Denver Centric - December 2012/January 2013

denver|centric december 2012/january 2013

1543 A Wazee Street Denver, CO 80202 303.893.4234

www.davidbsmithgallery.com

Laura Ball Minotaur December 14, 2012 – January 19, 2013 Exhibition catalogue available

Laura Ball Progression (detail), 2012 water color and graphite on paper 40 x 26 in. (101.6 x 66 cm)

marcia weese pai ri ngs

N o v e m b e r 1 6 - Ja n u a r y 5 , 2 01 3

1 2 5 5 D e l a wa r e S t., D e n v e r, C o lo ra d o 8 0 2 0 4 3 0 3 . 5 73 .1 2 5 5 Pa i n t i n g s

g o o d w i n f i n e a r t . c om

P h o t o g ra p h y

S cu l p t u r e

Wo r k s o n Pa p e r

INTENTIONS

A show of artist prints / January 4 - February 2, 2013

Theresa Haberkorn

Rachel Basye

Elizabeth Rouland

Mark Lunning

Coming in February a show of works by Niza / February 9 - March 23, 2013

Niza Knoll

knoll gallery niza

915 Santa Fe Drive / Denver, Colorado 80204

303-953-1789 / nizak@mac.com / www.nizaknollgallery.com

Priscilla Fowler Contemporary Biomorphism Denver, Colorado http://www.priscillafowler.com 719.371.5640

CARMEN WIEDENHOEFT GALLERY

Winter Wonderland and Out of the Woods by Derek Cracco, Mixed Media on Panel, 59”x 43.5” and 62”x 43.5”

IDENTITY opens January 18 Derek Cracco’s work investigates masculine and feminine archetypes, and the roles idealized men and women play within our fantasies. He uses collaged ephemera, such as romance novels, fifties pin ups, and men’s health magazines to explore society’s fantasies and fascination with identity and romance. The imagery challenges the viewer to consider the ideals promoted by these pulp publications, and to compare them with the realities of their own lives and concepts.

Exhibition dates: Jan. 18 - Feb. 22, 2013.

Opening: Fri, Jan. 18, 2013 from 6-9pm

contemporary art

www.carmenw.com 3542 Walnut Street Denver, CO 80205 p: 303 351 1251 Open Thur - Sat 1-6 and by appointment

denver centric magazine

14 | onview van gogh at dam

December 2012 -January 2013

contents

16 | onview sharon feder 17 | onview rule gallery

50 | space editor william biety

18 | art laura guese

52 | design vintage renewal

20 | art jeffrey keith

54 | lifestyle sushumna chocolat

22 | art brenda stumpf

56 | fineart starting a collection

24 | art john wilbar 26 | jewelry andrea li

Orchid Friendly Colorado 29

A Sanctuary in the City 32

James Dulin shares his love for the flowers and explains how they flouish

The Awaken Healing Center is a dream come true

After “The End� 34

A Roadtrip through Europe 40

Marta Soul places classic film characters in new environments

Laura Grier chronicles her journey in words and stunning photos On the cover: Enchanted Break Painting by Laura Gruese

8 denver centric dec 2012/jan 2013

See article on page 18

denvercentric.com

Andy Berg

Recent Paintings rulegallery.com

l.a.contributors He at her Hol d e n

Wi l l i am Bie t y William Biety will be an ongoing contributor to Denver Centric in a column called “SpaceEditor” in which he will write about different aspects of his work and how to look with new eyes at what is around you.

Ast r id O v i de o C l ark My own journey has lead me to ask, ‘what is healing?’, ‘what is illness?’, ‘what are we all looking for and what does the world need that I can provide?’. The more I explored, the more fascinating my discoveries became, and by accepting my own truth, the more vibrant the world around came to be. Having been trained as a massage therapist, and before that studying art, dance and working in a real estate – I found myself still searching for answers. One New Year’s I declared to the universe I was willing to travel the world to train with the right teachers. I came across Alberto Villoldo’s book ‘Dance of the Four Winds’ and discovered he teaches the ancient medicine of the Peruvian healers and joined The Four Winds Society, Healing The Light Body Program.

My training didn’t stop there; it went on to The BodyTalk System, Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy, Pre-Natal Doula, Hot Stone Cold Marble, Reiki Healing, and Access Consciousness.

I have fulfilled a dream that will allow me to continue on the path of learning, sharing and creating the World as a vision of health, community and connectedness with the Earth.

For info about Heather Holden’s practice go to awakenbodywork.com

L au ra Gr ie r

Astrid Oviedo Clark runs an art advisory firm that helps individuals build their art collections. She has worked in the art world for over 20 years, beginning as an archivist for Leo Castelli, the greatest art dealer of the post-War period.

She has curated museum exhibitions and lectured on fine art. She previously worked at Gagosian Gallery in New York and Christopher Grimes Gallery in Los Angeles. Her film, Art Advisory, assists discerning individuals build and maintain museum quality collections of Post-Impressionist, Modern and Contemporary Art. The result is a collection defined by her clients personal taste and representative of the most important works available in their areas of interest as supported by in-depth market analysis, scholarly research and real art world experience. Currently based in Los Angeles, AOC works with collectors across the United States and internationally. In the New York museum world, she co-curated, “Fashion is a Verb” at the Museum of F.I.T, was an exhibition planning assistant for “Jacob Riis” at the Museum of the City of New York, and an exhibitions research assistant at the Guggenheim Museum for “Robert Rauschenberg: A Retrospective,” the most comprehensive exhibition of the artist’s work ever organized.

She lectured at the Museum of Modern Art and taught undergraduate classes at Hunter College and the School of Visual Arts.

O n t he C ove r

denver centric magazine

Pub l isher & Editor

Richard Kalisher SPACE Editor:

William Biety

F o od & T ravel Editor :

Justine Freeman

Art Collecting Columnist :

Astrid Oviedo Clark

C ont ribu t ing Editor s: L orn a Umph re y Mi ch el l Ne w man Man d an a Yamin

C ont ribu t ing W riter s: C h ri sti n e Bu ch sb aum Jam e s D u li n L aur a Gri er He at h er Hol d en C op y Editor Ron S amps on

Adve r t is i ng In for mat ion : R i chard Ka l ishe r | 5 6 1 -542- 6028 a dve r t is i ng@ d e nve rc e nt r ic. com Submissions - D enver C ent r ic on ly accepts e-mai l submissions. Ple as e s end stor y ide as, complete d f ic t ion, ar t, and photos to submi ssions@denvercentr ic.com or v isit our website for more det ai ls.

Ple as e note t hat a resp ons e may t a ke 2 mont hs.

She has worked freelance for a variety of media giants like Warner Bros. Studios, National Geographic, and Wire Image.

Presently, Laura is a Los Angeles based photojournalist, and the founder and present owner of Beautiful Day Photography: beautifuldayphotography.com

© 2 0 1 2 R . K . Graph i c s / C it y C e nt r ic Me di a .

A l l R i g ht s R e s e r ve d.

L au r a Gr ue s e

Enchanted Break, oil on canvas, 56 x 56.

10 denver centric dec 2012/jan 2013

Eric Kalisher

Conception • Design • Editor-at-large

denveronview

Becoming Van Gogh, an in-depth exploration of Vincent van Gogh’s unconventional path to becoming one of the world’s most recognizable artists, will be on view at the Denver Art Museum through January 20, 2013. The exhibition examines critical steps in the largely self-taught artist’s evolution through more than 70 paintings and drawings by Van Gogh, along with works by artists he responded to. Organized by the DAM and curated by Timothy J. Standring, Gates Foundation Curator of Painting and Sculpture at the DAM and Louis van Tilborgh, Senior Researcher of Paintings at Amsterdam’s Van Gogh Museum, Becoming Van Gogh brings together loans from more than 60 public and private collections from across Europe and North America to tell the story of a number of key formative periods throughout the artist’s career.

“This is a unique opportunity for our audience to discover how Van Gogh arrived at his iconic style and gain new insights into his influences,” said Christoph Heinrich, Frederick and Jan Mayer Director of the DAM. “We are thrilled to bring together an exhibition that will give visitors new insight into one of the world’s greatest artists.”

By focusing on the various stages of Van Gogh’s artistic development, Becoming Van

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VAN GOGH AT DAM

Gogh illustrates the artist’s initial foray into mastering draftsmanship, understanding the limitations and challenges of materials and techniques, learning to incorporate color theory and folding a myriad of influences, including other artists, into his artistic vocabulary.

