Story by Carol McDermott; Photos by Roger Young and Dave Kloser 

Many who live in the high country demand artistic form in addition to comfortable function in their living space. When furnishing their homes, they seek out artisans who can turn their dreams into beautiful reality and decorate with a distinctive personal style. The artists they find use a variety of materials to accomplish these tasks. 

With a background in foundry work and castings, Ouray artisan Jeff Skoloda mixes metal and marble to sculpt unique pieces of furniture and interior designs. Skoloda's work is a collaborative process where he and the homeowner design the work, select the media, and translate both into furniture. 

"I enjoy finding interesting solutions to unique problems," he says. "I like to use different materials in my designs." These include steel, bronze and aluminum. His stone is Yule Marble from Marble, Colo. Fine woodworker Sean Hart, also of Ouray, crafts the wooden parts of Skoloda's furniture. 

"Art is a necessity because it makes a permanent statement about who we are, makes us a civilization," Skoloda says. "Art makes the world more beautiful, more vibrant and exciting. It also adds tranquility." 

Skoloda's Main Street Ouray shop features a fine art gallery and includes high end furniture, architectural detailings, sculpture and custom creations by others as well as himself. Email: skolstudio@ouraynet.com.

East meets West at Armored Fabrication LLC as Courtney Eaton and Bobby Martin combine their artistry in Ridgway, Colo., to renovate old furniture, kitchens, interiors and exteriors. Eaton, from New York, salvaged old furniture by refinishing, restoring, then re-covering some surfaces with copper or aluminum sheets. Martin, from Los Angeles, met Eaton in San Francisco, and together they expanded the business. Since he was a welder, their work has evolved to include spiral staircases, railings and interior work. 

"Demand is up for architectural metals and furniture design," says Eaton. Initial furniture work grew to copper-clad mirrors, fireplaces, and kitchens, even exterior walls. Armored Fabrication work can be seen in Telluride. 

"The best part of my job is when I get to experiment with something, and it works—that 'ah-ha' moment," says Martin. "Art makes your surroundings beautiful," Eaton adds. "You can leave your mark." Email: armored1@independence.net. 

"Art is like a tree," according to custom furniture maker Michael Ticherich. "It functions in ecology, but it is not really doing anything. It can have a new purpose every day."

The lumber Ticherich uses demonstrates the "wildness of the wood and the forest it came from." His mesquite, walnut, maple, and knotty elder grace elegant, rustic-looking functional furniture pieces. "The rustic is in the grain of the wood," he says. "I don't use saw marks. I like my furniture to be touchable."

Ticherich also seeks to create a match between clients and pieces. "Furniture is much more than what you sit on or store clothes in. It says who you are and how you feel."

Besides his custom pieces, which may involve stencil work, Ticherich has his own line of furniture which includes chopping blocks, dining room and bedroom sets. These can be seen in his Ridgway shop. Email: totochow@independence.net.

Glass designer John Clark, Alpine Art Glass, Ridgway, adds rich, shimmering color and texture to custom residential and commercial projects, mostly in western Colorado. "Glass is a dynamic way to add color," he explains. "It's like painting with light, especially when working with fused glass," his newest technique. Clark uses a variety of styles, from Victorian to Craftsman to Frank Lloyd Wright-style in his custom-designed doors, windows, cabinets, light fixtures and other hand-crafted glass features. "My favorite thing is working with hand- and machine-rolled glasses obtained from companies all over the United States and Europe. One [company] has been making glass since the late 1800s and designed for Tiffany's."

Although Clark's is a one-man shop, his light fixtures all carry the UL label and can be used in new  
construction. Visit him at his Ridgway studio or email him at jiclark@independence.net. 

Collaboration between homeowners and artists yields unique pieces which make life spaces personal. And personal is what high country living is all about.