Buena Vista area artists Bob Gray and his daughter Jamie Gray have been selected for the upcoming exhibition "Family Ties: Continuing the Creative Legacy" at the Arvada Center Galleries in metro Denver, running from January 15 to March 26, 2026. They are one of two local families featured, alongside the Strawn family (Ben, Daniel, and their late parents Bernice and Mel). The show includes twenty creative families, highlighting how artistic identity is shaped within family contexts. Both Grays work with wood: Bob creates turned-aspen vessels inspired by local landscapes, while Jamie produces abstract wall sculptures using beeswax, pigment, and hand-carved lines.
The exhibition matters because it celebrates intergenerational artistic legacies and the unique bonds that shape artists' practices, offering insight into how family influences creative development. For the Grays, it underscores the continuity of craftsmanship and nature-inspired art rooted in the Collegiate Peaks region, while also showcasing the broader trend of family-based artistic traditions in contemporary art. The show provides a platform for local Colorado artists to gain visibility in a major Denver-area venue, reinforcing the importance of regional art scenes.