Denver’s Contemporary Art Gallery in Denver’s Art District on Santa Fe Hosts Two Solo Exhibitions by Lisa Calzavara and Suzanne Frazier
Located at 900 Santa Fe Drive, D’art Gallery hosts two concurrent solo exhibitions: “Shadows’ Breath” and “Boketto” by two member artists, Lisa Calzavara and Suzanne Frazier. The exhibition runs from Thursday, February 27 through Sunday, March 22, 2020. The two artists host an Opening Reception from 5–9 p.m. on Friday, February 28. The gallery is open on Friday, March 6 until 9 p.m. for First Friday in Denver’s Art District on Santa Fe. The artists host two more Artists’ Receptions on Friday, March 13 and Friday, March 20 from 5–9 p.m. Lisa Calzavara and Suzanne Frazier will give Artist Talks on their process and inspiration in creating their work on Saturday, February 29 at 1 p.m.
“Shadows’ Breath” – Solo Exhibition by Lisa Calzavara
Embracing the energy held deep within the shadows, Lisa Calzavara’s exhibition “Shadows’ Breath” features contemporary oil paintings and unique resin and clay sculptures.
With her paintings, Calzavara focuses on the rhythm of breathing, discovering the patterns of movement that are then infused into the landscapes she creates. The oil paintings reveal faint variations of light and color merging into fluid panoramic forms. Her resin and clay sculptures reflect the passion and energy created within the darkness. By exhibiting these two art forms together she is able to cohesively combine all elements using light and shadow as the focal point.
The body of work explores her vision of pushing beyond the limitations of traditional materials by manipulating liquid resin to create paintings and lightweight sculptures. Using a specialized bonding method, a clay base and resin are combined to create large distinctive wall sculptures in a variety of shapes and colors that complement the contemporary abstract paintings.
Although Lisa Calzavara continues to use her finance degree from Northern Illinois University, she finds her passion in being creative. She specializes in a variety of mediums, including encaustic, acrylic, resin, oil, and looks forward to new challenges as she pursues her innovative visions. Her work can be viewed at: http://www.aprettypainting.com/
“Boketto” – Solo Exhibition by Suzanne Frazier
For Suzanne Frazier, art is a vehicle for exploring the exterior and interior landscape of our existence on this planet.
Using the Japanese word, Boketto, meaning “gazing vacantly into the distance without thinking” to summarize her body of work, Frazier expresses her experience of zazen, a form of meditation practice. She calls herself a Contemplative Artist and defines contemplative art as “the product of creative expression rising from the pure joy of creating, grounded in a meditative connection to the radiance and perfection of spirit known only through one’s experience of being fully human.”
The body of work comprised of twelve textured oil paintings was created over a five year period. Each painting lives in its own place and time free from a particular association, reflecting back to the viewer a new way of seeing. The painting process begins with heavy application of oil paint with a pallet knife to create texture. After the layer of thick paint dries for nine months, Frazier begins to paint with a brush on the hard paint surface. After applying untold layers of paint to create unique colors, her interpretation of her heart-centered experience arrives on the canvas.
Suzanne Frazier combines a BFA degree in Studio Arts from the University of Colorado with a BA degree in Philosophy from Lake Erie College to create a philosophical/meditative approach to art-making. In 2015, Suzanne published the book, Contemplative Art describing her meditative painting process and definition for contemplative art. Her work can be viewed at https://suzannefrazierartist.com/
Gallery Hours: Thursday Noon to 5 p.m., Friday Noon to 9 p.m., Saturday Noon to 5 p.m., Sunday 1 to 4 p.m.