Start Your Summer at This Two-Day Pop-Up Gallery Experience at Banshee House

As the random cold snaps and rain showers of spring give way to the sunny days of summer in Denver, we're all craving ways to get outside, come together and enjoy the blooming of the season. And for both outdoor and art enthusiasts, House of Bloom is the perfect way to celebrate.

The Western botanical-themed pop-up will be at Banshee House in RiNo on Friday, May 31, and Saturday, June 1, showcasing a variety of works by local artists, fresh floral arrangements, curated Western vintage, flash tattoos, independent DJ sets and a natural wine bar.

Curated by Denver artist Ariana Barnstable (aka Fikkachica) and sponsored by Fireside at Five, the event is centered around the artwork of eight local artists: Ariana Barnstable, Joon Tajadod, Bridget Thompson, Kristina Davies, Mila Garcia, McKenzie Parrott, Molly Solorzano and Mikkelle Carlson. 

“I really wanted to elevate all of these artists and have them showcase some of their largest work,” says Barnstable, “and I wanted to have people collaborate on projects that they normally wouldn’t have a space to do that in. So we’re going to have some amazing, big pieces that I'm really excited about.”

House of Bloom kicks off on Friday at 6 p.m. with the ticketed Night Bloom event, which will include a panel conversation and Q&A with the eight artists, a DJ set by Miss Tatiana Flowers, a complimentary glass of Aquila Cellars’ new rosé wine, and light bites by Denver’s Women Culinary Social Club. The celebration continues on Saturday at noon with the Day Bloom event, featuring live music by several local DJs, handmade bouquets by Black + Blossomed, flash tattoos by Bella K Johnson, a curated Western vintage shop by Stanza Studios, and a bar with a variety of floral-inspired drinks. The Day Bloom event requires registration.
Barnstable’s approach to curation has always come from a place of collaboration and community. Inspired by pop-up galleries in New York and L.A., she strives to promote creative spaces that are diversified and constantly changing. “I feel like Denver has such an abundance of creatives, and I feel like we need more [of those spaces],” she says. “People want experiences more than ever. We’ve gone so digital, which has been such a shift in our culture…and I think art should be, in many ways, an in-person experience.”

Barnstable is an all-around creative force in the RiNo art scene. In addition to curating and organizing workshops, pop-ups and other art events, she cultivates her personal art practice through watercolors and abstract paintings on raw linen. She is well known for her Lazy Cowgirl series and is heavily inspired by nature and the landscapes of the American West, but she also draws influence from her extensive travels across the globe.

“They’re definitely autobiographical in a sense,” she says of the lazy cowgirls. “I love painting outside and in public spaces and sort of incorporating culture into them. … They’re very minimal, but I love capturing pieces of culture and scenery to make them feel distinct, like you can tell where they’re from.”
Aside from traveling and nature, collaboration is one of Barnstable’s biggest sources of inspiration, and House of Bloom is sure to incorporate several beautiful collaborative moments between the artists. Molly Solorzano and Mikkelle Carlson are two unique Colorado-based photographers who will have a gallery wall together, showcasing their distinct styles of capturing moments in nature. Mila Garcia is an abstract painter who will debut a new piece titled “Animal Kingdom,” which will be alongside a floral installation inspired by the painting, designed by Amber England of Roughage Floral. Bridget Thompson, an artist and textile designer, will be collaborating with Barnstable to create a ten-foot hanging velvet piece dotted with Barnstable’s cowgirl motifs, in addition to a larger work to be displayed in the front window of Banshee House.

These captivating collaborations in the gallery space of House of Bloom will be complemented by the individual artwork of Kristina Davies, Mckenzie Parrott and Joon Tajadod. Davies is a prolific visual artist and educator who creates abstract and figurative contemporary works, and will showcase one of her newest large paintings in the show. Parrott, a graphic artist and painter who creates custom floral designs on apparel, will hand-paint several vintage Western cowboy hats in her unique style for the event. And Tajadod, a large-scale muralist and painter known for her abstract-expressive florals, will display three of her latest paintings.
The eight artists bring such a range of talent and diverse style to this multidisciplinary event, which is why the artist talk on Friday night is sure to be a well of creative insight and inspiration for guests and artists alike. “I think the opening night is going to be really special,” says Barnstable. “That’s why I like this two-day pop up — it’s just very ephemeral. But I think with artwork, when you can understand the inspiration behind the piece, meet the artists and hear them talk about how it all came together, it just makes every piece so much more powerful. And it’s going to be really amazing just finally getting everyone in the same room.

“Something beautiful about Denver is how everyone is sort of connected,” Barnstable adds. “It’s not pretentious at all, it's very community driven. … And that has made creating this event so much easier and more fun, too, because it feels more like we’re friends than anything.

“There’s so much growth happening in Denver, so we need to nurture the art and make it special so that we don't get driven out, or that it doesn't just attract all the money and then it's not funding the culture," she concludes. "I think there's a lot of room for growth and culture, and I definitely want to be part of that. It’s only the beginning.”