Designs on Denver
Looking for locally made baubles or art to give for the holidays? Galleries and boutiques are hosting First Friday events tomorrow, and many will have designers and artists on hand to personalize the experience for shoppers.
• Arts at Denver, 1025 S. Gaylord St., will feature jewelry designer Holly Fillingham. She’s one of more than 30 Colorado artists represented at the gallery, which started in Silver Plume in 1991 and moved to Georgetown before relocating to Denver about three years ago. More than 200 pieces of original framed art are on display for the show, and a number of artists will attend the party from 5 to 8 p.m., says owner Paula Colette Conley. Info at 303-722-0422;
• The Women’s Bean Project hosts its annual holiday fair from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday through Sunday at 3201 Curtis St. In addition to its handmade jewelry, WBP will be selling its full line of products including soups, chili mixes, dips, spice rubs, salsas, baked-goods mixes, teas, coffee beans, sweets and gift baskets. The organization employs women, and teaches them to develop work and interpersonal skills. Seventy percent of the nonprofit’s revenue comes from product sales.More at 303-292-1919; .
Call of the wild
Menswear designer Robert Comstock, above, might be based in New York, but the biggest influences on his work are the outdoors and his Idaho roots. Whether canoeing on the Snake River or the Amazon headwaters, Comstock builds on experiences in nature as inspiration for his sportswear and outerwear designs for American men. Comstock’s high-end Signature collection is sold at fine men’s stores, such as Andrisen Morton in Denver and Weekends in Boulder, while a new, less-expensive line, Vertical by Robert Comstock, appeals to a broader market. Prices range from $65 to $500, and the collection is sold at the Dillard’s Park Meadows store, which hosts Comstock for a personal appearance from 10 a.m. to noon Friday. Dillard’s, 8415 Park Meadows Center Drive, 303-790-0100. More on the designer at .
The shoe fits
Kids who need shoes are the focus of Nordstrom’s Holiday Giving Tree program, through Dec. 24. Nordstrom stores are displaying a holiday tree with tags that customers can purchase for $20. Each tag purchased represents a local child who will receive a new pair of New Balance athletic shoes. Shoes That Fit, a national nonprofit organization, is working with schools to identify children who are most in need of the new footwear. The goal this year is to provide 12,000 pairs of shoes to children across the country.All Nordstrom stores are participating; .
