Fruita photographer documents friend’s recovery process

GRAND JUNCTION — Anne Keller of Fruita has photographed the ongoing rehabilitation journey of Tara Llanes, who was paralyzed in a mountain bike racing accident last September.

Llanes was racing in the Jeep King of the Mountain series at Beaver Creek Resort when she crashed and landed on her head, and then on her back. She suffered a spinal cord injury and became paralyzed from the waist down.

Keller, 30, will join other photographers, filmmakers, conservationists and outdoor enthusiasts from around the world when she shows her photojournalism exhibit on Llanes for the first time at the Telluride Mountain Film Festival over Memorial Day weekend.

Keller first met the 31-year-old Llanes through mutual friend Jen Zeuner, who used to race BMX bikes with Llanes professionally around the world.

After the bike accident, Llanes was rushed first to Vail Valley Hospital, and then to Denver Health Hospital for a seven-hour surgery. From there, Llanes was transported to Denver’s Craig Hospital, where she spent the next four months undergoing inpatient rehabilitation.

Covering the rehabilitation process through photography was a mutual idea between Keller and Llanes.

During Keller’s and Zeuner’s weekly visits to Craig Hospital, Keller would bring her camera and follow Llanes around.

“She was extremely tolerant. I think it created some pretty intimate work,” Keller said.

Telluride Mountain Film chose Keller’s exhibit of 30 black-and-white photos to be shown at Telluride’s Silver Bell Gallery.

The four-day festival, which is in its 30th year and draws visitors from around the world, includes films, lectures and gallery shows dealing with athletic, environmental and cultural topics. The events take place in theaters, coffee shops and galleries throughout Telluride.

“We went there last year for the first year,” Keller said. “It’s amazing the quality of work shown. One of its main sponsors is National Geographic.”

While Keller said she has come across stories about athletes’ readjustment to life in a wheelchair, she’d not seen the initial transition period covered much.

“I wanted to cover the journey, the struggle, the pain, laughter as well, and the successes on her part,” Keller said.

“You can find stories about people in wheelchairs,” but “not that in-between period,” Keller said.

People can meet the artist and the subject when Keller and Llanes present a slideshow and answer questions Saturday, May 24, at Sheridan Opera House in Telluride. The slideshow will include some of the gallery photos, as well as new photos.

Keller will talk about the stories behind the photos and Llanes will talk about where she’s at in the healing process.

An artist’s reception will be held Friday, May 23, from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the Silver Bell Gallery.

Llanes left Craig Hospital in December and is back home in the Los Angeles area, where she’s enrolled in an aggressive outpatient therapy program. She’s regained a little movement in both legs, Keller said.

Keller and Zeuner have visited Llanes twice in California.

“I would like to continue to work with her every few months as she gains new skills, whether it ends in walking or getting back on the dirt on a modified bike,” Keller said.

Proceeds from any sales of Keller’s work will go to the Tara Llanes Road to Recovery Foundation. All of the printing and framing was done at cost by Gene Taylor’s Sporting Goods and The Great Frame Up in Grand Junction.

“I’m trying to keep my costs down, so it was extremely generous of them to give it at cost,” Keller said.

Some of Keller’s photos, for which Llanes will write the captions, are featured in the current issue of Bike magazine.

For more information about Mountain Film in Telluride, including a schedule of events and passes, visit www.mountainfilm.org.

Reach Sharon Sullivan at ssullivan@gjfreepress.com.