Experience "Unconventional," an exhibition that celebrates the innovative spirit of Access Gallery artists. Unconventional celebrates artists with disabilities pushing creative boundaries, embracing new mediums, and transforming ordinary materials into extraordinary works.

Join us to experience bold, unexpected, and inspiring art that redefines what’s possible!

"Chasing Magic" brings together the unique voices of Shane Cooper, Lydia Riegle, and Jean Smith, each uncovering magic in their distinct artistic processes. Cooper's work involves meticulously excavating antique books with a scalpel, yielding breathtaking results. Riegle crafts vibrant, graphic designs using archival paper, oil-based ink, and a printing press, creating spontaneous and colorful compositions. Smith focuses on the tactile realm of clay, where her skilled hands guide the material through a transformative journey of imagination and process, resulting in joyful installations of color, texture, and form.

Opening Reception: April 11th 5-9PM

Banner Art: Lydia Riegle, “Sun Showers”

You are invited to the Opening Reception of Transference, a new exhibition of paintings by Cristina Bowes. Drawing from the psychological concept of “Transference,” Cristina invites viewers to connect with her work on a deep emotional level, encouraging them to feel and discover the messages within each piece. Through her Abstract Expressionist style, she uses a carefully chosen color palette and layers of shades to evoke emotion and tap into the subconscious.

Opening Reception: Friday, April 11 4-8PM

Banner Art: Cristina Bowes, “Pensive.” Oil on canvas; 24 x 24.

In Everything Must Go, Tiana Graves' photographs capture the quiet unraveling of a life during an estate sale, where personal belongings become artifacts of the past. Once-cherished objects, rich with unknown stories, are examined, priced, and dispersed, shifting from intimate to impersonal. These time-capsule portraits explore the tension between memory and transaction, revealing the fleeting nature of ownership and the traces we leave behind. What becomes of life when reduced down to its possessions?

In Alexandra Elliott's New Works, she considers the concepts of re-creation and resurrection of brokenness. She works in the medium of broken glass and watercolor on canvas and likes to challenge the concept of beauty and wholeness by creating abstract works with what most would consider objects that are no longer useful. Through her work, she is greatly inspired by the Japanese concept of Wabi- Sabi or the ‘embracing of the flawed or imperfect’. Alexandra believes that no matter how broken, with proper attention anything can be transformed into something more beautiful than before. She hopes that others may subjectively feel the essence of Wabi- Sabi and be able to look at art and the world as a whole through a unique and ever questioning lens.

Bitfactory Gallery marks it’s 10-year anniversary with Red a Juried Group Exhibition running April 18 – May 10, 2025. Artists were invited to submit two-dimensional media using red as a central color in the work, or as a symbolic representation or exploration of its cultural or emotional significance. As juror, gallerist Bill Thomason chose work that engages with the theme in fresh and meaningful ways.

The public is invited to an Opening Reception on Friday, April 18, 6 – 9 p.m. The show will also be on view during regular gallery hours Tues – Sun, 11:30 – 3 p.m., and during the May First Friday Artwalk May 2, 6 – 9 p.m.

The call for entry was open to artists across the US, with works by the following artists chosen to be in the show: Brandin Barón, Elvi Bjorkquist, Richard Chamberlain, Laura DeRosa, Jalaina Felker, Barry Goldstein, Rebekah Griffith, Dave Hanson, Tatyana Hope, Gregory Kessler, Jasmine McGlade, Carol Miraben, Dale Newkirk, Natalie Nichol, Kay Picard, Roger Rapp, Harry Utter, William Waggoner, Kathryn Wagner and Rich Wojdula.

Artists on Santa Fe presents “Conquering the Curve” new artwork by Lisa Calzavara, running May 1 – June 16, 2025, at Artists on Santa Fe. Each painting is created in a slightly different style, yet all are unified by the fundamental concept of the curve, exploring what happens when an obstacle is encountered. How do we react, and what solutions can be discovered? The public is invited to view the show during regular business hours and during the following special events:

• First Friday: May 2, 6 – 9 p.m.

