PLUS GALLERY PRESENTS ALISON O'DANIEL'S "NIGHT SKY" THIS SATURDAY NIGHT, SEPTEMBER 22nd at 7:30PM

Throughout our 11 year history, Plus Gallery has been the only Denver art gallery to regularly present experimental evenings in music, performance and film to the public, our own way of removing the commerce aspect from the art experience and support distinct, renowned creative visions by artists from across the country.  Our latest in this endeavor, and one of our most highly anticipated, is this Saturday evening's presentation of "Night Sky," a superb, uniquely crafted experimental narrative film by California-based artist Alison O'Daniels.

This summer we did not hesitate to confirm our position on O'Daniel's US tour, where she will be presenting the film in a wide array of settings from from the Museum of Jurassic Technology in LA to the Museum of Contemporary Art in both Cleveland and Detroit......from the guild cinema in Albuquerque to the Tisch Department of Cinema Studies in New York.  It's a list we are not commonly associated with, but one that we feel right at place in.  Viewing O'Daniel's website as well as the film itself completely solidified our interests, by all counts she is a high-caliber, highly awarded emerging artist who is on a notable, ambitious career path. In other words, exactly the type of artist we like to support.

 "Night Sky" is a 75 minute narrative film that enacts a sensory experience on the bodies of the viewers with live accompaniment and parallel, overlapping stories: two girls - Cleo and Jay - travel through the desert while a group of contestants compete in a dance marathon.  Sound travels between locations through a hula-hoop window hanging unnoticed in the midst of the marathon contestants and simultaneously in the desert air.  Sound bleeds between the locations, and unique screenings with live musical or sign language scores performed by various musicians and sign language interpreters extends the narrative into the exhibition space or cinema.  Redefining sound and images through synesthesia and limiting or heightening the sensory palette offers hearing and deaf audiences a nuanced glimpse of one another's experiences without privileging one or the other.

This performance emphasizes music within the film by Ethan Grederick Greene, Lucky Dragons, and Evelyn Glennie with live sign language accompaniment by Lisa Reynolds.  Balloons will be provided for the Deaf audience spectrum.

We expect this to be one of our most unique and gratifying experiences to date, and urge you to join us this Saturday evening to welcome Alison to Denver and view her latest work.  Please share this notice with others who might be interetsed as well.

Visit Alison's website at http://www.alisonodaniel.com


Preview Night Sky at https://vimeo.com/12865622

IVAR ZEILE INTERVIEWED ON THIS WEDNESDAY'S UNTITLED ART SHOW, SEPTEMBER 19th @ 8PM

The untitledartshow.com has recently moved from their previous studio on Santa Fe Drive to new digs within the Museum of Outdoor Arts in Lakewood, a major step forward for this most excellent program that delivers a wide array of context and substance from Denver's art scene and beyond.  It's like listening to NPR but with a total arts-related focus.....intelligently presented and easy to tune in via their website at any time.

This Wednesday evening Plus Gallery owner Ivar Zeile will be visiting the new studio to discuss our current exhibition of Karen McClanahan's work,  the merits of one of our best years to date, and perhaps even a look at the exciting months ahead.  Tune in by visiting  http://www.untitledartshow.com

The Untitled Art Show's new studio

KAREN McCLANAHAN - STACKS NOW ON VIEW AT PLUS GALLERY

One of the most unique attributes to our current show, and one that we know has been a challenge for artist Karen McClanahan for years now, is the thought she has put into displaying her thread drawings and other small-scale works on paper.  McClanahan recently developed a very simple and elegant solution with her significant other Steve Lauman, whom she bills as a "machinist and astronomical instrument maker."  Steve has used his machinist knowledge to craft the aluminum stands on display in "Stacks," which greatly enhance the delicacy of the drawings as well as the unique, limited edition "SCL9 Stacked Book" package containing 9 separate drawings that reference her "Sequential Chroma Loop 9."  Karen recently posted an image of pedestals in fabrication on her website, along with a display image showing how lovely these works look in a home environment.  Stop in to see them for yourself, along with the rest of the outstanding paintings in "Stacks," on view through October 13th.

LAURA KRUDENER AND SUSAN MEYER FEATURED IN NEW ISSUE OF MODERN IN DENVER

Hitting the stands this week is the newest issue of Denver's most thoughtful, high-quality publication Modern In Denver, and we couldn't be more pleased to announce that it features two Plus Gallery artists. Featured profiles include the latest addition to the Plus Gallery family of artists Laura Krudener, and one of Denver's most revered artists of the last decade Susan Meyer with an interview in preview of her upcoming solo exhibition "Plato's Retreat."  Grab a copy at select bookstores and locations throughout Denver, or drop into Plus Gallery to grab one while they last.

XI ZHANG TO BE ANNOUNCED AS BIENNIAL RESIDENCY RECIPIENT SEPTEMBER 28TH AT THE MCA DENVER'S CONTEMPORARY ARTS PLATFORM PRESENTATION AT 6PM

We've calmed down since last week's news regarding Plus Gallery artists Xi Zhang being selected for an artists residency in Buenos Aires this November in conjunction with the Biennial of the Americas.......but just barely.  We got more of the skinny on this fantastic opportunity and how it integrates into the vision of the upcoming Platform 5280 Biennial of the Americas.  We don't want to spoil all of that for you here, find out more about Xi's involvement as well as the upcoming Biennial program at next week's "Contemporary Arts Platform Presentation" hosted by the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver at 6pm.

A few months back the an initial preview hosted by the Biennial provided an overview of the Contemporary Arts Platform.  Next Friday's event will be an in-depth look at the projects in the 2013 Biennial that will be activating Denver's public spaces, highlighting  the Urban Architectural Interventions, Public Art and Performance, and many important community partners such as the Downtown Denver Partnership, and the Denver Film Society. The event will be co-hosted by Maruca Salazar, Director, Museo de las Americas, and Adam Lerner of the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver.  Joining Biennial Director Abaseh Mirivali's team in their presentation will be the curators for the Urban Architectural Interventions Gaspar Libedinsky, from Buenos Aires, Carson Chan, Canadian residing in Berlin, and Paul Andersen, a practicing architect in Denver.  Xi will be there as well to fill his fans and the public in more about the residency opportunity.

To attend the presentation you must RSVP by September 20 to meettheplatform@platform5280.org.

See you there!

Xi Zhang's latest painting: "AS01E04"

"BEAUTY IS EMBARRASSING" OPENS SEPTEMBER 21st AT DENVER FILM CENTER - ARTIST WAYNE WHITE IN ATTENDANCE FOR FRIDAY NIGHT'S OPENING

As with many of the Denver Film Center's visual arts-related programs, we were given the opportunity to preview the latest film on the Center's calendar related to our favorite topic.  "Beauty is Embarrassing" is the latest artist-as-subject documentary to hit national screens, and well deserving of that status. The movie is the story of artist Wayne White, someone whose name might not ring a bell for all, but whom almost everyone is likely to be oddly aware of for any number of his outstanding endeavors and accomplishments throughout his career.  We love how the film goes in-depth to plumb Wayne's existence in the arts, and how ultimately the portrait truly informs the psychology of what it means to be a successful artist.  But there is plenty to love about this film, not least that it's part of a healthy trend towards looking at living artists as meaningful subjects worthy of feature-length treatment.

