We occasionally like to highlight some interesting folks crafting Colorado experiences and art. If you know someone who belongs on our Characters of the Craft pages, let us know.

Rebecca Baum

Owner/manager at the Pikes Peak Artist Collective
Age: 34

What do you love about your job? I love supporting creative expression in others! Owning a small art school that does just that via the help of a team of teachers is extremely rewarding.

What is the hardest part of your job? Navigating selling and creating awareness of a new class offering to the local community.

What gets you out of bed in the morning? Why wouldn’t I?

What’s one thing about yourself that most people in your circle wouldn’t know? Honestly, I can’t think of anything. I’m a pretty open book.

What would be your favorite Colorado staycation destination? Why? Salida, I love the Arkansas River! Tubing and swimming in it. The town is so cute with some great shops and restaurants and central to a lot of outdoor hiking and activities. It’s only a two-hour drive to Colorado Springs.

What’s one of your favorite places to eat or drink in Colorado? Crystal Park Cantina in Manitou Springs.

Eric Robinson

Pool table master mechanic / small business owner
Age: 54

How long have you worked at Sheridan Billiards? Since 1985 on and off (went to college, moved out of state, tried a desk job). I accepted this as permanent in about 2003. My parents built and opened a pool hall in Southwest Denver (Sheridan Billiards). I was “voluntold” to work there. Throughout the life of the pool hall, we did billiard table service work and pool table sales as a secondary part of the business. I grew up working on pool tables. We sold the pool hall in 2005, so now we focus on mobile service work. We travel all over the seven-state Rocky Mountain Region. We now have a full-service warehouse/workshop where we specialize in pool table storage, restoration, refurbishing, and rebuilding pool tables, snooker tables, foosball tables, shuffleboard tables, and ping pong tables.

What do you love about your job? I’m somewhere different every day. I’m responsible for the quality that is produced by us. I love taking an old or beat up pool table and making it play perfectly. I love that I am challenged every single day.

What is the hardest part of your job? Driving around the state or dealing with the constant nagging injuries. It’s a toss up.

What gets you out of bed in the morning? Twin 7-year-olds, a trophy wife, and two rottweilers. Hearing what hilarious things my son has to say. Hugs from my daughter and wife. The desire to see what adventures await me. The fixation/obsession to fix broken things and make things perfect again. And, if I don’t get out of bed, my back will hurt like hell from laying too long.

What’s one of your favorite hobbies? Poker. I play tournaments when I can find some spare time (not often anymore). I recently played several events in the Los Angeles Poker Classic.

What would be your favorite Colorado staycation destination? Why? First choice: The Sand Dunes near Alamosa. The stars at night there are one of the craziest things I have seen in my life. You can just sit there and stare at the sky for hours at night. Second choice: Wakeboarding at Carter Lake on a calm day.

Ed Vaughn

Chef/owner at nido restaurant in Paonia
Age: 57

What do you love about your job and what you create? I love the creative license to make what I want and experiment with new things. I also love the ingredients that I use--we have a strong focus on sourcing locally and we are lucky enough to be located right in the middle of Colorado’s wine country and organic food hub, the North Fork Valley.

What truly gets you out of bed in the morning? I love creating delicious food that makes people happy.

What’s one thing about yourself that most people in your circle of friends/colleagues wouldn’t know? I was nationally ranked, No. 10 in racquetball at age 18 and chose to go to college over becoming a pro (smartest move I ever made!). Then, shortly thereafter, I entered into the world of cooking.

What would be your favorite Colorado staycation destination? Why? Orvis Hot Springs. It takes the edge off of the stress that owning a restaurant causes. It’s a beautiful and sacred place where I can connect with my beautiful wife.

What’s one of your favorite places to eat or drink in Colorado? Why? Mountain Oven Bakery in Paonia. I love the owners, employees, and the integrity of the ingredients they use … plus it’s absolutely delicious!