• Artist Reception: Friday, May 16, 6 – 9 p.m.

• Sundays on Santa Fe Art Walk: May 25, 12 – 4 p.m.

Curves, with their inherent fluidity and grace, offer a dynamic energy that breathes life into Calzavara’s paintings. They weave pathways, guiding the viewer’s eye in a dance of movement and rhythm. Each curve is a deliberate stroke that fosters a sense of direction and momentum, inviting engagement and exploration.

Through the integration of curves into her paintings, she strives to create work that resonates with dynamic energy, celebrates the beauty of nature, and evokes a positive emotional response. “Conquering the Curve” is also a guiding philosophy that represents her commitment to embracing the challenges of creativity and transforming them into opportunities for expression.

Calzavara has been creating art professionally for over 20 years. Trained in multiple mediums including oils, acrylics, encaustics and resins, she is able to design a variety of unique artwork. Her series span realism, abstraction, impressionism and surrealism with her most recent pieces focusing on movement and intense colors. For more information visit aprettypainting.com. And follow her on Instagram @fineartbylc or Facebook at Fine Art by LC.

Banner Art: “Emerging Energy” by Lisa Calzavara

Create a one of a kind tumbler using epoxy resin and dried flowers on a stainless steel tumbler. Class will be held in Grace's studio in the Denver Art Society and all materials are included with admission price. Class creations will need to be picked up 1 day or more after class ends. Materials included with registration fee

Kids ages 12-17 can also join the class but it’s not recommended for anyone younger than 12 years old.

Beginner friendly? YES! All skill levels are welcome, we will find a design for everyone. Family friendly? YES! Recommended for children 12 years and older. Please request accessibility needs in advance - email grace@gracenoel.art.

**Don't see a date and time that works for you? Email: Grace@GraceNoel.Art to schedule!**

Dates:
May 1st 6-7:30PM
May 31st 3-7:30PM

Sovereign Bodies Sacred Futures celebrates the rich and diverse history of the fight for LGBTQIA2S+ Liberation. The exhibition features artworks by Queer/Trans Black and Indigenous People of Color (QTBIPOC) artists and allies that envision liberated futures, draw connections between intersectional and global struggles, and honor Queer/Trans ancestors.

By celebrating QTBIPOC narratives of joy and resistance, Sovereign Bodies Sacred Futures offers a powerful counter-narrative to the hateful rhetoric that is fueling the ongoing attack on the rights of Trans, Queer, immigrant, BIPOC and other targeted communities.

The exhibition runs May 2nd - June 28th. Join us in celebrating the joy and resilience of QTBIPOC artists and communities at the exhibition celebration on June 6th during First Friday. The closing reception on June 28th from 5-8pm will feature a blessing of the space, performers and open mic.

Opening Night: Friday, May 2nd 5-9PM

Grace Noel Art's Wood Burning Art Class guides you through creating wood burned drawings on x2 wooden slices of pine. Class will be held in Grace's studio in the Denver Art Society and all materials are included with admission price. Class creations will be available to take home the same day.

All supplies are included with sign up fee! Beginner friendly? YES! All skill levels are welcome Family friendly? YES! Recommended for children 14 years and older. We will be using wood burning tools that can cause injury by burn.

Please request accessibility needs in advance - email grace@gracenoel.art.

**Don't see a date and time that works for you? Email: Grace@GraceNoel.Art to schedule!**

Dates:
May 3rd 3-4:30PM
May 4th 4-5:30PM
May 5th 11-12:30PM
May 8th 6-7:30PM
May 12th 11AM-12:30PM
May 22nd 6-7:30PM
May 25th 1-2:30PM

Do you just love the way dried flowers look in jewelry? This is a class to introduce you to the process of creating jewelry using dried flowers and more! You're invited to join artist Grace Noel in her studio in Denver's Art District on Santa fe to create your own piece of jewelry.

In this class we will learn how to:
- use dried flowers and crushed stone to curate a design in a metal facet or silicone mold
- work with a very intricate and delicate art form

Materials included in sign up fee:

Beginner Friendly? Yes! Family Friendly? Yes! Children 12 -17 years old are welcome. Please request accessibility needs in advance - email grace@gracenoel.art.

