The year 2012 has been a an exceptional one for Plus Gallery and our artists, one of solid exhibitions within the gallery throughout the year as well as a number of notable offsite exhibitions at the hands of other curators. We have always felt that what has most distinguished Plus Gallery over the years and continues to build with greater depth over time is the high quality of our artist's work and the wide degree of resonance they impact on the contemporary scene, both here in Colorado and now starting to move well beyond. We conclude 2012 with a recap of some of the most significant moments by our artists that we feel set their careers and our program apart from others in 2012:
1. Plus Gallery artist William Betts made several advances that distinguish him as one of the leading painters in the world today. At the beginning of 2012, just before his solo exhibition at Plus Gallery, he was awarded the annual National Juried prize from New American Paintings, a singular award amongst contemporary painters in the US. He followed that with his first overseas group exhibition "Tracing the Grid" at the Kunstmuseum Stuttgart amongst some of the worlds most prestigious and historic artists, an honor greatly amplified by the fact that his career was still less than 10-years strong. On top of that, his name kept cropping up in the art-related news as collectors swept up his works at select fairs throughout the year. We applaud Betts for his achievements this year and maintain that his paintings are some of the most unique works of art in the world.
2. We can think of no painter originating from Denver that has made deeper, more remarkable inroads towards a prestigious career than Jenny Morgan. 2012 proved to be a pivotal one for this young artist, putting forth the single most successful exhibition in Plus Gallery history and receiving representation with a major Chelsea-based dealer shortly thereafter. Morgan's paintings were included in no less than three local curated exhibitions in 2012 including the CVA's outstanding "Out-Figured," curator Jennifer Garner's swansong with the institution and one in which Morgan was represented by works made up entirely from private local collections. Plus Gallery released a second gorgeous and collectible hard-cover book that documents her output from 2010 though the summer of 2012, and we continue to support and follow her career as she moves into her second decade exhibiting. We expect great things from her and eagerly await her solo debut with Driscoll Babcock galleries, set for October of 2013.
3. If there is one thing we have learned from the contemporary art business in the last 12 years, it's how limited the local market is for truly distinct, progressive sculptural work. Fortunately Mike Whiting has broken multiple boundaries in that regard, whether market driven or otherwise. Whiting was involved in several curatorial efforts this year including the exceedingly clever four-person show "Suburbia" at GOCA in Colorado Springs, as well as two solid NYC based group shows. But it was his first outdoor solo exhibition "8-Bit Modern" at the BYU Museum of Art that truly shows how well Mike's career has blossomed since emerging with Plus Gallery back in 2004. His monumental sculptures are simply spectacular grouped together in an outdoor setting, and with his commissions in the public realm continuing to build across the country, we are confident that we'll be seeing even more prestigious exhibitions from Mike in the years to come.
4. There are certain accolades artists manage to achieve that the art-following public might be firmly aware of, and then others that remain subdued but are of far greater importance. Xi Zhang has been no stranger to the former, having previously received recognition in 2011 as a "Pathmaker" in the visual arts on top of being acknowledged by the Denver Post as one of the leading artists under 35 years of age (and in Zhang's case, still under 30). But none of that compares, though it certainly helped him in achieving, one of his greatest awards of 2012: his U.S. citizenship through merits as an "artist of extraordinary ability." Only a few individuals know the efforts that were undertaken for Xi to receive his citizenship, not to mention the tight-timing that he was up against. We could not be more thankful that his application was approved this year, allowing him to stay in the US and continue to grace our region (for now) with his unprecedented talent. A few of Denver's print-based publications profiled Xi this year, including 303 and 5280, and his March solo exhibition "11 Ceremonies" was one of the year's standouts here at Plus. His recent acceptance by Platform 5280 Biennial of the Americas as an ambassador for Denver as well as the US for a month-long residency in Buenos Aires truly pushed the year over the top for Zhang. He continues to work at an amazing level in his Denver based studio on no less than three distinct, and wonderful, bodies of work.
