Week of August 25, 2022
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JEFFERSON COUNTY, COLORADO
A publication of
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VOLUME 156 | ISSUE 36
Having their art in the right place
Housing study recommends 3,100 new units in Golden over 10 years City sees decline in working-age residents, families; home prices doubled since 2015 BY CORINNE WESTEMAN CWESTEMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Crock had a variety of outdoorthemed paintings available, but his mountain landscapes were the best-sellers. So, he decided to pursue that, saying, “I found a niche I love.” Crock, who lives in Golden, said his favorite subjects to paint are the landscapes around his hometown. He also has a soft spot for Dream Lake and nearby Hallett Peak. As a local artist, he’s attended the Golden Fine Arts Festival 11 times now, describing how he welcomes the opportunity to connect with people. “It’s always a blessing for me to come back,” he said of the festival. “ … It’s my home.”
The percentage of families and working-age people in Golden has declined since 2000; middle- and low-income households are being pushed out by exorbitant housing costs; and 95% of Golden’s workforce lives outside the city. To meet current and projected housing demand, Golden needs to build 3,100 units over the next 10 years, according to a draft of a grant-funded assessment. Considering the city has 8,700 dwelling units now, adding 3,100 over 10 years isn’t feasible, City Councilor Paul Haseman pointed out. “But adding some is better than nothing,” he said. During an Aug. 16 City Council study session, consultants presented the first draft of the 2022 Housing Needs and Strategies Assessment. The study was funded by a Department of Local Affairs grant and conducted by Gruen Gruen + Associates.
SEE ART, P8
SEE STUDY, P2
Daniela Bogart sits outside her husband’s booth during the Golden Fine Arts Festival Aug. 20 along 11th Street downtown. Darien PHOTOS BY CORINNE WESTEMAN Bogart is a painter based in Las Cruces, New Mexico.
Artists delight showing creations at annual Golden Fine Arts Festival BY CORINNE WESTEMAN CWESTEMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Two days, three city blocks and thousands of art pieces to admire and potentially buy: it’s an arts festival so beloved that attendees were streaming in before it’d officially opened. A hundred artists from across the nation showcased their wares Aug. 20-21 at the 32nd annual Golden Fine Arts Festival along 11th Street
downtown. The Golden Chamber of Commerce, which hosts the annual event, reported about half of this year’s artists were Coloradans, and roughly 60% were returning to the festival. While their media and techniques differ, every artist has something special woven into the fibers of their hearts, sketched in their minds, and shaped in their souls. Each artist has a story only their creations can fully convey: Booth No. 1 Acrylic painter Jesse Crock started sketching in high school, but it wasn’t until college that he discovered a love of painting. At one of his first big shows,
INSIDE: VOICES: PAGE 14 | LIFE: PAGE 16 | CALENDAR: PAGE 19 | SPORTS: PAGE 22
FUNGI FORAGING
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