No other exhibition has focused so intensely on Van Gogh’s personal growth and progression in his journey toward his own personal style.

Becoming Van Gogh will take visitors on a journey through the artist’s stylistic development via his dramatic paintings and drawings.

Throughout each section, critical developments in his personal style are called out, illustrating how Van Gogh’s well-known signature form developed. The exhibition begins with a focus on how Van Gogh imbued his early works with energy and verve as he strove to master drawing with graphite, ink and washes; how he begin to understand color with watercolor paintings; and how he began to test his skill with oils on canvas. Van Gogh turned all of his creative energies towards mastering the tools that would enable him to render the visual world as he saw it by learning as much as he could about the formal elements of art, color theory, painting techniques, compositional methods and more.

Visitors will see Van Gogh’s artistic maturation through works created after his arrival in Paris. His Parisian period, from 1886 to 1888, is perhaps the crucial period of his professional career because his artistic temperament shifted from works focused on social subject matter to works driven largely by aesthetic and artistic concerns.

This, the heart of the exhibition, is the period when he strove to attain a considerable degree of artistic self-confidence by responding to the stylistic and ideological shifts of the Parisian art world happening at the same time.

During this eventful two-year period, Impressionism mounted its eighth–and last– official group exhibition, Seurat startled the world at the annual exhibition Salon des Indépendants with his use of divisionism in the painting Un Dimanche après-midi à l'Île de la Grande Jatte, Signac and Pissarro followed

his example with a softened variant known as pointillism, Bernard launched a salvo of synthetism and Toulouse-Lautrec recorded the bohemian culture of Montmartre.

Acutely aware of these avant-garde trends and working closely with artists such as Émile Bernard and Paul Signac, Van Gogh both ex-

perimented with and eventually transformed these styles into something wholly personal and unique. During this time Van Gogh met and interacted with many of these artists, all of whom are represented by significant works in the exhibition.

“This exhibition demonstrates Van Gogh’s conscious decision to commit himself as an artist,” said exhibition curator Timothy Standring, pointing out that the man best known for his paintings also tried out other careers–including an assistant art dealer and minister. “His work was systematic and rational as he sought to arrive at his personal style, not simply the result of emotional outbursts of creativity.”

Becoming Van Gogh is a special ticketed exhibition. An audio guide is available for an additional fee. For information or to purchase tickets to the show, please visit VanGoghDenver.com or denverartmuseum.org

Vincent van Gogh: (opposite page from top) Self-Portrait with Straw Hat, 1887, Van Gogh Museum Amsterdam; Head of Gordina de Groot, 1885, image courtesy of Eykyn Maclean, LP; Peasants planting potatoes, 1884, Collection Kröller-Müller Museum, Otterlo, the Netherlands. (this page, clockwise from top) La Guinguette in Montmartre, 1886, Musee d’Orsay, Paris, France. Réunion des Musées Nationaux / Art Resource, NY, Photo: Gérard Blot; Road in Etten, 1881. Robert Lehman Collection, 1975, Art Resource, NY, © The Metropolitan Museum of Art; Wheatfield with Sheaves, 1888, Honolulu Academy of Arts, gift of Mrs. Richard A. Cooke and Family in memory of Richard A. Cooke.

dec 2012/jan 2013 denver centric 15

denveronview

SHARON FEDER

TOPOLOGIES The works in Sharon Feder’s latest exhibition, “Topologies”, are an extension of the artist’s previos six years of work. Here Feder expands her study of space and place and the interplay between them. These powerful, large scale panels are composed of multi-dimensional planes that build and break apart, fractal views into the larger world. Reflective of Feder’s own philosophy, these paintings demonstrate that the choices we make in each moment eventually determine how our visual world is structured.

When asked about her work, Feder says, “Humanity is archival, like the strata that compose the earth beneath us. Our structures and art, superfund sites to cathedrals, exist because of us. The things we create form layers upon the earth, reflecting humankind, interwoven with the natural world that birthed us. We make the marks we make, like the creases in one's face, witnessing and demonstrating the story of each life. We won't be here forever. We can't be. It is not tragic.

The paintings in this series, ‘Topologies,’ ask

(above) “Topologies" installation image at Ironton Gallery (from left) Building No. 30, 48” x 72”, oil on panel, 2012; Building No. 29, 36” x 48”, oil on panel, 2012; Split, 80” x 60”, oil on panel, 2012.

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questions: what will the layers of our own existence look like in one hundred years, in one hundred thousand years? Will our leavings appear gem-like, as petrified dinosaur droppings; provide essential fuel to some distant descendants; or when excavated, simply disappear into the air? Our choice is whether to exist in fear or to see our existence as a celebration of our existence. Life is archival.”

Sharon Feder’s “Topologies” is on view at Ironton Studios & Gallery through Jan 12.

RULE GALLERY When I first heard about, "The SMALL Masterpiece" exhibition at Rule Gallery, I was intrigued by the concept: small in scale artwork by a variety of represented artists and invited guests. Curator and gallery owner Robin Rule selected a handful of gems for this show.

Sandy Skoglund's Eyeflakes Tucker, a ceramic, snowflake-shaped sculpture, with a projected image of a dog's eye in the center. The piece combines elements of nostalgia, while the object itself is formally stunning and beautifully crafted.

Kristen Sink's, Collodion wetplate photograph Jillian Neck depicts a haunting image of a woman clos-

The SMALL Masterpiece ing her eyes. Kristin uses a unique photographic process whereby her subjects are encouraged to sit still for several seconds in order for the image to remain in focus. In and out of focus the Jillian Neck portrait provides a certain classical feeling that is mysterious and alluring.

On another spectrum of media entirely, Mary Ehrin's Juicy Tangerine are ostrich feather sculptures that are raw in simplicity and rich in color.

With a puff of air these sculptures will change direction. Like a cascading waterfall, the feathers are in constant motion. While the work is sophisticated, it provokes your childlike imagination. Clark Richert's Pentangle is the

quintessential piece in the exhibition.

This stunning geometric color field painting is almost impossible to step way from. As you move around it, forms and colors activate as though you are looking into a kaleidoscope.

"The SMALL Masterpiece" showcase a plethora of talented artists. Rule Gallery says, "Each piece produces its own palpable energy, making for an experiential and visceral exhibition."

Although the selected works are small in size, collectively the pieces work together for an outstanding show.

— Christine Buchsbaum The Small Masterpiece will be on view at Rule Gallery through January 12, 2013

(clockwise from top left) Valerie Photogoddess, The Deep End, 2012, pigmented ink print, 10x10”; Sandy Skoglund, Eyeflakes Tucker, 2011-12, handmade stoneware fired clay with white glaze, 13-15” diameter; Clark Richert, Pentangle, 2012, archival inkjet print, 20x20”; Ellen Yeiser, Diverge, 2012, pigmented ink print on aluminum, 11x16.5”.

dec 2012/jan 2013 denver centric 17

denver.art

As a Colorado native, artist Laura Guese has always been endlessly fascinated by the sky. She is best known for her large-scale atmospheric paintings that reflect the emotional, therapeutic qualities of the sky. Growing up under the vibrant and ever-changing skies of her native state has forever inspired her to paint starting from an early age. Despite continually being centered on the expressive qualities of sky, Laura’s work has been constantly evolving and growing, pushing and exploring the idea of the emotive aspects of atmosphere further.

In her most recent series of oil paintings, Laura is focused on building thunderheads viewed at higher elevations. The work evokes feelings of peace and tranquility, transporting the viewer to a more dreamlike setting.

“In this hectic, fast-paced world, I search for simple moments of peace. I am infinitely intrigued by the idea of being away from it all, lost in a place of hopeful tranquility. For this reason, I am inspired to paint surreal skies viewed at higher elevations.” Laura says from her studio at the Dry Ice Factory, in Denver, Colorado. “My paint-

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LAURA GUESE

ings are places of my imagination. I find my work the most honest and authentic when I create from a feeling or an image in my mind’s eye.” Laura’s work is highly imaginative, yet at the same time it is reminiscent of flying above the clouds, allowing the viewer to feel weightless and free.

