Cortez artist Barbara Grist will hold a public open house at the Aspen Guard Station from 1 to 4 p.m. on Friday, June 17. Participants are invited to come with materials to create art, photography, music, writing or to just sit and enjoy nature. Grist will offer guidance on art or photography and conduct an informal tour of the historic cabin and grounds. Participants are asked to carpool, if possible, as parking is limited, and to bring water and a chair. Light refreshments will be furnished.

The Aspen Guard Station was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s to serve as District Office for U.S. Forest Service rangers. After sitting idle for decades, it was reborn as the home of the Artist-in-Residence Program in 1994.

To reach the Aspen Guard Station from Mancos, turn north towards Dolores at the intersection of U.S. Hwy. 160 onto Colo. Hwy. 184. Watch for County Rd. 42 on your right at the sign to Transfer Campground and Mancos State Park. Follow this road 11 miles to the cabin. The paved road turns to gravel and becomes Forest Road 561 (accessible to passenger vehicles). At the Forest boundary, continue towards Jersey Jim. Continue straight on 561 past the turnoff to Transfer Campground. At the next fork, continue straight on 561, following the sign to Aspen Guard Station. After winding up through aspen, the wooden fence around the cabin will be on your right, and then the sign and driveway. Parking may be roadside.

For more information on the Artist in Residence Program, please visit the San Juan National Forest Website Learning Center page at: http://www.fs.usda.gov/sanjuan.

For information on the open house, please call Barbara Grist at 560-2767. More information is available on her web site at www.BarbaraGristPhotography.com.