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Rocky Mountain National Park and Rocky Mountain Conservancy are pleased to announce that the following artists have been selected to serve in a two-week residency at Rocky Mountain National Park during the park's 2025 AIR Program.
Rocky Mountain National Park's 2025 Artists-in-Residence are:
Pierre Jalbert
Hunter Goan
Jillian Roper
Ben Banet
Kite Davenport
Deborah Jojola
Jennifer Ball
During their residency, each artist will host two public programs
Each artist will present one 60-to 90-minute-long lecture-based program. These presentations will take place at 1 p.m. in the Beaver Meadows Visitor Center Auditorium and will be similar to the presentations featured during the 2025 Winter Speaker Series.
Resident artists will also facilitate a drop-in style interactive program during a four-hour time slot, where visitors can drop in, visit with the artist, and participate in a hands-on activity. These programs will take place at Fall River Visitor Center from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Expect to spend approximately 15-30 minutes at these programs. All drop-in programs will be family friendly and designed for visitors of all ages. Art supplies will be provided and participants will not need any previous knowledge or skills to participate.
Jillian Roper, 2025 Artist-in-Residence
Courtesy Jillian Roper, 2025 Artist-in-Residence
Meet Rocky's next Artist-in-Residence, Jillian Roper
Jillian Roper is a Maryland-based printmaker and educator who blends traditional printmaking methods with narrative storytelling to explore the intricate relationship between humans, animals, and the natural world. She creates thought-provoking images through linoleum block printing, drawing, painting, and mixed media, layering detailed textures and shapes to bring each creature to life.
With over 20 years of experience as an artist and teacher, Jillian’s work often merges storytelling with a critical eye on ecological issues, allowing her audience to reflect on their connection to the natural world. Her prints feature expressive linework and carefully selected materials that add tactile dimension and emotional depth.
Schedule for Rocky's Summer 2025 Artist-in-Residence Programs
Program Title
Program Description
Artist
Date
Time & Location
Rocky Mountain Speaks: Art in the Park
Impressions of Impact: Art, Ecology, and the Human Footprint in Rocky Mountain National Park:
Artist-in-residence Jillian Roper shares the process and themes behind her printmaking practice, which often weaves together storytelling, ecology, and the lives of animals. In this talk, she will explore how her work is evolving through research on visitor use and its effects on the park’s most delicate ecosystems—translating data and observation into visual narratives that invite reflection and stewardship.
This is a lecture-based program that will be 1 hour to 1 hour, 30 minutes in duration. This program is free and open to the public. Visitors of all ages are welcome.
Jillian Roper
Sunday,
July 6
1 p.m. at Beaver Meadows Visitor Center Auditorium
Art Unleashed: Interactive Art Experience
Toadally Wild: Print Your Own Boreal Toad Tote:
Drop in at Fall River Visitor Center to learn about the endangered Boreal toad and its vital role in the Rocky Mountain ecosystem. Participants will use hand-carved blocks to print their own custom tote bag featuring this unique amphibian—combining art, education, and conservation in a fun, hands-on experience.
This is an interactive, drop in program. Participants are invited to stay as long as they like. It is recommended to stay 15 to 30 minutes for an interactive activity. This program is free and open to all ages. All art supplies are provided and no prior knowledge or experience is needed to participate.
Jillian Roper
Saturday,
July 12
11 a.m. - 3 p.m. at
Fall River Visitor Center
Rocky Mountain Speaks: Art in the Park
TBD:
This is a lecture-based program that will be 1 hour to 1 hour, 30 minutes in duration. This program is free and open to the public. Visitors of all ages are welcome.
Ben Banet
Sunday,
July 27
1 p.m. at Beaver Meadows Visitor Center Auditorium
Art Unleashed: Interactive Art Experience
TBD:
This is an interactive, drop in program. Participants are invited to stay as long as they like. It is recommended to stay 15 to 30 minutes for an interactive activity. This program is free and open to all ages. All art supplies are provided and no prior knowledge or experience is needed to participate.
Ben Banet
Saturday, August 2
11 a.m. - 3 p.m. at
Fall River Visitor Center
Rocky Mountain Speaks: Art in the Park
TBD:
This is a lecture-based program that will be 1 hour to 1 hour, 30 minutes in duration. This program is free and open to the public. Visitors of all ages are welcome.
Kite Davenport
Sunday, August 17
1 p.m. at Beaver Meadows Visitor Center Auditorium
Art Unleashed: Interactive Art Experience
TBD:
This is an interactive, drop in program. Participants are invited to stay as long as they like. It is recommended to stay 15 to 30 minutes for an interactive activity. This program is free and open to all ages. All art supplies are provided and no prior knowledge or experience is needed to participate.
Kite Davenport
Saturday, August 23
11 a.m. - 3 p.m. at
Fall River Visitor Center
Rocky Mountain Speaks: Art in the Park
TBD:
This is a lecture-based program that will be 1 hour to 1 hour, 30 minutes in duration. This program is free and open to the public. Visitors of all ages are welcome.
Deborah Jojola
Sunday, September 7
1 p.m. at Beaver Meadows Visitor Center Auditorium
Art Unleashed: Interactive Art Experience
TBD:
This is an interactive, drop in program. Participants are invited to stay as long as they like. It is recommended to stay 15 to 30 minutes for an interactive activity. This program is free and open to all ages. All art supplies are provided and no prior knowledge or experience is needed to participate.
Deborah Jojola
Saturday, September 13
11 a.m. - 3 p.m. at
Fall River Visitor Center
Rocky Mountain Speaks: Art in the Park
TBD:
This is a lecture-based program that will be 1 hour to 1 hour, 30 minutes in duration. This program is free and open to the public. Visitors of all ages are welcome.
Jennifer Ball
Sunday, September 28
1 p.m. at Beaver Meadows Visitor Center Auditorium
Art Unleashed: Interactive Art Experience
TBD:
This is an interactive, drop in program. Participants are invited to stay as long as they like. It is recommended to stay 15 to 30 minutes for an interactive activity. This program is free and open to all ages. All art supplies are provided and no prior knowledge or experience is needed to participate.
Jennifer Ball
Saturday, October 4
11 a.m. - 3 p.m. at
Fall River Visitor Center
"Art In Motion" sheet music by Pierre Jalbert, 2025 Artist-in-Residence
Courtesy Pierre Jalbert
Additional Program Details:
At the completion of their residency, each artist will donate a fully furnished piece of work representative of their stay in Rocky Mountain National Park to the park’s unofficial collection managed by the Rocky Mountain Conservancy.
Rocky Mountain Conservancy will hold the rights to each piece of work and the National Park Service will have the rights to share the donated works with the public.
NPS Photo
Brief History of the Relationship Between Arts and National Parks
Since the late 1800s, there has been a special connection between our national parks and the arts. Artists like George Catlin, Thomas Cole, Thomas Moran, Albert Bierstadt, and more played a key role in helping to draw attention to the beauty and wonders found in many national parks.
Recognizing the important role that art has played in the history of our national parks, Rocky Mountain National Park was among the first national parks to offer an Artist-In-Residence Program. Since 1984, Rocky Mountain National Park has hosted over 200 artists through this program. They have included authors, composers, jewelry makers, musicians, painters, photographers, poets, quilters, sculptors, textile artists, and more.
This impactful program is generously supported by the Rocky Mountain Conservancy.
Rocky Mountain National Park, in partnership with the Rocky Mountain Conservancy, is one of over 50 NPS sites that currently host an Artist-In-Residence program. The AIR program looks different at each participating/hosting park, so be sure to check the park's official website for specific program details.
