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Nothing Is Hiding. A decade ago, William Stockman was a household name among Denver artists and considered to be among the most talented players around. But in 2000, Stockman impetuously split town, returning in 2002. Needing to make a living, he turned his back on his art career until last year, when he got back in the studio. Nothing Is Hiding, a solo at Singer Gallery, is devoted to the poetically composed paintings and drawings he has done since he restarted his career. The newer work marks a shift in his approach. Previously, Stockman had taken one tack for his drawings and another for his paintings. Now the paintings are more in line with his drawings. In fact, each of the paintings in the show is based on a specific drawing, with both types being anchored by incongruous things or figures. These subjects create ambiguity that gives the show's title an ironic twist. Through January 18 at the Singer Gallery, Mizel Arts & Culture Center, 350 South Dahlia Street, 303-316-6360. Reviewed December 13.

Twinkle Twinkle. Plus Gallery owner Ivar Zeile often describes his approach as being "eclectic," embracing competing ideologies at the same time and in the same shows. The shortcoming of this is that the pairings are sometimes less than coherent. Twinkle Twinkle starts off with expressionist paintings by Travis Egedy that refer to graffiti and commercial art. They couldn't be more different from the blurry photos of trees by Noah Manos, which are very impressive. In the middle of the room is a plate-glass wheelbarrow by Leafe Zales. Finishing off the front space is a collection of letters by Martin Sammy Gardea made up of neo-1970s arte povera-type stuff. In the second part, Zales delves into the same non-sensibility with a linear abstraction made from hair and a sculpture disguised as a bag of trash. These Zaleses contrast with the meticulous paintings of buildings as geometric abstractions by Mindy Bray and the depiction of tract houses by Nathan Abels. In addition, there's definitely something compelling about the surface effects in the paintings by Lela Shields. Through January 19 at Plus Gallery, 2350 Lawrence Street, 303-296-0927. Reviewed January 10.