Something quietly beautiful is happening atop the red-rock cliffs of western Colorado. This summer, the Colorado National Monument isn’t just drawing hikers and photographers—it’s welcoming easels, sketchbooks, and spontaneous bursts of creativity.

The monument’s new initiative, “Community Artist in Park,” launched by the Colorado National Monument Association (CNMA), is pairing local artists with public lands. The goal? Make art more accessible. Celebrate the landscape. And offer people a chance to stop, really look, and create.

A public park becomes a public studio

Jessica Rich, CNMA’s program coordinator, said she wasn’t sure what to expect when they put out the first call for artists earlier this year.

“There was no blueprint for how this would go,” she said. “Honestly, we weren’t sure anyone would apply.”

Then the applications rolled in. About 20 local artists submitted portfolios and proposals. After careful review, CNMA selected Grand Junction native Monica Esposito to launch the program.

“It was kind of hard to get it out there and let people know,” Rich said. “So, when they started coming in, it was really exciting.”

Esposito is now spending her summer offering free outdoor art demos and teaching classes inside the monument boundaries.

Art without walls—and without cost

You don’t need to buy a ticket. You don’t need to know how to paint. Just show up.

That’s the pitch.

“This being a public space, it seems only natural to provide an experience that’s open to the public,” Esposito said, setting up her paints under a cottonwood tree near Saddlehorn. “I feel like art should be for everybody.”

And that’s exactly what this program is doing. It’s not just seasoned painters showing up. People are coming with kids, with curiosity, or with zero experience and an old sketchbook in hand.

Some just want to sit and watch. Others jump right in.

Why art here? Why now?

For Esposito, there’s something magnetic about painting outdoors in a place like this.

“You really get to study the light and capture a moment in time,” she explained, gesturing toward the layered red cliffs. “Photographs flatten everything. But here—you’re in it. The grandiosity of this valley is amazing.”

She’s right.

From towering monoliths to narrow canyons and distant mesas, the monument is a living painting in itself. Artists have long flocked to places like Zion and Yosemite. But this is the first formal public art program hosted by CNMA.

The hope is that it will become a regular thing.

One-sentence paragraph for pause.

So far, the community response has been overwhelmingly positive.

What does a typical day in the program look like?

It varies. But most events follow a relaxed format.

• Monica sets up in a scenic area (locations are posted in advance)

• People gather around—some with their own supplies, some using provided materials

• A brief demo or lesson kicks off the session

• Then everyone is encouraged to explore and create at their own pace

No judgment. No fees. Just shared creativity.

On hotter days, events shift to shadier areas or happen earlier in the morning. CNMA provides water, sunscreen, and sometimes even folding chairs.

The most important ingredient, according to Rich?

“Being open to the moment. And letting the landscape do the talking.”

The bigger picture: inspiration and perspective

Rich believes the program does more than just get people painting. It makes them see differently.

“When you see this land and see how beautiful it is and how inspirational it is,” she said, “it’s such a wonderful place to be creative and artistic in.”

And that inspiration goes both ways.

Visitors say they leave with a new perspective—not just on art, but on the land itself. There’s something about taking the time to observe every shadow on a cliff wall, every breeze that moves through sagebrush.

For many, it’s calming. Meditative.

And for others? Transformational.

Art’s rising role in public lands

Across the country, national parks and monuments are increasingly embracing art as part of their public engagement strategies.

A report from the National Park Service Cultural Programs Office in 2024 showed:

Colorado National Monument’s new program joins this growing movement—making art part of how people connect to nature.

And it’s happening without building walls or adding infrastructure. Just a folding easel, a few brushes, and some well-timed community spirit.

What’s next for the program?

Right now, Monica Esposito is scheduled to host several more sessions through September. Each will be held at different spots across the monument, from Otto’s Trail to Ute Canyon View.

Rich says CNMA is already considering a second artist for fall or next spring.

“I think this program really shows people how inspirational this land is,” she said. “It’s a great place to be creative—and to share that creativity with others.”

And Esposito? She’s just grateful to be out there.

“You’re surrounded by silence, color, light, and sky,” she said. “What more could an artist ask for?”