Dates:
May 4th 1-2:30PM
May 19th 11AM-12:30PM
May 24th 11AM-12:30PM

Let's play with paint pouring!! Create x2 paintings using paint pouring techniques: the dirty pour and the tree ring pour. Join artist Grace Noel at La Alma/Lincoln Park Apr-Aug 2025, *all other dates and bad weather alternate location is in Grace's studio. Materials included with sign up fee!

Beginner friendly? YES! All skill levels are welcome, we will find a design for everyone. Family friendly? YES! Recommended for children 14 years and older. Risk of injury from carving tools, they are sharp! Please request accessibility needs in advance - email grace@gracenoel.art.

**Don't see a date and time that works for you? Email: Grace@GraceNoel.Art to schedule!**

Dates:
May 8th 11AM-12PM
May 15th 6-7PM
May 16th 11AM-12PM
May 29th 6-7PM
May 30th 6-7PM

Have you always wanted to play around with paint pouring but didn't have the space to? Join artist Grace Noel in her studio for a special paint pouring class that is inspired by the magic that you are! Artist Grace Noel is also an astrologer and will teach you how the four elements of fire, earth, wind, and water relate to your zodiac sign! Materials are included with ticket price!

Take home box: Grace will provide boxes for the paintings to go home with each student. Students can choose to take home the same day or come back to pick up.

Please note that paintings are messy and may be difficult to take home the same day. Grace provides the option to leave your painting to dry in her studio. Pick Up instructions will be emailed to students through Eventbrite when their paintings are ready for pick up - usually a week later. Shipment is an option and an additional cost.

Beginner friendly? YES! All skill levels are welcome, we will find a design for everyone. Family friendly? YES! Recommended for children 3 years and older. Please request accessibility needs in advance - email grace@gracenoel.art.

Don't see a date and time that works for you? Email: Grace@GraceNoel.Art to schedule!**

Dates:
May 9th 6-7PM
May 10th 11AM-12PM
May 18th 5-6PM

🎨Let's make an art journal using a variety of materials included in the class sign up fee! This is a mixed media art class co-taught by both local Denver artist Grace Noel and Spark Alchemy's Lead Coach, Rhonda Skallan. Every class will be held at La-Alma Lincoln Park close to the recreation center and south parking lot. Look for the rainbow stools!

*Alternate location for large groups and inclement weather will be at Grace Noel's Art Studio: 734 Santa Fe Dr, Denver CO.

Art Journal Prompts
Make an art journal - every class
Mandala Mondays
Moon & Mountain Mondays
Woodland Critter Wednesdays
Wild Flower Wednesdays

Materials provided in class:
Acrylic Paint Pour
Canvasboard 5"x7"
BFK Cotton rag paper 4" x 6" x 24"
Water Color crayons
Water pens
Apron

Please request accessibility needs in advance - email grace@gracenoel.art. Art classes are held at La-Alma Lincoln Park near the rec center and parking. Look for the rainbow stools!

Beginner friendly? YES! All skill levels are welcome, we will find a design for everyone. Family friendly? YES! Recommended for children 5 years and older.

Dates:
May 14th 11AM-12PM
May 19th 6-7PM
May 28th 11AM-12PM

In "Luminescence," the transformative properties of encaustic and cold wax techniques emerge as a vehicle for Lois Lupica and Dagmar Nickerson to explore the elusive nature of light. This collection investigates the delicate interplay between opacity and transparency, where light both penetrates and reflects from multilayered surfaces.

Lupica's encaustic works capture light's journey through translucent beeswax layers, creating a luminous depth impossible to achieve in other mediums. The abstracted imagery investigates the paradox of permanence and impermanence—the way wax's ancient durability contrasts with the ephemeral quality of the effects it creates. The works invite viewers to experience how changing light conditions transforms each piece throughout the day, revealing new depths and subtleties with each viewing.