Early on in the film, White defines his world and artistic stance with "I'll settle for laughter any day, laughter's a deep thing."  We couldn't agree more, much of today's best social commentary coming from sources that make light of their subject in the most relevant and revealing ways.  And it's a grounding force that absolutely helps many of us get through life.  In Wayne's case, it likely developed in reaction to his surroundings, being born and raised in the deep south in a typical county and family that quite naturally wouldn't understand much about "art."  Wayne knew from an early age though that art was his calling, and the film delivers an outstanding depiction of acceptance between not just Wayne's generation and his fathers, but more the specifics of his personal relationship with pops.  White's statement that "Art was something you bought at kmart," feeds greatly into the films development, as he goes from a country bumpkin to a creative force pursuing art as a lifestyle in what he initially considered a "dream job" as set-designer on Pee Wee's Playhouse, to the draining characteristics that such a lifestyle actually purports. It's not easy being put through the creative grind, though in the long-run it allows Wayne to eventually step outside of the realm of notoriety in the creative sector to that of being an actual visual artist who makes art for himself on k-mart style throw-away thrift-store paintings. His story delivers the roots, trunk and the limbs of what we consider the profession of "artist" to be across America, none of it being precisely understood by many and even personally what it's chalked up to be.

There are great, revealing moments throughout "Beauty is Embarrassing," with megastars like the Simpson's Matt Groening showing deep reverence for White's work, as well as Wayne's lovely and supportive wife who put her own creative talent and success on the side in full support of her husband's desire to live the American Dream through a life-long tendency towards saying "Fuck You."  In fact, White loves the use of slang, it becomes the core of the his text-based paintings that are occasionally familiar, such as the cover for the outstanding band Lambchop's "Nixon" album, and almost always uproarious.  Throughout the film White comes across as a humble, genuine and inspiring personality, even when he says things like "There's a lot of people in the art world with sticks up their butts, but if you meet somebody like that, all you gotta do is say is "I'll smash this painting over your fucking head."   In many ways he's not too far removed from our own beloved Bill Amundson, an artist who is still grappling with notions of artistic success through singular inherent talent and a lifelong pursuit that involves humor, and saying it exactly as you mean it.

"Beauty is Embarrassing" opens this Friday, September 21st at Denver FilmCenter/Colfax.  The artist Wayne White will be in Denver to regale the opening night audience, so don't miss out!  For more information, visit

http://www.denverfilm.org

NYC'S "THE HOME OF EASY CREDIT" AND DENVER'S "THE PLAYGROUND" TO PERFORM AT PLUS GALLERY SATURDAY, OCTOBER 13TH

Plus Gallery presents another outstanding night of music as we host Queen's New York-based duo "The Home of Easy Credit" on their current North-American tour along with Denver's "The Playground."  We'll have more specifics to follow, but here's a little information to get you revved up about attending this evening, and to share with like-minded friends:

Queens-based The Home of Easy Credit challenges the boundaries of free-improvised music, jazz, folk, and pop music with an iconoclastic approach that defies all those who seek to classify music by genre. Two musicians who met in New York in 2008 and were married one year later, Danish multi-instrumentalist Louise Dam Eckardt Jensen and bassist Tom Blancarte have teamed up musically as The Home of Easy Credit, releasing their self-titled debut album on Northern Spy in 2012. Taking their name from a department store sign in a dilapidated section of downtown Houston, Texas which they photographed while on tour there, the duo seeks to hold up a mirror to contemporary musical tastes to create a dark, beautiful and thrilling sound world that reflects upon the decline of contemporary civilization.

Recently gaining notoriety for her improvised solo performances, Jensen uses a broad range of colors, drawn from a long lineage of Scandinavian artists including Jan Garbarek, Arve Henriksen and Björk but blended with saxophone sounds as diverse as Lee Konitz or Mats Gustafsson. An experienced veteran of the New York DIY music scene, Blancarte, who plays electronic futuristic jazz with the Peter Evans Quintet, hyperactive prog banjo/guitar shred with Seabrook Power Plant and provides hellish bass insanity to tubist Dan Peck's improvised doom metal outfit The Gate, utilizes every trick in his book to underpin his wife's apocalyptic musical narratives. The year 2012 promises to be an exciting year for the duo, as they plan an epic tour of North America in the fall and two tours of Europe in the spring and summer.

"Incredible blending of female voice, saxophone, and gnarly double bass; the instruments are used both as solo voices and ensembles in almost every conceivable way. The duo's work stands strongly apart from any kind of generic so-called free improvisation- both in the roles the instruments play as well as the way they are electronically modified. Dramatic, beautiful but above all very unusual music." - Peter Evans

"Wife-and-husband team Louise Dam Eckardt Jensen (sax, vocals, flute, electronics) and Tom Blancarte (bass) explore the intersection of free jazz, art pop and ambient psychedelia" - Time Out New York

"Though their name sounds like a junk-mail come-on, the din raised by The Home of Easy Credit is far from ingratiating and would be difficult to simply discardŠ The Danish-born Jensen's primal-Björk howls and electronic drones combine with Blancarte's screeching bowed bass to construct desolate aural landscapes as dense and haunting as an urban ghost town; her wraithlike flute or melancholy sax mixed with his scurrying lines suggest the hope of the surviving stragglers." - The Philadelphia City Paper

 "Šthe whole bundle is gorgeous, eerie, and unsettlingŠ Pushing away from the crowd, The Home of Easy Credit distinguishes itself with its playful, strange, yet sometimes angelic discordance." - The Chatanooga Pulse

"The duo's dynamic textures might be termed 'maximal minimalism': epic tonepoems beside terse 'Haikus', long-decaying loops, stuttered accents, whispered echoes, screeching overtones, pile-driving pizzicatos, scooping doublestops, 'throat-sung' multiphonics, lumbering steam trains, squeaking bicycle brakes - a jumble of sonic surfaces that suggest a score to a post-apocalyptic horror flick." - The New York City Jazz Record

"Ša wildly unselfconscious approach to free improvisation (genuflecting ecumenically to both a Stockhausen and an avant-rock impulse) - elliptically ambient and textural one minute, furiously hypnotic and shrapnel-like the next." - Oregon Music News

 View Home of Easy Credit on youtube at

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBWUhYwPy0E

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqiawu2gctk

 Listen to a track from HOEC's latest album '"The Feast of the Meal Replacement Bars"

http://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F37484323&auto_play=false&show_artwork=true&color=ff7700

 Opening the show at Plus Gallery is a set by Conrad Kehn; composer, improviser, performer, educator, writer, artist, and Director of The Playground Ensemble. This solo performance will feature intriguing combinations of 20th century Avant guard composers record loops, spoken word records, programmed drum beats, old American hymn tunes and live (manipulated vocals). Kehn is a Lecturer of Music Technology and Music Theory at the Lamont School of Music, and also the Co-chair, Denver Public Schools Arts Resource Council.

PLUS GALLERY ARTIST XI ZHANG SELECTED TO REPRESENT DENVER AND PLATFORM 5280 IN BUENOS AIRES THIS NOVEMBER FOR INTERNATIONAL ARTIST RESIDENCY PROGRAM

Plus Gallery is thrilled to announce that Xi Zhang has been selected by the committee for Platform 5280, Denver's Biennial of the Americas, to be the official Denver participant and representative URRA, an Argentine artist residency program that encourages artistic production, favours dialogues, and promotes international networking. URRA will hold the third edition of its Artist Residency Program in Buenos Aires November 1-30, 2012, bringing together a group of 15 international visual artists for a month-long program where they will work closely with their peers, interact with the community, develop projects, and present their works.

 We are so proud to have Xi selected, his selection reflects not only on the high-level of engagement and success he's had within the Denver art community to date, but also sheds positive light on Plus Gallery as a vehicle for helping to build meaningful careers for Denver-based artists.  According to the selection committee,  "This project is an important step in achieving Platform 5280's goal to help Denver artists reach both local and global audiences."

