Niza Knoll Gallery invited artists throughout the U.S. to submit recently created original artwork that depicts all manner of animals, real or imagined. The best of these submissions will be on exhibit in “The Animal Kingdom” from May 13 - June 12, 2022, at 915 Santa Fe Drive. The show was co-juried by local artists Brett Matarazzo and Michael Dowling who curated from over 300 submissions based on quality of work, while keeping in mind diversity of medium and subject matter. The result is a delightful array of art in a variety of media, featuring fish, elephants, horses, reptiles, birds, and many more! Some animals are represented realistically with others shown in abstracted or even fanciful versions.
The public is invited to view and purchase work during regular business hours Thursday - Sundays, 1-4 pm during the run of the show and during the following special events:
Friday, May 13, 5-8 pm – Opening Reception
Sunday, May 29, 11am-3pm – Sundays on Santa Fe Art Walk
Friday, June 3, 4-9 pm - First Friday Art Walk
Participating artists: Alice Abrams, Gretchen Acharya, Stephanie Aguilar, Florence Alfano McEwin, Steven Barger, Joy Bergeron, Lisa Bonilla Panter, Leo Compliment, Ashley Derrington, Minda Douglas, Kerri Eden, Cathy Engel-Marder, Beverly Fotheringham, Gayle Gerson, Monica Hokeilen, Phil Holmes, Jennifer Hughes, Mike Keene, Michelle Lamb, Leona Lazar, Timothy McKnight, Joy Redstone, Gary Reed, Camie Rigirozzi, Britt Ripley, Carolyn Root, Laura Rosenfeld, Sharon Schaffner, Lark Sundsmo, Harriette Tsosie and Valarie Wolf.
Co-Juror Brett Matarazzo is a veteran of Denver’s Art culture. He has spent the last 20 years developing a style for contemporary art and design that is uniquely repurposed, environmentally, and socially conscious with an experimental soul. He was brought up in Denver and graduated from the University of Denver with a BFA in Design and began his career in advertising/design. In the late 2000s he created urban pop-up galleries in unfinished spaces to showcase and emphasize the enviro-social message of his work. Brett is now passionately working to develop local business/artist collaborations to keep art in economically developing Denver communities. He is co-founder of BRDG Project, bring artist, gallery, and community together to create an accessible and unique space for contemporary expression.
Co-Juror and Co-Founder of BRDG Project, Michael Dowling is also a well-established Denver Artist. At age 25 Dowling began painting and studying art extensively later moving to Florence, Italy to focus on painting. He is represented in Colorado by K Contemporary, and by galleries in Chicago, LA, Miami, and Little Rock His work has been featured in the films “The Frame” and “Ink” and will be the focus artist on the upcoming showtime release “Devils”. Dowling has worked with and shown at Denver’s Museum of Contemporary Art, and Denver Art Museum, and has work in several private and public collections both nationally and throughout Europe.