Artist Event & Exhibition Roundup: June
Welcome to June! The summer season is almost here, and there are so many ways to celebrate the longer, warmer days.
Besides all the ways to experience work by our amazing Resident & Reach artists this month, we’ve also kicked off our Satellite Saturdays: Summer ArtPark program!
Produced with RiNo ArtPark, join us for free, family-friendly, interactive artist workshops—plus tasty food trucks, music, live poetry performances, and more!
Learn more about the June Satellite Saturdays: Piñata Party with Koko Bayer >
Without further ado, here are 5 exciting exhibitions and events featuring Resident Artists, Alumni, and Reach artists this June!
Tony Ortega - Big Draw Colorado Group Show
Chicano Gothic, charcoal on paper, 51" x 32"
What: Group Exhibition
Where: Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities—6901 Wadsworth Blvd, Arvada, CO 80003
When: June 8-August 27, 2023
Opening Reception: Thursday June 8, 6-9PM MST
About the exhibition: In this large-scale group exhibition, the Arvada Center Galleries will exhibit contemporary Colorado artists that challenge preconceived definitions of drawing through explorations in rendering, mark-making, gesture, abstraction, realism, form, and beyond, and from artists who celebrate the traditional roots of drawing.
What is a drawing? In this juried group exhibition, the Arvada Center Galleries invited contemporary Colorado artists to submit works that celebrate the traditional roots of drawing and challenge preconceived definitions of drawing through explorations in rendering, mark-making, gesture, abstraction, realism, form, medium, and beyond. With 77 works from 71 artists, Big Draw Colorado illustrates the vast world of drawing across the state.
About the artist: Tony Ortega holds an MFA in drawing and painting from the University of Colorado and is currently a professor for Regis University. He is the recipient of the coveted Governor's Award for Excellence in the Arts (1999) and the Mayor's Award for Excellence in the Arts (1998). Tony Ortega’s lifelong goal is to contribute to a better understanding of cultural diversity by addressing the culture, history and experiences of Chicanos/Latinos through his art.
Contact: tortegaartist@cs.com
Artist site: http://www.tonyortega.net/
Instagram: @tortegaartist
Libby Barbee - agriCULTURE Group Exhibition
What: Group exhibition
Where: Longmont Museum —400 Quail Rd, Longmont, CO 80501
When: June 9, 2023- January 7, 2024
About the exhibition: The work in this experimental collaborative exhibition was created by more than 15 local and national artists/collectives and farmers throughout Boulder County. By partnering farmers who have an intimate connection to the land with artists who bring these stories to life through visual works, agriCULTURE inspires visitors to explore their own relationships with the natural world. Barbee's work will be installed at the Longmont Museum.
About the artist: At the root of Libby’s art, lies a fascination with the emotional, psychological, and cultural implications of place. She is fascinated by the human ability both to manipulate and be manipulated by an environment; and revels in the often confusing and multifarious mix-matches of meanings and associations that cling to particular places. From interactive sculptures to images of western landscapes constructed from fragments of cultural debris, her work explores the dynamics that emerge from the interstices where people and place collide.
Contact: libbysbarbee@gmail.com
Artist site: https://libbybarbee.com/home.html
Instagram: @libby.barbee
Lares Feliciano - MEMORY MIRROR Installation at the DAM
Imahge courtesy of the artist
What: Installation
Where: Denver Art Museum—100 W 14th Avenue Pkwy, Denver, CO 80204
Last day to view: Monday June 19, 2023
About the exhibition: MEMORY MIRROR is an immersive installation that invites visitors to explore their relationship with memory through animation, dioramas, and interactive storytelling. Designed to evoke the memory of a relative’s living room, MEMORY MIRROR transforms the museum’s Precourt Family Discovery Hall into a surreal domestic den that is both familiar and fantastic.
About the artist: Lares Feliciano (b. 1985 Oakland, CA, USA) is an interdisciplinary artist and cultural worker based in Denver, CO. Feliciano uses animation, installation, and collage to create worlds where marginalized experiences are front and center and all of time exists at once. Her work explores the in-between, layers of diaspora, and the complexity of memory. She holds an M.F.A in Cinema Production from San Francisco State University and a B.A. in Film & American Studies from Smith College. She has completed residencies with RedLine Contemporary Art Center and Grand Canyon National Park and was a participant in the Colorado Creative Industries Change Leader Institute.
Contact: lares.feliciano@gmail.com
Artist site: https://www.laresfeliciano.com/
Instagram: @lareslovesyou
Melody Epperson - Tree Tales Art Installation
What: Installation
Where: In 8 trees in Denver’s La Alma / Lincoln Park – 1100 Osage St Denver, CO
When: May-November 2023
About the exhibition: Melody Epperson, a P.S. You Are Here Grant recipient, is proud to announce “Tree Tales,” a visual art and sound installation that will be placed in eight trees located in La Alma/Lincoln Park.
This experiential art installation will enrich Denver residents' lives by fostering a sense of belonging and connection with nature. It honors diverse cultures and allows local artists and neighborhood youth to connect in a more meaningful way with trees. When visitors encounter these vibrant trees and listen to the rich traditional tales, they will gain a greater sense of peace and well-being as well as a deeper appreciation of nature both in their own community and the planet.
About the artist: Melody’s visual artwork focuses on her experience as a woman, both in society and within her own skin. Her creative process is central to her artwork. It starts when she becomes curious about a concept. Then reflects on the idea, and finally takes a creative action. The concept of the artwork, and the discovery of its meaning, is often more important than the media itself.
Contact: melodyepperson@me.com
Artist site: https://www.melodyepperson.com/
Instagram: @melody.epperson
Ben Coleman - Composition at the American Dance Festival
Image courtesy of the artist
What: American Dance Festival
Where: Rubenstein Arts Center von der Heyden Studio Theater at Duke University – 2020 Campus Dr, Durham, NC 27708
When:
Saturday, July 1 at 7:30pm *post performance discussion
Sunday, July 2 at 5:00pm
About the festival and performance: Heralded as “One of the nation’s most important institutions” by the New York Times and as “The world’s greatest dance festival” by the New York Post, the American Dance Festival was founded in 1934. Performances at the American Dance Festival have included nearly every notable choreographer and performing company since the advent of modern dance.
Ben Coleman is resident composer with Staibdance, who are based in Atlanta GA. He will be appearing with Staibdance in Durham performing his score for their original work “Fence,” which has been chosen as one of the highlights of this year's ADF. Performances will take place July 1-2.
About the artist: Ben Coleman is a British multi-disciplinary artist residing in Denver, CO. His practice is rooted in sound and performance making, but often plays with other media, including music, text, video and installation.
Contact: contactbencoleman@gmail.com
Artist site: http://www.bencolemansounds.com/
Instagram: @isthisbencoleman