Old Times

Colorado artists have a history of going out on a limb.

A A A Comments By Michael Paglia Thursday, Sep 30 1999

...continued from page 2

The early-1950s section features a handful of abstract-surrealist paintings by the late J. Richard Sorby, who was connected to DU. Roland Detre, one of Denver's old masters, also created in a surrealist style in Seascape, an oil on canvas from 1950. Other noteworthy artists in this section include Elise Train, Eve Drewelowe, Doug Denniston and Frank Vavra.

Only a few of the artists in the front room worked in an abstract-expressionist style, notably the totally forgotten Harve Litvack and George Cecil Carter. In Untitled, a 1955 oil on board, Carter lays on a pattern of heavy smears in a cool gray palette offset by hot orange.

Untitled, by George Cecil Carter, painting.

More About

Like this Story?

Sign up for the Arts and Theater Newsletter: Weekly information keeping you in the know when it comes to the art and theater scene. Find out about upcoming performances, exhibitions, openings and special events.

The back gallery is filled with abstract expressionism and other non-objective styles. Two of the greatest abstractionists in the region, Ken Goehring and Al Wynne, are seen here in some depth. Goehring is meticulous in his technique, while Wynne is more gestural. Both were students of Robinson's at CSFAC, and both are now retired.

The late Nadine Drummond and Yvonne Thomas, who is retired, also worked in abstract expressionism. Drummond, who lived in Denver, is better known for her conventional landscape paintings, but she turned to abstraction at the end of her life. Thomas, who divided her time between Aspen and New York, was nationally famous, though unknown around here.

The show concludes upstairs with a selection of minimalist and geometric painting from the 1960s and '70s. Pattern-painting pioneer George Woodman from Boulder and Central City's Angelo di Benedetto, an early proponent of the shaped canvas, are among the real standouts in this small section.

BMoCA should be lauded for the impressive achievement of Vanguard Art of Colorado. Its success is the result of Woodward's connoisseurship and Payton's ongoing commitment to local art.

Get the Arts and Theater Newsletter

Weekly information keeping you in the know when it comes to the art and theater scene. Find out about upcoming performances, exhibitions, openings and special events.