Steamboat’s First Friday Artwalk, a celebration of creativity and the Yampa Valley communities that support it, returns Thursday, July 3 — with the event moved from its customary day due to the Independence Day holiday.

This month will offer an evening of exhibitions and cultural explorations from 5 to 8 p.m. at galleries and venues across Steamboat’s downtown.

One highlight of this month’s walk is “Water Features,” a new show by painter Ann Feldman at The Alley Gallery and Art Studios, 711 Lincoln Ave. The exhibition features oil paintings that depict well-known local water landmarks, including Fish Creek Falls, the Yampa River and the Botanic Park.

“We all know how important the water sources are to us in the Yampa Valley. I wanted to take some time to focus on their beauty and fragility,” Feldman said.

Using layered brushwork and soft palettes, Feldman creates a calming but notably powerful presence of water-based movement. Visitors can view Feldman’s paintings during the Artwalk and throughout July during the gallery’s open hours. More information is available at TheAlleyGallery.com. 

At the Depot Art Center, local artist and middle school educator Garret Bock presents “Out West There Be Monsters,” a satire-based collection of prints offering new perspectives on frontier mythology and its connection with American identity.

The exhibition will be on view in Bliss Hall, which is located at 1001 13th St. 

The show includes hand-carved linocut prints that show atypical, surreal pairings, including cowboys riding aliens, Bigfoot floating above a mountain forest and witty, subverted historical myths. Bock notes that his inspiration comes from folk art, “outsider art” and his own childhood memories, including a 1964 Fort Apache toy set.

“These romantic ideas about the West, about who the good guys were, about history, it’s all myth-making,” Bock said. “Ralph Waldo Emerson said, ‘Fiction reveals truth that reality obscures.’ Cowboys fighting monsters will strike people as ludicrous and obviously false. But so are a lot of beliefs about past and current events Americans hold true today. Maybe absurd art can help us develop a healthy sense of skepticism.”

Bock graduated from the University of Iowa’s printmaking program, where he developed a distinct artistic style, further refined through collaborations with local craftspeople and a constant drive to experiment in outdoor printing. He also serves as a mentor to young artists. His work, known for its humor, handmade texture and social commentary, has become a talking point for its unique take on the American West.

Bock will lead a live demonstration in the Depot’s parking lot during Art in the Park on Saturday, July 12, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The event, titled “Steamroll Steamboat,” features large-scale printmaking using inked linocut and an actual steamroller. More information can be found at SteamboatCreates.org. 

The Schoonover Gallery at 929 Lincoln Ave. continues its mission of telling the “story behind the art” with a spotlight on contemporary artist Manny Valenzuela. Valenzuela’s abstract and colorful works are deeply rooted in his family heritage and cultural identity.

“Manny is a dynamic, contemporary artist, whose work is inspired by his colorful Hispanic heritage,” Schoonover wrote in a media release. “His love of the cowboy way comes from his grandfather, who was a rancher in Sonora, Mexico. Manny tells his story and interprets his family legacy through characters he refers to as a Gaucho.”

His vivid, stylized figures sporting flat-brimmed hats are painted with layers of bold texture that blend memory with western traditions, resulting in modern compositions that are deeply expressive and emotionally grounded.

Manny’s work has been exhibited across the Southwest and has also been featured in international collections.

Please visit SchoonoverGallery.com for more information on the gallery and the artists that it hosts. 

Also open for the July 3 event is the Zandee Gallery, 903 Lincoln Ave., owned by local fine art photographer Tim Zandee. A longtime Steamboat resident, Zandee has been photographing natural landscapes for more than 21 years and has operated his gallery in Steamboat for the last four.  

Zandee’s current downtown space showcases his signature large-format images and presents his commitment to being authentic with the lens. Zandee chooses not to manipulate his photos digitally. Instead, he returns to selected scenes multiple times to capture the essence of the location in different lighting conditions. His work has attracted collectors and customers from around the world.

Gallery hours and images of select pieces can be found at ZandeeGallery.com. 

The Tread of Pioneers Museum, 800 Oak St., is unveiling its latest exhibition called “Triumph and Perseverance: The Olympic Legacy in Steamboat Springs.” The community-centered show explores how the Yampa Valley, and specifically Steamboat Springs, has given rise to so many Olympic athletes.

The exhibit traces a tradition that began with Norwegian ski jumper Carl Howelsen, who founded the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club and inspired the deep culture of competitive skiing that continues to this day. The show offers a deep portrait of athletes, infrastructure and local pride that helped support them, while at the same time exploring Ski Town USA’s international legacy.

The displays and historical materials that accompany them examine community contributions, youth sports, gender equity and the power of mentorship. Women athletes like Arielle Gold, Ann Battelle and Shannon Dunn-Downing are also featured for their trailblazing roles in winter sports and as Olympians.

More information on “Triumph and Perseverance” can be found at TreadOfPioneers.org. 

Pine Moon Fine Art will present its July exhibition “Let’s Celebrate!” during the July 3 Artwalk. The show highlights the diversity of the gallery’s member artists, each of whom expresses their perceptions of the connections between the natural world and community using a wide range of mediums and styles. 

Visitors can meet participating artists at the gallery, which is located at 117 9th St., and explore new works during the opening from 5 to 8 p.m. More information is available at PineMoonFineArt.com. 

Alongside these featured shows, additional galleries and studios along Lincoln Avenue and Oak Street will be open for First Friday Artwalk, offering visitors a mix of many different media, subjects and perspectives. Though July’s event will be held a day early this month to accommodate July 4 events, the evening will foster conversation and connection for both locals and visitors alike.

For a list of participating venues and ongoing exhibitions, check local gallery websites or stop by any downtown location during the event.