Cycle of Seasons

Two-wheeled vehicles are so hot right now. There just seems to be something about summertime that brings out the bipedalist in all of us. And the Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities is cashing in on the popularity of all things two-wheeled with a pair of new summer exhibitions, along with one completely unrelated show for those of you who aren’t all that excited about the advent of riding weather.

Summer of Cycles is a collection of motorcycles loaned to the center by Harry Mathews and Jim Dillard. The two men have considerable personal collections, and the Arvada Center is displaying the cream of the crop for public perusal.

Spokes is a companion exhibit to Summer of Cycles, featuring a range of work inspired by and celebrating the common bicycle. Participating artists include Tony Ortega, Phil Bender, Brenda Vang, Justin Beard, Zack Smith, Melissa Moore and Paul Yalowitz. The third summer display features work by Haley Mariah in Worn Out — From the Inside Out, a collection of stuffed animals, pop-culture icons and more, all turned inside out.

You can help keep these Arvada Center gallery exhibits free and open to the public by attending tonight’s sixth annual Wine and Arts Classic, a wine tasting and silent auction benefiting the center. Get a first glimpse of the summer shows and watch artists create original works in the upper galleries. The festivities begin at 5:30 p.m., and tickets are $40 per person, $75 for a couple, with $125 to $250 VIP packages available. Summer of Cycles runs through September 7; Spokes and Worn Out run through August 31. Visit www.arvadacenter.org or call 720-898-7200 for more information.
June 6-Sept. 7, 2008