The 2016 Emerging Artist Grant for the Crested Butte Arts Festival Recipients features the process, the installation, and final sculpture of The Nature of Inspiration as created by Kenna Allen, Thorn Ashwind, and Rachel Bender.

The project aims to capture the cyclical nature of inspiration and how creativity itself, is an ever-expanding force of human experience. We develop this concept using inspiration of both the natural and mechanical processes of creation. Our central metaphors for execution are a combination of the hatching of a new life and the branching of a growing tree. These organic processes, combined with the collaborative turning of gears represent the cycle of inspiration.
The 44th Annual Crested Butte Arts Festival is the celebration of creativity that takes place during the weekend of August 5th-7th on historical Elk Avenue in Crested Butte, Colorado. The event is open to the public, and all are welcome.
The Emerging Artist Program is in collaboration with Western State Colorado University to encourage, support, and create opportunity for up and coming artists to participate in the nationally recognized festival. The program provides a competitive proposal process to award a grant each year to an emerging artist or group of artists.