PLUS GALLERY FEATURED PROMINENTLY IN SPRING ISSUE OF MODERN IN DENVER

What buildings are considered notable by the publication Modern in Denver for the upcomingDoors Open Denver tour in mid-April?  Plus Gallery made the list of seven, which includes the MCA Denver, Hyatt Convention Center, Room and Board, the Anchor Center for Blind Children, American Red Cross and Temple Emanuel.   Not only that, but the gallery is featured with a full-page image on the opening spread of the article, Modern in Denver taking note with a major article this year as the theme for DOD is "Modern Architecture: 50's and Beyond."   Plus Gallery participated in last year's event, as well as the inaugural DOD back in 2005 when we were located in our initial space at 2350 Lawrence St.  We couldn't be more proud however of this year's recognition in MID, great architecture should have an impact not only when it's first unveiled but over the course of time, and we feel that the quality and effort put into our structure will resonate for years to come.  The publication should be hitting newsstands this week, pick up a copy and discover one of the best design and lifestyle publications in the West.

http://www.modernindenver.com/spring-issue

SAVE THE DATE #1: PATTI HALLOCK ARTIST TALK FOR FIRST FRIDAY, APRIL 1ST @ 7pm

Just scheduled, the response to Patti's thoughtful, pristine images of the West has been tremendous so we've asked her to come talk about the ongoing body of work that has consumed her life for the last three years and possibly more to come.  Join us for extended hours on First Friday, April 1st, the gallery will stay open till 8pm with Patti discussing her work starting at 7pm.

Artist Patti Hallock and gallery owner Ivar Zeile at opening reception of "The West is Here"

SAVE THE DATE #2: DOORS OPEN DENVER, APRIL 16th-17th

This year's Doors Open Denver celebration will take place over the weekend of April 16th and 17th, with the theme of "Modern Architecture: 50s and beyond."  Plus Gallery will be a visible feature on the tour, with limited hours on both Saturday and Sunday.  Our current exhibition of works by Patti Hallock will be featured on the main floor, and we'll be devising a special thematic concept for the second floor strictly for the two days of the tour.  More information on that to be divulged later.

SAVE THE DATE #3: OPENING RECEPTION FOR "PEAKING THE EDGE" AT PLUS GALLERY

Plus Gallery will open the resoundingly sublime exhibition "Peaking the Edge" on Friday, April 22nd, featuring seven contemporary painters all riffing heavily on "Hard-edge" abstraction with works coming from as near as Durango (Monica Goldsmith) and as far away as New Zealand (Sara Hughes and Shannon Novak).  Resplendent in so many ways, the opening will also feature performances by featured artist Tim Jag as well as Gary Parkins.

"Data Crash 4," by New Zealand artist Sara Hughes, 30 x 30 inches, acrylic on canvas

SAVE THE DATE #4: DAM CONTEMPORARIES ANNUAL SOIREE AND FUNDRAISER MAY 7th

Remember "Bollywood" from 2009, one of the last truly communal and fun art-parties of the last five years in Denver?  Well, get set for a decidely different tone with even more hedonistic art-related activity, concocted by this year's DAM Contemporaries event committee to support the terrific programming for the modern and contemporary departments of the Denver Art Museum.

CALLING ALL ARTISTS AND STUDENTS: JACKIE BATTENFIELD LECTURE TO TAKE PLACE AT REDLINE MARCH 31st

Colorado Business Committee for the Arts (CBCA), Denver Office of Cultural Affairs, Michele Mosko Fine Art and RedLine will host "Making an Artist's Life Work," with artist and author Jackie Battenfield, on Thursday, March 31, 2011, 5:30 pm at RedLine, 2350 Arapahoe Street, Denver, CO 80205. The talk, held in conjunction with Denver's Month of Photography, will focus on the business of art and is recommended for artists and students. It is open to the public and is free to CBCA and RedLine members, $5 for non-members. The event will be followed by Q & A and a book signing, sales proceeds to benefit RedLine. RSVP online at Blacktie Colorado or call 303-282-5135.

Battenfield will review the fundamental business skills that artists need to develop and sustain a successful professional career based on her widely acclaimed book, The Artist's Guide: How to Make a Living Doing What You Love. How to plan, promote, fund and organize an arts-oriented business will be discussed, as well as how to build community. Battenfield will also take audience questions. "We are delighted to offer this business resource to area artists," says Deborah Jordy, CBCA Executive Director. "Battenfield's experience and skills will benefit all who attend."