5. Allie Pohl may not have been on the front-lines in Denver this year, but her reputation across the country continued to build in unprecedented and impressive fashion. Pohl's "Defaced" project stormed both the internet as well as her NYC debut via ArtCart. Her magnificent "Fuscia-chrome" caryatid went from her studio in LA to prominent outdoor setting in Winter Park Florida as part of that city's "Art on the Green" juried sculpture exhibition, certainly one of the most provocative forms ever exhibited publicly. On top of that Pohl exhibited in multiple LA based galleries, including the bathroom of the Baño Gallery where she unveiled newest, uber-sexy photographs in "Hot Seat," a series of self portraits that take place in select bathrooms of distinguished art destinations and beyond. Pohl is a fascinating and completely transcendent artist, one who continues to amaze us with her singular ideas and boundless energy and one whom we expect great things for in the future.
6. 2012 proved to be a notable year in more ways than one for Colorado's most stalwart and revered contemporary painter Dave Yust. After more than 40 years teaching on the frontlines of the Art Department at CSU in Fort Collins, Dave finally retired this past spring, a life-changing move if ever there was one. With more time than ever to focus on his artistic legacy and continued studio practice, Yust then thrust his efforts towards a retrospective that opened recently at the Loveland Museum Gallery, one that spans over four decades of his exceptional devotion to and work in printmaking. Dave has also devoted a great deal of his recent time on new paintings in his studio for his upcoming solo exhibition here at Plus, his first since 2006 and undoubtedly one of the most anticipated of the coming year.
7. If there was one event that has been the most memorable in Plus Gallery history, it was Bill Amundson's over the-top artist talk delivered in 2011 to a tightly packed house in full view of his first solo exhibition with us "Blurred Vision." It's no wonder the Denver Art Museum invited him this year to be one of the guest speakers as part of the fall Logan Lecture series, following on the heels of notable artists like Dana Schutz, Larry Bell and El Anatsui. Bill's lecture was another thrill, providing perhaps the most depth yet into his career in one sitting, as well as plenty of laughs and deeper thoughts to ponder that his work certainly inspires. Bill had a couple of small-scale exhibitions this year outside of Colorado, with several works from private collections also on view in the Arvada Center's summer show "Faces, Places and Spaces." But his best drawings of the year were reserved for Plus Gallery in a small showcase that is currently on view in our second-floor exhibition space, coinciding with his Logan Lecture. Though this years election provided good fodder for Bill to wrap his brain and pencil around, it's his upcoming 60th birthday that resonates heavily over the newest works.
8. Oh Canada, how is it that you are graced with a traveling exhibition of Douglas Walker's large-scale paintings that has spanned into two years now in multiple cities and venues.........and we are not? If ever there was an exhibition making the rounds right now in any location on this earth that we'd love to see in the United States, it's Walker's "Other Worlds" which began it's trek across Canada in 2011 at the Robert McLaughlin Gallery in Oshawa, Ontario, made its way in early 2012 to the Dalhousie Art Gallery in Halifax, Nova Scotia, proceeded slightly West to the Justina M. Barnicke Gallery in Toronto during the summer, and is currently on view through March 31st at the Confederation Centre of the Arts in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. Plus Gallery unveiled the first of Walker's breathtaking, large-scale paintings during our 2010 Biennial of the Americas related exhibition "You Are Here," ones that simulate unearthed ceramics as if created on another planet, albeit one related to ours. Walker's works have advanced in both scale and dynamic content since then, highly deserving of the touring show that has occurred in multiple locations up North this year.
9. Plus Gallery related art-collections also made a tremendous impact this year, supporting exhibitions at the Arvada Center, the Center for Visual Arts, the Victoria Myhren H. Gallery at DU, as well as collection tours through the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art. We expect to see more along these lines as our artists engage the public on a wider level and our patrons experience the joy of sharing their passion for art.
10. A number of additional Plus Gallery artists hit notes of achievement this year, including Austin Parkhill who is featured in the current issue of New American Paintings as well as on the walls at our gallery in his stunning solo exhibition "At Your Best." We are proud of our entire family of artists and the spirit that drives them towards excellence in their work and careers, whether that is acknowledged on a broader level or not.
