Meet Diana LaMorris

We had the good fortune of connecting with Diana LaMorris and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Diana, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I wanted to have an artist run gallery. It was important to me and the two women who were by my side at the time to be represented in our own voice. To gather other artists with like minds, to create a community that shared talent and ideas with a love for getting the word out that “we” were here. And to honor the work that was being created by talented people in the area.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I have always been in some form of the arts. I was a weaver, and later came to painting, which is my passion right now. I was inspired by teachers and mentored by creatives thru the years. I was in a cooperative gallery in Chicago which helped form the idea to have a similar business model when I moved to Pueblo. I have thrived artistically in this area and was involved in the creation of the Creative Corridor and the Arts Alliance here.
Looking back, the rough spots seem irrelevant. Nothing is really easy, but with determination and grit we succeed. Keeping on and keeping the faith keeps the challenges manageable.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I would start with our gallery!! Beautiful art in a historic building. Traveling down Union Ave, our shopping area, with iconic buildings and local owned businesses.
The river walk is a delightful area that is worth the time to explore, an oasis of flowing water, art and walkways.
We have a world class arts and conference center. The Arkansas River runs through our town, with a kayak course, mural work, bike and walking trails, a reservoir and nature center. We have trails and sculpture and bridges. It is delightful.
Famous for our farmland, we have chili growers that are on the map! We have a license plate dedicated to our chilies on it.
Art galleries, museums and wonderful restaurants to explore.
Just west of us is Florence, antique capital of Colorado, and then the mountains! Bishops Castle, mountain towns and scenic highways full of inspiration.
Pueblo is a gem, and the gateway to southern Colorado.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There are many people over the years who have added to the art community and to the gallery. We are celebrating 18 years in business in July.
I would dedicate this shout out to the people who are the anchors of our business and who keep our doors open. They are June Galaz, Linda Cates, MK Boylan and Tom Ossner. We have the same values and vision for the business of art. Together we make the primary decisions and then bring those decisions to the membership. I appreciate their expertise, talent, and willingness to have my back and help carry the load.

Website: ttps://www.steelcityartworks.org

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SteelCityArtWorksGallery

Image Credits
Joe Klune
David Hayden