Founder of Alpine Artist Collective, community engagement and communications manager at OneEnergy Renewables
29 Years Old • Timnath
Tell us about yourself, your history and how you came to be where you are now.
Originally from Santa Fe, N.M., I grew up building sand castles in arroyos and forts in forests. My father is a mathematician, and my mother is a dancer, so I learned to be methodical yet creative. I left home at 14 to become an artist, and though I was living the artist’s dream, I longed for the arroyos and forests I left behind. In 2016, I spent a summer studying environmental art and found my path. Since then, I’ve cultivated a life that is intentionally multifaceted. I eventually found my home in Northern Colorado, where I fill my days with art, nature and community.
Explain your career, achievements and professional highlights.
I’m the founder of Alpine Artist Collective, a nonprofit environmental art collaborative. Since 2019, we have completed 14 creative projects, employed more than 50 artists and engaged about 4,000 people. I’m also the community engagement and communications manager at OneEnergy Renewables, specializing in solar and battery storage energy projects. In the past, I worked for the U.S. Department of Energy, first as a fellow and later as a community engagement specialist. I’ve also worked as an outdoor project director for Public Land Solutions and as a dancer with T2 Dance Company, Hannah Kahn Dance Company and more.
In what ways do you give back to the community?
I am an active supporter of the arts in Northern Colorado. I attend arts events almost weekly, supporting the creative backbone of our community as much as I can through donations and volunteering. I have fostered a strong relationship with Colorado State University, where I have guest lectured on the intersection of dance and climate change communication, mentored a student intern and taught workshops for CSU’s summer Dance Lab. I also support conservation initiatives through volunteer restoration projects. My goal is to join Timnath’s Parks, Recreation, Open Spaces and Trails (PROST) Committee in the next two-to-three years.
What do you consider the biggest accomplishment or challenge you’ve overcome, either professionally or personally?
Navigating the COVID-19 pandemic as an artist and new business owner was a challenge both professionally and personally. I started Alpine Artist Collective in October 2019, and a few months later, the unthinkable happened. The entire arts sector came to a sudden halt. That moment became a crash course in leadership, adaptability and resilience. There is no accomplishment I’m more proud of than the incredible community I cultivated through that experience. Alpine Artist Collective will have our inaugural environmental art festival, Common Ground, at The Lyric on Oct. 19.
Tell us something unique about you.
In college, I was selected to participate in an exchange program in Seoul, South Korea. It was the opportunity of a lifetime, but there was one problem: I didn’t speak Korean. For six months, I was immersed in the culture and worked hard to learn the language as quickly as possible. However, dance truly is a universal language, so I also learned how to communicate effectively across language barriers.
Where do you see yourself in five years? In 10 years?
In the next five years, I’d like to grow Alpine Artist Collective into a thriving arts enterprise, become an emerging thought leader in equitable civic engagement for energy and environmental projects, apply to law school and become a National Parks Artist-in-Residence. In the next 10 years, I’d like to become an energy and environmental lawyer, receive a teaching appointment at CSU and establish Fort Collins as a hub for environmental art.
What piece(s) of advice would you give to your younger self?
It took me a long time to figure out that if I didn’t fit into the spaces or communities in front of me, I had the power to create my own. I spent many years feeling forced to choose between different sides of myself. Others weren’t forcing me to make that choice. I was.
Why is the environment the focus of your artist collective?
My parents are from the Gulf area and spent most of their lives working in or adjacent to the oil and gas industry. I observed their views change over time, and this deeply impacted my own, giving me a nuanced perspective on energy and the environment. I believe that the arts are a powerful tool for storytelling, helping people connect emotionally to a complex concept or issue like climate change. Alpine Artist Collective uses art as a means to bridge the gap between science and emotion, with the goal of ultimately inspiring action.
What led you to start an artist collective?
Alpine Artist Collective was originally a traditional business: Claire Kendall Creative Projects, LLC. I started CKCP in 2019 not with a bang but with a whimper. I was 23 years old, and I never could have imagined what it would become. So much of our success was because of the close collaboration with my amazing team of artists. After five years, I could no longer discern where my ideas ended and others began. CKCP was a product of all of us, and yet I was still lugging around the title of artistic director. I stepped aside, and four of my closest collaborators and friends stepped into formalized leadership roles with me. Now, as Alpine Artist Collective, and as a nonprofit, it feels like the sky’s the limit on what we can accomplish together.
Local business shoutout:
I have to shout out Himalayan Bistro. My partner, Jared, and I go nearly every Friday and have a regular order: paneer tikka masala with garlic naan. I’d also love to shout out Machmer Media. If you ever need photos or videos, they’re amazing.
