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Artwork will benefit late Aspen Times publisher’s scholarship fund

Staff report
One-hundred giclees of the painting “G a Bear" are available for purchase, at $1,000 each, to fund the Gunilla Israel Asher Scholarship Fund. The painting was done by Asher's sister, Linda Israel.

Gunilla Asher loved bears. She loved her sister’s paintings. And she loved the Aspen Times.

Those three elements come together with the “G a Bear,” an original painting done by Linda Israel, sister of the former publisher of The Aspen Times.

Israel completed the painting in August, some two months after Asher died in June following an arduous and inspiring battle with cancer. Asher, who worked at the Times since 2003, was 42 and left behind two young boys and a husband.



“The bear was generated from my soul,” Israel said. “It was really therapeutic for me. I spent two days in front of the canvas in tears.”

One-hundred giclees of the original painting are now available for purchase at $1,000 each to fund the Gunilla Israel Asher Scholarship Fund. The scholarship will go toward paying for the educational endeavors of students from Aspen, which is where Asher spent her formative years.




An accomplished artist who lives in Grand Lake, Israel said her sister approached her about the bear painting after the Times relocated its office from the iconic purple building on Main Street to Hyman Avenue. Asher had envisioned the painting as the artistic centerpiece of the new office’s conference room.

“Gunilla wanted something the color of the exterior of the old office, and she thought it would be fun to make it with a bear,” Israel said. “I used the turquoise that she loved, that turquoisey green with dolce blue. It has her energy in it.”

To view or purchase the 30-by-30-inch limited edition artwork, stop by the Aspen Times office at 314 E. Hyman Ave. For more information, contact Aspen Times General Manager Samantha Johnston at 970-925-3414, or email sjohnston@aspentimes.com.