Works by other gallery artists will also be on exhibit in the space:
Mark Sink, Kristen Hatgi-Sink, Richard Peterson, Jeffrey Keith, Mark Amerika, Evan Anderman, Julia Fernandez-Pol, Paolo Cirio

Few cities promote and support an art community like our curious, creative and fascinating FOD (Friends of Denver) do. One outstanding appeal is our vibrant First Fridays, known to art lovers as the best night-out of the month.

Giving Denver’s, let’s see, four? distinct art districts, it goes without saying it’s never boring.  You’ve got the regulars who never miss a FF, and the new generation of art lovers who love the rowdy social gathering especially along Santa Fe.

My October FF started across the street from the MCA with an opening at the Carmen Wiedenhoeft Gallery which was a huge 8,000 sq. ft. slick, concrete and glass area.  Everyone was commenting on how great the Pop-Up gallery trend is because it’s an economic and temporary way to spice up your art career without being locked into a long, expensive lease.  I think this is how it works. Gallery owners/artists rent space in an empty, new building; finagle a short-term lease, set up an art show, sell art, hire a PR person, then at the end of 1-3 months, take down the portable walls and art, then, move on to another affordable hot spot, with another new, hopefully hot, artist. It’s brilliant.

The featured artist at the Carmen Wiedenhoeft Gallery was Tania Dibbs, an Aspen artist who lives and works there. No one was particularly familiar with her work. She either has a  great PR person or, she knows a lot of people in Denver who know a lot of people. Two big names showed who typically do not attend FF gallery openings. Seen were Adam Lerner, director of the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver, and Governor John Hickenlooper, who was on crutches after hip surgery.

Dibbs’ work is contemporary painted on mostly large canvases. Her technique expressed a controlled, modern and calculated approach that didn’t reveal much about the artist. Her palette was conservative. I got the feeling she had little interest in experimenting with color.  Unlike a large pastel block canvas of say, Richard Diebenkorn, with an eye catching contrasting color added for interest, Dibbs took the ethereal approach.  Hers were large semi-muted expressionistic images in pale yellow, gray, green. Dibbs veered into a few encaustic works using the same muted color scheme with dainty Pollock-esque managed drips.

Artist Tania Dibbs, Governor John Hickenlooper, Lauren Dibbs

Mark Amerika, also showing at the Carmen Wiedenhoeft Gallery