Platform 5280 will host a public Contemporary Arts Platform Presentation at 6:00 pm on September 28, 2012 at MCA Denver. Their contemporary arts team, international guest curators, and Biennial leader Abaseh Mirvali will present an in-depth look at the projects in the 2013 Biennial that will be activating Denver's public spaces.  Certainly an event that we encourage everyone in the community to get behind.

Xi Zhang in his Denver studio last night after receiving the Biennial residency news

KAREN McCLANAHAN - "STACKS" NOW ON VIEW AT PLUS GALLERY

Plus Gallery launched the fall season in style last Friday with the opening of Karen McClanahan's latest solo exhibition "Stacks."   It's been over three years since Karen last took center stage at the gallery, her first last appearance coinciding with the grand opening of our space at 25th and Larimer.  McClanahan had as much experience with our exhibition space as we did at that time, namely none!  The results were still fantastic, acclaim coming in heavy doses from the critical community for the gallery as well as Karen's efforts.  With "Stacks" Karen has managed to put together an exhibition that is in solid contrast to that previous effort, working on a more intimate scale while continuing push a vein that brings combinations of ideas together conceptually as diptychs, triptychs and larger groupings, such as the extraordinary centerpiece "Sequential Chroma Loop 9."   Throw in a trio of superb thread-drawings on custom-built aluminum stands, a couple of limited edition "book" packages, and an awe-inspiring usage of color throughout, and you have one of the most sophisticated and luminous experiences yet in the history of our space at 25th and Larimer.

Visit our website now to view images of karen's work, an experience, however, not even remotely as rich as viewing them in person:

http://www.plusgallery.com/exhibitions/65/132/

Karen McClanahan - Stacks installation view

Visit the Plus Gallery scrapbook page to view photos from last friday's opening reception.

INTRODUCING LAURA KRUDENER TO THE PLUS GALLERY FAMILY OF ARTISTS

Laura Krudener is the most recent addition to the Plus Gallery family of artists, and one we've had our eye on for some time now. Krudener typically works in a large scale and bold colors, layering poured acrylic paint with a variety of forms and techniques that push the boundaries within abstract painting today.  Her poured paint creates a montage of drips, bubbles, and cracked paint that celebrate the little catastrophes of each painting's process. Improvised mark-making using ink, marker, and charcoal then respond to the painting's development. Each painting dictates a process of creating and dissolving systems, a meditation of space and formlessness, and a celebration of movement and fluidity. Krudener works with raw canvas, often leaving generous amounts of negative space that pronounce the confidence of her techniques.  The results are breathtaking and bold, come see for yourself on the second floor of our gallery and look out for Krudener's debut exhibition with the gallery sometime in 2013.

Laura received her MFA from the San Francisco Art Institute in 2009. Her most exhibitions include "New Paintings" at Space Gallery in Denver, "Vernissage" at Fort Mason in San Francisco, "White Space" at Design Within Reach in
Boulder, and "Transparencies," at the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art. Look for an extensive profile on Krudener in the upcoming issue of Modern In Denver - along with Plus Gallery artist Susan Meyer - due to hit newstands next week!

Laura Krudener's Denver studio

VOTE TO MAKE ALLIE POHL'S"IDEAL WOMAN - FUSCHIA CARYATID" PERMANENT IN FLORIDA

Plus Gallery artist Allie Pohl now has her spectacular sculpture "Ideal Woman - Fuschia Caryatid" on view in Winter Park Florida as part of their "Art on the Green" exhibition.  The city is allowing the public to be proactive in helping them select which artists work will be purchased and become a permanent part of their collection.  You can help Winter Park become one of the coolest cities in the US by voting for Allie's work, just go online to http://cityofwinterpark.org and click on the Art on the Green logo, and then click on the "Vote" tab on that page.  The rest is self explanatory, but remember to add 32789 as your zip code, as it is for local voters!

In addition to Allie's recent outdoor exhibition in Florida and bathroom exhibition in LA, she was also recently featured on actress Zooey Deschanel's happening new site "Hello Giggles," the ultimate destination for "smart, independent and creative females."  Pohl definitely fits that bill perfectly, read her latest interview on the site at

http://hellogiggles.com/allie-pohl-artist-in-the-hot-seat

Allie Pohl

JENNY MORGAN CENTER STAGE AT "DRISCOLL BABCOCK GALLERIES" SOFT OPENING LAST NIGHT!

We could not be more proud of Jenny and her next major career steps with Driscoll Babcock Galleries, which opened the doors of their new space in Chelsea last night.

SHANNON NOVAK'S LATEST INSTALLATION IN NEW ZEALAND

New Zealand artist Shannon Novak, whose work was recently featured in our summer exhibition "Merge," has installed a new series of paintings and sculptural works in the exhibition "Augmented Chords" at White Heart in New Plymouth, New Zealand.  Take a look at this unusual space and what Novak has done with at

http://www.shannonnovak.com/works/Pages/Augmented_Chords.html

Shannon Novak - "Augmented Chords" installation view

CORDELL TAYLOR'S "ELEMENTS OF ABSTRACTION" OPENS SEPTEMBER 15TH AT NYC's AGORA GALLERY

Plus Gallery wouldn't exist if it weren't for the spirit, vision and tenacity of our dear friend and artist Cordell Taylor, who began an art gallery almost 20 years ago in Salt Lake City, Utah.  Cordell has focused primarily on his own career for the last decade however, with impressive results.  This week he is set to open his latest exhibition at NYC's Agora Gallery, one that will include works similar to the three sculptures currently on view here at Plus Gallery.  "Elements of Abstraction" starts this thursday, with the artists reception set for next Thursday, September 20th from 6-8pm. Stop in that night to visit with Cordell if you happen to be in the big apple that week, and give him a big bear-hug from us if you do!

Agora Gallery
530 West 25th Street
New York, NY 10001

http://www.agora-gallery.com/artistinvite/cordell_taylor.aspx.

http://www.artisspectrum.com/magazine/27/#74/

One of the fine, recent new sculptures by Cordell Taylor on view at Plus Gallery

ART CRITICISM IN THE DIGITAL AGE PANEL DISCUSSION THIS SATURDAY AT ASL DENVER 1-4PM

The Art Students League of Denver will host a special panel discussion about the future of art criticism as part of their Visiting Artist Series this Saturday, September 15th from 1-4 p.m.

Changes in print media have created a new paradigm where traditional avenues of discourse by professional art critics may be in danger. This leaves a question unanswered: Will the emergence of art blogs and digital art publications provide an informed discussion about contemporary art?

Panelists for the discussion are national art critic Leanne Goebbel, artist and writer Theresa Anderson and Plus Gallery owner Ivar Zeile.  The three will discuss the fast changing world of art criticism in print and digital media. Following the panel discussion seminar participants will meet in small groups to respond to the questions, briefly present their ideas to the group, then hear closing comments from the panel.

We are not sure if there is still space available for the panel discussion that day, but the cost is $15 for ASLD members, $25 for nonmembers.  Please inquire with the ASL if interested.

DAM HIRES NEW CURATOR FOR MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY

Exciting news comes from the Denver Art Museum last week as the institution announces a new curator for their Modern and Contemporary department.  From the press release:

 The Denver Art Museum (DAM) announced the appointment of William Morrow as the Polly and Mark Addison Associate Curator of Contemporary Art, concluding an extensive international search. Morrow will oversee the DAM's broad collection of contemporary art as well as continue the museum's strong tradition of presenting world-class temporary and traveling exhibitions. One of Morrow's first projects at the DAM will be to join the curatorial team for Nick Cave: Sojourn, an exhibition of new work debuting at the museum in June 2013.

