Meet Jess Preble | Gallery Director – Cottonwood Center for the Arts

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

Hi Jess, how does your business help the community?
Cottonwood Center for the Arts is a nonprofit arts organization located in downtown Colorado Springs. A mainstay of the Colorado Springs arts community since 1997, we are currently home to the largest group of creatives in Colorado Springs. A flourishing nexus of educational programming, gallery shows, and studio spaces, Cottonwood brings together small businesses, professional artists, community nonprofits, and students of all ages to engage the Pikes Peak Region in art through learning, exhibits, and performances, hosting a diverse and creative community of workspaces for artists. Our vision is to create an environment for a thriving arts community leaving a legacy of arts, culture, and beauty to future generations.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I have been the Gallery Director for the non profit Cottonwood Center for the Arts for 6.5 years. Prior to my time here I was always very involved with the creative community in Colorado Springs, as I am also a professional artist with a background of over 13 years of painting and exhibiting.

Gallery Director means wearing many hats each day – including planning each years installations, writing calls for entries, working one on one with artists, moving furniture, writing contracts, working closely with local and national businesses, and the actual lay-out and installation of the art itself.

Beyond our main galleries, I also run our curation + staging program. Our collections are thoughtfully selected by our seasoned team to accommodate the artistic vision for any business. We work to extend their brand to every aspect of the clients experience as they walk through the doors, bringing a fresh look while activating walls with local artworks.

In addition to commercial and business services, curation + staging offers home artwork installation for an existing collection or newly purchased pieces, mindfully designing the placement and flow of art to match the home. Cottonwood also installs rotating home collections, for those who love having fine art surrounding them in their living spaces, without the long term commitment of purchasing work, or who need a tasteful addition to the presentation of model homes, or homes while they are listed for sale.

Taking on the role I have now was a natural transition as my career in the arts progressed. I have been given a platform to help other artists with their journeys, and to share opportunities for exhibition and growth with both new and established creatives.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I would definitely start with a First Friday at Cottonwood! Each month we rotate the works in our main galleries and throw a gala opening reception on the First Friday with music and refreshments from 5-8 PM.

Beyond that, I would recommend checking out Colorado Springs’ other marvelous cultural offerings – Auric, True North, and Alvarez Galleries, The Colony, the gallery in Platte Furniture Collections, and our newly updated Pioneer’s Museum.

For food I would eat the barbacoa, shrimp, or tripa tacos from Tacos El Amigo in Knob Hill literally every day. You need nothing else.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’d like to shoutout to the amazing team that I work with here at Cottonwood Center for the Arts. Our Executive Director, – Jon Khoury, Education Director – Annie Pieper, Events Directors – Jessica Jones and Samantha Abbott, and our Finance Manager – Christine Lawson.

We are a small staff that makes delightful things happen! We get the privilege of bringing the arts, and culturally valuable experiences to our community daily.

Website: https://www.Cottonwoodcenterforthearts.com

Instagram: @cottonwoodcenterforthearts

Facebook: Cottonwood Center for the Arts