Adjacent are cold wax compositions offering a different luminosity—more subdued yet equally compelling in their soft, diffused glow that seems to emanate from within the painting itself. Cold wax medium, with its unique matte translucency and dimensional possibilities, allows Lupica to build surfaces that interact with light. By combining the medium with oil paints and incorporating various additives, she creates works with depth and subtle luminescence that shifts as viewing conditions change. Cold wax's distinctive material properties transform ambient light into an active participant in the artwork.

Nickerson, through her abstract encaustic mixed media collages, explores the delicate interplay between destruction and survival. Working with paper she incorporates organic elements such as leaves, flowers, reeds, and seeds - materials intrinsically tied to the earth's cycles. The fire element is integral to her process. Flames scorch and shape the paper, leaving charred edges and intricate designs layered in the wax.

The layers of wax envelope the natural materials, their luminous quality adding depth, translucency and a sense of preservation. The wax not only bonds the elements together but also creates a tactile interplay of light and shadow, inviting the viewer to peer into the layers of meaning within in each piece. Each piece carries the natural beauty of what stands to become lost through climate change, while simultaneously celebrating the resilience and survival instincts of all living things.

Throughout this exhibition, viewers are invited to witness how these ancient and contemporary wax techniques can transform pigment and natural elements into luminous fields that shift with changing light conditions. The works exist in a space between painting and sculpture, where surface texture, dimensional quality, and embedded elements create an experience that changes with both light and perspective. Luminescence celebrates the paradox of wax as both barrier and conduit—trapping light even as it allows its passage—creating works that hover between revelation and concealment, inviting contemplation beyond what is immediately visible.

—

Banner Image by Lois Lupica

Create your own beach scene on an 11" charcuterie board using epoxy resin with artist Grace Noel in her studio! In this art class, we will create a beautiful beach scene on a charcuterie board that can be used in everyday life and special occasions. Plus you get to say "I made it!" when admirers inquire.

Materials are included with ticket price!

*Please note that due to dry times, you will need to come back the next day to pick up your creation

Beginner friendly? YES! All skill levels are welcome, we will find a design for everyone. Family friendly? YES! Recommended for children 12 years and older. Please request accessibility needs in advance - email grace@gracenoel.art.

**Don't see a date and time that works for you? Email: Grace@GraceNoel.Art to schedule!**

Dates:
May 16th 6-7:30PM
May 17th 3-4:30PM
May 30th 11AM-12:30PM

Create with Grace continues with the Resin Tray with Flowers art class! For 2 hours, each student will create their own personalized tray (4"x7") using genuine dried flowers and epoxy resin. Join artist Grace Noel in her studio in Denver’s Art District on Santa Fe at the Denver Art Society.

All materials are included with sign up fee

Beginner friendly? YES! All skill levels are welcome, we will find a design for everyone. Family friendly? YES! Recommended for children 12 years and older. Please request accessibility needs in advance - email grace@gracenoel.art.

Don't see a date and/or time that works for you? Email Grace at Grace@GraceNoel.Art to schedule a private lesson!**

Dates:
May 18th 1-3PM
May 24th 3-5PM

Every five years, the Center for Visual Art invites MSU Denver alumni to submit their artwork for consideration and inclusion in an alumni exhibition. Reconnect 2025: MSU Denver Alumni Exhibition is on view May 23 – August 2, 2025.

Opening Reception: Friday, May 23rd 6-10PM

This juried exhibition showcases the creative range of alumni both near and far and includes work across all media. Juried by Rory Padeken, Vicki and Kent Logan Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at Denver Art Museum, the exhibition highlights the far-reaching talents of MSU Denver’s creative graduates. Featuring the work of 30 artists with graduation years ranging from 1973-2024, Reconnect celebrates the creative journeys and artistic achievements of the artists, fostering a meaningful connection between former students and the current MSU Denver community.

The Center for Visual Art (CVA) is the off-campus art center for MSU Denver, showcasing contemporary artists whose work sparks dialogue and creates pathways to change. CVA offers free admission to its exhibitions for everyone.