PLUS GALLERY - A LOOK FORWARD TO 2013
We don't expect to replicate the achievements of this last year on all fronts in 2013, but do know that we'll have an entirely new set to celebrate twelve months from now. Here is a brief, advance view of what 2013 already has in store with our artists, including two highly anticipated Denver Museum exhibitions:
1. Patti Hallock is set to become the first Plus Gallery artist to be featured with a solo exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver this next year, with recent as well as new selections from her expansive "The West Is Here" series going on view this January. The exhibition is a good fit for the museum, Hallock having been included in group exhibitions at the MCA in their previous location both in the "Biennial Blowout!" of 2006 as well as the "Extended Remix" major survey of Colorado contemporary art that same year. There is still time to acquire works that will be on view in the exhibition, a level of patronage and support that we highly recommend for one of the state's most thoughtful and renowned young photographers.
2. Bruce Price is set to become the first Plus Gallery artist since Dave Yust (yes, pre-Plus Gallery, way back in 1976) to be given a solo exhibition at the Denver Art Museum. Recognized as one of the foremost abstract painters in the region, Price has integrated fabric directly into his paintings and works on paper for the last few years. Curators at the DAM recognized this unique quality perviously this year at a DAMC sponsored studio visit, and later asked Bruce to show a selection of his works on paper as part of their upcoming Museum-wide exhibition "Spun: Adventures in Textiles" in 2013. The exhibition commences in mid-April and will include a selection of more than 30 drawings from Price in the Hamilton Wing's Works-on-paper gallery. We also highly recommend supporting Bruce through acquisition of his work through this extremely rare opportunity.
3. Finally, Melissa Furness will have one of her most recent paintings, and Colin Livingston will give a preview of his latest body of work at the Arvada Center juried exhibition "Art of the State" in January. Livingston will follow up that exhibition with his next show at Plus Gallery later in April. Also on tap for 2013 at Plus Gallery are solo exhibitions from Dave Yust, Tsehai Johnson, Donald Fodness and Allie Pohl, with a few more slots waiting for final confirmation. We expect it to be another exciting year at the gallery and an opportunity to explore further in depth some of our most celebrated artists, as well as a taste of some of our newest family members. And stay tuned to our newsletter for more exciting developments with our curatorial efforts for the Denver Theatre District and their LED platform for exhibiting motion-based arts. We are looking to develop a full program of "Friday Flash" showcases to commence in late spring, and also set to initiate a permanent collection of works commissioned by local and national artists.
Please note that this is our final newsletter of the year. Plus Gallery will be open for regular hours through Friday, December 21st. The gallery will close for a short holiday break between the 22nd and 26th, but will be open for regular hours again starting the 27th and into the new year.
1. Plus Gallery artist William Betts made several advances that distinguish him as one of the leading painters in the world today. At the beginning of 2012, just before his solo exhibition at Plus Gallery, he was awarded the annual National Juried prize from New American Paintings, a singular award amongst contemporary painters in the US. He followed that with his first overseas group exhibition "Tracing the Grid" at the Kunstmuseum Stuttgart amongst some of the worlds most prestigious and historic artists, an honor greatly amplified by the fact that his career was still less than 10-years strong. On top of that, his name kept cropping up in the art-related news as collectors swept up his works at select fairs throughout the year. We applaud Betts for his achievements this year and maintain that his paintings are some of the most unique works of art in the world.
2. We can think of no painter originating from Denver that has made deeper, more remarkable inroads towards a prestigious career than Jenny Morgan. 2012 proved to be a pivotal one for this young artist, putting forth the single most successful exhibition in Plus Gallery history and receiving representation with a major Chelsea-based dealer shortly thereafter. Morgan's paintings were included in no less than three local curated exhibitions in 2012 including the CVA's outstanding "Out-Figured," curator Jennifer Garner's swansong with the institution and one in which Morgan was represented by works made up entirely from private local collections. Plus Gallery released a second gorgeous and collectible hard-cover book that documents her output from 2010 though the summer of 2012, and we continue to support and follow her career as she moves into her second decade exhibiting. We expect great things from her and eagerly await her solo debut with Driscoll Babcock galleries, set for October of 2013.
