Up, Up and Away

This fall, after the current shows close, MCA will present the first major exhibit since Payton took over and the only one in which there has been a gracious amount of set-up time. Go Fish will be a show of photo-based work on the topic of fish, and it will be put together by Jane Fudge. Now living in Oregon, Fudge spent her entire adult life, from the 1970s until last year, contributing to the local art world. "I thought it was important to keep Jane involved with the Denver art scene," says Payton. "So I asked her to do the big fall show."

Considering the many remarkable things that Payton has done since she got to MCA just a few months ago -- and all without breaking a sweat -- don't be surprised if you think of that old saying: If you're given lemons, make lemonade.