Denver might not be a major national art center yet, but that doesn’t mean viewers cannot find lots of variety among the metropolitan area’s art offerings.
For evidence, look no further than three very different exhibitions on view in three disparate art districts, starting with “Domesticated,” running through June 30 at East End Applied Arts in Aurora.
This gallery, in the front of a converted warehouse, is not exactly swank, and that is a big part of its appeal. It has a rougher, alternative feel – the kind of defy-the-odds, upstart space that gives any art scene some needed dimension.
Kim Harrell, a first-rate silversmith who cut her teeth in the bustling London art world before returning to her native Denver, founded East End in December 2004. She chose an Aurora location because of the more affordable rents.
The gallery tends to emphasize the decorative or applied arts. But for this smart show, which deals with diverse facets of femininity, she invited a dozen mostly area artists working across a wide range of media.
While the resulting creations vary in quality like any group show, the offering works overall. Harrell brings a fresh eye to her selections, choosing less-exhibited and, in some cases, emerging artists – most with a distinctive aesthetic and sense of craftmanship.
A particular highlight are three small, multimedia collages by Patricia Miller of Denver that marry text and imagery in clever, telling ways, using highly skilled combinations of handmade paper, vintage clippings and other ephemera.
A good example is “More Bold Than You, More Blond Than Me,” its title a paraphrase of an E.E. Cummings stanza. Obviously influenced by Joseph Cornell, this witty piece uses unexpected juxtapositions to give new context to four photographic cut-outs of a showgirl arrayed across the foreground.
Other notable selections include tiny, delicate sculptures of handmade paper by up-and-coming Canadian textile artist Mildred Avendano; “Leaf Bodice,” a metal sculpture offering a pointed study in contrasts by Arabella Tattershall of Lafayette, and “Making a House a Home,” a hand-sewn, expertly executed collagraph by Melinda Laz of Denver.
Offering a considerably more upscale yet less structured environment for viewing art is Pismo Fine Art Glass, a massive Cherry Creek North enterprise that feels more like a high-end store than a conventional contemporary gallery.
Through Thursday, Pismo is presenting “It’s All About Beads II,” its second-annual installment of a show offering a dizzying barrage of hundreds of exquisitely handcrafted, extravagant glass beads and beadworks in every size, shape and color imaginable.
There are beads in flat, square and elongated teardrop forms – even beads that look like berries. While most are displayed individually or as jewelry, others are incorporated into sculptural works, ranging from bouquets of bead-covered flowers by Mario Rivoli to more involved undertakings.
The 50 or so artists in this exhibition come from across the United States and as far away as Japan, Germany and New Zealand. Among them is a contingent of Colorado residents, including Rivoli, Deborah Carlson, and John and Pati Walton.
Making a name for himself on the local art scene is Lucong, whose wall of 24 somber, sepia-toned portraits of prostitutes’ johns was a high point of an exhibition earlier this year at the Foothills Art Center.
The young Denver artist is back with an ambitious solo exhibition of female portraits – primarily large-scale close-ups – closing Saturday at Gallery 1261, a handsome, airy space in the Golden Triangle.
Lucong has such an abundance of talent that he is still trying to learn how to corral it and put it to best use. In some of the earlier pieces, such as “Farewell to Farah” (2005), he employed a prismatic style that was exaggerated to the point of distraction.
Fortunately, he has moved away from this approach in his latest efforts, such as “Cory” (2007), a transfixing upper-body portrait with a hushed palette. Like most of the other canvases, Lucong emphasizes the eyes and slightly enlarges the head for dramatic effect.
Fine arts critic Kyle MacMillan can be reached at 303-954-1675 or kmacmillan@denverpost.com.
Free shows: from Aurora to Cherry Creek
Here are details on the three exhibits:
“DOMESTICATED”|Multimedia works by 12 female artists mostly from Colorado|East End Applied Arts, 1556 Florence St., Aurora|FREE|11 a.m.-3 p.m. Wednesdays and 11 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays; through June 30; 720-203-3575 or eastendarts.com.
“IT’S ALL ABOUT BEADS II”|Hundreds of handmade beads and beadworks by 50 artists from the United States and abroad|Pismo Fine Art Glass, 2770 E. Second Ave.|FREE| 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Mondays through Wednesdays and Saturdays, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays and 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Sundays; through May 31; 303-333-2879 or pismoglass.com.
“LUCONG: SUPERFLUOUS” |Solo exhibition of portraits by Denver artist Lucong|Gallery 1261, 1261 Delaware St.|FREE|11 a.m.-6 p.m. Today and Saturday; 303-571-1261 or gallery1261.com.