 "William Morrow is a creative leader in the contemporary art field who will continue to grow and evolve the Denver Art Museum's collection and programming," said Christoph Heinrich, Frederick and Jan Mayer Director of the DAM. "He brings great experience working with contemporary artists and creating programs that push the boundaries of the art world but also deeply engage a variety of audiences by producing art, community and conversation around the creative process-aligning perfectly with our institutional goals."

Morrow was most recently the founding director of 21c Museum-an innovative private and public space in Louisville, Ky, that is in conjunction with 21c Hotel. During his tenure there, from 2005 to 2011, Morrow launched the museum portion of the space, developing and administering a dynamic visual arts program of emerging and internationally recognized artists that also included artist forums, film, dance, music, theater and other time-based artwork. Through Morrow's efforts, 21c Museum became a cultural center for the city and an interesting new model for future art spaces.

"I'm honored to lead the contemporary art department and build on the momentum of the museum," said Morrow. "Denver is an exciting community that values art and culture. I want to show our visitors the incredible art that is created in this state, while at the same time, showcasing a national and global perspective on contemporary art."

"William has extraordinary vision about the broader context of contemporary art, and in particular, a keen eye for spotting emerging voices," said Jeremy Dean, a New York-based multidisciplinary artist. "One has to look no further than the roster of shows he has produced to see that he has been involved early on with artists who are now shaping the world of contemporary art. But more than anything, it is his willingness as a curator to take risks, elevating new ideas to the status of art, and thereby expanding our definition of what art can be that makes him so valuable."

In conjunction with his role as director of 21c Museum, Morrow was the curator of the private collection of Laura Lee Brown and Steve Wilson, managing all aspects of their artwork from installation to acquisitions to collection care from 2005 to 2011. This included developing a 7,000 square foot storage facility for the collection of more than 2,500 artworks. In 2000, he completed an internship at the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice, Italy, gaining knowledge about day-to-day museum operations. Morrow obtained a Master of Museum Studies from the School for World Art and Museum Studies at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, England, and a Master of Art History and English Literature from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland in 2004. He also received a certificate of art history from the University of Cambridge and an associate of arts degree from Brevard College in North Carolina. Actively involved in the art and culture community, Morrow sits on the board of the Louisville Film Society, on the founding board of the Kentucky School of Art and was a founding member of the Commission on Public Art, Louisville, Ky. Morrow frequently serves as a panelist, lecturer and guest curator on contemporary art.

"BEAUTY IS EMBARRASING" OPENS SEPTEMBER 21st AT DENVER FILM CENTER - ANOTHER MUST-SEE ART FILM

We'll have a full preview of this film in next week's newsletter, but wanted to get out a Save the Date for the opening on September 21st with artist Wayne White in person, an opportunity we highly, highly recommend!

Beauty is Embarrasing

Opens Friday, September 21st at Denver FilmCenter/Colfax

Artist Wayne White IN-PERSON Opening Night!

From the Denver Film Center website:

Beauty Is Embarrassing is a funny, irreverent, joyful and inspiring documentary featuring the life and current times of one of America's most important artists, Wayne White. Raised in the mountains of Tennessee, Wayne White started his career as a cartoonist in New York City. He quickly found success as one of the creators of the TV show, Pee-wee's Playhouse, which led to more work designing some of the most arresting and iconic images in pop culture. Most recently, his word paintings, which feature pithy and often sarcastic text statements crafted onto vintage landscape paintings, have made him a darling of the fine art world.

Beauty Is Embarrassing chronicles the vaulted highs and the crushing lows of a commercial artist struggling to find peace and balance between his work and his art. Acting as his own narrator, Wayne guides us through his life using moments from his latest creation: a hilarious, biographical one-man show. The pieces are drawn from performances at venues in Tennessee, New York and Los Angeles including the famous Roseland Ballroom and the Largo Theater.

Whether he's parading a twenty foot tall puppet through the Tennessee hillside, romping around the Hollywood Hills dressed in his LBJ puppet suit, relaxing in his studio pickin? his banjo, or watching his children grow up much too soon, Wayne White always seems to have a youthful grin and a desperate drive to create art and objects. It is an infectious quality that will inspire everyone to find their pleasure in life and pursue it at all costs.

At its core, Beauty Is Embarrassing is a reminder that we should all follow our passion. It is those creative impulses that will lead us to where we need to go.

PLUS GALLERY LAUNCHES FALL SEASON THIS FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 7TH WITH SOLO EXHIBITION "STACKS" FEATURING NEW WORKS BY KAREN McCLANAHAN

Plus Gallery opens the fall 2012 season with the return of Karen McClanahan, one of the most acclaimed and revered artists in the gallery stable, for her unprecedented fifth solo exhibition "Stacks." Karen's latest exploration is a major divergence from her previous effort, 2009's "Everything Has Its Place," taking a more intimate and varied approach, both in scale and diversity of the works. The title "Stacks" has many associations - among others, it suggests the broad context of a library: books, order, indexing, and the self-referentiality of the former index card system. For McClanahan's purposes of the exhibition it refers to how geometric fields were painted in this new body of work - stacked and overlapping one another. It relates to the look of the compositions - defined geometric shapes stacked one upon the other. Finally, it alludes to the horizontal lines stacked one above the other in the multi panel work "Sequential Chroma Loop 9," the first of it's kind for the artist. The SCL9 accompanying book is a literal stack of individual pages housed in an archival box.

 Plus Gallery will welcome McClanahan back to Denver for the opening reception this Friday, September 7th from 6-8pm, please join us that night.  Read more about Karen's current body of work on the current exhibition page of the Plus Gallery website.

ALLIE POHL'S LATEST "CARYATID" FEATURED IN FLORIDA'S "ART ON THE GREEN" OUTDOOR EXHIBITION

We can't think of anything in the world more tantalizing than coming across Allie Pohl's latest "Ideal Woman - Fuscia Caryatid" sculpture composed of her trademark Ideal Woman forms in chrome, particularly in a beautiful outdoor park-setting. It's almost too good to believe, but that's what folks in the city of Winter Park Florida will get to experience from now though March 1st of 2013 as part of their prestigous juried program "Art on the Green."  Eight sculptural works by artists from around the country are on display in Central Park and on the lawn of City Hall in downtown Winter Park. The works on view were selected by curator Olga Viso, Rollins College graduate and executive director of the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis. Along with Allie's spectacular sculpture, the exhibition features works by Russell Bellamy, Doug Makemson, Dale Rogers, Carolina Sardi, Chris Scala, Barbara Sorensen and Bill Woods.

For more information visit http://cityofwinterpark.org

 This is just another notch in Allie's impressively growing belt.  She is also currently involved in a more intimate, yet thoroughly Allie, installation of new photographs in ?Hot Seat? at the Bano Gallery inside Blicher Gallery in Los Angeles.  The fact that the venue happens to be the bathroom in the gallery in no way detracts from the caliber of her work, take a look at

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xb2bTFJ_rfw

XI ZHANG FEATURED IN 5280 PROFILE "OUTSIDE THE LINES" IN LATEST ISSUE

Xi Zhang has drawn an unusual amount of attention to his work and career since moving from his hometown of Kaifeng, China to study at the Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design in Denver in 2004. We know exactly why, Zhang is one of the most natural, gifted and forward thinking artists of his generation, not just in Denver but in the Unites States.  Zhang is now officially a citizen of the US, as of this summer he received his permanent status from the US Government as an ?Artist of Extraordinary Ability.?  And so it is fitting that 5280 pays tribute to Zhang as one of the forces within Denver burgeoning art scene, as witnessed by their latest art-feature ?Outside the Lines,? available on newsstands and select locations throughout the area now.  Xi's abilities are awe inspiring, both to us as well as to many of his fellow artists in the area, as well as collectors.  Plus Gallery will be circulating selections of his most recent works throughout the new fall season, stop by to find out why he has been the most prolific emerging artist of his generation.