3. If there is one thing we have learned from the contemporary art business in the last 12 years, it's how limited the local market is for truly distinct, progressive sculptural work. Fortunately Mike Whiting has broken multiple boundaries in that regard, whether market driven or otherwise. Whiting was involved in several curatorial efforts this year including the exceedingly clever four-person show "Suburbia" at GOCA in Colorado Springs, as well as two solid NYC based group shows. But it was his first outdoor solo exhibition "8-Bit Modern" at the BYU Museum of Art that truly shows how well Mike's career has blossomed since emerging with Plus Gallery back in 2004. His monumental sculptures are simply spectacular grouped together in an outdoor setting, and with his commissions in the public realm continuing to build across the country, we are confident that we'll be seeing even more prestigious exhibitions from Mike in the years to come.
4. There are certain accolades artists manage to achieve that the art-following public might be firmly aware of, and then others that remain subdued but are of far greater importance. Xi Zhang has been no stranger to the former, having previously received recognition in 2011 as a "Pathmaker" in the visual arts on top of being acknowledged by the Denver Post as one of the leading artists under 35 years of age (and in Zhang's case, still under 30). But none of that compares, though it certainly helped him in achieving, one of his greatest awards of 2012: his U.S. citizenship through merits as an "artist of extraordinary ability." Only a few individuals know the efforts that were undertaken for Xi to receive his citizenship, not to mention the tight-timing that he was up against. We could not be more thankful that his application was approved this year, allowing him to stay in the US and continue to grace our region (for now) with his unprecedented talent. A few of Denver's print-based publications profiled Xi this year, including 303 and 5280, and his March solo exhibition "11 Ceremonies" was one of the year's standouts here at Plus. His recent acceptance by Platform 5280 Biennial of the Americas as an ambassador for Denver as well as the US for a month-long residency in Buenos Aires truly pushed the year over the top for Zhang. He continues to work at an amazing level in his Denver based studio on no less than three distinct, and wonderful, bodies of work.
5. Allie Pohl may not have been on the front-lines in Denver this year, but her reputation across the country continued to build in unprecedented and impressive fashion. Pohl's "Defaced" project stormed both the internet as well as her NYC debut via ArtCart. Her magnificent "Fuscia-chrome" caryatid went from her studio in LA to prominent outdoor setting in Winter Park Florida as part of that city's "Art on the Green" juried sculpture exhibition, certainly one of the most provocative forms ever exhibited publicly. On top of that Pohl exhibited in multiple LA based galleries, including the bathroom of the Baño Gallery where she unveiled newest, uber-sexy photographs in "Hot Seat," a series of self portraits that take place in select bathrooms of distinguished art destinations and beyond. Pohl is a fascinating and completely transcendent artist, one who continues to amaze us with her singular ideas and boundless energy and one whom we expect great things for in the future.
6. 2012 proved to be a notable year in more ways than one for Colorado's most stalwart and revered contemporary painter Dave Yust. After more than 40 years teaching on the frontlines of the Art Department at CSU in Fort Collins, Dave finally retired this past spring, a life-changing move if ever there was one. With more time than ever to focus on his artistic legacy and continued studio practice, Yust then thrust his efforts towards a retrospective that opened recently at the Loveland Museum Gallery, one that spans over four decades of his exceptional devotion to and work in printmaking. Dave has also devoted a great deal of his recent time on new paintings in his studio for his upcoming solo exhibition here at Plus, his first since 2006 and undoubtedly one of the most anticipated of the coming year.
7. If there was one event that has been the most memorable in Plus Gallery history, it was Bill Amundson's over the-top artist talk delivered in 2011 to a tightly packed house in full view of his first solo exhibition with us "Blurred Vision." It's no wonder the Denver Art Museum invited him this year to be one of the guest speakers as part of the fall Logan Lecture series, following on the heels of notable artists like Dana Schutz, Larry Bell and El Anatsui. Bill's lecture was another thrill, providing perhaps the most depth yet into his career in one sitting, as well as plenty of laughs and deeper thoughts to ponder that his work certainly inspires. Bill had a couple of small-scale exhibitions this year outside of Colorado, with several works from private collections also on view in the Arvada Center's summer show "Faces, Places and Spaces." But his best drawings of the year were reserved for Plus Gallery in a small showcase that is currently on view in our second-floor exhibition space, coinciding with his Logan Lecture. Though this years election provided good fodder for Bill to wrap his brain and pencil around, it's his upcoming 60th birthday that resonates heavily over the newest works.
