D’art Gallery is proud to present three semi-solo shows of gallery members from September 25 – October 19, 2025. Artists’ reception Friday, September 26, 6-9 pm
Robin Gates “Curiosity Is A Compass”; Carrie MaKenna: “Enter the Universal Circle”; Dmitri Valone: “Modes” will be on exhibit in our main gallery.
Robin Gates – “Curiosity Is A Compass”
My studio is a mess—equal parts paint, canvas, paper, industrial scraps, found objects, and half- formed ideas, says Gates. I’ve learned that neat plans rarely survive in this space. When I map everything out and think, “Great, I’ve got a plan,” those pieces almost always fight me the hardest. The work feels forced, heavy, and uncertain in the very moments I try to make it certain. And yet, knowing this, I still put myself through the hell of mapping it out—again and again. The opposite happens when I let curiosity steer. Following a “what if” or an odd scrap of material usually leads me to the most rewarding discoveries. These are the pieces that surprise me, where the process feels playful instead of pressured.
This exhibition gathers the results of that ongoing push and pull—between control and exploration, planning and wandering. I continue to test my need for order against my instinct to chase questions without answers. What I’ve found is simple: the work is strongest when I stop looking for certainty. Curiosity, messy and unpredictable as it is, always points me forward.
About Robin
Robin paints whimsy – characters, lines, and texture – using mixed media on wood panels, canvas, furniture, instruments, and other 3D surfaces. Her work blends bold mark-making with layered materials like paper, pencil, and charcoal, creating rich textures that feel both spontaneous and intentional. Influenced by street textures, fleeting moments, and everyday absurdities, she builds each piece through a process of layering and removal, revealing unexpected forms and stories beneath the surface. Rooted in a deep curiosity about people and how we connect, Robin’s art invites viewers into a world that’s vibrant, offbeat, and unmistakably human. Robin grew up in San Antonio, Texas, and later moved to Colorado to study at the University of Denver. With over 20 years of experience in graphic design, she now works as a freelance designerand dedicates her time to being a full-time artist.
Dmitri Valone – “Modes”
I wanted to develop a different way of looking at art by creating a connection between musical notes and color; says Valone. Ultimately allowing a new perspective on viewing art that hopefully allows one to perceive music within visual works and vice versa. In short, I assign musical notes to colors and create a body of work that incorporates music and color theory to complete this project.
About Dmitri
I embarked on my artistic journey at Metro State University in the late 1990s, initially focusing on cosmology. However, it was during this period that I rediscovered my genuine love for art. After obtaining my fine arts-painting degree, I made the decision to relocate to the East Coast to delve deeper into the realm of oil painting and immerse myself in Boston’s and New York's vibrant artistic community. Throughout the span of twenty years, I devoted myself to refining my painting skills, exploring different techniques and styles, and establishing a clientele that greatly enhanced my life. I came across the medium of Inks and water, which completely transformed my artistic outlook. The combination of ink and water allowed me to delve into a more intuitive and instinctive approach to painting, enabling me to express emotions and ideas on canvas in a manner that I had not captured with oil. The fluidity and unpredictability of this medium injected a sense of thrill and spontaneity into my work, urging me to venture into uncharted territories and experiment with various world inks and their unique effects.
Carrie MaKenna – “Enter the Universal Circle”
This interactive art installation and exhibit by artist Carrie MaKenna explores The Universal Circle through painting, sculpture, and play. It’s a culmination of 30 years of interest, study, practice and teaching about the Circle as a unique Universal Pattern and Spiritual Resource. The Circle is found at the center of many spiritual traditions, including the Native American Indian Medicine Wheel, the Celtic Stone Circles, the Buddhist Tangkas, and Hindu Mandalas among countless others. The Artist has also had a deep life-long interest in Space, the Solar System and the intricate cycles that define our life on planet Earth. We live moment to moment within the influence of The Universal Circle,” says MaKenna. “The Circle is a key form that surrounds and supports us here on Earth. Whether we are aware of it or not, the Universal Circle encompasses our daily lives. It is the basis of the Cycles of Time. We experience the Circle through the cycles of a minute, an hour, a day, a month, a year, a decade, a lifetime. These are marked by the rotation and orbit of the Earth around the Sun, and the Moon around the Earth.
About Carrie
Carrie MaKenna is a fourth-generation Denver native, life-long practicing artist, co-founder of D’art Gallery, and President of the Colorado Women’s Art Museum, now in its third year of programming. She has a BFA in Fine Art and a Master’s in Art Therapy and Counseling Psychology, as well as a lifelong interest in and exploration of worldwide, universal spiritual studies and a meditative practice that guides and informs her art making. Her artwork is in collections in the US, Canada, Mexico, Japan, Austria, Ireland and the UK. MaKenna shares a creative life and studio with her husband, Craig, and their studio dog, Riley, in Denver, Colorado.
Exhibition Events:
FRI Sept 26 6-9 pm: Opening Reception
SUN Sept 28 1-4 pm: Sundays on Santa Fe
FRI Oct 3 6-9 pm: First Friday
SAT Oct 11 1-3 pm: Exhibition Tour (Carrie only)
FRI Oct 17 6-9 pm: Art Appreciators Night
SUN Oct 19 1-3 pm: Last Look
All events are open to the public.
Banner Image by Carrie MaKenna
