Local Artists and High Teas

The exposed brick walls, sound of water boiling, local art hanging on the walls, and the soft clink of China cups against saucers, all lend themselves to the peaceful atmosphere of a high tea. A finger sandwich or two, and a scone with clotted cream, and the high tea is complete. And where can you find all of this in Durango? Look no further than Create Art and Tea, right on Main Avenue. You're watching the Local News Network brought to you by the Payroll Department at Pop's Truck and RV Center. I'm Wendy Graham Settle.

I was up in the Durango Art Center for three years, and before that working up there, and when I took ownership in 2018, we developed Create Art and Tea in that little window corner shop. And then we found this place and moved down here. So it was a big, exciting move that people are still discovering us. They go up there and say, "Where did you go?" And they find us down here. It's very exciting. You know, they walk in the door and say, "We found you!" because we had pretty good business up there. And here, we've been able to spread our wings and have so many things going on. The history of the building opened up high teas and that's been very successful where we have the lace tablecloth and roses and China and the three-tiered scones and petite sandwiches and delicacies, and then the teapot of teas. It's just wonderful to have scones and tea.

With the move from the Durango Art Center to Main, Fox was able to expand what Create Art and Tea offers by creating a space where an art gallery, tea shop, and tea room coexist in a way that benefits each individually. As the world began emerging from lockdowns, Fox heard from many local artists who wanted to have a gallery show again. That's when she decided to use the space to create just that. Every first Friday of the month, Create hosts a gallery opening for the featured artist or artists of the month, with any proceeds benefiting a local charity.

We're going to be having a party here. You know, we'll have our first Friday, and it's two local artists. Yvonne Holland is one of the ... she's the violin player in the Irish band that played at the Irish Embassy. And now I guess they've been doing 11th street, and they did Animas Chocolate for St. Pat's. And she's an artist, she's a pottter, an artist, a teacher. So she's going to be here with Shell Roberts who shows her work a lot at the Smiley. So those two will be sharing the space April 1st.

The artwork on display varies from photography, paintings, ceramics, jewelry, and containers of tea. Tea is Fox's specialty. Most of the tea blends available are ones that Fox has mixed and she wants to highlight the different traditions and styles of serving tea from all over the world.

It started, I guess, a long time ago, years and years, just serving tea and learning how to make it the English way. You know, what goes first, the cream and sugar, and the proper way of serving tea. And I've been researching how to make tea blends, and we've had a representation of different ways of tea ceremony. Associate Tea Master comes here and shows how to do matcha. I'm learning the tea ceremony, and I'm kind of combining it with the South Korean tea ceremony, because they hold their cups like this. And there's a whole ceremony that's really beautiful, of how you serve tea.

With the pace of life picking up with summer, and businesses open again, Create has the space for a breather, a place to sit and enjoy a cup of tea out of a China cup. Sit back and have a conversation with a friend. The upstairs area has a number of tables and chairs, as well as a comfortable couch.

Create is a place where you can come and share. And you can share with just looking at the art. It's an art gallery. So I invite folks to come in, and you don't have to buy something, just come in and take a journey through this art. It's there to speak to you

To see future events or to book a high tea for yourself and some friends, or to sign up for a newsletter with the latest updates from Create, visit createartandtea.com. Thank you for watching this edition of the Local News Network. I'm Wendy Graham Settle.

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