The Quest Express Podcast
An intersection of arts, business & culture
Interviewing innovators, artisans, & entrepreneurs making positive contributions in the most unique & culturally rich cities across the globe.
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Meet Valery Kelly, Founder & Creative Director
of Snowlight Arts
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Valery Moore Kelly, founder and creative director, was born and raised in Aspen, Colorado. She nurtures her artistic practice and hones her creative expression in her studio & home office, downstream from Aspen, in the Crystal River Valley,
Valery’s dream of creating Art and collaborating with fellow Artists and Art Collectors is coming to life with SnowlightArts.com. She curates Art to add to Snowlight Art’s online gallery, connecting Artists and their creative process to the development of human consciousness. She wants to live in a world where people share a diversity of sensory experiences that bring a meaningful unity to their lives.
Valery writes, “Art provides a holistic and dynamic approach to being consciously human. Reflecting on Nature’s beauty lifts my spirits. I crave colors of sunrise, grey pebbles in the creek, umber bark on trees. I delight in sunlight on water. I yearn for the mystery and beauty of peaks. Horizons and hillsides pour into valleys, drawing me deeper in. Freedom of expression arises most clearly when I am active in pure contemplation.
My response to Nature contrasts to my automatic reaction to politics and news. Golden autumn leaves, distant indigo peaks, a farmhouse roof in red-orange, each align my vision of this complex and complicated life. I seek calm in clouds, reflected in the ripple of river eddy.
I long for uncomplicated days of my youth in Aspen, waking late on a summer morning, the sun high and hot, cumulus building, snow melting, fields greening, dandelions bursting yellow, cool breeze in shadow of scrub oak. Color of life-energy rising from roots into aspen trunks. Weariness and inevitability of today’s news cycles contrasts with the innocence of my youth amidst the beautiful contour of mountains and peaks.
How can I be responsive? Less reactive? What is my natural being? How can I employ my imagination and intuition to comprehend reality? Art offers a way to develop my senses and my inner capacity to live in a sacred manner. When I delve deeply into the heart of my being, there dwells freedom.”
SnowlightArts.com will take you on a journey of discovery to Find Inspiration. Please join Valery and SnowlightArts and our growing community of Artists.
To discover how Art and expression can connect you to a creative community, please follow us on social media @snowlightarts, and join our email newsletter here.
With regular listeners from all over the world,
The Quest Express audience is expanding every week.
224
Cities
32
Countries
80
Episodes
Fifth stop: Aspen, Colorado
Nestled in the heart of the Rocky Mountains, Aspen, Colorado, unveils itself as a haven where natural splendor and cultural richness intertwine. This iconic town, known for its breathtaking landscapes and vibrant community, invites visitors to experience a unique blend of rustic charm and sophisticated allure. Aspen's soaring peaks and lush valleys offer a playground for outdoor enthusiasts, while its historic downtown, adorned with Victorian-era buildings, pulsates with the rhythm of world-class dining, shopping, and arts.
In every season, Aspen radiates a distinct magic. Winter transforms it into a snow-covered wonderland, renowned for its premier skiing and snowboarding slopes. As the snow melts, summer reveals a paradise for hikers, bikers, and festival-goers, with verdant trails and sparkling rivers that beckon adventure. Aspen’s dedication to preserving its natural beauty and fostering a tight-knit community spirit is palpable, making it not just a destination but a lifestyle.
"Here in Aspen, it's all about living in the moment and appreciating the beauty around us." - Goldie Hawn
"I lived in Aspen for many years, and it's a special place where you can find peace and inspiration." - John Denver
"In Aspen, there's a sense of community and a connection to nature that you can't find anywhere else." - Hunter S. Thompson
Fourth stop: Jerusalem, Israel
העיר הנצחית | The Eternal City
Jerusalem, a timeless beacon nestled in the heart of the Land of Israel, embodies the convergence of faith, history, and resilience. As the cradle of the Abrahamic religions—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam—Jerusalem stands as a sacred nexus, where the divine presence is palpable in every stone, every prayer, and every shared moment of reverence.
This ancient city, with its storied past and enduring spirit, bears witness to the ebb and flow of civilizations, yet remains steadfast in its resolve to endure. Through conquests and conflicts, Jerusalem has risen time and again, a testament to the indomitable resilience of its inhabitants and the unwavering faith of its pilgrims, guided by the hand of the Creator.
Wander through the narrow alleyways of the Old City, where the echoes of prophets mingle with the aromas of incense and spices. Each step unveils layers of history, each wall whispers tales of triumph and tribulation, weaving a tapestry of human experience that transcends time itself.
"Jerusalem is a festival and a lamentation. Its song is a sigh across the ages, a delicate, robust, mournful psalm at the great junction of spiritual cultures." - David K. Shipler
"Cities are built of bricks and stones, but Jerusalem is built of dreams and prayers." - Yitzhak Rabin
"In the heart of Jerusalem beats the pulse of the divine, where the resilience of the human spirit finds solace in the embrace of the eternal." - Elie Wiesel
Third stop: Edinburgh, Scotland
Auld Reekie
A city draped in the ethereal mists of its past, beckons explorers into a realm where time is but a whisper among ancient stone walls. The haunting silhouette of Edinburgh Castle atop Castle Rock stands as a sentinel to centuries, echoing with the whispers of kings and queens who once tread its corridors. Descend the cobblestone streets of the Royal Mile, where the air is alive with the harmonious hum of bagpipes, weaving a melody that transcends generations.
As twilight descends, the city reveals itself anew, adorned in the soft luminescence of streetlights. Edinburgh becomes a dreamscape where the past and present coalesce, where the ancient and modern share a timeless dance.
"The most beautiful of all the capitals of Europe." - Sir John Betjeman
"Edinburgh is a city of shifting light, of changing skies, of sudden vistas. A city so beautiful it breaks the heart again and again." - Alexander McCall Smith
Second stop: New Orleans, Louisiana
The Captivating Crescent City
Distinct in myriad dimensions—culturally, gastronomically, and historically—New Orleans bewitches and dazzles. The city's heartbeat syncopates with the jazz notes drifting from the French Quarter, where history veils itself in the patina of wrought-iron balconies and the rainbow hues of Creole cottages. Navigating its streets feels like dancing to the syncopated rhythm of a second-line parade, where the scent of gumbo wafts through the air, and the spirit of Mardi Gras is a year-round celebration.
"New Orleans food is as delicious as the less criminal forms of sin." - Mark Twain
In the words of Louis Armstrong, the city's beloved son, "There are a lot of places I like, but I like New Orleans better."
First stop: Venice
Off to Venice, Italy. The most serene & sublime city of magic.
Beautiful Serenissima.
Unique in almost every way: environmentally, architecturally, and historically, Venice enchants and enthralls. She is resilient, enchanting & mysterious. She is the home of many miracles her inhabitants perform out of necessity. She floats on a lagoon carrying dreams and art, bridges and food, churches and museums, memories of conflict and peace.
Friedrich Nietzsche said about the city; “When I seek another word for ‘music’, I never find any other word than ‘Venice.”
Every City Has a Personality
Most cities are living breathing organisms with electricity, a personality, and a story.
The culture, values, & traditions of a city evolve throughout its history. Seemingly inconsequential events can shape a city's zeitgeist & traditions forever. How they do business, how they welcome visitors, or what they create.
The truth is, it's the people who write a city's story. And that's what this podcast is all about: listening to the stories of citizens on their own quest to express themselves in the city that supports them.
In this podcast, we will get to know the cities each guest calls home, listen to their story, and hopefully provide some inspiration to travel and begin your own quest.
Board The Quest Express with me as we journey across the world together.
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