Annie Henninger
Executive Director

Annie first fell in love with the Roaring Fork Valley while teaching Children’s Summer Workshops at the Anderson Ranch.  She made a permanent move to the valley in 2011 to work at the Aspen Art Museum, where she developed her practice as an art museum educator and manager, and a Diversity, Equity, Access, and Inclusion asset.

In addition, Annie has contributed to the wellbeing of many art organizations and schools across Colorado, including the Telluride Academy, The Ah Haa School for the Arts, Alpine Elementary I.B. World School, and the Glenwood Springs Community Art Center.

With a passion for art education and bringing people together, she hopes to make the world a better place by providing opportunities for all to experience the power of art by tapping into their own creativity. In the words of the artist Keith Haring, “Art is for Everybody.”

In her free time, Annie loves to draw and paint, camp and hike, and go on gravel biking adventures with her partner Keith.

Alyssa has been an artist since she was very young & able to draw. Her high school art teacher, Mrs. Neilson, inspired & encouraged her to study art & photography at the Minneapolis College of Art & Design, there she took the opportunity to study fine art at the Bauhaus University in Weimar, Germany for a summer abroad. She obtained her BFA in Photography in 2009.

She worked at the Livermore Valley Performing Arts Center as Social Media Manager exploring & thriving with design, marketing, promoting arts educations programs, & cultural events. She has also worked in galleries, photography studios, and as an independent contractor from Boulder to Seattle.

Alyssa has married in to the Roaring Fork Valley. She and her husband arriving back to the US from teaching abroad in South Korea, have returned to Colorado and found an easy welcome in the area with grandparents, aunts & uncles, cousins, and siblings waiting.

She has a deep affinity for books, road trips, old, needy cats, as well as grandparents and homes with character in need of repair.

Dana Higbie has spent her life surrounded by art, design, and beauty. A native of Michigan, and later Aspen, Dana received her design degree from Colorado Institute of Art an her BFA from California College of Art. For many years, Dana was a principal in the Denver-based Partners in Design, an award-winning graphic design studio. For 15 years after that, Dana lived and traveled with her family in Mexico and Central America, sourcing native artwork and artisan wares for her retail business, La Tiende (The Store), with locations in Mexico and Honduras. Dana currently resides in Basalt.

Erin Morrison
Gallery and Shop Manager

Erin Morrison (b. 1985, Little Rock, AR) studied painting and sculpture at Memphis College of Art and UCLA, where she received her MFA in 2014. She has exhibited internationally and acted as co-curator for multiple events including Collect For Choice, fundraiser for The Brigid Alliance (2022); LAMMAHOUSE, Hong Kong (2021); and Binder of Women Exhibitions, LA (2017-2020)

Living in Basalt with her husband and two children while managing her own studio at SAW Carbondale, Erin is invested in forming relationships between emerging regional artists and the Roaring Fork community.

Holly Hoffman Gressett excitedly returns to the Art Base. She is a fifth-generation Roaring Fork Valley resident and has worked in arts administration for organizations such as Anderson Ranch Arts Center and Carbondale Arts, as well as several galleries, including the Michael Fatali gallery in Southern Utah.  Her degree is in Business Administration from Arizona State University.

Ryan received a BFA in sculpture from Alfred University. In addition to his personal practice, he’s worked as a collaborative installation and theatre artist, art educator, and art handler. Ryan lived in the valley for 4+ years working as an art handler for Peak Fine Art Services, educator and installer at the Aspen Art Museum, facilities and install manager at the Powers Art Center and The Art Base. Ryan is currently living in Denver but is thrilled to be back at The Art Base contributing to the vibrant creative communities it supports.

For the past 40 years, Stephanie Gale has immersed herself in multiple art disciplines- design, fine contemporary art, and luxury fashion.

She holds a BFA from Georgia State University and has a strong business background. These credentials and her personal enthusiasm have brought her enviable positions from coast to coast. Stephanie brought her passion for art and design wherever she worked, whether it was Saks Fifth Avenue, Gucci, and Escada in New York City, or Harry Winston and Frette in Beverly Hills.

When Stephanie and her Husband, Arnie, first moved to the Roaring Fork Valley, she quickly connected to the Art Base, first working as a volunteer and now as a member of the staff.

It’s been a successful match.

Lilian Gonzalez was born and raised in the valley, she graduated from Basalt High School in 2018. The Roaring Fork Valley provides some of her favorite outdoor activities including exploring during the summer, her favorite way to cherish the beauty of Basalt. Her passions are music, art, animals and our planet.

“I believe that art is a very important form of expression. Art can be perceived in many different ways which is beautiful. It also allows creativity to flow and inspires younger generations to explore and engage!”

Lilian aspires to connect, meet new people, and spread kindness & love everyday.

Kayla Henley is a Roaring Fork native, born and raised in Carbondale, Colorado. She has a BA in English and a double minor in Italian and Anthropology from the University of Denver. In 2018, Kayla began working as a freelance book editor, pivoting from her original dream of being a writer. She is the owner of Henley Ink: Book Coaching and Editing, which she founded in 2020 to help authors navigate the editing process of writing a manuscript. In 2022, Kayla received a Certificate in Publishing from the Denver Publishing Institute. Over the last couple of years, Kayla has continued her work as a freelance book editor while also working at TACAW as their Database Administrator.

The arts have played a crucial role in Kayla’s life. As the daughter of Carbondale-based artist Denise Henley, whose work has been featured in galleries throughout the valley as well as abroad, Kayla has grown up surrounded by arts, and even enjoys trying her hand at acrylics. In addition to her passion for the visual arts and writing, Kayla also works with Thunder River Theatre Company as their dramaturg, providing background research and script analysis for each mainstage production. Kayla deeply believes in the power of the arts and is excited to join the team at The Art Base in helping foster creative expression for all ages.