Taste of Creede honored guest artist is Fine Reed

Courtesy photos Suzanne Reed Fine is the honored guest artist of Taste of Creede. In addition to her painting for two days during Taste of Creede, her painting ‘September Rain’ will be on this year’s T-shirt.

CREEDE — The 34th annual Taste of Creede will take place Saturday, May 28 through Monday, May 30 in downtown Creede. This is a weekend devoted to fine art and fine foods, a family event.

Everyone is invited to take part in viewing fine artists painting on the streets, fine dining in the various restaurants, the Silver Chef cooking competition, the opening of the National Small Print Show, and two Creede Repertory Theatre openings — "Steel Magnolias" and "Patsy Cline."

This year’s honored guest artist is Suzanne Reed Fine. She grew up in Del Norte and received early training at the high school there and Adams State University. She is well known for her contemporary and colorful approach to the figure, landscape and abstract work at times with social commentary.

She became a signature member of the American Watercolor Society in 2018; one of only 500 painters throughout the world with the status.

She has received top awards in the Columbus Artist Guild, Southern Watercolor Society, National Watercolor Society, Georgia Watercolor Society, and Watercolor Society of Alabama, amongst others.

Articles on her and her work have been in Watercolor Artist Magazine, Voyage Atlanta Magazine, Ledger Enquirer, Southwest Art Magazine, and the Del Norte Prospector.

Reed Fine lives in Georgia but feels her true home in spirit are in the San Luis Valley. She usually comes at least twice a year to paint, visit relatives and take in the scenic beauty.

In addition to her painting for two days during Taste of Creede, her painting “September Rain” will be on this year’s T-shirt. She will have a full array of paintings on display that the C Waters Gallery in Creede during Memorial Day weekend and throughout the summer.

Taste of Creede, a festival of fine arts and dining

This year’s 34th Taste of Creede Festival will again showcase local art and cuisine on Main Street during Memorial Day weekend, May 28-30.

This annual event was envisioned by local artist Stephen Quiller and Richie Hornsby in 1989. The Taste of Creede festival will delight visitors with inspired local art and great food. Saturday, May 28, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. people can watch artists paint on Main Street or pick a bench in Basham Park and listen to live, local music while noshing delectable treats.

Then at 2 p.m. be sure to watch the Silver Chef competition, which pits local chefs against one another in a cook-off to create a winning dish. Each chef is provided with surprise ingredients, provided by Shamrock Foods, and has 45 minutes to prepare an offering meant to delight the judges. The winning entry earns bragging rights for the ensuing year until next year’s cook-off. Shamrock Foods and Monte Vista Coop sponsor this event.

On Sunday, May 29, head north on Main Street after lunch for the annual Quick Draw event. Artists begin with a blank canvas and have one hour to complete their one-of-a-kind works. Afterward, these pieces are offered in the annual art auction. Artists are readily available to offer their expertise to other interested art lovers.

This year’s honored guest artist is Suzanne Reed Fine. She is a contemporary water media painter that is one local regional and national awards. She grew up in Del Norte and now lives in Georgia.

The Outside Circle Show is hosting a ranch roping in Creede on May 28-30. This will be a contest of stockmanship, horsemanship, and humane handling of cattle. Roping starts at 9 a.m. daily, following the National Anthem. There will be music in the afternoons and evenings with several authentic cowboy musicians and western songwriters. Vendors include leatherworkers, silversmiths, western gear makers, and jewelry makers of note. Beef and grazing education and advocacy groups will be represented.


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