Battenfield received an MFA from Syracuse University College of Visual and Performing Arts. For the last 20 years she has made a living from her art and is a popular motivational speaker on the challenges of sustaining a successful career in the visual arts. She is the recipient of a Pollock-Krasner Award (1991) and the Warren Tanner Award (1996). Battenfield founded The Rotunda Gallery in Brooklyn, New York and worked there from 1981 to 1989. She directed postgraduate seminars for The Artist in the Marketplace Program (AIM) at the Bronx Museum of the Arts for 16 years. Currently, she teaches professional practice in Columbia University's graduate program and for the Creative Capital Foundation and has mentored over 3,000 artists. Battenfield is author of The Artist's Guide: How to Make a Living Doing What You Love, Da Capo Press, 2009. For more information, visit www.artistcareerguide.com. 

PATTI HALLOCK'S "THE WEST IS HERE" NOW ON VIEW AT PLUS GALLERY

Plus Gallery launched the exhibition "The West is Here' last Friday evening, presented in conjunction with Denver's Month Of Photography celebration which includes exhibitions, events, panels, lectures and portfolio reviews around Denver and Colorado all focused on the medium of photography.  It's a great opportunity to see the most esteemed work by local as well as international artists in venues throughout the area.

Hallock's exhibition is a major statement on the West, she has put a lot of effort into the exhibition layout and combination of images that open up wide possibilities for reflection and discussion.  Along with the major works in the exhibition, Plus Gallery and the artist are offering limited edition small scale prints of the show-pieces for modest prices along with editions of her earlier body of work "Wreck Room."  Stop by and see one of the standout photographers in Denver and a thoughtful component of the Month of Photography.

DENVER ART MUSEUM OPENS MAJOR CONTEMPORARY EXHIBITION "BLINK" THIS WEEK

The highly anticipated exhibition "Blink! Light, Sound and the Moving Image" opens this Thursday at the Denver Art Museum.  The first of it's kind at the museum, Blink! is dedicated entirely to electronic media with a heavy emphasis on the moving image and video art.  The Museum will host an opening reception for the exhibition this Thursday, March 10th from 7-9pm, an event that will undoubtedly be exciting and packed.

Terrific insight on the development and eventual prestige of video-based and experiential art can be found in the recently published, extremely absorbing book "Art of the Deal," highly recommended reading for anyone seeking knowledge on the current contemporary art economy and burgeoning interest in new mediums and forms of artistic expression that leave some baffled, others in awe.  You just might come away with a different understanding of Blink! and other exhibitions of its kind around the globe, as well as the concept of art as an investment.

RECOMMENDED ART-RELATED FILM: !Women Art Revolution

From the Starz Website:  For over forty years, Director Lynn Hershman Leeson has collected hundreds of hours of interviews with visionary artists, historians, curators and critics who shaped the beliefs and values of the Feminist Art Movement and reveal previously undocumented strategies used to politicize female artists and integrate women into art structures. Through intimate and rarely seen archival film and video footage, !Women Art Revolution reveals how the Feminist Art Movement radically transformed the art and culture of our times. http://www.womenartrevolution.com/

We had the privilege of previewing this film and must highly recommend it to all audiences interested in the history of art as well as the current conditions.  Leeson makes a strong case for the staggering inequalities that have always existed for the recognition of women in the arts, a depiction that resonates most thoroughly as she has experienced them firsthand as a forward thinking artist who only recently has solidified her stature within the contemporary international art realm.  Most people understand the "feminist movement" as extending into all facets and walks of life, it's relationship to art being just another factor that many assume is mostly past.  While it is true to a certain extent, one can look at a gallery like Plus as being somewhat typical of the scene today with a large stable of highly credible female artists, some of them the most successful of any artists with the gallery; it is nevertheless staggering to realize the extent of the inequalities and how recently any sort of shift has been made.  Leeson's approach is straightforward, but she definitely delves deeply into the discussion, focusing on artists that many are probably not familiar with, coursing her way through to current times and some of the artists that have benefited heavily from the removal of boundaries and actions taken by both individual artists as well as groups like the "Guerrilla Girls."

Advance tickets are recommended for the screening of WAR, and there are a number of great films on tap for the entire festival.  Visit the Denver Film Society website for more information at http://www.denverfilm.org

Plus Gallery opens new photography exhibition by Patti Hallock March 4th

Plus Gallery invites you to join us this Friday evening, March 4th from 6-9pm for the opening reception of Patti Hallock's exhibition "The West is Here," presented in conjunction with Denver's Month of Photography.

