Artists Open Their Studios For ARK
Art Garage Presents 4th Annual Tour For Art Reaches Kids
By Katie Moran
Special to the GPHN
The nonprofit Park Hill Art Garage is best known for its dynamic after-school, weekend and summer camp classes taught by local practicing artists. These, as well as birthday parties, have become very popular with Denver area kids, teens and adults.
Many, however, are not aware of the Art Garage’s outreach program ARK (Art Reaching Kids). The mission of ARK is to provide art programs that heal, inspire, and empower people who are facing adversity. Instructors work to create a safe and non-judgmental environment, which supports exploration of the arts, the discovery and strengthening of unique visual language, and the opportunity to build self-esteem.
The Art Garage’s 4th Annual Open Studio Tour takes place on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 15 and 16, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Both days, professionally acclaimed artists and studios in and around Park Hill will open their doors and exhibit their work for the public. The Studio Tour is a fundraiser for the Art Garage’s ARK outreach program.
As of publication, 13 local artists have signed up to participate in the tour. The artists donate 10 percent of the sales of their work from the weekend to support the ARK program. Admission to the studios is free to browsers. Art will be for sale at a variety of price points.
Maps of the studios will be available at the Art Garage, at stops along the way, and on the Art Garage website.
The Art Garage, at 6100 E. 23rd Ave. will house the art of Jessica Moore, a graphic designer and artist. Her works bridges digital and analog while using new technology to construct wood mountain scenes.
Also at the Art Garage at 2 p.m. both days of the tour, you can create your own Halloween tote with Jennifer Ghormley as she demonstrates printmaking methods. Ghormely’s inspirations include screenprint, woodcut, intaglio, and monotype combined with sewn elements, acrylic wash effects, hand coloring, and encaustic wax.
And, Sal Greenberger will be showcasing his figurative, colorful portraits and images of native plants and animals.
Up the street at 3384 Jasmine, the mother/son team of Pat and Ben Clarke will be showing their work. Pat Clarke is well known for her inspirational watercolor paintings, and Ben is an illustrator.
Artist Michele McManus is at 2363 Ivy St. McManus combines dichroic, iridescent and hand rolled art glass to create one-of-a-kind art glass jewelry and what she calls “jewelry for your home.”
Barbara Hoffman creates functional pottery at her studio at 4933 E. 22nd Ave. During the tour, Hoffman will share space with Glenn Stole, who will display watercolor paintings and beautiful felted bags. One block east, in the alley between Elm and Fairfax Streets, Karrie McBryde will conduct ongoing glass-blowing demonstrations at her Gaia Glass hot glass studio. On display will be her spirit orbs, garden reeds and a glass pumpkin patch. Also at that location will be the fused glass of Suzie White, who creates glass nightlights and trays.
Potter Frances Mackey’s studio is at 1430 Birch St. Mackey’s focus is the creation of functional pieces-the objects people use every day, including plates, bowls, tea sets, serving bowls, platters and vases as well as sculptural houses.
On Saturday the Art Gym at 1460 Leyden Street will be open to share information about its community workspace, which includes access to specialty tools as well as a small-scale commercial kitchen.
For more information, check out artgaragedenver.com, or call 303-377-2353.