Laura’s most recent series of paintings is centered on the idea of hope and reaching toward the unattainable. Her love for travel sparked the concept for this new series, drawing inspiration from the view out an airplane window. However, the work is executed with a more surreal, otherworldly style. The end result is an entirely different and unique approach to the subject matter of sky. “Many of my paintings contain building thunderheads viewed at higher atmospheric levels, surreal and fortress-like. My work embodies the concept of “castles in the sky,” or striving toward the impossible. The clouds have sharp edges similar to the harsh exteriors of castles, yet they still evoke a certain cloudy softness and luminescence. I’m captivated by the idea of attempting the impossible because I believe anything is truly possible. It is through my paint-

ings I wish to pass on to the viewer a moment of endless hope and serenity.” The contrast between massive thunderheads being almost intangible and ethereal, yet appearing so concrete and strong adds further interest and dimension to her work. “I love the visual contradiction of the thunderhead cloud. It looks so solid and substantial, but it is really just water vapor in the atmosphere. I find that contradiction fascinating.” Laura proposes a new way of seeing sky and atmosphere, as a type of landscape that is distinctive and surreal.

Her paintings are deeply rooted in color, emotion and therapy. Laura’s paintings have been collected by hospitals such as Children’s Hospital in Aurora, CO, Parker Adventist Hospital in Parker, CO, and Oakbend Medical Center in Richmond, TX, specifically for their healing and therapeutic qualities. “I envision the viewer in a more peaceful, dreamlike setting, away from worries and anxieties to a landscape of brilliance and promise,” says Laura. It is easy to become lost in her large-scale paintings that engulf the viewer in a moment of serenity, which

is an important artistic goal for Laura. “I want to transport the viewer to a better place, and leave them feeling optimistic and at ease. I would love for the viewer to forget their problems for a moment when looking at my work.”

In addition to her work being in the collection of several hospitals, Laura’s paintings can also be found in many public, corporate and private collections throughout the country such as the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, CO, Northwestern Mutual in Milwaukee, WI, as well as Hilton Hotels. Laura has exhibited her paintings in solo and group exhibitions throughout the United States, and she has been awarded artist residencies with the Ucross Foundation of Clearmont, WY, Jentel Artist Residency of Banner WY and Brush Creek Arts Foundation of Saratoga, WY. Most recently, Laura was awarded a residency with Centre d’art CAMAC, in Marnay-sur-seine, France, with a grant from the Foundation Ténot. She has spent time painting in Europe, the Lesser Antilles, Mexico, North Carolina, and the western United States. She always requests a window seat.

dec 2012/jan 2013 denver centric 19

denver.art

JEFFREY KEITH

COCONUT BOAT, 1970-1983 In the 1970s, whenever I could, I fled the New England winters to visit my dad’s retirement home in Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands.

Coconuts are plentiful on the island, and under the forty foot palm trees the beaches were littered with the fibrous, dried coconut husks that cover and protect the inner nut until it is ripe. When the coconuts fall and the husks split open, they usually come apart in three roughly symmetrical pieces. Looking at these brown, V-shaped sections baking in the sun, lodged in rippling white sand, it struck me how much they resembled the hulls of ships bouncing in the waves.

When I was very young, I enjoyed making rough toys and other play-things from whatever I found in and around the house and in the garage. I used shirt cardboard, shoe boxes, wood scraps, odd plumbing and electrical parts, and, of course, paint. Growing up, my family spent summers on Cape Cod, and in the attic of the old house there were wooden sailboat models that my dad had built and played with when he was a boy. The sails and rigging were gone, but the hulls and spars were, for the most part, still intact. I spent hours re-rigging the boats and sailing them in the shallow water. After discovering the coconut husks on the beaches of Virgin Gorda, I was soon at the dumping ground out by the old copper mine, scrounging around in the trash for promising bits that might find a second life as a keel, cabin, spar, or some other piece of

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my growing fleet of coconut boats.

In the beginning, I had only two rules. First, the boats had to work. They had to float upright and actually sail. That was the primary goal. Second, just to keep it interesting, I decided that I would never make two boats alike. That is to say, once I was able to construct a successful sailboat of one type of rig, I would have to move on and try to tackle a different set-up. And so it went from sloop to yawl to ketch, to dhow, Marconi main, gaff-rigged catboat, etc., etc. It was only after several years of making functional sailboats that I allowed myself to branch out and play around with making other kinds of water-craft, such as tugs, fishing scows, pleasure boats, and the like.

The trick with the sailing models was to find the right combination of coconut hull and chunk of metal that could serve as a keel and properly balance the boat. Rudders for steerage were often made our of folded tin can lids, sails from discarded undershirts that had seen better days, and masts, booms and sprits from whatever clean, strong sticks I could find. Everything was either fitted together and glued, or sewn and knotted by hand. There were many unsuccessful and rather ugly contraptions that never got farther than the bottom of the kitchen sink. But every now and then, I would hit just the right balance and find myself swimming as fast as I could to catch a particularly fast boat trying to make a get-away.

denver.art

Known for her abstract and intricate use of nontraditional materials, Brenda Stumpf 's work is pervaded with mythic and historic figures, sacred texts, and alchemy. Steeped with both intensely personal and archetypal associations, her art reveals dichotomous relationships between virility and delicateness, immovability and transformation, past and present, and fundamentally corporeal and spiritual. Stumpf works intuitively, rarely sketching or planning, and changes materials and media to flood the creative process with new perspectives. Catalysts for these changes constellate with the artist's ceaseless intrigue for the unknowable, the unseen, the ancient, and the esoteric.

Brenda Stumpf, born in Parma, Ohio, studied at the Columbus College of Art and Design from 1991 to 1993. Her work has been included twice in both The International Assemblage Artist Exhibition in Berlin, Germany, and The Midyear Exhibition at The Butler Institute of Amer-

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BRENDA STUMPF

ican Art. Jerry Saltz, art critic for New York Magazine, juried her scuplture in the group exhibition “Taboo” at Studio Montclair. In 2009 her work was selected for the Colorado Art Open, juried by Christoph Heinrich, director of the Denver Art Museum, and Michael Chavez, the former curator of the Foothills Art Center.

Stumpf has shown extensively in Denver, including solo exhibitions at Walker Fine Art and Ironton Gallery. Stumpf ’s work has been featured in the Pittsburgh Tribune Review, Scene Magazine, Cleveland Plain Dealer, Free Times, Rocky Mountain News, Westword, and the Denver Post. Her work resides in public collections, which include St. Vincent Charity Hospital, Trinity Cathedral, The Ellet Library, and Eastern New Mexico University, as well as in over 250 private collections.

(clockwise from top left) And the Roots Came Searching for Me, wax, paper from steeped tea bags, shavings from PVC pipe, table leg, chopping block, fabric, acrylic paint and matte medium, 58.5x14x14”; For Lady Amalthea, wax, pigment, gourd, rubber bands, conductor's baton, lace, copper shavings and dried flowers, 11.5x21x8”; Stela, ax, pigment, paper from steeped tea bags, tulle, scrabble tiles, wood and metal objects, dirt and matte medium. 36.5x6.25x6.25”

Be Green Buy Vintage Buy Handmade

RENEWAL

W W W.V I N T A G E R E N E WA L . C O M

denver.art

JOHN WILBAR

Education and training in architectural design has influenced the style and spirit of my artwork; each work is characterized by the intersection of graceful radius form and structural mass. My sculptural design is a visual study concerning the relationships of color with light and shade with shadow. I design sculpture as a continuous form that features geometric abstractions and a depth of field that one can visually step into. The visual perspective of my artwork changes completelyas one moves around the sculpture, and each piece features a neverending visual display of shapes and nanticipated sculptural surprise.

Bold colors enhance the interplay of structure with light, thus, shade and shadow constantly reconfigure in a polished sculptural composition.

My family settled in southern Colorado many years ago and my work is

24 denver centric dec 2012/jan 2013

reflective of the sky, land-forms, and the industrial imprint found on the high prairie. The cascade of molten steel, steel cable at work, or the forms of gears and pulleys used in heavy industry are the basic shapes of my artwork. The shape and forms found in machinery, simplified and polished, are integral to the process of a completed design.

I have been a self-employed artist/ designer in Pueblo, Colorado, for the last twenty-five years. I have adapted wood/fiberglass techniques and materials from the construction trades to produce artwork that is lightweight and structurally sound without the cost or weight of steel. In my studio I produce work ranging from a small table up to sculpture nine feet in height.

For public art work over nine feet in height, I provide the design drawings and specifications to a local company for fabrication in steel.

the sky is the limit

Contemporary Jewelry Design visit: objectdesignstudio.com Object Design Studio. 290 Fillmore Street, Denver, CO 80206. 303-377-1701

denver.jewelry

Andrea Li has been designing jewelry for ten years. She developed a taste for the beautiful and unusual by her weariness of the homogenized market of products that do nothing to promote individuality.

