CVA presents Dance of Resistance, an exhibition featuring LGBTQ+ artists who voice the stories of their communities through figural works of art that offer pathways to healing and empowerment. Approaching their work from unique viewpoints, they employ varied media to present themes from lived experience and imagined futures. The artists unite in using their art as a means of activism, visually conveying issues important to themselves and their communities. They amplify silenced voices, expose myths, and promote a dialogue that invites reflection on the human experience, illuminating the power of art to inspire change and foster understanding in our diverse world. These figural depictions place a Queer bodily presence firmly in the spotlight, unapologetically claiming their presence within society.

Dance of Resistance was curated by Jenna Miles and Cecily Cullen. 

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

Artists on Santa Fe at 747 Santa Fe Drive presents abstract oil paintings by member artist Jon Koenigsberg in a new exhibition entitled “Destination : Journey”. The show reflects his unconscious shift in mindset —a realization that his artistic focus has changed from destination to journey—as he discovers his enjoyment of the process rather than looking forward primarily to the end result. The public is invited to an Opening Reception during the Art District’s Third Friday Art Walk, Sept. 19, 5 p.m. – 8 p.m., First Friday Art Walk, October 3, 5 p.m. – 9:30 p.m., and to view the show during regular gallery hours from September 17 – October 13, 2025. A wide selection of other fine art by resident and member artists will also be on display in the gallery, including paintings, ceramics, jewelry, mixed media and sculpture.

As Koenigsberg explains:

“I would become entranced with an idea or an image, like the sun peaking through the trees, or blades of tall grass moving in the wind. I would incorporate those ideas into a new painting and would be off to the races. Fast forward two months, and luster had worn off that idea. I would attempt to bring back the interest in the original idea, but to no avail. Then I would drift for a month or two until the next shiny object captured my attention. At first, I thought that I was just simply bored with what I had painted; But it slowly dawned on me that I had taken that idea to its logical conclusion. That's when I realized that I was actually excited by the process, by the journey rather than the destination. That's why I do a short series of paintings and then change my style. I was entranced with the process rather than the end result.”

Raised in Iowa, Koenigsberg was drawn to art since a young age but ultimately decided on architecture as a career path. He eventually landed in Denver and, in 2002, left the corporate world to open his own architecture firm. After some time studying art at Maine’s Haystack Mountain School of Crafts he was inspired to focus more on his creative pursuits and has done so ever since. He is grateful to have survived an arduous cancer journey and continues to live and create in the mountains of Colorado.

Artists on Santa Fe Gallery, 747 Santa Fe Drive, showcases the work of member artists ranging from sculptors and painters to printmakers and jewelers. The building is also home to the working studios of 25 + artists. Visitors are invited to explore and discover this exciting and enduring creative hub. Regular hours are Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays 11 am to 3 pm, Fridays and Saturdays, 11 am to 5 pm and Sundays, Noon to 4 pm, For more information visit www.artistsonsantafe.com.

David Dixon's work is an act of reverence. Each image he creates is meant to whisper Peace, Love, and Joy into the noise of everyday life—a quiet reminder that beauty and meaning are always present, even when the world forgets to look.

Rooted in both place and presence, David's photography explores the spiritual architecture of the ordinary. Whether he is walking the streets of Bamberg, tracing the ridgelines of East Tennessee, or following a dog’s path through a Colorado field, he seek moments that hum with stillness and resonance. He is not chasing spectacle. He's listening for silence.

David's images are often minimal, contemplative, and emotionally driven—sometimes stark black and white, sometimes drenched in the warmth of shadow or sunrise. He favors simplicity because it invites space for reflection. These are not pictures to scroll past. They’re portals—meditations frozen in time—meant to be lingered with and felt.

Ultimately, David's goal is not just to share what he sees, but to offer what he believes: that beauty is sacred, perspective is healing, and that there is always something greater at work—if only we’re willing to pause and see it.

