Coming soon: First Friday in person in June! While you’re waiting for tomorrow to arrive, get yourself in the artsy groove with a few aperitifs: new shows, art talks and that hopeful feeling.
Cody Kuehl, Exiles, June 2 through June 27
Guest Artist Leo Franco, June 4 through July 31
Valkarie Gallery, 445 South Saulsbury Street, Lakewood
Opening Reception: Friday, June 4, 5 to 8:30 p.m.
Cody Kuehl brings a new series of layered cowboy paintings and prints, this time with a focus on Wild West outsiders and strangers in town. In extreme contrast, Valkarie guest artist Leo Franco also presents characteristic layered work — in this case, geometric wall constructions and sculptures pieced together with plexiglass, metal and wood. See both at one big opening on First Friday.
Barbara DeMarlie, Nature Personified
Susan Hazaleus, Nature Automated
Kim Roberts, Essential Nature
Maria Pacca, Amagone!, We Are Amazonia, in Gallery East
D’art Gallery, 900 Santa Fe Drive
June 3 through June 27
First Friday Opening: Friday, June 4, 5 to 9 p.m.
Artist Talks: Sunday, June 27, 1, 2 and 3 p.m.
D’art members Barbara DeMarlie, Susan Hazaleus and Kim Roberts take different views on the natural world in June, translating trees, birds and the landscape in paintings abstracted in varying degrees and sculptures that flap their pink wings. In Gallery East, Maria Pacca’s installation Amagone! takes viewers through a forest of rolled cylindrical “tree canvases.” All together, these shows strive to show viewers what the world stands to lose to global warming.
One With the Earth
Mexican Cultural Center, 5350 Leetsdale Drive, Suite 200W
Opening Reception: Thursday, June 3, 6 p.m
The Consulate General of Mexico and the Mexican Cultural Center invited eight local artists to contribute artwork about the environment for an exhibition that will help launch the Denver Environment Festival. Additional events continue through the weekend at the Arturo García Art Studio in Westwood.
Lakewood LandMark Artists' Talk
Thursday, June 3, 7 to 9 p.m., online via Zoom
Free, register online in advance
The LandMark outdoor art exhibition, curated by artists Anna Kaye and Kalliopi Monoyios, spreads through parks and open spaces in Arvada and Lakewood, which is a lot to take in on only one trip. New works are still being rolled out in both cities through July, too. So where do you start? A slew of Lakewood contributors —Nicole Banowetz, Tobias Fike, Anna Kaye, Tiffany Matheson, Jason Mehl, Kalliopi Monoyios, Mia Mulvey and Eileen Roscina — will give you the inside story on their portions of the project during this free talk.
Tuke Art Opening and Pop-Up
Balefire Goods, 7513 Grandview Avenue, Arvada
June 3 through July 12
Opening Reception: Saturday, June 12, 4 to 6 p.m.; RSVP at Eventbrite
Jewelry artist Sharon Tuke’s work as a metalsmith is regularly carried by Balefire, but she is also a printmaker and draftswoman on the side. All her skill sets will be on display through mid-July at the Olde Town Arvada shop. On June 12, the artist (who goes simply by “Tuke”) will host a reception and expanded jewelry trunk show; be sure to RSVP if you go so there will be enough snacks for all!
Laura Shill Artist Talk
Thursday, June 3, 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Leon Gallery, 1112 East 17th Avenue; space limited, RSVP in advance
Virtual access available on Instagram @ifoundleon
Laura Shill’s exhibition Future Self Storage at Leon reuses ideas and elements — long, draped cloth tubes and plaster-cast extremities — from past installations to produce new work that comes while we are all emerging from quarantine, dragging the past with us. Shill will cast some light on what’s going on with her disembodied hands and guts-like noodles. Leon is hosting her talk live in the gallery (RSVP required as space is limited), but an online option is there, too, if you need it.
Interested in having your event appear in this calendar? Send the details to [email protected].