Time Flies

A portrait of the state's artistic past is deftly captured with Colorado Abstraction.

A A A Comments By Michael Paglia Thursday, Sep 16 1999

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Pushing aside established practice was something that was in the air in the 1970s. That's surely why Stan Meyer started using painted tarpaper woven together instead of paint and canvas to create his dramatic and richly dense wall hangings. In the back gallery are two of his works: "Shooting Star," from 1979, which takes the form of a gothic arch, and the constructivist-style "Drape," from 1998.

As we head around the corner, we're flanked by the paintings of Jeremy Hillhouse, which are expressionist views of nature. Also expressionistic but with a folkloric twist is Bev Rosen's 1977 piece "Doubled Up," in fabric and acrylic on canvas. It's disappointing, though, that one of Rosen's hard-edged paintings wasn't included here.

"Drape," by Stan Meyer, woven painting.

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The atrium gallery is the perfect setting for Ken Iwamasa's "La Niña." At first glance, this accomplished oil-on-Masonite mural looks abstract-expressionist. But then we notice the stenciled words "Prompt and Delayed Effects," which are barely visible across the entire eight-by-twelve-foot panel. Also here are large sculptures by Myron Melnick. Especially good is 1999's "Symphonic Composition," a cluster of primordial forms made of white burnished cast paper that lean against the wall. Melnick's ceramic "Birthday Installation," from 1977, is a reminder that he used to work in clay. Also highlighted in Part I are the works of sculptors Erick Johnson and Carley Warren, painter Jerry Johnson and computer artist Cath Murphy.

It should be mentioned, too, that there is a small painting in the entry by John Fudge, which is not part of the show. Fudge was of the same generation as the artists in Part I, but he was anything but an abstract painter. Nonetheless, the exhibit is partly dedicated to him because of his untimely death this summer. Fudge was married to Jane Fudge, who wrote the aforementioned brochure. The show is also dedicated in part to Bruce Bee, a local art collector who died earlier this year.

Part I of Colorado Abstraction is extremely good and will silence all who say that there's little of interest in the state's artistic past. No one can now deny the sophistication of the art scene here 25 years ago -- or even today.

Next week: Part II of Colorado Abstraction at the Arvada Center.

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