Hallock's third solo exhibition with the Gallery is also her most in-depth, having been shot over the last three years throughout the state of Colorado as well as connecting states in the region.  She has made a deliberate shift in her lens during the years since her return to Denver after completing her masters studies at New York's Parsons, The New School for Design, one that engulfs the wider landscape and themes that surround all who live in what is known as "The West." A more widespread quietude is suggested through her deep exploration, one that dredges up and compartmentalizes icons stranded in time, as if excavating a large swath of life that is still very much a part of the present.  In doing so she is gracefully moving towards a thoughtful and arresting oeuvre that commands authority. The images are blisteringly gorgeous in person, the attention to composition and quality as strong as anyone working in the field today.

Patti Hallock received her BFA in photography from the University of Colorado at Denver in 2004 and then went on to receive her MFA in photography in 2007 from Parsons, NYC. Her photographic work has focused on expressing loneliness and isolation and the ways in which we experience those feelings within or because of our environment. Her work has been included in a number of seminal, local contemporary exhibitions of the last decade including the MCA Denver's 2005 "Biennial Blowout!" and 2006' "Extended Remix," the 2009 "Den-Mi" group exhibition of Denver artists coinciding with Art Basel in Miami, and most recently "Objectophilia" for last year's Denver Biennial of the Americas. Hallock currently teaches photography at the University of Colorado at Denver.  We invite you to join us in celebrating and recognizing her latest achievements

KATE PETLEY EXHIBITION "THE FRUIT STARE" OPENS IN DURANGO MARCH 03

Certainly one of the most talented and hard-working artists in the region is none-other than Plus Gallery's own Kate Petley, last featured at the gallery with her wonderful solo exhibition "One Big Dream."  Selections from that exhibition along with a dynamic new installation by the artist will surface in March at the Fort Lewis College Art Gallery in Durango.  The exhibition opens March 3rd and will be on view through the 26th of the month. 

From the Press release:  Petley works in resin and mixed media, installations, and public commissions. Referring to the intersection of nature and the urban environment, this exhibition will feature two site specific installations and two dimensional works. Kate Petley received a B.F.A. cum laude (1976) from the University of Utah and her site-specific installations, public commissions, and exquisite studio works have received awards including an NEA Rockefeller Foundation Grant.  This term "The Fruit Stare" has been used to describe the process by which the Orangutan locates a food source, using the least amount of physical energy possible. According to field researchers, the Orangutan is said to "have a more internal approach to tasks. They have been observed to sit in a tree canopy for hours, and then suddenly go over to a batch of fruit that it discovered simply by sitting still, whereas other apes for the same task would go from tree to tree in search." This exhibition is generously funded by a grant from the Ballantine Family Fund.

http://www.fortlewis.edu/art/gallery.asp

ALLIE POHL BRINGS IDEAL WOMAN TO LA, DEBUTS AT ROYAL/T

Another Plus Gallery artist with endless ideas and energy is Allie Pohl.  Her recent move to LA has already found her seeing interest in the area.  She'll debut her "Ideal Woman" concept for that market this saturday March 5th with a reception from 6-8pm on Wednesday, March 9th at Royal/T.

Royal/T
8910 Washington Boulevard
Culver City, CA 90232

RECOMMENDED ART-RELATED FILM: !Women Art Revolution

From the Starz Website:  For over forty years, Director Lynn Hershman Leeson has collected hundreds of hours of interviews with visionary artists, historians, curators and critics who shaped the beliefs and values of the Feminist Art Movement and reveal previously undocumented strategies used to politicize female artists and integrate women into art structures. Through intimate and rarely seen archival film and video footage, !Women Art Revolution reveals how the Feminist Art Movement radically transformed the art and culture of our times. 

http://www.womenartrevolution.com/

We had the privilege of previewing this film and must highly recommend it to all audiences interested in the history of art as well as the current conditions.  Leeson makes a strong case for the staggering inequalities that have always existed for the recognition of women in the arts, a depiction that resonates most thoroughly as she has experienced them firsthand as a forward thinking artist who only recently has solidified her stature within the contemporary international art realm.  Most people understand the "feminist movement" as extending into all facets and walks of life, it's relationship to art being just another factor that many assume is mostly past.  While it is true to a certain extent, one can look at a gallery like Plus as being somewhat typical of the scene today with a large stable of highly credible female artists, some of them the most successful of any artists with the gallery; it is nevertheless staggering to realize the extent of the inequalities and how recently any sort of shift has been made.  Leeson's approach is straightforward, but she definitely delves deeply into the discussion, focusing on artists that many are probably not familiar with, coursing her way through to current times and some of the artists that have benefited heavily from the removal of boundaries and actions taken by both individual artists as well as groups like the "Guerrilla Girls."

