Not For The Faint Of Art

The Alley Is My Canvas

Art Installations Range From Sunflowers To Seahorses, To Mummies On Skis

By Jack Farrar

Special to the GPHN

According to our latest unscientific survey, there are upwards of 45 to 50 alley art installations in Park Hill, ranging from simple to elaborate.

Some have clearly been executed by amateurs, others have been commissioned by pros. In some cases, alley neighbors have collaborated on group projects. “Canvases” include garages, fences, walls, posts, cars, trailers, furniture and pallets.

Some pieces have a message. Some are visual puns. Styles range from realism to surrealism to impressionism to Dadaism. Perhaps the nicest thing about all of Park Hill’s alley art is that they are public art, accessible 24/7. Recycled materials are employed liberally, of course: wood, metal, paper, tin cans, bottles, baskets, couches.

In this year’s alley art competition, three installations deserve special recognition:

On the fence behind 1609 Roslyn, Cy Davis has created a wonderful grid of metal flowers on stems made of garden hose sections. Cy does not profess to be an artist, but thinks of himself as “artistic.”

Since day one of the annual Park Hill Alley Art contest, Tom O’Dwyer, 2645 Clermont, has been an enthusiastic participant, emphasizing his masonry skills in pieces he installed in his alley. Tom has now brought his art out to the front and side yards, featuring marvelous gravity stone sculptures. “Large ones are reinforced with rebar,” says O’Dwyer, “others just require gravity and the right shape.”

In terms of flat-out beautiful design and execution, it’s hard to top the extensive fence/garage painting, with sunflower, at 2800 Ash. Vibrant shades of gold, yellow and green on a red background.

All of those artists will be presented with family memberships at the Park Hill Community Bookstore ($25 value). The bookstore is at 4620 E. 23rd Ave.

The following is a detailed list of installations that you should keep an eye out for when are cruising around the neighborhood.

Longtime Park Hill resident Jack Farrar is a board member of the Park Hill Community Bookstore.

Alley Masterpieces Made Of Cans, Bottles, Couches

Park Hillians are a creative sort, including when it comes to their alleys. The following is a list noteworthy alley masterpieces to keep an eye out for when you are cruising around the neighborhood:

• The entire alley between Holly and Hudson, Montview to 22nd  Avenue.

• The fence north of the Axum Restaurant at Hudson and Colfax.

• The east end of the fence behind merchants on the south side of 23rd and Dexter.

• 1569 Glencoe. About 30 feet across. Blue background, with mountain range. Painted brick tower. Large framed twine and wood piece. Skull theme throughout.

• 1540 Roslyn. Intricate drawing with nautical theme. Blue background. Tentacled creatures. Seahorse. Starfish. Black-and-white drawing. About 7 feet high. 20 feet wide. Artist: J. Finley. 2014.

• 1708 Colorado Blvd. Garage. Mountain backdrop. Snowboards, skate wheels. Carburetor. Piston. Mummy with skis. Painted cinderblock.

• 1730 Albion. Sea scene. Entire width of garage door. Shades of blue and gray and white. Undersea and on shore. Stars and moon.

• 2620 Bellaire. 13 fans on a fence. Zoo poster to left of garage.

• 2531 Birch. Tri-color brick. Flower mural. Great use of window frame. Bees. Birdhouse ladybug. Yellow trim. Executed by Troop 17502008.

• 2261 Birch. Materials used from The Art Garage.

• 2975 Cherry. Garage door. Futurama squid character opining, “These cakes are gritty and tasteless.”

• 2372 Cherry. Professionally done. Mural on side of garage. Artrod.net. Man and woman’s faces. Outlined in black. Red, blue, yellow primary colors.

• 2630 Cherry. Nature scene on garage. Mural. Rainbow, bees, flowers.

• 2895 Dexter. Free form. Kids’ Abstract Expressionism.

• 2371 Dahlia. 3 dental molds. Shell face.

• 2236 Ivy. Multi-media collage. Window frames. Squash racquet. Part of fence. Metal mesh. Burlap bag. Ski pole.

• 2275 Eudora. Multi-media. Found items. Fascinating flower treatments. A pig with two ice cream cones. Abstracts.

• 2235 Fairfax. Where the buoys are. Fishing nets. Couple dozen on back fence.

• 2895 Fairfax. Fence facing 28th Avenue. Multi-media.

• 2312 Fairfax. Goldfish, jewelry and license plate.

• 3050 Forest. Five yellow flowers against blue green background.

• 2221 Grape. Placemats. Found wood. Vines. Salad bowl.

• 2226 Glencoe. Blue bear with black features.

• 2091 Hudson. Children’s fence 3 old picture frames and a door. Nature scenes. Abstract.

• 2208 Grape. Colorado flag on wooden wall panels.

• 3301 Krameria. Metal front yard sculpture. Windmill. Alien sitting on chair.

• 3295 Krameria. Concrete retaining wall. Spray painted. Birds. Insects plants. Hummingbird. Nice garden and yard art. Old stucco house.

• 2090 Dexter. More than 25 pairs of shoes. Tennis, running, soccer, golf. Nicely framed by morning glories, mint.

•  2212 Hudson. Flagstone, rock, wood, photo collages, kokopelli. Old window frames.

• 2270 Hudson. 29 framed photos of adorable animals.

•  3015 Ivanhoe. Painting, on boards on rear of funky old garage.

•  2379 Holly. Funky old metal signs.

•  2048 Holly. Measuring cups on red board.

•  1793 Ivanhoe. 3 metal frames with bumblebees. Similar pots in front.

•  2257 Ivy. Two pieces with hockey stick themes.

•  2985 Ivy. 4 petal pots with funky ingredients. Similar pots in front.

•  2800 Magnolia. Back of garage – Starry night by Van Gogh. Side and front yard full of gravity rock towers/cairns.

•  5800 E. 22nd Avenue. Two mannequins. American Gothic, with rose and daisies sprouting from necks.

•  2240 Ivy. Five window frames. Heavily vined.

•  2220 Jasmine. Beautiful garden. Window frames. Painted panels.

•  2085 Kearney. Birdhouses in front. Buoys in back. Tin-can scarecrow in back.

•  2036 Jasmine. Record, with shells on a wooden frame.

— Compiled by Jack Farrar