Helene Strebel is a visual artist who believes in creative expressions as a form of self-discovery. Her work reflects outside forces in a totally visual way, which she sees as an abstract way of confronting the world. Helene believes that she has a duty to be true to her vision, and that this duty goes hand in hand with compassion. She uses her painting to help explore every poetic, spiritual and physical aspect of her world.

Helene's abstract contemporary paintings are exclusively painted with acrylic paint. Her work is in private collections in Europe and in the US.

Opening Reception – Friday, September 19, 2025 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.
First Friday Art Walk – Friday, October 3, 2025 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Artist Talk & Demonstration – TBD

Bitfactory Gallery presents a powerful exhibition about post-traumatic recovery by

A.L. Lummus & Ira Sherman

Bitfactory Gallery is honored to welcome back artist A.L. Lummus and the renowned Ira Sherman for a compelling two-person show, that explores the layered process of post-traumatic recovery. MINDSAFE, curated by gallerist Bill Thomason, features Lummus’ kinetic portraiture and Sherman’s intricately engineered metalworks, bringing together two distinct but harmonized voices—a multidisciplinary conversation between wood, metal, movement, and survival. The public is invited to experience this exhibition from Sept 19 – Oct 11, 2025.

Lummus, a portrait artist and kinetic sculptor, presents a series of 2D and 3D works on canvas and pinewood. Each piece gives physical form to the emotional stages of recovery, created in dialogue with survivors and informed by a custom-designed recovery questionnaire. These are not just portraits; they are tactile stories of transformation.

In tandem, acclaimed metalsmith Sherman unveils a suite of pneumatically powered helmets and headdresses. His engineered sculptures, built with mechanical precision and artistic force, reference the emotional architecture of trauma, empowerment and protection. As functional as they are symbolic, each is crafted to physically deter unwanted intrusions into both body and mind. His masterful employment of intricate metalsmithing techniques—hot-forged steel and bronze, welded and formed steel and brass, delicate hammered textures, fold-formed red-hot steel, and jewelers’ techniques—deserve close examination. The works complement Lummus‘ personal and politically charged works in both scale and message.

Through the beauty, humor, and enigmatic narratives of their art, this exhibition aims to be a catalyst in dissolving the stigma of sexual assault and other trauma. By fostering deep connections and opening crucial dialogue, they offer hope for recovery to fellow survivors.

“This show is the result of constant conversation,” says Lummus. “Sherman and I have been building this body of work side-by-side, trading insight and criticism, concept and material. MINDSAFE is both our collective offering and a shared invocation of healing.”

Lummus works as a full-time artist in Denver, Colorado. Her metaphor-heavy imagery and commission pieces showcase an innovative style, strength in realism, and stark compositions. Her use of a limited color palette forces the viewer into an authentic response to the image itself, rather than the color.

Sherman’s sculptures are held in numerous private and public collections including the Smithsonian Museum of American Art, Washington, D.C., the National Ornamental Museum, Memphis, TN, the Regional Transportation District, Denver, CO, and Temple Sinai, CO. Sherman has appeared on PBS, the Discovery Channel, as well as podcasts, radio, and TV, and has been featured in publications that include the Huffington Post, San Francisco Chronical, The Atlantic, and Popular Mechanics. He has lectured and taught metalworking across the US, the United Kingdom, and Israel.

Bitfactory Gallery is located at 851 Santa Fe Drive in the heart of Denver’s Art District on Santa Fe. The building also houses Bitfactory Studios with the vision of providing a helpful, friendly working atmosphere for artists and Block Gallery, a pop-up gallery space available to rent in one-, three-, or seven-day blocks. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 11:00 a.m. — 4 p.m. and by appointment. For additional information, please contact Bill Thomason at info@bitfactory.net or (303) 862-9367 or visit www.bitfactory.net. They can be found on Facebook and Instagram @bitfactorygallery and on X at @bitfactoryg

KEO (Jim Kehoe):” Diversions”

My practice is both an intuitive and spontaneous act of making, where the stillness in mind meets the body in motion, and where intention meets chance, says KEO. Rooted in the discipline of Japanese Zen shodo calligraphy, my work emerges from a contemplative mind, carried by the energy, movement, and breath of the body, as I synthesize materials and gestures within a play of improvisation and precision. I work across paper, canvas, and natural materials to explore a threshold between motion and stillness, between abstraction and recognition. In a world that rarely pauses, my work offers a moment of pause and stillness, a return to a mindful state.