JENNY MORGAN SET TO STUN CHELSEA WITH DEBUT AT DRISCOLL/BABCOCK GALLERIES

Our final email newsletter of the summer divulged the next major step that is in store for Jenny Morgan and her career, one that stands to bring her valuable international positioning.....ie, the rest of the world will now get to learn more about an artist who has broken all standards within Denver's art community in her first decade of exhibitions.  Morgan makes her debut as one of the lead artists in the reformatted Driscoll Babcock Galleries, the oldest gallery in New York Cities history.  The gallery has been working on a brand new space in the heart of Chelsea at 525 West 25th Street, one that is modeled on the major contemporary dealers, and boasts the kind of connections that will invariably propel Morgan to a wider market. The gallery opens their brand new doors to the public next week, stay tuned her for more updates.

NEW ADDITION TO PLUS GALLERY NEIGHBORHOOD: "AMERIGO DELICATUS" OPENS ON UPPER LARIMER

It is with great enthusiasm that Plus Gallery welcomes new restaurant "Amerigo Delicatus"  not only to the Ballpark neighborhood, but virtually right across the street from the gallery.  We've always believed that upper Larimer is a future hotspot in Denver, one that will take time to come to fruition.  While quality galleries such as Plus make up a solid part of the future infrastructure, new and promising restaurants are an important part of the mix, one that has been sorely lacking to date. We've watched the building across from our front doors - which originally housed one of the most authentic barfly-style mexican restaurants in the city - under construction all summer, without much of a clue as to what it might deliver......until three weeks ago, just as we were leaving for summer break.  We've had two opportunities now to eat at Amerigo Delicatus and can only rave about this little startup. It's an invaluable addition to our neighborhood and the future of upper larimer in that it's a very intimate, well priced, high-quality place to have a great meal. In other words, the perfect place to go after a visit to Plus Gallery.  Try them out and let them know that Plus Gallery sent you, we think you'll enjoy as much as we have so far.

PACO PROANO AND DAVID FODEL TO PERFORM "CHANNEL" AT BMOCA THIS WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5th

Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art
Wednesday || September 5 || 7pm sharp
6pm mingle and greet || free

Paco Proano and David Fodel invite you to a limited invite performance in conjunction with their interactive audiovisual installation channel. By actually performing through the work, the new media artists will connect directly into the system currently installed and create alternative sound and visual patterns live, in real-time. Join BMoCA and the new media artists as they create an immersive and exclusive environment with full manual control of channel as a performative interface. Please arrive early as there is limited space for bodies and the performance will start sharply at 7pm with a brief intermission.

Channel is a component of the current exhibition Visual Rhythm, presenting a full audiovisual experience and multimodal immersion.

http://vimeo.com/46121083

DENVER FILM CENTER NOW HOSTING "STUDIO GHIBLI" ANIMATED FILM RETROSPECTIVE!

The Denver Film Center is now in full swing with their Studio Ghibli Film retrospective, one of the greatest gifts to the city ever in the film center's history.  While many are familiar with the Japanese studios most recent popular films such as Ponyo and Spirited Away, a result of their collaboration with Disney, far too few are as familiar with the their most impressive early features, ones that are more inspiring and creative than just about all animated films on the market in recent times.  The great director Hayao Miyazaki is one of the quintessential reasons behind the success of the studio, the majority of films bear not only his directorial signature but his awesome ability to blend adult themes, strong female characters, supreme fantasy as well as reality and a dose of sublime wackiness that is really unparalleled elsewhere.  They are terrific for kids and adults alike, and have been breaking box-office records in Japan since they first appeared decades ago.

Each week the film center is showcasing at least two of the studio's films, from across their history, on the big screen with new 35 mm prints.  The majority of these films are available on DVD, and many ardent fans have only had the opportunity to view them in this format.  But on a large screen they simply transcend all previous limitations.  These are quintessential big-screen films, with artistic production values that really are unique in all of film history and still resonate fully today.

For a full rundown, visit the Denver Film Center website at http://denverfilm.org

And don't delay, this week Miyazaki's debut film "Nausicaa Of The Valley Of The Wind" is playing and absolutely not to be missed.

Saturday, September 22, 2012 - 7:30pm

Plus Gallery to host Alison O'Daniel NIGHT SKY TOUR 2012

Plus Gallery is pleased to host Alison O'Daniel and her latest film project "Night Sky" on Saturday, September 22nd at 7:30pm as part of her US performance tour. "Night Sky" is a 75 minute narrative film that enacts a sensory experience on the bodies of the viewers with live accompaniment and parallel, overlapping stories: two girls - Cleo and Jay - travel through the desert while a group of contestants compete in a dance marathon.  Sound travels between locations through a hula-hoop window hanging unnoticed in the midst of the marathon contestants and simultaneously in the desert air.  Sound bleeds between the locations, and unique screenings with live musical or sign language scores performed by various musicians and sign language interpreters extends the narrative into the exhibition space or cinema.  Redefining sound and images through synesthesia and limiting or heightening the sensory palette offers hearing and deaf audiences a nuanced glimpse of one another's experiences without privileging one or the other.

This performance emphasizes music within the film by Ethan Grederick Greene, Lucky Dragons, and Evelyn Glennie with live sign language accompaniment by Lisa Reynolds.  Balloons will be provided for the Deaf audience spectrum.

"Night Sky" premiered at the Anthology Film Archive in November of 2011.  The current tour includes screenings at USA Lounge, the Guild Cinema in Albuquerque, NM, the Cleveland Museum of Art, MOCA Detroit, the Visual Studies Workshop in Rochester, and at NYU.  Plus Gallery is thrilled to be presenting O'Daniel's work as part of our experimental forum for the arts.

Alison O'Daniel works across disciplines, combining sculpture, sound-baths, painting, sports/dance teams, and films with live music or sign language accompaniment. Installations, films, and instances of the performative create a biographical imaginary that shifts bodily comprehension toward a physical and tactile language of perception. Her films enact a sensory experience on the body of the viewer through a combination of subtle and pronounced transformations of narrative filmmaking and the cinematic experience. Characters willingness to encounter the unknown becomes a model for the viewer's own rootless journey into language, relationship and environment.

For a preview of the film, visit https://vimeo.com/12865622

FINAL WEEK FOR "MERGE" AT PLUS GALLERY > GALLERY TO CLOSE DURING THE REMAINDER OF AUGUST FOR SUMMER BREAK

Plus Gallery is signing off for the next two weeks for our summer break, the gallery will be officially closed as of August 18th and won't open back up until September 7th when we present the first exhibition for the fall season "Stacks" featuring all new drawings and paintings by Karen McClanahan.  But before we go, we have a few last items to share, including the most significant news in Plus Gallery's history relating to artist Jenny Morgan.

Join Plus Gallery and artist Eric Shumake on Thursday August 16th at 7pm for an evening of unparalleled fun, interaction and drinks, yes delicious drinks!  Eric will talk about his current "Charnival" series as well as all-things art related in his life, including his recent weeks at the Vermont Studios Masters program and upcoming duties as the gallery curator at Boulder's Naropa Institute. This is the last official event at Plus Gallery to close out our summer season.

Jessica Kleinman is the latest local writer to cozy up with Plus Gallery and deliver a new article that dwells on the nature, history and artistic vibrancy of Plus, for the new edition of 303 Magazine.  Read it online at

http://303magazine.com/2012/08/plus-gallery-a-unique-icon/

And finally, we are excited to deliver news that more firmly roots all the postulating and emphasis we've placed on Jenny Morgan's career to date.  We have long held that Morgan will one-day be considered the most significant artist in history to ever emerge from Denver.  It will take a lot longer than 10 years to fully prove, and certainly we hope other artists might come along to be worthy of that stature as well, but so far her track record has been simply impeccable and on course for these bold claims.

