Aspen Peak - Niche Media - Aspen living at its peak
Issue link: http://digital.greengale.com/i/93399
PHOTOGRAPHY BY KATRINA WITTKAMP VIEW FROM THE TOP continued from page 73 various Ski Co. venues; the book is an outgrowth of that project. "Walter's art gives Aspen a new vision," says Crown, adding that a favorite photo is Aspen 72, which depicts skiers dotting the steep ridge on Highland Bowl. "I didn't want another picture of a snowboarder going off a mountain. I wanted some- thing that transcends the local." Crown's local outreach includes rais- ing the "hip" factor of ski helmets, now mandatory for Ski Co. employees. "It's an advocacy effort of great importance to me personally," she says. In addition to The Aspen Series, Crown, a mother of four who splits her time between Aspen and Chicago, spent 2012 pursuing another venture: curating the art at Element 47, The Little Nell's new res- taurant (formerly Montagna). The name is a nod to silver (the 47th element on the periodic table) and Aspen's mining history, and the restaurant will feature works by Chicago artists Michelle Grabner and Scott Reeder, as well as Cameron Martin and José Lerma of Brooklyn. The restaurant, designed by the James Beard Award-winning firm Bentel & Bentel, is full of natural touches that radiate coziness: reclaimed wood, stone, and blackened steel. "You want to have breakfast with your kids there, but you want it to be elegant at night," says Crown. "We had to figure out how to mix black tables with eggs Benedict and pancakes." Striking the right aesthetic balance comes easily to Crown, whose interest in art dates back to her childhood in Marblehead, Massachusetts. Decades later, after a job on Wall Street and time served on the boards of Duke University (her alma mater), New York's Museum of Modern Art, Coffee-table books in Crown's office, including one by Niedermayr, demonstrate her passion for all kinds of art. the National Council of the Aspen Music Festival, and the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, Crown decided to formalize her passion. Earlier this year, she graduated from the Art Institute of Chicago with a master's degree in painting and drawing. "People asked me, 'Why did you go back to school? Why take the risk?' [I tell them] I wanted to be around people who were looking at things in new ways, using new technology, and finding new tools." Now homework-free, Crown is focusing on her art. "Creating it is my true joy. I just try to remember the privilege of it all." AP Crown's digital image of Aspen. HIGH ON THE ARTS Creativity is tops for Crown. on inspiration In the summer, you can usually find me at the Anderson Ranch Arts Center. The most extraordinary artists—potters, sculptors, photographers, and furniture makers—come from all over the world to take workshops there. The people I met there inspired me to go back and pursue my degree. on icons My favorite artists of all time are Leonardo [da Vinci] and Henri Matisse. I love too many contemporary artists to name, but a few are Agnes Martin, Richard Diebenkorn, and Jaume Plensa. on design aesthetic I love classical bones with a mix of influences. If you look around my [Chicago] home, you'll see a Tibetan sculpture next to a modern piece. I love that dialogue, the communication across centuries. on ski rituals If the snow is good, we do "first tracks"—we go up the mountain as Personal photos and reading material are displayed throughout Crown's work space. the lift is opening and ski the first run of the day, then come down and have a family breakfast. The wall above Crown's desk is adorned with collected emphemera. 74 ASPENPEAK-MAGAZINE.COM