Western Stars Gallery in Lyons showcases the best that Colorado artists have to offer, from pottery to pillows to portraits.
For about a year, though, those artists lost that showcase. Western Stars artists ran into friction with the building’s former owner. According to Western Stars curator Chrystal DeCoster, the landlord who bought the 160 E. Main St. building in late 2024 wanted the gallery to also sell items from his collection, but those weren’t made by Colorado artists. Rather than sell pieces from out-of-state artists, DeCoster closed the gallery last year.
“It was a big disconnect from what we do,” DeCoster said. “We represent local artists.”
Near the end of last year, Sally Glass bought the property and invited the artists back. Glass also owns the new, Lyons-based nonprofit art center Creative Grounds.
DeCoster said the creation of Creative Grounds and the reestablishment of Western Stars were both done in loving memory of Sally Glass’ son, Christian, who was an artist.
“This is all in honor of Christian,” DeCoster said.
Christian Glass was shot and killed by a Clear Creek County deputy in 2022.
“Christian was a gifted artist who lived for the flow of making,” the Glass family wrote in a post earlier this year on the Creative Grounds Facebook page. “As a kid, he was endlessly creative, always building, drawing, or dreaming up his next project.”
The East Main Street store in Lyons is where Western Stars first opened in 2015. The gallery reopened in May, said DeCoster, who owns and curates Western Stars alongside her husband.
The interior of Western Stars Gallery in Lyons is seen on July 16. The gallery reopened in May. (Joel Solis/Staff Photographer)
The tension with the former landlord had prompted Western Stars to move out of the building at the beginning of 2025. Before leaving, DeCoster had artists with pieces in the gallery come by and pick up their items, she said. In their year away from the building, DeCoster and other artists helped form the Lyons Creative District, which makes it easier for local artists to receive state funding for projects. The district was established in October.
Being back in the East Main Street location, DeCoster said, makes her feel lucky.
“I was heartbroken when we had to leave,” she said. “It’s just a miracle that we’re back.”
A few months past its grand reopening, Western Stars is once again a one-stop shop for those interested in checking out the local art scene. Currently, pieces from roughly 100 creators are on display throughout the gallery. The art selection is wide-ranging and features paintings, crystal lamps, jewelry and handbags. Part of the building is also slated to house classrooms where local artists can teach their skills to community members.
Artists with years of experience are showcased next to newcomers, all representing Colorado communities from Littleton to Brighton to Monument. Even music is represented in the gallery, with customers able to purchase vinyl records by Lyons bluegrass band High Lonesome.
Boulder County artists claim several spots in the gallery. Visitors might recognize notable names including Lyons artists Android Jones and Ruth Wilson. Others hail from Boulder, Longmont, Allenspark and Ward.
Parker McDonald, a Longmont artist, catches the eyes of passing drivers with his sculpture in front of Western Stars Gallery. The piece — a metal bison with a small bird on its back — won the Governor’s Legacy Award at this year’s Governor’s Art Show in Loveland.
Artist Charmaine Nicholson stands next to her handmade coat on display at Western Stars Gallery in Lyons on July 16. (Joel Solis/Staff Photographer)
McDonald also had art on display at Western Stars before the gallery closed. He said he was thrilled to hear that Western Stars was reopening along the same, familiar stretch of U.S. 36.
“It’s such a well-traveled route,” McDonald said. “It’s great visibility here.”
Charmaine Nicholson, who lives near Lyons, makes handcrafted coats and vests that can be admired and purchased at Western Stars. She said it was a relief to learn that the gallery would call Lyons its home again.
“I was really happy,” Nicholson said.
For information about seasonal hours, visit westernstarsgallerystudio.com.