Unconventionality has always been central to her work, but just as important as pushing creative boundaries is the grounding of that avant-garde attitude to something attainable and familiar. She believes that jewelry aside from adornment should be personal, A reflection of the qualities that she her work apart.

Self-taught, Andrea Li has refined her art by taking basic concepts and adding many layers of extrapolation. The element of sublimation in her work over the years is what gives her jewelry its complexity and interesting context. She exercises a hands-on approach to the entire process, from the buying and conceptualization to the fabrication of each piece. Hand selecting all the gemstones that will be incorporated in her work with a discriminating eye for the uncommon

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ANDREA LI

ensures that all her pieces take on an exceptional quality. Andrea never sketches her designs before the process of creation begins, letting the stones dictate the direction. The process is precise and intentional, yet very organic at the same time. Her sculptural designs are impossible to replicate, resulting in one-ofa-kind pieces of art.

Andrea Li's new line takes an unexpected and uniquely delicate direction. The rough textures of rock crystal and druisy complement the polished facets of gemstones beautifully. Each exclusive piece is designed to be extremely wearable and versatile. The depth of the gemstone clustering is accented by the glittering assortment and variation of stones used in each piece.

The sculptural qualities of each cluster lends to the asymmetrical design philosophies that is signature to Andrea Li. The wide range of designs

give many options for even the most discerning woman to choose from. Interesting details such as the use of sliced agates as links, and a variety uncommon chain styles reflect the individuality of each wearer. Each piece being one-of-a-kind ensures the rarity — and is certain to start conversations during the next night out, at the office, gallery opening, or wherever there is a need to be uniquely confident.

Shana M Zimmerman

Gayle’s Gallery 30x40 Oil

El Centro

102 E. Water Street Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501 505-988-2727 info@joewadefineart.com www.joewadefineart.com

shanazimmerman.com

shanazimmerman@gmail.com

520-620-0236

DESIGN

JOHN

WILBAR SCULPTURE • FURNITURE

WWW.JOHNWILBAR.COM

Red Radius / sculpture: 8.3’h x 5’.4’w x 4’d

Hall Table 44 / 32"h x 44"l x 18"w

Red Coffee Table / 32"dia. x 18"h

222 West Abriendo Avenue | Pueblo, Colorado 81004 | 719-542-1370

www.johnwilbar.com John Deaux Art Gallery | 221 South Union Avenue | Pueblo, Colorado 81004 | www.johndeauxartgallery.com

ORCHID FRIENDLY COLORADO

By James Dulin

What comes to mind when you hear the word Orchid? For some, it’s an aromatic fragrance or flavor (like vanilla), while others cant help but visualize vibrant color. Orchids can represent a memory, or hold a mystique and a level of wonderment. As these fascinating plants have seen a dramatic growth in popularity over the last decade, there’s a good chance that you yourself have succumb to the seductive spell of these stunning plants.

My interest in orchids happened quite by accident. After learning about the extreme lengths people go to photograph and obtain tissue cultures, I expressed an interest in orchids. I was gifted my first orchid, a gorgeous Lady’s Slipper orchid, on my twenty-third birth day, and I was hooked. I quickly formed an amazing collection of some of the most beautiful orchids. I started educating myself, and couldn’t seem to ever sat-

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isfy my need to find out more about them. As my knowledge grew, it became clear just how blessed I was to live in Colorado.

Most people would not associate Colorado with orchid growing. Many things, however, make Colorado the perfect place to grow orchids. Outside of the 29 species of wild orchid that call Colorado home, so too does a considerably large network of amateur growers, collectors, and backyard greenhouse enthusiasts.

Whether in a giant commercial green house or at home on a windowsill, Orchidists are attracted to Colorado for a host of different reasons.

Without a doubt, the most important is Denver’s abundance of sunshine.

Denver’s location in relationship to the mountains, as well as our weather patterns, supply us with an amazing amount of long, sunny summer days. With this surplus of sunlight,

Colorado orchidists see accelerated growth in their plants during summer. During these months, plants become larger, stronger, healthier, and more vibrant than can be achieved in other places. Orchid plants respond not only to the intensity of the light they are given, but also to the length of time they are exposed to it. Colorado summer days are ideal for superior foliage growth. However, it’s not long before our climate will begin to change. This, too, can mean good things for orchid growers. The Front Range goes through extreme climate changes, and dramatic shifts in daylight patterns during the winter. For our orchids at home this is heaven sent. Despite our climate controlled home, orchids are still able to pick up on subtle nuances and changes in the outside environment. Deviations in the lengths of day light, variations of day and night time temperatures, and descending levels of rel-

ative ambient humidity can all be triggers that cause orchids to go through their own natural cycles. In most cases these fluctuations cause orchids to go from a vegetative growth cycle in summer to a blooming and flowering phase in fall and winter. Learning how to take advantage of the design and layout of our homes can be just a rewarding as watching your orchids thrive.

In Colorado it is recommended that you place your orchids in an east-facing window.

Morning sunlight is not too intense; it warms up your plants from their evening temperatures without burning the foliage from excessive heat.

If you place an orchid in a southerly facing window, ample shade should be given, either by a shade tree or a drapery. Extended periods of exposure to direct sunlight can cause serious foliage burn. Water should be given regularly in the morning, every five to seven days, never al-

lowing the plant to sit in standing water. Again, taking advantage of Colorado’s arid climate, let your orchids almost completely dry out between watering. Remember, it is always easier to overwater an orchid than to under water one. Orchids carry a mystique that they are demanding plants that require constant care; this couldn’t be further from the truth. “A little neglect goes a long way” has always been my motto when it comes to orchid care. Characteristically, orchids are not plants that are fond of extremes. Excessive water, sunlight, and humidity are all dangerous to them. So to is extreme care. Place your plants where they will be happy and let them be.

Enjoy your orchids and don’t fuss with them.

The rewards of growing orchids are a numerous as orchid species themselves, as orchids make up the largest family of blooming plants.

With over 1200 genera, close to 35,000 known

species, and potently over a million registered hybrids, there seems no end to orchids beauty and magic. With such a vast diversity in magnificence, it is easy to become fascinated, and it is that childlike sense of wonderment that will continue to attract and charm new orchid lovers here in beautiful Colorado.

James Dulin is the owner of Enthropic Orchids, Denver's premier supplier of live blooming orchid plants. We specialize in blooming Orchid plants and orchid accessories. We carry a wide variety of Oncidium intergenerics,Phalaenopsis, Paphiopedilum, Dendrobium, Cattleya, Vanda, and species orchid plants. Working with a small niche of farms in Hawaii who have very unique growing conditions allows our plants to set the highest of standards in product beauty, health, and quality. Our family-run Denver shop is located at 869 Santa Fe Dr.

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A Sanctuary in the City

BY HEATHER HOLDEN

“Sometimes a dream comes true, a moment when life experience actualizes, and seeds planted take root. And by answering the call, the experience in turn grows you.” — Heather Holden Awaken Healing Center is located in a Victorian mansion built in 1896, near prosperous City Park and what was once the Denver Public Library, now East High School. Once known as “mansion row,” the 180-year old neighborhood has a sense of nobility and time-tested longevity. Many of the mansions disappeared when commercial zoning came to Colfax; this elegant building, once a boarding house, has remained.

A true Eden in the city, Awaken redefines the feel of rejuvenation — a welcomed escape from the cold clinics and office buildings. Guests are welcomed to their urban sanctuary by a bubbling

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water fountain in a courtyard surrounded by an orchard of fruit trees, grape vines, and roses, thereby creating a haven for the community where possibilities are nurtured and healing is discovered.

My healing practice began here in 2005, when I was renting one of the rooms in this auspicious dwelling, formerly known as The Nutritional Therapy Institute. I found something special about this property, so central to Denver and, at the same time, so serene.

The idea of establishing a healing center occurred overtime like a collective radio station, waiting for the opportune person to tune in and perhaps materialize the vision. In the spring of 2012, as everything came together, I bought the building. The Awaken Healing Center represents the merging of healing, wisdom, community, and teaching.

