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Dancing Spirit Center for the Arts
Dancing Spirit Center for the Arts is proudly serving Ignacio and the surrounding communities.
Gallery Hours
Wednesday - Friday 10am-6pm
Saturday 10am-2pm
465 Goddard Ave, Ignacio CO. 81137
970-563-4600
Meet Our Artists!
In Loving Memory of Melody "Dee Dee" Hedin
Born and raised in Bloomington, Minnesota, Melody was surrounded by art from an early age, thanks to her father, a commercial artist. After studying illustration at the University of Alaska, she explored many forms of creativity, from drawing to leatherwork and wood carving.
It wasn’t until moving to Colorado in 1999 that Melody found her true calling in jewelry making. Specializing in silversmithing, handmade chains, and wire wrapping, she wove her love for crystals, stones, and metals into every unique creation.
Melody believed deeply in the power of art to connect people, heal, and celebrate life. Gifts made in her memory continue helping nurture artists, creativity, and community through Dancing Spirit.
Shawna Hein
Shawna grew up near Denver, lived in Arizona and Utah, and has now retired to the serene beauty of Hesperus, CO. With a rich background in various artistic mediums, Shawna’s journey into pottery began in 2004 when she received her first pottery wheel. Today, she has a small studio where she crafts both functional pieces and creative works, and shares her passion by teaching at Dancing Spirit.
Shawna loves creating items that are practical, but she embraces the unexpected surprises of pottery, saying, "Not everything works as planned, and that’s what makes pottery fun." One of her greatest joys is experimenting with different designs to make each piece uniquely her own.
Juanita Melendez
Juanita grew up in San Francisco in the 1960s, where her love for beading and embroidery began. As a teenager, she embraced the trend of embellishing everything and has continued to evolve her craft ever since.
She creates one-of-a-kind jewelry, bead-embroidered plaques, wall hangings, and crystal art pieces, using healing stones, handcrafted cabochons, and charms. Each piece reflects her unbridled creativity and is designed to bring healing, love, and empowerment to its owner.
Kasey Correia
Born in Castro Valley, CA, and raised in the vibrant San Francisco Bay Area, Kasey’s journey as an artist began early, earning Art Honors in high school before pursuing her passion at universities in San Francisco and Alaska. For Kasey, art is more than a craft—it’s a powerful outlet for self-expression and personal well-being.
Now serving as the Executive Director of Dancing Spirit Center for the Arts, Kasey combines her artistic talents with a deep commitment to community. Whether leading pottery classes for youth and adults or championing the arts in her role, she brings creativity, energy, and heart to everything she does.
Whitney Largent
Whitney is the creator behind Toad Song jewelry, where she blends beads, clay, and asymmetry to embrace the perfectly imperfect. Her love for making things started early—bead looms, clay trinkets, and hours lost in creativity. Now, as a mom, she hopes to inspire her kids by showing them that creativity isn’t just a hobby—it’s a way to think, explore, and build something meaningful.
Originally from a Minnesota farm, Whitney named her business after the toads singing on warm summer nights, a nostalgic reminder of her roots. She now lives outside Ignacio with her husband and two wild and wonderful boys, working in digital marketing for an environmental nonprofit. When she’s not creating, she loves reading, camping, traveling, and training for running events—mostly as an excuse for girls’ trips.
Debi Ellis
Debi has been living in Durango for almost fifty years, having moved there after earning a bachelor's degree in biology/ecology from Western State in Gunnison. She worked at Purgatory Ski Resort from 1979-2009, running and working at various bars. She and her husband also owned and operated a landscaping/lawn service company for 32 years that they recently sold to her daughter and son in law. Her son is an attorney in San Francisco.
35 years ago, Debi's sister gifted her stained glass supplies and tools. She taught herself the basics and has improved from there.
Kelly Black
Born and raised in Durango, Kelly spent most of his like working in the automotive field. He started painting in 2008, and with the exception of a weekend workshop with Edward Aldrich (a well-known wildlife artist) and Bonnie Conrad (and exceptional western artist), he is self taught. Kelly has sold works from North Carolina all the way to California, and has a painting as far away as the Philippines. He has numerous first place ribbons in four corners art shows and has had a number of successful one man shows and he welcomes commissions.
Erin Nash
Erin grew up in Tuscon, Arizona and moved to Durango Colorado in 2004. She attended Fort Lewis College as a "non-trad" student and received a B.A. in English in 2009. She currently resides in the Arboles area. Erin was always a bit artsy by nature but never seriously until she found herself trapped in an abusive relationship and found her mental escape from it all with art. Locked in a room in her house, she picked up a pencil and paper and became lost in drawing for hours. What she drew looked nothing like anything she had ever been able to do before. Her abusive situation had changed her and her artistic side blossomed.
Many years later, and free from that part of her life, Erin still does pencil drawings, but has branched out into acrylic painting, copper wire trees, beaded jewelry and flower arrangements. She pours out emotion with every brushstroke and ever detail of whatever painting or project she endeavors to create and is always exploring new ways to express her creative ideas. She loves to drive and the beautiful mountains of Colorado have been an inspiration for her. Her favorite things to paint are landscapes and she is fascinated by the uniqueness and beauty of trees as well as the magic of mountain waterfalls.
Corrine Nichols
Corrine finished her formal education in Europe. After immigrating to the United States, she discovered traditional American Quilts as folk art. Her work evolved to making art wall quilts. From there she started making small fabric landscapes and flowers, matted and framed and began doing art shows.
She has had her work in art center galleries, the American Quilters Society Museum and the Houston Quilt Festival. She has also had her work published in Quilt Art Magazine and in several quilt books.
In her work, she uses pieces of fabric (hand-dyed, painted, Batiks from Bali, commercial fabrics) for making landscapes and flowers, layering the fabric and machine appliques with turned under edges that are matted and framed. Her quilts are her own designs inspired by nature.
She has been teaching quilt making and design for the last 15 years.
Mike Humistan
Mike Humistan is a Southwest-rooted artist whose work is shared by music, color and mechanics, along with a deep respect for Indigenous culture. A lifelong observer and participant in the cultural landscapes around him, his art reflects simplicity, intention and a lasting connection to place.
His creative journey began in sixth grade, with early influences rooted in junk artists who transformed discarded materials into meaningful form. From an early age, Humistan embraced the belief that art exists in everything and everyone and can be tapped into through curiosity and openness. That philosophy continues to guide his practice and his choice of materials.
Humistan has worked across sketching, ceramics, junk art and petroglyph inspired forms before arriving at his current focus in mixed metal. Guided by mechanical structure, rhythmic repetition, layered color and an opening minded approach to making, his work evolves freely, resulting in pieces that feel both ancient and contemporary.
Lauri Schell
Lauri's Bio will be coming soon!
Trinity Taylor
Trinity was born in Durango Colorado in 1988. She is a member of the Southern Ute Indian Tribe and is the 3rd generation great granddaughter to John Taylor and 4th generation great granddaughter to Chief Severo. She graduated from Bayfield Highschool in 2007 and went to college in WY in '08-09.
She loves creating traditional artwork as well as dancing.
It is her hope that her artwork continues to impact the community.
Jake Iberg
Jake's Bio will be coming soon!