Diversions is a contemplative journey through a dynamic interplay of form and formlessness, featuring both 2D and 3D works that move between abstraction and representation. Blending the spontaneity of gesture with the discipline of geometry, the exhibit reflects a practice rooted in Zen calligraphy and guided by intuition. Through diverse modalities each piece offers a pause, an invitation to step away from daily distraction and re-enter a space of stillness and reflection.

About KEO
Keo’s artistic journey has been shaped by a wide range of influences, each leaving a distinct imprint on his skill and approach. Keo’s painting practice was profoundly shaped after studying the East Asian art of shodo calligraphy during Zen meditation retreats with artist and Zen scholar Kaz Tanahashi. The discipline of calligraphy resonated deeply with his practice of zazen meditation and the internal martial arts of tai chi and qi gong. These disciplines have collectively informed his life, his spirituality, and his creative process. As Yuji Akimoto writes, “In calligraphy, unlike painting, there is no going back to correct things. What is on the paper is there for good, and for this reason, it is called a one-time-only art, as irreversible as time itself.” Another pivotal moment occurred when Keo met international artist Tadashi Hayakawa during a workshop at an arts center, an encounter that sparked a lasting friendship and had a profound influence on his art and life. I’m captivated by your artwork. It is a reflection of your spirit. Most splendid use of paint. You express the infinite. ~ Darek Shapiro, Architect Sandstone carvings, 2023

In addition to his art practice, Jim is a licensed architect with a deep interest in wellbeing and human flourishing within the built environment. With his firm KEO studioworks, he explores the biological and cognitive effects of space, developing design approaches that foster health and wellbeing for occupants. After 20 years of living in Colorado, Jim now splits time between his architecture practice in Western Colorado and his art studio in Taos, NM. With regular journeys to the desert, participation in meditation and calligraphy retreats, and ongoing studio work in Taos, NM, Keo continues to expand the scale, scope, and depth of his extemporaneous works.

Show Run Dates: Sep 25, 2025 - Oct 18, 2025
Opening Reception: September 26, 6-9 p.m.
First Friday: October 3, 6-9 p.m.

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

🎃✨ Ready to be spellbound? ✨🎃

Spectra Art Space is excited to announce our all-new immersive art experience, Spookadelia: Unspoken—awarded Denver’s best seasonal!

Spookadelia is not your ordinary art exhibition. It's a sensory extravaganza that will transport you to a realm of imagination and wonder. Get ready to explore a fusion of art, technology, and storytelling that will ignite your senses and leave you spellbound.

This is an all-ages one-of-a-kind immersive art & theatrical experience created by Local Artists for everyone! Investigating the human condition and our relationship with self, shadow, and doubt while providing a fresh & fun take on art consumption and the haunted experience.

Tickets are available for all dates—Grab Yours Now! 🎟️

🗓 October 5th - December 31st

📍 Spectra Art Space

#Spookadelia #ImmersiveArt #DenverEvents

Opening Reception: Friday, October 10, 2025, 6-9 pm
On view: October 9 – November 11, 2025

D’art 360 Gallery is proud to present Untitled, a group exhibition showcasing the work of four innovative artists whose diverse practices intersect in unexpected ways. From fluid art and ceramics to architectural painting and avant-garde fashion, the show celebrates the power of materials, movement, and form to redefine how we experience contemporary art.

Şebnem Düzgün (Ceramics)
Drawing inspiration from summers spent along the Mediterranean coast in Fethiye, Turkey, Şebnem Düzgün’s ceramic sculptures embody her deep connection to the earth. With a background as an international mining engineer, she transforms her knowledge of natural materials into forms that echo the textures of rocks, soils, and other earth materials. Each element of her work stands alone yet comes together in designs that defy easy categorization—unique sculptural assemblages that are both intimate and elemental.

