Meet Lauren Merrill of Alpine Arts Center in Vail

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lauren Merrill.

Lauren, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Opening Alpine Arts Center has been my dream ever since I was in high school. 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 brainstormed ideas on sticky notes, but I had no idea that these ideas would turn into a thriving business in the Vail Valley 15 years later!

For as long as I can remember, art has been a passion of mine. I took classes as a child, went to college to earn a B.F.A. at the University of Michigan, and then moved to Vail for an art teaching position at a K-12 private school. After teaching for five years, I realized that the community was in desperate need of an arts center just like the one I had conceptualized years before. I decided it was time to go for it!

My dad, a business owner of a retail ski shop, was my sounding board for my business plan and he helped me take my idea to the next level, including designing the layout for our first location. It was March 2010 when I opened the Alpine Arts Center. I was the only employee and I contracted a number of art teachers to assist with some of the after school classes. Except for the teaching aspect of the business, absolutely everything was new to me! I worked long hours every day and just kept plugging along, learning as much as I could about advertising, websites, class registration systems, staffing, taxes, and the list goes on. Since that first year, some aspects to running a business have become easier, but expansion and growth also bring many more lessons to learn. It is rewarding to see the arts center buzzing with energy and to provide programs that bring joy to our community and unify people through art.

Has it been a smooth road?
Living a balanced life has been the biggest struggle for me as a business owner. Sometimes I wish I had a business partner to share the workload during our peak seasons and when we are understaffed, which occurs frequently in a ski town. I have become a master at squeezing every second out of every day so that I am able to fit in a few ski runs, a hike, or a camping trip with friends between my work responsibilities. I’m hoping I can begin to carve out personal time for travel, dating, relationships – maybe these will come in year 10!

So, as you know, we’re impressed with Alpine Arts Center – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Alpine Arts Center is a community-driven organization that offers a creative outlet for all ages. We specialize in visual art classes, events, kids art camps, drop-in activities, paint pottery, team building offerings, and outreach programs. Our studio also serves as a gallery, and we display and sell locally made artwork, gifts, and art supplies.

I am most proud of our diverse programming and how many people we are able to reach through our offerings in Eagle County and beyond. For a small company, we have a big impact on the community as a whole.

What sets us apart is our welcoming studio space with a rustic, cozy mountain feel. Our location in Riverwalk provides beautiful river views right outside our door for artistic inspiration.

Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I am grateful to live in a place where people are genuinely friendly, adventurous, and appreciate spending time outdoors.

I dislike weekend traffic going back and forth to the mountains.

Pricing:

• Drop-In Art Activity: $14 plus materials

Contact Info:

• Address: Alpine Arts Center
  280 Main St. C-101 (in Riverwalk)
  Edwards, CO 81632
• Website: www.alpineartscenter.org
• Phone: 970-926-2732
• Email: info@alpineartscenter.org

Getting in touch: VoyageDenver is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.