Uploaded February 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Discover Aspen through the eyes of legendary local artist and sign painter Gaard Moses in this heartfelt episode of "Soul, Culture, and DNA of Aspen: Signs of History."
Join hosts Joanie Klar and Mike Stranahan as Gaard shares over 60 years of stories from old Aspen—his arrival in the mid-1960s, iconic hand-painted signs for beloved restaurants and shops (like the Paragon and Parlor Car), wild parties, mining claims, Ute history, and colorful characters including the Pepckes, Billy Kidd, and more. Flip through his upcoming autobiographical book packed with watercolors, nostalgic photos, and tales of Aspen's transformation from a quirky mountain town to today's world-class destination.
Expect laughs, nostalgia, insider anecdotes on Aspen's evolution (skyrocketing prices, longhair hippie era rules, gold-leaf work, and "cocaine shifts" at the Jerome), and a deep appreciation for handmade signage as the welcoming "hello" to any business.
Perfect for Aspen locals, longtime residents, history buffs, sign painting enthusiasts, Roaring Fork Valley fans, Colorado mountain town lore, and anyone who loves authentic stories of Aspen's colorful past.
Tune in to celebrate the art, people, and spirit that shaped Aspen!
Know Aspen. Watch GrassRoots.
GrassRoots programming is made possible by the producers' creativity itself, direct contributions from viewers, members of the Roaring Fork Valley community, and through grants from the Pitkin County Healthy Community Fund, The Town of Snowmass Village, the City of Aspen Community Non-Profit Grant Program, and The Aspen Thrift Shop.
Founded by citizens of Aspen, Colorado in 1972, GrassRoots TV is the first and oldest community operated and programmed open-source media center and television station in the United States. Virtually all of the programming is created by local residents, occasionally with world renown guests.
In partnership with the American Archive of Public Media and the Library of Congress, GrassRoots is currently cataloguing, restoring and digitally archiving 700 of the most at-risk original video programs out of its 45,000 title Community Video Archive.
Help sustain this community treasure by donating now! Go to:
bit.ly/GRTVContribute
Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE, HIT LIKE and leave a COMMENT to let us know if you enjoyed this video, it is important to us and the community for you to become part of the conversation. Thanks for tuning in!
Download the GrassRoots Community Network iOS and Android apps
Subscribe for more videos: bit.ly/2Ycpi4P
Facebook: facebook.com/GrassRootsCommunityNetwork
Twitter: twitter.com/grassrootstv
Web: grassrootstv.org
#AspenHistory, #GaardMoses, #AspenArtist, #SignPainter, #OldAspen, #AspenLegends, #RoaringForkValley, #AspenColorado, #HandPaintedSigns, #AspenStories, #MountainTownHistory, #Pepcke, #AspenSoul, #LocalArt, #AspenDNA
Discover Aspen through the eyes of legendary local artist and sign painter Gaard Moses in this heartfelt episode of "Soul, Culture, and DNA of Aspen: Signs of History."
Join hosts Joanie Klar and Mike Stranahan as Gaard shares over 60 years of stories from old Aspen—his arrival in the mid-1960s, iconic hand-painted signs for beloved restaurants and shops (like the Paragon and Parlor Car), wild parties, mining claims, Ute history, and colorful characters including the Pepckes, Billy Kidd, and more. Flip through his upcoming autobiographical book packed with watercolors, nostalgic photos, and tales of Aspen's transformation from a quirky mountain town to today's world-class destination.
Expect laughs, nostalgia, insider anecdotes on Aspen's evolution (skyrocketing prices, longhair hippie era rules, gold-leaf work, and "cocaine shifts" at the Jerome), and a deep appreciation for handmade signage as the welcoming "hello" to any business.
Perfect for Aspen locals, longtime residents, history buffs, sign painting enthusiasts, Roaring Fork Valley fans, Colorado mountain town lore, and anyone who loves authentic stories of Aspen's colorful past.
Tune in to celebrate the art, people, and spirit that shaped Aspen!
Know Aspen. Watch GrassRoots.
GrassRoots programming is made possible by the producers' creativity itself, direct contributions from viewers, members of the Roaring Fork Valley community, and through grants from the Pitkin County Healthy Community Fund, The Town of Snowmass Village, the City of Aspen Community Non-Profit Grant Program, and The Aspen Thrift Shop.
Founded by citizens of Aspen, Colorado in 1972, GrassRoots TV is the first and oldest community operated and programmed open-source media center and television station in the United States. Virtually all of the programming is created by local residents, occasionally with world renown guests.
In partnership with the American Archive of Public Media and the Library of Congress, GrassRoots is currently cataloguing, restoring and digitally archiving 700 of the most at-risk original video programs out of its 45,000 title Community Video Archive.
Help sustain this community treasure by donating now! Go to:
bit.ly/GRTVContribute
Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE, HIT LIKE and leave a COMMENT to let us know if you enjoyed this video, it is important to us and the community for you to become part of the conversation. Thanks for tuning in!
Download the GrassRoots Community Network iOS and Android apps
Subscribe for more videos: bit.ly/2Ycpi4P
Facebook: facebook.com/GrassRootsCommunityNetwork
Twitter: twitter.com/grassrootstv
Web: grassrootstv.org
#AspenHistory, #GaardMoses, #AspenArtist, #SignPainter, #OldAspen, #AspenLegends, #RoaringForkValley, #AspenColorado, #HandPaintedSigns, #AspenStories, #MountainTownHistory, #Pepcke, #AspenSoul, #LocalArt, #AspenDNA
