The Creative Grounds Arts Center in Lyons was vibing. That’s how Sally Glass describes the opening.
The lattes were flowing. Fresh pastries were on full display. Locals in the cafe and patio area were happily conversing and enjoying each other’s company.
It took six months to renovate the building and open the arts center dedicated to Sally’s son Christian Glass, who was shot and killed by a Clear Creek County sheriff’s deputy four years ago.
The Glass family received a $19 million settlement from Clear Creek County — the largest known law enforcement settlement in Colorado history. Now, some of that money is honoring Christian.
“We want to funnel that back into doing something, put it back into the community, but also in a way that honors Christian and who he was as well,” Sally Glass said. “And we hope that Christian’s money, by doing this, just goes on for many, many years to come where Christian in a way is funding this legacy of this beautiful building.”
The family has always spoken about Christian’s love for art. That was their reason to use some of the settlement money to open the arts center that will be available to youth. It keeps Christian’s memory alive while sharing his same love for art. Several of his artworks are displayed throughout the arts center.
His oldest sister, Anna, came in from San Francisco for the opening. She’s gotten several updates on the center from the family. It was very emotional for her to see it all come together.
“My brother’s art has been sort of in his bedroom all stacked up and it just kind of looked like an old closet,” Anna Glass said. “And now seeing his art out in a real space, seeing people enjoy the space, and from what I’ve heard, it really feels right for him. I, of course, wish he was here to see it. But, it just feels like his energy is really in the space. It’s been so cool.”
McKenzie Lange/CPR NewsSally Glass stands in front of a mural outside Creative Grounds, in Lyons, that was inspired by her son, Christian. Sept. 16, 2026.McKenzie Lange/CPR NewsSally Glass stands outside Creative Grounds, the new nonprofit art center she opened to honor her son, Christian, in Lyons. Sept. 16, 2026.
What happened on that late night in June 2022
Christian Glass was travelling home from a geology trip in Utah when his car became stuck on the side of the road near Silver Plume.
The 22-year-old called 911 for help. During the call, Glass told the dispatcher that he had tools that could be considered weapons in the back of the car. Clear Creek County Sheriff’s deputies and other law enforcement later arrived.
When officers asked him to leave the car, Glass refused. That set off a tense standoff where Glass suffered a mental health crisis. When Glass picked up a knife, officers broke the windows using bean bags.
They also deployed tasers. Clear Creek County sheriff’s deputy Andrew Buen fired his gun and killed Glass. Sally Glass said the family still suffers PTSD from losing her son.
Hart Van Denburg/CPR NewsFILE, A vigil for Christian Glass on Wednesday evening, Sept. 20, 2022, in Idaho Springs. He called 911 for help from his stranded vehicle in Silver Plume in June 2022. Clear Creek County deputies responded to his call, and in a moment captured by officers’ body cameras, one deputy shot and killed the 22-year old man.
“Losing Christian has had such a profound impact on our lives,” Sally Glass said. “I don’t think you could possibly imagine unless you’ve actually been through it. It’s something we live with every day. I think it ebbs and flows. We have good days and bad days”
Buen was later found guilty of reckless endangerment in April 2024, but the jury could not reach a verdict on a murder charge. He was later retried and convicted of criminally negligent homicide the following year. Buen received the maximum sentence of three years.
The Clear Creek County Sheriff’s Office went through a major overhaul as a result. Then-Sheriff Rick Albers retired in 2023 and passed away in 2024. Six other officers were also charged. The charges were later dropped.
The Clear Creek County Board of Commissioners also created a mental health pilot program.
McKenzie Lange/CPR NewsPeople drink coffee of the patio at Creative Grounds, the new nonprofit art center in Lyons created to honor Christian Glass. Sept. 16, 2026.
A sign in the middle of tragedy
While traveling among their home in Lafayette, their retreat in the hills above Lyons and the Clear Creek County Courthouse in Georgetown during the trials, the Glass family saw the building that currently houses Creative Grounds while driving through town.
Sally Glass said the building was mostly vacant and covered in graffiti. The family purchased the building last December.
“It was an old building. So we bought it and really all the electrical, the plumbing, the pipes were shot. We had to do a huge amount of remedial work to even get the building kind of okay. And then we renovated it,” Sally Glass said while touring the arts center.
Inside the facility, there is a cafe area with a lounge. Down the hall there’s another lounge area with a self serving coffee machine. Another room has a large table for groups to work on art projects. In the back is a pottery room with 12 pottery wheels.
Outside, there’s a patio area with colorful furniture, a wooden teepee, a stage area, and a waterfall.
McKenzie Lange/CPR NewsSally Glass visits with customers at Creative Grounds, the new nonprofit art center she opened in honor of her son, Christian. Sept. 16, 2026.McKenzie Lange/CPR NewsAnna Glass works in the kitchen of Creative Grounds, in Lyons, as art made by her brother, Christian, hangs behind her. Their mother Sally, created the nonprofit art center to honor Christian’s memory. Sept. 16, 2026.McKenzie Lange/CPR NewsA pottery studio inside Creative Grounds, a new nonprofit art center in Lyons created by Sally Glass, in honor of her son, Christian. Sept. 16, 2026.
Sally Glass said that she’s most excited about Christian’s paintings that hang throughout the arts center. He painted several portraits of older gentlemen and one of the Sydney Opera House in Australia.
A portrait of a woman in a headwrap hangs behind the counter of the cafe. Sally Glass said the paintings were of no one in particular.
“He was pretty prolific,” Sally Glass said. “So, I just thought it would be a lovely place as well to be able to display what he created in his lifetime.”
Another of Christian’s paintings hangs next to the portrait of the woman. There are two yellow lions cuddling. That inspired Lyons-based artist Andrew “Android” Jones to paint murals of lions that show growth.
One side shows cubs. Another one displays teenage lions. And at the entrance of the center hangs a painting of a fully grown, majestic lion with wings, which has deep meaning for Sally Glass.
“I get pretty emotional because this is what Christian didn’t get to be, sadly, because his life was brutally taken,” Sally Glass said. “But that’s what I feel like. He’s up in heaven with his wings in all his glory, painting hopefully, and looking down and thinking this is a cool space that we did in his memory.”
More to come …
The Glass family will eventually hold classes and other events at the Creative Grounds Arts Center, but they want more input from the youth before launching them. Sally Glass said she doesn’t want the center to be too structured.
“I just want them to just relax and have fun, just come hang. We really wanted to make it super friendly, very welcoming, very chill,” Sally Glass said. “We’ve told them you must always treat everybody that comes in with compassion and kindness and be gentle. Even if they’re having a bad day, just try and give them a smile and make them feel better.”
The town of Lyons has strongly supported the Glass family as they grieved. Sally Glass said that it encouraged them more to get involved with the community.
“To be honest, we didn’t get involved in much with anyone. We just really hid away because the trial was so public and we really just wanted to retreat and hide,” Sally Glass said. “But I think that by opening this center, we’ll definitely get to know more people here.”
Sally Glass says a sculpture of Christian is in the works. She said it will depict her son sitting on a rock and painting on a beach in New Zealand. There’s no timeline for it to be finished, but, the family will place it just outside the front door, to welcome people.
McKenzie Lange/CPR NewsSally Glass stands outside Creative Grounds, the new nonprofit art center she opened in honor of her son, Christian, in Lyons. Sept. 16, 2026.
