BIO / CV
BIO
Named “a sculptor to watch” by Aspen Sojourner magazine, Lara Whitley earned a Bachelor of Arts at UC Berkeley and has studied at Anderson Ranch Arts Center, the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, and Colorado Mountain College. She is the recipient of numerous honors, including 2023 City of Aspen Cultural Vibrancy Fellowship, 2021 Aspen Art Museum Artistic Fellowship, and the 2019 People’s Choice Award at Art of the State, Colorado’s triennial juried show. Her residencies include Aspen Community School, Red Brick Center for the Arts and the Brush Creek Foundation for the Arts. Whitley’s work has been featured in public art, solo shows and galleries. A native of California, Lara moved to Colorado's Roaring Fork Valley in 1998, where she lives with her family.
PC: Olive + West Photography
CV
Born in San Pedro CA
Lives and works in Aspen CO
Bachelor of Arts University of California Berkeley CA
Studies in 2D and 3D processes: Anderson Ranch Arts Center + Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts
RESIDENCIES + HONORS
Visiting Artist Aspen-Bariloche Arts + Culture Exchange Program Bariloche, Argentina [2025]
Cultural Vibrancy Fellowship City of Aspen Aspen CO [2023-24]
AAM Artist Fellowship Aspen Art Museum Aspen CO [2021-22]
Featured Artist - Press Play Aspen Art Museum Aspen CO [2021]
Alleghany Meadows Fellowship Carbondale Arts Carbondale CO [2019]
"People's Choice Award" | Art of the State Arvada Center for the Arts + Humanities Arvada CO [2019]
Artist in Residence Aspen Community School Woody Creek CO [2017-2020]
Artist Residency Brush Creek Foundation for the Arts Saratoga WY [2014]
Studio Residency Red Brick Center for the Arts Aspen CO [2012-2014]
January Studio Immersive Anderson Ranch Arts Center Snowmass Village CO [Jan 2011]
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
Field Signs Red Brick Center for the Arts Aspen CO [2024]
Field Signs 5 Point Film Carbondale CO [2024]
Forest Spiral Beyul Retreat Meredith CO [2023]
River Mural Beyul Retreat Meredith CO [2021]
Ghost House The Catto Center at Toklat Ashcroft CO [2019]
Still The Art Base Basalt CO [2018]
Homecoming Carbondale Arts Carbondale CO [2017]
SELECT GROUP EXHIBITIONS
Aspen Space Station, curated by Ajax Axe | Midnight Mine Studio | Aspen CO [2021]
2020 Colorado Juried, juried by Skye Weinglass and Sam Harvey Red Brick Center for the Arts Aspen CO [2020]
Art of the State, juried by Collin Parsons Arvada Center for the Arts + Humanities Arvada CO [2019]
Imagine Climate Anderson Ranch Arts Center Snowmass Village CO [2019]
Single Hue Red Brick Center for the Arts Aspen CO [2014]
Wonderland Mai Wyn Fine Art Denver CO [2013- 2014]
Story Swap, a collaboration with Aspen Words Red Brick Center for the Arts Aspen CO [2013]
Art of the State, juried by Dean Sobel + Collin Parsons Arvada Center for the Arts + Humanities Arvada CO [2013]
Taking Flight, pop up art installation with artist Deborah Jones, Basalt CO [2012]
Biennial Red Brick Center for the Arts Aspen CO [2012]
SELECT PRESS + PUBLICATIONS
"Red Brick features Lara Whitley's Field Signs" Aspen Times Aug 15, 2024
“How 3,150 pieces of glass turned into a forest sculpture” Local Magazine Dec 16, 2022
“Roaring Fork Valley artist creates Forest Spiral” Peak Magazine Dec 16, 2022
“In the silence of the forest, an artist’s installation spirals into contemplation” Aspen Public Radio Nov 29, 2022
“Force of Nature" The Little Nell Apres TV Summer 2022
“Artists launch the Aspen Space Station” artdaily.com Aug 15, 2021
“CORE Values: Imagine Climate creates murals, stories and more to inspire action” Aspen Times Feb 25, 2021
“CORE launches ‘Stories of Climate Change’ with focus on engaging Latino community” Aspen Daily News Jan 7, 2021
“In Imagine Climate, artists get creative” Aspen Times Feb 22, 2020
“CORE appeals to the emotions with Imagine Climate“ Aspen Daily News Mar 1, 2019
“Artists address climate crisis in Anderson Ranch and CORE collaboration” Aspen Times Feb 28, 2019
“Ten Artists Not to Miss” 303Magazine.com Jan 23, 2019
"Art of the State 2019 Puts Colorado Artists on Full Display" Westword Jan 17, 2019
"Scavenger of Beauty" Aspen Times [Feb 8, 2018]
"Reusable Art" Aspen Daily News [Feb 7, 2018]
“Objects + History = Homecoming" Aspen Times and Glenwood Post Independent [Sep 9, 2017]
“Coming Home One Piece at a Time" Aspen Daily News [Sep 9, 2017]
“Found Objects Celebrate Local History, Get ‘Homecoming'" Aspen Public Radio [Sep 6, 2017]
CURATION + PRODUCTION
My Longing Doesn’t Quiet \ Mi añoranza no se calla by Ana María Hernando | project manager City of Aspen Aspen, CO [2024]
Imagine Climate: creative perspectives on climate change | founder + curator CORE Aspen, CO [2019-2021]
Stories of Climate Change / Historias del Cambio Climático mural project | curator Colorado Mountain College Aspen, Carbondale + Glenwood Springs CO [2021]
Regeneration: Imagining the Future | co-curated with K Rhynus Cesark Colorado Mountain College Aspen CO [2021]
NESTed Roots | co-curated with Brian Colley + Jorge Perez-Gallego Carbondale Arts Carbondale CO [2021]
Roaring Stories | founder + co-curator with Alya Howe + Emily Taylor CORE Aspen, CO [2018-2020]
Climate Billboard Project | curator CORE Aspen, Basalt, Carbondale + Glenwood Springs CO [2020]
Imagine Climate: artists on climate change | co-curated with Brian Shure Anderson Ranch Arts Center Snowmass Village CO [2019]
We Are the Asteroid II by Justin Brice Guariglia | co-curated with Brian Shure Anderson Ranch Arts Center Snowmass Village CO [2019]
Snow Drawing by Sonja Hinrichsen | curator Ashcroft Ski Touring Ashcroft CO [2018]
TEACHING + COMMUNITY SERVICE
Aspen Public Art Plan | visioning committee member Red Brick Center for the Arts Aspen CO [2023-24]
Aspen-Bariloche Art + Culture Exchange | organizing committee member Aspen Sister Cities Aspen CO [2022 to present]
Press Play | featured artist Aspen Art Museum Aspen CO [Feb 2020]
"PR 101 for Artists" | workshop leader Carbondale Arts Carbondale CO [Apr 2018]
"PR 101 for Artists" | workshop leader Red Brick Center for the Arts Aspen CO [Feb 2014]