Artical in FLAIR Magazine May 2012 issue.
Downtown Denver Arts Festival
May 8, 2012
By Jan McNutt
The first festival to put on your calendar is the summer opener, the 14th Annual Downtown Denver Arts Festival, at the Denver Pavilions on the 16th Street Mall, Friday, May 25 through Monday, May 28.
The DDAF is a popular show which began on the sidewalks of the Denver Center for Performing Arts fourteen years ago. With high hopes and obstacles overcome through the years, this unique show has thrived and managed, against festival odds, to create a distinctive personality while still drawing the best of the best artists. Amid immense competition it has continued to elevate and capture the essence of Colorado art and artists and, for the first time in its history, the 2012 DDAF will also showcase a wonderful selection of juried national artists.
From Friday through Monday, art and festival lovers alike will feast on more than 135 talented artist’s booths. The careful selection of art represents the Colorado Arts community as well as juried artists from around the country. The premier art works include a large variety of mediums such as 3-dimensional mixed media, ceramics, fiber art, furniture, art glass, jewelry, metal and wood sculpture and fine art photography.
The 14th DDAF is sure to please art lovers who can enjoy the beautiful Colorado outdoors and downtown ambiance. Art is said to feed the soul and this weekend you’ll discover irresistible art to admire and inspire you.
The strong quality of work will be brought together in the downtown area where some of the top names in art today include:
Tamera Seevers – Ostrich Egg Carver
Ms. Seevers was awarded Best of Show in the 2007 DDAF. Ms. Seevers carves intricate scenes, such as hummingbirds sipping nectar, snow crystals and flowers, forming intricate patterns into the thick shells of ostrich eggs.
Stefan Geissbuhler – Acrylic Painting
Born and raised in Switzerland and trained as a chef, Geissbuhler eventually found his way to Colorado and his passion for art. His paintings can be found in private and public collections from Europe to the U.S. and Canada.
Brian Keller – Egg Tempura Artist
Egg tempera is paint made with egg yolk, water and powder pigment and is one of the oldest mediums. Keller is drawn to the paint’s natural luster, clarity and precision unmatched by any other paint.
Casey Horn – Sculptor
Beginning at age 18 with an apprenticeship with sculptor Theodore Gall in Ojai, CA, Horn was inspired to pursue a career in metal sculpting. His Kanji Series elegantly transforms Japanese calligraphy into contemporary sculpture.
Shelly Hearne – Painter
One of DÉCOR Magazine’s 2009 Artists to watch, Ms. Hearne’s artwork was also selected for the cover of the premier issue of Art of the Hills Magazine and has also been featured in SouthWest Art Magazine and Frontier Airlines Magazine.
J.D. Hillberry – Drawings
J.D. Hillberry has won numerous awards and has had his artwork featured in numerous publications with images so realistically rendered that they “fool the eye” into believing that real objects are being displayed in a shadow box frame. Also, the author of the highly successful book ‘Drawing Realistic Textures in Pencil’.
Beth Erlund – Batik
Ms. Erlund’s Batik, (Batik is a Javanese word and refers to a generic wax-resist dyeing technique used on fabric) has been accepted to exhibitions throughout the country and the world, and has earned numerous awards. She is the author and artist of two children’s books.
The 14th DDAF is sure to please art lovers who can enjoy the beautiful Colorado outdoors and downtown ambiance. Art is said to feed the soul and this weekend you’ll discover irresistible art to admire and inspire you.