With the help of contractor Mark Manhart of Manhart Designs, LLC, four months of renovation went into honoring the legacy and era of the building’s history. There are five entrances to the property. The building consists of seven office suites on the first and second floors, a top floor loft apartment, and a sub-garden floor with two suites (each featuring two treatment rooms), a separate classroom building, and a travelers bed and breakfast. All of these elements combine to fulfill the vision of an integrated center. All of the historical features of the building were saved, including the original hardwood floors, which were refinished with a dark plum stain for a more modern look, revealing the character found in the history of the wood.

The bed and breakfast suite is now listed online at www.AirBnb.com/rooms/548897. This Photos by Lee Stonehouse Photography.

way a traveler can stay at the healing center, enjoy the tranquility of a garden, book a healing session, and give or take a class or workshop.

The sub-garden level was given a magical facelift and all mechanical systems were updated. Stone walls and ceilings were rebuilt with soft sand color, and the floor refinished in an antique-white epoxy paint with gold mica finishing flakes.

Awaken Healing Center is home to collection of independent professionals trained in various modalities: rolfing and structural alignment, bodywork and massage, intuitive coaching, reiki, thai yoga, hot stone, ashiatsu, cranial sacral, naturopathic medicine, bodytalk, and shamanic healing. Artist and sustainable zero-waste fashion designer Baily Rose (www.bailyrose.com) resides on the top floor and occasionally show-

cases her fashion performances in the garden space, along other events, performances, and gatherings at the center.

Awaken Healing Center is looking for practitioners who share the vision to create the future of medicine and healing for the world. We plan to offer memberships for daily treatment room rentals for those stepping into the holistic healing field for the first time, practing part-time, or needing a second office for an established practice that need a central location in the city. Please come visit. You will be amazed at the possibilities!

As a part of Denver’s growing cultural scene, Awaken offers community workshops, events, and classes. Recent events include: a creative mastermind course for entrepreneurs, a Bodytalk Access workshop, and a guided nutritional fall cleanse. In October there was a music concert

withsinger-songwriter Ayla Nereo and guest Laura Goldhammer, as well as a Halloween costume party, and a film documentary series.

Awaken Healing Center is a sanctuary in the city, a place that inspires us to reconnect with ourselves, our natural instincts, to explore the wondrous spiritual questions of why we are here and be the conscious light for others in our sphere of influence.

Please join our facebook community page www. facebook.com/awakenhealingcenter to see upcoming events, and visit our website as it evolves. www. awakenhealingcenter.com. Meet with one of the brilliant holistic practitioners, join one of our classes or events, book a stay at the traveler’s suite, or spread the word to someone you may know who is looking for that unique home for their practice.

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AFTER “THE END”: CLASSIC MOV

Photography by Marta Soul Text by Dr. Javier Aguado-Orea & Lisa M. Berman

VIE CHARACTERS STILL ALIVE IN L.A.

Marta Soul’s photographic work has explored the interaction between role-­taking and their subsequent emotions. Her artwork has been exhibited worldwide, including Spain (where she resides) and many other countries in Europe and Asia. In her continuous search for relations between stereotypes and wills, she continued her quest this summer in Los Angeles, home to Kopeikin Gallery, her West Coast representative in the United States.

During the short 10 weeks, she noted the architectural diversity in Los Angeles, and she wondered what kind of people would actually inhabit those houses and how their lives would develop within their varied designs.

As this is the city of dreams, it also is the city of myths. Marta’s creative life has been influenced by her cinematic experiences and their

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indelible memories. As Marta Soul reckons, some movie characters have engraved our social perceptions deeper than most of the classical artists’ works. We all have seen moving pictures, a.k.a. films, that have left a lingering, even invested trace upon us. Marta decided to utilize some of her favorite movie myths (those who have left those enduring feelings) to recreate their looks and lives by placing them together at “real” Angelenos homes.

In one unlikely set-­up, we view familiar, yet eclectic characters: good old Neddy Merrill, the character from Perry’s The Swimmer, meets Deanie Loomis, from Kazan’s Splendor in the Grass, Maggie (the Cat On a Hot Tin Roof), Fellini’s Guido (from 8 1/2), and two of Billy Wilder’s characters: Irma “La Douce” and Sabrina. All six happen to get together at

someone’s house, where they play their “character” roles. Their interaction in the context of real houses becomes weird, even eccentric.

As strange as it would be imagining their current value as social models for our lives, all of a sudden they are playing their odd orchestra composed of six solo players. Then, they are sunbathing in their actual “character” wardrobes at the swimming pool, or contemplating a painting that would not necessarily maintain such a close attention from the group. By using these orchestrated scenes, Marta Soul might be proposing a reflection on daily narcissism, individualism, social interaction, and role-­taking. The movie characters seem to be stuck into a type of individual reality when they engage in this new collaborative interaction.

An alternate group of situations include five more of Marta’s favorite movie myths including: Gilbert’s Alfie who meets Margo (from All about Eve), Severine (Belle de Jour at night), Stanley (A Streetcar Named Desire) and finally Modesty Blaise (a sixties female super-­ agent interpreted by Monica Vitti in 1966). All of these classic characters get together at an apparently odd reunion: A toast to the unknown, “texting time” in the living room, and flirting in the kitchen. Cinema myths put in social practice. Through this presentation, Marta Soul experiments with stereotypes and emotions in a new dimension. The resulting scenes seem comical, weird, beautiful, or even uncomfortable. They will surely be a catalyst to raise introspective questions by the observer.

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Credits: Concept & Photography by Marta Soul, represented by Kopeikin Gallery (see www. kopeikingallery.com & www.martasoul.com) Project Producer, Casting Director, Editor, & Assistant hair/make-up by Lisa M. Berman (see www.GoToStyleDiva.com) Wardrobe Stylist/Accessories provided by the personal collection of Sculpture to Wear (see www.sculpturetowear.com) Project Assistant, Chauffeur & Translator: Dr. Javier Aguado-Orea Hair & Make-up (Bel Air) by: Brooklyn Stephen (see www.brooklynstephen.com) and Marilyn Cole (see www.marilynrocks. com) for Lisa M. Berman Locations: Bel Air: house of Brenda Swanson; Calabasas (pool) house of Jamie Massion & Charly Emery.

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Characters: Brett Stimely: Burt Lancaster as Ned Merrill in "The Swimmer". Stimely is an actor and producer. (See www. brettstimely.com & www.donquixoteproductions.com) Brenda Swanson: Bette Davis as Margo Channing in "All About Eve". Swanson is an actress and TV personality. (See: www.brendaswanson.com and www.45andfabulous.com) Charly Emery: Audrey Hepburn as Sabrina Fairchild in "Sabrina". Emery is personal strategist and TV personality. She is the author of Thank Goodness You Dumped His Ass (See: www.charlysense.com) Daniel Brunnemer Hall: Marlon Brando as Stanley in "A Street Car Named Desire" & Marcello Mastroianni as Guido Anselmi in "8 1/2". Hall is an actor and producer (See: Notice of Filming Company & Pathological Films, www.wix.com/ noticeoffilming/group) Nancy Sohl: Catherine Deneuve as Sverine Serizy in "Bell De Jour". Sohl is a fashion stylist and student. Valentina Kolaric: Natalie Woods as Wilma Dean Loomis in "Splendor in the Grass". Kolaric is an actress. Brandon Murphy Barnes: Michael Caine as "Alfie".

Barnes is an actor (see www.BrandonMurphyBarnes.com) Michele Hall: Elizabeth Taylor, Maggie the Cat, "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof ". Barnes is the fabulous mother of two and godmother to one. Chelsea Von March: Monica Vitti as "Modesty Blaise". Von March is a fashion stylist (see http: //.chelseasgirl.wordpress.com/) Lisa M. Berman: Shirley McClaine as "Irma La Duce". Berman is a personal branding and fashion expert, as well as a celebrity wardrobe stylist, TV personality, and gallery proprietor (see www.GoToStylediva.com and www.SculptureToWear.com)

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Wanderlust:

European Road Trip

by Laura Grier story and PhotographY

Walking into the BMW factory in Munich, Germany, is like walking into something from the “Jetson’s” cartoon. The entire building is all different shapes of glass and steel twisted together to look like a cyclone, and you are in the eye of it. They greet you, serve you beer, let you climb into a simulator to “test drive” your new car, and then reveal your new car on a spinning platform with spotlights on it. This was how my boyfriend, Jason and I picked up our new ride to go on our epic European road trip. We picked up a shiny, new, space gray 5 series and had a European license plate that made us look and feel like spies in James Bond. Thus our adventure was born.

