Also opening tonight: Patti Hallock at Plus

An exceptional photographer and good friend, Patti Hallock has an opening tonight at Plus Gallery as well. Busy busy "Month of Photography" here in Denver.

Tonight

Happening Tonight

There's a opening tonight at Plus Gallery- organized by artists Susan Meyer and Jeff Starr - that is sure to be a interesting show. You can follow it up by seeing Ian Cooke and one of my favorite regional bands (from Fort Collins) - Candy Claws.

Big Openings Tonight

Rex Ray - Public Reception

The Promenade Space · 6 pm at the Denver Museum of Contemporary Art

Step into the multi-hued world of Rex Ray to experience a fresh breeze of color and organic shapes with a nod to mid-century modern art and design..

PLUS GALLERY RE-OPENS AT 2501 LARIMER; PUBLIC GRAND OPENING AND

ARTIST'S RECEPTION FOR KAREN McCLANAHAN FRIDAY, MARCH 13TH AT 6PM

My friend Bill Amundson will have new work at Plus as one of the gallery's most recent additions.

also RMCAD's student show opens tonight, and loads more art/openings of can be found at the always-great denverarts.org.

Now Showing - Jenny Morgan and David Mramor Collaborations

On Friday, the show called Vis-A-Visage opened at Object+Thought. It was a high-quality show overall, but the collaborations of Jenny Morgan and David Mramor were my favorites. The piece called "She's Alive" is quite special. Compared to Morgan's solo works, these collaborations are a great new direction that I personally find much more exciting. I am looking forward to seeing how these collaborations may effect her future solo works. The collaborations loosen up the formality of her solo figurative works and in "She's Alive" especially there is a great play of expressive brush-work and mark-making with delicate well-rendered aspects like individual hairs flying out of place. There is also a contrast of flatness with photo-realistic rendering - seen especially in her red hand. The way Morgan and Mramor have brought the abstracted brush work and spray painted sections around and through the figure (note the blue line on the figure's left shoulder) is so alive and exciting. I really loved this work and I am not often inspired by figurative works. If you get a chance to check out the show - if even just for this work - it is well worth it.

Jenny Morgan and David Mramor, "She's Alive"

Plus Gallery intern Brittany Schall recently started a blog - where you can also read about the show. When writing about the same piece, Brittany stated, "The piece She’s Alive is quite remarkable in the entrancing gaze offered by the portrait and in the placement of dynamic color swatches. The figure gives a soul-penetrating stare with her mouth sensually open as she leans forward as if to speak. Diffused florescent pinks and yellows spread themselves over her hair and neck, giving an odd feeling of paranormal luminosity. The larger color sections appear active as they engulf the lower half of the chest region. Bands of vivid blue paint slip in and out of the forefront leaving resonating afterimages. Vibrantly colored lines oriented in reference to the figure gracefully contour the body and convey a sense of movement. The technical execution of this work in conjunction with the unique subject matter makes it an incredible piece of work."

Gabriel Liston's "Sky Patch" Series

2" x 2.5" oil on sealed book with thread loop
2" x 2.5" oil on sealed book with thread loop
2" x 2.5" oil on sealed book with thread loop

These diminutive works are by the very talented and kind Portland-based artist Gabriel Liston. I recently received a beautiful little painted postcard from him. His works are fascinating- take a moment and check out his site. I especially love these little sky patches he has been working on recently. Gabriel shows at Denver's own Plus Gallery. He says of the "Sky Patches" that after they are prepared for oil paint, they "turned into whatever sky is passing by". In related news, you can also find Gabriel at the Cloud Appreciation Society. That sounds like a society I should be a part of...actually - shouldn't everyone?

Fine Lines: Bryan Schellinger and Devon Moore

Bryan Schellinger, "PDX-#1.07" , 2007 , Oil on Panel , 48 x 48 in.

Bryan Schellinger, "PDX-#4.07" , 2007 , Oil on Panel , 48 x 48 in.

Devon Moore, “Hoverplate”, 2007, phosphate coated steel, 45 x 45 inches

Devon Moore, “Hoverplate (side view)”, 2007, phosphate coated steel, 45 x 45 inches

First Friday

Since my computer is going to be in the shop, I'm working ahead and doing the blogging for the week. Every month, when First Friday rolls around I would suggest checking out denverarts.org and thisweekindenver.com for excellent coverage and recommendations as to what art events are going on and where to find them.

There are two great openings this First Friday that I wanted to highlight including one at Sliding Door Gallery on Santa Fe called, "In the Light of Thought: A Winter Celebration."

