Three's Company

Every year, I get excited for the Arvada Center’s summer art exhibits, which are typically complementary yet distinct shows with enough diversity to satisfy wide-ranging tastes. And this year is no exception: The seasonal selections include Jill Greenberg: Monkeys and Bears, Haze Diedrich: Devotion and “Scramble” Campbell: Music With a View.

Greenberg is known for her photographs of celebrities; her monkey and bear portraits depict, well, monkeys and bears, but their poses and facial expressions are all too human. Diedrich, who does large-scale abstract paintings, attempts to give vision to the images expressed in some of his favorite poems. “Like an onion unfolded and recombined, I am trying to reveal and conceal at the same time,” he says.

Personally, I’m most excited about the work by Morrison’s own Keith “Scramble” Campbell, who’s known for his live concert paintings; he attends a concert and completes a piece of art during the course of the performance, capturing the essence of the experience on canvas. His exhibit will include several blank canvases that he’ll fill in at various live performances at the Arvada Center’s outdoor amphitheater over the summer.

All three shows remain on display through August 30. The Arvada Center is at 6901 Wadsworth Boulevard in Arvada; call 720-898-7200 or visit www.arvadacenter.org.
June 11-Aug. 30, 2009