Bitfactory Gallery Owner and Artist Bill Thomason knew he had met a kindred spirit, when he and fellow artist Jeff Velarde were both participating in a group show at Littleton’s Depot Art Gallery. Upon discussion they realized they had each voted on one another’s work to receive the best-in-show award. This mutual admiration ultimately led to the upcoming solo exhibition of Velarde’s detailed photo-realistic paintings at Bitfactory Gallery. City Beats, Light and Shadow, captures the unique magic of each major city he has visited for his day job as a commercial artist, and the imagined story of its subjects. The public is invited to the gallery for an opening reception July 16, 2021, 6-9 pm. Bitfactory Gallery is located at 851 Santa Fe Dr, and welcomes visitors Tuesday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., for the run of the show July 16 - August 12, 2021, and by appointment. Work can also be viewed and purchased online at Bitfactory.net.

Having grown up in the city, Velarde has always been inspired by the visual heartbeat of an urban setting. His paintings are set in places like Denver, New Orleans, New York, London, Paris, San Francisco, and more. His work is devoted to telling the story of everyday life around the world, seeking to capture the mood of the setting and transport the viewer into that environment. When there are people in the settings, he congers a story for the characters and tries to convey what they could be feeling. He aims to have his work be pleasing to the eye for its use of color, composition, and subject matter, but also to allow the viewer to glimpse a snapshot of the human condition.