January 4, 2008 through January 27, 2008.
Opening reception: Friday, January 4, 2008 6-10pm

Primarily sculptural, “In the Light of Thought” consists of works utilizing light as a medium-candle, electrical or conceptual. Participating artists include Sliding Door members as well as the following invitees: Tracey Barnes, Steve Eagleburger, Agnetti Sheldrake, Terry Talty, Steuart Bremner and David Menard. Also featured are Brian Comber, Evan Lockhart Borman and Tony Zellaha.

Mindy Bray, "Via dell' Amore", 50x60", Graphite and watercolor on paper, 2007

Also - at Ironton will be Mindy Bray's installation called "Paper, Scissors, Rock" Works on Paper and Space Specific Installation
Opening Reception: Friday January 4th, 6–9 pm

"Paper, Scissors, Rock" will feature paintings and drawings on paper in watercolor and latex that are both reflective and critical looks at the ways in which the urban and the natural landscapes interact.
The exhibition will also include a new large-scale installation, Levee, which will respond to the waterways that flow through Denver, as well as our innate attraction to and manipulation of the city’s underlying natural landscape. The installation will draw its imagery from Denver’s Confluence Park, where the Platte River, Cherry Creek, and the LoDo district of Denver join in a bizarre and beautiful gesture of control, containment, and pleasure.

I have been a recent admirer of Mindy's work (since finding out about her) and I'm honored to be sharing space with her in the "Twinkle, Twinkle" show up right now at Plus Gallery here in Denver. You could say we're fellow snow-pile painters or enthusiasts:

Nathan Abels, "Snowpile", Acrylic on Panel, 36x80", 2005

Mindy Bray, "Iceburg", 40x50", Watercolor and Latex on paper on panel, 2007

New Press: Rocky Mountain News

"Stellar seven shine at Plus"
Mary Voelz Chandler
Friday, December 21, 2007

I've quoted the part that mentions my work:

"More serious are strong grayed-out paintings of architectural details by Mindy Bray, blurred-out landcape photographs by Noah Manos, bright and edgy paintings by Travis Egedy (including a trio of cartoonish works that refer to the figure as "Busta Slimes"), and a mini-installation of drawings and a painting by Nathan Abels.

Abels' small maplike drawings Outer Edge and Layout set the stage for the soaring painting Indiana. Placing a row of tract houses at the bottom of an elongated canvas plays with the idea of perspective, while his grasp of detail is particularly strong."

Cover of This Week in Denver

"Twinkle, Twinkle" opening

Photos from the "Twinkle, Twinkle" opening have been posted at Plus Gallery.

TONIGHT

+gallery

be there.

"Twinkle, Twinkle" press

Susan Froyd of Westword writes, "So on the heels of Art Miami, Zeile presents Twinkle, Twinkle, a stunning group exhibition of works by seven of those exemplary emerging locals, including shining stars Nathan Abels, Mindy Bray, Travis Egedy, Martin Sammy Gardea, Noah Manos, Lela Shields and Leafe Zales. A performance of Egedy's $2.99 will add zip to tonight's opening reception, which runs from 6 to 10 p.m.; the show continues through January 19. Plus Gallery is at 2350 Lawrence Street" - Check out the whole blurb here.

New Painting

Nathan Abels, "Indiana", Acrylic on Panel, 80x36"

This is the largest painting I've done since grad school. This isn't the best photo of it, but close. It will be part of this Friday's opening called, "Twinkle, Twinkle" at Plus Gallery. Come on out and see it along with a great cast of Denver art talent.

Upcoming Exhibition

+gallery

Upcoming Group Exhibition

Group Exhibition: Twinkle, Twinkle
December 14, 2007 - January 19th 2008
Opening Reception Friday, December 14th 6-10pm (featuring special evening performance by Pictureplane aka. Travis Egedy)

Artists:
Leafe Zales
Martin Sammy Gardea
Travis Egedy
Lela Shields
Mindy Bray
Nathan Abels
Noah Manos


Plus+gallery

2350 Lawrence St.
Denver, CO 80205

303-296-0927
info@plusgallery.com
http://www.plusgallery.com

New Exhibition and Upcoming Events

I will be part of a group show coming up in a couple of weeks at Object + Thought curated by interns at Plus Gallery : opening August 3rd.

Also on August 3rd will be the opening of the juried show "Rethought, Reworked, and Re-Painted" at Sliding Door in conjunction with Berndt Savig's new work. Friday the 3rd will prove to be an art-ful, action packed night. Be sure to come out if you're in Denver. I will be posting images and updates on these exhibitions on this blog and the blog on Sliding Door Gallery's website.