Skye Barker Maa (Textile Art)
Designer, stylist, and founder of SKYE|AIRE and Factory Fashion Denver, Skye Barker Maa pushes the boundaries of fashion with both wearable and avant-garde garments. Known for incorporating unconventional materials such as wire, paper, and coat hangers, her creations blur the line between fashion and sculpture. Skye’s designs have been featured on international runways including Paris Fashion Week, the London Alternative Hair Show, and multiple U.S. fashion weeks, with her work also appearing in Vogue, Elle, and Glamour.

Ana Quintana (Fluid Art)
Ana Quintana’s paintings explore the hypnotic beauty of fluid dynamics. Working with acrylics, mica pigments, and an array of experimental pouring techniques—including the renowned Shelee Art Bloom method—her work balances artistic intention with the unpredictable flow of paint. The resulting compositions shimmer with marbleized cells, organic structures, and an ethereal sense of movement that invites each viewer to find their own patterns within the layers.

Craig Rouse (Architectural Paintings)
Returning to painting after decades away from the brush, Craig Rouse reimagines architecture through abstraction. His work distills structures into playful studies of light, shadow, balance, and form. Working with a restrained palette, he builds compositions that are both precise and expressive, capturing the rhythm of architectural design while inviting viewers to see familiar spaces in a new light.

Together, these four artists create a dialogue between movement and structure, nature and design, tradition and innovation. Untitled is more than an exhibition; it is an exploration of how diverse mediums can speak to one another in surprising harmony.

EVENTS
Show Run: October 9 – November 11
Opening Reception: Friday, October 10, 6-9 pm
Art Appreciators Night: Friday, October 17, 6 - 9 pm
Last Look: Sunday, November 2, 11 am – 4 pm

Banner Image: Ana Quintana, “Tandem.” 24 x24.

Niza Knoll Gallery presents the first of two shows from The Mix, a co-op of artists located in the back of the gallery at 915 Santa Fe Drive. A vibrant array of art by Nancy Enyart, Victoria Eubanks, Pat Lickly and Jerry Scezney will be on view in the main space, from October 10–November 16, 2025, featuring playful ceramics and luminous encaustic works to striking photography and dynamic mixed media. With a wide range of styles and subjects, there’s something to spark the imagination and delight every eye. The public is invited to the Artist Reception on Friday, October 17, 5–8 p.m. during the Third Friday on Santa Fe Art Walk, and to visit during regular business hours as listed below.

Nancy Enyart started as a potter and later moved into hand-building her ceramic pieces. Animals continue to be a main focus of her art, especially the undomesticated kind, providing a portal into a different world. As in this show, she often finds elephants wandering into her work, sometimes landing themselves in unusual situations.

Victoria Eubanks is a visual artist who combines encaustic, printmaking, photography, cold wax and pixels in a variety of ways. She is also a highly regarded art educator who brings what is happening in her studio into her classrooms and conversely, the classroom activity shows up in her studio. “My art is always about connections—head, heart, hand and viewer.” She explains, “I harvest memories, daydreams, current events; I like a sense of place. I lean towards imperfection. I want the inevitable humanness of the of the marks I make, to be recognized as such. The connection of shared sensibilities is the reason I create.”

Artist Pat Lickly often works with natural elements and inanimate objects, but for this show she shifts her subject matter to feathered friends and felines, creating a range of delightful characters in a variety of 2- and 3-d mediums.

Jerry Scezney, the newest member of The Mix, has over 40 years of experience in landscape and wildlife photography throughout the Rocky Mountain and New England areas. He displays a variety of photo work completed in abstract, minimalist, black and white and impressionist photographic styles. Through the lens, he tries to capture the essence of every moment, turning the ordinary into extraordinary and is dedicated to creating unique and compelling visual narratives that leave a lasting impression.

