development of a color wheel for painters called the “Quiller Wheel” is now used by thousands of painters throughout the world. Similarly, he has painted subjects and locations all over the world, but enjoys most the picturesque Southern Colorado landscapes that make up his home. Quillers’ subjects include beaver ponds, snow shadows, water patterns and wild iris, which are the same natural wonders that our guests enjoy during their Dude Ranch vacations at 4UR.

4UR Ranch: A Potential Stephen Quiller Landscape?

4UR Ranch: A Potential Stephen Quiller Landscape?

Quiller is a Signature member of the American Watercolor Society, National Watercolor Society, Rocky Mountain National Watermedia, and Society for Painters in Acrylic and Casein, among others. In 1997, he received the Greathouse medal and cash award in the 130th American Watercolor Society exhibition.

Although he is not offering any workshops in Creede before the season ends here at 4UR ranch, taking a trip to the quaint town of Creede is a great activity on your family ranch vacation. Visit his workshop and take home a stunning piece of the San Juan mountains to remember your trip. Quiller does an amazing job at capturing the light on the landscape, and maybe a painting from his painting series will help you remember the relaxing moments by the creek during your Fly Fishing vacation.

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