The idea for our road trip started months ago. Jason wanted to have a stick shift BMW, which you have to special order from Germany. My sister, Marisa, was about to move to the south of France and have a baby. The Euro Cup Soccer matches were happening in June. And last, but not least, I had been dying to go back to Italy since I studied abroad there as a freshman in College; vowing to come back so I could get married there someday…determined to marry an Italian man. Now, 14 years later, I have returned with my Italian man and we both have a strong desire to find a place to get married someday in Italy. So for me, this trip turned into an adventure to scout our dream wedding location in Italy.

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When Jason first mentioned wanting to drive through Germany, France, Italy, and Austria in two weeks, I thought he was crazy. In my mind, it takes me 7 hours just to drive from Los Angeles to San Francisco and I have barely even crossed the state and I have definitely not changed languages or currency, but when you look at a map and realize how close everything is in Europe and that Europeans pretty much all drive like they are on the Audubon, I started to think maybe we could actually pull it off.

I of course threw a complete tantrum on day one, because I really wanted to detour a bit to go see Neuschwanstein Castle, which most of you would recognize as the castle that Walt Disney based his famous Sleeping Beauty Castle on at Disneyland. Jason overruled my demands and said that it would take us hours off our course to get to the south of France. So, I pouted…I really wanted to see a castle. Little did I know, that we would see about 20 different castles in the next five hours as we drove through the mountainous roads through the Austrian alps. It was beyond breathtaking to drive through these majestic mountains, and equally frustrating, because all I wanted to do was take photos and there is nowhere to stop and no way to shoot quality through the windows…I guess there are certain things that are meant just for memories.

It’s hard to believe that in eight hours from departing Munich, we were pulling into the

quaint town of Menton, France, just over the Italian border. I had been to the south of France before, but I was not prepared for all that Menton had to offer. I had no idea that there were so many Medieval Mountain Villages between Nice and Italy. Most Americans think of the South of France and think of the Cannes Film Festival, P-Diddy’s Yacht parties in St. Tropez, or the Grand Prix in Monaco, but there is so much history and culture in this region that it is staggering to comprehend.

Jason and I met my new little niece, Olivia, which was so exciting and as a family with my sisters and their husbands we all strolled along the cobblestone streets of Menton, having gelato and perusing the farmer’s markets and the many aisles of cheese..mmmm. Everywhere around you, you heard multiple languages being spoken, one of the things that make me realize how much Americans live in a bubble…spoiled to only have to learn one language. I learned that this region, the Cote D’Azur, has always been fought over for centuries. It is no surprise to me why. One look around you at the crystal, clear, turquoise water with a dramatic mountain backdrop and views of Corsica and Italy, and you realize you are truly in paradise. So many different countries have conquered it over the years, that there is such a diverse clash of cultures, evident not only in the languages, but in the architecture.

We found ourselves walking through path-

ways and sidewalks in the old, medieval part of town, large enough only for a donkey cart to pass through. We would happen upon a church with paintings dating back to the 1100’s and people still living and worshiping there as it was hundreds of years ago. We also hiked up to the highest point in Menton, now a cemetery for the fallen that fought to protect the castle from a siege from pirates in the 1300’s. The highest point in Menton, is not the highest point in the mountain region by far though. My sister told us about St Agnes and Eze, two nearby villages high up in the mountains only 15 minutes away.

So we decided to go explore them. Basically, these two towns were built from the people that fled the pirates and chose to live by escaping even higher into the mountains and building a new village with a new castle and church. It was like they were all trying to outdo each other…. bigger, higher, safer, better.

Eze and St. Agnes took our breaths away!

These towns still look and function as they did centuries ago. Their old castles have been converted into a boutique Hotel/ artist colony, where all of the tiny stone rooms of the caste have been converted into artist studios. So as you walk around and explore the narrow winding cobblestone walkways of the castle, you can stumble into a painter’s workshop, or a weaver’s studio. I felt so enchanted being there and the view of Menton below was like we were in

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a plane looking down on the town, because we were up so high. It was hard enough to hike around the village, let alone try to fathom what it took for people to climb up there and build these towns with their bare hands stone by stone during the Dark Ages.

After a few days of relaxing in the warm waters, hiking around, and just soaking in the sun and culture, we were off again to discover Lake Como. Jason and I had never been to Lake Como and we were so beyond excited to drive there and stay for a few days. Both of us have always talked about wanting to get married in Lake Como and even though we had never been, it has held a special meaning for us both. I believe that everything happens for a reason, and one week before the trip I was asked by a wedding magazine to photograph and write about local places to get married at in Lake Como. So that request led us to the fabulous Valentina at Hotel Grand Tremezzo, where we were invited to come stay and were treated like royalty. Honestly, I don’t think even George Clooney himself could have shown us a more lavish time. We were given their penthouse, lakeview suite, with a private hot tub on the balcony. Our living room opened up completely to the balcony and our view was of their floating pool in the lake and the Bellagio beyond. It was so spectacular we didn’t even want to leave our room!

We were given a tour of the property, the entire time giddy and practically putting a deposit

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down for our own wedding, because we were so in love with the place. The Grand Tremezzo is unique on Lago di Como, because it is the only hotel originally built as a hotel on Lake Como.

All of the other hotels on the lake were once Villas and have been converted into hotels, so they are smaller and older. Hotel Grand Tremezzo is more boutique, modern and chic, with colorful modern furniture modeled after 19th century furniture and décor. It still had the “old school” charm, yet with modern luxury and amenities.

They even have a private garden with a table for two, called the “Dis Moi Oui”, or “Tell me Yes” garden, where they can organize engagement proposals with a private dinner and violinists to serenade you. They sent chocolates and champagne to our room and Valentina even organized a private tour of the lake in their old-fashioned wooden boat, so typical to Lake Como.

Lake Como is a microclimate and palm trees are indigenous here. This was so strange to me to come from California and still be seeing palm trees here in the mountains of Italy near the Alps. The lake is in the shape of a wishbone, so getting to the other side is deceiving. It looks close, but could take hours to drive around it, so there are ferries and water taxis to cross over to the other side of the lake. All around you are mountains and what makes Lake Como so special is that the lake is so narrow, that you feel like you are in canyon and have spectacular

views no matter what direction you face. I had no idea that Lake Como is 45 minutes from Milan, 2 hours from St Morritz in the Swiss Alps and 4 hours from the South of France. So you have luxury relatively close in every cardinal direction. Driving our huge German car around the lake was quite frightening to say the least.

Again, these roads were built most likely with a donkey cart in mind, so imagine windy curves that are one lane wide and a cliff on one side.

That was an adventure.

There are only three places in Lake Como where you can be legally married outside of the church, the Town Hall, Villa Carlota and Villa Balbianello (the location where the wedding scene from Star Wars was filmed). I became obsessed with the idea of having our wedding ceremony someday at the Villa Balbianello, because it is this private estate on its own peninsula not accessible by the road that circles the lake. So the only way to get to there is by boat and that idea in my head seems so romantic. I started getting stressed out just trying to figure out the logistics of how to get all of our friends and family out to Lake Como for our future wedding and then I had to back up and remember that Jason and I are not even engaged yet, so I am getting WAY ahead of myself:) After three days of pure luxury in Lake Como, we sadly said our goodbyes, but were excited to continue our Italian adventure in Verona and Venice. It is only 4 hours to Venice

and I wanted to stop for lunch in Verona, but also go to seek out the famous balcony from Romeo and Juliet. Many couples from all over the world come here to find love, locate lost loves, or even to leave messages for Juliet. Years ago, you could write a letter to her and leave it in the wall, but now times have changed and for your convenience (and a small fee of one Euro) you can leave her a voicemail on the payphones provided…seriously.

When we reached Venice I was already thinking like the Wedding Photographer I am.

I was like, “Honey, how cute would it be if we got married in Venice? Since we met and live together in Venice, California, we could have a “Venice” theme..From Venice to Venice” etc… I had all but designed our table cards by the time we reached the port in Venice where we had to leave our trusty BMW steed and proceed to shlep all of our bags for an hour, getting lost in 100 degree weather, and carrying our bags over 20 bridges, before finding our little Pension. After that, as much as I LOVE Venice and it’s charm, it made the thought of getting our guests to Lake Como seem like a piece of cake.

