Colorado is immersed in culture. From ghost towns to old railroads, archaeological sites to petroglyphs, the state is an array of cultural heritage. Intermixed with the past and present, Colorado's crafts include Native American creations, quilts, items from the arts-and-crafts movement, and more.
Trading Posts and Galleries
Colorado's Native American heritage lives on in its crafts. Buying Native American crafts can be daunting, especially if you're not sure whether the piece is authentic. Some shops, trading posts, and galleries selling these crafts in Colorado have joined the International Indian Arts and Crafts Association, which promotes and protects authentic Native American art and culture. This organization makes members responsible for their actions and representation of Native American artwork. The Antique Tribal Arts Dealers Association is another organization with the same objectives. The trading posts mentioned below all fall under either organization, and many others in the state are members also.
Located in Allenspark is Eagle Plume's historic trading post. Along with showcasing the Charles Eagle Plume Collection of American Indian Art, this post has an array of items for visitors. The family who owns and runs the shop are enrolled members of the Northern Cheyenne tribe. Pottery, ceramics, baskets, weavings, jewelry, and beadwork make this trading post a hidden treasure.
Many different cultures come together at the Anasazi Trading Post in Lyons, also in the Front Range region. Navajo rugs and pottery, Zuni fetishes and artifacts, Hopi Kachina dolls, and Apache, Navajo, and Tohono O'odham baskets can all be bought here, as well as sterling and turquoise jewelry. The trading post is open year-round.
Some other shops in the Front Range region are: Serendipity Trading Company in Estes Park, Thunderbird Art Galley in Greeley, and Benzav Trading Company in Ft. Collins.
The trading post at Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs is the oldest, and now largest, in the state. Originally built in the 1920's to model native Pueblo Indian homes, today the trading post offers Navajo rugs and art, plus Native American hand-crafted jewelry and Pueblo pottery.
In the Navajo language, Toh-Atin means "no water." It's the name of both a mesa in the Navajo reservation and the Toh-Atin Gallery in Durango. This gallery has collected Native American art since 1957. Authentic Navajo rugs and weavings and Alaskan ivory carvings set this gallery apart from others. They also carry wood carvings, many types of masks, and gourd art. Other works offered at Toh-Atin Gallery include cradleboards, handmade paper, and amazing pieces of beadwork, such as collector's horse tacks.
Quilting
Quilting became an American tradition during the pioneer days, when fabric could be hard to come by on the frontier. Creating quilts by using scraps of leftover fabric was not only economical, it served as a creative and social outlet for the women who made them. Women passed the craft on to their young daughters. As quilting became less of a necessity, many women carried on the tradition for its artistic value. Men also began taking up quilting in the late 1970s.
One of the best places in Colorado to see quilts is the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum in Golden. The museum's quilt collection numbers more than three hundred. Its displays feature quilts of all types, from vintage to contemporary and traditional to artistic designs. Exhibits run year-round, with each of the museum's two galleries hosting five exhibits annually. Each exhibit centers on a theme, and every two years the museum showcases quilts created by men. In addition to its exhibits, the museum also hosts some annual events, such as a quilt raffle and the Fabric & Friends fundraiser. QuiltMarket, the museum's shop, is stocked with quilts and other trinkets for purchase by visitors.
Craft Festivals
Another excellent way to see the works of Colorado's craftspeople is by browsing an arts and crafts festival. The Mesa Verde County Indian Arts and Culture Festival has something for everyone. Held during the month of May, the towns of Cortez, Dolores, Mancos, and Towaoc all come together to throw this art celebration at Mesa Verde National Park. The festival always features an artist of the year. Pottery, rug designs, and other forms of Native American art can be found at this incredible festival.
In addition to co-hosting the Mesa Verde Festival, Cortez has two major festivals of its own. The Four Corners Fiesta takes place in the June. With eighty-five booths restricted to selling only hand-made crafts, it's a great place to find one-of-a-kind pieces. In September, the Fall Colorfest is a smaller affair, with only sixty-five booths allowed.
Up north, in the state's opposite corner, the town of Craig turns Memorial Day weekend into a craft hoedown. Grand Olde West Days takes over the entire town, including crafts from all over the Yampa Valley. Not only can visitors peruse the booths of craft makers, they can also take in the Wyman Living History Museum. The museum features the Pagoda Store, which displays goods available to rural folks over the past century. Many hand-made crafts from the region are also sold in the Pagoda Store.
To see work created during Colorado's arts and crafts movement, visit the Annual Craftsman/Bungalow Show, Sale & Workshops, held annually in May. Organized by the Colorado Arts & Crafts Society, the event has been held at various places in the greater Denver area, such as the historic Boettcher Mansion in Golden. The show features furniture, decorative items, rugs, textiles, and more.
Of course, Colorado offers plenty of other fairs and and festivals featuring crafts. A few of them include the Colorado Craft Fair in Winter Park, the NewWestFest in Fort Collins, and the Cheyenne Wells Annual Tumbleweed Festival/Games.
Colorado's history continues to influence its craftspeople, with Native American crafts especially well-represented. Whether you prefer to quietly browse a gallery or join the hustle and bustle of a festival, with Colorado's wealth of crafts you're sure to strike gold.
