Well known SLV resident Joe Montano is amazed at a painting that is almost more real than he is during the annual “Be the Art” event Friday in Creede during the town’s annual Cabin Fever Days. Dozens of local residents were portrayed by Portland portrait artist Katrina Zarate to capture a small town in oils, acrylic and copic color to portrait a miners town of fewer than 500 people at 9000 feet in the San Juan Mountains. Proceeds of the associated auction and sale of prints goes to the National Winter Playwrights Retreat in Creede.

Local “celebrity” Hercules wasn’t the only four-legged featured in Katrina Zarate’s “Be the Art” exhibit in Creede, but he may be the most famous. His “Love My Mommy” sweater in the painting may have come from Creede Repertory Theatre’s own Annie Butler. Scores of local residents were portrayed by Portland portrait artist Katrina Zarate to capture a small town in oils, acrylic and copic color to portrait a miner’s town of fewer than 500 people at 9000 feet in the San Juan Mountains. Proceeds of the associated auction and sale of prints goes to the National Winter Playwrights Retreat hosted by the HBMG Foundation in Creede.

President’s Day weekend’s “Sunday at the Ruth” featured local artist Stephen Quiller and others including his daughter Allie, and short films by Riley Goss and Bev Chapman, including a preview of her “Big Burn” follow-up film. About 50 people attended and watched Quiller demonstrate how his packs everything he needs to hike into the hills and capture art “en plein air.” His newly release instructional video on painting on scene was also shown.