[MSN] ASPEN - A Woody Creek artist is unsure who did it, but someone stole $11, 000 worth of her artwork off the walls of a downtown Aspen bank in broad daylight last week, and the paintings apparently have been given away for free.

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Stolen Aspen art winds up in giveaway
	
Browse Aspen Times Photos
One of the paintings, by Woody Creek artist Hillary Glass, that was stolen
from U.S. Bank in Aspen where it was on display. (Courtesy of Hillary Glass
)
http://www.aspentimes.com/article/20080205/NEWS/342296352


John Colson
Aspen, CO Colorado
February 5, 2008

ASPEN - A Woody Creek artist is unsure who did it, but someone stole $11,000
worth of her artwork off the walls of a downtown Aspen bank in broad
daylight last week, and the paintings apparently have been given away for
free.

Hillary Glass, a painter who has a studio in Woody Creek, had paintings
displayed on the walls of U.S. Bank on Main Street in Aspen, along with
works by other artists, for a month-long show in January.

But when she stopped by the bank last weekend and looked through the window,
she noticed that her paintings were missing from the walls. The show was
supposed to hang through January, and she planned to go in Feb. 4 to collect
her art.

"I can't believe the bank let someone other than me walk out with them," she
said Monday, referring to four paintings that have gone missing.

According to Aspen officer Rick Magnuson, police believe they know who took
the paintings, but he declined to name the suspect while the investigation
remains open and active.

The Aspen Times, which published a story about Glass' show at U.S. Bank,
received several e-mailed letters from another artist in the bank's show,
Robert Kerns, in January. Kerns apparently was upset that the story about
Glass did not mention him or any other artist whose work was hanging on the
bank's walls.

Magnuson would neither confirm nor deny whether Kerns is under suspicion
concerning the theft of the paintings, or whether he is wanted for
questioning about the matter. Kerns' paintings reportedly also were removed
from the walls of the bank at the same time that Glass' works were taken,
which Magnuson said happened Jan. 30.

Magnuson reported that whoever took the paintings did so after talking with
a bank employee, who was convinced the paintings were being removed at the
request of Glass. But whoever it was took them to the Aspen Thrift Shop, a
second-hand store at the corner of Hopkins Avenue and Galena Street.

Employees at The Thrift Shop, which Magnuson said lacked sufficient space to
store or display the paintings inside, ended up putting Glass' paintings
outside bearing a sign advertising them as free art for the taking.

Two paintings were taken by an unidentified woman, and two were taken by an
unidentified man, Magnuson said, adding that he hoped the recipients would
bring back the paintings so they "can be returned to their rightful owner."

A fifth painting left on the sidewalk for the taking, by an artist whom
Magnuson did not name, apparently was left unclaimed and has been returned
to the artist.

jcolson at aspentimes.com

http://www.aspentimes.com/