Public Art in Castle Rock Shines Spotlight on Nature

Town of Castle Rock

In places well-known for their natural beauty, arts can help foster a connection to the great outdoors. Arts organizations and artists in Castle Rock have worked together to create beautiful pieces of art that celebrate nature and enhance public spaces throughout the community. 

Murals, outdoor sculptures and festivals all add to the vibrant art community that exists within Castle Rock while paying tribute to the natural beauty of the state. 

Castle Rock Offers a Natural Canvas 

From hiking trails to hospital plazas and intersections, residents can find public art scattered across all corners of Castle Rock. “I believe the more creative the environment is, the more creativity it sparks,” says Jennifer Perry, chair of the Public Art Commission in Castle Rock. 

The Still Wild sculpture in downtown Castle Rock, created by Colorado artist Amie Jacobson, pays tribute to the state’s native wildflowers. Outdoor furniture in the same color palette of the sculpture helped enhance the shared plaza area south of Town Hall.

“Our public art highlights components of our Western heritage, our love for outdoors and outdoor spaces, and our reverence for wildlife,” Perry says. “Art and culture help define a place. And that’s what we’re trying to do here.” 

For Mary Williams, a sculpture artist from Colorado, a love of public art meant an opportunity to contribute to her own community. 

Williams’ Tree of Wings sculpture in Philip S. Miller Park moves with the wind, reflecting the active nature of the park itself. Her gently rotating sculpture of a hibiscus flower at AdventHealth Castle Rock, commissioned by a donor in honor of her late husband’s favorite flower, gives people a moment to pause and take a breath in the plaza. 

“As far as public art, which is … my true love, I believe that it brings art to the everyday person,” Williams says. “You don’t have to go to a gallery. You don’t have to go to an art museum to experience a piece of art. It brings art out into the community.” 

Creative Community Beautifies The Region 

Artists and their work can be found throughout Castle Rock. The Castle Rock Artist Alliance (CRAA) supports artists of all disciplines through arts festivals, plein air workshops and traveling galleries that allow artists to hold pop-up shows around town. 

“Our mission is to bring the beauty and experience of art to the community of Castle Rock,” says Paul Price, executive director of CRAA. 

CRAA artists, including veterans in its Veterans and First Responders Art Therapy Program, are represented at the annual Castle Rock Artfest, which draws around 20,000 visitors each year. The festival showcases over 100 artists from around the country and highlights local organizations like CRAA, the Public Art Commission and the Tri Arts Project (TAP), which offers classes at its new art center in the historic Cantril School building. 

Town of Castle Rock

Saddle Up and Experience the Town’s Character 

The Douglas County Art Encounters program allows people to experience a rotating variety of sculptures across its jurisdictions, including Castle Rock. Using a free app, participants can explore a self-guided tour of the unique public art located across the county. Seated alongside Castle Rock’s permanent installations, many of these temporary art exhibits reflect a recurring theme of love and appreciation for nature’s beauty, featuring flowers, wildlife and other natural features. 

“With our public art … we’re trying to mirror a lot of what goes on in the town, because the town is very much about adventure, hiking, biking and wildlife,” says Dana Frazee, president of TAP. “Public art is definitely influenced by the town character.” 

From temporary installations to permanent sculptures and murals, the art around Castle Rock has come to reflect the town’s vibrant history, culture and natural beauty. “We want pieces of art all over town that people will talk about and treasure,” Frazee says.