I fell in love with Venice when I was 18 years old studying abroad in Italy. There is something about the energy there that is electrifying. Its funny, because Venice, Italy is similar to Venice Beach, where it has been a haven for artists over the years and is a melting pot of food, music, culture and the arts. As touristy as it was, we

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took a gondola ride through the older parts of the city and had a romantic dinner in one of the plazas where a quartet was performing, but the highlight was our orchestra performance inside of a 600 year old church later that night. We saw a flyer for Vivaldi’s 4 Seasons, one of my favorite pieces, and I felt like we couldn’t leave Venice without seeing some type of performance in an old church. Venice is known for teaching artists their craft as it was taught centuries ago, so there was even a Harpsichordist performing. I felt like we had been transported back in time.

As we rounded the corner of our trip and had to head back to Germany to drop off our car and drive home, we decided to take a different route home through the Austrian Alps and stop for a night in Salzburg. There we did as the locals did and ordered massive beers and pretzels and watched a Euro Cup Game in an outdoor beer garden. Watching soccer in Europe is a completely different experience than watching it in the United States. No one in our country appreciates the sport or lives the obsession as they do in Europe. That was such a highlight of our trip to pop into a different bar or pub in every country or city we were visiting in to watch a soccer match. Soccer, or Football, is the Universal language in the rest of the world. Something that transcends the language barrier and a way you

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can always find friends no matter where you are.

We finally returned to Munich after two weeks that felt like two months in some ways and two seconds in other ways. We had barely seen anything in Munich other than the BMW Welt and I wanted to see something memorable or photo worthy there before we flew out the next day. Jason’s German friend mentioned the “Endless Wave” in the heart of Munich, where people from all over come to surf. I thought he was making a joke, since we came from California the surf capital of the world and I can never quite get the humor of Germans anyway, but sure enough as we neared the center of town, we started to see people in wet suits carrying surfboards walking across the street. It may be one of the coolest things I have seen in an urban city. It’s a water pipe that spews out water in a way that it creates this permanent, surfable wave. When people wipe out they get washed down the river and the next surfer jumps on and it’s like watching a video game where the river keeps eating surfers one after one and they just disappear and float away. I love coming across strange places like this when I travel. It is one of the reasons I am a photographer, because I wouldn’t believe some of the things I have seen myself if I had not captured it with my camera.

I always feel like I can’t leave a place unless

I am excited by at least one photo I have taken there. My surfers in Munich did that for me.

After I took those photos I remembered feeling ready to go home. As much as I loved every second of our adventure and we were already planning multiple trips back before we had even left, there is something to be said about going home,

not living out of your suitcase, and just jumping back into your own life again. I felt inspired to learn another language better, to find a way for Jason and I to live in Europe for at least one month a year, and, well, to hopefully come back again soon for another epic European Adventure called “Destination: wedding�.

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design

WILLIAM BIETY

Shape Shifting In Denver For three decades William Biety has observed how objects, space, and people have interacted and affected each other. He has curated and installed more than three hundred exhibitions in his life as a curator and art gallery daaaaairector. Information synthesized from this experience is the basis for his business, Space-Editor, which is based in Denver, Colorado.

“This is the culmination of everything I have learned and now do intuitively.” Biety says, His clients range from art collectors, hotels, store owners to individuals who just want a renewal of their personal space. “Peoples needs change.

Their lives change and many people have diffi-

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culty reassessing how their environment can better reflect these changed circumstances. A traditional designer tends to erase what exists and begin with a new template. I prefer to ask questions about what is important to people and what is or is not working for them. Many times it is a simple matter of putting things into a new context, shifting it around so that the objects and the space around them behave quite differently and consequently, appear quite different. People tend to go a bit blind to the familiar and stop considering the effect that their space is having on them. When the energetic of a space is balanced, proportions are considered

and the objects placed with intention some really amazing changes can occur without introducing radically different elements. More often than not what I do is more a process of elimination, removing that which does not serve the intention. Wether it be a more meditative space, more highly charged, or increased efficiency, it is often just a matter of clarifying the intention for the space and the life that inhabits it. I work with my clients so that they can participate in the decisions and learn more about doing it themselves. The whole process can be very personal and has always been fun. It is not a matter of, you go away now and come back when I am

done. We ask questions, try things and become playful about it. My goal is to help create a space that is better suited to who you are, not who I am and especially not to what may be the trend of the moment.”

Commercial clients are much the same as individual homeowners. There is a result desired from the way an exhibition is hung, the way a shop looks or how a hotel attracts guests. Corporate sensibilities some times loose sight of who the audience is: individuals. A grand and sweeping scale may attract initially, but people are affected by the smaller details. A hotel I have worked with has a very impressive lobby but

put a table in it over the bottoms of two large artworks hung on the wall behind it. It may not have been obvious but gave the impression that something was not quite right about the space.

It does not take many details like that before there is an impression that there is something off about the whole place.

Clients with a large art collection loaned, several works to a museum for an exhibition.

While hanging there, they could see how differently they looked with proper lighting and in a more formal context. When the works were returned to them, they hired me to rehang the collection. In two days I reworked the entire collec-

tion and gathered the works that informed each other into groupings while explaining what I was thinking. In the end their home was more livable because the collection flowed more logically in styles and concepts; and the works had new life for the collectors. The costs were minimal and the effect huge.

Space-Editor is a business based on a collaborative process that aims to create environments that more deeply reflect the people that live and work in them and to clarify the purpose of that space for increased comfort and efficiency. Please send inquiries to wbiety@gmail.com

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design Looking for an alternative to big crowds on First Friday?

The River North Art District has been bustling with art, music, and excitement on both First Friday and on what’s trending right behind it as another great night to get out an see what’s happening in town: Second Saturday. The growing number of galleries that are opening their doors to patrons on Second Saturday’s each month is very promising.

One self-proclaimed “indie redesigner” is pairing this opportunity with a very innovative strategy to lure inspired shoppers and art enthusiasts through the doors of The Hinterland Art Space twice a year on Second Saturdays to show her latest work. This venue has lent itself to the perfect launching pad for indie redesigner Jeanne Connolly of Vintage Renewal to introduce her traveling Pop+Up Eco-Boutique in Denver. A whimsical, yet sophisticated line that is as much art as it is function.

“Vintage Renewal’s furniture takes inspiration from fashion, vintage craft books, different decades, antique furniture and old world influences”, says Connolly. “My furniture has multiple influences from the 60’s and 70’s, mostly in terms of pattern choices.” Connolly redesigns vintage pieces with vintage and recycled fabrics to create high-end sustainable furniture, which she often refers to as “usable art for the home”.

“In a world of mobile everything, why not have a mobile storefront?” she says. The idea is to only display the crème de la crème from the product line, showing the freshest work straight from the Vintage Renewal studio for fans of the line to purchase in the flesh for one-night only.

Why doesn’t Connolly choose to set up shop in a permanent retail location and hope for the best? This young redesigner thinks that times are changing, along with innate needs, and people really just want to be inspired.

Bursts of color, vibrant, hand-selected, luxurious vintage fabrics are paired with the most interesting furniture to create high-end usable art.

Adding in local indie music, wine, and a friendly out-of -the-ordinary environment aid Connolly in continuing to bring people back for more!

It’s art opening meets the coolest one-night opportunity to see what’s hot off the press in this artist’s furniture studio. Your next opportunity to experience a limited edition release from Vintage Renewal at The Hinterland Art Space in Denver will be the spring of 2013. This event will cap off the 4th Pop+Up Eco-Boutique collaboration between these two forces to be reckoned with.

Visit Jeanne Connolly online vintagerenewal.com or facebook.com/vintagerenewalpage

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VINTAGE RENEWAL

lifestyle Sushumna Chocolat, a unique line of artisanal chakra-based chocolates, is just a bite away from becoming your favorite indulgence. With seven flavor profiles paired with dark, milk, or white chocolate, each bar has been artfully crafted with special foods and spices honoring each chakra point. Perfect for the chocoholic and/or yogi in each of us, founders Amity Cooper and Sally Belk were inspired to create this delicious collection of chakra-choc goodness after meeting on a spiritual journey to India in 2007. Today, their passion for food, yoga, fashion and design will leave you om-ing in chocolate nirvana.

Sushumna's founders (a former Bon Appetit editor and a former accessories designer) chose the name Sushumna Chocolat in reference to Hindu teachings, which describes the Sushumna as the ‘super highway’ that extends from the base of the spine to the area just above our heads. Considered one of the most important lines of energy in holistic health and medicine, the Sushumna houses the seven gateways called “chakras.”