Niza Knoll Gallery specializes in intriguing conceptual exhibits featuring work by local and regional artists as well as private concerts, guest speakers and workshops. Regular gallery hours are Thursday – Sunday, 1 – 4 p.m., except for during the following district-wide art walks, First Friday, 5 – 9 p.m., Third Friday, 5 – 8 p.m. and on the last Sunday of each month, Noon – 3 p.m. Visit www.nizaknollgallery.com to view and purchase works online and for the most up-to-date calendar of events.

Watching clouds is a meditative pastime—observing as they drift, glide and reflect the light, arranging into endless momentary sculptures in the sky. Whether floating on a calm breeze or blowing in with a vengeance, their fleeting nature — or evanescence — is captivating to behold. Artists Terrel Bailey, Leigh Cabell and Chris Jezzini express their curiosity and fascination with clouds in “Evanescent”, an exhibition of mixed media, paintings and photography at Artists on Santa Fe at 747 Santa Fe Drive. The public is invited to an Opening Reception during the Art District’s Third Friday Art Walk, Oct 17, 5 – 8 p.m., to the First Friday Art Walk, Nov 7, 5 – 9:30 p.m., and to view the show during regular gallery hours from October 15– November 17, 2025.

A wide selection of other fine art by resident and member artists will also be on display in the gallery, including paintings, ceramics, jewelry, mixed media and sculpture.

Cabell is an environmental artist. She takes discarded materials —trash—and crafts it into beautiful landscape art. Her works are layered and deliberate, much like her activist approach to addressing the environment. Cabell’s work highlights the uncomfortable truth, that trash is everywhere, impacting our world and everyday life, while also showcasing her feeling that value can be found in everything and everyone.

Jezzini came to painting skyscapes after spending many hours of her childhood staring up at the sky and later piercing through the clouds as a flight attendant for United Airlines. She enjoys capturing the fleeting moment in his paintings and sharing it as a pleasing moment for the viewer.

Bailey is a landscape and conservation photographer who is inspired by nature, and the desire to preserve it for future generations. He loves melancholic scenes in the natural environment and the feeling of solitude in landscapes — the solitary tree, a lone cloud in a blue sky, a single peak towering above others around it. His goal is to lift the spirit of the viewer, much as he finds his spirit jumping when viewing his images.

Artists on Santa Fe Gallery, 747 Santa Fe Drive, showcases the work of member artists ranging from sculptors and painters to printmakers and jewelers. The building is also home to the working studios of 25 + artists. Visitors are invited to explore and discover this exciting and enduring creative hub. Regular hours are Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays 11 am to 3 pm, Fridays and Saturdays, 11 am to 5 pm and Sundays, Noon to 4 pm, For more information visit www.artistsonsantafe.com.

In Beyond Roots, Clare Scott explores the quiet strength and complexity of plants and seeds through pastel painting. Using her own macro photographs as reference, she focused on the delicate structures and hidden energy within seeds, pods, and abstracted forms. Using pastel as her primary medium she responds intuitively to texture, color, and light—transforming these tiny, often overlooked subjects into larger reflections on growth, resilience, and transformation.

Phyllis Rider’s work in Beyond Roots is inspired by a majestic old cottonwood tree that stood along the High Line Canal behind her house long before she made her home here. The tree and its gentle hollow in its side lent it a unique personality. Watching this tree for over four decades has led her to do drawings, paintings and photographs. The recent removal of this tree was devastating to her as well as her community. This loss inspired her to do the latest body of work which includes monotype prints from the tree trunk remains, paintings and a variety of other pieces that explore the tree’s form, its essence, and circular motifs that echo its enduring presence. Through this work, she reflects on memory, change, and the quiet impact of nature on our lives.

Banner Image: Clare Scott, “Sidewalk Dandelions.” Pastel; 20 x 12.

Kim DiDonato: “Edges and Echoes”; Kathy Knaus: “Symbiosis: The Art of Living Together”; Tom Riedel: “Color Studies” will be on exhibit in our main gallery.

