Art in Aspen

There is no official art week in Aspen, but if there were, this would be it. Two world-class events return to the Roaring Fork Valley this week bringing the who's-who and the what's-what to the Rocky Mountains. 

On Friday, July 31, Rio Grande Park is transformed into an art collector's dream for the Aspen Art Museums' artCrush. The annual benefit, chaired by powerhouse Amy Phelan who also is involved with the Guggenheim, Whitney and MoMA, welcomes works by Francesco Clemente, Roy McMakin, Haas Brothers, Richard Phillips, Dan Flavin, Richard Phillips, and James Welling for bidding. Last year, the event reportedly raised $3 million 

During artCrush, the 2015 Aspen Award for Art will be bestowed upon renowned contemporary artist Lorna Simpson. Along with the auction, the event includes a wine tasting and seated dinner. 

The next day, aficionados can cure their crush blues with Anderson Ranch Arts Center's annual picnic. If they didn't get the piece they wanted the night before, art-lovers can bid on dozens of works during the organization's auction at its Snowmass Village location. Don't feel like raising a paddle? Go just for the barbecue and to enjoy the lush summer grounds.