Meet The Sorrel Sky Gallery Staff

Sheri Rochford

Sheri Rochford, Gallery Director

Sheri is a Colorado native, who grew up in Durango has an impressive resume. Two years ago she retired after spending 30 years at Fort Lewis College, most recently as the executive director of the Fort Lewis Foundation. Since then she has worked as the guest services manager at Durango Mountain Resort and as an executive officer with the Durango Area Association of Realtors. She is also actively involved in several important community boards and nonprofit organizations including Leadership La Plata. Sheri became the gallery director for Sorrel Sky on October 1, 2007.

Barbara Longfellow

Barbara Longfellow manages Sorrel Sky Gallery. She has over 10 years of experience in the art gallery field alone. In many ways, she embodies the spirit of Sorrel Sky Gallery. Barbara is a powerhouse of knowledge, experience and ability, but is soft spoken and easygoing at the same time. She will always offer outstanding counsel regarding inquiries and special needs.
Barbara has experience not only in the art field, but in gemology as well. She has a keen eye for quality, balance and aesthetic integrity.
Barbara exemplifies the qualities that Sorrel Sky Gallery stands for: consistently providing positive experiences for clients, artists and associates.

Janet Sue Pederson

Sue has a long professional background and comes to us from the East Coast, where she raised her family. She is our energizer bunny, and her enthusiasm for everything under the sun is catching! She is an avid athlete, balanced by her love of culinary pursuits. Sue finished her first 26 mile marathon two years ago.
She oftentimes caters events here at the Gallery, and creates her own works of art in the medium of delicious food. Always quick to smile and welcome, you will be well taken care of and feel the energy that she passes on.

Julie Hewett

Julie brings with her extensive experience working with
artists and in galleries. She studied at the University of New
Mexico in Albuquerque where she received her B.A. degree in
fine art with an emphasis in photography. “Working with artists
has taken me to places in the world and in my mind I would never
have gone to on my own, ” she said referring how much working
in the arts has enriched her life. Julie’s appetite for excellence is evident in all her dealings.

Gary Prisby

Gary Prisby joined Sorrel Sky Gallery this spring as a full-time sales associate. Gary owned a gallery and frame shop for 17 years on the North Shore of Massachusetts. He relocated to Durango in 2004.

Jill Soens

Jill has spent a great deal of her life in academia, both as a teacher and as a student. She is our resident historian and can provide details of cultural history as accompanying background to many pieces of artwork. She has a great love of this area, and has explored most of the surrounding Southwest. She helps guests to this area develop an awareness and appreciation for Western Art and history.
Jill spends the winter months traveling the world, and the summer months here at Sorrel Sky Gallery. She brings a calm and gracious presence to all her dealings, and one always feels enlightened and appreciated by an encounter with her.

Shanan Campbell Wells

Shanan Campbell Wells is the owner and director of Sorrel Sky Gallery in Durango, Colorado. Daughter of famed artisan and jeweler, retired U.S. Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell, Shanan spent the majority of her youth in her father’s studio or traveling with him to art shows across the country. A veteran in the Indian arts and crafts market, Shanan serves as a Commissioner on the Indian Arts and Crafts Board for the Department of Interor. She has a full spectrum of first-hand field experience from managing a Native artist’s studio and overseeing production, to directing and managing retail and wholesale operations for both Southwestern and Native American art galleries.
In her capacity as an art consultant, Shanan also advises corporate entities on how to make wise art investments, and to identify ways to enhance the company’s brand through the selection of appropriate works. A proponent of handmade arts and crafts and a supporter of local art communities, Shanan employs her experience with different mediums, quality, and styles to create timeless collections for her clients.
Through Shanan's nationwide Native American connections, professional acquaintances, and first-hand experiences, she has developed a unique and in-depth expertise in fine original western and Native American art in the Southwest. In 2003, the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Indian continued the organization’s professional relationship with Shanan by selecting her as an advisor for one its first exhibitions on Southwestern jewelry.
Shanan has a degree in Art Marketing and Management from Fort Lewis College, Durango, Colorado. In addition to her position on the Indian Arts and Crafts Board, she serves as a board member for the Mesa Verde Foundation and Fort Lewis College Foundation.