During the final week of her recent all-but sold-out solo exhibition "Kith and Kin," we spoke at length with Jenny about a new era that will start for her this fall.  Babcock Galleries, the oldest gallery in all of New York City (dating back to 1852!) is in the midst of creating a new entity for contemporary art representation and exhibition, and will include Morgan as one of their lead-artists in the launch of a brand new space in the heart of the prestigious Chelsea art district, to be called Babcock Driscoll Galleries. We will have more news relating to Jenny's presence with the gallery in the near future, as well as their bold move forward to compete with the biggest players in the NY scene, but for now we present last weekend's report on the endeavor from the Wall Street Journal:

August 10, 2012

Venerable Gallery In Modern Move

By JENNIFER MALONEY 

New York's oldest art gallery is synonymous with the staid back rooms of Midtown art dealers, where the works of Old and New World masters trade hands in quiet, carpeted surroundings. Now, Babcock Galleries is moving to Chelsea. The leap to the heart of the city's contemporary art scene-a neighborhood with a markedly different aesthetic than Midtown-marks a new era for Babcock. The gallery, which for 160 years has specialized in American artworks, is embracing a new look, a new name and a new expansion-into contemporary and international art. It is also expanding its stable of living artists. Driscoll Babcock Galleries- renamed for its owner, John Driscoll-will open on Sept. 8 at 525 W. 25th St., on a block stacked with such galleries as Pace, Marlborough Chelsea and Nancy Margolis.

The owner's idea: to hang the work of contemporary artists side by side with historic works that explore the same themes. "You can't create this great art in a vacuum," said Mr. Driscoll, 62 years old. "Our interest is in artists who are cognizant of art of the past and recognize its pertinence in their own work today." And so he will move from galleries on Fifth Avenue near East 57th Street-decorated with imported wool carpeting and paint in shades of gray inspired by Cézanne's Aix-en-Provence studio-to a space with concrete floors, white walls and exposed ducts. It's quite a change for a place that has kept the same phone number since 1956, and occasionally receives calls from former clients' great-grandchildren. "Someone once said going into Babcock was like going into a white-shoe law firm," Mr. Driscoll said, acknowledging that he will be adding to his collection of edgy eyeglasses. Knoedler & Co., founded in 1846, held the title of New York's oldest gallery until it closed last year. Babcock Galleries was founded by John Snedecor in 1852-18 years before the founding of the Metropolitan Museum of Art-on Broadway near East Eighth Street. From the beginning, it sought out the works of American masters-the likes of George Inness, John Frederick Kensett, Winslow Homer, Mary Cassatt and Childe Hassam.

Snedecor's Gallery gradually zigzagged uptown, and was renamed Babcock Galleries in 1918. Works that today hang in the Met, the Brooklyn Museum and the National Gallery of Art, among others were sourced by Babcock. Mr. Driscoll bought the gallery in 1987. Although he followed its tradition of acquiring and sourcing American art, his personal interests are much broader. His own collection includes English, Japanese and Danish art, as well as 20th-century ceramics. He had been mulling a move downtown for about seven years. He said he jumped at the chance to lease 4,700 square feet-with the possibility of 2,000 more-in a building owned by Related Co. The gallery owns an unusually large inventory, numbering in the thousands of pieces. Although it has mounted shows and represents estates, it has had only a small stable of living artists. Mr. Driscoll recently signed the Brooklyn painters Jenny Morgan and Margaret Bowland, and said he is in discussions with other artists in the U.S., China and Europe. He will continue his back-office business sourcing works for private collections and museums.

Mr. Driscoll will be presenting a distinctly historic perspective in a neighborhood known for cutting-edge art. David Maupin, of Lehmann Maupin Gallery in Chelsea, said the idea is compelling. "I think juxtapositions of different periods in our history are always interesting, as long as they are done well," he said. "I look forward to seeing it."

Jenny Morgan, a figurative painter, said she left Like the Spice Gallery in Brooklyn to sign with Mr. Driscoll last month. "There's a lot of knowledge and experience behind him," she said. "It's really exciting." Ms. Morgan, who said she draws inspiration from the masters and as well as contemporary portrait painters, said of her decision to join the new venture: "Honestly, it was just instinct. It felt correct." Walking through his new space, which is still under renovation, Mr. Driscoll described a glass wall that will enclose the gallery's archives, which go back 150 years. The design for the main gallery includes LED lights and a metal mesh ceiling, only partially obscuring the "spaghetti" of pipes and ducts above, he said. And he will keep the phone number from 1956. "Every time that number lights up, we know it's a phone call from another dimension," he said.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390443404004577581462636419698.html

ONE WEEK ONLY - MORGAN/MRAMOR COLLABORATIVE PAINTINGS FROM NY ON VIEW AT PLUS GALLERY

Those who have closely followed Jenny Morgan's career, or know Jenny personally, are well aware of how much she values the relationship and talent of friend and fellow artist David Mramor.  Her initial collaborations with Mramor back in 2008, first exhibited via Plus Gallery at our then auxiliary space Object + Thought, were extremely critical for Jenny in turning the corner with her own career, allowing her to blossom forward with fearless, breathtaking works that have made her one of the most respected artists of the last decade.  While Jenny's career has always had an unprecedented trajectory, Mramor's has taken more time to find it's place within his NY circles and beyond. But that has all changed this year, Mramor's recently concluded exhibition "Chaos, Control, Chaos, Control" with Brendan Smith at NYC gallery Louis B. James garnered high praise, including a writeup in the art section of the New Yorker, and by all counts he is starting to hit the stride that Jenny has always believed he would.

A number of the Jenny and David's collaborative paintings have found their way to Denver this week for a private collection and will be on view on our second floor for the remainder of our summer schedule, which ends next Friday, August 17th.  Come by for a rare opportunity to view these terrific, ground-breaking works by two artists who are firmly poised for major careers in the arts, and also to hear firsthand major Jenny Morgan developments that we'll be announcing later towards the start of the fall season.

From the "vis-a-visage" press release, June 2008

Plus Gallery is also thrilled to have the pleasure of unveiling a new painting by long-time favorite Jenny Morgan, as well as a recent collaborative piece with fellow NY artist David Mramor. Fresh from completing her graduate studies at New York Cities premier School of Visual Arts, Morgan has delved into works that dismantle the process of historic female portraiture by allowing the startlingly fleshy red under painting to "bleed" through. These paintings illustrate the artists heavily invested relationship and response to the "conventional" painting process, successfully raising the question "when is a painting complete" while challenging the success of her own previous works. Her collaboration pieces also present a fascinating divergence from her preceding paintings by the unique reactions that take place between the two artists. Mramor's heavy abstract treatment of paint beautifully accentuates Morgan's tight rendering techniques. Together, the polarization creates a dynamic energy that can only be felt in person.

WESTWORD COVERS "MERGE" IN THIS WEEK'S ART SECTION

Plus Gallery's current summer exhibition "Merge" is reviewed in the new issue of Westword, available on the newsstands now or online at:

http://www.westword.com/2012-08-09/culture/merge-the-surface-beneath-plus-gallery-robischon-gallery/

USA PRO CHALLENGE BIKE PROJECT PRIZE WINNERS ANNOUNCED!

