There’s a new artist in town. He likes dogs and coffee. Do you think he’ll fit in?

Tony Allegretti, known for his unique technique of painting dogs using coffee, has recently relocated to Tabernash from Santa Fe, New Mexico. After years of developing his signature coffee art style, Allegretti is now expanding his creative journey into oil painting in a series called “Grand Compositions” which captures the majestic beauty of the Fraser Valley landscape that inspired his early artistic roots.

To celebrate this new chapter, Allegretti is hosting an art opening from 4 to 6 p.m. on August 6 at Fraser Valley Library. Guests will experience a fusion of whimsical pet portraits and rich oil landscapes that reflect both his past and present inspirations.

A journey of life

Born in Chicago, Allegretti moved to Granby first in 1975 where he lived on the Colorado River next to Ouray Ranch. He attended sixth and part of seventh grade at Middle Park before finishing high school in Southern California. His stepfather at the time was one of the founders of the Bank of Winter Park.

After one year of college at University of Wyoming, he moved to Winter Park for a one-year sabbatical of skiing. That single year turned into 14 before he left for Santa Fe in 1996.

In Santa Fe, Allegretti was the chief financial officer for Sky Railway where he helped bring to life dragon and dire wolf-themed trains inspired by “A Game of Thrones” author George R. R. Martin. He then managed the spa, restaurant and hotel at Ten Thousand Waves, which has been recognized as one of the top spa resorts in the nation.

A lifelong artist, Allegretti’s popular “Dogs & Coffee” paintings helped him him to breakthrough in the ultra-competitive Santa Fe art scene.

“I’ve always played with my food,” he said. “Coffee sits around on my desk. After one day, it’s one value. After a few days, it’s different values. I have different coffee cups at different stages of evaporation that give me different tones. Instant is a little more yellow. Occasionally, I incorporate a little red wine in for the tone. I just use the coffee that I drink. I get to write off my coffee habit.”

For the record, Allegretti’s coffee comes mostly from Starbucks.

“To become an artist in Santa Fe is not easy, but I did 100 commissions my first year,” he said. “It’s been extremely popular. I certainly hustle a little bit, too. It’s a business like anything else. You have to stand out. That saying ‘If you can’t be the best, be the only,’ motivated me to go in this direction.” 

All roads lead to home

Allegretti returned to Grand County in August of 2024. He is currently working part-time for the Fraser Metro Recreation District and painting the rest of the time. He shares his home with a 160-pound dog named Boomer.

“It’s a good balance,” he said.

Allegretti recently gave himself the challenge of recreating Leonardo da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa” — using only coffee. You can see the world’s most iconic smile with a caffeinated twist at Fraser Valley Library. While it’s not the original, this unique rendition is sure to stir conversation and inspire curiosity.

The subjects of Allegretti’s oil painting include iconic Grand County rodeo queen Janet Engel riding horse under Byers Peak, a meadow near Elk Creek and a bull rider at Middle Park Fair and Rodeo.

For a perfect blend of art and heart, attendees at the opening may enter a drawing for a chance to win a free custom dog portrait painted in coffee. Check out this opportunity to see the evolution of a truly original artist and celebrate one of Grand County’s newest creative voices.