Advance tickets are recommended for the screening of WAR, and there are a number of great films on tap for the entire festival.  Visit the Denver Film Society website for more information at http://www.denverfilm.org

FINAL WEEK FOR MELISSA FURNESS EXHIBITION "TRANS-FORMATIONS"

This is the final week to view the exhibition "trans-formations" by Melissa Furness, her first solo exhibition in Denver and an outstanding evolution for both the artist's work and painting in Denver.  Please join us during regular gallery hours through this Saturday, February 26th.

THANKS TO THOSE WHO CAME OUT FOR MELISSA FURNESS ARTIST TALK

Nothing impresses us more than a large turnout for one of our artists talks, and most deservedly so for Furness' last week as she discussed the influences and effects within her work. But those who missed it can still tune in to our youtube page and at least catch a good semblance of the talk with the volume turned up.

The four links below comprise the entire talk,. in bite-size chunks.  There's nothing like the real thing, but we encourage you to learn more about Melissa's work online:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLaPSU8VfS0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWD2l5ZurTg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eE0QHbBZge4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KQRAhFkQOs

PATTI HALLOCK EXHIBITION OPENS FIRST FRIDAY MARCH 4TH AT PLUS GALLERY

Plus Gallery will open the new exhibition "The West is Here" featuring recent photographs by Patti Hallock for her third solo exhibition with the gallery, presented in conjunction with the Denver Month of Photography in March.  Save the date and join us on First Friday March 4th for the opening from 6-9pm, more details to follow in next week's newsletter.

KATE PETLEY EXHIBITION "THE FRUIT STARE" OPENS IN DURANGO MARCH 03

Certainly one of the most talented and hard-working artists in the region is none-other than Plus Gallery's own Kate Petley, last featured at the gallery with her wonderful solo exhibition "One Big Dream."  Selections from that exhibition along with a dynamic new installation by the artist will surface in March at the Fort Lewis College Art Gallery in Durango.  The exhibition opens March 3rd and will be on view through the 26th of the month.

For more information, call (970) 247-7167 or visit http://www.fortlewis.edu/art/gallery.asp

HERMANN NITSCH IN PERSON AT MCA DENVER THIS THURSDAY NIGHT

The Museum of Contemporary Art Denver currently has a number of new exhibitions up in their galleries, none more intriguing and rare than "Bloodlines" by Austrian artist Hermann Nitsch. "Featuring eight major Schüttbilder (spill paintings) created between 1990 and 2007, as well as related objects and music, the exhibition will introduce viewers to this seasoned artist's creative practice and how his work is rooted in both the sanctity of religious ritual and the drama of Abstract Expressionist painting."  It also happens to be curated by Simon Zalkind, one of the most knowledgable and thoughtful curators of art in Denver.  Zalkind will lead a discussion with the artist this Thursday evening February 24th at the MCA starting at 6pm as part of their ongoing Artist Conversation series. For more information visit the MCA website at http://mcadenver.org

CHRISTO AND JEANNE-CLAUDE FILM FESTIVAL THIS WEEKEND AT DAM

Also highly recommneded at the Institutional level is this weekend's Christo and Jean Claude Film Festival with screenings from Friday February 25th through Sunday the 27th.  Saturday's screening's will feature Christo in person, which of course is already sold out, but all of the films are worth viewing and are legendary.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR THE "WOMEN + VOICES FILM FESTIVAL" AT STARZ

The Denver Film Society proudly presents VOICES, a six day film festival from March 8 through March 13, 2011, launching on the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day. Through documentaries, feature films, salons, and many in-person guests, VOICES will showcase thought-provoking, inspirational stories of women from around the world. Each film will have a VOICES host, either a woman personally involved with the film or a Denver community leader who will the film and lead a Q&A discussion afterwards. In addition, the VOICES Salon Series will feature inspirational and accomplished women from the Denver area leading discussions on relevant issues featured in the Festival.

Sponsored by Beyond Our Borders, the Book Babes, CARE, Fiona Baldwin, Garbarini, Mountain 2 Mountain, Metro State Institute for Women's Studies and Services, SOL, and Zonta Club of Denver