Three prize winners were announced this week for the The USA Pro Challenge Bike Project that we curated for DIA and Visit Denver.  The winning entries this year are as follows:

1) Sukle Advertising with RadioShack-Nissan-Trek

2) PlatteForum with Liquigas-Cannondale

3) Mike Bernhardt with Garmin-Sharp-Barracuda

All of the bikes are on display currently at DIA atop the baggage claim terminals, where they will remain throughout the month of August.  Plus Gallery associate Ryan Pattie just completed a terrific short documentary on the project, which can be viewed on the Plus Gallery vimeo page at:

https://vimeo.com/46969065

PECHAKUCHA COMES TO TAXI AND THE RINO DISTRICT NEXT WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 15TH

To celebrate the TAXI community, local program PechaKucha has selected presenters from the TAXI and RINO district and will be presenting outside in the courtyard between the Freight and Taxi building next Wednesday evening, August 15th starting at 8:20pm . Bring a chair, grab a drink, and come listen to members from the district present inspiring slideshows that divulge what makes Denver such a thriving creative community, including Plus Gallery owner Ivar Zeile!

Presentations for the evening include:

Sabin Aell - http://www.sabinaell.com
Bob Blair - Fuel Cafe - http://www.fuelcafedenver.com
Frankie Bushell - Cirro - http://cirrously.com
Terra Krieger Mazzeo - http://www.4240architecture.com
Tony Mazzeo - GroundWorks Design, LLC  -  http://groundworksdesign.net
Yoshitomo Saito - Ironton Studios - http://www.yoshitomosaito.com
Ivar Zeile -  Plus Gallery  - http://www.plusgallery.com

 August 15th @ 8:20 pm
@ TAXI Community
3457 Ringsby Ct

 For more information about this program visit http://www.pecha-kucha.org/night/denver/

PLUS GALLERY UPCOMING DATES TO SAVE

September 7th - Fall season opens with the exhibition "Stacks" by Karen McClanahan.  Join us for an opening reception that evening from 6-8pm to welcome Karen McClanahan back for an unprecedented 5th solo exhibition with the gallery.

September 22nd - Alison O'Daniel's fabulous film "Night Sky" screens at Plus Gallery. This is an extremely exciting presentation for the gallery, we'll have more information at the start of the fall season but leave you with a preview of Alison's film at

PLUS GALLERY OPEN TILL 7PM TONIGHT FOR FIRST FRIDAY

Come join us for extended hours this evening till 7pm and view "Merge," one of our most expressive exhibitions of the year.  Small scale, recent works by artists Matt O'Neill, Eric Shumake and Shannon Novak literally fill the walls of the gallery, intertwining in a captivating way that most visitors so far have applauded as captivating and unique.

We are currently planning an artist talk with Matt O'Neill and Eric Shumake for a date within the next couple of weeks, stay tuned as we nail that down soon.

CLIPS FROM JANET FEDER / SUSAN ALCORN PERFORMANCE LAST SATURDAY ON YOUTUBE

Last week's anniversary fesivities at Plus Gallery concluded with a rare and exquisite evening performance by musicans Janet Feder and Susan Alcorn.  Catch a brief glimpse of the evening's performances on our youtube page:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJWpvpzVkf8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEXssL3gEss

BILL AMUDNSON WORKS TO GO ON VIEW IN DALLAS AND FORT COLLINS

Dallas' Red Arrow Galleries is brave enough to open the exhibition "Side Show" this Saturday, August 4th, featuring none other than an assortment of small-scale, texas themed works by Plus Gallery artist Bill Amundson.
Artists George Zupp and Clay McClure join Bill Amundson to display their own unique worlds where everything is a free-for-all and nothing is out of the realm of possibilities. Whether the social landscape of Dallas is being critiqued for its unforgiving nature or antique furniture has become anthropomorphized to represent the human condition, these artists share an interest in fantasy while pushing the boundaries of respectability.  And of course, any chance for a new audience to discover Amundson's talent is one to be relished.

For more information visit http://redarrowcontemporary.com

Bill also shares his recent classics "Richard Fuld - American Dickhead" and "Stump with the Head of Jamie Dimon (American Dickhead IV)" with the Fort Collins scene this summer in the exhibition "Our Visual History" at the Curfman Art Gallery in the Lory Student Center on the CSU campus.  The exhibition, designed by Jack Curfman and highlighting five decades of art exhibitions, opens to the public on August 23rd with a reception from 6-8pm.

RISE INDUSTRIES REPORTS ON PERFORM CHINATOWN.....FEATURING PLUS GALLERY ARTIST ALLIE POHL

Take another peak at Allie Pohl and the other performances from LA's recent Perform Chinatown event: 

http://riseindustries.org/arkv/tag/allie-pohl

SHANNON NOVAK - SEMITONE SHIFT and MY MENDING HEART CD's AVAILABLE AT PLUS IN CONJUNCTION WITH "MERGE" EXHIBITION

Semitone Shift 

This is Shannon Novak's debut album, an experimental album that seeks to blur the lines between music and fine art. It is made up of nine instrumental piano tracks that explore the emotional change in a piece of music when a note is shifted up one semitone. With each track, Novak created an artwork that was exhibited in Auckland, New Zealand. The audience could view a work and listen to the accompanying track at the same time. The compositions have been designed to allude to the leaf form found in nature, starting off with single notes (the stem of a leaf), moving into a greater breadth of notes (the middle of the leaf), then tapering out at the end with single notes again (the end of a leaf).

My Mending Heart

This is Novak's second album and is more of a traditional album made up of tracks written a number of years ago but never recorded until now. They were written during a time in Novak's life when he was much younger, more isolated, and wrestling with new and emotionally intense experiences with the heart. 

Both albums are available on iTunes and CD.

PLUS GALLERY UNVEILS THE "CHARNIVAL" AND OTHER EXQUISITE, AFFORDABLE ARTWORKS TONIGHT FOR "MERGE" 11 YEAR ANNIVERSARY EXHIBITION

Join Plus Gallery tonight from 7-10pm to celebrate our 11 year anniversary with the unveiling of the exhibition "Merge," one of our most unique endeavors to date, a show that surrounds the viewer with a major massing of small-scale artworks by three distinct artists.  Matt O'Neill delivers a set of sketchbook drawings that are odd and intricate, merging a contemporary vibe with the influence of some of the artists European painting heroes. Eric Shumake unleashes his "Charnival" series of study paintings on the public for the first time, a body of work with deep philosophical and social implications, and one of the more fascinating we've had the pleasure to watch unfold to date. New Zealand artist Shannon Novak surrounds both artists with works from his experimental installation "One Song, Three Composers," a mind-blowing interpretation of sound through form and color that was first presented at CentralTrak gallery in Dallas earlier this year.

Each artist has over 40 works on view in the space, the installation of which has been designed to weave the artists works together in its own distinct way.  The scale and nature of the artworks lend them to being some of the most affordable we've ever presented in one exhibition, providing a little something for every pocketbook. Novak has sent us multiple copies of his two music cd's "Semitone shift" and "My mending heart," which will also be available for purchase. There is much to take in with this singular experience that closes out the summer calendar at Plus Gallery, on view through August 17th.

Susan Froyd with the Westword previewed the exhibition on her Show and Tell Blog yesterday, which can be viewed at

http://blogs.westword.com/showandtell/2012/07/merge_plus_gallery_shannon_nov.php?fb_action_ids=3962952365105&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_source=aggregation&fb_aggregation_id=288381481237582

The statements about each artists works for the exhibition are as follows:

Eric Shumake - The Charnival

"My current artistic practice is a series of paintings mixing ash and acrylic entitled Charnival: a carnival where everyone is on fire, painted in the style of old carnival posters. They poignantly bring to light the burning ephemera of our existence from our mortality, our identity, our environment, to our yearning for spiritual truth. In life everyone walks around like everything is fine, but often are secretly on fire with fear, jealousy, passion, anger, or whatever. Things that seem like harmless fun turn into addictions. It's like candyland after adolescence. Just as global warming takes time to appear, painting them as turn of the century carnival posters makes them like warning signs from 100 years ago, ironically painted with the very ashes from the apocalypse they predict."

