Tar Power

According to PlatteForum founder and artistic director Judy Anderson, current resident artist Rory Golden is a fascinating character who paints into the wee hours, creating images drenched in an honest, egoless interest in righting wrongs and taking on social issues. A book artist with branches, Golden works with unusual materials: thick layers of roofing tar, house paint and oil paint, or delicate mulberry paper sheets glazed with wax that sometimes float from books hanging in wings from the ceiling. Prior to coming to PlatteForum to teach twelve ArtLab youths, he ensconced himself in a West Virginia community, where he researched and laid bare in artwork the facts of a gay black man's brutal murder.

"Here he did portraits of the youth he's been working with, using these really raw materials that show a lot of angst," Anderson says — and in the process, Golden taught the ArtLab kids to see through his eyes and work with his techniques. The ensuing exhibit, I Loved You All Along, opens tonight with a free reception from 5:30 to 8 p.m. and features Golden's large portraits and art by his young protegés. "He really tried as an artist to capture the unique identity of each child, and the eyes of the kids in the portraits are very revealing," Anderson notes. "When we hung the show, they almost started looking at each other, so you actually have a room full of their gazes."

Tomorrow at 6:30 p.m., Golden will speak at a gallery screening of an episode of PBS's Art21; admission is a suggested donation of $5 (or free for students). I Loved You continues through November 2 in PlatteForum's new digs at 1610 Little Raven Street; for details, call 303-893-0791 or go to www.platteforum.org.
Oct. 18-Nov. 2, 2007