By Lauren Merrill
Opening Alpine Arts Center has been my dream ever since I was in high school. I grew up on Long Island, New York and art was my passion all throughout my childhood. My parents were supportive of my interest in art, and I distinctly remember sitting at the dinner table with my family talking about “what I wanted to do when I grew up” and coming up with the idea to open an arts center someday. We started brainstorming ideas on sticky notes and filing them in manilla folders for the future. Everyone in the family chipped in, and before long we had a solid plan for the business.
Four years later, I graduated from The University of Michigan, School of Art and Design with a B.F.A. and a well rounded arts education. I moved to Boulder, Colorado and got my teaching certification, and then moved again to Vail for an art teacher position at Vail Mountain School. I worked with children in grades K-12 art classes for five years, every year learning new ways to approach teaching and also growing more and more attached to the community. When I realized the Vail Valley would be my permanent home, I decided it was the perfect location to open the arts center. As an artist, I felt that it was exactly what the community needed!
My dad, a business owner of a retail ski shop, helped me take my idea to the next level. I found out quickly how many different aspects there are to owning and starting up a business, from trademarks and incorporation to finding the perfect space for Alpine Arts Center, remodeling the facilities, and hiring teachers; it was a very busy and exciting time!
Being a part of Alpine Arts Center and its evolution has been an incredible experience. I love seeing the studio buzzing with energy and creativity.
Thank you to everyone who helped me reach this point, from assembling furniture to offering support and advice. I couldn’t have done it without you. And thank you to all of our wonderful customers. Alpine Arts Center is a really special place because of all of you.