Kim DiDonato – “Edges and Echoes”
Edges and Echoes explores a captivating collection of abstract paintings where hard-edge shapes
intersect with ghostly, abstracted figures – a contemporary homage to the haunting intensity of Giacometti. Dominated by a monochrome palette, DiDonato’s works are punctuated with bold splashes of color, creating moments of striking contrast and emotional resonance. This exhibition invites viewers to navigate the tension between form and void, solidity and shadow.

Kim DiDonato is a visual artist newly arrived in Denver from Washington DC where her work was widely exhibited and collected. Edges and Echoes is her first solo show since moving to Colorado. Her dynamic art features landscape-inspired abstract imagery and expressive figurative work based on studio drawing sessions. She uses a variety of material approaches and techniques, including drawing, painting and sculpture.

Kathy Knaus – “Symbiosis: The Art of Living Together”
Kathy Knaus’ exhibition has emerged from a close examination of the word “symbiosis.” Symbiosis describes a relationship or interaction between two dissimilar organisms. In nature, there are many examples where organisms depend on each other to survive. Symbiotic relationships can serve as important indicators of the health of ecosystems. For instance, increasing ocean temperatures caused by climate change have severely damaged coral reefs, disrupting their delicate balances. Lichen offers a perfect example of symbiosis. It represents a mutual relationship between a fungus and a photosynthetic partner, typically an alga. This partnership allows lichens to thrive in diverse and often harsh environments, as the fungus provides structure and protection while the alga produces food through photosynthesis.

Knaus believes that observing how nature functions is a valuable exercise in understanding how society might be better conducted. These natural parallels are explored through her paintings. In today’s political climate, there is deep concern about the relationship between political parties. What occurs appears to be a highly destructive interaction. In nature, parasitism occurs when one organism benefits at the expense of another. This dynamic can be seen when political elites exploit their positions for personal gain. Parasitism is defined as a relationship where one species, the parasite, lives with, on, or in a host species, causing harm to the host. Society is currently experiencing a form of parasitism. While it may not immediately destroy institutions, it can weaken them over time. Both in nature and in politics, there is a need to return to a mutual symbiosis to heal and preserve the environment and society.

Tom Riedel – “Color Studies”
Riedel uses geometric shapes and hard-edged areas of color to create a meditative visual experience. Works are composed of hand-cut and layered pieces of illustration board and cardboard that are painted with acrylic and reassembled like puzzles into tiles arranged in grids. Each work is a color study that starts with a basic palette that evolves until the overall play of geometric design and color feels vibrant, interesting, and engaging. Color Studies explores the process of resolving color interactions and issues from initial palette selection through completion of individual works. While color studies help artists figure out in a preliminary way specific colors to use in larger works, Riedel sees initial palette selection as only the first step in an iterative process that might end up producing a palette altogether different from the initial one.

Exhibition Events:
Artist Reception: Friday, October 24, 6-9 pm
Halloween on Santa Fe: Friday, October 31, 6-9 pm
First Friday on Santa Fe: Friday, November 7, 6-9 pm
Last Look: Sunday, November 16, 11-4 pm

Banner Image: Kathy Knaus, “Bees and Flowers.”

Nijole Rasmussen’s creativity is profoundly influenced by the idea that Nature is the mother of all cycles. All forms on an empty canvas become a circle, a flow, a diagonal line. Rasmussen finds her North through the beauty of opposites and polarizations that create a whole. She still believes that the whole resides in the part. Duality is speaking loudly and clearly during her process of creation. Rasmussen states: “Color proclaims of infinite things - sky, soil, ocean, stone and sun, and moon.

Form whispers the limitations of my being and visually stimulates the cognitive side of my soul.  Art is the messenger of our changing seasons, and as cycles are circular and our earth is round, so our beginnings and ends come full circle too. Within my canvas, the circles don’t quite meet. What seems to be the end, is only the beginning of something new—to be discovered by the painter and hopefully by the viewer.”

Exhibition Events:
Artist Reception: Friday, October 24, 6-9 pm
Halloween on Santa Fe: Friday, October 31, 6-9 pm
First Friday on Santa Fe: Friday, November 7, 6-9 pm
Last Look: Sunday, November 16, 11-4 pm