Banner Art by Jeane Michelle Warner Greene

Contemporary art is an ever-evolving conversation that transcends time, identity, and material. Current MSU Denver art students are woven into this dialogue, navigating the intersection of student and emerging artist. The work in this exhibition captures this moment of transition through an exploration of media as an evolving practice.

Presented in the 965 Project Gallery at the Center for Visual Art, Materializing Change was curated by MSU Denver students Bridget Ebert and Alyssa Williams.

Banner Art by Sadie Hughes

Create with Grace continues with the Flower Coaster Creation Class! For 2 hours, artist Grace Noel will help each student create their own personalized x2 coasters using dried flowers and epoxy resin in silicone molds. Join artist Grace Noel in her studio in Denver’s Art District on Santa Fe at the Denver Art Society.

All Materials are included with sign up fee

Creations are available for pick up 24-72 hours after class.

Beginner friendly? YES! All skill levels are welcome, we will find a design for everyone. Family friendly? YES! Recommended for children 12 years and older. Please request accessibility needs in advance - email grace@gracenoel.art.

Don't see a date and/or time that works for you? Email Grace at Grace@GraceNoel.Art to schedule!**

Dates:
May 24th 4-6PM
May 31st 11AM-1PM

Waves of Hope: Whispers from the Deep is a collaborative and immersive art exhibition experience at D’art Gallery, at 9th and Santa Fe Dr. in the heart of the Arts District on Santa Fe, that showcases the splendor of the oceans, the challenges our oceanic ecosystems face, and solutions that can make a positive difference locally and globally. The exhibition runs June 19 – July 13, 2025, with an opening reception Friday June 20, 6-9pm. Additional events are scheduled, and all are free and open to the public.

This ocean-centric exhibition, Waves of Hope: Whispers From The Deep, is born from a heartfelt desire to raise awareness about the meaningful ways we can help the health of our oceans from here in Colorado. Even when we live a thousand miles away from the oceans, our daily decisions can have a positive impact on the oceans. 

Colorado is the headwaters for seven major rivers that flow into the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. How we live our lives can have a positive or negative impact on the water quality of these rivers that feed into the ocean providing nutrients and oxygen to the myriad of ocean life forms that inhabit these waters.

“Our actions over the next 10 years will determine the state of the ocean for the next 10,000 years.” – Sylvia Earl

The curator of this exhibition, Natalie Becker says, “It’s not just a collection of my own personal artwork. It is a joining together of over 20 talented Colorado artists that are providing their own visual statements about the Ocean.” 

Participating artists include: Chris Alvarez, Lyn Becker, Natalie Becker, Tamara Brody, Alisha Brown, Deborah Carlson, Elizabeth Carter, Daniella Chace, Susan Dallam, Denise Duker, Pamela Ferris-Olson, Elizabeth Fluharty, Terri Grady, Felicia Kutina, Joanne Lavender, Carrie Makenna, Chuck Mardosz, Laszlo Palos, Jenna Rose, Terri Sanchez, Iveth Schwebke, Gillian Scoville, Karen Storm, Phoung Ta, Trevor Thomas, Janeal Tyler, Paul Warmus, Jessica Wheeler

Location:
D’art Gallery 360 and Gallery West (Immersive Space)
900 Santa Fe Drive Denver, Colorado 80204

Exhibition Run: June 19 – July 13, 2025
Open Thursday-Sunday

Regular Hours:
Thursdays Noon-5 p.m.
Fridays Noon-9 p.m.
Saturdays Noon- 5 p.m.
Sundays 11 a.m.- 4 p.m.

Special Exhibition Events:
June 20 6:00-8:00 p.m. Opening Reception, Live body painting: Jessica Wheeler, Live entertainment: Elizabeth Fluharty
June 21 6:30-8:30 p.m. Poetry and Movie Showing
June 29 1:00-3:00 p.m. Sundays on Santa Fe, Live entertainment: Elizabeth Fluharty
July 4 6:00-9:00 p.m. First Friday Reception
July 13 1:00-3:00 p.m. Closing Reception