Point of Rocks Ranch has been in the Welty family for three generations. John and Mary Welty, the current owners of the 1,300-acre Black Forest ranch, are determined to keep it in the family in spite of persistent drought and falling beef prices. Mary Welty is using her prolific talents as an artist to help the ranch diversify their income.An artist since childhood, Welty has had an art gallery on the grounds since 1997. She works in a variety of mediums, including acrylic watercolors and stained glass. Her sculptures include wire art, clay and bronze pieces.The gallery was originally a chicken coop, which the Weltys later converted to a playhouse for their two children. When Welty tired of taking her work to craft bazaars and galleries, the couple turned it into her studio. Each corner of the building is devoted to a different medium. “If I want to do stained glass, I can do it and don’t have to get anything out,” she says. “That’s the point of having a studio.”Displayed on one wall of the studio are Welty’s entries in the federal duck stamp contest, a program of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The funds raised by the sale of the duck stamp are used to acquire land for the National Wildlife Refuge System. Welty has entered the contest since 1991 and has had numerous entries in the top 20.She recently opened the Flyin’ Cowboy Ranch Store, which she advertises as a “ride-in horse boutique” featuring “high-end products for the cowboy and horsewoman.” Welty thought of the name for the store while watching a horse trainer. “They’re always flying off their horses, so I thought that would be a really cute name,” she said.The store features hand-made Western tack, including Cactus and Billy Cook saddles; Western hats, clothing and jewelry; and Western home dÈcor, such as decorative hides and wall art.Point of Rocks Ranch also has a small guest house that can be rented for short visits. “It’s a great way to get away from town,” Welty said. The Weltys remodeled the interior, which used to be a relative’s home, and Mary’s artwork is featured prominently. The original Douglas fir floors and many original furnishings were incorporated into the remodel.”I’m trying to find different ways to bring some income in,” she said. “We’re only 14 miles north of Falcon, 19 miles east of Monument and 9 miles south of Elbert, so we’re a good location for people to get to the country without having to travel far.”The Weltys are hoping to find an old chuckwagon to provide the centerpiece for campfire dinners and other old-fashioned Western events next spring and summer. They plan to host some trail rides, and the store offers ride-in services for those who want to fit their horses with the perfect saddle and tack.”A lot of people have had to sell off their ranch because you can’t make a living at it anymore,” Welty said. With more and more ranchland disappearing to development, Point of Rocks Ranch hopes to preserve their peaceful slice of the old West and share it with others.