8. Oh Canada, how is it that you are graced with a traveling exhibition of Douglas Walker's large-scale paintings that has spanned into two years now in multiple cities and venues.........and we are not? If ever there was an exhibition making the rounds right now in any location on this earth that we'd love to see in the United States, it's Walker's "Other Worlds" which began it's trek across Canada in 2011 at the Robert McLaughlin Gallery in Oshawa, Ontario, made its way in early 2012 to the Dalhousie Art Gallery in Halifax, Nova Scotia, proceeded slightly West to the Justina M. Barnicke Gallery in Toronto during the summer, and is currently on view through March 31st at the Confederation Centre of the Arts in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. Plus Gallery unveiled the first of Walker's breathtaking, large-scale paintings during our 2010 Biennial of the Americas related exhibition "You Are Here," ones that simulate unearthed ceramics as if created on another planet, albeit one related to ours. Walker's works have advanced in both scale and dynamic content since then, highly deserving of the touring show that has occurred in multiple locations up North this year.
9. Plus Gallery related art-collections also made a tremendous impact this year, supporting exhibitions at the Arvada Center, the Center for Visual Arts, the Victoria Myhren H. Gallery at DU, as well as collection tours through the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art. We expect to see more along these lines as our artists engage the public on a wider level and our patrons experience the joy of sharing their passion for art.
10. A number of additional Plus Gallery artists hit notes of achievement this year, including Austin Parkhill who is featured in the current issue of New American Paintings as well as on the walls at our gallery in his stunning solo exhibition "At Your Best." We are proud of our entire family of artists and the spirit that drives them towards excellence in their work and careers, whether that is acknowledged on a broader level or not.
PLUS GALLERY - A LOOK FORWARD TO 2013
We don't expect to replicate the achievements of this last year on all fronts in 2013, but do know that we'll have an entirely new set to celebrate twelve months from now. Here is a brief, advance view of what 2013 already has in store with our artists, including two highly anticipated Denver Museum exhibitions:
1. Patti Hallock is set to become the first Plus Gallery artist to be featured with a solo exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver this next year, with recent as well as new selections from her expansive "The West Is Here" series going on view this January. The exhibition is a good fit for the museum, Hallock having been included in group exhibitions at the MCA in their previous location both in the "Biennial Blowout!" of 2006 as well as the "Extended Remix" major survey of Colorado contemporary art that same year. There is still time to acquire works that will be on view in the exhibition, a level of patronage and support that we highly recommend for one of the state's most thoughtful and renowned young photographers.
2. Bruce Price is set to become the first Plus Gallery artist since Dave Yust (yes, pre-Plus Gallery, way back in 1976) to be given a solo exhibition at the Denver Art Museum. Recognized as one of the foremost abstract painters in the region, Price has integrated fabric directly into his paintings and works on paper for the last few years. Curators at the DAM recognized this unique quality perviously this year at a DAMC sponsored studio visit, and later asked Bruce to show a selection of his works on paper as part of their upcoming Museum-wide exhibition "Spun: Adventures in Textiles" in 2013. The exhibition commences in mid-April and will include a selection of more than 30 drawings from Price in the Hamilton Wing's Works-on-paper gallery. We also highly recommend supporting Bruce through acquisition of his work through this extremely rare opportunity.
3. Finally, Melissa Furness will have one of her most recent paintings, and Colin Livingston will give a preview of his latest body of work at the Arvada Center juried exhibition "Art of the State" in January. Livingston will follow up that exhibition with his next show at Plus Gallery later in April. Also on tap for 2013 at Plus Gallery are solo exhibitions from Dave Yust, Tsehai Johnson, Donald Fodness and Allie Pohl, with a few more slots waiting for final confirmation. We expect it to be another exciting year at the gallery and an opportunity to explore further in depth some of our most celebrated artists, as well as a taste of some of our newest family members. And stay tuned to our newsletter for more exciting developments with our curatorial efforts for the Denver Theatre District and their LED platform for exhibiting motion-based arts. We are looking to develop a full program of "Friday Flash" showcases to commence in late spring, and also set to initiate a permanent collection of works commissioned by local and national artists.
Please note that this is our final newsletter of the year. Plus Gallery will be open for regular hours through Friday, December 21st. The gallery will close for a short holiday break between the 22nd and 26th, but will be open for regular hours again starting the 27th and into the new year.
