ABOUT THE ARTIST :

Connie Burton Burkhart is a metal design artist, singer-songwriter, musician and educator in earth sciences. Her studio and home are located in Lyons, Colorado, an eclectic community surrounded by red rock mesas and rushing rivers in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. Connie's 2nd home is Abiquiu, New Mexico at Ghost Ranch where she began her adventures in the art of burning metal. There she now enjoys instructing 'Fire It Up - Metal Sculpture Design' during the Festival of the Arts seminars in the summer.

One little known fact about Connie is that she grew up in the Hollywood scene, appearing on several shows including American Bandstand. Her close friendship with Marie Osmond and her family allowed her to have many experiences of unbelievable measure this story is long, but suffice it to say that when Connie went on her first archaeology field trip while in college, her life changed drastically when she watched the sun setting over the slick rock canyon country for the first time. The wilderness became her inspiration for living life to its fullest, writing songs from the heart, digging in the earth for ancient treasures, and creating designs that are grounded in her soul. With all the good things life sent her way, there has also been tragedy. Regarding love she states, "Loss has been a part of my journey, but with it came a love for which I can only be grateful". Her passion and determination to recognize heartache and celebrate life's gifts she turns into a tool for expression in the arts. She and her four children share the love of the arts and they have stood solid on the rock of faith and love, the best times being spent together around a campfire surrounded by the high desert landscape.

Connie's love of the Southwest flows through all of her work including the images she produces with metal. One of her life symbols is the sunflower. To her it reflects the beauty of light (friends/angels) surrounding the despair of darkness (tragedy in life). Her signature piece titled Sunflower Garden continues to be one of her creations in high demand. Sunflower Canyon Studio, the umbrella company for her welding division, music/CD division and the paleontology education division (where she is widely known as The Dinosaur Lady) shows her varied interests as well as her ability to blend her love of art and science. She is a true renaissance woman! The demand for Connie's metal designs has grown quickly and her art has found homes throughout the country, including galleries in Santa Fe, NM, Lyons, CO and Park City UT. Every year brings new designs and ideas inspired by the shapes of the metal, or the requests for special commissioned pieces. She also rescues metal from thrift stores, recycling centers, and scrap yards redesigning items and giving them new life. That is what she loves the most about her art, taking junk and making treasures! She only wishes there was more time in the day to BURN METAL!.

Connie thanks you for your interest in her work. She is busy back to work in her studio and is anxious to introduce her new series of guardian angels called 'She Who Walks With Me'. Photos of the first six editions will soon be posted on this website. All designs are sold, but more figures are soon to come!

Orders are accepted by phone or email, with shipping available.

Contact Info: 720.839.4568 sunflowercanyon.com ~ PO BOX 774 Lyons, CO 80540 ~ rdrckwmn@msn.com