Local Treasure

Right here in my community is a fine arts center. In the past I haven’t spent much time there because I’ve seen their permanent collection. Other than a room full of Spanish style religious art that fascinates me the other works are okay, but not something I need to look at each week.


However, in the last year Dad and I have taken several out of town visitors there to see special collections and I’ve realized I’ve been missing out. After one visit I wrote about Joellyn Duesberry’s art and some of the pictures that I liked. Then in October we went again and I was exposed to work of Birger Sandzen.

Birger Sandzen is a Swedish born artist who came to the United States to teach at Bethany College in Lindsborg, Kansas. He liked it so well he remained a resident of the United States until his death in 1954.

Sandzen had a special affinity for Colorado and that alone made me like him. He used a lot of pastel colors while painting the Front Range landscape including Pikes Peak and Garden of the Gods.

His oil paintings are thick and textured. My niece said, “He uses a lot of paint.” She’s an artist so I guess that’s a technical assessment. I was so tempted to touch the paintings and experience them through my finger tips as much as through my eyes.

My recent forays into the land of art and culture have convinced me our local fine arts center is definitely a treasure.

What local cultural treasures do you have in your area?