James Koehler’s meticulous, hand-dyed wool tapestries can be found in the collections of such institutions as the Denver Art Museum and Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Renwick Gallery.
The Santa Fe artist combines the geometric abstraction of Josef Albers (“Harmonic Oscillation XL”) and others with a meticulous, refined technique requiring as much as three months for him to complete one of his larger works.
A dozen of his tapestries from 2007-2009, including a sweeping work composed of six 4-by-2-foot panels, remain on view through Saturday in an exhibition at the Translations Gallery, 1743 Wazee St.
There is nothing especially edgy about these direct, relatively simple compositions, but it is hard not to be impressed by the amazingly nuanced gradations of color and Koehler’s impeccable craftsmanship.
While most of these works are purely abstract, a few suggest outside references. It is possible, for example, to discern a subtle mountain landscape amid the undulating bands in the red-hued “Harmonic Oscillation LXII.”
Hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. today and Saturday. Free. 303-629-0713 or . Kyle MacMillan