PLUS GALLERY ANNIVERSARY FESTIVITIES CONTINUE SATURDAY, JULY 28TH @ 8PM / JANET FEDER AND SUSAN ALCORN MUSIC PERFORMANCE

Plus Gallery is thrilled to have two terrific musicians joining us for a singular performance this Saturday evening starting at 8pm.  Denver's own Janet Feder teams up with Baltimore's Susan Alcorn for an exquisite evening of contemporary sound and composition, quite fitting for an exhibition that features an artist whose direct visual principles relate specifically to sound.  This is our first musical performance since last summers terrific "Small Dream Ada" concert, anyone who has been to the gallery for these type of events knows the impeccable nature of the experience in our intimate space.  This evening's combo should prove exceptional, coming on the heels of Janet Feder's recent NPR profile from last Sunday, and preceding this Sunday's "Steel Guitar Jam" at Lannie's Clocktower Cabaret from noon to 7pm, a major event that will also feature Susan Alcorn along with the best performers in the world in the Steel Guitar genre.

PLUS GALLERY ANNIVERSARY FESTIVITIES WRAP UP ON SUNDAY, JULY 29th @ 2PM / DENVER FILM CENTER PRESENTS "TASTEMAKERS ON TASTE"

To conclude our three-day anniversary binge, Plus Gallery owner Ivar Zeile will join Robin Rule and Tina Goodwin to share and discuss films have influenced their contemporary aesthetics at the Denver Film Center on Colfax' program "Tastemakers on Taste," hosted by former Rocky Mountain News film critic Robert Denerstein.  The program starts at 2pm that afternoon, don't miss out!

NEXT TIME YOU PASS THROUGH DIA VIEW THE USA PRO CHALLENGE BIKES INSTALLED AT THE BAGGAGE CLAIM

This year's bike project supported by Denver International Airport and Visit Denver in conjunction with the USA Pro Challenge event was a major success.  Bike's were unveiled Wednesday evening in a celebration at PlatteForum, then moved immediately over to DIA where they now grace the top of 12 of the airports baggage claims.  Certainly worth spending a little extra time if you are passing through DIA during August, and by all means worth a trip over to the airport if you are not.

TWO DAYS LEFT TO VIEW JENNY MORGAN EXHIBITION "KITH AND KIN"

The last two days to view Jenny Morgan's exhibition "Kith and Kin" are this Thursday and Friday, July 19th and 20th, we'll be open for regular hours noon to 5pm both days. Jenny is back in Denver for two days as well with Tim Pourbaix, who will be performing at 8pm on Thursday the 19th at Gary Lee's Motor Club on Broadway as part of the Underground Music Festival that commences that night.  The two will also be celebrating their 30th birthdays this week!

JOIN PLATTEFORUM NEXT WEDNESDAY FOR UNVEILING OF USA PRO CYCLING CHALLENGE BIKE PROJECT

The USA Pro Cycling Challenge is now in it's second year, and so is the bike project that was launched in 2011 to coincide and bring extra dimension to the event throughout the art community.  13 artists have been selected by curator and Plus Gallery owner Ivar Zeile to transform new bicycles into works of art, to be displayed throughout the month of August on the baggage carousels at the Denver International Airport.   This year 12 of the artists were paired with teams from the US and around the world that will be competing in Challenge, with the instructions to interpret the team spirit creatively with their bike.  The 13th artist was paired with the USA Pro Cycling Challenge itself and will be displayed on the floor at DIA during August.

PlatteForum will be this year's host for the bike unveiling reception, the public's first chance to see the bikes and to meet the artists selected this year.  We welcome you to come join us that evening for this singular project and to support one of Colorado's now signature sporting events.

Plus Gallery artist Colin Livingston's take on the USA Pro Challenge Bike

JOIN PLUS GALLERY NEXT WEEKEND TO CELEBRATE 11 YEARS IN DENVER

FRIDAY, JULY 27TH FROM 7-10PM

"MERGE" EXHIBITION RECEPTION AND 11 YEAR CELEBRATION

Featuring a wide assortment of excellent, super-affordable small-scale works by Denver artists Eric Shumake and Matt O'Neill, along with New Zealand's Shannon Novak.

SATURDAY, JULY 28TH @ 8PM

JANET FEDER AND SUSAN ALCORN MUSIC PERFORMANCE

$10 suggested donation, RSVP to ivar@plusgallery.com to reserve a seat for that night.  Learn more about the artists performing that night at http://www.janetfeder.com  and  http://www.susanalcorn.net 

SUNDAY, JULY 29th @ 2PM
DENVER FILM CENTER PRESENTS "TASTEMAKERS ON TASTE

Plus Gallery owner Ivar Zeile is joined by Robin Rule and Tina Goodwin to share films that are influential on their contemporary aesthetics.  A singular program that should be highly entertaining.

ALLIE POHL TO PERFORM FOR 4TH ANNUAL LA SHOWCASE OF PERFORMANCE ART

LA's 4th Annual Showcase of Performance Art is this SATURDAY, July 21 from 4 PM- Midnight. There will be over 40 actions, performances, installations, interventions and manifestation from performance artists from around the world. Plus Gallery artist Allie Pohl will be attempting to do her first performance / action from 4-6pm and possibly continuing on till midnight...

969 Chung King Rd, Los Angeles, California 90012

PLEASE CONSIDER SUPPORTING JEFF STRAHL'S KICKSTARTER CAMPAIGN

Plus Gallery artist Jeff Strahl has launched a kick-starter campaign for his current book project "Little House on the Lake."  According to Jeff,  "My motivation for creating this body of work, this book, comes from my personal experiences with the lake and observing the changing shoreline over the past fifteen years. In my youth, much of the lakefront was dotted with small, well seasoned summer cottages that stood on finely proportioned, tree speckled lots. The lake, and the people lucky enough to live there, had room to breathe. That vision of the shoreline is a vanishing one as lakefront property values, which have traditionally outpaced the average, have exploded over the past two decades. With the increase in property values comes an increase in square footage of the homes, leading to a more densely packed shoreline that has quite dramatically changed the appearance and personality of the lake. In short, the natural desire for these larger modern homes has led to the steady and rapid removal of the lake cottages that once contributed so greatly to Lake Mendota's accessible charm and character.

I set out to artfully photograph the remaining cottages during the summers of 2010 and '11, in an attempt to document them before they are gone. I feel that it is culturally imperative to collectively record these structures for a better understanding of a sense-of-place, nostalgia and preservation for Madisonians, historians, Wisconsinites and lake lovers everywhere."

Read the full text on Jeff's campaign, and help him realize the full extent of his work by contributing at
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/357821741/little-house-on-the-lake-hardcover-book 

JEREMY BAILEY PERFORMANCE FROM BMOCA MEDIALIVE NOW ON YOUTUBE

We had the distinct pleasure of participating in the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art's MEDIALIVE 2012 last Saturday night, a fantastic evening for new media and contemorary art enthusiasts. The highlight's of the evening were certainly the mesmerizing live-animation presented by California based artist Sue_C as well as Jeremy Bailey's performance, which we filmed from the front row that night and have posted on youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nChH1IqD5_o

We have also posted live documentation of Rick Silva's fabulous digital animation from last week's inaugural "Friday Flash" presented on the DTD's LED screen at 14th and Champa.  The work looked absolutely spectacular on the screen and in the downtown setting, a quick glimpse of what the future of Public Art might look like.  The second "Flash Friday" will take place at 6pm on First Friday, August 3rd and will feature recent works by CU Boulder student Adan De La Garza.

http://vimeo.com/45849115