01 Aug Round Up: Mountain Music

Jackson, Wyoming-Based Stio has teamed up with Taylor Guitars to create a limited-edition series of acoustic guitars that celebrates the mountains through brightly colored graphics designed by nine regional artists.

According to Stio, the collaboration celebrates “music’s power to bring people together and the creative energy harnessed from the outdoors.” It draws on Stio founder Stephen Sullivan’s passion for the instrument and his long affinity for the Taylor brand.

“I bought my first Taylor guitar about 15 years ago on the advice of a friend and absolutely fell in love,” Sullivan says. “As I learned more about the company, I also came to really respect the Taylor story and brand ethos. Later on, as we began opening our Mountain Studios, I made a dedicated spot for a Taylor guitar within each store and encouraged people to play by offering discounts of 5 percent off for one song, 10 percent off for two, and 15 percent off for playing a short set. It’s been wildly successful, and I think it’s really fostered a unique community element within the store, similar to a campfire hang-out.”

Founded to encourage life connected to nature, Stio is a functional outdoor apparel, footwear, and accessories brand with nearly a dozen retail stores across the U.S. Each location, referred to by Stio as Mountain Studios, aligns with mountain-town culture. For the Taylor collaboration, nine artists with ties to each store location created custom designs for the tops of Taylor’s GS Mini guitars. Every Stio Mountain Studio will display a custom guitar, which is available for purchase and can be made to order.

For Stio’s Bozeman location, Diné and Shawnee artist Olathe Bigknife Antonio of the Navajo Nation explored differences, harmony, and duality through contrasting shapes, textures, colors, and the depiction of trout, water, and plants on her guitar. Antonio, who is pursuing a graduate degree in clinical psychology at the University of Montana, works in printmaking, pen and ink, painting, digital media, and beading. Of her artwork for Taylor, she says, “The piece emphasizes how differences, whether subtle or overt, can blend harmoniously, evoking emotions akin to music’s interplay of tone, instruments, and narrative.”

For more information, visit stio.com/blogs/design/stio-ft-taylorguitars.