Telluride's Happy Gilmore
Telluride, Colorado- 2025

The visually blessed mountain town of
Telluride in Colorado has accommodated
story book characters since its
foundation as a mining town in the late
19th century. Nestling at 9,500 feet up in
the San Juan mountains, I think the thin
air impinges on the ability of anyone to be
even remotely normal. We are a quarter
of the way through the 21st century, but
Telluride remains a frontier town at the
end of the line.
Those that have found Telluride and
chosen to make it their home, celebrate
life, as well they should; there are very
few places I know on the planet that offer
such a good way of life. It is a resort full
of happy extroverts who embrace the
culture of Carpe diem.
Telluride Golf Club is the third highest
in elevation in America (out of 16,000
courses) and almost every hole has an
outrageous backdrop. I thought that the
18th hole, with the cliff hugging airport in
the distance, would be an ideal platform
to tell a story of a Wild West community
that knows how to enjoy life.
I have become increasingly drawn to
participation art and greatly admire
the work of French photographer JR.
The quest for authenticity is core to art
and participation art is almost always
authentic. Involving many people in a
staged image does lean on logistics a
little, but the key is to emotionally invest
in the community of whom you are asking
so much.
It is about “winning the crowd” and I
could not have done this without the
support and advocacy of locals in town.
I want to thank Gold Mountain Gallery
and Telluride Ski & Golf Club for their
enthusiasm for this project and then, of
course, the 100 locals who turned up at
6.30 am in period clothing at 9,500 feet
up a mountain.