This past year took me to a lot of different places to tell some very memorable stories.
I rode the 15 bus along the infamous Colfax Avenue with Aurora's first poet laureate Jovan Mays to find out what makes him tick. This guy's voice has been recognized nationwide, and he revealed a lot about his inspirations.
I also drove three hours south to Walsenburg, where I spent a couple days getting to know the big city artists who started Museum of Friends in this small community. It turns out that art has played a significant role in this region's history, and it's now helping shape the future of this old coal town.
I also got to cover a story that made headlines around the world when the International Church of Cannabis opened in Denver. It all brings up interesting questions around things like religion and legal pot use. Plus you get a glimpse of the giant mural painted inside the chapel by renowned Spanish artist Okuda San Miguel.
I also hosted my first full interview for CPR News about an exhibition called "Storm Warning" at the University of Denver's Vicki Myhren Gallery. While most of my radio work weaves different voices into a feature story, this is a full conversation with curator Jeffrey Kieth about the subject of climate change in art.
I've always felt that to fully appreciate and understand a work of art, you have to learn about its creator. These highlights from 2017 remind me of that. And so here's to another year of stories.