When Pueblo became a steel town, adopting the moniker of smelting
capital of the world, little time existed for anything but work.
That was years ago.
Pueblo now has lifted the veil of manufacturing haze and emerged as
a force on the state’s cultural and performing arts scenes.
The Sangre de Cristo Arts & Conference Center is a shining star,
almost as bright as the national and international art exhibits
that enliven its galleries, or the performing artists who bring
their dance, music and theatrical productions from every corner of
the continent. The center’s educational and art classes are
constant, and the adjacent Buell Children’s Museum is a story of
its own.
In addition to the center’s permanent art exhibits, such as the
Francis King collection of paintings, drawings and sculptures by
notable Western artists, visiting exhibits are frequent.
“Borderlands” is a collection of sculptures, prints, paintings
and photography that explores geographical and figurative dividing
lines, encouraging us to reach out and expand our vision.
More than 50 works by artists from Mexico and the southwestern U.S.
include the art and sculpture of Luis Jimenez. The exhibit is
featured through May 15.
The center’s performing arts calendar for spring includes “Black
Broadway,” a review featuring the sounds from nine Broadway hits,
such as “Porgy and Bess” and “Ain’t Misbehavin’ ” on Sunday;
the Sangre de Cristo Ballet Theater presenting “From Romeo &
Juliet to Rod Stewart” on April 16 and 17; the Pueblo Symphony
performance of The Colorado Tenors on May 8; and the 44th Season
Broadway Theatre League’s production of “Saturday Night Fever” on
March 27. The performances are individually priced.
Child Magazine ranked the Buell Children’s Museum the nation’s No.
2 children’s art museum. Hands-on, enlightening exhibits fill the
12,000-square-foot building. The creative stations put the wonder
back in a child’s eye. Sensations, for example, is a multisensory
exhibit in which children (or adults) activate lights, sound clips
and video by pressing 50 sensors on floors and walls.
The pages of “Riddle Me This” inspired a new Sensations
experience – a house of mirrors, optical illusions and wacky
sounds. “Where the Wild Things Are” is a magnetic board on which
kids can manipulate monstrous magnets to make mischievous mutants.
Both exhibits are part of the Dreaming Beyond the Book program,
which runs through May 29.
Sir Gregory is the arts center’s knight in shining armor. The 17th-
century Gothic-style suit weighs about 40 pounds and stands
sentinel at the Kid Rock Cafe. Its 8-pound sword is inscribed, “Do
not draw me without reason; do not use me without honor.
Originally, Sir Gregory had a place of honor in Denver architect
Temple Buell’s office.
Recognizing that its rich history helps shape its persona, Pueblo
weaves the past into the present. In 1988, an archaeological
excavation located a portion of the original 1842 El Pueblo trading
post. Today, the El Pueblo Museum stands close to the excavation
site, at North Union Avenue and First Street. Its galleries
chronicle Pueblo’s history and the preservation of artifacts by the
Colorado Historical Society. In addition to things that were, arts
and crafts exhibits show visitors the Pueblo of today.
The new El Pueblo Museum serves as the gateway to the Historic
Arkansas Riverwalk & Historic District. As the museum showcases the
history and traditions of the various cultural and ethnic groups in
Pueblo, it is hoped the heritage of these groups will be passed
on.
In 1921, much of Pueblo was devastated by a flood when the Arkansas
River let nature take its course. The building of the Pueblo
Reservoir mitigated future threats. To bring the river channel back
to its original location, a 26-acre waterfront park was built and
filled with sculptures, recreational walkways and a lake. It’s a
rejuvenation for the city’s historical downtown district, a thing
of beauty, and a cultural and economic center for Pueblo.
Pueblo took extra steps after the flood and constructed a levee
along the Arkansas River to minimize future flood damage. The gray
walls were just too bare to satisfy some college students, so one
night, a mural was painted on the 45-degree levee wall. One
painting led to two, and before long, hundreds of creative works of
art covered the levee. It’s the world’s largest outdoor mural,
according to Guinness World Records. At the time Guinness published
the record, the mural measured 176,000 feet.
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If you go
Pueblo is 112 miles south of Denver via Interstate 25.
For information about the Sangre de Cristo Arts Center, 210 N.
Santa Fe Ave., call 719-295-7200, or go to www.sdc-arts.org. For
reservations and tickets for performing arts events, call
719-295-7222.
For additional information on El Pueblo Museum, 301 N. Union Ave.,
call 719-583-0453, or visit www.coloradohistory.org/hist_sites/pueblo/pueblo.htm.
To learn more about the Historic Arkansas Riverwalk of Pueblo, call
719-595-0242 or visit www.puebloharp.com.