When the chakras are opened, theories suggest

SUSHUMNA CHOCOLAT that our physical bodies may experience balance and serenity. We’re not saying Sushumna Chocolat will heal your chakras – but many health experts say certain foods are good for different body systems. The flavor profiles are complex, subtle and satisfying, each crafted with the chakra and system and deliciousness in mind.

But chocolate is chocolate, right? Some is better than others. But at the end of the day, if you’re going to indulge in something, don’t you want that something to look good, taste good, and feel good? Sushumna Chocolat delivers on all fronts. Prettily packaged chocolates for your chakras? Great concept. Chocolates made with killer gourmet ingredients that actually relate to the body part the chakra lives in? Even better.

The best part? It actually tastes great! And it's about 30ish calories a square. You can have your chocolate and eat it too. Whether you’re looking for the perfect blissful gift or just want check out this chakra chocolate thing yourself, visit www. sushumnachocolat.com for the best mind/body artisanal confections on the market. One bite, and you’ll be converted, too.

FLAVOR PROFILES Grounded (Root): milk chocolate with crisped rice and sweet potato Sensual (Sacral): cardamom, cinnamon and chai with milk chocolate Connected (Solar Plexus): white chocolate with vanilla bean Compassionate (Heart): dark chocolate and cherries Expressive (Throat): crushed candy canes and dark chocolate Insightful (Third Eye): port soaked currants and dark chocolate Transcendent (Crown): hemp oil, exotic mushroom extract, cashews and milk chocolate

Sushumna Chocolat offers bodacious and budget-friendly gifts are sure to illuminate any occasion, any time of year.

Best Gift for the Yogi

Best Hostess Gift:

Best Gift for the Foodie:

BODACIOUS Tea Boxed Set of Sushumna Chocolats, 21 pavé tiles (.5 oz.), 7 oz. Meditation Candle, and Sushumna Mala Necklace ($160)

BODACIOUS Sushumna Home Sample Set: Two Sushumna Home signature scented votives, one Sushumna Home signature scented soap and one Sushumna Chocolat Tea Boxed Set ($50)

BODACIOUS Three month’s supply of our Holiday Canister, 42 pavé tiles, six pieces per flavor in a 1.8 L clear canister ($150) BUDGET Tea Boxed Set of Sushumna Chocolats, 21 tiles (.5 oz.) ($28)

Best Gift for the Wine Lover: BUDGET Pillow Pouch of two chocolates (1 oz.) and a Sushumna Mala Necklace ($60)

BUDGET Tea Boxed Set of Sushumna Chocolats, 21 pavé tiles (.5 oz.) ($28)

BODACIOUS Sushumna Chocolat Holiday Canister, 42 pavé tiles, six pieces per flavor in a 1.8 L clear canister, paired with seven mindful wines, left ($250) BUDGET Bottle of Prosecco with our Sushumna Tasting Box of seven foundational flavors, right ($50)

And check out “A Chakra Chocolate Debut on Kickstarter. Pledging is open through November 22nd at: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/amcoo/a-chakra-chocolate-debut?ref=live. Pledgers will get their gifts in time for the holidays – and help a scrumptious start up!

54 denver centric dec 2012/jan 2013

RiNo Art District

Where Art is Made.

150+ Artist Studios, Galleries, Creative Businesses & Gathering Places DENVER, COLORADO rinoart.org

fineart

how to build an art collection

by Astrid Oviedo Clark This is the first in a series of articles that will demystify the act of collecting in today’s world.

Each article will address a different aspect and give you not just basic knowledge but practical ways to think and begin collecting and maybe even become the next great collector.

When people think about art collecting, they envision white walls and concrete floors with unapproachable sales peoples wearing black designer head to toe, or packed auction floors, like Christie’s, full of billionaires vying for a Picasso that will break auction records at $106.5 million. There is a belief that this is an arena only open to the very wealthy and very knowledgeable. However, on both counts, this is a false. The fact is that most great art collectors began with neither.

One of the best examples of this is the wellknown story of a couple, Dorothy and Herbert Vogel from NYC who lived off her librarian salary and bought art with the husband’s post office salary. They amassed a minimal and conceptual art collection of over 2500 items. They began by going to galleries and buying the work of unknown artists, following these artists, befriending them, learning from them. Many are considered the most important artists of that period.

Having an art collection is not directly related to how much money you have. There are works of art at every price point, for every budget.

And no matter what budget you have, you can make savvy choices as to what you are buying. Why buy a framed poster for $2,000 when you can instead own an original work of art by an emerging artist who is doing something unique and is getting the attention of curators and critics. In other words, becoming an art collector begins simply by caring about the art you surround yourself with and not settling for decoration for your home. All you need is a budget and ability to live with a clean, empty wall when you begin your journey.

You do not need a formal art education. Nor do you need an art consultant. Art consultants are aides who will fast forward the process in a guided manner. But as the Vogels demonstrate, all you need to do is open your eyes, see as much art as you can, read about artists, talk to artists, and ask lots of questions.

The one piece of knowledge you will need is to know that no great artist existed in isolation. Every artist needed to be supported by a network of other artists, curators, critics, collectors and dealers. Vincent Van Gogh for example did live in Arles alone, but his brother was an important art dealer and his best friend and frequent visitor was Paul Gaugin. Pablo Picasso arrived to Paris and his best friend was an avante-garde critic at the time. He had the best dealers and visionary collectors like Gertrude Stein when he first began. One could say that they were associated with the right brands. This still applies today. This column will explain to you: 1) how to hedge your risks on an artist by being able to discern which galleries (from blue-chip to emerging) are the best ones that will help nurture an artist’s career, and 2) how to read an artist’s bio and know that important curators are looking at this artist and that critics are reviewing them. This is not to say it is an insider’s world. But like anything there is a system that is easy to crack once one knows the method. This column will help with this.

But to start, begin looking and training your eye. Museums are a great place to start. There you will see what museum curators have chosen as

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Christie’s Auction of works by Picasso

the best examples by an artist of any time period, works that are worthy of being in art history books. (They are in there because they broke new ground in terms of subject matter and the manner they were created. Go to the museum lectures and tours. Ask questions. Read. You will not only be subconsciously training your eye, but you will get a sense of what strikes you over everything else.

For example, after a visit to a museum, you may decide the 1913 paintings of Wassily Kandinsky, the father of abstract art, really made an impression on you on how it looks and how it reflects the period it came from. However, owning a Kandinsky is prohibitive in price. There are artists who have since turned to abstraction in an altogether different way, moving forward the lineage of abstract painting. (Think Jackson Pollock in the 1950s, or Mark Bradford today.) The fact is, the best work is conceptually and technically important and they support each other. And yes, there are emerging artists who are doing this now at the lowest price points.

Visit galleries and even auction previews. These are free and open to the public. They want you there. And don’t forget to look! With the internet, you can visit theses galleries in other cities virtually to see if they have an artist that strikes you. Be patient though; do not jump and buy the first thing you see. Again this is all about building what I call your “mind’s eye” — the ability to see work that is visually striking and is supported by the conceptual underpinnings of the work.

Go to online art websites with reviews, news, and even gallery guides.

Two of the best are www.artinfo.com and www.artnet.com. These sites are the best for the most up-to-date art news, analysis, reviews, and even to plan for upcoming exhibitions. Print publications are good as well. There is Artforum, whose esoteric writing is frequently ignored by the experts in the field as they look carefully at the advertisements. Not only do they act as a preview of what the top galleries in the world are showing but the most influential galleries can be assessed by the placement of their ad. (Yes, really.) It is political.

Others publications include Art in America, ARTnews, Modern Painters, and Art & Auction (best for articles on collecting overall.)

This may sound daunting…but this is just a broad introduction to the collecting art. I hope to offer you a more detailed no frills guide to understanding the art world, the basics to start looking at art and collecting it…. at any budget. You will learn how to ask questions, what to watch out for…and pitfalls to avoid. These will be tools that even the greatest art collectors did not have when they started.

1574 York St, Denver, CO 80206

Our collections are created from the extraordinary gifts provided by planet Earth. Gemstones, silver, gold, bone, and pearls. Each as unique and individual as you.

uncommonrox.com 855.878.7423

GEORGIA AMAR

HABITAT GALLERY & STUDIO 828 Santa Fe Drive, Denver, CO, 80204 (303) 534-9740

www.GeorgiaAmarFineArt.com

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