PRESS CONTACT:
Luke Perkins, Manager of Communications and Public Relations
303.866.3670 | luke.perkins@state.co.us 

Featuring a selection of iconic large-format Fielder prints drawn from the more than 6,000 photos donated by the late photographer to History Colorado, Horizon: On the Plains with John Fielder evokes the photographer's emotional connection to these sublime and diverse landscapes and invites viewers to lose themselves in the expanse of the Great Plains.

“Horizon is an homage to both John Fielder’s legacy and the centrality of the plains to Colorado’s past, present, and future,” said Dr. Gwendolyn Lockman, senior exhibition developer & historian at History Colorado. “These carefully selected images embrace the vastness of the American prairie, and allow the horizon line to guide us through the daily shifts of light, life, and landscape.”

Proudly displayed in the John Fielder Mezzanine Gallery — which is dedicated to the stunning photography and conservation work of John Fielder, who devoted his life to documenting and protecting the natural beauties of the Centennial State — Horizon: On the Plains with John Fielder is the second installment in a five-year run of rotating exhibitions highlighting John’s life and contributions to the state of Colorado.

“Anyone who was familiar with John recognized his commitment to chronicling and protecting the natural resources that make Colorado such a special place to call home,” said Jason Hanson, chief creative officer at History Colorado. “No one saw Colorado quite like John Fielder, and each new selection of his photographs exhibited in the John Fielder Mezzanine Gallery offers new perspectives on Colorado's spectacular and diverse landscapes.”

Horizon: On the Plains with John Fielder opens to the public on January 24, 2025, at the History Colorado Center in the John Fielder Mezzanine Gallery. Access to the John Fielder Mezzanine Gallery is included with general admission to the History Colorado Center, which is open daily from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and provides free admission to kids 18 and under

About John Fielder
John Fielder, renowned nature photographer and publisher, worked tirelessly to promote the protection of Colorado’s ranches, open space, and wildlands during his 40-year career. John took hundreds of thousands of photos, garnered awards, advocated tirelessly for Colorado’s public lands, and influenced laws aimed at protecting public lands in Colorado and beyond.

John’s accolades include: serving as a foundational advocate in the creation of Great Outdoors Colorado Trust Fund (GOCO) in 1992 as well as serving as an original board member; influencing the passage of Congress’s Colorado Wilderness Act of 1993; being the first individual given an achievement award by the Aldo Leopold Foundation in 2011; receiving an honorary degree in Sustainability Studies from Colorado Mountain College in 2017; and having his photography featured in over 50 books. 

John prided himself on having effectively visited each of the Centennial State’s 104,984 square miles over his career. During this time, he tried to capture the sublimeness of the corner of Earth that he always felt was most beautiful: Colorado.
In 2023, Fielder donated more than 6,000 photos distilled from the 200,000 he had taken since 1973 and made them available to the public for personal and commercial use through History Colorado and John Fielder’s Colorado Collection.

About History Colorado
History Colorado is a division of the Colorado Department of Higher Education and a 501(c)3 non-profit that has served more than 75,000 students and 500,000 people in Colorado each year. It is a 145-year-old institution that operates eleven museums and historic sites, a free public research center, the Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation which provides technical assistance, educational opportunities, and other access to archaeology and historic preservation, and the History Colorado State Historical Fund (SHF), which is one of the nation’s largest state funded preservation programs of its kind. More than 70% of SHF grants are allocated in rural areas of the state. Additionally, the offices of the State Archaeologist and the State Historic Preservation Officer are part of History Colorado. 

History Colorado’s mission is to create a better future for Colorado by inspiring wonder in our past. We serve as the state’s memory, preserving and sharing the places, stories, and material culture of Colorado through educational programs, historic preservation grants, collecting, outreach to Colorado communities, the History Colorado Center and Stephen H. Hart Research Center in Denver, and 10 other museums and historic attractions statewide. History Colorado is one of only six Smithsonian Affiliates in Colorado. Visit HistoryColorado.org, or call 303-HISTORY, for more information. #HistoryColorado