The Last First Friday of MoP

1stFriday_April_2013First Friday Art Walks in Denver are always a blast. The galleries open their doors to the public for later the normal viewing and a little “wine and cheese” type atmosphere. Whether you are in the Santa Fe Art District, known as the hub of the Denver art scene, or any of the seven others around town, you are bound to see amazing art and some fascinating characters.

The creative community in Denver is growing and the art districts are at the heart of that community.  The month of April is “MoP” or Month of Photography Denver, and dozens of galleries have participated in this growing event.  This last Friday, I went on a “gallery hop” with my husband and several friends to see as many of the “MoP” shows as we can before they are gone. Photography has long been a passion of mine, and I was not disappointed.  While the galleries have an amazing collection of photographic art, they also have paintings, sculptures, mixed media, graphic art, and textiles.

kanon

Wendi Schnieder with my favorite piece: :Dalia with Bee"

Artist Wendi Schnieder with my favorite piece: Dahlia with Bee”

Our first stop on our “gallery hop” was to KANON Collective at 766 Santa Fe Drive, where Wendi Schneider had several pieces showing. Alas we could not stay for long. We had four galleries to visit before our babysitter’s rates climbed to time-and-a-half, so onward we went.  But first… food! The food trucks are always around on First Friday’s and they were out in force when we were there.

 

 

 

 

eric_1stFridayMy husband and I stopped at Capt’n Crabby, while our friends ate at Kuechos. Both were super yummy and my husband had a sandwich that fit his appetite. But I digress, which I often do when it comes to food…

 

Our next destination was in the The Berkeley District, home to the Tennyson Cultural Arts District where my coworker, Bob Coller Jewett had a show at Tenn Street Coffee and Books, 4418 Tennyson Street Denver. Now if you remember, I recently blogged about this show and we were not disappointed. Not only did we get to experience some wonderful photography, but we also took full advantage of the fact that this show was at a coffee house (remember, we are parents and a little extra energy is a must on date night, lest we turn into pumpkins by midnight) and ordered some delicious coffee.

Bob_j_1stFriday_April20123

Bob was a busy man and there was barely a chance to let him know we were there. The place was hoppin’ and the band out front managed to hold their hats on in the hurricane force winds that tried to put a damper on the evening.

trace_1stFriday_April2013

 

 

 

 

With wind swept hair and sand in our teeth, we made our way to Trace Gallery where a very good friend and my boss, Gary Reed, had two pieces.  Trace Gallery is in the RiNo District, short for River North Art District and the space is full of character. The brick walls added to the drama of the photography showings.

gary_1stFriday_April2013

I want to express how excited I am for Gary. It’s hard not to sound like I’m “sucking up to the boss” but I really am very happy for him.  I love “gallery hopping” with him and Barb (my good friend and Gary’s significant other) and look forward to doing it again.

 

 

Trace_Gallery_ 1stFriday_April2013_2

Barb and Gary are so involved in Denver’s art scene, going out with them is like going out with my grandmother as a child. She knew EVERYONE! It really is a great way for me to meet artists and curators in the Denver area.

 

Because the wind was trying to blow Denver off the map that night, we never made it to our last stop, The Pattern Shop, where another of my favorite photographers, Valerie Photogoddess had several pieces hanging.  I was disappointed this was the last First Friday for MoP. If you had a chance to see any of these amazing shows, tell me about your experience in the comments below. If you have not made it to a show just yet, don’t freak out. MoP lasts through April, and if you are dying to see and or purchase some of these pieces, most galleries are by appointment only, be sure to give them a call.

Add a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *