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We are a group of Ouray County residents who come from different parts of the country and backgrounds, but are united by a love of the mountains and a dedication to the arts. We came together to establish the Ouray County Arts Center in 2004. Our mission is to provide the highest quality visual and cultural arts education, seeking the active participation of the local, national and international community.

DeAnn McDaniel, Vice President with her kayaks and samples of artwork

DeAnn's avocation has been art since childhood and she is currently competing in several national juried art shows. Her vocations have included Medical Technology, Molecular Biology, university teaching, and she currently works as a programmer for a Dallas firm, telecommuting from Ouray. Outside interests include hiking, skiing, and kayaking. She teaches classes for the Ouray County Arts Center in Colored Pencil techniques, and is the author of this website and the center's quarterly newsletter. Samples of her artwork can be seen at www.deannmcdaniel.com

Jim Opdahl, Registrar and Treasurer

In addition to a love of the arts, Jim brings a business background to the board. He is a retired oral and maxillofacial surgeon and a founding director of a successful insurance company. Jim has enjoyed photography since youth and is involved with both film-based large format and digital photography. He enjoys all mountain activities including climbing, hiking, snowshoeing, skiing plus woodworking. Jim and his wife,
Susie are currently restoring and adding on to a 106 year old Queen Anna Victorian home in Ouray.

Joyce Linn, Fundraising and Publicity

Susan Snodgrass, Adult Workshops. Samples of her artwork above.

Over the years Susan Snodgrass has studied painting with well known artists and art professors. She is a prize winning artist who has shown in galleries in Chicago, West Michigan and Colorado. Her painting style is Post Impressionism. Susan also has been president of art associations in Michigan and Colorado; managed galleries, raised funds and taught painting classes. Currently she is the owner/innkeeper of The Manor Bed & Breakfast and Gallery, www.ouraymanor.com where guests and visitors can enjoy as well as purchase her paintings. To see more of her work look at her artist's website www.suscolor.com.

Love is a many splendored thing!

Paul McCreary, Fundraising shown with an example of his cartoons, and a photo of Ouray.

Paul grew up on the flatland farms of Illinois, and had an interest in art and cartooning from an early age, obtaining an undergraduate degree as an art major. He taught art to all ages for a few years in Michigan before switching to special education, retiring after 29 years. The interest in art morphed into a passion for photography. That interest indirectly brought him to Indiana, then after meeting his wife Becky, to Colorado, first to exhibit in shows, eventually to buy the Main Street Bed and Breakfast, which they now enjoyed operating. Paul still dabbles in creating cartoon and photo cards which are on exhibit locally. He has taught digital photography in Ouray, and may again.

Claudia Wolff, Adult Workshops

Claudia Wolff is an artist who is a Colorado native, growing up in the Denver area. After working in big cities for a number of years she and her husband escaped to beautiful Ouray County in southwestern Colorado in 1993. Claudia gets much of her inspiration for her art work while enjoying many outdoor adventures in the beautiful mountain country that can be viewed from her living room window. She works in colored pencils, water colors, oils and pastels. She has been involved in creative endeavors ever since she was a child. She has a degree in Fine Arts and is a substitute teacher for the two schools in Ouray County and has been involved in the Partners Art Mentoring Program. She will be teaching the Creative Kid’s Art Classes for the Ouray County Arts Center this summer. She loves working with kids, and she is branching out to teach some adult work shops.

Jackie Berger, Classroom Assistants

Jackie grew up in VA., and has lived in the east most of her life. She ecently moved to Ouray from Maryland, where she retired as a Social Worker with elderly and disabled adults. Jackie and her husband love the mountains and mountain sports, enjoy hiking, snowshoeing, and travel. She loves to dabble in digital photography, and manipulation of photographs, especially wildflowers. The Bergers are thrilled to be in a small community with so many people committed to the arts, and, although not artists, "we are avid students".

Loretta Casler, Adult Workshops, shown here with samples of her artwork.

Loretta Casler has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Nebraska. She worked in the graphic arts industry for 25 years. Loretta paints in both watercolor and oils. She teaches drawing and watercolor classes at the Montrose Pavilion and is also membership chair for the Montrose Visual Art Guild. Loretta sings with the Ouray County Community Chorus and lives in her "paradise" just north of Ridgway. Check out her website: www.aldea-art.com.