Join us to meet the artists behind It’s a Wrap and Giving Voice as they discuss their process and inspiration behind their artwork. The artist talk starts at 6:30 PM.
It’s a Wrap is an immersive installation of soft sculptures created by Access Gallery artists during a 7 week residency with artist Nicole Banowetz. Exploring the idea of wrapping, binding, and covering, this exhibition is inspired by one of the most famous outsider artists, Judith Scott, whose fantastical soft sculptures were created in a Progressive Art Studio similar to Access Gallery's called Creative Growth. Artists also took inspiration from Christo and Jeanne Claude, Sheila Hicks, and Anton Alverez.
Nicole’s approach to teaching the artists began with exploring imagery from the microscopic world and nature. The group was drawn to imagery from deep underwater, and to the cyclical concepts of light and dark or life and death. They all worked together to create armatures within these themes using recycled materials which they bound together with masking tape. Finally they were re-wrapped, bound, and covered with a variety of fabrics and string.
Participating Artists: DILLPhoenix, Heather H., Jareth J. Charles and Skylar K.
Giving Voice is a program designed to empower youth living with disabilities to give voice to a social cause. The theme this year is bullying and the participants were asked about their personal experience, frustration, or hope about the topic. Working with a professional graphic designer, interns had the opportunity to experience being a client. They directed the design by sharing their thoughts about bullying while the designers listened closely to their stories and encouraged the bravery in their voices. These posters are the powerful results of the collaboration.
Since 2005, Access Gallery and AIGA Colorado have collaborated on this annual poster design program. The program matches graphic designers and teen artists with disabilities for a multi-session poster design and mentoring workshop, which culminates in a gallery exhibition.