The Stick Art Exhibit officially opens in Vail on Friday at Ford Park and the town hopes to keep it up for 2 years.

For a sorcerer like Patrick Dougherty, the boundary between reality and fantasy is a permeable one. You might expect as much from a self-described “stick artist” who works exclusively with saplings and branches.

Patrick Dougherty is a shaper of sticks, an avant-garde carpenter and a three-dimensional illustrator. For more than 30 years, he’s constructed roughly 290 installations across the world and they are all made of gathered saplings and wood. For the last two weeks, he has been working in central Vail on his most current install which will be completed on June 22, 2018.

Although we are surrounded by beautiful scenic vistas in the Vail Valley, there are works of art within the town of Vail that appeal to the eye as well. We pass by many of these pieces of art every day and some are more noticeable than others. You can't miss the 10th Mountain Division soldier next to the covered bridge on Bridge Street, standing at over 12 feet tall, while other artworks are more subtle, such as the riddles on Wall Street.

Planning a trip to Vail, Colorado? Considered one of the world’s most famous ski towns, Vail has plenty of fun things to do both on and off the mountain. And while it may be best known as a winter destination, Vail is an excellent year-round spot for outdoor enthusiasts.